With the release of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, the Erdrick Trilogy is now complete in glorious HD-2D form, giving fans and newcomers alike the perfect jumping off point for one of the most influential JRPGs of all time.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, as the name implies, are two full remakes based on the first two Dragon Quest titles. Now, for the uninitiated, releasing the first two entries into the series a year after releasing Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake might seem confusing, but it makes a lot of sense. For one thing, the third entry into the long-running JRPG series, which initially saw release back in 1988 in Japan, was a prequel set earlier in the timeline of the Erdrick Trilogy. Secondly, this isn’t the first time the Dragon Quest I & II have been released as a duology, with the first dual release going all the back to 1993 (in Japan) on the Super Famicom.
Like the original game that started it all, the first DQ title in the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake collection is a relatively short game, especially by modern JRPG standards, clocking in around 15-20 hours, depending on how thorough you are when it comes to the new content. New additions include Secret Spots à la Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, including the addition of Mini Medals for the first time ever for both the first and second entries into the series.
A more interesting addition that accompanies the Mini Medals is technique and ability scrolls, which are present in both games, but are particularly valuable in Dragon Quest I. They give the player access to a slew of attacks and overworld abilities that help mitigate the introduction of encounters with multiple enemies during a battle, something that is also brand new for DQ1.
Scrolls give the hero the power to essentially become an army of one, arguably making him one of the strongest protagonists in series history. Unfortunately, as much as I loved the addition of scroll techniques in the first game, I wasn’t a huge fan of the mechanic making its way into Dragon Quest II. The introduction of a full party, which now, for the first time in series history, includes the Princess of Cannock, being the 4th member to join the scions of Erdrick, I found the scrolls to be a bit much, particularly in regards to not having enough unique skills per character, making the game feel perhaps, a bit too easy, by journey’s end.
Like Dragon Quest III HD-2D before it, some moves have been updated and modernized. In particular, the Princess of Moonbrooke, one of the original three party members that make up the Scions of Erdrick, now shares traits similar to the Monster Wrangler class introduced in Dragon Quest III HD-2D. This change fits her character due to early-game events that I won’t spoil for those who are coming in fresh to the game. The move to a 4-member party also feels closer to modern Dragon Quest entries due to the new lines of dialogue and extended banter between party members, including impactful character arcs and growth throughout our adventure, which add a lot to the otherwise simple setup.
“The second game in Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake will be where players spend most of their time, far eclipsing the runtime of the first game.”
The second game in Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake will be where players spend most of their time, far eclipsing the runtime of the first game, with an average of 25-30 hours or more to get through the story, skewing slightly on the longer side, for those inclined to find all it has to offer. On that note, Dragon Quest II features the most substantial additions in terms of new content, including a brand new underwater map tied to a late-game diving mechanic.
Most likely for parities’ sake, with the expansive flying sections found in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, the introduction of an underwater biome to the already fairly expansive map of DQ II is a welcome change. It adds to the already fairly large map of the game proper. Dragon Quest II also feels the most distinct out of the trilogy, featuring new and exclusive areas not found anywhere else, making it feel like a breath of fresh air, particularly for those playing the trilogy back-to-back who may feel fatigued from the same general world map found in DQ3 and DQ1.
“Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is the definitive way to experience these JRPG essentials.”
The underwater sections present in Dragon Quest II also feature different depths and other secret areas that become explorable as you progress far enough into the story, incentivizing backtracking, which can often lead to cool set pieces and bonus areas that keep the otherwise familiar game feeling fresh and exciting. Without delving into spoiler territory, I highly urge players to complete everything this latest iteration of Dragon Quest II has on offer, as the epilogue of the game is one that fans will not want to miss.
Smaller changes that have made their way into the dulogy from DQ III 2D-HD Remake, include speeding up battles, automatic saves, quick saving, difficulty sliders, and, new to both games, the removal of the light or illuminate ability, making caves and dark recesses less of a chore to explore. Story elements have also been improved beyond the virtue of simply having voiced dialogue and fleshed-out characters, with the game now better contextualizing key items into the narrative, which helps the story flow better, instead of feeling like an arbitrary item that the player must track down to check off a list before making progress.
Additionally, some late-game areas have been made less frustrating while still remaining a satisfying challenge. Some more convoluted sections of the game have been fleshed out with brand-new story elements that better connect with Dragon Quest III, making the trilogy feel more cohesive than ever before. In other words, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is the definitive way to experience these JRPG essentials.
Ultimately, if you’re a fan of Dragon Quest III 2D-HD, you owe yourself the opportunity to play Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. For those new to the series, the Erdrick trilogy is now complete, giving prospective players the perfect jumping-off point into one of the best JRPG series of all time. I, for one, hope Square Enix continues to pump out more games based on the Zenithia trilogy of games that utilize the 2D-HD aesthetic, rounding out the 8 and 16-bit eras of Dragon Quest.
- DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake is a stunning reimagining of the beloved masterpiece and narrative beginning to The Erdrick Trilogy – the first three games of the mainline DRAGON QUEST series. Featuring vibrant HD-2D graphics, new and modernized features, and a refined narrative, players are invited to set out on an epic fantasy adventure to save the world from a dark evil.
- A fully modernized remake of the original: Stunning HD-2D visuals fuse pixel art with 3D graphics, bringing players into the world of DRAGON QUEST III like never before, along with an improved and modernized UI, and other quality of life improvements.
- A fully modernized remake of the originals: Stunning HD-2D visuals fuse pixel art with 3D graphics, along with an improved and modernized UI, and other quality of life improvements make these the best versions of the games yet.
- Traditional DRAGON QUEST style battles: A refined take on the classic turn-based battle system, featuring new animations, additional improvements such as an adjustable battle speed, an auto-battle setting, and more.
- A fully modernized remake of the originals: Stunning HD-2D visuals fuse pixel art with 3D graphics, along with an improved and modernized UI, and other quality of life improvements make these the best versions of the games yet.
- Traditional DRAGON QUEST style battles: A refined take on the classic turn-based battle system, featuring new animations, additional improvements such as an adjustable battle speed, an auto-battle setting, and more.
