If you didn’t tune into the recent Nintendo Direct, you may have missed the reveal of an upcoming remake of a PlayStation 1 classic.
Yes, Dragon Quest VII is set to make a comeback, over 25 years after it originally landed on PS1 consoles.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a full remake of the Heartbeat classic with the reigns now handed over to Square Enix.
The remake looks set to make use of Square Enix’s now-characteristic HD-2D art style, although the character models here look a tad unlike anything else on the studio’s roster.
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The characters most definitely are faithful to those original designs, with a lifelike cartoonish quality if that can possibly be considered a thing.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, if you’re not familiar with the story, follows a group of friends who set out to discover whether there’s more to the world than the small island kingdom they inhabit.
It’s a journey that takes them back in time after they stumble across the Shrine of Mysteries.
From here, it’s up to our heroes to discover why entire lands have been sealed away by a malevolent force.
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Dragon Quest VII is the longest Dragon Quest entry, coming in at over 75 hours for the main story alone; around 30 hours more than the second-longest entry.
We should expect a slightly slimmer experience here though as Square Enix has confirmed that the story has been "significantly streamlined”.
That’s not a bad thing as the original was, at times, a chore.
“Told through a series of vignettes with an overarching narrative, it’s been reworked to be pacier and more accessible to players - while still maintaining the narrative depth the game is known for,” a blog post read.
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This version, besides those obvious visual changes, also includes revamped battle mechanics and new quality-of-life features.
In battle, foes have received new designs and you should expect turn-based combat; you’ll command your party, making use of the new Moonlight feature which allows each party member to equip two Vocations.
These determine what abilities and spells they have access to.
Other new features include automatically defeating weaker foes, setting tactics for your allies, and speeding up fights.
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I’m sure we’ll learn much more ahead of the game’s 5 February release date where it’ll land on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Already through, PlayStation fans are thrilled to see the return of this classic.
“Insane work for this remake,” wrote one YouTube viewer. “The diorama and doll art style look great.”
“Square Enix cooking,” added another.
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“HOLY MOLY OUT FROM NOWHERE AND SQUARE ENIX ANNOUNCE THE GAME THAT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR,” remarked a rather enthusiastic comment.
Well, the game’s release is only a handful of months away.
Topics: Square Enix, Dragon Quest, PlayStation, Retro Gaming