Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Review

When I first heard Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined was on the way, my first reaction was excitement mixed with confusion. It felt like the 3DS remake hadn't come out that long ago, and it was an overall fantastic way to experience the sprawling, 100+ hour RPG. Then I realized just as much time passed between DQ7 on PS1 and 3DS as it did between the 3DS remake and now, and that filled me with a bit of existential dread.

But existentialism and the passage of time are two key themes in Dragon Quest 7, so I suppose that's only fitting. I got the opportunity from Square Enix to play Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined early, and I kept asking myself one question: Does this new iteration justify its existence? And the answer, much like the game's narrative, is a bit more complicated than it seems.

DQ7's Great New Look Can't Outshine Pacing Problems

Let's start with the good. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined looks fantastic. From the diorama-like environments to the doll-like designs of its characters, everything gels well. With apologies to the improvements and changes in the HD-2D remakes, this kind of art style is much more my cup of tea. Reimainged feels more like the PS1 version of DQ7, which always had a wistful and sometimes melancholic atmosphere, something missing somewhat with the vibrancy of the 3DS remake.

And for better or worse, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined honors the roots of its PS1 predecessor. It still streamlines the earlier portions of the game like the 3DS version did, particularly around the Shrine of Mysteries, where you place your fragments and take portals back in time. You're able to jump into battles sooner and can visit your first island relatively quickly, too.

But Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined's story is still meandering at times. It lulls and lollygags when you'd expect a streamlined remake to trim the fat some more. There are definitely moments, especially early on, that go by faster than they used to, but pacing remains a major problem, even given the narrative's episodic nature.

The gameplay loop itself is another boon. The story and gameplay are primarily concerned with kids on an island who go around collecting fragments, go back in time, and then visit the present-day version of those islands to see what's changed. It can get repetitive, but it also makes a massive game like Dragon Quest 7 easier to digest.

New Additions Don't Make Up For Cut Content

Some of what has been removed is questionable. For instance, the costumes for Vocations from the 3DS remake are all gone, which feels like a major misstep. Equipping monster medals is great, but I do miss the monster classes at times. The Vocations system itself is mostly unchanged, although Moonlighting, which lets you "equip" a second Vocation, is a phenomenal addition.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that many of the cuts are more related to gameplay than the story, which is where the problem comes in. Dragon Quest 7's story is huge. It's worth the payoff (although plenty of people may disagree with me on that) but the narrative still drags on multiple occasions. That hasn't been fixed here, really. If you found the original game slow, then you'll probably find this one slow too (just maybe not as slow).

What's here is fine. The Vocations system is still amazing, and you thankfully don't have to trek back to Alltrades Abbey every time you want to change your Vocation anymore. Moonlighting can help with the grind, and so can the variety of impressive difficulty settings (seriously, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined should be the gold standard for difficulty customizations). The combat and cast of characters are still great.

The NPC designs and voice acting are mostly good too, although given the sheer size of the game, expect to see and hear repeats. As with previous iterations, it can be jarring to get attached to an NPC on one island and then find that exact same design on a different island two hours later. I still wonder why a young boy on one island had the voice of a 30-year-old man instead of sounding like a kid, but maybe that came down to casting costs.

Is Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined Worth It?

How much you love Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined will really come down to how much you loved the other versions (if you've played them). The story and characters are mostly the same, though the order of events sometimes shifts. Many of the problems of the PS1 and 3DS versions are still present here, although there's plenty to streamline combat and leveling up, and getting to use Zoom from anywhere is nice, too.

While I'm all for bringing games to a new generation and new platforms, more than anything, it just doesn't feel like Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined has done all that much differently. Yes, there are new story beats and some plot changes, but they feel few and far between for a game that's been billed as a reimagining.

After all this time with Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, I still don't know if its existence is really justified. Other than getting the game onto newer systems (which is great), there aren't a lot of changes here that will make it a must-play for people who have experienced it before. That being said, I've mostly enjoyed my time with it, so perhaps that's justification enough.

If you've never played DQ7, then by all means check this remake out. It's an epic RPG that still has my favorite job system of any game ever. But if you're like me, and you've experienced the other versions of DQ7 before, you may be disappointed by how familiar you find Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. For me, it was like visiting old friends I hadn't seen in a while, which ultimately outweighed its flaws.