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Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary Presentation
We take a look at the six Dragon Quest games unveiled at the 35th Anniversary Presentation.
May.29.2021
Last night we were treated to a presentation regarding the 35th anniversary of Dragon Quest. The presentation ran roughly 45 minutes and introduced us to six upcoming Dragon Quest games. Yuji Horii, the creator of Dragon Quest, was on hand to discuss the announcements. There was an English version of the video that featured a translator and while at times it was difficult to track the conversation, the information presented shows us the future of these six games and potential others teased as well. Before the games were announced though, a watch, a t-shirt, and a button-up featuring the titular slime character were shown off first. Those items will only be available in Japan.
The first game announced was a free-to-play puzzle mobile game called Dragon Quest Keshi Keshi. Not much was shown in terms of gameplay, but it appears to have match-3 elements and the characters, which are all erasers, must erase the enemies. Dragon Quest Keshi Keshi is being developed alongside NHN PlayArt. It should be released in 2021 and is scheduled for a Western release.
The second game announced was the next version of the long running MMORPG Dragon Quest X Online. The video featured a look at the prior five versions of the game and introduced version 6 coming in 2021. Dragon Quest X Online originally began in 2012 making next August its 10-year anniversary. A disclaimer popped up during the video stating that there are no plans for a worldwide release.
Dragon Quest X Offline was the third game announced during the presentation. While the two games share very similar titles the offline version is not simply Dragon Quest X… offline. The perspective and characters have both undergone changes with the camera being positioned a bit higher, almost taking on an isometric perspective present in many CRPGs. The characters have also transformed into something that resembles a more chibi-like appearance. The story of the game will follow the one presented in Dragon Quest X Online. The game is currently expected to release in Japan in 2022 with no confirmation as to whether it would release in the West.
The fourth game presented was Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. This is a remake of Dragon Quest 3 using a similar art style present in 2018’s Octopath Traveler. In fact Masaaki Hayasaka, who is working on this game, did work on Octopath Traveler. Hayasaka said they are aiming for a simultaneous worldwide release on home consoles but didn’t specify which. There also is no set release date or window given at this time. During the conversation with Yuji Horii he also mentioned that 3 could be the first with potentially Dragon Quest 1 and 2 also receiving the same treatment.
The fifth game in the show was Dragon Quest Treasures. The game features two of the characters from Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age, Erik and Mia. The two are presented in a more childlike manner in this game. The game was announced by Taichi Inuzuka who also mentioned that the key themes of the game are “Erik and Mia’s childhood” and “treasure hunting”. He also went on to say that “it’s an RPG, but nothing at all like a traditional one…”. The release date and the platforms remain undecided at this time. During the discussion after this presentation it was also mentioned that there may be an additional Dragon Quest Monsters game in the works as well.
The sixth and final game announced during the Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary Presentation was Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate. This game had been teased for a while but this was the first official look at the game. The trailer showcased a fiery logo on what looked like ashen earth. A Japanese voiceover then played which said when translated “what is the purpose of life?” Horii stated that the game is darker; it’s more like a “Dragon Quest for Adults”. He also said the game is about having options but it isn’t clear exactly what that means at this time. The biggest thing announced was that the battle system would be changing from the Command system present in almost every other mainline Dragon Quest game. Horii said they are aiming for a simultaneous worldwide release but didn’t mention when or for what consoles.
