The Dragon Quest series is special to me, though it's one that I can't claim to have properly played until now. That's because it never released officially in my country way back during its original run. The only way to play it was to import a Japanese copy, complete with only Japanese language text, and make do. Which is exactly what I did – to mixed results.

So, for the past 30 years, I've lived with an image of what Dragon Quest was in my head. It's a mix of wistful nostalgia and the occasional correct translation, thanks to some handy early language courses our local library had. Give a kid anime and some games, and they'll find a way to enjoy them.

After spending a half-hour with both Dragon Quest 1 and 2, I'm thrilled to see that it lives up to how I remember it. This is the definitive way to experience the classic, whether or not you're a newcomer, a veteran, or something in between.

Like other HD-2D remakes from Square, Dragon Quest sees a major uplift in visuals and some quality of life improvements. But this isn't a reimagining like the Final Fantasy VII Remake/Rebirth titles. Instead, it's painstakingly recreated to be as you remember it from childhood. Only better. Imagine if someone you could apply varnish to nostalgia and you're closer to the intended effect.

In the demo, I got to explore a couple of the numerous dungeons in the two games, and I was thrilled to see that Square Enix hasn't skimped out on the difficulty of the originals. Back then, Dragon Quest was a challenging title that required you to constantly optimize party dynamics and gear. That same applies here, as I would find with my very first boss fight, where my ego got a thorough pummeling within minutes.

Combat is largely unchanged, so don't go expecting massive character animations or cutscenes. Instead, it's delightfully old school, with a beautifully rendered enemy sprite and a clear UI for your party. This is, after all, a 40 year old title.

Once you get into the groove of things, Dragon Quest is quick to remind you why it's such a beloved classic. The combat system is deep, with a surprisingly complex range of attacks and tactics to utilize. The soundtrack – updated smartly and beautifully for the remake – harkens back to early 90s RPG classics.

Then there's that translation, which is often hysterically funny. As said, I originally played this title through my shoddy Japanese skills, so it would be completely wrong to say I understood what was going on. Imagine my surprise when familiar enemies start hurling cockney insults and delightfully silly puns within minutes of starting the demo!

Dragon Quest is a series of legacy and the power of story lasting through the ages. 30 minutes with two titles is barely enough time to even get a taste of everything that's in store, yet it was enough to remind me why I fell in love with this series in the first place.

That's what I love about Square Enix's foray into the HD-2D remakes. They allow us a chance to experience our childhood again. But it also understands that times have changed. There are things that games today need to accomplish, and it accommodates that expectation. I'm particularly fond of increasing the game speed for faster exploration, and the accessibility options for combat are more than welcome. Sometimes you just want to experience a good story, and Dragon Quest delivers that in spades.

Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake arrives on all consoles on November 11th. Look for a full review closer to the release date.