Dragon Quest is the longest running role-playing game franchise in the world, with its first entry debuting back in 1986. The series has constantly found new fans with its new entries and spin-offs, and yet there is still something special about its earlier entries. However, some of the older games can feel dated to revisit or for new gamers especially. Square Enix is updating the original trilogy of Dragon Quest games with HD-2D remakes of all three games. At Tokyo Game Show 2024, I had the chance to try out Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, and was pleasantly surprised at how delightful it was.
For its new graphics, DQIII HD-2D Remake takes a fusion approach to its visual style. Characters and enemies retain the 2D pixel-look inspired by previous versions of Dragon Quest III. Meanwhile, other elements like backgrounds, environments, attacks, lighting, and other effects use more high-resolution and/or 3D polygonal models. This visual style has been described as being 2.5D, and a similar approach has been seen in fighting games and other RPGs – for example, Square Enix’s own Octopath Traveler series.
How it looks here though is nothing short of beautiful. DQIII HD-2D is brimming with so much color and life. This remake doesn’t shy away from color, featuring rich hues and plenty of contrast. Plants sway in the breeze, and rivers flow in the background. You can see dust, pollen, sand, and even the wind itself blowing around. Snowflakes fall in more tundra areas. Attacks look cool with plenty of visual flair. These various graphical effects and dynamic movement in the environments help further bring its iconic world to life. Lighting, notably from the sun or lanterns, affect how environments and characters are lit, further adding visual splendor. Speaking of the characters and enemies, they all look updated compared to previous versions of the Dragon Quest III yet still faithful to what veteran players remember.
DQIII HD-2D Remake not only upgrades its visuals, but also adds gameplay and quality-of-life improvements that make the game a more pleasant experience compared to its predecessors. Traversing and navigating through the game feels a lot smoother and faster. The speed you can move your characters around the world is slick and speedy. Also, you can move diagonally, something other Dragon Quest IIIs didn’t allow. Diagonal movement alone speeds up moving around various places. Text types out and scrolls fast. Battle speed can be adjusted, and the battles themselves feel snappy, with minimal load time going in and out of them. These particular improvements can make this a great way for even those who aren’t fans of turn-based combat to have fun experiencing Dragon Quest III.
Even though my demo time was nearly half an hour long, the minutes flew by, and I was left wanting to play more. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is has and enchanting world and fun adventure to get lost in, embodying a lot of what I love about JRPGs. If you’ve been meaning to re-visit Dragon Quest III or are a newcomer wanting to go on the DQIII adventure, DQIII HD-2D is a fantastic way to do either.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D launches on November 14, 2024 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series consoles, and PC.
Thank you to Square Enix for having me at their booth at Tokyo Game Show 2024.