Though the reveal of the upcoming Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D remake may not have been a huge surprise to many after Dragon Quest III got its own HD-2D remake treatment at the end of last year, it was clearly welcome information to fans. The first two games in the series (though technically released before last year’s entry) fall after Dragon Quest III chronologically – so those who played Dragon Quest III can now look forward to seeing what happens long after the story ends. The games will release on October 30th, 2025, but thanks to Bandai Namco I was able to get a taste of what’s to come with some hands-on time with both Dragon Quest I & II.
The HD-2D graphics stun again
Since employing the same tactic with 2022’s Live a Live remake, Team Asano have proven that their ‘HD-2D’ art style is a perfect way to breathe life into a beloved series while maintaining its iconic style. The Dragon Quest III remake was stunning, and the Dragon Quest I & II Remake is no different. Every enemy is no doubt recognisable to fans of the series, but each has been given a facelift. Colours are brighter, there’s a new depth to the world, and a softness to the edges of once-harsher pixels makes the game somehow feel perfectly placed in both the time of its original release, and amongst modern games. There’s something particularly charming about a pixel-art enemy in front of a smooth, more softly rendered background. And the slimes? Still adorable.
A little sprite can show some big feelings
Though they are but small, the heroes of Dragon Quest are mighty. With the help of some updated animations, these descendants of Erdrick – the legendary hero introduced in Dragon Quest III – are captivating and expressive whether in cutscenes or when simply traversing the world. An impressive amount of physical comedy is nailed through a perfectly timed sprite flip, or the sight of an NPC hiding behind a rock instead of threatening you. During the short section of Dragon Quest I I played, which followed a hero on their quest to explore a cave in the forest, I met a group of misfits I was sure were going to attack me Pokemon Trainer style, only for those expectations to be flipped on their head. As a newcomer to the series, I have no idea whether these characters will make another appearance later – but regardless, their presence brought levity to what was otherwise quite a serious and pivotal plot moment.
And that wasn’t the only time the game did something like that. In your bleakest moments, when some of your party members have died and you’re fighting for your life, you’ll be reminded of those you’ve lost. Constantly. In coffins. As you traverse the map, desperate to find a place to heal before you’re forced up against your next foe, you’ll be doing so with little bouncing coffins behind you representing your fallen comrades. I don’t know about you, but imagining my hero having to drag giant coffins behind them as they climbed over mountains paints an extremely funny picture for me. And you’ll need something like that to keep you positive, because…
Quality of life improvements make the game modern and playable - but not easier
These games are challenging. They serve as a great reminder that a lot of these old school JRPGs were by no means easy, and that successfully completing the hero’s quests will require mastery of combat and a whole lot of persistence. Each of your party members have their own strengths – some are magic users, who may rely more heavily on spells that can harm enemies and heal allies, and others are traditional warriors, built to pack a hefty punch. But no matter which of these archetypes you might favour, you’ll need to learn to balance all of them in order to make progress. Bosses will hit you hard, and unless you’re on top of healing, it might only take a few hits to take you down. And once you’re down? You’re going to be doing a fair bit of back-tracking. While quest markers and journal entries will guide you towards your next objective, it can sometimes be a little tricky to know exactly where you need to go – and even when you do know where you’re going, getting there can still be a challenge. You’ll encounter a lot of smaller enemies along the way, and sometimes the smart choice is simply not to engage. From what I played, there didn’t seem to be a fast travel mechanic, so you’re likely to be retreading a fair bit of ground – or, to be honest, maybe you’ll just be much better at the game than I am.
But if you need to retread, don’t despair! Battles can be sped up, meaning that skirmishes against simple foes can be over in seconds. If you want to make things even quicker, you can automate your party members by getting them to follow preset tactics during a fight. Or, as I learned during my brief time with both games, you’ll learn which random encounters to flee from at first opportunity.
The series welcomes all - new and old fans alike
As someone who has always wanted to give Dragon Quest a try, but has never taken the plunge – these remakes feel like a perfect jumping off point. Though my brief time with the game was challenging, it never felt like a bad challenge – it felt like the kind of challenge that made me want to learn and improve so that I could experience more of the witty and evocative dialogue, compelling characters, and lore-dense world that the game has to offer. I got a taste of this world, and I’m very keen to find out more about it – I’ll be hopping back in when the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake collection launches in October, for sure.
