Dragon Quest VII Reimagined feels like the perfect excuse to revisit Estard

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It’s been a while since a new main Dragon Quest game was announced, but Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is coming soon and will continue the tradition of fully updated remakes. With a launch date of February 5, 2026, Square Enix recently gave us a preview, letting us play about an hour and a half of the game. We explored the early area of Emberdale and a mid-game section in Wetlock, focusing mostly on Wetlock. We tested the game on both PlayStation 5 and the new Switch 2, and the Switch 2 really stood out as the better experience.

I was particularly curious about the art style changes in this remake, without getting into specific plot details. Dragon Quest VII has been remade before – the 3DS version had a major visual overhaul compared to the original PlayStation game’s angled perspective. This new remake, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, aims for a look closer to the original, but with a unique approach. The main characters were first designed as physical dolls, which then served as the foundation for their in-game appearances. I even saw these dolls at the Tokyo Game Show, and the way they were translated into the digital game is surprisingly realistic.

I really enjoy the art style of the HD-2D versions of the Erdrick Trilogy, and I’m equally happy with how Dragon Quest VII Reimagined chose to do things differently. Like Fantasian, it uses real-world objects scanned into the game, giving the environments a charming, miniature diorama feel – almost like looking down at a toy box, which is a good thing! I played the demo on both PlayStation 5 and Switch 2, though the Switch 2 version was limited to handheld mode. Honestly, if I were playing on a console, I’d prefer this version. While I don’t usually focus on exact resolutions, the graphics are sharp and clear – it’s very close to 1080p, if not actually that, and importantly, it runs at a smooth 60 frames per second. The PlayStation 5 version does look slightly better, but the differences are hard to notice.

One of the biggest changes to gameplay is the new Moonlighting system. It lets you pick a second job, effectively adding a subclass to your character. This gives you the advantages of an extra job and unlocks a powerful new battle mechanic. When characters build up enough energy, they can unleash a special ability unique to either their main or Moonlighting job – similar to Limit Breaks in Final Fantasy or Pep Powers in Dragon Quest XI. You can switch between these two job options at any time during a fight, giving you more tactical flexibility.

These new combat skills don’t require teamwork like in Dragon Quest XI, and they seem designed for challenging later battles. It remains to be seen how crucial they are, but they already make normal fights more interesting. Knowing how effective attacks will be against different enemies, and whether status effects even work, is a big help. Because every character can learn these skills, combat feels much more dynamic and responsive compared to previous games in the series.

Everything we’ve seen so far looks like positive changes. However, Dragon Quest VII is known for being a very long game, and the developers expect this ‘Reimagined’ version to be even longer due to all the new content. We’re curious to see just how extensive additions like the new Adult Kiefer story will be. Based on the limited time we had with it, it’s clear we’ve only seen a small part of the game. It simply wasn’t possible to get a good sense of the full scope of the changes in just an hour and a half.

It does make you think about what’s in store. Some fans are worried about how the remake will change what makes Dragon Quest VII special, and considering how different the HD-2D versions of Dragon Quest I & 2 were from the originals, I’m definitely curious to see how this stacks up against the 3DS version. I’d love to replay the original before the remake comes out, but with the February 5th release date for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, it probably won’t fit into my schedule.

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2025-11-19 17:56