Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Review

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Early in my career as a game reviewer, I quickly learned the importance of judging a game based on what it tries to do, not what I want it to be. It’s surprisingly difficult! I often found myself letting my own expectations get in the way, clouding my ability to fairly assess the game – and if those expectations weren’t met, I’d end up disappointed. I realize now that’s what happened with Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake.

I used to criticize the game for not having some of the conveniences found in newer titles, like a better inventory system and the absence of random battles. However, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D still includes those classic elements, and I now realize it wouldn’t have been right to fault the game for staying true to its roots. Trying to modernize it completely would have meant losing what made the original special, and I understand that now.

Despite some familiar elements that don’t quite land, these remakes offer fresh content and improvements. Both Dragon Quest I and II include added story moments, new combat skills, and a brand-new character in the second game. The remakes successfully update the games for modern players while still preserving the charm that made the originals so beloved. It’s important to remember that these games essentially created the JRPG genre as we know it.

Okay, so the remakes are great and they’ve added a lot of cool stuff, but honestly, some parts still feel a little off. Like, the fighting in the first game wasn’t always fair, and the silent main character in the second one? It felt kinda weak when everyone else was fully voiced and had interesting stories. I go into more detail about this in my Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake review, but let’s get into it!

I’m so excited – I actually got the platinum trophy! It took me a total of 54 hours to get it. I spent about 16 hours finishing the first game, Dragon Quest I HD-2D Remake, and then another 38 hours with Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake. It was a long journey, but totally worth it!

Welcoming Story Additions

When you begin either game (though starting with the first one is recommended), you’ll immediately notice a more engaging story. Dragon Quest I HD-2D starts with a fully voiced cutscene showing the hero, a capable warrior, rescuing soldiers. Shortly after, he reaches the castle and declares himself the successor to Erdrick, a famous hero, led by a strange voice he’s been hearing in his dreams.

The main character, who isn’t given a voice or official name, needs to demonstrate he’s a descendant of Erdrick. He embarks on a quest to save the princess of Tantegel, helping people along the way. These extra story details expand on the overall history of the series, providing more background for the hero of Dragon Quest III and preparing players for the events of the second game.

The added story bits give a broader sense of the trilogy’s overaching lore.

The game’s story is really brought to life by its wonderfully voiced supporting characters, who make up for the main character’s lack of dialogue. It’s been ten years since I played the original, so I can’t say for sure what’s been added, but it seems like most of the story scenes are new. The first game was mostly about the hero traveling between locations, gathering items, and speaking with characters who advanced the plot.

The new version of the story adds more depth, giving each character clear reasons for their actions and believable goals. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s charming and keeps you invested in what happens. In the end, the story focuses so much on its characters that it makes us, the audience, feel somewhat insignificant.

The hero’s quiet nature fits the feeling of a lone journey, though we know nothing about their past or where they come from. We just start the game and are asked to defeat the villain and save the world, which is true to the original game, and I’m okay with that. Still, I think giving the hero a voice and personal reasons for fighting could have made the story even more engaging.

Things became much clearer when I began playing Dragon Quest II HD-2D. The game immediately recaps what happened before, then introduces the new heroes and explains why they’re fighting the villain, Hargon. We quickly meet a lively and funny group of three cousins who constantly talk and joke with each other, sharing their thoughts and growing as characters. However, the player character remains completely silent, which felt a little strange considering how much the others were talking.

As Caradoc aptly put it during the game, it’s better to focus on the good things than dwell on the bad. While the Midenhall prince didn’t say much, I thoroughly enjoyed the company of Cannock and Moonbrooke’s cousins on our journey. It was wonderful watching the four of them follow in Erdrick’s footsteps, encounter characters I had just met, and grow into their roles as heroes – a truly fantastic experience. I believe that, of the three games, the second one resonated with me the most.

Classical Turn-Based Combat With A Plus

I grew to really enjoy the updated gameplay, though it took some getting used to. Initially, I wasn’t sure about limiting the game to a single character in Dragon Quest I HD-2D, and it quickly became clear that this approach wasn’t for me at first.

Playing alone pushed me to try different tactics and abilities I’d normally overlook when playing with others, which made the fights surprisingly thoughtful. However, it was also frequent to be overwhelmed by groups of enemies and lose immediately, often due to being paralyzed or hit with a powerful attack. Thankfully, the game’s auto-save feature prevented too much frustration.

I used to die much more frequently in the first game compared to the second. That changed once the second game introduced Sigils – special items that altered the story. Now, in both games, Sigils function as a gameplay element during battles. Each Sigil you find changes how combat works, for example, by replenishing magic points when you defend or even letting spells have a chance to critically hit. My personal favorite is the Soul Sigil.

