Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age Reviews
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: Echoes of an Elusive Age is another fantastic entry in a series that's become recognised for its high quality in the JRPG genre.
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.
Though visually sumptuous, the game doesn't do much to strike a bolder, more mature path within a tired series.
Dragon Quest XI is a gorgeous throwback to 8 and 16-bit JRPGs, with a lengthy story and engaging cast of characters. Even if you think you've gotten your fill of classic JRPG goodness from Octopath Traveller, DQXI is still worth checking out.
Dragon Quest 11 falters in the pacing of its story and features an unimpressive OST but at the end of the day, this game is like getting together with an old friend and hanging out on a cool summer's day; it's familiar and oh so comforting.
Given the Dragon Quest series’ long and storied history, it almost feels sacrilegious to say that the latest entry is the best of that whole lot. But that’s exactly what Dragon Quest XI feels to me. As a fan of classic turn-based JRPGs, DQXI is a full-throated, unapologetic rendition of the genre I know and love so well. Yes, it’s not perfect, but it’s about as close to perfection that a Dragon Quest game can get.
Dragon Quest XI is almost a perfect game and JRPG fans will love it.
Every time Yuji Horii, Akira Toriyama, and Koichi Sugiyama reunite to churn out a video game, the whole world trembles and distorts itself in order to bow before their new creature. In this sense, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of a Lost Era is no exception to the rule, offering the player a very classic but always original plot. Even if the user had in fact the unpleasant feeling of being in front of something already seen or taken for granted, the narrative canvas of the product would be able to successfully erase any suspicion, proposing unpredictable events and capable of making even the most experienced JRPG experts pale.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age scratches that nostalgic itch for a traditional JRPG without looking like it had to try too hard at it. It’s not leaning on the crutch of pixel art or fake imitations. It’s the natural extension of what the Dragon Quest series of yore has grown into for an audience today. Turn based combat? Check. Traditional Dragon Quest aesthetics? Check and check. Blue slimes? Of course, there are blue slimes! Fun and relevant in today’s modern age? You bet. While it may be unintentional XI’s subtitle is more than fitting for just the story, it’s also fitting for Dragon Quest in today’s modern age. It echoes back to that elusive golden age of the JRPG.
DQXI is a fantastically fun romp through a gorgeous world that delivers on its promise of an epic, if conventional, JRPG adventure.
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.
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.
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 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.
It may be overly familiar, but Dragon Quest XI is built on strong foundations; newcomers and veterans alike will find a lot to love.
It may have been a long wait, but it was well worth it.
Dragon Quest XI is a stellar game that displays a great command of the ins and outs of its genre the way few other games can and do. What it lacks in originality, it more than makes up for with its confident execution of ideas, showing that a game doesn't need to be revolutionary or the freshest thing on the block to be an incredible experience. With a memorable cast of characters, a well-told, briskly paced story, stunning and vibrant visuals, and a beautiful and extremely varied world as its setting, Dragon Quest XI serves as yet another excellent instalment in this amazingly consistent franchise.
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
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.