Summary
- Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake's Version 1.2.0.0 update improves movement speed and adds shortcut buttons for spells/abilities.
- The update enhances critical hit rates, overall combat balance, and quality-of-life aspects.
- Sales of the Dragon Quest 3 Remake have exceeded expectations, with over 2 million copies sold.
Square Enix has recently released a new update for the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, which fixes a few problems and adds some quality-of-life features to the role-playing game. The update is great news for gamers who still play the Dragon Quest 3 Remake, and it shows that the developers are dedicated to continuing to improve the title.
Released late in 2024, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is a complete remake of the original turn-based RPG. The game had quite a successful launch, being praised by critics and obtaining an average critic score of 85 on OpenCritic. Aside from retelling the story of the original game with better graphics, the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake includes new content, as well as some important quality-of-life features.
Every Mainline Dragon Quest Game, Ranked
There have been many mainline titles in the Dragon Quest series throughout the years though some stand out above the rest.
The new Version 1.2.0.0 update for Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is mostly focused on bug-fixing and improving the overall balance and quality-of-life aspects of the RPG. For example, Square Enix has increased the movement speed when using Ramia or traveling by boat in the game. Related to that, gamers will no longer get their boat travel speed reset when they open the menu. The update has also added a new shortcut button that allows spells and abilities to be assigned to specific buttons.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake was one of the best role-playing games of 2024, and its combat was also tweaked to become more in line with the developer’s vision of the game. Critical hit rates for the Hero and Martial Artist have been increased, the Priest can now equip the Duplic Hat, defense has been lowered for all monsters except metal ones, and it has become more difficult for both enemies and the player to be affected by the status ailments repeatedly.
In recent financial reports, Square Enix confirmed that Dragon Quest 3 Remake’s sales exceeded expectations. The title sold over two million copies, becoming a huge hit, despite its modest budget when compared to other projects made by the company.
Recent years have been a pretty good time for Dragon Quest fans. Not only was the Dragon Quest 3 remake a hit, but remakes of the first two games in the franchise are set to be released sometime in 2025. Series creator Yuji Horii also commented on Dragon Quest 12 earlier this month, confirming that the team was working hard on the next entry in the series, and that it “will be great.” Unfortunately, Dragon Quest 12 still does not have a release date, so fans may still need to wait for a while.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake update Ver. 1.2.0.0
Traversal
- The movement speed when travelling by boat or using Ramia has been increased.
- Adjustments have been made to avoid boat travel speed being reset by opening the menu or getting into a battle while travelling by boat.
- A feature has been added whereby pressing the menu button while flying with Ramia allows the player to switch between automatic and manual flight modes.
Vocations
- Critical hit rates for the Hero and Martial Artist have been increased.
- The Hero's Falcon Slash and Gigaslash abilities have been made more powerful.
- The Warrior's Cutting Edge ability has been made more powerful.
- The Priest can now equip the Duplic Hat.
- The Monster Wrangler's Monster Pile-On ability has been changed to have reduced power until all friendly monsters have been found, and to carry out a random number of attacks between 3 and 5.
- The amount of MP used by the Monster Wrangler ability Wild Side has been changed to 30.
Battle
- A limit has been placed on the number of times that some monsters can perform certain actions within one turn.
- Some monsters have been adjusted so that they no longer use Defending Champion in the next turn after they become the last remaining monster.
- The status-ailment resistance of boss monsters has been increased for Draconian Quest difficulty.
- Adjustments have been made to make it more difficult for both enemies and party members to be successively afflicted with the same status ailments.
- Some monsters (Metal Chimaera and Hardy Hand) now yield more experience points when defeated.
- Defence has been lowered for all monsters except for metal monsters.
- Minor adjustments have been made to the way that damage is dealt.
Miscellaneous
- Once the Mini Medal Manor has been visited, it will be added to the list of Zoom destinations.
- A new “short-cut button” feature has been added that allows spells and abilities to be assigned to specific buttons. For more information, please refer to Traveller's Tips in-game.
- In the Temple of Trials, the number of Elfin Elixirs required to be handed over to the guard has been changed to 10.
- A treasure chest has been added to the Temple of Trials, allowing players to acquire one more Gringham Whip.
- Fixed a bug whereby levelling up after using the Seed of Life or Seed of Magic items would cause the status increase value to be calculated twice.
- Adjustments have been made so that if trophies and achievements have not been acquired correctly, selecting Misc. > Info in the menu allows some of them to be reacquired.
- Miscellaneous fixes for minor bugs.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- November 14, 2024
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Artdink
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
