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

 Switch
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 743 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 634 out of 743
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 743
  3. Negative: 68 out of 743
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  1. Tehemai
    Sep 28, 2019
    7
    Pretty disappointed. Game isn't bad by any means, but overall it just feels 10 years older than it looks. Moving around and jumping feel super awkward. And outside of the minimap, the game does a poor job clarifying which terrain is traversable. This gives that feeling old games had where invisible walls are around you all the time. They also tried to modernize the turn based battlePretty disappointed. Game isn't bad by any means, but overall it just feels 10 years older than it looks. Moving around and jumping feel super awkward. And outside of the minimap, the game does a poor job clarifying which terrain is traversable. This gives that feeling old games had where invisible walls are around you all the time. They also tried to modernize the turn based battle system, but frankly the poor integration of movement just made it weird.

    Dragon Quest XI S has potential but they clearly should have spent more time polishing both the games and their ideas.    … Expand
  2. Kallenovsky
    Oct 25, 2019
    6
    Though I'm not a fan of the DB art style, this game is really beautiful on the Switch. I didn't notice any significant frame rate drops, even when running in enemy-heavy environments. The story is really interesting, which is to be expected from a Dragon Quest title. However, I think this game isn't forgiving enough for those new to the genre and battle style. It certainly doesn't helpThough I'm not a fan of the DB art style, this game is really beautiful on the Switch. I didn't notice any significant frame rate drops, even when running in enemy-heavy environments. The story is really interesting, which is to be expected from a Dragon Quest title. However, I think this game isn't forgiving enough for those new to the genre and battle style. It certainly doesn't help that there really isn't much of a tutorial to understand its battle features.

    DQXIS also suffers from an abysmal save feature. Essentially, if you're at a boss, and your party is wiped out, then you're back to the last autosave or worse. It's not fun trekking through the same dungeons and environments so many times during the most difficult battles when you just want to have another go at a boss. Even after 15 hours, though I only fell to a boss once or twice before figuring out a better strategy, having to trek back was once or twice too many times.

    I applaud the game's other special features, such as a 2D mode style, but its other problems do not warrant such high scores. I wanted to love it, but I just could not.    … Expand
  3. ME123
    Oct 1, 2019
    6
    My first time playing a dragon quest game and I’m not impressed. The game looks ugly. The characters lack variety. The combat is quite boring. The story? Yikes....
  4. Eve84
    Nov 30, 2019
    5
    Generally it's a good game, and the exclusive dlc type content is nice. But the visual quality is abysmal. I could live with pop ups that are right in front of you, but the general blurriness is seriously upsetting. You can't even make out faces sometimes.

    I didn't finish it on PS4 but I wish I would've because this version is not good
  5. bingbang
    Jun 22, 2020
    5
    I understand why people adore this game, but I couldn't get past the tired cliches and stereotypes - I quit 20 hours in. We can expect more from a polished experience beyond fun gameplay loops and a gorgeous art style.
  6. 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 over half way through the game and I have to stop. While at first the characters were charming 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 over half way through the game and I have to stop. While at first the characters were charming and the quest fairly interesting, the story is just meandering from reason for it to keep going to reason for it to keep going using anime power up tricks and such. In addition, Akira Toriyama's art design of monsters is extremely hit or miss here, with half or more of the monsters looking like off-brand toys for very young children.

    The game also feels very cheap in a number of other ways, for instance you get to a cool new area only to hear the same exact music for every other area, then you go in a cave and hear the exact same music for every other cave and dungeon. This game is doing as little as it can to make a profit, making sure to extend the playtime so people don't complain. This game is very disappointing, and I am appalled at the praise it has received by players and critics alike.

    If you are looking for a good JRPG experience, I recommend these;

    Dragon Quest IV for the Nintendo DS
    Pokemon Blue or the updated Leaf Green version
    Dragon Warrior/Dragon Quest 1
    Radiata Stories    … Expand
  7. hime
    Mar 21, 2020
    6
    Довольно много гринда, иногда это невыносимо, иногда норм. Но гринд ещё можно пережить, а вот устаревшую боевую систему, которая почти никак не изменяется с первых частей, терпеть совсем не хочется.
    Так же музыка хоть и стала оркестровой, осталась слишком скудной и быстро надоедает.
    В остальном игра неплоха, красивый стиль, уникальные персонажи, в целом интересный сюжет и тд. Но это всё    Довольно много гринда, иногда это невыносимо, иногда норм. Но гринд ещё можно пережить, а вот устаревшую боевую систему, которая почти никак не изменяется с первых частей, терпеть совсем не хочется.
    Так же музыка хоть и стала оркестровой, осталась слишком скудной и быстро надоедает.
    В остальном игра неплоха, красивый стиль, уникальные персонажи, в целом интересный сюжет и тд. Но это всё портит гринд и боёвка.    … Expand
  8. Rhokin
    Aug 3, 2022
    6
    I really wanted to like this game. It’s beautiful, plays wonderfully and the voice acting is phenomenal. The plot also seems decent as well, but I found it just didn’t grab me as I had hoped. The combat and character progression is where I feel the game could have really been a lot better. The combat is classic turn based with no gimmicks or anything fancy. The new moves and gear come in aI really wanted to like this game. It’s beautiful, plays wonderfully and the voice acting is phenomenal. The plot also seems decent as well, but I found it just didn’t grab me as I had hoped. The combat and character progression is where I feel the game could have really been a lot better. The combat is classic turn based with no gimmicks or anything fancy. The new moves and gear come in a slow trickle with very little in the way of improvement. The abilities just don’t feel impactful and the mana pools are huge so you can easily spam them in combat. All in all, it’s a classic JRPG that hangs onto some unfortunately archaic systems that are wrapped in beautiful world design, great voice acting and likeable characters.… Expand
  9. AlexKidd
    Jan 18, 2020
    7
    A lot of content, diverse characters and a great atmosphere. Just the typical Dragon Quest game.

