When manga artist Akira Toriyama joined the Chunsoft and Enix teams to develop character designs for a new RPG called Dragon Quest in the 1980s, it’s unlikely he knew it would become such an important part of his legacy.
With characters, monsters and even the game’s world defined by his unique, bright-eyed style, Dragon Quest‘s visual identity brims with Toriyama’s flair. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, set to release on 6 February 2026, is the strongest reflection of his work to date.
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined preview – quick links
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a living, breathing diorama
To play through this game is to experience a living, breathing Toriyama diorama, complete with cheeky heroes and wonderfully slimy boss monsters. It’s all very endearing and entirely charming.
In a recent preview, ScreenHub was able to play through two chapters of the adventure, charting early and mid-game missions. What was most striking was just how pretty this game looks, with action figure heroes and idyllic fantasy villages.
Like most Dragon Quest games, the world gives a token nod to medieval Europe, with over-the-top English voice acting and fancy, wordy dialogue to evoke a sense of place. The characters might be silly caricatures at times, but there’s also a light-hearted humour that buoys the journey.
Taking your first steps beyond the opening village, you’re introduced to a vast and lush world of adventure, where hopeful, wide-eyed protagonists embark on the quest to save their entire world. As you travel, you’ll come across villagers in need and, with hope by your side, you’ll fight for their future.
Enter the dungeons of Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
In caverns and dungeons, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined hauls you along its magical story, pitting you against a menagerie of funny-looking creatures – from towering golems with blobby bodies, to smiley slimes and odd-looking hybrid beasties – as you chart a course through diverse realms.
Combat here is particularly snappy and moreish, with updates from the original game allowing for modern twists. Entering battles, you’ll be able to select a direction for each of your fighters (eventually, you’ll have up to four) with auto-battle available, as well as a custom layout.
What worked best in my experience was setting two characters to auto-heal, another character to auto-fight hard, and a fourth character to be controlled, in case of any emergencies. The set-up allowed for a quick intervention when boss fights proved too much, while still letting the auto systems take much of the busywork away.
Like many modern remakes, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined attempts to stay true to its source material in combat – and that means a lot of turn-based encounters as you roam dungeons and towers. Thankfully, there are important tweaks to ensure that battles remain snappy and engaging, including options for ultra-fast speed and automatic clashes.
You will also see enemies on the map, so random encounters are reduced (although not completely erased). Being able to see what’s coming means being able to better plan, to ensure your entire team doesn’t perish.
There’s a welcome diversity in the difficulty of boss battles as well, so strategy is shaken up with great aplomb. It’s not just a matter of setting and forgetting – you’ll enter each new skirmish with a need to take stock and understand exactly what enemy you’re facing.
The road ahead
After putting away golems and slimy fish men, there was much to appreciate about Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. This is a remake that feels very well-designed, with clever tweaks that update gameplay for a modern audience.
Perhaps the most clever choice here is to lean heavily into Akira Toriyama’s iconic art style, which imbues the adventure with a sense of childlike glee and nostalgia. Character designs evoke afternoons watching Dragon Ball, and the plot is infused with that same sense of adventure.
So far, this game brims with joy. You’ll want to be swept up in what comes next.
