Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined is full of everything that fans have adored about the Dragon Quest series since its inception in 1986, from the absolutely iconic intro theme to the charming character design, the easy to get a feel of turn based combat, the witty writing, and the compelling story that runs the full gambit of emotions. The cut content is a shame, but what is there is definitely a delight. For anyone that loves JRPGs, this is an easy pickup as you venture into a world and bring it back from the brink.

I really enjoyed my time with Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined. Even as a hardened DQ veteran I appreciated the streamlined changes that were made to bring the game’s substantial run-time down a notch. I completed the game with about 47 hours on the clock and polished off the post-game content at about 57 hours. I’ve got 1 achievement to go (find all items) but the in-game checklist for that one isn’t great, so it will likely wait until someone produces a guide. That feels to me like the right length of time for this game. Long enough that you feel like you’re getting a full experience, but not so long that it overstays it’s welcome. That said, if you’re a veteran of the franchise, I would definitely consider adjusting some of the difficulty settings. If I hadn’t been playing for review, I certainly would have bumped a couple of them up a notch. I can see where some folks who love the original might be disappointed in the changes (especially the cut content) but I think this version serves the story of the game well and will undoubtedly allow for more players to enjoy both the game and the series.

It takes a lot to be noticed in this sea of remakes and remasters, and Dragon Quest VII Reimagined mananages to stand out in the crowd with relative ease. This game easily stands above its original release and its 3DS remake, and gleefully succeeds at modernizing itself while also staying true to its roots. I doubt this will be the last we see of the modern takes on other classic entries, but this game and Square Enix’s prior efforts as of late give me confidence that this won’t be the last modern remake we’ll see from them. I just hope that if they do, they’re just as good as this. This remake is a triumph, and you shouldn’t think twice about buying it.

Dragon Quest 7 is a very well-done remake of a game that is over 25 years old. Most of the problems of the original PS1 game have been solved, but the balance between text and combat is still uneven.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a Dragon Quest that is not only full of whimsy but also has a lot of heart. It fixes a lot of the issues of the original game and adds more substance to love from this world.

A gorgeous remake of a classic JRPG that many players missed out on, this version of Dragon Quest VII swings hard towards accessibility (and might actually overshoot the mark a little bit). Visually gorgeous, with a fun episodic structure, this is a great way for fans to revisit this story or encounter it for the first time. My only caveat is a warning to be very careful with the "Quality of Life" settings, which make it entirely too easy to break the game, removing all of the challenge (and therefore all of the fun).

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is remarkably hard to fault, to the point where it feels like a blueprint for what a modern Dragon Quest should be. The story has been significantly streamlined, with many narrative beats rewritten more coherently, allowing an already solid tale to feel refreshed. Meanwhile, its combat and world exploration benefit from extensive quality-of-life improvements, adding a wealth of convenient features that make the overall experience notably comfortable to play.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined delivers a charming and visually stunning remake that captures the spirit of classic JRPG adventure. Its quality-of-life improvements make exploration and turn-based combat far more comfortable, even if the core battles can feel repetitive outside of key moments. The story grows organically, using time and consequence in engaging ways that reward curiosity. Unfortunately, the lack of Portuguese subtitles is a major accessibility flaw for a text-heavy RPG. Even with this misstep, it remains a warm, enjoyable experience that honors its legacy.

With Reimagined, forget the laborious epic of the original Dragon Quest VII on PS1. More beautiful than ever with its unique aesthetic, the game offers a much more enjoyable, condensed adventure thanks to its numerous accessibility and difficulty options. In this customizable experience, combat gains depth through the richness of dual vocations, allowing for combinations that are as improbable as they are powerful. However, in addition to some flaws from the original game that are still present, this modernized version sometimes pushes the accessibility features too far, making the adventure too easy at times. But make no mistake: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined elevates a great RPG to new heights and will be a landmark title in the category of ambitious remakes.

It’s a remake that gives wings to a timeless masterpiece. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined makes a 40-year-old series feel incredibly accessible for newcomers, and honestly, it moved me deeply.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a fantastic remake of the original that addresses many of its problems. The story has been streamlined with some great additions to make the other characters stand out more, while the combat has the accessibility settings and adjustments that the most recent games benefit from. It does feel a little too easy at times, which makes the strategic elements of battle feel less necessary, but it never fully detracts from the experience enough to regret playing.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined has been remade with excellent precision. The developers have done a phenomenal job recreating what made the original so special, all while retaining its artistic integrity. There are also some fantastic quality-of-life improvements implemented, such as auto-battle and custom difficulty adjustments. This is a massive game, taking upwards of 100 hours to complete, but with it comes some slumps. The story’s pacing can be a bit awkward at times, and several of the plots have been modified. Kiefer’s newest model also stands out comically bad and the chatter that comes from the party outside of battle feels useless half of the time. Regardless, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a memorable and ambitious remake that does far more right than it does wrong.

In their eagerness to streamline the original experience, Square Enix and Hexadrive have gone too far with this new version of the cult classic Dragon Quest VII, stripping away some of its charm. Its concept and effective gameplay remain intact, but it's hard not to grimace when you realise that the game has removed all form of challenge and the need for exploration. A remake that is a little too effective, then, but one that will at least allow as many people as possible to discover this monument of Japanese RPGs with a big heart.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined wraps 40 years of tradition in charming, modern puppet-theater visuals. Its story and art shine, but dated combat and reduced depth may divide players. Lacking flashy thrills, it rewards those who appreciate a slow, subtle richness.

While the mechanical redundancies and mid-game pacing hurdles keep it just shy of perfection, DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined is a triumph of art direction and quality-of-life design. The bottom line: this is the Definitive way to play DRAGON QUEST VII, just don't be surprised if some things have changed since the last time you set foot in Eden!

The Dragon Quest series has always excelled at cultivating a cozy vibe, and Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is no different. With a striking diorama aesthetic and a genuine desire to be as warm and inviting as possible, this is an RPG that achieves exactly what it's going for with aplomb.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined smooths out a lot of rough edges, but it loses some of the flavor of the original in the process.

Dragon Quest 7 has always been the series' most ambitious entry - a sprawling anthology of tragedy and hope that attempted things no other Dragon Quest has matched. It was also, frankly, too long. Reimagined solves that problem without sacrificing what made the original special. For series veterans, it's a chance to revisit a flawed classic in its best possible form. For newcomers, it's finally a reasonable entry point into one of the franchise's most rewarding narratives.

Dragon Quest VII – Reimagined, for someone playing it for the first time, is just a by-the-numbers old-fashioned JRPG experience, updated for modern audiences, which at times tires with its repetitiveness, while for those who have tried the original, perhaps nostalgia will touch them a little more.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a wonderfully nostalgic, yet old-fashioned journey back to the heyday of JRPGs.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined still encapsulates much of what makes Dragon Quest VII resonant, but with every possible edge sanded off. It succeeds at streamlining a lengthy adventure at the expense of player discovery and friction. Besides being able to reach the credits more quickly, I find it difficult to declare this version as an improvement on what came before.