To pitch the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, Square Enix released one giant overview video wherein it showcased practically everything newly added and rebuilt for the classic Jap-style RPGs. That video referred to in their tweet comes with an incredibly in-depth description of what people will expect from these remastered titles. The thing is, no one in the replies was actually talking about Dragon Quest. Like, literally nobody.
The comments, and up to this time, are the complete meltdown for Silksong- the Hollow Knightingly overpriced sequel that was supposed to be out by now but is just certainly not. Players are confused and mad; just watching the whole ordeal feel frantic is funny. Backlash is just starting from here, the angry player, Ricoooo, comes out screaming, “You really pissed me off Sony, cuz it’s Sep. 5 right now in my timezone and still can’t play Silksong!!!” And that’s just scratching the surface.
While Square Enix tries to hype their Dragon Quest Remakes, the rest of the games community is collectively having a meltdown over the non-existence of Silksong. The funniest thing is that what is being hyped are practically the antithesis of current popular interest. But let’s talk about Dragon Quest for a little while because it really looks great.
Since it being in line for HD-2D Remake treatment means these games will be getting a little overhaul towards the direction that Octopath Traveler had. That combo of pixel art-modern lighting-infused visuals is really divine. Promising an overview of UI enhancements alongside quality-of-life improvements and rebuilt features that are meant to put these classics in the shoes of a new generation of players while still maintaining the old school charm; it really is a worthy cause for the sake of preservation of gaming history.
Alright, banning Silksong in the comments is way bigger than this one. User De_Athh from Portuguese-side cries out, “LANÇA A PORRA DO MEU JOGO LOGOOOOO,” meaning “RELEASE MY GAME ALREADY DAMMIT,” and they’re far from alone. Another user, Passoseumermo, gives a bark: “Caguei pra essa merça, libera Silksong logo,” which means something like, “I don’t give a crap about this; release Silksong now.” Another similar statement comes from Spanish, “Dejaros de gilipolleces y poner silksong ya,” from Javimata_35, a.k.a., “Stop with the nonsense and put Silksong out already.”
The big problem is thus, drowning everything out for the moment. Even all the positive comments about Dragon Quest are under a landslide of Silksong demands. Like, Crypto_buddy24 said, “man… i played these on the gameboy color as a kid, can’t wait to relive it in HD 2D,” which is nice, but it’s drowned out already.
Then, platforming confusion. Chr1st1anN3rd asks: “Is this only on plantation? What about PC and Xbox?” Probably a typo for PlayStation but hey, writing just the way it is adds a little personality to it. It is a real good question, though; are these remasters an exclusive or a multi-platform release? The tweet doesn’t specify, so people are still wondering.
The intensity is just… Something else. User All_casa screams: “Cade silksong playstation???? SILKSONG PLAYSTATIOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!” meaning with desperation, “Where is Silksong PlayStation???? SILKSONG PLAYSTATIOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!”.
Sometimes people try dirtied, diplomatic avenues: uh_oh_ajm says: “Hey great thanks but can you release silksong” which is almost polite compared to all of them. One ironic comment comes from alexabanshee in Spanish: “Ya denme Silksong 🍒🥺 hagan algo bien, no fuera para uno de sus juegos pedorros porque ahí sí está listo para la compra al instante!!” meaning “Give me Silksong already 🍒🥺 do something right, it wouldn’t be for one of your crappy games because then it would be ready for purchase instantly!!” Ouch.
And that’s what Square Enix seems to be selling. At a glance, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake looks like one big love letter to the birthplace of the most beloved RPGs ever made. The video should be choked full of updated graphics, maybe a few new arrangements of music, and quality-of-life changes that absolve people of some of the annoyances connected with playing the old games today. A remake that preserves the original but entices the modern crowd.
They really could not have timed their announcement worse. The whole situation with Silksong, at best, seems botched—or, at worst, it’s quietly delayed without a word—and that is exactly when no one wants to hear about anything else. There is some fury that is boiling over; at least some of this anger is being levied at PlayStation for choosing to market something else.
And if I may say so, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake will certainly be a treat for the fans. But, as of now, all anyone can talk about is Silksong. Another good reminder that hype and expectation can often be brighter than anything else once something falls through. So yeah, if you’re an old-school RPG fan, check that Dragon Quest video; just keep up with the Silksong fiasco at the same time. What a mess.
