This interview has been edited for clarity.
Role-playing game with a mythical creature, and the heroes are searching for it? What would you call a video game with this premise? Regardless of the origin, Enix (which would later merge with Square to form Square Enix) Dragon Quest The franchise remains one of the most recognized names in the role-playing game (RPG) genre. Created by Japanese game designer Yuji Hori and character designer Akira Toriyama, the series has made its mark in both the Asian and American markets, releasing 11 titles along with numerous spin-off games since its inception in 1986.
Of the games in the series, none had a greater impact than the third main title, Dragon Quest III: Seeds of Redemption. It was originally released in Japan for the Family Computer (Famicom), and then in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) under the name dragon warrior iii, The 1988 title received widespread acclaim for greatly expanding on the gameplay of the titles that came before.
It's no surprise then that the title has received several remakes over the years, with a Super Famicom release in 1996 and a Game Boy Color release in 2000. Collectively, Dragon Quest III It has achieved status as one of the best-selling titles in the series, with over 7.5 million copies sold worldwide. That number is sure to increase, now that the classic film is set to make a comeback Dragon Quest III HD-2D RemakeEnhancing the original release for a new generation of gamers.
During an extended two-hour preview session at Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2024, Geek Culture was not only treated to the upcoming remake, but we also got to sit down with the game's producer Masaaki Hayasaka For an inside look at how the team updated an iconic title for the modern gaming era.
It all starts with one basic principle – staying true to the original.
“Our general direction when developing the title was to try to keep the charm of the original as intact as possible,” explains Hayasaka. “We tried not to leave out any elements that might disappoint fans of the original game while figuring out how to add new features that could meet the expectations of both longtime fans and newcomers.”
By far, the biggest and most noticeable change to the game is in its graphics and art style. As a team behind 2018 Hit Japanese RPG Traveler OctopathHayasaka and Team Asano decided to capitalize on their experience with the title by incorporating the unique HD-2D graphic style into the new game. Dragon Quest III remake.
“Since[Octopath Traveler]was the first title where we implemented HD-2D, we learned, based on the game's reception, how effective it was in building atmosphere,” notes Hayasaka. “(The team) was then able to take full advantage of what had been done.” Learn to develop Dragon Quest III remake.”
The results really speak for themselves as well Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake It looks stunning, offering the perfect blend of realistic environmental details and animated pixel sprites. The change also adds an extra layer of depth and perspective to the scenes, giving them an almost pop-up comic book feel that oozes magic. Every location in the game has been painstakingly recreated and is sure to evoke feelings of nostalgia for returning fans.
However, recreating the game's finest details presented its own challenges, especially with regard to environmental details. “One of the most challenging elements was bringing that original map from the game into the current visual style,” Hayasaka explains, noting how the additional perspective presented in HD-2D style meant the team had to fill in details that were previously unnoticed in the game. 2D flat drawings of the original.
Although it may not seem like much, adding this layer of detail to all of the environments has actually been hard work, with the team reportedly spending nearly two years working on this change alone. The remake has been more than three years in development, roughly the same amount of time it took to produce the most recent main title in the series. Dragon Quest XIwhich is much larger and more graphically dense between the two. For a smaller title to have such an extended period of development clearly shows the team's passion for doing the title justice.
Combat also received the same faithful boost. Everything remains largely the same as it was in the original, with the team retaining the first-person battle animation screen that previous games in the series were known for. Aside from adding accessibility options like the ability to adjust combat animation speeds, everything should remain as fans will remember it.
This doesn't mean the game is devoid of any new features as the game now includes Monster Arena battles, where players can rescue stray monsters scattered around the world and pit them against increasingly difficult bouts with competing non-player characters (NPC). Each rescued monster also has its own stats and abilities, making collecting and managing them a fun side activity that accompanies the main story.
Remaking such a beloved title may seem like a daunting task, but surprisingly Hayasaka was under less pressure than one would expect, a fact he attributes to the original title's lack of launch. “Being a little removed from the original film took some pressure off my shoulders, as I could go into it with a fresh perspective,” he explains.
This pressure was further raised with participation Dragon Quest Creator Yuji Hori. The 70-year-old game designer was always involved in any title in the series in a more supervisory role but has intensified his involvement with the game. Dragon Quest III Remake, serves as game and scenario designer. Guiding the team throughout their development journey has certainly helped motivate them to deliver the best possible experience for both returning fans and contemporary players.
“The fact that I was part of such a legendary franchise Dragon QuestI have been a fan of this game since before I came into this industry, and now to be able to work with Horii-san to bring this game into the modern era is truly one of the highlights of my career and a true honour,” he smiled from ear to ear.
Of course, Hayasaka still feels an underlying sense of pressure to do the game right and not disappoint long-time fans of the series, which he concludes by joking, “This is a legendary title, so I feel like if I screw this up,” I think I might have to leave the industry.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake It is set for release on November 14, 2024 On PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race player with a penchant for perks like “Fail”. Darksiders III and Dead space 3. He made it his lifelong mission to play every major release of gaming – lest his wallet die trying.
