With Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake launching late last year, Square Enix is now poised to complete the reimagined Erdrick Trilogy with Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, arriving October 30, 2025. Unlike the standalone release of the third entry, this upcoming title bundles the first two adventures into a single package, offering fans a chronological and visually unified journey through the origins of the legendary saga.

We went hands-on with the game before Tokyo Game Show 2025, and while this installment will feel familiar to those who already played DQIII Remake, the experience still manages to deliver fresh challenges and nostalgic charm.

Dragon Quest I

In Dragon Quest I, players assume the role of Erdrick’s descendant, tasked with defeating the Dragonlord and restoring peace to Alefgard. Unlike modern JRPGs, this entry features a lone protagonist, which significantly alters the flow and strategy of combat. Facing multiple enemies without party support demands careful planning, especially when enemies act between your turns.

Our demo featured a well-equipped and slightly leveled character to showcase how combat would look later in the game. As with Dragon Quest titles, enemies appear in groups, lumping similar foes together. This made encounters a bit easier because of a weapon that provided an attack that would hit all targets in a given group. While you can switch weapons to other stronger ones, those would just hit one enemy, making it challenging to kill large groups, as they would always attack or perform an action in between your actions.

In fact, this was the most challenging part of the demo, which was properly queueing up your actions to anticipate when you’ll need to heal or use defensive measures since enemies would always act in between. Good news, though, as your character is well equipped with both offensive and defensive techniques that allow players to deal with threats properly.

Boss encounters, such as the battle against Robin Ood, emphasized this tension. His minions’ constant healing forced us to adapt, relying on buffs like increased dodge rate to survive until their MP ran dry.\

Thankfully, quality-of-life improvements help streamline the experience. Players can toggle AI behavior (e.g., conserve MP, go all-out) and fast-forward through battle, which is an essential addition that keeps the game going at a much faster pace, avoiding boring slowdowns and animations. The HD-2D visuals shine once again, and the inclusion of voice acting adds welcome immersion to the classic tale.

Dragon Quest II

Dragon Quest II shifts gears by introducing a full party, offering a more traditional JRPG setup. Players control a group of Erdrick’s descendants, each with distinct roles such as swordsman and healer. While this setup allows for more strategic flexibility, the game doesn’t shy away from punishing difficulty.

During our demo, we ascended a tower in search of a key objective, facing tough enemies and no save points along the way. Limited healing items forced careful inventory management, and by the time we reached the boss, our party was in dire need of healing, highlighting the importance of pacing and resource conservation. Even revival spells come with a chance of failure, adding a layer of unpredictability that can turn the tide of battle.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake plays exactly as fans might expect, faithful to the originals, yet enhanced with modern polish. Those who’ve already completed DQIII Remake will find familiar systems here, but the shift in protagonists and the challenge of both titles make this a compelling continuation. As Square Enix wraps up the trilogy, it’ll be interesting to see how much narrative expansion has been added to deepen the lore and surprise returning players.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is coming to PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store on October 30, 2025, and will retail for $59.99.