Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 165 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 122 out of 165
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 165
  3. Negative: 20 out of 165
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  1. bigdalton
    Jan 15, 2021
    10
    What a game. It gave me Final Fantasy 7-10 vibes all the way. While the menus could be a bit better the fighting, collecting, making armor and questing were top notch. The story is just beautiful and funny while keeping the tension high.
    I just finished perfect armor an all characters and will finish the last boss fight tonight. I might cry a little afterwards.
  2. Tubey
    Apr 18, 2021
    9
    First, what it gets right - a gorgeous art style, beautiful use of colour, which you'd expect from a Toriyama aesthetic. This is the best Dragon Quest has ever looked. Tremendous world design, with various beautifully done areas each with a distinct theme (even though the Haiku village I could happily do without, unbelievably annoying!) An engaging cast of characters with decent voiceFirst, what it gets right - a gorgeous art style, beautiful use of colour, which you'd expect from a Toriyama aesthetic. This is the best Dragon Quest has ever looked. Tremendous world design, with various beautifully done areas each with a distinct theme (even though the Haiku village I could happily do without, unbelievably annoying!) An engaging cast of characters with decent voice acting, even if some are notably better than others. A really polished combat system, familiar to DQ veterans but also very accessible (even if the free camera gimmick is just that; a gimmick.)
    It's so easy to get roped into this game and spend 100 hours just trying to find everything, squeeze every bit of life out of it, because it is just that engaging. In many ways, this is an JRPG masterpiece.

    Things it gets wrong - the enemy variety, whilst superficially good, suffers from very over the top sprite swaps as the game progresses and comes across as extremely lazy. The mediocre skill trees, where most abilities are 'samey' and you end up looking to unlock stat increases instead. The silent protagonist trope is done to extreme excess here and begins to grate towards the end; the game is lucky the writing and supporting characters are so good. A clunky Act 3 (particularly the transition to it, which just broke my engagement in the game - annoyingly I can't explain why without spoilers but, yeah, everything up to the end of Act 2 is sublime, and then it tumbles off a cliff. Your mileage may vary with it.)

    The soundtrack is... passable. It's an orchestral affair which should be better than it actually is. It's technically impressive but to my ears is a bit muted throughout and doesn't leave a lasting impression.

    But for all it gets wrong, it gets much more right. It's a very, very good game, with some very obvious flaws - for that reason this is the lowest 9 I could give, closer to a high 8. It's one of those rare games where a 1-10 scoring scale doesn't seem appropriate - this is an 8.8 for me. It doesn't join the echelon of 'greatest games I've ever played' for me, but it's firmly on the second tier and I can say with no hesitation that it was a pleasure to spend 100+ hours in Erdrea.    … Expand
  3. SamL01
    Dec 7, 2021
    10
    My absolute favourite game of all time! The story is excellent, the end game content is huge and the turn based combat system is perfect

    A very well balanced game and I will certainly be playing it again in the near future

    Its always on sale so if you haven’t already got it, get it! You won’t regret it
  4. KingMike860
    Dec 10, 2020
    10
    This game is a masterpiece you should definitely play it. Open world game great story good characters overall perfect game.
  5. Ali1983
    Dec 8, 2020
    9
    this game is soo classic and it's worth your time I played DQ 8 on PS2 back than and it's almost same style.... S version give better orchestra.

