As the name suggests, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is not a 1:1 remake of the PlayStation classic, but a reimagined retooling of a long and winding adventure, one that mostly sticks the landing.
Initially released for Sony’s debut console all the way back in the new millennium, Dragon Quest VII, like every other big JRPG from that era, saw a massive shift. Moving away from Nintendo’s cartridge-based platforms to brave new worlds, ones made possible with the power of the compact disc, both the PlayStation (and SEGA Saturn) became the de facto home of sprawling JRPGs.
With six, mostly critically acclaimed games under their belt, Square Enix had a lot to live up to with Dragon Quest VII, and the space afforded to them by adopting the CD format ensured the latest entry into the legendary series could truly live up to the next-gen expectations of the time. Unfortunately, despite being a solid entry into the series, both the original Dragon Quest VII and the 2013 Nintendo 3DS remake suffered from pacing issues for a game that felt bloated in comparison to some more contemporary role-playing affairs.
Now, don’t get me wrong, the original DQ7 is still a fantastic game, but for modern audiences, such as those who may have recently played the 2DHD remakes of the Erdrick Trilogy, or even the masterpiece that is Dragon Quest XI, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is the perfect gateway into an otherwise inaccessible game.
At its core, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is the same island-hopping adventure that it was back in the year 2000, but with the fat trimmed off and simplified to make the experience as smooth as possible. One of the most significant changes that is evident early on in Dragon Quest VII Reimagined’s opening sequence is the absence of the puzzle in the Shrine of Mysteries, which has been drastically cut down, making it much faster to get the adventure started from a fresh save.
Other cuts include the Lucky Panel minigame now being only available in Pilgrims Rest, instead of the three locations of the original game, which also consists of the removal of the casino and immigration town, amongst a few other areas, such as Gröndal and El Ciclo. Although not perfect, Square Enix has supplemented this removed content with a few new additions, most notably of which include a late-game tournament, allowing players to participate in some rather challenging fights for exceedingly rare loot.
Lucky Panel, which thankfully is still in the game, is now simpler in practice, featuring three base difficulties, with an additional “Hot” level that players can take on during the latter half of the game. The popular matchmaking minigame still features some powerful loot, making it a viable destination to grind (protip: you can easily cheat the system using the built-in capture capabilities of the PlayStation 5).
“At its core, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is the same island-hopping adventure that it was back in the year 2000, but with the fat trimmed off and simplified to make the experience as smooth as possible.”
Of course, it’s been over 20 years since the original game was released, and the remake takes full advantage of that. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined features a truly stunning dollhouse aesthetic, making it the best-looking Dragon Quest game to ever be released. The Unreal Engine-powered game features character models, particularly the monsters that bring to life Akira Toriyama’s distinctive art in a way that has never been so well realized. The main cast of characters, meanwhile, are charming to look at and exude an almost nostalgic feel, reminiscent of Rankin/Bass Productions and their contribution to the field of stop-motion animation.
Like its initial release, which showcased the high fidelity afforded by CD technology, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined feels like a Dragon Quest game that pushes the envelope, giving glimpses into what the future of the series will hold, in terms of pure visual eyecandy. The top-down approach to the camera sells the dollhouse aesthetic rather nicely, while simultaneously making it easier to navigate the sometimes labyrinthine mazes that make up the dungeons of the game.
If I had to nitpick, I do wish Dragon Quest VII Reimagined featured more dynamic cutscenes that pan the camera right up to the action, as the ones that are present in-game all look stunning, something that inadvertently has the side-effect of making all those walls of scrolling text all the less appealing, in contrast.
Other changes, namely, QoL improvements, include several sliders that can alter the difficulty of the game, with options to even increase EXP gained, damage dealt and received. Some settings from the 2DHD titles have also been adopted into Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, such as speeding up battles and text speed, making encounters fly by. On that note, another significant addition to the experience is the introduction of monsters on the overworld map, which can be culled by simply attacking them on the playfield, prior to the battle starting, which results in an instant-win, as long as the party is within a certain threshold of strength above the enemy.
“Dragon Quest VII Reimagined features a truly stunning dollhouse aesthetic, making it the best-looking Dragon Quest game to ever be released.”
Finally, one other useful QoL addition to the game is the inclusion of a much more nuanced “Nose for Treasure” ability, which now not only lets the player know of the remaining treasure in a given room, but also the total amount of undiscovered loot in a given map. As someone who likes to go for all the mini medals and collectables, this subtle change was invaluable and made my hunt less frustrating than older titles.
I generally like to play my JRPGs in the Japanese dub, Dragon Quest is one of my only exceptions, partly due to nostalgia from Journey of the Cursed King, but more so due to how well a British cast suits the medieval world of DQ. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is no exception, with both the music and voice work being standout, particularly in regards to Maribel and Prince Kiefer, who feature voice talent that feel suited to their prim and proper upbringing, while characters like Ruff sound more appropriately kiddish and wild.
One final area that I do wish Square Enix would have taken the time to bring up to parity on is the distinct lack of alternate costumes for the party, with the sole exception of Maribel, who, for whatever reason, has one single alternative Summer outfit. The lack of costumes would have been fine when compared to the 2000s release. However, the Nintendo 3DS remake of the game features numerous costumes for the entire cast, something that feels sorely missed in Remainged, made doubly worse by the introduction of the Moonlighting system.
The Moonlighting mechanic essentially allows characters in Dragon Quest VII Reimagined to equip dual jobs, making it not only faster to master the skills in the game but also to choose between two Worked-up special attacks, similar to the tension system found in other DQ titles.
Ultimately, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is the best way to experience the classic JRPG, despite what purists might say. For everyone else, the Nintendo 3DS remake will always be available for those who want more of a traditional DQ experience.
