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"Tales of Xillia Remastered": my unforgettable introduction to the "Tales" series
by Kevin Hofer
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined looks amazing
19/11/2025
Translation: Eva Francis
After the remakes of the first three Dragon Quest instalments, publisher Square Enix is skipping a few numbers and releasing Dragon Quest VII Reimagined next year. I’ve had the chance to play the title – and let me tell you, we’re in for a treat.
The Dragon Quest game series didn’t appeal to me for years. As a teenage JRPG fan, I always found it too cheerful and colourful. I wanted to experience dark stories for adults and not kids’ stuff.
A few years ago, however, I tried Part VIII and was blown away. The world, the story, the characters – I loved it all. With the HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III, I also started playing the older titles last year. So when Square Enix invited me to play next year’s Dragon Quest VII Reimagined at a preview event, I was thrilled. And having seen the game, I have to say I’m not disappointed.
No HD 2D style for once – a good decision
Square Enix has been milking the HD 2D style that was made popular by Octopath Traveler years ago. In HD 2D, traditional two-dimensional elements such as pixel art sprites are combined with three-dimensional environments. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined takes a different approach, relying on diorama style, a design concept I’d previously only seen on Fantasian. However, the environments aren’t made by hand, but are all created digitally.
Source: Square Enix
The characters also look great. They were first handcrafted, then scanned and digitally animated. Their depth and detailed animations give them lots of charm.
Source: Square Enix
At the preview event, I get to explore a village and a dungeon at two points during the game. My verdict? Going for diorama was the right choice. It’s a throwback to the glory days of pre-rendered backgrounds on the PS1. That’s where the original Dragon Quest VII was released. The style also reminds me of the 3DS version of the game. It opens up more possibilities in storytelling. The developers use camera movements and angles, for instance, to make the story appear more cinematic.
Lively world
The villages are bursting with life. Animals are scurrying along the streets, people are going about their business and there’s something to discover in every barrel or vase. However, the hero doesn’t handle them with care, but destroys them to get at their contents.
Source: Square Enix
There’s also a lot going on in the dungeons. Unlike in the original, you don’t get dragged into random battles, but see the opponents approaching. If you’re fed up with all the fighting, you can just avoid them. Or you can sneak up on them and have the advantage of a surprise attack. But your enemies can also surprise you, so you need to be alert. I particularly like that I can beat weak opponents without switching to the combat screen.
Source: Square Enix
Typical JRPG battles with modern features
Speaking of fighting, the battles are turn-based, as is typical for Dragon Quest. I give my team members commands such as attacking, using magic or using items. So far, so JRPG. What’s new is the vocation bonus system. Each vocation has its own unique ability, from assault attacks to supporting allies.
What do I mean by vocation? Dragon Quest VII Reimagined uses a job system, as many JRPGs do. Characters take on jobs such as thief, black mage or white mage and learn the corresponding spells or skills. What’s new is that the system lets characters learn and hold two vocations at once. Iyou can change these vocations and find the combination that works best for your current challenge.
Source: Square Enix
The battles at the preview event are fun. However, the standard opponents are usually easy to defeat without much tactical skill. Especially since you can now see the opponents’ weaknesses when selecting attacks. Fighting the bosses is more exciting and you need to be clever about it and prove your skills to beat them.
Square Enix has added several quality of life features to the battles. For example, you can speed up the animations in three stages or let the characters fight automatically – similar to Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. This is great for making the grind more bearable.
Promising storyline
Like the other titles in the series, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined follows a classic save-the-world storyline. The protagonist is the son of a fisherman. He lives on the peaceful island of Estard, but wonders if there’s more to the world than his small island kingdom. In a quest to find out, he discovers the Temple of Mysteries and is transported back in time. This is when he realises the world’s threatened by evil forces and, of course, decides to save it.
Source: Square Enix
The story in Reimagined will essentially remain the same as in the original. However, according to Square Enix, the developers have upped the pacing to make it more compelling. Dragon Quest VII is by far the longest instalment in the series – apart from the tenth instalment, which is an MMO and therefore requires even more time. Having said that, optional quests and mini-games will still be included.
I make quick progress at the preview event and manage to complete both short sequences in the limited time available. They’re beautifully staged and leave me craving more. Despite the fast pace of the narrative, I immediately fall in love with the characters and NPCs and understand why they act the way they do. The great English voice acting and the equally brilliant German localisation contribute to this. I just love that Dragon Quest also adopts different dialects. The only thing I find a shame is that the voice acting isn’t used throughout – but that’s often the case with JRPGs and I’ve come to accept it.
Source: Square Enix
I can’t wait for the game
When Square Enix announced Dragon Quest VII Reimagined in September, I was initially confused. I wasn’t expecting a remake of part 7 (yet). But my confusion quickly gave way to excitement after watching the trailer. Now that I’ve played the game myself, I’m definitely hyped. The presentation, flow and gameplay are impressive in every way. I can’t wait for 5 February 2026.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined will be released on 5 February 2026 for PS 5, Switch 1/2, Xbox Series and PC. Square Enix invited me to the preview event in Hamburg and covered the costs.
Header image: Square Enix
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
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