Erdrick Trilogy will be concluded in October with HD-2D remake

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake will be released on October 30, 2025, officially concluding the so-called Erdrick trilogy, a narrative sequence that began with the already released Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. The collection will arrive globally for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and the newly announced Switch 2.

The Square Enix, which had already modernized Dragon Quest III in 2021 using the HD-2D graphic style, now applies the same visual approach to the first two titles in the franchise. The result is a technical reinterpretation that combines 2D sprites with modern 3D effects, maintaining the original structure of the games, but with graphics reminiscent of Octopath Traveler and Live A Live.

Although the collection may attract new audiences due to the reworked aesthetics and convenience of the compilation, it is important to remember that we are talking about titles originally released in 1986 (Dragon Quest I) and 1987 (Dragon Quest II), with extremely simple structures, basic turn-based combat, and linear progression. Even with visual adjustments, these characteristics remain.

In the plot of Dragon Quest I, the player takes on the role of a hero descended from Erdrick, who must face the evil Dragonlord and his legions of monsters threatening the kingdom of Alefgard. In Dragon Quest II, the story progresses with the descendants of this hero facing a new threat that seeks to plunge the world back into darkness.

With the arrival of the collection, Square Enix concludes the narrative arc that began almost four decades ago. The decision to release the two games together is practical, but the absence of new mechanics or extra content reinforces the purely nostalgic nature of the project.

The Dragon Quest franchise is one of the longest-running in RPG history, and its original trilogy served as the foundation for many of the systems and narratives seen in Japanese RPGs. The HD-2D re-release follows Square Enix's strategy of revitalizing its classic catalog, as it has already done with Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster.

The global and multi-platform release aims to reach the widest possible audience, including both old and new fans. However, it is another piece in the company's ongoing effort to sustain its legacies, while the highly anticipated Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate remains without a set release date.