Game review: Dragon Quest III 2D Remake (Xbox Series X)

Square Enix is set to re-release the first three Dragon Quest games as new 2D remakes. In an odd decision, Dragon Quest III 2D Remake is released first before the original, and the second game come out sometime next year. It doesn't matter too much, though, because each Dragon Quest game has a unique story, so you aren't really playing the games out of any order.

Dragon Quest III was first released for the original NES but has been re-released on many other platforms over the years, including the SNES and even on mobile devices. Dragon Quest III 2D Remake is the definitive version of the game, and it's out now for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

The first thing you have to notice about this remake is that the visuals have been overhauled for the HD generation. The 2D sprites are much sharper, and the environments are bright and luscious to look at. The game looks far better than the simplistic graphics from the NES age.

Another noticeable change from older versions is that this 2D remake includes voice-overs for the first time. Not all dialogue has voice acting, but many of the characters do speak when you engage in important story conversations. By the way, both English and Japanese voices are included here. 

Even if you have played the older iterations of the game, there are some new features here in this remake for returning players. Some new characters and scenarios are included, as well as several newer story segments. The story segments are here to flesh out the main character's father, who died a couple of years ago.

Dragon Quest III 2D Remake also features three difficulty modes to cater to a wider variety of players. There's Dracky Quest (Easy), Dragon Quest (Normal), and Draconian Quest (Hard). I found the easy mode to be a little too easy because your party members can't die in battle.

There is even a feature in the main menu of this game where you can heal all party members without the use of potions or spells. I found this feature to be really helpful because sleeping in an inn isn't always an option when the party is stuck inside a heavy dungeon.

As for the main game itself, in Dragon Quest III you play a young sixteen-year-old adventurer. Players are able to name the main character and choose whether they want to play as a boy or girl. Your father's name was Ortega, and he sought out to kill an evil being named Baramos.

Sadly, Ortega died during the battle, and now it's up to the main character to step up and do what their dad wasn't able to do, and that's defeating Baramos once and for all. You are not alone in this quest because you can recruit up to three other warriors for this hard journey ahead.

Speaking of the long journey, Dragon Quest III 2D Remake is a fairly large game with lots of dungeons and a big overworld. I do appreciate the game allowing you to activate a waypoint so you know where you are going during dungeons. I remember getting lost playing Final Fantasy X, sometimes without a waypoint present in that game.

In terms of gameplay, Dragon Quest III 2D Remake has the old-school-style turn-based combat system that I have a love/hate relationship with. Since this game originally came out decades ago, Square Enix decided not to overhaul the combat, and I have several issues with it, sadly.

For one thing, this remake still includes random battles, and this is one of the worst gaming mechanics in RPGs. If you are in the overworld or exploring a dungeon, a battle can ensue at any time, and you have no indication of who your opponents will be. Not to mention , you don't even know who will attack first.

I prefer more modern RPGs where you can initiate combat in your own time, and you can avoid any enemies that you want to avoid. Sure, you can still flee random battles, but you cannot do this all the time because you need to fight enemies in order to level up.

Dragon Quest III 2D Remake also does not allow you to dodge or counterattack enemies when they attack you like in the recently released Mario & Luigi: Brothership game. In this game, you just have to sit there like a chump and eat attacks like a total idiot. I never understood why you cannot dodge or something like that in turn-based RPGs.

As I said before, you also don't have a choice on who attacks first either. I remember exploring a pyramid because I needed a key, but the mummies inside kept attacking me and striking first. It's easy for enemies to nearly wipe out your whole party if they attack first. 

Not to mention Dragon Quest III 2D Remake is a game that requires you to grind for several hours, because you will be severely underlevelled if you choose to flee most battles. Earning money can take a long time, too, and currency is important to make sure your party has strong weapons and armor to survive the many battles ahead.

Also, some people might dislike the full price of this game since this is an old remake. Here in New Zealand, this game costs a whopping $95 NZD at most retail stores and $119.95 NZD at the official PlayStation Store.

While Dragon Quest III Remake is a fine example of a remake with better visuals and presentation, the game suffers a little bit with its outdated gaming mechanics that might annoy several newer players. You will have to invest a lot of hours into the game if you want to overcome its somewhat frustrating combat system.

Verdict: 7.5/10