Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined gives the PS1 epic a diorama glow-up and a dual-class twist

Why this remake actually matters for RPG fans

Dragon Quest 7 is a legend for two reasons: its massive scope and its glacial early-game pacing. Back on PS1, it famously took hours before you saw your first battle, and the shard-hunting progression was as clever as it was patience-testing. That’s why Square Enix confirming Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined grabbed me immediately. If there’s any classic that needed a thoughtful overhaul, it’s this one. A fresh diorama-inspired 3D style, preserved Akira Toriyama character designs, and a new dual-vocation “moonlight” system sound like the right kind of changes-modern without rewriting the soul of the game.

• It’s a ground-up remake of a 2000 classic, not just an upscale.
• Diorama-like environments and Toriyama’s art are front and center.
• Dual-vocation “moonlight” could transform combat depth and pacing.
• Quality-of-life upgrades target grind and backtracking pain points.

Breaking down the announcement

Square Enix has confirmed Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined for a February 5, 2025 launch on Steam and the Microsoft Store. The studio says it’s a full overhaul, more in line with Dragon Quest 11’s modern 3D presentation than the 2013 Nintendo 3DS remake. The pitch is clear: hand-crafted environments that resemble dioramas, a tone that stays true to Toriyama’s beloved designs, and a combat system that respects tradition while nudging it forward.

The headline mechanical change is “moonlight,” which lets each party member equip two vocations simultaneously. In classic DQ7 fashion, vocations determine your skills and stat growth, but being able to run, say, Priest and Mage at once (a de facto Sage-style hybrid) invites far more experimentation earlier. Square also teases new vocations like “monster master,” which summons creatures to fight alongside you-potentially a cleaner, more readable take on the old monster heart system without drowning players in grind.

Then there are the quality-of-life tweaks: auto-clearing battles against significantly weaker foes, battle speed options, and expanded party tactics. These are the kinds of knobs that can turn a 100-hour marathon into a satisfying, manageable journey-especially in a game built around revisiting islands and unraveling time-skipping vignettes.

The real story: fixing DQ7’s friction without losing its identity

The original DQ7 is dense. Its vignette structure—restoring lost islands by collecting stone fragments—delivers some of the series’ best short stories, but the pacing whiplash is real. The 3DS remake smoothed rough edges, yet it never made the jump to PC. Reimagined feels like Square knows exactly which levers matter in 2025: presentation that invites you in, and systems that respect your time.

The diorama art direction is a smart swing. Think the toybox charm of Link’s Awakening (2019) filtered through DQ11’s readability. Dragon Quest has always been about warmth: blue slimes, cozy towns, and Saturday-morning-serial adventure. A handcrafted feel isn’t just pretty; it makes towns, dungeons, and those puzzle-laden ruins easier to parse at a glance, which should cut down on the “wander and hope” hours that padded the PS1 version.

As for moonlight, I’m cautiously hyped. DQ7’s vocation game traditionally gates power behind mastering jobs at Alltrades Abbey (Dharma), which can be an endurance test. Allowing dual vocations could accelerate the fun part—building identities—without forcing you to abandon utility. Imagine a Martial Artist/Monster Master layering summons for chip damage while still delivering heavy crits, or a Thief/Priest hybrid acting as a support battery who also hoovers up drops. The flip side: balance is tricky. If dual-classing trivializes advanced vocations or boss checks, the mid-game could turn into cruise control. Hopefully Square tunes enemy AI and resistances to match the new flexibility.

What players should watch for

Three big questions remain. First, how much of the early-game downtime is trimmed? DQ7’s multi-hour no-combat intro is infamous; even purists won’t miss a tighter ramp. Second, how are audio and localization handled? With Koichi Sugiyama’s passing and Toriyama’s irreplaceable legacy looming large, this is a chance for a respectful, modern presentation—or a miss if the soundtrack and script don’t match the visual ambition. Third, enemy encounters: the announcement mentions battle speed and auto-clears, but not whether enemies are visible or still random. Visible encounters, as in DQ11, would pair nicely with the diorama look and the new auto-win logic.

Platform-wise, PC players win out early with Steam and the Microsoft Store on day one. It’s also the first official way to play DQ7 on PC, which is quietly huge for preservation and accessibility. No word yet on consoles here, so manage expectations until Square speaks up.

Square Enix’s remake playbook—and why this fits

Between HD-2D revivals like Live A Live and Dragon Quest 3 and the bombast of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Square Enix is clearly iterating on how to modernize classics without erasing them. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined looks closer to the “respectful modernization” lane than the radical reinterpretation we saw with FF7. That’s the right call. DQ7 doesn’t need a story rewrite; it needs friction removed and expression amplified. If moonlight lands, it could quietly become the template for future DQ remasters—keep the heart, streamline the busywork, and give players more ways to play with the toybox.

TL;DR

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined brings a beloved, lumbering giant into 2025 with style and smart systems. The diorama glow-up and dual-vocation “moonlight” could turn a slow burn into a must-play, provided Square trims the notorious early drag and balances the newfound flexibility. Mark February 5 on your calendar—this might finally be the definitive way to experience DQ7 on PC.