Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake: Review Roundup
▼ Summary
– Push Square gave the remake an 8/10, noting its traditional NES origins require an old-school mindset to appreciate despite modern improvements.
– IGN awarded a 9/10, praising how it beautifully concludes the trilogy with old-school combat that holds up and expanded storytelling in the second game.
– GameSpot rated it 7/10, criticizing new narrative additions as padding and recommending last year’s Dragon Quest III remake over this one.
– The remake has received generally positive reviews, with Metacritic and OpenCritic averages in the low to mid-80s across multiple platforms.
– Critics agree the HD-2D Remake is a significant improvement over the original NES versions and is a must-play for Dragon Quest and traditional RPG fans.
The Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake has arrived, bringing two foundational RPG classics into the modern era with a gorgeous visual style and thoughtful quality-of-life updates. Critics largely agree that this collection offers a compelling way to experience the origins of the legendary series, though they also note that the games’ old-school design sensibilities remain very much intact.
Our colleagues at Push Square awarded the collection an 8 out of 10. They praised the significant visual upgrade but emphasized that appreciating these titles requires a specific mindset. The modern conveniences have smoothed away some of its rougher edges, but Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake does require a certain old-school mindset to be properly appreciated, they noted, pointing to the games’ traditional and sometimes unforgiving nature rooted in their NES origins.
Console Creatures also gave the package an 8/10, celebrating the new content and adjustments. The review highlighted the classic difficulty spikes but strongly recommended seeing the journey through. They stated, The trilogy reunites the scions of Erdrick for a new generation, delivering a simple tale with bells and whistles, suggesting the experience is well worth the commitment.
IGN’s glowing 9/10 review declared the remake “beautifully concludes” the Erdrick trilogy. While briefly mentioning elements like RNG and difficulty, the review was overwhelmingly positive about the core gameplay. It praised the enduring turn-based combat system, describing the first game as a tightly focused solo adventure and the second as a more expansive, party-driven experience with a stronger narrative and character development.
Echoing the high praise, Game Informer also scored the duology a 9/10. Their review concluded that the legacy of Dragon Quest is in excellent hands, calling the collection a particular treat for lifelong fans. They wrote, This collection is a treat for RPG freaks, but especially fans like me, who get to relish new content, stories, and a complete UI overhaul from two games they’ve loved since childhood.
RPGFan rated the collection an 80 out of 100, offering a balanced perspective that praised Dragon Quest II above its predecessor. They felt the first game’s frustrations were more apparent in this new version. However, they singled out the second title as the standout, noting, Dragon Quest II is the crown jewel of the two games here, and finally worth playing as more than just a history lesson, and that its expanded playtime feels organic and essential.
On the more critical end, GameSpot provided a respectable 7/10 score. This was one of the few reviews to take issue with some of the new narrative additions, suggesting they felt more like padding than meaningful expansion. The critique pointed to the simple base narrative and lack of party members in the first game, making it hard to connect with characters. They felt that the extra locations and quest objectives feels less like an expansion of the world and more like an attempt to pad out the game as much as possible.
Overall, the consensus is clear: this remake significantly improves upon the original NES versions. At the time of this writing, the game holds a strong 85 average on Metacritic for the Switch 2 and an 83 on OpenCritic across all platforms. Impressions align with major outlets, solidifying this collection as an easy recommendation for series enthusiasts and fans of traditional role-playing games.
(Source: Nintendo Life)