Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined transforms the 25-year-old classic into glorious 3D

After plenty of rumor and speculation over the possibility of a new Dragon Quest remake, Square Enix has now confirmed the glorious return of DQ7, its iconic adventure from the year 2000. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a full overhaul of the classic, which stands alongside its PS1 fellows such as Final Fantasy 7, FF8, and FF9 as one of the best JRPGs of the era. Whether you've got that latent affinity for the original, or are a relative newcomer to the series, it's looking like the ideal way to experience it, and it'll be here in February.

As the name suggests, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a ground-up overhaul of the now 25-year-old JRPG. It did get a little love back in 2013, courtesy of a remake on the Nintendo 3DS, but this full-3D look bears much closer resemblance to the likes of the fantastic Dragon Quest 11. (Which I'm now realizing came out eight years ago, and I'm starting to crumble to dust.) Square Enix is being careful to keep those classic Akira Toriyama designs very much intact, however, and there's a new look for the overworld inspired by dioramas.

For those of you who weren't around back in 2000 and haven't taken the time to brush up on your Dragon Quest history, DQ7 starts you out as the young charge of a village fisherman. When your father brings back a strange map fragment, you begin to question the very nature of the world around you, and set out on a journey to delve into the mysterious past and discover why so much of the land has seemingly vanished from history.

Like many of its DQ peers, Dragon Quest 7 is a hefty game that can certainly clock up towards the 100-hour mark if you're eager to see absolutely everything it has to offer. The reimagining looks to be staying faithful to the behind-the-back camera perspective for its turn-based battles, and you can expect a return of the diverse class system (known as vocations) that allows you to freely customize your party's various skills and abilities.

Square Enix does tease a new 'moonlight' feature that allows each member of your team to equip two vocations at once, essentially offering a way to dual-class. It hints at some new vocations, such as the 'monster master' class that acts as a summoner and calls in creatures to fight alongside you. There are also some additional quality-of-life features, such as automatic battle clears against foes that are significantly weaker, and the ability to set party tactics and increase the game speed during fights to auto-battle your way through areas.

"When we decided to remake Dragon Quest 7, we thought deeply about the visual direction," producer Takeshi Ichikawa explains. "We wanted audiences worldwide, not just in Japan, to grow fond of the charming characters designed by Akira Toriyama. So, in order to depict the depth and feel of Dragon Quest 7's story more vividly, we took on a new challenge for the series: employing a hand-crafted art style and developing in-game environments that resemble dioramas."

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is set to launch Thursday February 5, 2025 via Steam and the Microsoft Store.

While we wait for its arrival, look back on the best old games you can (and should) still play in 2025, or perhaps whisk yourself away for a journey through one of the best fantasy games on PC.

Which Dragon Quest game is your favorite? Tell us in the PCGamesN community Discord server. I'll admit to being a real DQ11 lover, but DQ8 will always live long in my heart as well.