I, for one, welcome the current direction of Square Enix. Where they not only lean on their most mainstream IP, Final Fantasy, but also keep the HD-2D train going with recent releases like Octopath Traveler 0 and remaking older Dragon Quest titles. They ended 2024 and 2025 with the remakes of Dragon Quest 1-3 (with 2 being everyone’s favorite, apparently) and are now starting 2026 off with the release of Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined. This remake keeps the original style but uplifts it into the modern era with stunning 3D graphics that made my jaw drop. Below will be my impressions of the demo on the PlayStation 5.
A Warm and Charming Introduction
I am someone who has only played the above-mentioned remakes of the original trilogy and Dragon Quest 11, which is my personal favorite. So, when I heard the 7th installment was getting a “reimagining,” I was very excited to dive into it, and my excitement paid dividends. I did not play the original decades ago, but the game took me by surprise with its presentation and expediency in the storytelling.
Obviously, there is a lot of buildup to the journey compared to the entries I played. But after an hour of seeing the main character’s father sailing off and arriving on the first island, the game starts to throw combat encounters more consistently. Instead of random encounters, enemies will be in the environment, and you can run from them if you are low on health or MP. And speaking of encounters, it is presented beautifully and is very enjoyable.
The Changes of Story and Combat in Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined
The combat is presented very well and flows very smoothly. From running into enemies and getting back to the world, it is all very quick. When fighting enemies, you will be able to see if abilities or spells are the weakness of your foes, allowing you to not waste MP. You also have the ability to replenish your health and MP at shrines when you are in dungeons. My only complaint is that the only boss that I found difficult was the hammer wielder on the first island, while the story bosses were pretty easy to knock out on the game’s medium difficulty.
There are also some puzzles to engage with in the game. One where you line up statues in light, and another where you push marbles to break and progress. It is all very simple, but still takes some trial and error.
Finally, the introduction to the story in the demo of Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined was pretty good so far, but it ended a little too abruptly. Without spoiling too much, the game’s story is centered around finding tablets to unlock islands to explore. The end of the demo was right before you could slot in a new tablet instead of ending before hitting the seas in the series Boat Mode. Aside from that, the characters were charming and fulfilled a niche in the party, and the story moments were pretty dark. The voice acting was especially good from even non-party members.
Gorgeous Presentation and Flawless Performance
The art style of Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined initially took me aback when I watched the reveal. But it grew on me, and I really enjoyed how different and slick it all looks. For starters, the characters all look like they have an actual style to them. They are all different and well designed, from the main character to Maribel and Kiefer. All of this is wrapped up in a beautiful diorama approach to the world design. Everything is insanely detailed, from the water to the overall lighting.
Also, in terms of accessibility, the game features an auto-play feature for combat encounters and color blind options.
Finally, the game runs flawlessly. On the PlayStation 5, the game loads quickly, looks beautiful, and runs flawlessly. I also played the game on Valve’s Steam Deck and found a similar experience with some compromises. On the Steam Deck, I had to use the “balanced” settings to get a consistent sixty frames per second while also looking similarly gorgeous. Whatever compromises visually were made with those settings were not noticeable.
Closing Remarks on the Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined Demo
The demo was a lot of fun and took me by surprise. The art style was especially a standout, and the gameplay was as strong as ever. The puzzles felt finely tuned, but the bosses could’ve been a little more challenging. All in all, the demo is very enjoyable and worth your time playing. You will also get a free dress for Maribel if you purchase it and use your demo save data!
Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined will be coming out on February 5th for $59.99, with a deluxe edition with extra goodies. It will be launching on modern consoles as well. This includes the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 1|2, Steam, and Xbox Series consoles.
