Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined posted a closer look at how it is changing the original beloved game. Read on to find out more about the changes to its visuals, battles, and new DLC.
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined Shares Changes Being Made From the Original
Built from the Ground Up
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined co-developer and publisher Square Enix, in a post this Thursday, gave a closer look at the new changes it made to the original beloved JRPG. It detailed the approach to the remake’s visuals, battle system, and additional DLC.
DQ7 Reimagined, like the original, begins on the cozy shores of Estard Island, where the protagonist and his best friend discover strange fragments belonging to an ancient tablet. By placing them into a pedestal found within a mysterious shrine, a flash of light transports them into another world,
DQ7 Reimagined producer Takeshi Ichikawa previously explained that the game reimagines the original DQ7 "from the ground up", offering a host of new improvements and enhancements such as "streamlined narrative, auto-battle functionality, and more". This decision was made to ensure that it can be enjoyed with modern standards in mind.
Visuals and Battles Overhauled
The most noticeable changes made to the game were overhauls made to visuals and battles. Firstly, Square Enix stated that the visuals of the original character designs from DQ7 were drawn by the deceased, renowned manga artist Akira Toriyama. The characters were reimagined in a miniature figurine-esque 3D art style while honoring Toriyama by retaining the designs.
For the protagonist and the party members, we created physical dolls and then scanned them,
commented Ichikawa. The scanned assets were then used as the basis for their CG models.
The characters weren’t the only ones to receive a glow-up, as the towns, environments, and dungeons were designed with a hand-crafted diorama-style CG in line with the new aesthetic. These design choices were made in an effort to preserve "the warm, cozy atmosphere" of the original.
Moreover, the user interface (UI) was overhauled into a tab-based menu system to make it more accessible and easier to use.
Moving into the gameplay, the battle system in DQ7 Reimagined had undergone significant changes. The party members’ spells, abilities, new vocations, the addition of perks, and a few quality-of-life (QOL) enhancements were added to spice up the game’s traditional turn-based battles.
Vocations, a recurring core gameplay feature in the DQ series, will grant each party member a profession with specific stats, spells, abilities, and a perk players can use in battle. Perks will grant a character advantage in battle and can come in different forms, with some boosting attacks and others providing support to the party. A perk can be "let loose" in battle after its character has been sufficiently "worked up", as described by Square Enix.
Upon making enough progress in the campaign, it will be possible to change the party members’ vocations–and take on a second job by "moonlighting". Additionally, a new vocation called Monster Master was added, with a unique perk (named "Positive Reinforcement") that summons powerful monsters to attack enemies.
On the other hand, several QOL features were added to the battle system. Similar to other recent JRPG titles, players can now defeat weaker foes in the overworld without having to enter battle. Players also have the option to use adjustable battle speeds, an auto-battle feature, and set up the party’s tactics to help encounters proceed without needing to pause between turns.
New DLC
Moving on to additional content, three paid DLC packs will be available at launch: an item set, a special costume set, and challenge battles. Jam-Packed Swag Bag will contain a variety of Slime-themed equipment, accessories that will boost experience and gold gained, recovery and boost items, and more to help jumpstart players’ adventures. The following will be given by purchasing this DLC:
● Slime Sword × 1
● Slime Boomerang × 1
● Slime Stick × 1
● Metal Slime Heart × 1 (Grants experience boost)
● Gold Golem Heart × 1 (Grants gold boost)
● Medicinal Herb × 9
● Single Phial × 3
● Seed of Strength × 1
● Seed of Resilience × 1
● Seed of Life × 1
Luminary’s Livery will contain a costume set, with each piece based on the outfits from the cast of DQ 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age. The following will be included in this pack:
● Luminary's Livery
● Spiky Sidekick's Costume
● Red Sisterly Smock
● Green Sisterly Smock
● Fully Fabulous Finery
● Warrior Princess Wardrobe
● Auld Rogue's Outfit
Finally, players will face foes from DQ’s Erdrick Trilogy (DQ1, DQ2, DQ3) in an arena format. Players who can defeat them will receive valuable rewards such as a weapon called Erdrick’s Sword.
New Polish, Same Faces
In light of the brand new changes and overhauls being made to DQ7, Reimagined will still follow the same party of lovable rascals from Estard Island and the companions they make along the way. Additionally, the remake will feature voice acting, which was absent in the original DQ7 for the PlayStation and the 3DS remake.
The Protagonist will be played by Isaac Rouse, who was best known for playing Claude Picasso in Genius - Picasso (2018). The prince of Estard, Kiefer, is voiced by Roly Botha, who provided various voices for Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023). Maribel, the sweet childhood friend of the two, will be voiced by Becky Wright who was known for voicing Striga in the adaptation of The Witcher (2019).
The peppy, pure-hearted, and wild boy Ruff will be voiced by Clare Corbett of Elden Ring (2022) fame, having voiced Irina, Hyetta, Aureliette, and one of the protagonist’s voice options. Aishe, the devoted young Roamer swordswoman and dancer, will be played by Amrita Acharia, best known for her role as Irri in HBO’s Game of Thrones (2011).
Finally, the aged hero, Sir Mervyn, will be played by Nicholas Boulton, who notably lent his voice to Dragon Age: Origins (2009) as Vaughan, Xenoblade Chronicles (2010) as Gadolt, and Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers (2019) as Raubahn.
"DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined not only ‘reimagines’ the story and emotional portrayal of its characters, but also makes the game significantly more approachable and accessible," concluded Ichikawa in a separate interview. "We believe this game will be enjoyable for both previous DRAGON QUEST VII players and newcomers alike!"
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined sets sail for a worldwide release on February 5, 2026 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. To stay up to date on the latest information, check out our article below!
Sources:
A closer look at DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined | Square Enix Blog
DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined: the first interview | Square Enix Blog