    The graphics are a bit of a letdown though, it looks like a ps2 game at best. The music can also be quite annoying. It's incredibly repetitive.

    Overall a really good game though
  10. seel82
    Oct 6, 2021
    7
    This game is just...decent. There's no real investment on any of the characters, or areas you go to. The story is decent at times but really blah for long stretches. It's overall extremely easy, even doing the Draconian quests.

    My biggest gripe is probably the plot, which just seems like a game of telephone. The game is safe. It's never terrible, but never great either. 20-25 years    This game is just...decent. There's no real investment on any of the characters, or areas you go to. The story is decent at times but really blah for long stretches. It's overall extremely easy, even doing the Draconian quests.

    My biggest gripe is probably the plot, which just seems like a game of telephone.

    The game is safe. It's never terrible, but never great either. 20-25 years ago there were a half dozen games like this per year.    … Expand
  11. Ignan
    Mar 16, 2020
    7
    Boring and repetitive in lots of aspects, not the best JRPG from this generation, particulary Ys VIII shines if compared to it. The best part is sylvando, veronica and jade.
  12. lione81
    Nov 7, 2020
    5
    Absurdamente largo y aburrido. Sobra medio juego. El acto 2 no vale para nada. Se me hizo pesadisimo y después de ver el 3 se me hizo absurdo y da que pensar sobre la dirección del juego. Dificultad aleatoria. Lo mismo te estás pasando todo sin inmutarse y aparece algún enemigo y te hace reiniciar o lanzar el cartucho por la ventana. Historia....pero tiene historia??
    Juego sobrevalorado.
  13. Zethor
    Aug 17, 2020
    7
    Perhaps a bit too traditional for its own good, Dragon Quest XI is an enjoyable game with an interesting story and cast of characters. The game contains a variety of options to allow players to play the way they'd like through its lengthy campaign, but is guilty of forcing some notable amounts of grinding onto the player and draws too heavily from previous games for its music, making itsPerhaps a bit too traditional for its own good, Dragon Quest XI is an enjoyable game with an interesting story and cast of characters. The game contains a variety of options to allow players to play the way they'd like through its lengthy campaign, but is guilty of forcing some notable amounts of grinding onto the player and draws too heavily from previous games for its music, making its soundtrack (with a few notable exceptions) feel very forgettable or even irritating, a problem that stretches to the world itself by making gorgeous areas, from sandy beaches to deserts to snowy hills, all feel like "more of the same." It's a fun game with a vast amount of content, but one that just feels a bit hollow compared to other JRPGs on the market.… Expand
  14. Outofnowhereboy
    Aug 22, 2020
    7
    I’m sorry but you should ignore the reviews that claims this game to be one of the “best”, because this is not true.

    Don’t get me wrong, this is a very good game, but to pretend it is one of the best, is like comparing a Michelin star to Mario cart star. Are you happy that it turned up? Of course. Does it live up to expectations? Maybe. Is it everything you wanted? No. While the story    I’m sorry but you should ignore the reviews that claims this game to be one of the “best”, because this is not true.

    Don’t get me wrong, this is a very good game, but to pretend it is one of the best, is like comparing a Michelin star to Mario cart star.

    Are you happy that it turned up? Of course.
    Does it live up to expectations? Maybe.
    Is it everything you wanted? No.

    While the story and gameplay will keep you amused, is suffers from that old problem that the story offers nothing new and the characters are as plain as a cheese cracker. I feel like the only reason this has a average of 9+ is because people are viewing it through rose coloured glasses. It offered nothing new to the RPG world, and try’s nothing new, but is it terrible,.. no. And that’s just it’s issue. It’s not brave enough. A slight tough mid game boss here, and a ridiculously easy dungeon puzzle there, while there is no need to rave about it, it will do... and that’s all it will offer, a fairly run of mill game and story that is only viewed as good due to the ones who can’t see past the Nintendo exclusive offer.    … Expand
  15. 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.

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best Switch Game of 2019
9
#9 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. RPG Fan
    May 11, 2020
    96
    Overall, there are not many negative things I can say about Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition. This version took the foundation of an already truly excellent RPG experience and built upon it further, offering new features and quality of life improvements along the way. I poured over a hundred and twelve hours into Dragon Quest XI S, which is more than I've spent on any other RPG recently, and I never once looked back with regret as I wholeheartedly fell in love with the gameplay and story. Having only played Dragon Quest XI S, I can't say for certain if there is enough new content here to warrant an additional playthrough, but if you've yet to play Dragon Quest XI and have access to a Nintendo Switch, this version is truly the "Definitive Edition" that the title claims it is.
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  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 29, 2020
    95
    This game has become my favorite Dragon Quest ever, one of my favorite JRPGs ever and certainly one of the best games you can buy and play on the Switch. [Issue #43 – November/December 2019, p. 8SH]
  3. RPGamer
    Dec 5, 2019
    100
    Dragon Quest XI S is a game for both long-time fans and newcomers alike. There are many Easter eggs and references to past Dragon Quest games that will subtly reward fans, but at the same time, the charming world of Erdrea and its characters are appealing to newcomers of all ages. Even those who have played the previous versions of Dragon Quest XI may find the vast improvements of the Switch version compelling enough for another round, especially with the Tickington quests, new character content, and marriage options. This game is a masterpiece, and it sets a new high standard for not only the series, but console RPGs in general. Hopefully the series will continue outdoing itself with further instalments.
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