35 years after the release of the original game, Dragon Quest III has offered itself a remake that is as beautiful as it is captivating. Developed by Square Enix, we were able to play the title to give you our opinion.
Ambitious was the challenge of modernizing this video game classic that is Dragon Quest 3but it is a real success which crowned the work of Square Enix and Team Asano. Complete, magnificent and catchy, the title presents itself as a frankly improved version of the base game, which was already very appreciated by gamers.
Dragon Quest 3 indeed offers a unique gaming experience of its kind, which we will not soon forget. Capable of tampering with the nostalgia of older players while offering original innovations (especially graphically), we were able to test this remake, which turned out to be as pleasant as it was memorable.
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A story that lacks a little twist
Dragon Quest IIIit’s the story of a young 16-year-old teenager who goes on an adventure to complete the unfinished quest of his father, Ortéga. Several years before the plot, our father shone with unparalleled prestige, leading him to fight Archimedon Baramos, the game’s great antagonist.
Unfortunately, the adventure ended abruptly for the hero, who has never reappeared since his suicide expedition. From the first minutes of the game, we are given the difficult task of picking up where Ortega failed and defeating Baramos to restore peace to the world. Just that.
Permanently accompanied by his/her three traveling companions, the protagonist is therefore destined to leave his/her hometown of Aliahan and travel the vast world that surrounds him/her. Over the course of the plot, we will be led to cross countless other kingdoms and villages scattered across the entire map, not without encountering occasional antagonists, who will seek to thwart our plans.
Our epic allows us to retrace the steps of the late Ortéga, a mythical figure who left his mark on history. The NPCs encountered throughout the story enjoy recounting the various exploits of our father, not without nostalgia and melancholy. At the same time as writing our own epic, we follow with curiosity the mythical one of Ortéga, whose death is not so certain. The flashback episodes are very interesting, and appear to be the best part of the storyline.
If the flashbacks are catchy, the plot itself is a little less so. Defying monsters at the age of 16 to make good reign is a bit simple, but it should be noted that the scenario dates from 1988 and that Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D is just a remake. The game therefore does not stand out for the freshness of its story.
The weakness of the scenario culminates several times, notably when the adventure takes us to other villages for no real reason. Often, NPCs encourage us to go to the next locations without justification. We are pushed through the map just for the smooth running of the gameplay and not for specific reasons.
Breathtaking graphics
If the game suffers from some plot shortcomings, Dragon Quest 3 however, benefits from undeniable graphic qualities. The graphics, worked by Team Asano (who also worked on Octopath Traveler), are breathtaking. Every village, every kingdom, every cave or natural space is filled with beauty and fascination.
Between the colors which blend divinely well, and the reflections of light which bring incredible charm, playing Dragon Quest 3 is a constant pleasure for the eyes. Made in HD-2D style, the rendering is original, since it mixes pixel art characters and monsters with more modern 3D settings. The mix is very convincing, even if a 100% pixel art game, like Octopath Traveler would not have been a refusal.
Compared to Dragon Quest 3 first of the name, thirty years old, it is clear that a monstrous work has been put in place to make the settings more alive. Decors which gain even more prestige thanks to the music playing in the background. This is the same as the original game, which was composed by none other than Koichi Sugiyama, but in an orchestral version. Although the soundtrack is impeccable and revives nostalgia, we lament the lack of variety.
It is indeed quite exhausting to always hear the same melody in our ears. Each village and each cave generally all have the same theme, and let’s not talk about the combat music, which gradually becomes unbearable. If resuming the original melodies is a real good point, additional pieces would have been welcome.
An exotic and exotic epic
However, spend your time in front Dragon Quest 3 remains pure pleasure. Between exploration, combat, storytelling and mystery, the game offers a variety of enjoyable activities. We enjoyed wandering all over the map, whether on land, sea or in the air.
