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DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined
Purchase DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined early and receive a costume for your Hero along with other helpful items. [Early Bird Bonus] ・Trodain Togs (appearance ch…
This caught my attention because Dragon Quest VII has always been a love-it-or-despise-it classic: a 100+ hour epic with a famously slow, grind-heavy opening. Square Enix dropping a free demo that carries progress forward to the full release on February 5 gives you the rare chance to beat the worst of the early slog and jump into the meat of the remake from day one.
The demo isn’t a throwaway slice – it’s the opening village, a first dungeon, your initial party recruit (Maribel) and a taste of the time-travel hook that defines DQ7’s structure. Expect the remade HD-2D diorama look (think Octopath Traveler’s dolls-on-a-stage but denser), smoother turn-based combat with quicker menus, and the early vocation tinkering that hooks you into the long-term build choices.
Importantly, Square Enix designed it to be a proper early-game substitute: play until a natural stopping point (usually after the first major battle) and the demo save drops into the full game. That means you can avoid repeating the slowest parts of what was once a PS1-era opener.
Save transfer is the demo’s headline feature and it actually works like it should: complete the demo, buy the full game, and you pick up where that demo left off. The main tangible reward is Maribel’s “Day Off Dress” costume in the full release – a small cosmetic plus gameplay-flavored perk in previews. It’s a nice touch, but let’s be blunt: the real win is time saved on day one.
Two caveats: use the same platform account so cloud/local saves match, and be prepared for minor hiccups – demo-to-full save transfer systems have had the occasional miss in past releases. If the demo detects nothing, a client restart or redownload usually fixes it.
Square Enix launched the demo across current-gen boxes and PC. If you have a Switch 2, the demo is the best way to test that system’s improved performance and the diorama detail. PS5 and Xbox Series versions aim for higher frame rates and shorter load times; Steam gives you the easiest mod and control customization later. For many players the decision is simple: test your preferred platform now to avoid surprises at launch.
Remakes of classic JRPGs have been walking a tightrope between nostalgia and patience. DQ7’s original pacing is a frequent complaint; by offering a demo with save transfer, Square Enix acknowledges that modern audiences want quicker access to the parts of these games people actually talk about on social media. That’s smart: it keeps legacy fans happy while lowering the barrier for newcomers.
That said, keep an eye on deluxe editions and pre-order bonuses. The Deluxe package’s early-access window is convenient but also a soft paywall for those who want to start even earlier — a reminder that “benefits” can sometimes function as micro-scheduling for impatient fans.
Yes, if you want to judge performance, lock in a save to skip the early tedium, or just see whether the HD-2D dioramas and revamped combat win you over. No, if you prefer experiencing a remake cold and unspoiled. For most players — especially those who remember the PS1 version’s doldrums — this is the smart, time-saving move.
Square Enix’s demo is a meaningful preview, not a tease: you can test the remake’s look and performance, carry progress into the Feb 5 full release, and avoid hours of old-school padding. Play it to decide if this rework finally fixes DQ7’s notorious opening — and to get Maribel’s Day Off Dress while you’re at it.
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