    great story 9/10
    good graphic 8/10
    excellent sound music10/10
    great game play 9/10
  6. MahOgre
    Dec 12, 2020
    9
    I alredy love DQ, and now they added the jap voices(had to play the original muting the voices, I'm an eng dub hater), and that "old school" mode is just a whole new game on top of the original experience, this one is good, extremely good.
  7. dnztanaci
    Dec 6, 2020
    10
    This is a must-play for JRPG fans. The price is also pretty good for its value.
  8. Theuzetz
    Dec 7, 2020
    10
    This game is a love letter to JRPG fans, and a great introduction for people that want to get into the genre. Not only one of the JRPGs I've ever played, but one of my favorite games of all time, this is a masterpiece no one should miss out on
  9. Rafael021
    Jan 31, 2021
    10
    Um ótimo jogo de RPG, tem uma grande historia. Quem gosta de RPG recomendo.
  10. BigPapa1
    Jan 30, 2021
    10
    It's honestly a better and more complete game than that overrated final Fantasy 7 remake
  11. UnknownMight
    Jan 1, 2021
    8
    A tad too traditional, don't go play this game expecting any novelties and you will enjoy it
  12. Rabney08
    Jul 9, 2021
    10
    This game just rocks. Just mastering the mini sledge was an addicting time sink. I’ve never played a single DQ game but I love the lore and gameplay so much!
  13. MeleeHD
    Dec 7, 2020
    8
    Pretty decent JRPG if you're a fan, espeically if you are Dragon Quest fan. You already know what to expect and of course filled with all the DQ humor, really enjoyable sitdown to game on
  14. dmshakespeare
    Nov 8, 2021
    9
    I have a lot of love for Dragon Quest as a series and Dragon Quest XI is my favorite to date. I hadn't played many traditional JRPGs for a long time until I picked up Persona 5, and shortly thereafter the original Dragon Quest XI launched. I had a bit of a difficult time getting into the original though due to the grating midi soundtrack. So once I found out that the definitive editionI have a lot of love for Dragon Quest as a series and Dragon Quest XI is my favorite to date. I hadn't played many traditional JRPGs for a long time until I picked up Persona 5, and shortly thereafter the original Dragon Quest XI launched. I had a bit of a difficult time getting into the original though due to the grating midi soundtrack. So once I found out that the definitive edition would feature a fully orchestral score, I was ready to jump right back in.
    And boy am I glad I made that jump. DQXIS has quickly become my top "comfort game", beating out Stardew Valley and Spiritfarer.
    I'll start off by saying I wasn't impressed by the story at first, as it was very heavy on fantasy tropes and cliches and I predicted almost every major plot point (though there was one move in the second act that I thought was pretty ballsy and didn't really expect). But what made it click was realizing that it was the closest a game I've played has come to capturing the feel of a D&D game. I even made the realization early on that almost every character is basically a personified D&D class and has similar ability sets. That's when the game's writing clicked and I actually got really on board, despite the fact that it didn't surprise me that much, if ever.
    This was strengthened by its wonderfully fun gameplay and stunning art direction. While neither had quite the same level of depth or ambition that Persona 5 did, that never made the game feel shallow or dull. The battles were thoroughly fun, if at times a bit grindy.
    If there's one thing I wish, I'd say that I wish there were more than two battle tracks, especially considering that neither of the battle tracks are that interesting. I'll also say there are some dungeons that feel like they're padded with some meaningless fluff that I wasn't entirely on board with.
    All in all, Dragon Quest XI is about as cookie-cutter a JRPG as you can get, but I'll say two things about that: 1. Dragon Quest reverses a right to be a bit generic since it's the granddaddy of JRPGs and 2. what kind of soulless monster doesn't like cookies?    … Expand
  15. SplitMind
    Jan 3, 2021
    6
    I don’t know how this game has received such stellar reviews. I can only presume that reviewers are either biased due to nostalgia or have only played the earliest hours for the best impression.

    The graphics in this game can be a mixed bag. Many of the backgrounds and environments are very colourful and vibrant, although nothing really pushes the PS4 to the limit. The game suffers from    I don’t know how this game has received such stellar reviews. I can only presume that reviewers are either biased due to nostalgia or have only played the earliest hours for the best impression.

    The graphics in this game can be a mixed bag. Many of the backgrounds and environments are very colourful and vibrant, although nothing really pushes the PS4 to the limit. The game suffers from a bit of blandness, as enemy sprites become very repetitive and you can see swapping of colour palettes. The game could have benefitted massively from more customisation, including seeing the armour you equip cosmetically change the character’s appearance. Speaking of which, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more bland protagonist devoid of character and personality, making him quite unrelatable.