Between the desert plains, the snow-capped mountains, the thick forests and the azure oceans, the change of scenery is total. The different villages and kingdoms, scattered all over the map, are bursting with life and personality. No place is like another, each city having its architecture, its customs and its history. The various populations are each time at the heart of a unique plot.
The different villages of Dragon Quest 3 are reminiscent of the cultures of our own world. Thus, we have the pleasure of crossing a village with a Japanese feel, passing by pyramids identical to those of Egypt, visiting European castles…
The game environments do not lack a certain magic, with some places being more magical than others. Whether it was caves with sparkling crystals or flowing lava, magical forests and enchanted kingdoms, we never got bored. Everything was impressively original and beautiful.
Note that even if the game holds our hand at the very beginning of the plot, we subsequently benefit from great freedom of exploration. We are allowed to go wherever we want, even if it means deviating from the plot, which is really nice. Alone in the vast world of Dragon Quest 3a feeling of freedom takes hold of us and rocks us until the end of the game.
Fighting, a bad idea
Dragon Quest 3 being an RPG, the combat phases are an important aspect. If the exploration suffers from no fault, the clashes against the enemies undergo a more nuanced criticism. Let’s start with the positive.
The advantage of Dragon Quest 3 and the license in general, is that the player constitutes according to his wishes the three other companions who will take part in the adventure with his character. We have the choice between several classes, such as the warrior, the fighter, the magician, the merchant, the priest… each having its advantages and disadvantages. The possibilities are almost endless and each game is therefore unique.
Dragon Quest 3 offers three levels of difficulty: the highest requiring involvement and talent, while the simplest allows you to simply be immortal. The four fighters at your disposal can never have less than 1 PV, a real help for players especially passionate about exploration and history. This help is all the more pleasant given the countless battles that punctuate the adventure.
Whether it’s the large map, the dungeons or the caves, it is indeed very common to be attacked by monsters, who will try to lower your PV bar. The fights constantly punctuate the game in a classic turn-based system, but this rhythm is far too sustained. We barely take three steps when we are interrupted by yet another confrontation.
As you play, these interruptions are demoralizing, especially since the fights are sometimes very long. Despite the possibility of speeding up dialogue windows and automating the attacks of our three allies, it is not uncommon to look at your watch. Suffice to say that when we are attacked by a range of eight different enemies, we are not far from the nightmare.
A remake that innovates
Although Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D faithfully repeats the plot of the original game, Square Enix has allowed itself some very nice new features, starting with the monster arena. These can be found in a handful of towns and allow you to confront monsters encountered during our adventure.
Recruiting them is not always easy. While some creatures will immediately agree to join your ranks, others will flee and only join you under certain conditions. In order to bring them all together, it is necessary to travel the world from top to bottom and adopt the right strategy to approach the most reluctant. The arenas promise tempting rewards and could facilitate our epic against the great Baramos.
The remake of Dragon Quest 3 also includes a new character class for Western players: the monstrologer. He can use the abilities of monsters to use them during clashes, knowledge that can prove very valuable.
Our conclusion of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D
So, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D was a great discovery of Square Enix’s flagship title. Accompanied by Team Asano, Square Enix has perfectly succeeded in modernizing this classic video game, while allowing itself some welcome new features. We particularly liked the HD-2D graphics style, which is as beautiful as it is haunting.
Each kingdom and village has its own charm, with unique culture and architecture. Dragon Quest 3 is synonymous with exotic exploration and exotic epic. The mini-plots which take place within the remarkable places are short but provide a beneficial storyline depth for the main story, which is relatively basic.
Even if the combat phases become repetitive and intrusive after a while, the possibility of composing your own team is a plus. Each player therefore approaches enemies in their own way and according to their strategy.
We can therefore only recommend Square Enix’s latest title, which is capable of satisfying veteran players and newcomers alike. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D is aimed at both die-hard fans of the license and younger fans, and promises an unforgettable gaming experience.