The duology will complete Square Enix's "Erdrick Trilogy," showcasing what made the early Dragon Quest games so endearing

Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake Gives The Classics A Deserved Glow-Up

The duology will complete Square Enix's "Erdrick Trilogy," showcasing what made the early Dragon Quest games so endearing

I got the impression from my preview session that these two games are packaged together because they're each comparatively limited in scope. But together with Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, which was released last year, they represent a "trilogy" of the original Dragon Quest games. DQ3 is a prequel to the other two, so Square Enix decided to release them in chronological story order. But arranged in the original order--1, 2, 3--they represent a closer look at the evolution of early RPGs. First a lone hero, then a nomadic party, and finally a customizable party with job classes. Square Enix said it has also added an epilogue to the end of DQ1+2 that neatly ties the trilogy together.

I only played a couple of early areas in both games, which means I didn't have much opportunity for more complex strategies and managing equipment. But Square Enix seems to understand that some of the battles, especially the simpler ones at the outset, need a fast-forward function to make battles more light and breezy. You can swap middle-battle, so it's worth slowing down to see the charming animations of the enemy attacks once or twice, but after that there's no harm in making everything move a bit faster.

The story also leans into the olde English style of translation, and from my limited time it seemed more pronounced than I remember in the DQ3 remake. It feels a little goofy, but it's tongue-in-cheek, so after a little adjustment I enjoyed it.

And what makes Dragon Quest feel so special--forgive me for being late to the party on this, Dragon Quest fans--is its sense of character. Everything from the score to the enemy designs feels at once grand in scope and adorably bubbly and chipper. The enemy designs especially, presented in first-person in DQ, have a comical sensibility. It just makes a fun world to live and adventure in, and I can't wait to continue on and finish the quest.

Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and Switch 2 on October 30.

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This story originally appeared on: GameSpot - Author:UK GAG