This game feels incredibly modern in design for its time even if this is a remake, the core design is solid and timeless
It's a step above DQ1 and 2 in every way conceivable.
It's a game that gives me such a genuine feeling of being in an adventure and conquering every bit of its world and secrets is so satisfying in a way I cannot parallel to many other games besides maybe some of my favorite Zelda games.
I truly appreciate how well thought-out encounters feel in that game, all of them is a puzzle and the real addictive part of it comes from figuring out how to clear them as efficiently as possible.
That to me is the core of every good JRPG gameplay wise and exactly what made me want to get into Dragon Quest due to Chrono Trigger making me feel the same thing.
It shows its age in many areas and isn't a flawless game by any means, but I can only imagine how it must have felt like to play this on release

This game's dedication in making every part of its world feel like a real lived place is outstanding, it's something I have always enjoyed about Final Fantasy as a franchise but this one particularly excels at just making you want to have your own adventure at your own pace
I've been fully on board with their vision of making more than a remake of the original story since the beginning but Rebirth truly fully sold me on the idea.
While not flawless by any means, it will be a long time until I encounter another game that feels this ambitious and for lack of a better word, "magical"