Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Review: Gameplay Impressions, Videos & Features | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake brings one of the most beloved JRPGs to modern consoles with a fresh modernization that feels natural enough.

The legendary series, which first debuted in Japan in 1986 (localized as Dragon Warrior in the United States in 1989) and now spans eleven main entries, has long been hailed as one of the landmark moments before the ’90s began.

Now in 2024, it’s getting an Octopath Traveler-inspired presentation update, along with some gameplay options and smaller new additions to bring it more in line with the times.

As with any remake, reception will depend heavily on how well the changes respect the original vision and bring it to a new generation.

When it comes to remakes that bring forth an all-timer of a classic, it doesn’t get much better than this.

This remake brings out the fantastic classic sound design. And while the visuals will grab all the attention, it can’t be understated how impressive it is that there are now full English and Japanese voice actors to breathe new life into the experience.

But yes, those images are of the breathtaking variety. The watercolor feel of Octopath Traveler is here, but only used to complement the original designs of Dragon Ball legend Akira Toriyama and others.

The colorful HD 2D romps are vibrant and add a sense of depth and meaning to what were previously even mundane battle scenes and locations. It’s a feast for the eyes and so well done that, honestly, many fans will probably leave this one thinking it’s the only way to bring classic RPG games into the new era. Full 3D remakes are cool, but this approach enhances the spirit and details of the original with very little risk.

There are some new animations that longtime fans will notice, but for the most part this is a faithful and impressive effort from start to finish. And yes, just looking at the original side by side is nothing short of stunning.

The battles themselves also get some smooth modernization passes. The tried and true turn-based stuff is here as players build teams and balance classes to succeed. Lining up a healer for support and experimenting with compositions and strategies has stood the test of time and has inspired countless future releases since the late ’80s for good reason.

But the new things are interesting. For those who just want to ride along and not worry about fighting, there’s an auto-battler with a modern feel. There are also adjustable combat speeds with the simple press of a button

It is difficult to underestimate how important this is. The combination of auto-combat and encounter acceleration is something that takes an almost intimidating turn-based RPG experience and makes it suitable for more types of players. Someone who might not otherwise want to risk the time investment can use this in the Nintendo Switch’s handheld mode and experience it in bite-sized bursts.

By now, old fans know the story, while modern players won’t be blown away by the familiar-feeling effort.

Just know that this story probably came first, for what it’s worth. In short, players control Ortega’s child and must save the world from the big bad Baramos. Simple enough, but just to recap: Memorable characters and locations from this game have stood the test of time for a reason.

This remake comes with the promise that the story will more closely follow the events of the previous two games – something important to do considering the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake projects launching in 2025.

That’s not the only new addition to the story either, as this reprized story provides more context for the main character’s father, Ortega. Any update and further context, even after all this time, is of course always welcome.

The overall progression also gets a slight tweak compared to the classic entry, with a new Monster Wrangler summon being added to the mix. Impressively, this feels like a natural fit, which is good, because going overboard with new callings all these years later probably wouldn’t feel right.

This ties in nicely with a new world addition called Monster Arenas, which is exactly what it sounds like. There, players can battle monsters they have recruited during the journey. Maybe not newbecause betting on monster fights was a thing in the old games.

But this time? Players can determine the battle strategies of the different teams they put together. It’s essentially an auto-battler simulation, but the number of team compositions makes it an hour-consuming bit of fun as you experiment with teams and strategies while competing in tournaments.

Finding these monsters is actually a nice little addition to the overarching experience that makes exploring worthwhile. That’s the obvious purpose, as players can find them not only in places like dungeons, but also in cities.

Patty’s Party Planning Place also allows players to design their own party members, allowing the player to insert themselves into a group if they wish.

A new autosave feature is one of several modern quality-of-life updates alongside the robust set of options. The game launches with three difficulty levels, performance is good and while the more hardcore older fans will cry, there’s even the option to enable an objective marker to make things smoother.

Somehow, this remake also manages to innovate for the entire genre and provide a great example of why auto-combat and fast-forward options could open up games to a much wider audience with long-term investment.

It’s also done in such a way that the mind begins to wander as to whether similar classics should receive exactly the same treatment (coughChronoTriggercough).

As a standalone, Dragon Quest III’s arrival into a new generation is triumphant, and experienced players will find a tactful, measured improvement over the original that still respects and preserves the roots that brought the classic to life.