Tokyo Game Show 2025

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Keeps the Graphical Upgrade, Loses Some Quality of Life Adjustments

It's time to go back to the grandfather of Japanese RPGs with Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. It's a shame some of the game configurations seen in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series are toned down in Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, though.

At Tokyo Game Show 2024, I had the distinct pleasure of becoming a Dragon Quest convert when I demoed Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. While I am still interested in the franchise, something felt lacking when playing the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake at Tokyo Game Show 2025. The game retains the stunning visuals and artwork that brings the late Akira Toriyama's work to life—along with a wonderful orchestral soundtrack—but some of the game features seen in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake or even the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games are not included in Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. Did this sour me on the game completely? No. However, some of those features were sorely missed.

The chronological sequel to Dragon Quest III, the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D demo at Tokyo Game Show put players right into the world. This is a little confusing to say the least for anyone who isn't 100% familiar with the story; however, I was able to surmise the plot to be something like “The world is overrun with monsters and it's up to the hero to save the world.” Thus, I opted to rush to the first major plot point and dungeon of Dragon Quest I.

This is where one of the new features of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake came in handy. Where Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake retains that classic RPG feel of exploration, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake allows players to customize whether they want to see the next adventure location or not. It's a great way to streamline the story and ensure new players engage with the story in the “right” order.

One aspect of the demo that was disappointing, though, was the combat system. Where other recent Square Enix remake games, such as Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake or the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, include some form of auto battle or experience and gold modifiers, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake has a lesser version of this. To be more precise, players can set the difficulty of the game between the easy “Dracky Quest,” standard “Dragon Quest,” and difficult “Draconian Quest”—as well as set the battle speed, “suggested actions,” and “remember commands.” While certainly helpful, it's not to the level of the near-idle game that is Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is. This shouldn't be a dealbreaker for most players and fans, but the ability to tailor as much as possible of a remake RPG has been a boon in my experience.

I want to love what I experienced with Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. But with two games in one demo, it was difficult to grasp the story of either game. I am generally curious about both installments of the Dragon Quest series, so in that regard, the demo has me excited for the game. The same can be said for the visuals and art style, capturing the charm of 1980s Akira Toriyama. However, I have reservations about the battle system and the lack of options to increase the pace at which the characters level. Call it age, lack of time, or some other factor, but I've found the battling in RPGs and the level grinding tedious in recent years. And what few options Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake has to augment both are lacking. But I respect those who love it and want the original challenge. But making the barrier to entry as low as possible for non-fans who are curious about the grandfather of Japanese RPGs is probably a good idea.