It seems we’ve fallen into an enchanted circle of nostalgia as the year draws to a close, with “new-old” titles continuing to pour out. After several legendary remakes of classic JRPGs—crowned by Final Fantasy Tactics—it was only natural that I’d be eagerly waiting to ruin my life again with another legendary adventure that devours 100-hour chunks of human existence, this time also from Square Enix’s kitchen. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake! If you’ve never played the originals, don’t worry. The magic is back.
I just finished this remastered duology, and I have to say—it feels like I’ve returned from some kind of time tunnel straight out of 1986, only now with modern comforts that didn’t make me want to throw my controller out the window. As someone who grew up with the original NES/SNES versions (ahem, okay, maybe not exactly the originals if you catch my drift—but the love was real nonetheless!), this was the perfect way to refresh my memory without feeling like an idiot wasting hours on grinding. But alright, I won’t bore you with the intro—let’s take it step by step, because this review is going to be as long as the journey to Dragonlord’s castle in DQ1, but I promise no random Slimes will pop up along the way!
The Dragon Quest series is much more than a classic old-school JRPG—it’s a piece of Japanese gaming history that helped shape the entire genre. It all began in 1986 with Dragon Quest I, when Enix (yes, that Enix—before it was “Square,” you get me? Back when it was cool… okay, I’ll see myself out) released the first game designed by Yuji Horii. Horii was that brilliant guy who wanted to create something simple yet deep—inspired by Wizardry and Western RPGs like Ultima, but with a Japanese touch. The original developer was Chunsoft, a small team that collaborated with Armor Project (the crew who worked on Dungeons & Dragons adaptations for the Famicom—so you know they were the real deal for a project like this). They established the foundations: turn-based combat, random encounters, and that magical sense of exploration that pulls you forward even when you know you’ll sometimes die of boredom.
Then, in 1987, came Dragon Quest II, again from Chunsoft, and it was a major step forward—more characters, a bigger world, but also those classic problems like bugs and poor balancing (I still remember cursing at the Dragon Warrior II NES translation because the text made zero sense). At the time, Enix was a small publisher focused on quality over quantity, and the series exploded in Japan—lines outside stores, kids skipping school to grab the newest installment. But time flies, and in 2003 Enix merged with Squaresoft to form Square Enix, marking the beginning of the big-budget era.
Now, for this HD-2D remake, Square Enix took the wheel as publisher and co-developer, but the heavy lifting was done by ARTDINK and Team Asano. ARTDINK, a team known for simulation games (like the A-Train series), proved themselves here as true masters of remakes—they’ve worked on some previous Dragon Quest projects as well. Team Asano, led by Ryutaro Ichimura (who worked on DQ Monsters and similar titles), handled the HD-2D aesthetic, which has become their signature style since Octopath Traveler, a game that brought many new fans into the fold. Yuji Horii is still listed as designer, though now more in an advisory role—he was the one who insisted on preserving the original spirit while allowing for meaningful changes that enhance the gameplay experience.
And the artist? Yoshiya Fujisaki, who has taken up the magic brush from Akira Toriyama himself, gave the pixel art a modern glow. As for composer Kōichi Sugiyama—may he rest in peace—his orchestral music still lives on, now remastered to sound like a full philharmonic orchestra performing right in your headphones. It’s breathtaking, and remembering the old digitized clicks and beeps from the SNES days almost makes me cringe after hearing this masterpiece.
Why is all this important? Because Square Enix didn’t just throw money at the project—they actually learned from the past. After the success of the Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake last year (which sold millions and reminded the world of the Erdrick Trilogy), they decided to bring the series’ beginnings back into the spotlight. ARTDINK brought technical precision, while Horii’s team made sure it didn’t feel like a cheap cash grab. Personally, I love this history because it reminds me that JRPGs aren’t just about Final Fantasy-style drama—Dragon Quest was the pioneer, and these developers managed to revive it without turning it into some mobile garbage.
Now, the story—because without it, this would just be a mathematical grinding simulator. Dragon Quest I is a classic fairytale: you are a prince from a forgotten bloodline of Erdrick (yes, that legendary hero from DQIII), and the land of Alefgard is in chaos. The Dragonlord has kidnapped Princess Lora and stolen the Light Orb that keeps darkness at bay. Your mission? Find legendary weapons, armor, and mysterious artifacts scattered across the world as you explore dungeons, traps, and towns full of NPCs who keep saying, “Go left, you fool.” The original was barebones—no cutscenes, just text and your imagination. A true, raw RPG. But in this remake, they added short scenes and dialogues that actually explain why the princess was imprisoned there or what really happened to the bard Garin (who’s now shrouded in mystery instead of being a random dude).
What did I love? The inclusion of Kandata—the thief from the original—now with a real backstory. He’s no longer just filler but a character who makes you think about morality. Still, DQI remains a solo adventure, and it reminded me of the days when I was a kid and hated every encounter with Slimes. But honestly, that’s the charm and the whole point of this game: you feel like a true hero, not just another party member in a team-based story.
Dragon Quest II — this is where things get more interesting… and bigger. The story takes place a full 100 years later. The descendants of Erdrick now rule over Torland, but Hargon, an evil warlock straight from hell, launches an attack. He destroys Moonbrooke Castle in true Warcraft-style cataclysm fashion, and you control three royal heirs: the Prince of Midenhall (your main hero), the Prince of Cannock (a mage who’s… well, more useful later), and the Princess of Moonbrooke (a sword-wielding healer). The story is one of alliance—each royal comes from a different kingdom, with their own culture and motives, yet they all fight against the same darkness.
