Dragon Quest, and immediately we think of him, Akira Toriyama and his unmistakable style that has characterized
the character design of all the titles in the saga, from the main chapters
to the spin-offs. The unmistakable mark of the legendary creator of Dragon
Ball, who unfortunately passed away prematurely, should however in no way affect
the evident quality of the video games we are talking about.
Dragon Quest was, and still is
in Japan and beyond, the sworn rival of that other JRPG series that has likewise become iconic over the decades, namely Final Fantasy. The differences in
approach, as well as in stories and settings, between the two video game giants
meant that the paths they took diverged almost immediately,
charting for Dragon Quest a much more japan-oriented route, in simpler terms undergoing fewer Western influences. With Dragon Quest III HD2D Remake,
a title that truly says it all, it is about to arrive on November 14, 2024 on consoles around
the world and Nintendo Switch will certainly not
be left behind: Square Enix,
which I am sure needs no introduction, is about to give us perhaps not
its most iconic chapter, but certainly one of the most exciting.
Chi wrote this played it many years ago on a handheld console, with all the limitations it obviously had, and yet the magic that emanates from the epic of the hero, son of Ortega, has remained unchanged as far as I’m concerned.
Qualche hint of plot: Ortega
is presented as an unbeatable warrior who leaves a very
heavy legacy to his son (or daughter, because this is also a choice that is given to us
at the beginning of the game and is by no means trivial) on the day of his sixteenth
birthday: while we ordinary mortals at that age aspired to have the
PlayStation or Laser Combat, our avatar will receive as a gift the mission to
defeat the demon Baramos, the one who threatens the world and whom our father,
alas, never managed to defeat definitively.
The HD2D version that we will
finally be able to play in November,
based on the confirmations received so far, seems not to differ much from
the original one in terms of plot, rather it is other the new features that will be
introduced, with the not-so-veiled aim of bringing back onto the pedestal of the
greatest role-playing games of all time the “old” third chapter, part of
a saga that, believe it or not, emerged from the cauldron of countless Japan-made titles
as early as 1985! A step back: what does “remake in
HD2D graphics” mean? A lofty definition to describe what is in reality
very simple, namely a technique that mixes classic 2D backgrounds with pixel graphics, modernized,
revised and corrected!
The comparison that fits best is the one on everyone’s lips
among industry insiders, and I don’t feel I can contradict them: having also played Octopath Traveler, I can only
agree.
The planned combat system
does not deviate from the Dragon Quest tradition, so we will have
tons of random enemies pouring onto our party, ready to
ruin our day with turn-based dynamics
that, as we well know, are either loved to madness or hated to the core.
With such a wealth of experience, Dragon Quest is unlikely to miss its targets, namely the old fans of the series who have grown into adults by fighting annoying slimes and pig-faced orcs, but also those who, belonging to the new generation of role-playing gamers, will want to find a valid reason to justify buying all the other existing titles: believe me, they are a legion.
Personally, I can’t wait to dive back into
this new version, legendary sword and armor are ready for battle.
And you?
Simon Larocca
My name is Simon Larocca, and I am a gamer, collector, and lover of pop culture in all its forms. I go to the cinema whenever I can, I have been reading since I started wearing glasses, so, basically forever, and I have a passion for storytelling in all its forms, so powerful that it became my profession. But as Doc from Ritorno al Futuro would say, there would be no present if one did not look at the past with respect and admiration, and it is the Simon child of more than thirty years ago, give or take a year, who is to thank for that.
Simon Larocca
My name is Simon Larocca, and I am a gamer, collector, and lover of pop culture in all its forms. I go to the cinema whenever I can, I have been reading since I started wearing glasses, so, basically forever, and I have a passion for storytelling in all its forms, so powerful that it became my profession. But as Doc from Ritorno al Futuro would say, there would be no present if one did not look at the past with respect and admiration, and it is the Simon child of more than thirty years ago, give or take a year, who is to thank for that.
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