If you’ve never played a Dragon Quest game before, you might feel torn about the upcoming release of Dragon Quest III HD-2D. Maybe you’re drawn to the HD-2D style utilized in releases like Octopath Traveler or the LIVE-A-LIVE remake, but you do not know the series. Starting on the third entry feels wrong, doesn’t it? This is a great place to start and we’re going to talk about a few reasons why.

There’s a lot of curiosity about why Square Enix is starting with Dragon Quest III in its HD-2D redesign of the famous series. This answer is two-fold. Firstly, from a chronology standpoint, Dragon Quest III technically takes place first. Its world is also separate from the first two games, meaning this is a great place to start for Dragon Quest newcomers. This is also considered one of the most popular early titles in the series with fans.

As the first game to feature a class system and more open-world elements, it’s also a great taste of the complete early-franchise Dragon Quest experience. The player can swap characters from their party at will, like newer titles. There’s also a dynamic day and night system, which is featured in subsequent titles in the franchise. With the traditional turn-based combat and JRPG leveling systems intact, this is a great taste of the franchise.

The setting, tone, and overall story arc of Dragon Quest games are present in the third game, so it’s also a great place to start for newcomers if you’re curious about playing more entries in the series. Square Enix announced that they’re working on HD-2D remakes of the first two titles as well, so if you love Dragon Quest III HD-2D, you might have two more great games to play on the way.

As an iconic game in a historic video game series, a fresh coat of paint on this classic game should make it the ideal way to experience it in 2024 and beyond. If you’re new to the world of The Hero and want to try an adventure, I think Dragon Quest III HD-2D will be a great place to start. Let us know in the comments if you plan on giving this game a try and if it’ll be your first time or a repeat trip to Aliahan.

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