    Dragon Quest 11 also dropped the ball a lot more when it comes to story. It falls on the old cliché of the chosen one who sets out to save the world and bands together a pack of misfits whose narratives become intertwined with predictable tropes such as ‘she’s actually your long-lost cousin’ etc. There are two problems here. Firstly, the story is incredibly generic, much like the game in general. Secondly, the story and game are simply far too bloody long. Coming up to 30 hours I didn’t even seem to be at the midpoint of the game and found it hard to justify going any further as the game had been quite generic thus far. Being a long game isn't a problem when it's compelling, but Dragon Quest would have held my interest knowing I had a shorter time left.

    One thing of note is the severe banality of the side-quests. Most resort to tired mechanics such as delivering or fetching, which is quite sad to see in a game released post-2016. If the previous 10 instalments are like this then I’m glad I missed them.

    The gameplay is potentially the best aspect of Dragon Quest, however this brings with it some questionable design choices. I loved the choices for combat to proceed automatically, however this also highlights the heavy grinding necessary. There is a mechanic where you can gallop into weaker enemies on your horse, defeating them immediately. This would have been better served by accumulating experience points for this to save on grinding.

    The game unfortunately repeats the same basic cycles found in JRPGs of old; go to a place, get sucked into a mini-story, conclude it, forget it and move on. Each town is hard to distinguish from the last. Despite boasting a wide open map, the game is essentially a series of small sandboxes and the sailing aspect is as irritating as it is liberating.

    The skill tree is an interesting concept but the execution is limited, gating off too many skills behind obsolete skills. Contemporaneously this is also a rather basic skill tree, superseded by games like FF12, which was released in 2006. Throughout the game, this theme of being outdated becomes more prominent.

    What is quite bewildering about this game is that there are at least ten games that came before it, yet Dragon Quest 11 feels more like the first JRPG a company makes. Everything is basic, generic and cliched. We have the Yakuza series, Zelda, Nier Automata and Trails of Cold Steel that have all shown evolution into modern expeditions, while Dragon Quest 11 feels like I’m playing a remaster of an old game or a trip down memory lane. It is a difficult game to recommend amongst the aforementioned company.    … Expand
  16. Zakis1991
    Dec 26, 2020
    0
    Спасибо, что заботитесь о русскоязычных игроках. Как всегда все языки мира кроме русского
  17. Forcer77
    Dec 21, 2020
    4
    I decided to play this game because I saw so many positive reviews and how people praise this game. So I got this game and expected to enjoy of playing one of the best games.... but when I started to play I was disappointed more and more with every hour I played.
    what can I say about this game? game mechanics is very primitive and childish, dialogues are boring and childish, side quests    I decided to play this game because I saw so many positive reviews and how people praise this game. So I got this game and expected to enjoy of playing one of the best games.... but when I started to play I was disappointed more and more with every hour I played.
    what can I say about this game? game mechanics is very primitive and childish, dialogues are boring and childish, side quests are just dumb, your enemies - monsters look like toys for children, combat system is easy and annoying, combat music is also very annoying and disgusting to listen it every time when you enter combat zone. Your protagonist can't speak. he can't say even a single word. he seems to be speechless. in his dialogues you can choose only "yes" or "no" and that's all...
    Of course I can't say that this game is completely bad but I couldn't finish it. I couldn't waste my time on it because there are much better games. It's not worth my time. I was really disappointed and I can't understand how people can like it so much... On my opinion this game obviously doesn't deserve so high score and ratings    … Expand
  18. Silurien
    Jan 5, 2021
    6
    It's all matter of opinion and taste.

    I think the story between caracther is'nt intriguing enought for me (i dont mean "it's suck, " sometime good sentence with some good line and joke ) and the whole storyline is not really taking you out your comfort zone, since it is'nt complicated you will figure out the whole story before your end it. The main caracthere is'nt as deep enought to    It's all matter of opinion and taste.

