With all that said, “streamlined” is the best word to describe Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. While the 3DS remake took its own measures to make the intro more palatable, this one is aiming for a truly streamlined experience – one that keeps the pace moving while still delivering an adventure that only Dragon Quest can provide. So does it succeed? I would say, yes. Immensely so. In fact, it may well make a case for one of the finer entries in the series, and one of the better role-playing games you can play this year.

"Despite being based on a game that’s more than 25 years old, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined managed to subvert my expectations in so many ways. Not only that, but it’s well-written…"

Your life is much less unassuming here than in previous titles – the word “hero” isn’t so much accurate as the term “adventurer.” As a resident of Estard, you work with Prince Kiefer to fix up a boat and set out to explore, despite everyone (including your mother) reminding you that this is the only island in the world. Things take a turn when Kiefer discovers some mysterious ruins, which demand some stone tablets in return for granting entry. One thing leads to another, and after Maribel, the mayor’s spirited daughter, joins in, you’re transported to a brand new world that’s clearly not Estard.

Right away, the pacing throughout all this is fantastic, from engaging with the combat system, getting to know all the important characters – from Kiefer’s father King Donald (and no, the Sutherland connection isn’t lost on me) to the protagonist’s skeevy uncle Pike – to traveling to the first world. So far, so good, but what about the rest?

I don’t want to delve into too many details about the entire plot set-up and its various revelations, but the basic goal is to search out more stone tablets, venture to other worlds, and so on. The key takeaway is that they’re all in some kind of bind. Take Ballymolloy, for example, where the legend of a warrior who stood up to the monsters is revealed to be a tragedy of epic proportions.

You’ll often step in and play the hero, but it’s not always so straightforward, which highlights the strength of Reimagined’s storytelling. Some places fall to tragedy, and there isn’t anything to be done. Others may see you win the battle, but the story is far from finished. It feels like opening new chapters in a book, except they’re all connected in exciting ways.

And while some felt like they ended sooner than I would have expected, I was always hankering to see what the next world held, which characters I would meet, who would temporarily join up to lend a hand, and much more. Despite being based on a game that’s more than 25 years old, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined managed to subvert my expectations in so many ways. Not only that, but it’s well-written – even with such an extensive side cast, each one makes an impression, from the royalty to the downtrodden; from the cutpurse who betrayed me to the fortune-teller known as, what else but, Palmela. Conversations rarely felt bogged down by extraneous details.

"While it may feel overtly simple in the beginning, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined’s combat system opens up delightfully over time, especially as you learn new skills, master your Vocation, and gain different monster hearts with unique benefits (like increased dodging, higher crit chance or defying death from a lethal attack)."

The main cast is equally as endearing, from Kiefer and his bright enthusiasm (that hides more than its fair share of self-doubt) to Maribel and her sometimes-spoiled-but-ultimately-good-hearted demeanour, to Ruff, who’s about what I’d expect given the predicament he’s gone through (but more charming). Other characters remain, and the current cast goes through their fair share of changes (again, no spoilers), and it’s all laid out so naturally that it rarely feels rushed. The voice acting is also superb, and the main cast especially shines in their roles (though the protagonist remains mostly silent).

The streamlining aspects also apply to the battle system, which receives the Tactics system seen in the HD-2D Dragon Quest remakes, Auto Battle, and Battle Speeds to adjust the speed of animations. You can adjust all of this on the fly, which is great, but the actual combat also shines in its relative simplicity. Enemies have unique tactics and elemental weaknesses, from the standard throwaway Slimes to the Mouseflaps who can simultaneously attack if there’s more than one. Multi-area attacks are especially useful for wiping the battlefield, but if battles have mixed groups of enemies, you need to prioritize which ones to attack.

Adding a further wrinkle to all this is the new Vocational Perks. After enough time in battle, characters can get “worked up,” and unlock a special move unique to their Vocation. From the start, the protagonist grants protection to everyone from a single hit – a clutch tactic when a boss is charging up for a particularly devastating attack. Maribel can make it easier to exploit elemental weaknesses, which works in tandem with her magical prowess. Kiefer, meanwhile, can throw all pretense of defense to enhance his attack and crit rate, though you could also opt to spend a turn doubling the damage of his next attack. And so on.

