Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined is just a few days from release. PSU had the pleasure of interviewing game producer Takeshi Ichikawa about what went into making the remake, the decision to tackle Dragon Quest VII, and how the franchise has fared since the passing of two pivotal team members.
Related Content – Dragon Quest VII Reimagined PS5 Review
PlayStation Universe – Garri Bagdasarov
Hello Mr. Ichikawa, thank you for taking the time for this interview. As a die-hard Dragon Quest fan, seeing yet another remake from this legendary franchise fills me with unimaginable joy.
PSU:
With the success of the Erdrick remake trilogy, a lot of fans expected that if the remakes continued, Dragon Quest IV would be the natural continuation. What was the decision to tackle Dragon Quest VII?
Mr. Ichikawa:
DRAGON QUEST VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past originally released in 2000 – so this year is its 26th Anniversary! Because of this, we felt it was the perfect time to bring its storytelling and unique atmosphere to a wider audience – especially now, in today’s world. DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined not only “reimagines” the story and emotional portrayal of its characters but also makes the game significantly more approachable and accessible. We believe this game will be enjoyable for both previous DRAGON QUEST VII players and newcomers alike!
PSU:
At last year’s Tokyo Game Show, Yuji Horii revealed the removal of Haven and the Casino [from DQVII Reimagined] along with some changes to the story and cutting out some scenarios such as El Ciclo and Providence. What was the decision behind removing these locations and scenarios?
Mr. Ichikawa:
The scenario structure of DRAGON QUEST VII is a series of “short story” style episodes, and we tweaked this structure to create a fast-paced and immersive narrative experience by re-ordering some of those episodes, making others optional, and cutting out a few. However, in addition to re-working on the game’s overarching structure, we have also created some completely new story content to bring even more depth to the game overall, so I feel that it will provide a fresh new story experience for players of the original DRAGON QUEST VII as well.
PSU:
It’s been revealed that some new story elements will be making their way into Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. Can you talk a little bit about some of these story additions and why you felt additional scenes were necessary?
Mr. Ichikawa:
In this title, we reimagined the scenario as a whole to create a more fast-paced and immersive story experience. We also made various adjustments to the scenarios to ensure that even players who have experienced DRAGON QUEST VII before can enjoy a fresh narrative experience. In addition, we have included entirely new story elements, such as scenes where players can meet Kiefer as an
adult.
PSU:
Over the past five years, the Dragon Quest franchise has lost two core members who gave birth to the franchise. Composer Koichi Sugiyama and Artist Akira Toriyama. Their passing was felt not only in the gaming industry but across the whole industry. What have been the challenges in updating the art style and the soundtrack to the Dragon Quest Remakes while keeping the identity and legacy of Toriyama and Sugiyama present?
Mr. Ichikawa:
The original DRAGON QUEST VII was defined by Akira Toriyama’s designs, featuring charming, stylized characters. We considered how to convey that cuteness while still capturing the game’s unique atmosphere as we developed the visual style. As for the music, since this is a remake, the soundtrack uses orchestral recordings, but the selections are basically the same as the original game.
PSU:
A lot of die-hard fans of Dragon Quest VII were left heartbroken when they found out that some content was being cut from the original PS1 game.
Content like the removal of islands and going away from what fans referred to as an “episodic” experience. What can you say to Dragon Quest fans to ease their worry about some of the content being cut?
Mr. Ichikawa:
In this title, we’ve reviewed every element from the ground up, but the unique atmosphere and main storyline of DRAGON QUEST VII have been preserved. We believe that even players who experienced the original game will be satisfied with this version, and we hope everyone can enjoy it as a fresh take on DRAGON QUEST VII.
PSU:
The Erdrick Trilogy of remakes brought so many quality-of-life improvements and changes from the originals that they feel like almost completely new games. Did you take the same philosophy from the 2D-HD remakes to implement in Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined?
Mr. Ichikawa:
We understood that many players would play this title after experiencing the Erdrick Trilogy remakes, so during development, we proceeded while sharing information as needed to ensure consistency and awareness across the team.
PSU:
Dragon Quest will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. Sadly, it’s taken almost 40 years for the franchise to find its footing outside of Japan. Now that Dragon Quest has exploded in global popularity, what would be your personal message to newer fans and fans who have been on this journey for 40 years? What does the future hold for this beloved franchise?
Mr. Ichikawa:
The protagonist of the DRAGON QUEST series is you, the player. For those experiencing DRAGON QUEST VII for the first time, we hope you can immerse yourself in the world and enjoy the story of adversities and the thrilling growth that lies beyond. For those who have played DRAGON QUEST VII before, we hope you can embark on a new adventure full of both nostalgic and fresh surprises.
Thank you for your time. PlayStation Universe would like to congratulate Square Enix on an incredible 40-year anniversary for Dragon Quest!