Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Review, Gameplay Impressions, Videos and Top Features

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, a remake of the 2000 classic, is a bold attempt to modernize and make a beloved entry in the iconic series more accessible. 

Reimagined, fittingly, shelves the remake vs. remaster discussion in its title, at least. But one glance shows the visuals are more in the remake vein. So, too, is the battle system and epic tale that originally took 100-plus hours to beat. 

DQVII Reimagined pops off the screen with its unmistakable Akira Toriyama influences and promises sleek changes to a tried-and-true experience that could easily put it in early Game of the Year discussions.

Graphics and Gameplay

DQVII Reimagined might shift to doll-like characters and diorama settings, but the iconic feel of the late Toriyama remains. 

The characters are extremely expressive at every turn, for both human characters and otherwise. Each of the varied, expected settings offers dense immersive scale and environmental storytelling. And realistic lighting and shadow work, never mind all of the eye-popping, colorful battle effects, really makes for a stunning experience. 

Voiceovers really hit the mark, too, when offered. In concert with an inspired soundtrack, the entire presentation package is a case study the rest of the genre will review for a long, long time. 

Combat is still the classical turn-based affair, thankfully. Some JRPGs like Final Fantasy have experimented with live-action and other things, but it wouldn't feel like Dragon Quest without a new idea or two tossed into the familiar turn-based shell. 

Veterans know the idea. Lots of different classes, weapons and spells, plus weaknesses to exploit, to keep it very basic. 

Here, DQVII Reimagined debuts "Getting Worked Up" special buffs in battle in response to incoming and outgoing attacks based around the expected vocation system. 

Speaking of vocations, a new "Moonlighting" system lets players equip more than one at a time. One of the original game's selling points was dropping a boatload of these essentially jobs into the combat mix and giving players more agency over buildcrafting. 

The sheer number of vocations has been pared down greatly here in a smart manner. But it still feels just as dense when players can level up these vocations, experiment with various combinations and unlock all ranges of spells and other combat features.

Overall, there are some must-have modern streamlining features to the experience, too. Fast travel is in. Speeding up battles is, too. There's also a sudden strike system, which instantly defeats enemies the player is far above, rather than pulling them into battle.

This extends to team tactics, too, where players can auto-set the behavior of the party to all-out attack, balanced, not use MP and other options. Especially when it comes to fighting standard mobs, essentially being able to set up an auto-battler is a nice modern touch.

Story and more 

DQVII Reimagined doesn't steer off the basic, expected beats: The protagonist is still named "hero" and he sets off with a party of friends with time-traveling hijinks to restore the world's islands and continents while combating a big bad. 

This reimagined effort does some interesting things with the story structure, though. There are some new story and character beats that older players will love. But there are also some outright cuts, as well as certain segments of the game being shifted into optional side things, to keep it spoiler-free. 

Some might bemoan this, but streamlining the game just a tad, in addition to other time-investment-trimming features, ups the chances those who get the game will actually get to experience the entire tale. That means something. And for those who want it, the 100-plus hour investment and depth is still there. 

Notably, there is some newfound flexibility sprinkled into the narrative, too. It's no longer just a linear romp: Every now and then, players will have the chance to pick which locale they go to next.

Lots of little quality-of-life love poured throughout the effort, too. Something as simple as pressing a d-pad button to change around vocations, rather than needing to backtrack travel to an NPC to do so, literally shaves hours off the grind. 

It all runs impressively well, too, given the fidelity and detail of the models and battle effects. There is serious depth to the options tucked into the menus, too, even permitting players to tweak details like experience gained in battle. 

Conclusion 

DQVII Reimagined is a fitting ode to one of the greatest JRPGs to grace the globe. Ditto as an ode to Toriyama. 

Overall, it's an inspired effort. Roughly 25 years later, offering up streamlined means to get through a lengthy, sometimes intimidating story is a good thing that could drive more players to the series and genre. Turn-based battles are about as accessible as it gets already: Smartly evolving them the way this does can likewise lure in more players. 

More important than anything else, DQVII Reimagined retains the spirit of the original. It oozes love, care and attention to detail.

At a time in the industry when remakes and remasters are as haphazard as sequels in Hollywood, DQVII Reimagined should be applauded for taking its time and throwing out something truly special that reintroduces a classic to the masses.