Journalists Praise Dragon Quest VII Reimagined as Series' Peak

"Peak of the Series" – Journalists Praise Dragon Quest VII Remake

Just three days remain until the release of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, prompting the developers at Square Enix to lift the embargo on final reviews. Most journalists were pleased with the remake, awarding it an average score of 82 on Metacritic (PS5 version) and 84 on OpenCritic with a 95% recommendation rate.

The game is praised for its visual style, improved narrative pacing, expanded combat mechanics, and enhanced quality-of-life features. The main drawbacks noted are the cut content. Additionally, fans of the original found the remake to be too easy.

Here's what the reviewers are saying:

RPG Fan — 95/100

With the release of Reimagined, it's finally time for everyone to acknowledge that Dragon Quest VII is one of the best games in the series. The remake confirms this by smoothing out some rough edges, preserving the momentum, and offering us the best visuals and combat system in the entire series.

Pros: the spirit of the original story is preserved, yet the narrative has become more dynamic. The visual component is simply magnificent, the soundtrack is one of the best in the series, and the combat system and job mechanics are the absolute peak of Dragon Quest.

Cons: the game is too easy, it has too many hints, and some content from the original was cut.

Noisy Pixel — 80/100

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a bold update to a classic JRPG that blends nostalgic structure with modern game design. Improved pacing, a deep job system, and charming diorama-style visuals breathe new life into this lengthy adventure, although long-time fans might find it lacking in depth. Despite some structural shortcomings, newcomers will find an accessible and rich entry point to one of the series' most controversial chapters. On the other hand, the added conveniences, combat features, and other innovations still make this a pleasant classic JRPG from start to finish. I believe the only constant is that Dragon Quest VII will remain divisive regardless of which version you play.

Pros:

Improved pacing. Faster plot progression, quest markers, and more to keep you from getting bored;
Flexible job system allowing for diverse builds;
All sorts of quality-of-life improvements: customizable difficulty, battle speed, auto-battle, highlighted terms in dialogues, collectible tracking, and much more;
Additional content.

Cons:

Veterans may be disappointed by the loss of content from the original (like cut storylines). They should have been improved, not removed;
The episodic structure of the game can feel disjointed, especially in the early and middle parts of the playthrough;
Dialogue between party members mostly serves as hints;
Unlocking some combat mechanics (like job synergy) fully takes 15–20 hours, which might deter newcomers.

Push Square — 80/100

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a high-quality remake and a vibrant reminder of how charming this long-running series can be. Although the story drags in places, significant gameplay improvements and long-awaited optimization make Reimagined a must-play for anyone yearning for old-school JRPGs.

Pros:

Many meaningful improvements over the original;
Fun and cute party members;
Thoughtful combat;
Simple yet addictive job system;
Simply charming artistic design;
Light and pleasant story;
Plenty of difficulty customization options.

Cons:

The plot seriously sags at times;
Backtracking is still an issue;
Repetitive NPC models.

IGN — 70/100

Every version of Dragon Quest VII is an imperfect pearl with its own flaws and shortcomings, yet it remains precious. The way "seven" unfolds its world before you sets it apart from any other entry in this long-running series, and watching how your actions in the past influence the present is just as captivating as when I first inserted the original disc into my PlayStation 1. Despite all its merits, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined will not be the version of this adventure I return to when I want to revisit the islands of Pilchard Bay or the desert sands of Al-Balad. The pacing issues from the original were successfully addressed, but unfortunately, much was smoothed over or removed in the process: difficulty, some character quirks, and that crucial sense of discovery I expect from Dragon Quest. I truly appreciate and praise Square Enix for creating a newcomer-friendly version of Dragon Quest, but I wish it had more difficulty options so seasoned fans like me could opt out of the simplifications. As a result, Reimagined doesn't achieve the same success as previous Dragon Quest remakes, but this game is still worth playing at least for Kiefer's magnificent chin.

Metro GameCentral — 70/100

The Dragon Quest VII remake will delight RPG fans of all stripes. Unlike many similar titles, it's quite easy to get into, making it a perfect entry point into the genre for those interested in Japanese role-playing games. The Dragon Quest series will likely never be as popular in the West as it is in Japan, but that doesn't stop the remake of one of its most iconic games from becoming even more appealing.

In short: it's

Pros: simple yet effective combat system, excellent bosses, and several decent dungeons. Captivating and multi-layered story and superb visual design that perfectly blends the new and the old.

Cons: the game is too drawn out and has too many side quests. Despite being engaging, the routine...