Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age Reviews
This isn't the end-all, be-all of JRPGs, but it's still a damn fine Dragon Quest game, not to mention a great introduction to the genre for newcomers. Think of it as JRPG comfort food and you'll have no trouble whatsoever.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is another fantastic entry in a series that's become recognised for its high quality in the JRPG genre.
Dragon Quest 11: Fate of Fate plays the strengths of the series fully, even addressing newcomers.
Review in German | Read full review
Dragon Quest XI is a hallmark of excellence for the genre, and while some may be put off by its adherence to classic tropes, it features a modern twist on combat, narrative elements, and character customization. It's a hefty slice of throwback goodness without too much of the baggage that can come with old-school games.
Dragon Quest XI brings the legendary Japanese RPG franchise to consoles (properly) for the first time in 13 years, and it's a mostly fantastic new chapter of the series. Its story, gameplay, characters, and visuals all work to blend timeless series elements with newer-era genre refinements, and most of the time, the results are great. Unfortunately, there are a few times when honoring tradition is a weakness, not a strength—most specifically in the case of the game's protagonist.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age does not find the black thread of anything nor try to revolutionize the genre at all; On the contrary, it seeks to pay tribute to all his legacy that has forged through more than three decades and that has led it to become one of the most important exponents of the genre and one of the most beloved franchises in Japan. If you are a lover of JRPG then do not hesitate, Dragon Quest XI is an adventure that you must live and experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I have a weird love-hate relationship with Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age. At times, its nostalgic, its nicely written story and its unique design just blows me away but at other times, I simply hate its poorly designed interfaced, its lack of innovation and the simple fact that it never dares to try anything new. When it does something, it does it perfectly, but it simply doesn't feel enough in 2017. It plays it way too safe for its own good.
Review in French | Read full review
Dragon Quest XI is a high new benchmark for the series, and shows how a traditional JRPG can still be appealing for the modern age.
I have my issues with Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age. It's a bit clunky when it tries to pretend it's cool like other video games. I wish I had vocations instead of skill points to play with, and it would be nice if I could get from point A to B a bit faster, or have more to do along the way. But at the same time, I found myself engrossed in the usual grind I've come to love over the years, the silly and fantastical creatures from my favorite artist, and the storytelling that met and even rattled my expectations. There's even a neat little crafting system I didn't have room to mention, secrets to find, and of course hours and hours of post-game content. If you want to go on an adventure, and I mean a real adventure that tugs on your heartstrings, makes you smile, and yells puns at you constantly, do not sleep on Dragon Quest XI.
If you have been missing the pure, genuine adventuring encouraged by the JRPGs of old, and you have been eager to see what the most traditional incarnation of the genre could achieve when paired with top-notch production values, this is most definitely the game for you.
It may be overly familiar, but Dragon Quest XI is built on strong foundations; newcomers and veterans alike will find a lot to love.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a beautifully designed game from story to gameplay construction. To boot, the game is absolutely gorgeous and is fun to watch in motion. The fact that you have easily over 70+ hours of gameplay (teetering on 100) makes the longevity of the adventure more memorable. This is how you make an RPG, and I hope that the good folks at Square Enix continue to develop the series the same way.
This entry feels a lot more accessible and welcoming compared to other games in the series, and the English voice overs help to breath a lot of character into the extremely long plotline. With that said, it feels as though the efforts made to appeal to a western audience for this localization have in turn caused it to become much tamer, especially when it comes to the game's combat difficulty. Despite its minor flaws, Dragon Quest XI's sprawling story easily outshines everything else and makes for an exciting adventure for you to lose yourself in.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a phenomenal game that JRPG fans will want to play. The brief break gave Dragon Quest XI a chance to improve a number of things and that certainly paid off. The storyline is interesting and engaging, something that will suck players in and hold their attention until the very end. And, outside of the main story, there is a wide variety of things for players to do. Needless to say, if you feel like recent JRPGs have been lacking, then you'll probably enjoy Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age.
Dragon Quest XI not only manages to be the best game in Square-Enix's iconic series, but is one of the best JRPGs to be released in recent years.
DQXI is a fantastically fun romp through a gorgeous world that delivers on its promise of an epic, if conventional, JRPG adventure.
Ultimately, our time in Erdrea makes us realise why Dragon Quest is Japan’s national game. It’s not necessarily because it’s the best or the most innovative, but for its generation-spanning fans, familiarity breeds comfort.
Dragon Quest XI's strength lies not in defying conventions, but in refining the concepts its predecessors pioneered to the absolute apex of what a Dragon Quest game can be.
If you've been waiting since DQVIII for a Dragon Quest title to hit your PlayStation, you'll be glad it's finally here. It may not do a lot to push the genre forward, but like the game's design so clearly sets out to do, Dragon Quest XI is an homage to the JRPG and its fans. It's an immense, addictive, and joyful experience from the first moment on. I cannot recommend it enough.
Dragon Quest XI is the best looking in the long running franchise, and at its core, while unchanged, remains solid and funny. Still, we would like to see some major changes and improvements in the next installment.
Review in Italian | Read full review