Now that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has become the hot girl at prom night, gamers have been quick to talk about their love for JRPGs. The devs have made it clear that they love this genre and have even recommended similar games, hence everyone’s love for this expedition.
As turn-based RPGs evolve, we think it’s great that the first two Dragon Quest games are getting their HD-2D remakes soon. Everyone loved how Square Enix handled the third game, so this collection has everyone excited, especially with some of that new content.
While it’s easy to dismiss the first game, Enix’s original Dragon Quest still holds up to this day. It might be simpler than JRPG fans would like, but the foundations for this genre can already be seen in this original game.
For context, everything I’ll be describing here is based on the Switch game currently available. This mobile game was ported to Nintendo’s hybrid system, but it is still pretty faithful to the original NES.
JRPGs are known for their lengthy introductions, so it might surprise fans that Dragon Quest immediately starts with gameplay. Players are suddenly this knight in a room with the king of this land. Players are given an objective and treasure chests to open when they talk to him.
After that, players have to get moving.
This is the very first JRPG, so fans might be shocked at some of the genre’s tropes not being here. Your knight is the only playable character in this game, as the series didn’t introduce a party system until the second installment. No lengthy cutscenes are allowed in this game, so players must talk to everyone in town to get a clue about what happens.
Having this much freedom at the start can be scary, but it does keep the original Dragon Quest unique. You don’t see a lot of turn-based JRPGs where only one character is around for the game’s entirety. Finding the correct route also leads to plenty of trial and error, but that satisfaction when you reach the next objective is next level.
Speaking of levels, the combat in this game is basic, but also weirdly addictive. Like the beloved PS2 entry Dragon Quest 8, grinding in this game can be fun. There’s nothing groundbreaking here; press the attack button in the menu to attack, but the speedy nature of battles is appreciated. Interestingly enough, your max level in this game is 30, so it shouldn’t take too long to become powerful.
Luckily, the original Dragon Quest is a pretty short game. The lack of other features would have stood out more if it had been longer. But at only five hours, assuming you have a guide, this is a pretty breezy romp.
It’s not Dragon Quest 11 or 8, but the first game is still worth playing. Luckily, with the HD-2D remake coming packaged with the second installment, everyone can replay this gem.