While it may feel overtly simple in the beginning, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined’s combat system opens up delightfully over time, especially as you learn new skills, master your Vocation, and gain different monster hearts with unique benefits (like increased dodging, higher crit chance or defying death from a lethal attack). If there’s one drawback, it’s that it does take a bit of time before you unlock the ability to change Vocations and learn other Skills. The new Moonlighting, which allows for equipping two Vocations at once, effectively multi-classing to create wicked hybrid set-ups, takes more time on top of that. It’s not dozens of hours, to be fair, but if you battle regularly, your Vocations will be maxed out much before that destined time.

Thankfully, it’s an easy enough issue to ignore, especially when you’re consistently discovering new weapons, armor, accessories, and more to tune your party in different ways. And with the ability to change Vocations anywhere, it’s not difficult to jump to a new Job for the sake of experimentation.

"Perhaps the only drawback for me is the strange depth of field effect, which also causes some pop-in for certain environmental assets. It was also present in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, and while it’s not as annoying, I still found it distracting."

Even with such extensive streamlining, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is still a sizable experience. It’s also quite gorgeous, retaining the original’s aesthetic and seamlessly translating it into the modern age. The development team’s approach to creating the character models – where it handcrafted dolls for the main cast and scanned them in – and setting up the towns as these dioramas pay incredible dividends. Perhaps the only drawback for me is the strange depth of field effect, which also causes some pop-in for certain environmental assets. It was also present in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, and while it’s not as annoying, I still found it distracting.

Regardless, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a winner in almost every way that a mainline entry in the series should be. It has a compelling plot with lovable characters, interesting locations with unique tales, an enjoyable combat system with more than enough depth to its character-building, a stellar presentation, and yet, it all feels so seamless and easy to digest – like a cozy novel that you’re eager to return to. If you’ve ever balked at trying to play through the original, then it comes highly recommended.

This game was reviewed on PS5.

Arknights: Endfield

Arknights: Endfield represents a major shift for the franchise, expanding its tower-defense roots into a full-fledged action RPG. Real-time combat, squad-based mechanics, and large-scale environments are just a few highlights of the experience, but there’s a lot more to get excited about as well. Despite the stark change, the game retains its distinctive art style and emphasis on world-building. Arknights: Endfield already received great critical and commercial reception on PC, and it is definitely worth checking out.

Resident Evil Requiem

The big one, the main event, the raison d’être for many survival horror fans. With the long-awaited return to Raccoon City, a fusion of first and third-person perspectives, and Leon S. Kennedy looking more fly than ever, Resident Evil Requiem is simply the game to watch out for in February. It’s been a long time coming – can you believe Resident Evil Village was almost five years ago? – but based on everything we’ve seen thus far, it will be worth the wait and then some. Look for its launch on February 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Nioh 3

“Let’s have a dream of everlasting peace,” said Tokugawa Ieyasu, probably, to which his younger grandson probably said, “No.” With a Kyoto beset by Yokai and no other options, it’s on Tokugawa Takechiyo, the rightful heir to the title of Shogun, to travel back in time and fix things. But even as it incorporates new open-field elements for non-linear exploration, seamless switching between Samurai and Ninja styles, and all kinds of nasty new enemies, Nioh 3 retains that addictive hack-and-slash gameplay and masocore difficulty that we know and love. It’s available on February 6th for PS5 and PC, with a free demo available for both now.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined

The art style, the music, the visual overhaul – everything about this screams old-school adventure. Granted, this isn’t the first “different” edition of Dragon Quest 7, but the developer isn’t just aiming for fancier graphics – it’s also streamlining the original story, adding new content and bringing quality-of-life features (like instantly defeating lower-level enemies in the field). Couple this with new activities and the new Moonlighting system for combining Vocations, and Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined could be the best possible version yet when it launches on February 5th.

Romeo is a Dead Man

Say what you will about Suda51 games, but one thing is for sure: You never know what to expect. So the concept of Romeo is a Dead Man, where one Romeo Stargazer dies, revives, and hunts criminals across space and time with the special Dead Gear? Not exactly on everyone’s bingo card. Nevertheless, the surreal presentation, bloody hack and slash combat – with a delightful assortment of weapons to wreak havoc – and over-the-top bosses will more than suffice when it launches on February 11th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X

If you enjoyed Dead Cells, then BlazBlue Entropy Effect offers one of the more low-key enjoyable – and addictive – rogue-lite side-scrolling experiences out there. For its console release, however, 91Act is going bigger, adding a new story centered around the Sea of Possibility, with Ace seeking the Shards of Possibility to save the world. If none of that matters to you, don’t worry – Entropy X adds Naoto Kurogane as a new playable character alongside new bosses, enemies, stages, and more.

