Experiencing Double Vision: DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake

So, I was at PAX East 2025 talking about Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster—yep, I did. But, oh boy, did I miss a thing or two. Square Enix had this hidden gem, or not-so-hidden anymore: Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D. Yeah, that game series we all love. I snuck in a play session. Okay, not really snuck in; they let me. It’s like they’ve reimagined Dragon Quest III, and you’ll get a kick out of it even if you’ve never touched the series before.

Journalists, myself included, got a few do-not-touch zones from Square Enix—strict instructions. We weren’t allowed to mess around off-track, thanks to massive level monsters lurking about. Seriously, stick to the path unless you fancy seeing your party destroyed. It flows at this buttery 60 FPS on PlayStation 5. Hello, quick moves and useful item pickups everywhere. It made fights feel like they were on fast-forward. And the run button, thank goodness, was a simple toggle. My thumb could finally take a nap.

First up, Dragon Quest I HD-2D Remake. Now, don’t get your timelines twisted; this one’s after III, coming out as Square Enix intended. You’re the kin of Erdrick from III, off to smash the Dragonlord—solo mission style. No buddy system here. The NES original was ruthless, trust me. But now? They’ve tuned it to be exciting but not “throw your controller” frustrating. Decisions? Yeah, you can’t just wing it—you gotta think and plan. It’s like building a superhero out of battle smarts.

Then… Dragon Quest II HD-2D. Got yourself the party vibes again. They didn’t name everyone uniquely for nothing; each character shines with their own quirks and skills. Square Enix kept mum about whether there’s a class system—mysterious, right? But hint, hint, you might gather four party members along your journey. You can boss them around or let the AI do its magic. Oh, and it gives you these handy pointers like “this spell hurts that monster,” if it worked before. Handy, huh?

I’m pumped for the full release, which, mind you, comes packed with eye-candy graphics and lush orchestral music. Everything just clicks together, visually and musically. Mark October 30th for the drop on Switches, PlayStations, Xboxes, and PCs everywhere. Can’t wait!