A year after the release of the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, a decision many of us found strange, given that Square Enix skipped straight to the third game, the company has now followed up by going back to the beginning with the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake.

In Dragon Quest I, you play as the descendant of Erdrick, the Hero of Legend, who once defeated the Dragonlord and brought peace to the realm. That peace doesn’t last forever, though. The Dragonlord has risen once again, and it’s up to our singular protagonist to journey across the world to save the land of Alefgard once more.

In Dragon Quest II, generations have passed since Erdrick’s descendant last saved Alefgard. His heirs have since founded three prosperous kingdoms, but peace is shattered when a sudden invasion of monsters threatens the world. This time, four young protagonists must rise to save the world.

Now, much like the HD-2D Remake of Dragon Quest III, several quality of life improvements have been made. New scenes have been added to fill in story gaps that weren’t present in the original, and these cutscenes look absolutely stunning in the new HD-2D art style. The opening of Dragon Quest II, showing the monster invasion, adds valuable context and does a great job of setting up the journey ahead.

The addition of voice acting further enhances key moments, allowing you to choose between English and Japanese voiceovers. While not every scene is fully voiced, the most important ones are, adding extra depth to the storytelling. These changes enhance what were already classic fantasy tales.

Story changes aren’t the only alterations on offer; there’s a whole host of gameplay improvements designed to make the experience more accessible. While the core turn-based combat remains largely the same, which might still put off some newcomers, several small adjustments help make it a bit more friendly. For instance, new abilities and spells now allow players to target multiple enemies at once, significantly speeding up battles and preventing them from feeling repetitive.

For longtime fans, the combat feels far more refreshing thanks to these additions. Later areas can still be brutally challenging if you’re not careful, but using spells like crackle, which lets you freeze multiple high-level skeletons in front of you at once instead of targeting them one by one, makes battles feel smoother and less punishing. It’s a welcome improvement that reduces the risk of getting chunked by enemies capable of dealing heavy damage.

Of course, in Dragon Quest I, you play as a lone hero, so the new ability to target multiple enemies is an even bigger lifesaver. In Dragon Quest II, your party expands to four playable characters, now including the Princess of Cannock as a fully playable member for the first time, further broadening your party of Luminaries and adding more depth to combat.

No matter which game you’re playing, you’ll find scrolls scattered throughout the world. These allow you to learn special spells that can only be acquired by discovering the scroll and teaching it to one of your party members, or to your lone hero in Dragon Quest I.

The world itself has also received a fresh coat of paint, and I’m not just talking about the gorgeous HD-2D art style that Square Enix has perfected over the years. The blend of pixelated 2D characters and enemies within richly detailed HD environments just works; it scratches all the right parts of my brain. It’s one of those things that’s hard to fully describe; you just have to see it in motion to appreciate it.

The addition of quest markers is a welcome quality of life improvement, and you can toggle them on or off depending on how you prefer to play. If you ever find yourself stuck, pull up your map as it will highlight your next destination, making exploration feel more intuitive without holding your hand. Though exploration has never felt better, thanks to brand new dungeons to discover and reward curiosity.

They’re great spots to take down enemies, grind a few levels before your next main objective, and uncover hidden secrets along the way. Like mini-medals, first introduced later in the series, have been incorporated into the remake. Exchange these for even more rewards.

Accompanying you across both games is a fantastic score composed by Koichi Sugiyama and performed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony. It is a Square Enix game after all, and music is a key part of their history, so expect a top-tier soundtrack once again.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is a fantastic reimagining of two classic video games, blending nostalgia with modern updates to bring them into the 21st century. The HD-2D visual overhaul, quality of life improvements, and added depth to the story make these timeless JRPGs more accessible than ever, yet still preserving the charm and challenge that defined the originals.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, this collection is a wonderful way to experience the beginnings of one of gaming’s most beloved franchises.

Written by: Dylan Kocins