The opening is brilliant: each kingdom is introduced, followed by an invasion that throws the world into chaos. The remake adds much more lore about how Erdrick’s descendants spread out and how their bloodlines connect to DQIII (which is chronologically a prequel, but now it all fits together nicely).
What made me laugh? The princes are such perfect stereotypes—Midenhall is the muscle-headed brute, Cannock is lazy and aloof, and Moonbrooke is the real hidden star. But the story evolves beautifully: from a linear quest to a branching adventure where you can choose the order in which to visit towns. That kept me fully engaged. They’ve also added cutscenes featuring Hargon, who looks like he stumbled out of a bad horror movie (“I will destroy you all! Mwahahaha!”), while I was sitting there thinking, “Dude, just give me the Watergate key, I don’t need a monologue.” (Though, to be fair, you can skip dialogue now.) Personally, DQII resonated with me more because of the party dynamic—but overall, the story remains simple: save the world, defeat evil. Nothing revolutionary, but with this remake, it feels like a genuine epic rather than a rough draft.
Now, about the graphics—there’s a lot to unpack here. The HD-2D style has basically become Square Enix’s new obsession, and it’s absolutely perfect here. Instead of the flat 2D look of the original, you get pixel-art characters (with that 16-bit SNES vibe) layered over lush 3D backgrounds that give a real sense of depth. The camera can’t be rotated, but objects pop beautifully as you “scroll” through the map, creating an illusion of space and life. On PS5, the game runs at full 4K resolution and 60 FPS, without a single drop—even in crowded towns or busy battle scenes, it’s buttery smooth, as if the game was born for the console. I tested it on a TV with HDR, and the colors are incredible: Alefgard’s greenery feels like a fantasy garden come to life, and the castles cast dramatic shadows that’ll leave you breathless.
My favorite moment? Standing near Radatome Castle and seeing Dragonlord’s tower looming in the distance—in 3D, it feels like you’re watching a film, not playing a game. The pixels are razor-sharp, monster animations are silky smooth (the Slimes bounce around like they’ve had too much caffeine—absolute comedy), and the spell effects are subtle yet spectacular.
And the music? Sugiyama’s orchestral score has been beautifully remastered—it sounds rich and full through TV speakers, but for the real effect, wear headphones. The “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” variation in the main menu made me laugh—it’s like Christmas in hell. But jokes aside, this soundtrack is a triumph; it reminds me exactly why I love retro games, only now without any of the dust.
Gameplay is the heart of these titles — and here, Square Enix didn’t cut any corners. The foundation is the same: top-down/isometric world exploration, random encounters (yes, they’re still here — and frequent, but more on that later), and quests that guide you across the map. But the previously mentioned quality-of-life updates are lifesavers: you can save anywhere (no more relying on church priests — thank the gods), there’s no gold loss upon death (just a restart from your last save or boss battle), and a quest tracker now shows where to go (a true blessing for newcomers). Three difficulty modes are available: Easy (basically “baby mode” — your HP never drops below 1, perfect for kids or lazy players like me), Normal (faithful to the original, but less punishing), and Hard (for masochists who enjoy losing).
The map system is genius — hit the square button, and you can see the entire world with markers, zoom, and reminders. A real lifesaver for those of us who used to sketch maps in our notebooks. Exploration has also been improved: more hidden items, small puzzles (like moving rocks), and branching quests in DQII that let you choose your own path. The downside? Random encounters are still too frequent — you’ll be walking from point A to B, and every ten seconds, you’re ambushed by goblins or slimes.
Personally, I loved the solo aspect of DQI — it feels intimate, like you’re truly a lone hero with no backup. In DQII, the party adds depth: each member has a clear role (tank, mage, healer), and you can balance them with equipment changes. The inventory system is modern and snappy — no more dropping potions just to make room for a sword. The pacing is slow, though — this isn’t an action RPG; it’s old-school turn-based gameplay. If you crave speed, there’s an option to fast-forward battle animations. Overall, the mechanics have been smartly updated: they keep the retro charm but add comfort that keeps you playing for hours without frustration.
Combat, as always, is the soul of Dragon Quest. It’s as simple as ever but with clever twists. Battles are turn-based: you choose your actions (attack, magic, tactics, flee), and monsters respond in kind. In DQI, you’re alone, so every fight feels risky. New scrolls grant special abilities (like critical-hit boosts or buffs), which make things easier — though bosses can still crush you. On easy mode, it’s a breeze; on hard, you’ll need to play smart or die trying.
In DQII, the party system changes everything: three members mean more tactics — you can set general strategies (aggressive, defensive) and let battles auto-play, or micromanage every move. Animations are quick (especially with turbo mode), though you can slow them down if you prefer. I loved the monster variety — from cute Slimes to menacing demons, each with unique attacks. What I missed, though, was more party banter — just a few lines of dialogue between characters would’ve added so much flavor. Still, the combat, while not as deep as modern RPGs, remains fair — it teaches patience, and with the new QoL additions (like quick restarts), it never feels punishing.
All in all, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is a masterful release that takes the classic DNA of the series — from Horii’s design and Chunsoft’s foundations to ARTDINK’s technical polish — and transforms it into something perfectly accessible in 2025. The tales of Erdrick’s bloodline, from the lone hero saving a princess to the united front against Hargon, gain new depth through expanded scenes and lore, while keeping their fairytale magic intact. The HD-2D visuals shine on PS5 with flawless performance and a stunning presentation that makes the world feel alive, while the gameplay strikes a near-perfect balance between retro challenge and modern comfort — with save-anywhere options, a smart map, and polished mechanics.
Combat remains straightforward turn-based fun, but with the party system in DQII, it becomes strategically engaging — even if random encounters can still test your patience. In the end, this remake proves that old classics can be reborn without losing their soul.
