Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined developer interview: Square Enix on the RPG classic’s return

After it originally released on PlayStation, Dragon Quest 7 came to Nintendo 3DS about a decade ago with a remake. Square Enix has now decided to revisit it once more with a second remake, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined for Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch, which features its own visual style and makes various gameplay adjustments.

Alongside the launch of Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, we caught up with producer Takeshi Ichikawa to learn a bit more about the project. Aside from talking about the game itself, Ichikawa spoke about why it’s the right time to bring back the RPG again.

You can find our full discussion below. 

Dragon Quest 7 is remembered for its length and deliberate pacing. What guiding principles did you use to decide what to preserve versus what to streamline in the reimagined version?

The scenario structure of Dragon Quest 7 is a series of “short story” style episodes and we tweaked this structure to create a fast-paced and immersive narrative experience by re-ordering some of those episodes, making others optional and cutting out a few. However, in addition to re-working the game’s overarching structure, we have also created some completely new story content to bring even more depth to the game overall, so I feel that it will provide a fresh new story experience for players of the original Dragon Quest 7 as well.

Were there story beats, characters, or themes you felt players misunderstood or overlooked in the original release? If so, how did this remake give you the opportunity to clarify or deepen them?

I don’t think players misunderstood or overlooked anything in the original. However, in this remake, we reimagined the scenario to provide a more fast-paced and immersive story experience.

Visually, the remake feels very different – almost like a living diorama, with exaggerated character designs in cutscenes. What led the team toward this aesthetic for Dragon Quest 7, and was there a specific reason this style was chosen rather than going the HD-2D route as we’ve recently seen with other recent remakes for the series?

When remaking Dragon Quest 7, we considered the visual direction with the hope that audiences worldwide, not just in Japan, would enjoy and grow fond of the charming characters designed by Akira Toriyama. In order to depict the depth and feel of Dragon Quest 7’s story more vividly, we took on a new challenge for the Dragon Quest series: employing a “doll-like art style” and developing an in-game environment that resembles a diorama. Please refer to this as the “hand-crafted style”! In addition, we adopted the hand-crafted visual style to match the stylized character designs of Dragon Quest 7, which differ from those in other mainline entries.

Dragon Quest 7 explores loss, restoration, and the slow rebuilding of the world. Did the remake allow you to reframe these themes in ways that resonate more strongly with today’s audience?

While preserving the original’s charm and unique atmosphere, we reimagined the scenario to create a more fast-paced and immersive story experience.

For players who are newer fans and may have started with a game like Dragon Quest 11, how did the team approach reimagining Dragon Quest 7 so it feels welcoming and intuitive to that audience while still preserving what longtime fans love about the original?

As mentioned earlier, we have reimagined the game to make it easier to play while preserving the original’s charm and unique atmosphere. We believe this allows both players experiencing the Dragon Quest series for the first time and those who have played Dragon Quest 7 before to enjoy the game.

For longtime fans who know the original inside and out, what moments, story-wise or emotionally, are you most excited for them to experience again in this reimagined version?

We have made various adjustments so that even players who have experienced Dragon Quest 7 before can enjoy a fresh experience. We hope everyone can discover something new and enjoy this slightly different take on Dragon Quest 7.

We’ve seen a lot of Dragon Quest remakes over the past couple of years. Were there any concerns about overdoing it with new releases or did this just feel like the best time to launch Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined?

Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past originally released in 2000 – so this year is its 26th anniversary! Because of this, we felt it was the perfect time to bring its storytelling and unique atmosphere to a wider audience – especially now, in today’s world. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined not only “reimagines” the story and emotional portrayal of its characters but also makes the game significantly more approachable and accessible. We believe this game will be enjoyable for both previous Dragon Quest 7 players and newcomers alike!

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is now available on Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch worldwide. Find our review of the game here.