Mario Tennis Fever

I’ve got a fever, and the solution? More Mario Tennis from Camelot. I don’t think any campaign can ever match up to Mario Tennis: Power Tour, but Fever’s set-up of having Baby Mario and friends re-learn their tennis skills is at least somewhat enticing. Beyond that, the real hook is the new Fever Rackets, each with unique abilities called Fever Shots that can turn the tide of a match. Couple that with “Mix It Up” Mode’s unique twists and a whopping 38 playable characters, and Mario Tennis Fever could maybe, probably, be a sleeper hit when it launches on February 12th for the Switch 2.

Ride 6

Arriving about two and a half years after Ride 5, Ride 6 makes the jump to Unreal Engine 5 while packing over 250 bikes. The usual stars appear, but this time, players can also take Baggers and Enduro Bikes onto the track. And if you prefer something a little more free-form, off-road tracks finally properly debut in all their dirty glory. Couple all this with a new Career Mode, RIDE Fest, which sees you going up against Legendary bikers in their category of choice, and Ride 6 is looking packed ahead of its release on February 12th.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Ties

A visually improved version of Yakuza 3 probably would have been enough, but RGG Studio went the extra mile by revamping the combat mechanics, adding new activities (including managing a gang of bikers), progression systems, and even a whole new side story focused on Yoshitaka Mine. All this for just $69.99. Are we a little worried after the demo was rated “Mostly Negative” on Steam? Well, sure, but maybe there will be some improvements, at least visually, before its launch on February 12th for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Reanimal

How do you create something that’s somehow even more disturbing than Little Nightmares? Tarsier Studios apparently has the answer with Reanimal – a story about two siblings seeking to find their friends after an unknown event has brought overwhelming horrors into their lives. The mood, the aesthetic, the isolationism – it’s all here but darker and more expansive. Launching on February 13th for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, Reanimal invites you to pick up the pieces of a fractured home, or die trying.

ASTROBOTANICA

Even after years of the same crafting, harvesting, farming, and building in this genre, ASTROBOTANICA’s premise has me intrigued. It’s set during prehistoric times, but this isn’t a Far Cry Primal situation. Instead, you’re an alien named Xel, who must study and collect plants to tolerate the atmosphere. From there, hijinks with neanderthals, mysterious sights, six skill paths, and more await. Of course, it won’t all be accessible – ASTROBOTANICA launches into early access on February 16th for PC – but it still promises dozens of hours of exploration.

Styx: Blades of Greed

Why send in an orc to tear down the front door when you could send, well, an orc to rob everyone blind? Styx returns in his third adventure, this time with a crew and a hankering for Quartz. Three massive sandboxes await, and based on the multi-level Wall, where you can jump down chimneys to infiltrate kitchens and poison meals, or mind control guards to do a flip, there are a lot of options for stealth sandbox fun. It’s launching on February 19th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Ys X: Proud Nordics

The original landed somewhat less ideally than I would have liked, especially compared to Ys VIII and Ys IX. Proud Nordics doesn’t look to severely overhaul its combat systems, so much as add new content in the form of the Aland Island and a story revolving around a mysterious Mana user. Regardless, if you’re hungry for more, from arena battles and new bosses to fresh Mana Actions, Ys X: Proud Nordics is worth watching out for when it launches on February 20th for PS5, Switch 2 and PC.

Aces of Thunder

Replaying Ace Combat 7 or diving into Project Wingman to prepare for Ace Combat 8 is nice and all, but what about flight combat in VR? That’s what Aces of Thunder promises when it launches on February 3rd for PC, PS5 and PlayStation VR2. Between an extensive range of WW1 and WW2 aircraft, full HOTAS support, and 15 maps – with War Thunder developer Gaijin Entertainment at the helm – it looks like it could be the most immersive dogfighting sim yet. And while VR is ideal, an optional non-VR mode is also available.

Tales of Berseria Remastered

Why a remaster of Berseria, especially when Xillia 2 is right there? A question for another day, perhaps, but at least it’s one of the more well-received entries in the series. Launching on February 27th for Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC, and PS5, Tales of Berseria Remastered adds the usual quality of life options, from turning off enemy encounters to accessing the Grade Shop from the start. You even get a healthy chunk of DLC from the original.

ChromaGun 2: Dye Hard

We won’t be getting Portal 3 anytime soon, but there are plenty of other first-person puzzles worth diving into, such as ChromaGun 2: Dye Hard. Aside from the obvious riff on certain plot elements, the concept of walls attracting objects (sentient or otherwise) of the same color is intriguing. Paint the world red, or blue, or orange, to progress, and hopefully not suffer agonizing death at the hands of many killer robots.

