Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past Reviews
Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is an engaging remake of a well-liked classic that brings some much needed paint and portability to the overly long game.
Despite the much-needed visual overhaul, if you spent 100+ hours with the PlayStation original there’s maybe not quite enough in this 3DS update to tempt you back. But if Dragon Quest VII doesn’t always justify the significant length of its journey, anyone looking for some good story content to last them well into the winter months will find a portable RPG that dwarfs most of its console counterparts.
Dragon Quest 7 ties together a bunch of fun mini-adventures into a lengthy, nostalgic package
If a traditional menu-based RPG that spans nearly 100 hours isn't your idea of a good time, run away from Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. Run away *screaming*. On the other hand, if you want to tuck into a great RPG for months at a time, you couldn't ask for a better companion.
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past takes a fragment of gaming’s forgotten past and breathes new life into it. Some of the more hardcore Dragon Quest fans may find the reduction in job grinding time and streamlining the intro a negative change that dumbs down the game, but I would argue that it also makes the title more accessible and more fun. Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is essentially the same game we remember from the PlayStation except it has been updated and improved.
An island-hopping adventure spanning space and time, Dragon Quest VII is a JRPG masterpiece. If you played the PlayStation version back in the day, this is as perfect a remake as you could ask for, with beautiful 3D graphics, a smartly streamlined opening, and lots of welcome quality-of-life updates. And if this is your first time in Estard, you're in for a wonderful surprise — great writing, a fun class system, lovely animations and a stellar soundtrack make for a fully engrossing adventure throughout. It's a massive game, but don't let that scare you off; with short story-style pacing and a huge variety of settings, speech patterns, and scenarios, it feels less like an epic tome and more like a shelfful of storybooks stuffed into a 3DS cart. This is an absolute pleasure, and a must-play for RPG fans.
Accessible and incredibly deep, if you’re looking for a time-sink you won’t get much better than Dragon Quest VII.
However, for those with just a little bit of patience, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is an immensely rewarding title that will occupy you for many, many hours on end. It may take a while to get going, but those willing to hear its tale told will not be disappointed.
As far as remakes go, Square Enix shows time and time again how to do it right, and Dragon Quest VII for 3DS might be their best DQ revamp yet—a massive adventure packed with stories and characters, traveling across time and magical realms to plunge through volcanoes, caves, and underground lairs. I don’t see this appealing to a large audience who isn’t already fans of either the genre or the Dragon Quest series, but there’s nothing wrong with an old-school romp through swamps and slaying the hordes of palette-swapped enemies in the fields. Chicken soup for the gamer’s soul, y’know?
An excellent remake of a game that represents one of the logical extremes of Japanese role-players, and yet remains surprisingly endearing despite its flaws.
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is a classic JRPG with a lot of enjoyable contents, but characterised by a slow pace.
Review in Italian | Read full review
With the big push that Nintendo has given to Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, it’s a shame that this is the black sheep of the main series. It’s not that it’s bad, far from it, and ArtePiazza have exceeded the original version in every way. Yet as much as I love the work they’ve done, the plodding nature of the game makes this the longest game in the series, for not necessarily the most compelling of reasons. A lovingly crafted game, and a dramatic improvement on the original, but not the best entry point to the franchise.
Nearly every Dragon Quest has added something unique to the gaming landscape as a whole, but Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is one of the best of the lot. As an RPG, VII simply begs to be played, though not necessarily on 3DS if you can swing it (or dig it out of a box somewhere).
Dragon Quest VII was already a great game when it released on PS1 15 years ago, but the remade Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past takes that experience and improves on it to make it the definitive experience for the seventh entry in this long running franchise.
Jumping into Dragon Quest VII, I was treated to a well-paced, meaningful story that did not center itself around battles like many JRPGs try to do these days.
Dragon Quest VII is still an enjoyable RPG. It has the old school feel that made it a classic, but some of what was left in feels a bit too old for a modern take. The pacing is the biggest issue here, and I would say players wanting to understand the game going in need to realize it takes a good 12-15 hours before this game even begins to start, but if you can hold out until it actually begins, you looking at a decently structured, thought out, and fun JRPG.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is a fantastic addition to the 3DS, and easily one of the best games on the system. Everything is well crafted and highly polished, and there is enough new content and variations that even if you played the PS2 version to death, you will still find lots of surprises and nuances. With high presentation values, a charming story, tons of depth, and traditional but fun JRPG battle system, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is a must own for 3DS RPG lovers, and an easy early contender for game of the year.
Dragon Quest VII is a compelling, detailed and enriching work that is going to envelop players in its adventures and lure them to its passionate narrative. Throughout its worlds, Dragon Quest VII puts the player at the center of a beautifully-crafted story that stands out among other games of its time...and of all times as well. A truly unmissable opus which will only marvel anyone who puts their hands on it.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Fragments of a Forgotten World is a great remastered. The team managed to rejuvinate the screenplay, the graphics and the gameplay, thanks to a great variety of "tasty" additions.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dragon Quest VII's more archaic elements may not sit well with some players, but it's still an exciting and varied journey through many colorful, memorable worlds.