Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake isn't just a fresh coat of paint, but a complete reimagining - hands-on

Ever since it was announced, I'd say it's been a pretty common refrain to see fans of the series wonder exactly what Square Enix would be delivering with Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. While Dragon Quest III's remake was excellent, to say that the original two games are basic is an understatement. What changes would be made; with all the noise about how technically the games follow-up on III in the timeline, would we see an effort to tie it into their sequel? 

Last week, I had the chance to go hands-on with the upcoming remakes ahead of Dragon Quest day, and while I didn't get an especially long play session - what I did see answered many of the questions that had been on my mind. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D aren't just a graphical update; they're a complete reimagining of what these games are, and what they can be in a more modern context.

Let me explain; both games' original releases can be best described as anemic on story, at least compared to modern RPG releases. This quaintness is all well and good, but when both Dragon Quest I and II are so basic compared to the games that followed after, the idea of a full budget remake for either game is a bit baffling on the surface wtihout some rather major changes. The original Dragon Quest is a solo adventure, after all - what do you change to make it more engaging? Similarly, merely pointing players in the right direction with Dragon Quest II is a band-aid solution that doesn't really solve the core frustrations with the game. Yet any fundamental change to either game means they're not the same experiences as the originals, for good or ill.

The team's response, then, is to go wild with changes. Dragon Quest I now has multiple enemies facing you in battle, and the game has been redesigned with this in mind. The story - while still threadbare - has a much larger focus, too. Stepping foot in Erdrick's cave, you're greeted to a rival adventuring party looking to seize any blessings for themselves. As you traverse the dungeon, you'll spot each of the party's members split from each other, and can talk to them to learn more about why they journeyed there in the first place. They're the survivors of a village that was decimated by the Dragonlord.

It sounds minor on paper, but the extra story truly drastically changes how Dragon Quest feels to play. It's much the same for Dragon Quest II; and the story itself is even used as a vehicle to guide the player. We do know there's other new content that will be part of these remakes, during our session we didn't even catch a glimpse of the new girl that's part of Dragon Quest II in some way - but any concerns I had that these remakes might have felt the need to overly constrain themselves are gone. The originals still exist, and truthfully I don't think they would've benefited from a remake that simply matched the visuals of Dragon Quest III HD-2D, but didn't take the opportunity to expand upon what these games could be.

That's not to diminish how much the new visuals add to the experience, of course. Much like Dragon Quest III, the HD-2D visuals look incredible; it's just to say that those same visuals would have almost felt like a waste without the effort to expand the games in ways that would take advantage of the improved presentation. The same goes for the music - even if much of what I heard were clearly existing orchestral recordings, some of which I may or may not have had on my mind due to recent releases.

Besides all that, there's really not all that much more to say. If you've played a Dragon Quest, really any Dragon Quest, you already know what to expect. If you loved Dragon Quest III HD-2D, I & II HD-2D adds enough to experience from even the limited time we had a chance to check things out that makes it clear both fans of the original and those looking to play them for the first time have something truly fresh to look forward to. I, for one, am excited to see exactly what they have in store for us when it launches on October 30 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC (Steam).