Three years after it was initially revealed, the remake of Dragon Quest III is finally here, bringing the ultimate classic gaming experience into 2024. While the franchise has been a JRPG staple for decades already, many of today’s players haven’t experienced the original titles, mostly due to a lack of accessibility in modern hardware. Bringing back Dragon Quest III is a double-edged sword. While it is great for nostalgia, it also serves as a painful reminder of its age. Here is our Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake review.
Just to set things up. I was not around when the original was first released back in 1988 on the Famicom and the NES. If you were, massive respect to you for still being here all these years. But it goes without saying that I can’t fully speak on what the original felt like to be played. Instead, what I can help with is how exactly does Dragon Quest III hold up today? While it is a remake and the developers have done a number of quality-of-life changes, the very core of the experience still remains intact. For fans of the original, I expect that you will all be very happy about this. For those hoping that this will be the title that will convince you to get into the franchise, you might have to manage expectations.
Old dog, new looks
Inspired by the massive success of Octopath Traveler, Square Enix has applied its HD-2D treatment to Dragon Quest III, and the results are nothing short of spectacular. The pixel visuals feel like they’re lifted straight from a storybook, with every character, enemy, and environment given a stunning new glow-up. The game looks especially incredible at night, as lanterns or torches cast a warm glow over the environment. And even in broad daylight, the colors practically jump off the screen. Looking back, a large portion of my playtime was spent just taking all the visuals in as much as I could. The updated architecture and level design add incredible detail, capturing what players likely envisioned when they first booted the original game up back in the late ’80s.
While the remake maintains the core plot that fans remember, it brings in fresh story elements, including expanded backstory for the Hero’s father. These additions subtly add onto the already beefy narrative, giving new and returning players something to look forward to in their playthroughs. Without giving too much away, the new story content offers a fuller grasp on the overarching plot of the series, something I can already tell that veterans will especially love.
You play as the Hero, son/daughter of the legendary warrior Ortega who supposedly died many years ago during his quest. You are then tasked by the king of Aliahan to venture forth and defeat Baramos, a task that your father failed many years ago.
Dialogue is essential, and talking to NPCs often reveals crucial hints for progression. There’s a dialogue memory function to help you remember who said what, but the absence of constant markers means players will need to stay engaged with the world around them. Key locations are marked on the map if you open it but for the most part, the world is yours to explore. This is a game that trusts its players, rewarding those who pay attention.
The game’s soundtrack is as magical as ever. The remastered music brings a massive sense of nostalgic joy, even for those who may not have grown up with it like me. There’s really not much to say about it here. The Dragon Quest music is iconic for a reason. These are tunes that I would definitely listen to even after I shut off the game.
Feels just like old
In terms of gameplay, Dragon Quest III HD-2D sticks closely to its roots. For better and worse. The turn-based combat, while very faithful to the original, can feel slow by today’s standards, especially if you’re new to classic JRPG mechanics. Thankfully, the game offers a “fast” speed option, which made the battles so much more digestible. There is also a very fast option, but it felt too much already. Auto-battle is also available if you’re more interested in the story than slogging through random encounters (in which there will be a lot). I found this especially useful in the random encounters while exploring the open areas. But when it comes to boss fights, you’d definitely want to take back full control because the game is far from an easy play. One unlucky turn can mean a full wipe if you’re not careful, and the only way to revive downed characters early on is through a resurrection at a town’s church.
This only makes the properly named Patty’s Party Planning Place tavern all the more important. Here you can customize what your party composition will be. You can choose what classes will accompany you and what will they look like. There’s not a ton of visual customization involved, and there’s only so much you can do with 2D style visuals, but the option is still there should you want it.
One small annoyance that hasn’t aged as well is the item management. Party members don’t share items, which means you’ll have to carefully assign equipment and potions to specific characters. If you’re mid-battle and the item you need is held by another character, it can lead to some frustrating situations—especially in tougher fights. You’d think this would be one of the first things they’d refine for combat in the Remake but alas, no luck.
But there are some really good new additions. Remember the Monster Arena? In the original, you were only allowed to bet on what the final results will be. Probably due to hardware limitations at the time. But here in the Remake, you can now control what will their actions be like. Will they be more aggressive? Do you assign one to focus on heals? Will they only just use normal attacks and not use MP?
While I can see why preserving the original core gameplay experience was important to the developers, I wish that they took more creative liberties in improving the mechanics. Admittedly, it was difficult to get into the groove of the gameplay loop at the start especially after a year of fantastic turn-based games such as Metaphor: ReFantazio, Persona 3 Reload, and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a game that you have to massively set your expectations before going into it. It’s built upon extremely dated foundations, and it does its absolute best to keep it that way.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Review Final Verdict – 8/10
Despite some minor gameplay gripes, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a fantastic revival of a classic JRPG that has helped shaped the genre. The massive upgrade to environmental detail, enhanced storytelling, and absolutely gorgeous HD-2D animations makes it a great pickup for those who are in need of a classic fix. It’s a journey back to the roots of JRPGs—a nostalgic love letter to fans and an interesting introduction for newcomers.
This review was made using a game code for the PC provided by the publisher.