Eagle-eyed fans of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake likely noticed that the marketing material for the Dragon Quest 2 Remake appeared to feature a four-person party, as opposed to the three-member team that was used in the original release. After playing a significant portion of the remake with a small two-or-three-member party, fans will likely be asking, "when do we get the new fourth party member?" With this in mind, this guide will provide players with the directions on how to recruit Matilda, the Princess of Cannock, and add the fourth and final party member in Dragon Quest 2 Remake.
Mini Medal Locations and Rewards in Dragon Quest 1 Remake
You can find 40 Mini Medals in Dragon Quest 1 HD-2D Remake. Here's where to find them all and where to turn them in for rewards.
How to Add the Fourth Party Member in Dragon Quest 2 Remake
Complete the First Major Milestone in DQ2 – Obtaining A Ship:
Players who are wondering whether Dragon Quest 2 Remake features a new fourth party member, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Many fans correctly deduced before release that this new member would be Matilda, the Princess of Cannock, as she played an important role in the original game. However, before you can add Matilda to the party permanently (she briefly joins the party early in the game), you must complete the game's first major task: obtaining a ship from the denizens of Rippleport.
This will be the first major task you must complete after recruiting the first two members of the party; Caradoc, the Prince of Cannock and Peronel, the Princess of Moonbrooke. Once you have a three-member party, you will be tasked with obtaining a ship.
Destination, Beran:
Once you have successfully acquired a ship, you'll have several options to choose from for your next destination. If you have markers turned on, there will be four suggested destinations: Tantegel, Beran, Burrowell, and Zahan.
Beran is the location where you can recruit the Matilada, Princess of Cannock. When you choose to visit this location is entirely up to you, but remember, it is more challenging than anything you will have faced up to this point. If you are playing on Dragon or Draconian difficulties, you'll likely want to either grind to somewhere between levels 15–20 to be safe, or try completing the Tantegel or Zahan quests first.
How to Recruit Matilda:
Once you decide to visit Beran, the group will ask to split up to take a tour of the city on their own. You can accept this as part of the quest. Once each member is on their own, go and meet the Prince of Cannock on the southern docks to continue the quest.
Once you speak to Caradoc, you'll end up being called to face the Brute Bat Boss Fight in front of the church. At the end of the fight, Caradoc will be poisoned.
The Prince will be taken to the Beran Inn, and placed in bed with the help of the Beran Priest. You'll then need to visit Cannock and speak to the Prince's parents. Unfortunately, there will be nothing they can do to help. Once you are done speaking with them, return to Beran.
Upon arriving at Beran for the second time, you'll encounter Princess Matilda frantically asking the townsfolk if they've got any knowledge of a cure. After speaking to her, return to Caradoc and the Priest.
After speaking to the priest, you will learn of a location known as Yggdrasil's Arbour. There is said to be a tree in this location with a leaf that can heal any ailment. If you previously visited this location, you'll know it has a Lost Woods mechanic that causes you to get lost in the fog. However, the priest will provide you with the Forest's Favor item, which removes the fog from the forest and allows you to make your way through.
When you arrive at Yggdrasil's Arbour, Matilda will once again join the party, but you will not yet have control over her. This area is not particularly difficult. Simply make your way through until you reach Yggdrasil, and approach the tree to take Yggdrasil's Leaf.
Once you've acquired the leaf, return to Beran and speak to the priest. After a brief conversation, the Prince will be returned to health. Once everything is done, both Caradoc, the Prince of Cannock, and Matilda, the Princess of Cannock, will rejoin the party.
Matilda is the closest thing you'll get to a Thief in Dragon Quest 2 Remake. Her Luck level is extremely high, allowing her to hit critical attacks with ease. She also has access to great abilities and spells, making her an extremely versatile fighter. Adding her to the party makes a very noticeable difference in your ability to dispatch the toughest foes. For this reason, it is absolutely worth it to recruit Matilda to the party as soon as you feel you can.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
- Released
- October 30, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Artdink
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Prequel(s)
- Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
- Franchise
- Dragon Quest
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- October 30, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 30, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- October 30, 2025
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- October 30, 2025
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- October 30, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- File Size Xbox Series
- 15.94 GB
