This review contains spoilers
While I enjoy the first two Dragon Quest games for different reasons and for what each of them was trying to set out to do, the third game is really where the series starts to hit its stride and find its footing. It’s hardly a spoiler at this point, but seeing as the third game is a prequel telling the story of how the legendary hero Erdrick/Loto earned his stripes (hence the subtitle in the original Japanese: “Soshite densetsu e…” translated to “And into the legend…”), it’s only fitting that this game expanded, iterated on, and refined so many aspects of the first two games while also adding so many new features that it feels like a legendary adventure, more so than even its predecessors. I could go on about so many different aspects of the game’s design, such as the class and multiclass system, or how the game is a simple yet brilliant rendition of the Hero’s Journey, but the primary standout aspects of Dragon Quest III to me are its worldbuilding and its theme of family.
Dragon Quest games have always had rich worlds with charming characters for you to interact with (more or less depending on the game). While I and II were foundational and had good worldbuilding for their time, III really took things to the next level. If you look at the world map, it is made to resemble our own planet Earth, with similar continents. The only real outlier is the starting continent containing Aliahan, where Erdrick hails from. Following that premise, the towns on these continents resemble the different peoples and cultures of our own Earth, to some extent or another, giving the towns a rich and charming personality that other jrpgs of the time lacked. The player will travel from town to town and solve small problems in each area in little vignettes that flesh out those small encounters and tie in to the greater whole. Dragon Quest II tried this previously but in my humble opinion, III pulls this off to greater success. Through this structure, the game emphasizes the hero as a worldly person who connects people through his/her heroism, making this game being the origin story of Erdrick all the more fitting. Honestly, my only complaint is somewhat minor in that it is a retroactive one. I played XI to completion prior to finishing III, so unfortunately my opinion was somewhat colored by that game, which happened to go for a similarly varied and diverse world. Besides differences in architecture, one feature XI had was accented dialogue that would vary based on region. Architectural differences based on the town and region in III did not seem as stark as in XI, but I would probably chalk that up to hardware. I really think the devs did as best they could to diversify the world, and it shows. The dialogue in III had somewhat of a variance but not much in the way of accents, which was kind of disappointing. I was playing the fan-translated Super Famicom remake though, and if I remember correctly the mobile and Switch versions have different dialogue with similar accent variety as in XI. Again, a minor thought I had, but one I thought worth mentioning. For its time, III’s worldbuilding was ambitious, and it is definitely one of its standout aspects.
I have often discussed the Dragon Quest games at length with my best friend and we have come to the conclusion that one of the central themes present in most if not all of the mainline Dragon Quest games is family. This theme has been present ever since the original Dragon Quest and is naturally a main element of the Erdrick Trilogy specifically. In I, you play as the descendant of the hero Erdrick who must fulfill the destiny of his bloodline by vanquishing the Dragonlord, and in II you play as the descendants of the hero of I (and by extension, Erdrick) and must fulfill the destiny of your bloodline once more. II expanded on this idea with the Prince of Cannock and Princess of Moonbrooke as party members, emphasizing the relationship and shared destiny of the three cousins. III expands on this theme in the best way possible at this juncture: by personalizing it. You play as the soon to be legendary hero Erdrick, but the theme of family is not emphasized in your bloodline or your descendants, but in both the family by bond in the party you create at Ruida's Tavern and by blood in the personal relationship between you and your father, Ortega. It is often a wish of a parent to see their child succeed in life where they have failed, or otherwise just make it further than they did, and this is conveyed beautifully and touchingly in III. Ortega leaves Aliahan to defeat Baramos before the hero is even born, and throughout the adventure Erdrick is following their father’s footsteps on a journey to unite and save the world, and ultimately succeed where he failed.
My father passed away in August of 2021, after a long bout with various crippling health conditions. Despite having a complicated relationship with him, I loved him, and it was a difficult loss to deal with. Yet, through all the sorrow and pain, Dragon Quest III managed to be one of the most cathartic experiences I have had in dealing with the loss of my father, and it is because of this theme of family. Throughout the various towns, the player will encounter townsfolk who speak of Ortega’s deeds or even of meeting him before. One town is filled with people who adore Ortega, and will comment frequently on how the hero looks just like him. This reminded me of how everyone would always say I looked like my father more than my mother. It's a common and simple fact of life but nevertheless, it managed to elicit tears. Later on, you catch up with your father, but he dies before your eyes while battling the King Hydra, failing in his quest. Defeating the following bosses and then the end boss Zoma felt cathartic, not just in the sense that in-universe Erdrick was defeating the being who killed Ortega, but almost as if I was avenging the death of my own father, vowing with that action to forge on my path in life and learn the lessons he taught me. It was unexpected but incredibly moving.
