Square Enixhas recently embraced the HD-2D art style with their JPRGs. Whether it’s new releases, such as theOctopath Travelerfranchise or the recentDragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, the art style combines the charm of the old-school aesthetic with the beauty of modern graphics.
However, the famed developer is cautious about excessively using the art style.
Masaaki Hayasakas, theDragon Quest III HD-2D Remake producer, recently spoke withBloombergto celebrate the game’s release. He mentions that development on the game began in 2018, following the release ofOctopath Traveler. The new JRPG franchise features a unique art style, dubbed “HD-2D,” that combines two-dimensional sprites with gorgeous 3D backgrounds and an HD polish. Naturally, the art style lends well to remakes of beloved old-school RPGs, such asDragon Quest III.
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OctopathTraveler’s success led to a sequel in 2023, and theDragon Questteam adopted the art style for remakes of the franchise’s first three games.Dragon Quest III H2-2D Remakeis now available, withDragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remakeset to release in 2025.
Despite Its Popularity, Square Enix Doesn’t Want Gamers To Tire of the HD-2D Art Style
Dragon Questfans hope to see more entries in the popular franchise remade, and Hayaska is considering that. However, he’s also making sure that he doesn’t fill the market with too many HD-2D games.
“If we were to release too many games in succession, that would lead to people being bored of those games,” he told Bloomberg. “On the flipside, if there’s too much of a span between launches, that can also lead to the series not seeming as vibrant and robust anymore. It’s a sensitive topic. It’s something that even my supervisors are constantly unsure and mulling over.”
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake: Mini Medals Locations
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On the surface, Square Enix has not released manyHD-2D games. Then again, this is the video game industry. If there’s one thing publishers are good at, it’s oversaturating a market with a popular trend. The obvious example is the abundance oflive service gamesthat have flooded the market over the past decade. Square Enix seems aware that the art style works best when it makes sense. We’ll see what that means for the future of theDragon Questfranchise if they decide to remake additional entries in the series.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
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