Sure thing, here goes—hmm, where do I start? Oh yeah, PAX East 2025, right? So, I was there, wrapped up in the crazy buzz of it all. I mean, I mentioned playing the Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster… but guess what, sneaky Square Enix had another trick up their sleeve! Surprise! I got to dive into Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake before the rest of you! Like, how cool is that?
You ever love something so much you can’t shut up about it? That’s me with Dragon Quest III HD-2D. Now, this new two-pack hits that same sweet spot. Anyway—wait—back to the meat of it. So there I was. The press, all of us, were told to keep to the main objectives. Apparently, wandering off could mean getting our butts kicked by some high-level baddies. Seriously, makes you wonder what they’re hiding in there. Monster carnage, I guess?
Let me pause (sort of) to touch on the vibes of the game, right? On PS5, everything runs like a dream, 60 FPS and all. The overworld is littered with little treasures—stuff you just pick up. It’s odd, the joy you get from tiny things, but there it is—and if you want, battles zoom by like your cat chasing a laser pointer. Handy, right?
Okay, onto Dragon Quest I. Why did Square Enix drop this one after III? Beats me, but here’s the deal: you’re solo, like really alone. You march across lands as Erdrick’s descendant, aiming to smite the Dragonlord. The original game, oh man—it was a beast. Happily, they’ve toned things down to be tough yet fair. But, hey, strategy’s your new best friend. Feeling like Superman at the end? I kinda dig that.
Now, Dragon Quest II brings back the whole crew. Names, quirks, special abilities—it’s a full RPG reunion. Not spilling much tea on classes, Square Enix left that hanging. Maybe they think mystery is sexy. Who knows? But the AI helps a bit if you’re lazy—er, I mean, strategic. Oh, a cool thing? Once you zap a monster with the right spell, the game remembers. Handy, right?
I’m hyped—if that wasn’t clear. The visuals scream HD-2D fabulousness, like a painting come to life. And orchestras? Yup, they’ll hit you in the feels. Mark October 30th, folks. Get your hands on it for Switches (both), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC. I’ll be over here, impatiently counting down the days like a kid at Christmas.
