I shouldn’t simply praiseDragon Quest IIIthough for its contributions to the advancement of gaming as a medium.Dragon Quest IIIcould also justify its place as an all-time great due to its sheer entertainment value. With a stellar story and a cast of unforgettable characters, it’s always surprised me that Dragon Quest, as a series, hasn’t quite gone on to achieve the same appreciation worldwide that we’ve seen with, say, Final Fantasy for example.
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Take a look atDragon Quest III HD-2Din action below.
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Those who are returning to the franchise will instantly feel that warmth, but so too isDragon Quest III HD-2Dintended to draw in new fans - and I’m thrilled at the prospect of that. The story has been ‘streamlined’ which should make for a more enjoyable experience for newcomers although given that I sampled such a short snippet, I can’t really comment on the revised wider narrative experience.
“We went through a process to end up with this new style,” Hayasaka-san explained, via a translator. “Visually, we have a bigger area to play with now, so we wanted to ensure the player had something to do.”
Credit / Square Enix
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He continued, “We really took inspiration from a lot of games, particularly modern games. An example that I’m sure you’ll all understand isBreath of the Wild, one of the Zelda games. You see a building in the wider open world, and it makes you want to go there and travel in that direction. We wanted to capture that same feeling so if you see something sparkling in the distance, I hope players will want to go there.”
“This vast world, it’s really beautiful, so we wanted to make sure players could explore it and be rewarded with finding lots of different, and new, things.”
You won’t be able to travel far without stumbling into a few combat encounters. As for those turn-based battles, well, they largely play out the same as in the original but again enhanced. Gone are the days of playing out battles in a small pop out window. You’re now well and truly transported to a full-screen experience. I eliminated my fair share of the classics, including slimes and restless armour.
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I’m certain that fans will delight in revisiting this classic, but I was eager to learn what the experience was like for the one who started it all, Yuji Horri-san, Dragon Quest’s creator. I was lucky enough to sit down with Horri-san at this year’s Gamescom.
Credit / Square Enix
“When we remember games, we tend to remember them more beautifully,” he told me, via a translator. “They look amazing in our minds and our memories. This remake is, you know, a remake of the original but now it actually looks like how I remember it in my mind.”
As for whyDragon Quest IIIhas enduring popularity, Horii-san offered this response: “It turned everything on its head, and I think people still remember that shock. The other reason is that people look back on things they played as children, and think back to things they previously shared with friends. I think that’s why it’s sort of stuck with people.”
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“There are people who have never played a Dragon Quest game though,” Horri-san added, “And this instalment is a really good entry point.Dragon Quest III HD-2Dis a really easy one for people to pick up and play, and I hope it will be an enjoyable introduction to young, new players.”
Dragon Quest III HD-2D is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 14 November.
Topics:Dragon Quest,Nintendo Switch,PlayStation,Xbox,Square Enix,Preview,Interview