    I think the story between caracther is'nt intriguing enought for me (i dont mean "it's suck, " sometime good sentence with some good line and joke ) and the whole storyline is not really taking you out your comfort zone, since it is'nt complicated you will figure out the whole story before your end it. The main caracthere is'nt as deep enought to make yourself reflect in him enought to have the envy to go on playing him.

    And I would say some caracthere have a non really interesting skill tree, so your not like looking foward for new skill except the main one and a few around it.

    Graphically the game shine, in it's own style. Which i've enjoy.

    I would gave a solid 6.5/10 good not enought to keep me on.    … Expand
  19. Olkadan
    Feb 1, 2021
    1
    Adventures of boring silent protagonist and his generic companions in their struggle with generic evil.
    Open world is not a big deal in 2020.
    Music is good but not used properly. Music is on the loop. I hated it eventually.
    Combat system is a classic turn based and i do not like it.

    However, if you liked Dragon Quest you may enjoy it.
    For me bad story is a deal breaker.
  20. Ihadtomajeanacc
    Dec 8, 2020
    6
    It's a simple game it doesn't take any risk and that's why I don't like it it's too simple and basic for my liking but I guess I could see why someone would like it
  21. Cloudy83
    Dec 20, 2020
    7
    Juego muy sobrevalorado, personajes sin carisma, historia buena sin más, música muy buena, pero los combates son tediosos y aburridos a más no poder y los menús son poco intuitivos.
  22. Davi2
    Dec 7, 2020
    7
    It's a pretty good game, very funny! I love it!, but is just that for that all
  23. sailorsleepy
    Jan 30, 2021
    1
    Here we have another painfully beige JRPG. It is the usual and overplayed fantasy game full of White people (people of color do not exist in fantasy worlds, much to the relief of Trump voters). Even Hotto, a town that seems to be inspired by Japanese culture and architecture is strangely full of a bunch of White people. Japan, what is with the obsession with White people...? You could atHere we have another painfully beige JRPG. It is the usual and overplayed fantasy game full of White people (people of color do not exist in fantasy worlds, much to the relief of Trump voters). Even Hotto, a town that seems to be inspired by Japanese culture and architecture is strangely full of a bunch of White people. Japan, what is with the obsession with White people...? You could at least make them interesting...? What the heck is with all of the blondes? And why does everyone have a British accent? And what in the WORLD is Erik's accent supposed to be? He sounds like a British person trying to do a New England accent. And I know that this game is cherished in Japan (which often leaves me feeling bewildered), but the art design is atrocious. Yes, I know. This game came out when DBZ was popular, and I liked DBZ too when I was 9. Characters also have gigantic foreheads and they all seem to have strabismus, they should really see a doctor about that.

    All of the NPCs look the same. You'll see the same 5-NPCs in each town. All of the soldiers wear the same clothes, even though you're supposed to be in another country. When they made this vanilla game, they were seriously not aiming for historical accuracy at ALL. I am well aware that this is your typical overplayed fantasy game full of White people, but you can tell that some areas are inspired by different cultures. But that is too much work, apparently. Dragon Quest excels at being bland, boring, inconsequential, nothing. Which seems to be on brand for JRPGs in general.

    This game has not changed at all--which is a positive thing if you live in Japan because apparently they celebrate the painfully boring and predictable. I do not know how someone can eat the same thing every night and still find it amazing. But I guess I just can't relate because I'm an American. God forbid if they could release a game that was innovative.

    I recommend this game if you like boring, predictable, bland fantasy stories about White people being the "chosen ones", carrying the light, etc. which then leads to them fighting "evil", etc. Geez, we really haven't heard that one before! Also, I am quite certain that the main character has antisocial personality disorder. He reacts with such coldness equal to Ted Bundy. Nevermind, Ted Bundy was at least interesting. He has no personality and I seriously think that he must be a serial killer. The lack of emotion is not normal. Oh, you'll also like this game if you like listening to the same 2-songs for an eternity (did they not have the budget for better music...? It also sounds so dated). The monsters look childish and stupid. Pokemon has better "monster" designs than this game.

