Ahead of its launch in October, Square Enix has revealed more details on Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake, focusing on how combat has been enhanced and new items that players can take advantage of. Just like the original JRPGs, players will once again encounter monsters as they explore an overworld and several dungeons, with combat revolving around turn-based battles.
All the staples of the classic Dragon Quest gameplay are here–like spells and skills–but if you’re having a tough time, the game will suggest the optimal actions you can take to exploit the weaknesses of monsters. This is an optional setting found in the game menu, and once enabled, it will show text above the enemy that indicates which of your moves will be effective against it.
Another new feature being introduced are Scrolls, which will allow characters to learn additional spells and skills. These can be obtained from treasure chests throughout the games, but they can only be used on specific characters. The five sigils–Sun, Star, Moon, Water, and Soul–that originally appeared in Dragon Quest 2 return in Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake, and these will activate various effects in battle once they have been collected.
In Dragon Quest 1 HD, sigils can be acquired through a quest to assist the fairies, and in Dragon Quest 2 HD, sigils are collected as part of a mission to defeat Hargon, the evil high priest who leads an army of monsters. Each sigil offers unique bonuses, like guaranteed critical hit damage for special abilities and other abilities will be upgraded if certain conditions are met.
Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake launches on October 30 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and Switch. if you’re planning to play the game on Nintendo hardware, it’s worth noting that there will be no upgrade path between the different Switch console releases.
“The games are a stunning marriage of classic pixel art and modern touches. I hadn’t realized how much better Square Enix’s ‘HD-2D’ aesthetic had become in recent years,” Steve Watts wrote in GameSpot’s Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake preview. “The color palette and saturation feels reminiscent of 8-bit classics, which makes the beautiful sprite artwork pop.”