Dragon Quest III is a simple, straightforward JRPG. I would almost call it the quintessential JRPG, but that title probably goes to Chrono Trigger. While innovating for its series and for JRPGs in general, its gameplay, story, and characters may be considered barebones and trite by some. Yet, this game’s charm, emotion, and vibrant world cement it as a forever masterpiece of the genre in my eyes, and a must play for any fans of JRPGs.
Dragon Quest games have always had rich worlds with charming characters for you to interact with (more or less depending on the game). While I and II were foundational and had good worldbuilding for their time, III really took things to the next level. If you look at the world map, it is made to resemble our own planet Earth, with similar continents. The only real outlier is the starting continent containing Aliahan, where Erdrick hails from. Following that premise, the towns on these continents resemble the different peoples and cultures of our own Earth, to some extent or another, giving the towns a rich and charming personality that other jrpgs of the time lacked. The player will travel from town to town and solve small problems in each area in little vignettes that flesh out those small encounters and tie in to the greater whole. Dragon Quest II tried this previously but in my humble opinion, III pulls this off to greater success. Through this structure, the game emphasizes the hero as a worldly person who connects people through his/her heroism, making this game being the origin story of Erdrick all the more fitting. Honestly, my only complaint is somewhat minor in that it is a retroactive one. I played XI to completion prior to finishing III, so unfortunately my opinion was somewhat colored by that game, which happened to go for a similarly varied and diverse world. Besides differences in architecture, one feature XI had was accented dialogue that would vary based on region. Architectural differences based on the town and region in III did not seem as stark as in XI, but I would probably chalk that up to hardware. I really think the devs did as best they could to diversify the world, and it shows. The dialogue in III had somewhat of a variance but not much in the way of accents, which was kind of disappointing. I was playing the fan-translated Super Famicom remake though, and if I remember correctly the mobile and Switch versions have different dialogue with similar accent variety as in XI. Again, a minor thought I had, but one I thought worth mentioning. For its time, III’s worldbuilding was ambitious, and it is definitely one of its standout aspects.
I have often discussed the Dragon Quest games at length with my best friend and we have come to the conclusion that one of the central themes present in most if not all of the mainline Dragon Quest games is family. This theme has been present ever since the original Dragon Quest and is naturally a main element of the Erdrick Trilogy specifically. In I, you play as the descendant of the hero Erdrick who must fulfill the destiny of his bloodline by vanquishing the Dragonlord, and in II you play as the descendants of the hero of I (and by extension, Erdrick) and must fulfill the destiny of your bloodline once more. II expanded on this idea with the Prince of Cannock and Princess of Moonbrooke as party members, emphasizing the relationship and shared destiny of the three cousins. III expands on this theme in the best way possible at this juncture: by personalizing it. You play as the soon to be legendary hero Erdrick, but the theme of family is not emphasized in your bloodline or your descendants, but in both the family by bond in the party you create at Ruida's Tavern and by blood in the personal relationship between you and your father, Ortega. It is often a wish of a parent to see their child succeed in life where they have failed, or otherwise just make it further than they did, and this is conveyed beautifully and touchingly in III. Ortega leaves Aliahan to defeat Baramos before the hero is even born, and throughout the adventure Erdrick is following their father’s footsteps on a journey to unite and save the world, and ultimately succeed where he failed.
My father passed away in August of 2021, after a long bout with various crippling health conditions. Despite having a complicated relationship with him, I loved him, and it was a difficult loss to deal with. Yet, through all the sorrow and pain, Dragon Quest III managed to be one of the most cathartic experiences I have had in dealing with the loss of my father, and it is because of this theme of family. Throughout the various towns, the player will encounter townsfolk who speak of Ortega’s deeds or even of meeting him before. One town is filled with people who adore Ortega, and will comment frequently on how the hero looks just like him. This reminded me of how everyone would always say I looked like my father more than my mother. It's a common and simple fact of life but nevertheless, it managed to elicit tears. Later on, you catch up with your father, but he dies before your eyes while battling the King Hydra, failing in his quest. Defeating the following bosses and then the end boss Zoma felt cathartic, not just in the sense that in-universe Erdrick was defeating the being who killed Ortega, but almost as if I was avenging the death of my own father, vowing with that action to forge on my path in life and learn the lessons he taught me. It was unexpected but incredibly moving.
Dragon Quest III is a simple, straightforward JRPG. I would almost call it the quintessential JRPG, but that title probably goes to Chrono Trigger. While innovating for its series and for JRPGs in general, its gameplay, story, and characters may be considered barebones and trite by some. Yet, this game’s charm, emotion, and vibrant world cement it as a forever masterpiece of the genre in my eyes, and a must play for any fans of JRPGs.