This article was originally published in Italian on MyReviews.it in 2016.
There’s a lot to say about Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, starting with its troubled development on the original PlayStation in the early 2000s. But what I’d like to focus on is the remarkable care with which ArtePiazza—the studio responsible for the DS remakes of the previous three installments—has once again crafted an intelligent and respectful reinterpretation of a classic.
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is, in fact, the only chapter in the series that had never reached Europe until now. It was, however, a massive hit on PlayStation in Japan, even though, by Enix’s own admission, it failed to fully convince American audiences due to its meager technical presentation—an aspect considered by many to be inferior even to that of its predecessor, originally released during the Super Nintendo era. With the later merger between Squaresoft and Enix and the collaboration with Level-5 that produced the now-legendary Dragon Quest VIII, several years have passed, and the franchise’s reputation has grown enough for the company to reconsider its production values. The visual overhaul of this 3DS remake is therefore not a minor detail: it gives the seventh episode a whole new identity capable of standing out even in the demanding landscape of Western gaming.
Leaving behind the isometric visuals and pixelated roughness of the 32-bit era, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past now presents a fully 3D world enriched by highly detailed character models that carry what we might call “the Akira Toriyama legacy,” referring to the iconic Dragon Ball creator and long-time character designer for the series.
Known above all for its length and its slow-burn storytelling, Dragon Quest VII follows a group of young adventurers eager to uncover the mystery behind their world—one made up of a single island. Could it really be the only civilization in existence? Unwilling to accept such a notion, the protagonist, the mischievous Maribel, and the energetic Prince Kiefer set out on a journey to gather “fragments” of forgotten worlds, each represented by pieces of colored stone tablets. Every time a new island is restored, a short, self-contained story unfolds, contributing to a larger narrative that expands the world piece by piece. This episodic structure suits the portable nature of the 3DS perfectly, allowing for shorter play sessions much like watching episodes of a Japanese anime series, each around twenty minutes long.
Beyond the obvious visual improvements when compared to the PS1 original, ArtePiazza’s real achievement lies in updating mechanics that would otherwise feel dated in a 2016 market already saturated with JRPGs. Random encounters have been replaced by visible enemies, the notoriously slow introduction has been streamlined, and various tweaks help smooth out the pacing, reducing much of the genre’s traditional downtime.
Since we’re often faced with cynical re-releases that recycle old games at full price, I’ve become increasingly demanding when it comes to evaluating remakes, remasters, or ports of classics already cemented in gaming history. In the case of Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, however, the situation is quite different. It may be a remake of a PlayStation title that sold millions of copies, but it’s one that never truly reached Western players, and was even criticized at the time of its U.S. debut for its technically outdated presentation. What makes this 3DS reimagining stand out isn’t just the visual facelift, but the thoughtful redesign of several gameplay elements and story beats that once made the original feel overly drawn-out.
Like the most traditional of JRPGs, this seventh entry begins with a mystery and a group of young heroes eager to embark on a grand adventure. Alongside the silent protagonist—a trademark of the series—are Maribel, the snarky daughter of the town’s mayor, and Kiefer, the curious blond prince of the starting kingdom. Their world consists of a single island surrounded by ocean, said to be the only one in existence. A chain of events soon reveals, however, that the world is far larger than they imagined, and that its fragmentation was caused by an ancient evil bent on plunging humanity into despair.
The narrative structure revolves around discovering and exploring each island’s past in order to restore it to the present. This episodic storytelling format fits the 3DS beautifully, making the adventure feel like a serialized anime, with each story arc offering its own lesson. The game’s trademark fairy-tale tone remains intact, enhanced by an excellent Italian localization that highlights the vivid personalities of the characters and gives certain moments a memorable emotional punch. The overarching message—that hope is humanity’s greatest weapon against injustice and darkness, and that even in despair, a shift in perspective can rekindle light—is as powerful as ever.
It’s a positive and uplifting message, though it’s fair to say that even with its tightened opening, Dragon Quest VII still tends to drag at times, relying heavily on traditional JRPG mechanics that defined the genre in the ’90s but may test modern players’ patience. Still, the developers’ efforts to modernize the experience are evident: the visible enemies (even if less useful in dungeons) and the ability to review recent events at any moment are welcome additions to a game structure still deeply rooted in its original early-2000s design.
To breathe some life into a story that can feel a bit slow-paced by today’s standards, the class system returns with surprising depth. Character growth runs parallel to class advancement, and hybridizing professions allows for creative combinations of passive abilities and combat techniques. The main issue is that this mechanic becomes available only after twenty hours or so—long after you’d expect the game to have shown most of its hand. Regardless, the key to the turn-based combat remains what it’s always been: relentless grinding. Exploration also plays a vital role, rewarding curiosity with treasure chests full of powerful gear and helpful items.
In the end, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past stands as a monumental effort in redesigning and refining a game that easily exceeds a hundred hours of playtime. ArtePiazza deserves praise for how they’ve reworked the environments and character models, even if the overall variety of assets remains limited. You’ll often see the same characters and structures repeated, but on the bright side—unlike the PS1 original—each character class now comes with its own outfit, a small but appreciated touch, especially considering the absence of visible equipment changes, a now-standard feature in newer entries. Unfortunately, the soundtrack, fully orchestrated in the Japanese release, has been replaced by MIDI samples in the Western version, likely due to licensing issues.
After three long years since its Japanese debut, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past finally arrives in Europe, blending classic charm with modern refinements. At its core, though, it remains a JRPG straight out of the ’90s, complete with all the strengths—and all the quirks—that come with that heritage.