    So, obviously you can tell that I did not like this game. I tried to give it a go. But it's just so bad. JRPGs have such a bad reputation and you can really see why this is true. I think JRPGs are better left in Japan. They at least find tropes about White people interesting. If my review has turned you off from the game, I recommend the Witcher 3 instead.    … Expand
  24. SuperPanda91
    Sep 16, 2021
    7
    JRPG normalito, la mayoría de los personajes son bastantes carismáticos, la historia es lo de siempre. Mundo vacío y repetitivo. Las misiones secundarias en 2D están curiosas un rato hasta que te cansas
  25. spizer511
    Aug 28, 2022
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (Giving up 40 hours in, final party member just joined)

    I don't hold a special place for Dragon Quest games and thus I guess this just isn't my cup of tea. If you have nostalgia for JRPG's of old, Dragon Quest or otherwise, then I think this might be for you.

    I don't get the draw. I mean, the poly counts on the characters and monsters are respectable. The character and monster textures (just don't look at the curly/spiky hair) are respectable. But this feels like a nostalgic love letter that celebrates the choices made by hardware limitations in past eras, rather than anything all together impressive.

    In story telling, pacing matters. I think I could let a lot of my issues slide if there wasn't a solid second pause after every voiced bit of dialogue. Not paragraph, not string of sentences, but rather every sentence(ish). There's this awkward pause that adds so much ducking time to already superfluous dialogue. So instead of allowing the automatic advancement, I find myself sitting with my finger on the x button just to advance the scene so that the pacing feels more natural. Like when a monster jumps at a character and they turn and say, "What the..." and it pauses instead of action already in progress continuing.

    On top of that we have the punch-list:
    - The story is boring and takes forever to progress in ways you expected.
    - The characters react like every cartoon-y or cute character that comes out of Japanese pop-culture (i.e. over exaggerated everything).
    - The Environments aren't really that impressive, high texture quality doesn't make up for lack of actual things (I honestly wondered if it was originally made for the PS3 and functionally "remastered" for the PS4).

    I get it. Choices were made. But in any other medium- theater, movies, tv, audio books, western rpgs, people would lose their minds.

