Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake review

Like pretty much every genre of video game, the RPG has evolved rather significantly throughout the history of gaming. As it has though there has been one series that has remained a bastion of pure traditional old school RPG goodness, and that series is Dragon Quest. One of the granddaddys of the genre, Dragon Quest has delighted gamers for well over three decades with its signature brand of silly fantasy adventure. And what better way to celebrate a series with such history as with a remake of an early title, but with a significant upgrade. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a lovely way to experience that classic RPG flavour at its finest, but some might struggle with this thirty six year old game in the modern era.

Dragon Quest III has a fairly simple story that sends you off on an adventure rather abruptly. You play as the child of a great hero who sadly died when you were only a baby. Now all grown up your aim is to follow in your father’s footsteps and travel the world for the good of the kingdom. It’s about as basic a story as you could imagine, but the charm of the characters you meet along the way elevates it significantly.

Before you set off onto the world map to explore every town and cave it has to offer, you’ll need to prepare a team of adventurers to defend yourself from monsters. Your main character is a bit of a jack of all trades with spells, healing, and plenty of sword swinging potential, but balancing the rest of your party is important alongside them. If you want a traditional selection of warrior, mage, and healer in your party then that’s a perfectly acceptable decision, but there are also some slightly more interesting options like thief or the all new monster wrangler to choose from too.

The actual turn-based combat of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake couldn’t be more simple, with each party member and enemy choosing an action and then everyone swinging axes and slinging spells accordingly. Like in all Dragon Quest games there’s a little bit of nuance in how you attack enemies that are grouped together (as some spells and weapons target all identical foes standing next to each other) but for the most part the strategy comes from using the right spell or ability for the situation.

Now as far as I can tell there isn’t a whole lot that has changed about this combat system compared to the original release of Dragon Quest III back in 1988, but those used to the RPGs of the future will appreciate one massive upgrade: the battle speed. Being able to set this to ludicrous speeds means that every single encounter takes so much less time than it would’ve back in the day, and makes those slightly dated random encounters feel so much less painful.

As is pretty much always the case in any RPG, one of the most exciting times in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is when a character levels up. There’s no tough decision making or skill trees to mess with when this happens though, and instead you’ll just see some stats grow and be given a new spell or ability if you’re lucky. It’s simple but still very effective at granting a bit of gaming joy, especially if you learn a new mass healing spell or powerful flaming sword attack.

If you’re a fan of old school RPGs you’ll find a lot to love in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, but for me the best part of the game is the exploration. The world is littered with glowing dots signifying loot which are always worth checking out for the stat boosting seeds and new gear contained within. There are also loads of secret areas to find on the overworld, which are signified by slightly different looking environmental elements like oversized trees. This is often where you’ll find monsters that want to join you too, which opens up a whole other side activity.

As someone who adored Dragon Warrior Monsters as a kid, I was so happy to find the monster battling colosseum on my adventure. Friendly monsters you meet are added to your ranks at the arena, and your three best can be sent to battle in a tournament. The difference between fighting with your regular team and with monsters is that you can’t directly command your monsters, and can only tell them to either attack all out, use a balanced offense, or focus on healing. This means it’s a lot tougher to ensure victory, but also makes for an interesting change of pace.

Above all else there is one obvious upgrade in this version of Dragon Quest III, and that’s the visuals. The blend of the late Akira Yoriyama’s signature art style with the HD-2D visuals is just gorgeous, and makes for an experience that feels both delightfully retro and breathtakingly beautiful. Coupled with the sensational soundtrack that features plenty of songs that series veterans will get goosebumps listening to, it makes it hard not to smile as you batter Slimes and Anteaters.

As wonderful a retro experience as Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is, it will be too old fashioned for some. You will need to grind to prepare for some bosses; you will need to remember to save in towns to ensure your progress isn’t lost, and you will get stopped by random encounters all the time. A lot of these elements are no longer common in the genre, and for the most part it’s for a good reason.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a blast from the past, which will hit you with a wave of nostalgia from the very first Slime. Ridiculously fast combat and new gorgeous visuals make it much more appealing for modern fans though, and that Dragon Quest charm simply cannot be replicated. There are some decidedly old school parts of the game that some won’t gel with, but those with a respect for the genre’s past will have a wonderful time with this fantastic remake.