Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D review: one for the RPG hardcore

I never played the original Dragon Quest III when it came out in 1988. I wasn’t going to be born for another five years, for one thing, which would have made it quite tricky. But I’ve always been aware of its reputation among RPG aficionados as a richly rewarding adventure game that’s tough to crack.

Dragon Quest III is an old-school RPG in every sense. It’s a game that requires you to take endless notes, and pay attention to everything. It doesn’t so much refuse to hold your hand as offer its hand before pushing you to the ground and flicking its middle finger at you as you lie, confused, in the dirt.

This is, of course, a huge part of the game’s charm for so many, though it undeniably makes Dragon Quest III a much trickier proposition for the modern gamer. Enter Dragon Quest III HD-2D: a stunning new remake from Square Enix that sands down the game’s rough edges and offers an infinitely more accessible experience - albeit one still loaded with unavoidable old-school sensibilities that may still prove off-putting for some.

The most immediately noticeable change is that Dragon Quest III’s world has been transformed in Square Enix’s patented HD-2D engine. It’s a gorgeous visual overhaul that evokes the retro feel of the original game while offering up jaw-dropping new vistas.

The world map now boasts glittering blue oceans, dense forests, and imposing mountains, while towns and continents feel more visually distinct than ever before. Dragon Quest III was always a massive game, but these sweeping visual improvements help the adventure to feel more epic than ever before.

You can also expect full voice acting for key story moments; a great touch that helps everything feel that much more alive. Although there’s only so much voice acting can do in lieu of an engaging story or cast of characters.

It should come as no huge surprise that a game originally released in 1988 doesn’t have the deepest plot. It’s very much a case of travelling from A to B on a quest to rid the world of evil. Your own heroic avatar is pretty much a blank template, as is your party, which can be made up of generic warrior/mage/brawler types.

On the one hand, being able to put together whatever kind of party variation you like is great fun, and actively allows you to explore various different combinations in battle. If you want a party entirely made up of mages, you can go for it. Or you might prefer to play around with the new monster wrangler class. You can even completely create your party from scratch thanks to a basic character creator that allows you to choose things like name, gender identity, and attributes.

Unfortunately, for all the gameplay possibilities this opens up, it leaves the story itself feeling decidedly flavourless compared to more contemporary RPGs. A big part of the appeal of games like Metaphor: Refantazio, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Sea Of Stars, or Dragon Quest XI is the relationship between party members. Clashing personalities, different goals, and shifting motivations help to make these multi-hour journeys feel that much rewarding.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D simply has you travel the world with an interchangeable selection of companions with absolutely nothing to say. It’s hard to criticise the game too much for this, since it’s very much a product of its time, but it’s hard to ignore in relation to the deluge of story rich RPGs we’ve had in the past few years.

If you can look past this, however, there’s a huge world full of secrets to explore. Purists will be glad to know it’s possible to play the game in its original difficulty, with all the vague clues from NPCs and aimless wandering that comes with it. However, if you don’t fancy stumbling around looking for the right character to talk to so they can give you a cryptic hint about a puzzle several oceans away, there’s the option to play with objective markers that guide you to the right locations without completely giving everything away. It’s a neat compromise that doesn’t completely dilute the original game’s sense of mystery.

There are also options built in to make combat more accessible, which is a welcome addition given the standard difficulty can be overwhelming at times if you’re not fully prepared. Having to carry fallen companions back to a church to revive them every five minutes isn’t really my idea of a thrilling time, especially when rotating in new characters to level them up can - and often does - result in them getting one-shotted by more powerful foes.

It’s hard to deny Dragon Quest III HD-2D is anything other than the perfect remake. It’s a faithful recreation that does an admirable job of fixing up the creakier aspects of a nearly 40 year old game while keeping the original’s spirit very much intact. While it may be a little tough to recommend to anyone new to Dragon Quest (or RPGs in general), longtime fans of the series will find a lot to love.

Pros: Gorgeous visuals, voice acting, welcome new accessibility options

Cons: Hard to recommend for newcomers, story is lacking

For fans of: Final Fantasy, Secret Of Mana, Pokémon

8/10: Excellent

Dragon Quest III HD-2D is available now. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.