Aside from getting an early taste of Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, playing the demo also brings with it an extra reward for the full game—the Day Off Dress costume for Maribel. The trailer doesn’t mention whether or not the demo has to be completed to get access to the costume, however. The demo will be available on PC (via Steam), PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2.

As for the opening movie itself, it does a great job of setting up the fairy tale-styled aesthetics that the Dragon Quest franchise is known for. Kicking things off by showing us the village where Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined will begin, the opening movie also focuses on showing off the camaraderie between its three heroes: the player character, rebel prince Kiefer, and the spoiled daughter of the richest merchant in town, Maribel. We also spot other characters from throughout the game’s story and the adventures they embark on.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, as its name implies, is a reimagining of classic PlayStation-era RPG Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. While the core of the game is quite similar to the original, Square Enix has confirmed several changes to the writing to streamline it while still telling the same story. It will also feature optional side quests, stories, and minigames that players can discover and experience.

One of the bigger areas receiving changes is the combat system, with the turn-based combat receiving upgrades thanks to an updated vocation system. Along with this, the title will feature a new mechanic, dubbed Moonlighting, which allows characters to have two Vocations at the same time. Characters will also have access to a new Let Loose ability that allows them to unleash more of their power, as well as a new Monster Master vocation that revolves around befriending and summoning powerful monsters to partake in combat.

The central story of Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined revolves around the denizens of a town that has no contact with the greater world outside their borders. A call to adventure, however, prompts the three protagonists to set off and discover the world at large, all while also having to fend off the forces of Demon King Orgodemir. Check out the previous Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined trailer for a closer look at the RPG’s main cast. Also, check out details about a brand new ending that will be available depending on the player’s choices.

We also get a look at the revamped visuals, which give a diorama-like appeal. The development team isn’t looking to change everything about the original, but there will be a new ending that takes your choices throughout the game into account. Not a bad incentive to replay.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined launches on February 5th, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and PS5. While you wait, check out our review for Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake, which overhauls the first two games in the series with gorgeous HD-2D visuals.

Speaking to Game Informer, producer Takeshi Ichikawa said that the narrative would still follow “the original story.” However, “depending on some of the […] player choices, players will get to see a new conclusion that’s never been seen before in previous iterations.”

Thus, if you’re someone who’s experienced the highs and lows of the Hero and his allies (either in the original or the 2016 3DS remake), Ichikawa promises a “fresh narrative experience.” The real question, as always, however, is what can fans expect from the new ending?

Furthermore, how much will the story change from the original? How will you know which changes could potentially trigger the new ending? Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined launches on February 5th, 2026, for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, so we won’t have to wait long to find out.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined will feature completely new visuals that stick to the original’s aesthetics while also bringing up its graphics to modern standards while still maintaining the Akira Toriyama-inspired roots of the original. Aside from the visuals, the title will also feature refined gameplay as well as improvements to the pacing of the original story.

As its title might imply, the story in Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined has been changed up a bit over the original. Generally speaking, Square Enix has described the changes made to the main story as being a streamlined attempt at the same plot. Along with the big adventure serving as the centrepiece of the title, there will also be optional side quests, stories, and minigames for players to experience.

The combat has seen a major overhaul over the original Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. In Reimagined, the turn-based combat system will feature an updated vocation system, as well as the addition of a mechanic dubbed Moonlighting, which allows characters to take on two vocations at the same time. Other additions to the combat system include a new Let Loose ability that allows a character to unleash more of their power, as well as a brand new Monster Master vocation that revolves around summoning powerful monsters to bolster your party.

When it came out all the way back in 2000, Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past was the first game in the franchise to come to the original PlayStation. Its story revolves around a fisherman’s son, and his two friends – rebel prince Kiefer and the spoiled daughter of the richest merchant in town, Maribel. The core premise revolves around how the town that the story starts out with has no contact with the overall world beyond the small stretch of land it is situated in.

As one might expect, a call to adventure prompts our three protagonists to set off on an adventure that will have them discover the wider world at large, while also having to take on the forces of Demon King Orgodemir.

Alongside being available in the form of a Standard Edition, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined will also have a Collector’s Edition available exclusively through the Square Enix store. The Collector’s Edition includes a physical copy of the game itself, along with a SteelBook case, a Smile Slime Plush, a Ship in a Bottle figure, and in-game items like the Road of Regal Wretches, Luminary’s Livery, Jam-Packed Swag Bag, and Ruff Costume.

A Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for pre-order, which gives buyers 48 hours of advanced access to Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined.