Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Preview – A Nostalgic Journey

Originally released in 1988 in Japan and not until released in North America until 1992, Dragon Quest III has seen a few re-releases over the years, but this is the first time we are getting a proper remake of an entry in the classic series. The journey back to the roots of Dragon Quest, a game that holds a special place in the hearts of many, is sure to enlighten long-time fans and newcomers alike, invoking a sense of shared nostalgia.

At the Summer Game Fest , CGM had an exclusive opportunity to delve into the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake for a substantial forty minutes. Co-developed by Square Enix’s Team Asano, the game exudes a palpable passion, especially considering it was the first Dragon Quest game to emphasize the narrative truly. This unique aspect, coupled with the game’s rich history since its original release in 1988 in Japan, makes it a must-play for any Dragon Quest fan.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake follows the story of Hero as they are summoned to take down Baramos after a failed attempt by the players’ father years ago. While this preview was more of a focus on the gameplay of the story, there was enough of a hint of the classic story that was enough to really intrigue me. As a fan of the Dragon Quest series, this entry was one of the ones I had skipped over the years and this is the perfect time to get into it.

“Co-developed by Square Enix’s Team Asano, the game exudes a palpable passion, especially considering it was the first Dragon Quest game to emphasize the narrative truly.”

The most notable change in the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is, of course, the graphical presentation. Done in the 2D-3D art style that Team Asano is known for, it looks incredible. It is the perfect mixture of gorgeously detailed pixelated art mixed with beautifully detailed backgrounds and landscapes. It was clear from the second the game booted up this was going to be a visual splendor.

Team Asano once again hit it out of the park with the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, and with the announcement of the Dragon Quest I and II HD-2D Remake coming as well, I can only imagine how well those will also look. Not to mention, the music is incredibly re-scored as well. Dragon Quest has always had a more light-hearted approach to music, and it’s the same here in the remake, but it’s beautiful nonetheless.

Before diving into the gameplay, it should be noted that I played on PlayStation 5 , and while the Nintendo Switch version was there, we were told it runs at 30fps versus the 60fps PS5 and PC experience, so I wanted to go with the overall optimal play experience with the time I had. After getting in plenty of battles and going through multiple dungeons, I am very excited to experience the whole game. That being said, I’m not sure if modern audiences are prepared for how brutal and unrelenting older JRPGs can be. Both in terms of battle difficulty spikes and brutalist rewards from completing battles.

“Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is true to the source material in terms of this brutality, with random encounters that can be a toss-up.”

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is true to the source material in terms of this brutality. Random encounters can be a toss-up. Either fighting a group of three enemies that are base level easy, with two steps away, you can come up against a group of six really overpowered enemies. If you manage to squeak your way through the more challenging battles, you’ll still be rewarded with next to nothing in terms of gold and experience. But that was the joy of these older JRPGs; it was a challenge every step of the way.

We played the opening forty minutes during my preview, and one of the things I knew what to do was walk around and grind a few levels. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake makes it incredibly easy; with the ability to speed up animations by three times, it makes battles pass by in seconds rather than minutes. Usually, I wouldn’t recommend this, but it really did help when I was grinding out a few levels to make sure I would be ready for the few dungeons I had time to make it through. Thankfully, I did, as whoever was sitting beside me was having a rough time in said dungeons without taking the time to grind.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and can’t wait to see what the team has cooked up for the entirety of the game. We were also told that the story does remain mostly untouched, they have added in a change a few minor things. But all said, Team Asano really knows what they are doing when it comes to bringing the old-school 8-bit and 16-bit to modern audiences, staying true to the beliefs of the era of being crushingly difficult while still approachable.

I am very excited for Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, even though I mainly just saw the combat mechanics. I have a love for retro JRPGs, and this is scratching that itch in a tangible way. Thankfully, November 14th isn’t that far away.