Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake: Review or History Lesson?

Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake: JRPG History is Served!

There are titles that have made history to the point that, even though many have not even played them, everyone recognizes their value in the video game landscape. Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake is the publishing operation with which Square Enix brings the first two episodes of the saga, universally known as the main source from which all JRPGs have drawn inspiration, to all markets, although the more experienced among you will know that there were some “proto-JRPGs” before it, and especially Nihon Falcom's Dragon Slayer, which we can perhaps define as the first Japanese role-playing game in history.

The fact remains that Enix, in 1986, published the first Dragon Quest thanks to the inventiveness of Yuji Horii, who wanted to create a fantasy game inspired by Western RPGs like Ultima (Lord British always in our hearts) and Wizardry. Two other very important names, who unfortunately are no longer with us, also contributed to its development: the composer Koichi Sugiyama and Akira Toriyama, who brought his unmistakable character design to the saga, which was already achieving success at the time with Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball. Needless to say, both became trademarks associated with Dragon Quest and contributed to its success in the years to come. As often happened at the time, however, Europe was snubbed by distribution, and the first Dragon Quest to arrive on our consoles without having to resort to the import market was the eighth chapter, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, which kicked off the “Dragon Quest Mania” even in the Old Continent.

After the arrival of the remake of the third episode (here's our review), it's time to play the first two, and Square Enix's editorial choice is no coincidence: Dragon Quest III is a prequel that takes us back to the origins of the saga and allows us to impersonate the great hero Erdrick and is part of the eponymous Erdrick trilogy which originally followed the original numbering, while now it is proposed to us in chronological order. In short, to experience the saga as it is located on the timeline, we must first play the third episode, then the first, and finally the second. As we have already seen with DQ III, Square Enix has chosen to completely recreate both games, deploying refined and detail-oriented HD-2D graphics, giving new life to two games that certainly deserved not to be forgotten.

From a technical point of view, the Japanese company has already demonstrated its perfect mastery of this renaissance of two dimensions, but it is normal to wonder if the first two chapters of the Dragon Quest saga still have something to say after almost forty years. The question is long-standing and deserves to be explored from different points of view, which is why you absolutely must read our review of Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake, which I played for you in the PlayStation 5 edition, but it is also available on Xbox and Switch and Switch 2. Dragon Quest I and II represent two bricks as solid as they are important, on which the entire JRPG industry has built, and anyone who has ever developed a title belonging to this genre knows perfectly what cultural legacy they have left to posterity.

Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake: Between New Graphics and Legacies of the Past

Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake retraces two fundamental steps in JRPG history: the first chapter is the genesis, while the second is an initial evolution of the system, where we can already glimpse the seeds that blossomed over time. Dragon Quest I exists in an embryonic form, where we impersonate a warrior descendant of the great hero Erdrick who must overcome a series of trials to save his world. A “silent” protagonist (as is tradition for the saga) who fights alone, dividing his time between moving on the game map, relaxing in various cities, and relentless combat against the forces of evil in various dungeons. The turn-based combat system allows only the protagonist to be used and offers a smattering of what we now take for granted: physical attacks, special techniques, spells, items, and so on, always trying to keep an eye on your magic points (necessary for abilities and spells) and health points (necessary for… not dying).

Encounters are random, and there's a prototype system of buffs, debuffs, status changes (poison, sleep, and similar), level growth based on experience points, trading with specific vendors, and equipment. Last but not least, the game's open structure, which, although guided by a plot that we now easily define as trivial, requires finding three artifacts necessary to defeat the evil Dragonlord, but with the possibility of moving freely on the map and reaching various points of interest with little to no limits: a significant innovation for its time.

All these are features that we take for granted today, but in 1986 they represented almost absolute innovations, and it is easy to understand the historical value of being able to rediscover Dragon Quest I and II. Yes, because moving from the first to the second chapter means experiencing an evolution that brings us even closer to the modern concept of JRPG, with the formation of a party, even if guided by artificial intelligence with the exception of the protagonist, a more elaborate plot, better written characters, and a larger world. A terrible danger from the past has returned to disturb the peace and threatens to bring the three kingdoms born from Erdrick's descendants to their knees. We impersonate the prince of the kingdom of Middenhall and together with our two cousins, heirs to the thrones of the other two houses, we will embark on a journey to defeat the evil of the hour. Here too, nothing we don't already know by heart, but in 1987 it was a big step forward towards what Dragon Quest III would become, decidedly the most successful and complete chapter of the so-called “Erdrick Trilogy.”

Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake: Is It Worth It?

Having established that both titles offer an extremely dated gaming experience, I would like to point out the presence of some features designed to streamline the experience, such as the ability to speed up texts and battles, but also to use auto-battle while being able to give general instructions on what to do. There is also the option to see the mission objective on the map, a choice that helps with orientation, but if activated, it loses some of the charm of “blind” discovery from the original version. There are also new features in terms of content, and Dragon Quest II benefits the most, with a new explorable area, but in general, you will find characters, monsters, and secrets that were not present in the two original products.

You can also choose between graphics mode and performance mode, but I won't deny that I didn't notice substantial differences between the two. Naturally, the bulk of the work was done on music and graphics, with Sugiyama's soundtrack being enhanced in its proposal of themes that still echo in the brand's titles today. I have already spoken about the delightful HD-2D graphics and would like to point out brand new animations and a revamped look for the menus (although they remain quite sparse). There are three difficulty levels, specifically rebalanced compared to the past, and on average you will need about forty hours to finish both titles, with the first taking about fifteen and the second requiring at least ten more, net of a certain amount of grinding to defeat the toughest opponents, unless you want to play on the lowest difficulty.

So, in 2025, does it make sense to open your wallet for Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake? Without a doubt, the work done by Square Enix is commendable, both for having recreated both titles with a very appealing new look, and for having re-proposed them without distorting their content. Of course, the recovery operation must be taken for what it is, that is, a project that aims to offer players a privileged point of view on the primordial history of JRPGs. The graphics department gives all the two-dimensional titles that have crowded the market recently a run for their money, but the gameplay suffers due to an outdated setup. Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake is a product with strong historical value and should be recommended to anyone who wants to experience one of the most important moments in the evolution of video games, well aware that through the eyes of a modern gamer, many elements might be boring. While waiting for Square Enix to decide to use the HD-2D experience it has gained to give us the much-desired remake of Chrono Trigger, we can only recommend Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake primarily to those who are not afraid to take a deep dive into the past to rediscover the foundations of their favorite hobby.