Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake: The Final Preview

I think the word “cozy” is terribly overused these days when assigning genres to video games, but it’s hard to find another adjective that so perfectly sums up everything I love about Dragon Quest. Simple yet rewarding turn-based combat combined with a classic odyssey set in a picturesque fantasy world results in a wonderfully traditional RPG experience that I’ve always found comforting. So when I was given the choice to try out Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake on either PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch during a recent preview event, the choice to settle into the Switch’s handheld mode was an easy one.And rest assured, Switch owners, Dragon Quest 3 looked and ran beautifully on Nintendo’s aging system. Square Enix’s other HD-2D games, like Octopath Traveler and Live A Live, were perfect for short bursts of play before bed, and Dragon Quest 3 seems to fit that bill. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D Remake Screenshots - Nintendo Direct June 2024Unlike our first look at the Dragon Quest 3 remake, which showed how faithfully it remains to the roots of the 30-plus year-old NES RPG, the hour I spent playing Dragon Quest 3 was spent taking advantage of some of the remake’s brand-new additions. And so far, I’m extremely pleased with the new content, which spruces things up without transforming the original experience beyond recognition. First up, I hung out in the revamped Monster Arena, where you can send monsters you’ve defeated and recruited throughout the game to battle other teams of creatures. In the original Dragon Quest 3, you could simply bet on the outcome of battles in the Monster Arena, but this remake lets you get in on the action yourself. Monster collecting has been a huge part of both the mainline Dragon Quest games and the Monsters spin-off series for decades, and it’s great to see that legacy continue here.I entered the arena with a pre-loaded team of a Slime, Healslime, and Spiked Hare, but this side mode is clearly designed so that I can build my own teams from monsters I recruit in the main game. You don’t directly command your team in the Monster Arena tournament, but you do determine how they behave in battle with four different options: Show No Mercy, Fight Wisely, Focus on Healing, and Don’t Use MP. For the first few rounds, I tasked my Healslime to focus on healing its allies while the Slime and Spiked Hare dealt all the damage, but once I realized I had this fight in the bag, I put my entire team into it. This monster auto battler seems like a fun distraction from the main adventure, and I can see myself dropping in regularly to fine-tune my team and play them in tournaments. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake screenshotsAs I watched my team fight, I was mesmerized by the enemy character models. I’d felt like Dragon Quest and the HD 2D style were a match made in heaven since this remake was first revealed, and seeing it in action made it clear how much I love seeing these classic enemies presented in Square Enix’s enticing art direction. The Killer Pillar (an evil caterpillar, if you couldn’t guess) that I fought in my first fight had a highly detailed idle animation where he bounced back and forth, and the way he contorted his entire body as he readied himself for an attack made the entire turn-based combat that much more dynamic. Ever since this remake was revealed, I felt like Dragon Quest and the HD-2D art style were a perfect match. Seeing it in action really highlighted how much I love seeing these classic enemies in Square Enix’s beautiful art style. The same can be said for the great character models for Robbin' 'Ood and his pack of Robbin' 'oodlums, the boss fight I encountered atop Skyfell Tower. Climbing the tower was a classic, atmospheric dungeon experience full of random encounters. It was here that I was impressed by just how flexible Dragon Quest 3's combat system is. Remember those four preset orders I could assign to my party in the Monster Arena? In Dragon Quest 3's core combat, those presets are still available to you, with the added option of "Follow Orders". This means that you can tear through the low-stakes random encounters in a dungeon by telling all four members of your party to show no mercy, but when a challenging boss fight rolls around, you can take control of every decision to ensure you emerge victorious. This, combined with the ability to ramp up the speed of combat whenever you want, contributes to that cozy, relaxing gameplay feel I mentioned earlier. It’s fun to sit back and watch the experience points roll in during the low-level battles, which only last a few seconds at maximum speed. But when I got to the top of the tower to face Robbin’ Ood, I wanted to make every choice myself.And it’s a good thing I took over the boss fights, because they were a nail-biter. I had to use my Priest multiple times to heal my team, while my protagonist and Monster Wrangler – a new class introduced in the remake – did the heavy lifting. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Robbin’ Ood finally hit the ground, and I immediately wanted to run to the next dungeon to take on the next big boss.I imagine players will have a lot of fun customizing their team and making changes throughout the game.I also want to mention the remake’s new party customization feature. Dragon Quest 3’s party members are blank slates, but the remake revamps Patty’s Party Planning Place, a tavern where you can design your own party members, choosing their class, name, appearance, hair color, and voice. There aren’t a ton of customization options, but enough that I could create a rudimentary version of myself that I inserted into my party. I imagine players will have a lot of fun customizing their party and making changes throughout the game.Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on November 14. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is coming sometime next year.

Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D Remake Screenshots – Nintendo Direct June 2024

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake screenshots

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