Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Full Sport Palms-On Preview: Swap and Steam Deck Examined

Again in 2017 after I performed the primary demo for what was tentatively referred to as Challenge Octopath Traveler, little did I do know that it could not solely turn into one among my favourite RPGs from Sq. Enix, however the aesthetic would go on to function in among the greatest video games the writer has put out in recent times by Octopath Traveler II, Triangle Technique, and the remake of Stay A Stay. 

My first expertise with Dragon Quest III was by the cellular launch I examine again in 2014. Since then, I’ve performed it on Nintendo Swap as effectively, and neither of those variations ship a ok expertise. I anticipated Sq. Enix to simply port that Swap model (based mostly on the cellular launch) over to extra techniques, however what we have now right here is a number of instances higher in each approach.

When Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was introduced, I wasn’t certain what to anticipate with high quality of life options, how its timeless aesthetic can be introduced over to HD-2D, and whether or not it could keep true to its roots.

Because of early codes from Sq. Enix, I’ve had an opportunity to play the ultimate sport’s early hours on each Steam Deck and Nintendo Swap for this preview. I will concentrate on how each of those variations of the sport really feel after having performed each HD-2D sport on all platforms since 2018. Be certain that to additionally learn our earlier previews of the remake in June from Adam and final month from Josh.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake ultimate sport hands-on impressions

Stay A Stay’s remake was beautiful, however I did not have a lot context for the unique outdoors of some movies of it in movement. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake alternatively, is my third time enjoying by the traditional RPG, and it’s breathtaking nearly throughout the board. The HD-2D aesthetic has all the time felt like an alternate timeline model of how issues can be if Sq. Enix continued refining its 2D RPGs from the 90s with fashionable know-how, and that applies to Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake much more. 

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is likely one of the few remakes I’ve performed that appears to completely stability being true to its roots whereas delivering fashionable conveniences. These high quality of life options might be turned off as effectively if you wish to play it with related options as the unique, however Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake feels primed for bringing this traditional to a contemporary viewers whereas not forgetting the whole lot that made it a traditional within the first place.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake PC port options

I’ve performed Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake on my Steam Deck OLED and LCD each docked and handheld. The PC model affords a number of options above the same old efficiency and visible choices you count on in these ports. I additionally examined the sport with keyboard and mouse controls on my Steam Deck to see how that enter technique felt earlier than transferring again to utilizing a controller when docked or the Steam Deck itself.

The extra PC options embody an choice to show off depth of subject, swap the verify and cancel buttons, and modify keyboard bindings. It additionally has each Xbox and PlayStation button prompts relying on the controller used. Thus far Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is absolutely playable with only a keyboard as effectively, and I solely used the mouse in some menus. 

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake PC graphics and show choices

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake’s show choices will let you change show mode, decision (720p, 1080p, 1440p, 4K), body price (30 or 60 with no choice that I see to play above), and toggle v-sync. Since Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was additionally developed (or co-developed) by Artdink, I assumed we would see an analogous function set on the PC port facet, however I used to be nonetheless looking forward to body charges above 60fps given how Octopath Traveler II and Stay A Stay had assist for larger body charges.

On the graphics facet, you need to use the general high quality presets (low, medium, excessive, or customized), and modify varied settings. I like that this features a reside preview of the sport behind the settings menu and a bar for general GPU utilization. The settings you’ll be able to change in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake are shadow high quality, shadow space, anti-aliasing, texture high quality, render scale, ambient occlusion, and toggle depth of subject. These settings go from low to excessive or 1 to three. The depth of subject setting is notable since some of us dislike that sturdy impact in HD-2D video games. I left it on initially, however discovered the impact was too sturdy an hour later in a single early location. 

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Steam Deck impressions

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is Steam Deck Verified, and it runs flawlessly out of the field. It defaults to the excessive preset and runs at 60fps at 720p. I capped the refresh price on my Steam Deck OLED to 60Hz whereas enjoying since there isn’t any assist for larger body charges out of the field.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake does not have 16:10 assist and it runs at 16:9 with black bars on the highest and backside. I verified the Steam Cloud syncing as effectively after swapping throughout each my Steam Decks a number of instances after getting code within the 12 hours I’ve spent with the PC model to date.

On the Deck’s display screen, I’ve no complaints with how Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake seems to be at 720p and excessive settings. The one minor subject is a few very refined foliage shimmering that’s noticeable when wanting intently on the display screen.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Steam Deck beneficial settings

Notice: This may change in later areas that I am unable to speak about on this preview, however based mostly on the 12 hours I’ve spent with this construct, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is principally good on Steam Deck to date.

My Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Steam Deck beneficial settings are leaving the whole lot to the default which is 720p and the prime quality preset. This provides you nice visuals and a really secure 60fps. If you wish to deal with the minor foliage shimmering or flickering, you’ll be able to run it at a better decision and downsample, however you will have to accept a decrease body price.

That is much like video games like Triangle Technique on Steam Deck. If you wish to play at 1080p, I like to recommend locking it to 30fps. The render scale choice solely having three settings is not nice. Had there been extra granular management, I might’ve had a greater answer for this minor subject. 

The 1080p setting can be necessary if you happen to play docked. I’ve a 1440p monitor so I ended up enjoying at 1440p with the render scale set to 1 for a 60fps goal and a couple of for a 30fps goal by appropriately locking the body price in-game. This works out higher than enjoying at simply 720p throughout the board for the reason that UI and menus at 720p do not look good on my monitor..

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Nintendo Swap ultimate sport impressions

Pre-release, I noticed some of us questioning if Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake runs at 60fps on Swap based mostly on some footage in previews or trailers. It doesn’t. Similar to prior HD-2D video games, it has a softer picture than native decision and targets 30fps on Swap. I loved the 8 hours I performed of the Swap model in handheld mode, however wasn’t too pleased with how it’s docked. Similar to Octopath Traveler II, I caught to handheld mode.

On the efficiency facet, there are some minor body pacing points I seen, however one particular early sport city struggled to keep up 30fps within the night time with lanterns and different NPCs transferring round. 

In the event you performed and loved prior HD-2D video games on Swap, this won’t be a lot totally different outdoors of some drops right here and there. I used to be disenchanted within the lack of HD Rumble since I loved its use within the Octopath Traveler video games. 

Thus far, the depth of subject choice I discussed for Steam will not be included within the Nintendo Swap model. The Swap launch of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake does have depth of subject, however there isn’t any choice to disable it. This post-processing impact additionally does not look pretty much as good because it does on Steam Deck.

One good choice on Steam is with the ability to swap the verify and cancel buttons. I do not suppose many will care about this, however as somebody enjoying Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake on each Swap and Steam Deck, it is a welcome function so I do not press the mistaken face button when swapping between platforms.

Thus far, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake has exceeded all my expectations at the same time as somebody who has loved each single HD-2D launch to date. I nonetheless want to complete the remake and expertise extra of the brand new content material included, however that is shaping as much as be the most effective RPGs of 2024, and figuring out what else has launched to date this 12 months, that’s excessive reward. 

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake releases on November 14 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Sequence X|S, Nintendo Swap, and PC (Steam).