Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined delivers an exceptional game, one which excels in its storytelling and personable cast. While it wasn't my favourite game in the series before the remake, it has quickly jumped into the top three. There are so many small details that make this version the one you have to play, from the reworked script and revised score to the incredible cast guiding us across a world's fragmented past. By piecing together the threat of this world one island at a time, you learn more about the inhabitants and how each contrast to the others meaningfully. Combine that with a shift from round-based battles to turn-based, and the control you're given to make the right choices warrants the profound changes this game has undergone.

A more compact and aesthetically pleasing Dragon Quest VII. The redundant narrative elements of the original have been appropriately trimmed, and although the plot remains quite conventional and in some instances rather "cheesy," the protagonists remain among the best in the series. The additions made to character progression and customization are effective, as are those to the combat system, which, while remaining very classic, is now faster and more immediate. The ability to adjust the difficulty at will is excellent, but the game still needs some post-launch balancing adjustments.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined breathes new life into a historic title, even if the original product wasn’t exactly unmissable. The operation carried out by Square Enix is truly solid and showcases the Japanese company’s expertise, which by now has become more than well-established in this field. The three-dimensional graphics blend perfectly with the isometric perspective and the design of the original game, where Akira Toriyama’s artwork never disappoints. While the technical execution is impeccable, the fact remains that Dragon Quest VII Reimagined carries over the structural limitations of a gameplay formula that now feels outdated. The new features introduced to streamline it, though welcome, don’t quite perform the miracle of making it feel modern. The story is enjoyable to follow (despite additions and cuts), the cast is somewhat limited but sufficiently characterized, and the music is of high quality, as is the Italian text localization. There are certainly other Square Enix titles waiting to be brought back, but Dragon Quest VII Reimagined still manages to be appreciated—especially by those who don’t mind extremely traditional gameplay.

Reimagined is overall a good game. However, it certainly doesn’t feel like a game created for those who grew up with Dragon Quest. This is because we’ve grown, and Dragon Quest 7’s gameplay is still, in its own way, very much stuck in the past. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as now, this is a game I would love my kids to play, so they can fall in love with Dragon Quest and JRPGs in general.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined attempts to modernize one of the franchise’s most popular entries by revamping its visuals, refining its systems, and preserving the essence of the original, but ultimately runs into serious pacing and structural issues. The initial journey presents an interesting premise, with time travel to the past to restore islands and resolve conflicts, yet the game repeats this formula for dozens of hours, with little real progression of the main story and almost nonexistent development of both the characters and the villain.