Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Review – A remake done right

Following the recent wave of HD remakes revisiting the earliest Dragon Quest entries, Square Enix has turned its attention to Dragon Quest VII, a title that originally launched on the PlayStation and later received a 3DS adaptation. Rather than offering a straightforward visual upgrade, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined represents a far more ambitious undertaking: a ground-up rework designed to modernize one of the franchise’s most structurally unconventional—and often polarizing—entries for a contemporary audience.

Unlike preservation-focused remakes, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined positions itself as a comprehensive reinterpretation. The nearly 25-year gap since the original North American release in 2001 is immediately evident in its design philosophy. Square Enix clearly aims to lower the barrier of entry for newcomers—particularly those introduced to the series through the HD-2D remakes—while still respecting the narrative identity and mechanical depth that longtime fans associate with the original experience.

Narratively, the game remains largely faithful to the core framework established in both the PlayStation and 3DS versions, with selective refinements made to pacing, clarity, and presentation. Players follow an unnamed protagonist alongside Maribel and Prince Kiefer, inhabitants of a world believed to consist of a single island. Unlike the rest of the population, the trio questions this assumption, and their skepticism becomes the catalyst for the game’s central mystery. Through time travel, players explore fragmented islands in the past, with their actions directly determining whether—and how—those lands reappear in the present.

Crucially, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined preserves the thematic weight that defined the original: consequence, historical stagnation, and the slow, deliberate restoration of a broken world. These themes remain as resonant as ever. However, the success of this reinterpretation hinges on how effectively it addresses the original game’s famously deliberate pacing—an aspect that has long divided players.

That pacing remains intentionally slow, particularly in the opening hours. The early game still demands patience, but once players reach the midpoint, the structure opens dramatically. When I first played the original PlayStation version, my playthrough exceeded 90 hours—and even more when factoring in side content. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined remains similarly expansive. Newcomers who initially find the story slow or restrained would do well to allow the game time to unfold; its narrative payoff is substantial. The story remains one of the strongest in the franchise, supported by a cast of memorable characters that have endured as series favorites for decades.

Visually, the reimagined version marks one of the most dramatic transformations. Akira Toriyama’s original designs have been fully reinterpreted into a charming, handcrafted 3D art style reminiscent of miniature figurines. Characters, environments, and dungeons adopt a diorama-like aesthetic that brings the world to life with remarkable warmth and detail. The result is a presentation that feels both modern and timeless, enhancing immersion without sacrificing the series’ identity.

Combat remains turn-based, but several quality-of-life improvements significantly streamline the experience. Players can adjust battle speed and difficulty at any time, making combat more flexible and accommodating. On normal difficulty, the game skews toward the accessible side, but higher difficulty settings restore a satisfying level of challenge. Random encounters have been removed in favor of visible enemies on the field, allowing players to engage or avoid combat at will. Higher-level characters can instantly defeat weaker foes for reduced rewards, a welcome feature that reduces unnecessary friction during exploration or grinding. An auto-battle option further supports players focused on leveling vocations efficiently.

The vocation system remains one of Dragon Quest VII’s defining mechanics, and it has been thoughtfully expanded. Players can freely switch vocations and, in this reimagined version, even equip two at once through a new system called Moonlighting. This allows access to skills from both vocations simultaneously, adding meaningful strategic depth. As players progress, advanced vocations such as Troubadour, Shepherd, and Champion become available, alongside a new Monster Master vocation that enables monster summoning. The result is a flexible and rewarding progression system that encourages experimentation without overwhelming the player.

In keeping with classic JRPG design, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a lengthy experience. Completionists can expect well over 100 hours of content. The game is rich with optional activities, including powerful world bosses that drop rare accessories, mini-games, battle arenas featuring legendary foes, the return of the Lucky Panel game, and the ever-present pursuit of Mini Medals. Numerous side stories and unique events—set across both past and present timelines—further enrich the world and reinforce the game’s central themes.

From a technical standpoint, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined performs exceptionally well on PC. The game runs smoothly without requiring high-end hardware and supports refresh rates up to 120Hz, though 60 frames per second is more than sufficient for this style of game. On the Steam Deck, performance remains stable, though power consumption is noticeably higher than the HD-2D remakes, averaging around 20–22 watts. Even so, performance remains consistent, with no notable stuttering or technical issues.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Review Verdict

[Editor’s Note: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined  was reviewed on PC, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.]