After being confined to one general region early in Dragon Quest 2 HD-2D Remake, the world opens up considerably upon obtaining the ship. With this new method of transportation, there is a long list of possible destinations, but choosing where to go first can be somewhat daunting. Even if you've turned on the helpful objective markers, you will still get four possible destinations to choose from. With that in mind, this guide will be designed to help you decide where to go first after getting the ship in Dragon Quest 2 Remake.
How to Open Red Doors & Chests (& All Locations) in Dragon Quest 1 HD-2D Remake
This guide lists the location of every red door and chest in Dragon Quest 1 HD-2D Remake, and it explains how players can go about unlocking them.
Where Should I Go First in Dragon Quest 2 Remake?
Acquiring the Ship & Beyond:
The first quarter of Dragon Quest 2 Remake is focused on recruiting the original members of your party, namely Caradoc, the Prince of Cannock, and Peronel, the Princess of Moonbrooke. Once they are added to your party, your main task will switch to obtaining a ship. This section is fairly straightforward, so the question of where to go first in DQ2 isn't important until you've acquired a ship.
Best Destinations After Getting a Ship in Dragon Quest 2 Remake
Four Main Options:
Once you obtain a ship in Dragon Quest 2 Remake, the choice of where to go first can seem a bit overwhelming, especially if you are not playing with objective markers turned on. Even with the markers turned on, you still have to choose between four key locations.
If you missed turning on objective markers during the opening, you can turn them on at any time by visiting the System Settings section, then the Helpful Settings section. The objective markers, along with several other helpful navigation settings, can be adjusted here.
In this case, the four options really do represent the best possible choices for where to go first in DQ2, as most other locations will require items or upgrades that you do not yet possess. The first four locations are as follows:
- Beran
- Tantegel
- Zahan
- Burrowell
The choice of where to go first will come down to several factors, as each location is required, and features its own unique benefits. We'll show the order we chose, and explain why we chose it, below.
Best Destination Order:
The above list represents the order we felt was the most beneficial for all players. For us, there are really only two options for where to go first: either Beran or Tantegel. On our first playthrough, we went to Tantegel, but this is only because we did not know what would happen if we went anywhere else first. On our second playthrough, we went to Beran first, and while it was a challenge, even on the basic Dragon Quest difficulty level, we were glad we did for one major reason: Beran is where you recruit Matilda, Princess of Cannock, the fourth and final member of the party.
Each of the four locations has something to offer, which we will lay out below. We will lay them out in the order we chose, but we will also provide a reason why each can be visited first.
Beran:
- Key Items/Rewards: As previously mentioned, this is the location where you recruit the final member of the party. If you are OK with a considerable early challenge, make this your first stop. Having Matilda (the Princess of Cannock) in your party as early as possible makes all other challenges much more manageable. Plus, you can find the Snoop Scroll in the Secret Spot just outside Slewse. Having this ability, along with Peronel's Nose for Treasure, makes finding treasure like Mini Medals and Tombola Tickets much easier.
Tantegel:
- Key Items/Rewards: This location feels a lot like it's where they expect you to go first, as it's so close to Rippleport. Here, you get the Faded Sword, which is actually Erdrick's Sword, though it is rusted and run-down. You will need the sword to enter two other important locations. There is also a fair amount of information you learn from The Dragonlord's Great Grandson.
- Why You'd Visit First: As mentioned, this feels like it was intended to be the first location. If you'd rather hold off on the challenge of Beran and visit a location that will allow you to grind a bit before getting an important item, Tantegel is a great option.
Zahan:
- Key Items/Rewards: Zahan is probably the least useful location when it comes to what you'll get out of your first visit. However, it sets up an important relationship with the mermaids, and can provide a method of leveling-up, as well as setting up good fast-travel points for later use.
- Why You'd Visit First: You'd really only want to visit Zahan first if you are underleveled and need some grinding even before visiting Tantegel or Beran. The first interactions at Zahan are mostly self-contained, and don't progress the main story too far. It's a great place to visit before closing out the list of the first four locations with Burrowell.
Burrowell:
- Key Items/Rewards: At the end of the Burrowell quest, you'll acquire the Sun Sigil. We felt that this location was best to visit last, as it sets things up nicely to enter the next phase of the game, which is collecting the remaining sigils. There's really no reason to visit Burrowell first.
- Why You'd Visit Earlier: You may choose to visit Burrowell earlier to get the power of the Sun Sigil, which makes attacks more likely to be critical. However, there really isn't any need to do this first. You'd really only want to switch this location with Zahan, and stick with Beran and Tantegel as your first two stops.
With these locations completed, you'll begin your journey to collect the remaining Sigils, then take on Hargon. While there are still many destinations remaining, there will once again be a more straightforward order in which you'll be able to complete them. Only the Living Memory side quest provides a lot of freedom in how you choose to complete it.
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
