Dragon Quest is perhaps the king of old-school JRPGs, retaining the same gameplay, art style and tone throughout its decades-long existence. While it's never quite achieved the same success as Square Enix's other big franchise, Final Fantasy, it's easily one of the biggest names in the JPRG pantheon, along with other franchises such as Pokémon and Shin Megami Tensei.

It's just been announced that Dragon Quest III, one of the franchise's best and most beloved entries, will be receiving an enhanced remake in the vein of Octopath Traveler. This style of remake is quite different from Final Fantasy 7 VII Remake, and it suggests that this more cost-effective approach is the direction that Square wants to take its old franchises in.

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Dragon Quest III Remake

Unlike the Final Fantasy VII RemakeDragon Quest III HD-2D Remake will retain its classic gameplay and graphical style. Whereas Final Fantasy VII Remake was rebuilt from the ground up and given a new look and battle system, Dragon Quest's remake will play the same as the original version, albeit with gorgeous modern graphics.

The revamped version of the most popular Final Fantasy ever was definitely well-received, especially considering how different it was compared to the original version. It was a commercial hit too, becoming the fastest-selling entry in the franchise. Fans were definitely hesitant of its changes beforehand, however, and its multi-part, padded nature were some of its biggest points of criticism.

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Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake definitely doesn't seem to be making those same mistakes, instead simply adding a fresh coat of paint to the game in the same way that its Super Famicom remake did. This may suggest a hesitance from Square to repeat its Final Fantasy VII Remake strategy. As such, it may also suggest a new approach to future remakes in both series.

The Future of Final Fantasy

As previously mentioned, the remake of Final Fantasy VII was more than a mere graphical upgrade. Its lack of the original version's turn-based battles also spoke to the overall direction of the franchise, as modern Final Fantasy has increasingly eschewed classic elements in favor of more accessible, action-based battle systems. This resulted in a game that was much more expensive than expected. While the sales made up for this financial endeavor, a similar remake for a game less popular than Final Fantasy VII likely wouldn't have the same success.

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Dragon Quest, being the last bastion of classic JRPG elements, has rarely diverted from that course. This has kept it from ever achieving the same popularity as its brother franchise, and it's known for only finding a significant audience in Japan. Thus, the upcoming remake is a way to bank off of the game's nostalgia while keeping the budget feasible enough to make a good profit.

Along with other Dragon Quest games or even Chrono Trigger, Square could likely be planning to release similar remakes for past Final Fantasy adventures. These Final Fantasy remakes could act as a tie to the series' legacy as the newer games move in a vastly different direction. Whether or not this comes to pass likely depends on how well Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake performs on the charts. So, old-school fans' interest in this project will probably be the deciding factor in the future of Final Fantasy's past.

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