Square Enix has been pumping out Dragon Quest remakes over the last year and a half, starting with 3 and then moving through 1 and 2. The trilogy adopted the HD-2D art style, which is becoming a genre of its own connected to the JRPG classics. But in adapting Dragon Quest 7 for the current generation, SE decided to use a new art style for the fantastical tale. The diorama-inspired look provides a unique identity for one of the most loved entries in the series, and is the best part of this reimaging. While the battle system feels limited despite the QOL updates and the difficulty (even on the hardest modes) is just not there for those with experience, DQ7 still now has a definitive form with charm and heart.
The story here is very much intact, aligning with the original – but much is trimmed to ensure the patience levels of 2026 can roll credits. The basic premise is that you’re a young, self-named every-child in cahoots with Kiefer (connected to royalty) seeking adventure. Tablets provide an opportunity to move back and forth in time, meeting a range of NPCs and party members that lead the story back and forth. Each area becomes like an episode in a mini-series, such as saving a town from a volcanic blast or discovering a hidden evil. Nothing ever becomes too dark or wild, keeping with the visual tone that is often light and fun. Monsters are littered throughout the many islands keeping with the signature art style, resembling cute beasts that always have a move or two (and seem unnecessarily angry). The beats very much align with the original, though there are some surprises at play. Finding your party, saving these towns and people, levelling up and discovering secrets is the bulk of the story that of course ends with a big bad.
Before discussing gameplay, the art style really needs to be congratulated. While many games, including a game that will serve as frequent comparison here (Octopath Traveller 0) are adopting the HD-2D, the diorama art really adds personality to this game. Being able to pivot the camera and engage with the world means it is a step above the capabilities presented in HD-2D games. All is crisp, colourful and a joy to watch. It has more of a cute tone that the 1-3 remakes, and this can mean nothing ever feels too high stakes. But the sheer quality makes exploration and discovering impressive. I would happily play more RPGs in this style, on the caveat that the gameplay stacks up with other turn-based RPGs of 2026 and beyond.
Gameplay serves the game’s purpose, but in comparing to recent turn-based games like Octopath Traveller 0, Expedition 33 and even Sea of Stars there is just a lack of both difficulty and variety in what is happening within those fights. Each battle is ‘select move, hit, wait’ and has no real-time components such as timed moves or parries, and also doesn’t have the strategy of an Octopath Traveller 0 in breaks and boosts, challenge or turn depth thinking ahead. The result is that you can select auto-battle and win 99% of the time without needing to be aware of your move set. 10 hours in, this became unfortunate as my team was very strong. I started to only play out the boss battles, knowing I would stomp general foes with ease and speed to move to the next story beat. The vocation system allows for mixing up jobs, but you’ll level up very quickly and access the best vocations well before the final areas. There are still elements to be aware of, many items to impact your stats and parties to manage, but coming off the excellent 100-hour Octopath Traveller 0 gameplay meant this felt like a step down in turn-based gameplay. Square Enix has many beloved series (Final Fantasy, Octopath Traveller) and they simply need to ensure that all progress their combat styles alongside visual styles. We’ve seen even Pokemon slowly move into a more active battle approach, as it now either needs to be deep strategy or real-time impacts. Due to this, I would classify DQ7 Reimagined as a cosy game.
My classification of a cosy game above means the Switch 2 was the perfect place to play. I spent most hours in bed across all times navigating the well-crafted worlds. Performance had no issues at all, popping with colour and soaring in audio. Nintendo is now able to receive third-party games day one thanks to the capacity of this new device, which is also friendly to JRPGs. I haven’t tried it on the PS5, but this game is the type to perform on all devices as the team rarely misses on that front.
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is the definitive way to play a classic from multiple decades gone. It has a refreshing art style, plenty of QOL improvements and enough content to keep you around for 50+ hours. While the battle system feels too relaxed outside of some boss battles, this does keep the essence of the original intact. On the Switch 2, the game performs perfectly and provides a great on-the-go option moving into the cosy genre territory. Where will the Dragon Quest remakes next place focus?
Pros
- Art style!
- Charm, cosy vibes
Cons
- Battle system is too simplistic and it does take a while to expand on vocations
3.5/5