    Ultimately I believe I saw someone refer to this as "comfort food" in a positive review... Given the lack of challenge in both gameplay and story, I agree with this sentiment.    … Expand
  26. DinoBeam
    Mar 27, 2022
    5
    WARNING! This game is too easy, and the only other option is Very Hard mode, and you can't change difficulty after starting. This is a huge core flaw that really sucks, and is hard to understand the existence of. I don't know why this isn't talked about more, though it is talked about. I'm half way through the game and am enjoying most of the rest of it, but it's a nice looking andWARNING! This game is too easy, and the only other option is Very Hard mode, and you can't change difficulty after starting. This is a huge core flaw that really sucks, and is hard to understand the existence of. I don't know why this isn't talked about more, though it is talked about. I'm half way through the game and am enjoying most of the rest of it, but it's a nice looking and sounding car with a broken engine, be warned.… Expand
  27. my1metacritic
    May 20, 2021
    10
    I've never played a Dragon Quest game and DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition is the perfect game for newcomers like me. With its great characters, comfortable gameplay and splendid storytelling; this game is one of the finest JRPGs I've ever played.
  28. Mscox93
    Oct 12, 2022
    10
    This game is great,and though I love the Nintendo Switch,the graphics don’t do it Justice! To have the full modern experience go for the more powerful consoles with the Definitive Edition! This is “Dragon Quest 11” so it’s a great game,but even better with the new instrumental music. The Switch version doesn’t really look nice at all,and really made me drop the game! I’m so happy they madeThis game is great,and though I love the Nintendo Switch,the graphics don’t do it Justice! To have the full modern experience go for the more powerful consoles with the Definitive Edition! This is “Dragon Quest 11” so it’s a great game,but even better with the new instrumental music. The Switch version doesn’t really look nice at all,and really made me drop the game! I’m so happy they made a definitive edition of the more powerful consoles!… Expand
  29. kikecorrales
    May 2, 2021
    10
    Uno de los mejores juegos que he jugado, una historia que te atrapa, unos personajes muy carismáticos, escenarios variados y bonitos, un sistema de combate por turnos perfecto que consigue ponerte en algún aprieto de vez en cuando. recomendado a cualquier persona que se inicie en los JRPG o a los expertos en el género.
  30. IvanHielo
    Nov 20, 2021
    10
    El mejor RPJ de la generación, el mundo y ciudades son una delicia visual, los personajes carismáticos y entrañables y la historia una auténtica pasada, sentí al jugarlo una montaña rusa de emociones. Sin duda uno de los mejores de toda la saga
  31. P1ayer_One
    Nov 27, 2021
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game drags on and on and on. It’s got like 4 final bosses, tricking you thinking you are done each time. Just lazy storytelling really. The final 2 bosses are impossible to beat at max level unless you’ve also farmed the best gear and pep pops. If this game ended after act 2 it would be 10/10. But continues on for another 100 hours after that. A repetitive slog with nothing to offer.… Expand
  32. Seungmin7142
    Feb 7, 2022
    10
    100시간 동안 하는 내내 지루하지 않고 재밌게 했다
    컨텐츠도 다양하고 인물들도 매력적이고 성우 연기도 맛깔났다 후속작이 매우 기대됨
  33. ARON-
    Sep 5, 2023
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Achei o jogo legal até o momento do último chefe, Calasmos, que estragou o jogo. O chefe é desbalanceado demais, cheguei nele com umas 70 horas de game e level 50. Calasmos me derrotava praticamente com um hit, mesmo usando a sword of light para deixar ele mais fraco. Quando vi que ia precisar gastar um tempo desproporcional só para subir de nível, desisti e deletei o jogo.… Expand
  34. GuiBio
    Dec 29, 2022
    7
    Very good game, a bit repetitive and not such a exploration to make. All the 2d/3d thing is a little confuse and could make the game really easy with the double rewards.
  35. RPG_Fanatic
    Jun 21, 2023
    10
    I am glad that the game continues to be a classic RPG in all aspects.i Love the art style,the music and the turn battle strategic.I hope they continue releasing the sequels being classic RPG because o love the Dragon Quest franchise so much.
    .......
    Dragon Quest XI for me is the best.
  36. lovejina83
    Jun 14, 2023
    10
    It is a masterpiece that expands the worldview of Dragon Quest. 11S is perfectly over 11 as a complete version. There's no boring section in the game and I've played this for 500 hours on repeat. 11 will have to join the best Dragon Quest game with DQ3 and 5.

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PS4 Game of 2020
76
#76 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. RPGamer
    Mar 3, 2021
    80
    Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age is the perfect starting point for those who are new to the series. Many small quality-of-life changes help streamline the experience for players, additional content and costumes create more flavor to the story, and the addition of the orchestral soundtrack bolsters the experience. It’s a shame that the Switch port wasn’t re-rendered to give S the same graphic prowess as the original game, but even with its noticeable downgrades, Dragon Quest XI S is well worth the time.
    Read full review
  2. Games.cz
    Feb 19, 2021
    80
    This is a very solid JRPG with a fun story and a decidedly unfun protagonist. But his companions are great! You’ll be further pleased by this game’s tough boss fights, further annoyed by its repetitive music.
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  3. Cubed3
    Jan 20, 2021
    80
    Dragon Quest XI remains one of the best entries in the series, and thanks to this Definitive Edition - which boasts all the new content originally included in the Switch port - it manages to feel more polished, more streamlined and more enjoyable. The fact that this is an incredible experience is only marginally diminished by some controversial graphics alterations and a less than savoury removal of previous versions from virtual storefronts in favour of this edition. Still, the content that is on offer here is superior to the original version of the game and more than justifies a re-entry into this endearing, fantastical tale.
    Read full review
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