This special ability, called a Sigil, changes how your character’s skills and spells work when certain things happen – like when your health gets low. These changes can make your abilities stronger, or even give them completely new effects. It’s a really engaging feature, and it helped me get out of tough spots more often than I thought it would. After I found the Soul Sigil, battles became much easier, and I had a lot more options for dealing with difficult enemies.

The game features Scrolls, which are one-time-use items that teach your character new spells or abilities. Because you only control one character in Dragon Quest I HD-2D, you don’t have to worry about deciding who to use them on. By the end of the game, my hero had a huge variety of skills and spells for boosting stats, weakening enemies, providing helpful effects, and attacking. This system really expanded my combat options, and I actually found the final boss easier to beat than that annoying golem that guarded Damdara!

Dragon Quest II HD-2D brings back the cool ability-boosting features from the first game, but they’re even more powerful. In the original, only one character could benefit from scrolls and sigils, but now all four party members can get stronger. I spent a lot of time finding the best combinations for my playstyle, and once I did, I was unstoppable, easily defeating enemies!

Although the first game sometimes had unbalanced battles, DQII generally offered fair and consistent fights (aside from one frustrating moment with the character Zin). Each character has a basic role, but their true potential depends on the equipment you choose and the spells you teach them. I even discovered that the character I initially thought was weak turned out to be my strongest attacker later in the game, simply because I hadn’t experimented enough with different battle strategies.

It’s odd, but I found the character customization in Dragon Quest II HD-2D surprisingly more adaptable than in Dragon Quest III, even though the third game lets you change character classes. Leveling up in the second game felt natural – I always had a good sense of what new skills or spells were coming without needing to carefully plan my party. Despite sticking to classic turn-based combat, Square Enix added some fresh ideas that made both games more interesting and encouraged me to try out all the different mechanics.

Trekking The Entire World, Twice

This game series leans into classic JRPG design, which means it includes a lot of leveling up and grinding. I personally enjoyed spending time exploring the world, finding better equipment, and letting my characters grow at a natural pace. However, players who dislike repetitive battles or prefer to rush through the story might find it tedious.

The dungeons in Dragon Quest games are fairly basic. They don’t offer much in the way of interesting puzzles or unique features – they mostly just look different and have different enemies. You simply explore until you find what you need and defeat the boss. Thankfully, the game has a helpful feature that shows treasure chests on the map, which encourages exploration. Just remember to also check things like barrels and pots, and even look for hidden patterns on the floor, though you won’t be able to reliably find hidden items until later in the game.

Beyond the fun of finding hidden treasures, the game also features beautiful new graphics and a completely updated soundtrack. However, if you’ve played a lot of Dragon Quest HD-2D games recently, the style might start to feel a little familiar.

The recent remake of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D added Scrolls and Sigils, which make the turn-based battles more engaging and exciting. Sigils are a clever and straightforward addition that feels surprisingly original – it’s easy to wonder why this idea hasn’t been used before.

I absolutely love the art style and music of Dragon Quest, but after many hours of playing, they become quite repetitive. While the boss battles – particularly the final ones – have fantastic music, don’t expect a lot of variety in the background tunes as you explore caves and forests.

The HD-2D art style doesn’t usually feature many cutscenes. While there are some interactive moments, especially in Dragon Quest II HD-2D, you’ll encounter those later in the game. If you’re a Dragon Quest fan, I highly recommend playing the extra story content after you finish the main game. It feels less like ‘extra’ and more like an essential part of the story, and it provides a truly satisfying conclusion – it even made me cry during the credits!

A Remake For The Ages

With updated graphics, a richer story, and improved battles, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is the perfect way to play these classic JRPGs and finish the legendary Erdrick saga.

Honestly, Square made a smart call releasing these games in the order the story actually happens, even if it was a little weird for newcomers like me. It’s not just the story they’re smoothing out with these remakes, though – they’re also making the gameplay feel like a natural progression, which is awesome.

Unlike the previous game which featured character classes, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake adds Scrolls and Sigils – a fantastic new system that makes battles more engaging. Sigils are a clever and effective mechanic that feels surprisingly original. This remake in the HD-2D style is a great success for Square, and I hope they continue to update the older Dragon Quest games with the same treatment, starting with the Zenithia trilogy.

Closing Comments:

The HD-2D Remake of Dragon Quest I & II beautifully updates these classic games while staying true to their original charm. It fits perfectly with Dragon Quest III and is now the best way to play the entire Erdrick trilogy on today’s consoles. New story elements add depth to the world and characters, and the gameplay updates will appeal to fans of traditional turn-based RPGs. While there are a few minor inconsistencies across both games, they don’t diminish the overall heartwarming and grand experience of revisiting a truly influential Japanese RPG series.

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2025-11-04 21:12