Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake review

pcgamer.com:

I didn't think I'd get emotional over another run through Dragon Quest 3, of all games. It's decades old, has sold millions of copies, and has already been remade twice. The «HD-2D» look this time around may be very well done, but it's hardly unique. I thought this would be one more reheated round with something inoffensively retro and pleasantly familiar, as quickly cleared as it would be forgotten after.

What is it? A brilliant remake of a legendary RPG

Release date: November 14, 2024

Expect to pay: £49.99 / $60

Developer: Square Enix, Artdink

Publisher: Square Enix

Reviewed on: Intel i9-13900HX, RTX 4090 (laptop), 32GB RAM

Steam Deck: Verified

Multiplayer? No

Link: Official website

But I did get emotional. This game, a place where warm shafts of sunlight break through verdant forests, purple poisons taint the earth, and the gaps in an ancient tower's crumbling masonry offer a glimpse of the lush grasses far below, finally looks the way it makes my RPG-loving heart feel. The innocent sense of wonder conveyed by the new perspective, combined with a fantastic attention to detail—colourful banners hanging around a peaceful town, the sea catching the light at sunset, flowers blooming by a stony path—make the pixel art feel alive in ways it never did before.

I wanted to explore just for the pleasure of seeing where I'd end up next and who I'd get to meet when I got there, or which impressively animated pixel monsters I'd do battle with. The dungeons have never been as intimidating and claustrophobic as they are here, the warm glow of my brave hero's trusty lantern gently pushing back the dark. These seemingly small details breathe new life into something old, familiar—and excellent. Dragon Quest 3 has always been a perfect capsule of the very best of the traditional side of the genre, innocence turned into something epic. There are ships to sail, kings to visit, volcanoes to climb and wrongs to right, but the scale of it all—especially the parts only lightly sketched