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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Techiteruel
    Jun 25, 2023
    10
    I will only say that this game deserved to be GOTY of its year. Its magical
  2. The_Clear_File
    May 19, 2023
    10
    This is pretty fun.
    The game is so traditional, so I thought it would be boring or whatever?
    But not at all. That's why it's more fun. Compared to other famous franchises in Square Enix, Dragon Quest didn't try to ruin the game or change the genre at all, just maximizing the advantages they had. The story is slightly obvious, but I'm impressed by the voice in each cut scene, the    This is pretty fun.
    The game is so traditional, so I thought it would be boring or whatever?
    But not at all. That's why it's more fun.
    Compared to other famous franchises in Square Enix, Dragon Quest didn't try to ruin the game or change the genre at all, just maximizing the advantages they had.
    The story is slightly obvious, but I'm impressed by the voice in each cut scene, the motions that are mostly not reused.
    Considering what mass-produced JRPGs look like these days, this game is definitely fun.    … Expand
  3. Jrsmall
    Apr 28, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game got me addicted to the franchise. Now I want them all. Hero and Erik are fantastic, and the spoiler of who joins you in the end is awesome. Great boss battles! I find myself addicted to just beating all these monsters and hunting the metal slimes. Hooked.… Expand
  4. JustAWeeb
    Jan 31, 2023
    9
    Great game, great characters. It felt really charming, at start at the very least, kinda dragged on for a while. The plot was pretty decent. Enjoyable and charming JRPG
  5. hileger
    Jan 19, 2023
    8
    Тупо ТОп ..........Тупо ТОп ..........Тупо ТОп ..........Тупо ТОп ..........ммТупо ТОп ..........Тупо ТОп ..........
  6. 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.
  7. NerfPlayeR135
    Dec 5, 2022
    10
    Dragon Quest finally gets an overhaul to its battle system, and the results are amazing. There's a ton of content for players new and old to the series, and I love the characters.
  8. Emanyueru
    Nov 19, 2022
    10
    Juegazo sin duda el segundo mejor Dragon Quest. buena historia,personajes, gameplay clasico de combates por turnos y unos buenos graficos con estilo artistico increible
  9. VyseHD
    Nov 18, 2022
    10
    the best RPG ive ever played, im 80 hours into and still not finished, also looks great in the switch!
  10. Sterrewiggelary
    Nov 12, 2022
    8
    My first dragon quest game. And while I enjoyed it, I found myself not as attached to the characters and world as I'd like to have been.
  11. SylvaConnect
    Oct 30, 2022
    2
    This game is stupid Im sorry.
    Its filled with more filler A to B story quests than FFXIV. Its seriously painful. Starting act 2 was horrible. 10 hours just to get your party back and thats WITH rushing and skipping all scenes which there's tons of.
    Not to mention you lose ALL warp locations (zoom) and have yo re obtain every single freaking one Level and quest design get a flat F In the S    This game is stupid Im sorry.
    Its filled with more filler A to B story quests than FFXIV. Its seriously painful. Starting act 2 was horrible. 10 hours just to get your party back and thats WITH rushing and skipping all scenes which there's tons of.
    Not to mention you lose ALL warp locations (zoom) and have yo re obtain every single freaking one
    Level and quest design get a flat F
    In the S version slime island was also nerfed. No metal slimes in act 1 at all. Youre forced to use electro to spawn any. I save wizard’d my save on ps4 because its bs.

    If visual novel bs quests werent bad enough, nearly all quests have such a poor description on them that youre playing a freaking guessing game on what to do. People on Gamefaqs have 6+ pages long of replies just to answer how to complete one sinple freaking mission and they end up arguing about how its done. This is absolutely poor game design.

    SE forgot this is an RPG not a Visual Novel. And Ultra speed in the S version isnt even ultra, its normal. I had quit mid act 1 the first version because of the animation speed being crap.

    The new act 2 quests are equally bad. Its just another 2 hours of complete visual novel GARBAGE.
    I love witcher 3, persona, FFX FFVII etc, other dw games are good too. This is garbage and all the high ratings are from people who probably think visual novels are any sort of interesting. Waste of time completely and a disgrace to JRPG.    … Expand
  12. ELYS1UM
    Sep 20, 2022
    10
    This game is a standout in the already phenomenal Dragon Quest series. It has such great gameplay, a rich world, characters oozing with charm, a fun story and a great soundtrack. Admittedly, as much as I like the soundtrack, I believe the game would have benefitted greatly with more tracks and variety of said tracks. You are forced to listen to the same songs over and over again and theyThis game is a standout in the already phenomenal Dragon Quest series. It has such great gameplay, a rich world, characters oozing with charm, a fun story and a great soundtrack. Admittedly, as much as I like the soundtrack, I believe the game would have benefitted greatly with more tracks and variety of said tracks. You are forced to listen to the same songs over and over again and they aren't varied enough to prevent them from wearing. The plot was fun and had some very high highs, but it was nothing really all that special. But I believe this game is really fun and incredible, and doesn't need a groundbreaking narrative to be a 10/10 game for me. Some of the most fun gaming experiences I've had in my life came from DQXI, and I will never forget this game, or the world of Erdrea, or it's fun and charming towns, or its character-rich monster designs, or all the fun I had playing this game.… Expand
  13. M3G4L
    Sep 15, 2022
    9
    The best game for enjoyers of nostalgic turn-based RPG fans or for new people looking to enter the RPG sphere. The game is more than worth the price as it contains hundreds of hours In just the very foundation of the game. Fun story and loveable characters, unique designs, long story, and simple but enjoyable gameplay.
  14. lucinhagamer
    Aug 26, 2022
    10
    this gameplay is very is awesome and lets you do awesome things. love this game
  15. 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
  16. azuritauwu
    Jul 7, 2022
    10
    The best experience of a RPG game, great story, good gameplay, 80+ hours only for the main quest, hard mode in draconian mision for replaying, orquestal soundtrack, japanese voices.
    Masterpiece of rgp games
  17. Nintendist
    Jun 30, 2022
    10
    brilliant game with brilliant ideas. i love this game, the story, the gameplay.
  18. waywardlaser
    Jun 28, 2022
    10
    It warms my heart to know that Japan is still making simple, medieval fantasy RPGs with no fancy bells and whistles. Just a good ol' fashioned fun time; it has a humble, retro feel with a modern coat of paint and level of polish.

    Of course you'll want to play the Definitive Edition because it has some neat extra features (like being able to play the entire game in classic 16-bit style)    It warms my heart to know that Japan is still making simple, medieval fantasy RPGs with no fancy bells and whistles. Just a good ol' fashioned fun time; it has a humble, retro feel with a modern coat of paint and level of polish.

    Of course you'll want to play the Definitive Edition because it has some neat extra features (like being able to play the entire game in classic 16-bit style) and the orchestrated soundtrack. Even though this was originally made for the PS4 I thought it looked fantastic on my Switch. Such a damn good port.    … Expand
  19. Yaacgold24
    May 9, 2022
    9
    Being a huge DQ player I jumped on this one and rushed it, the experience was formidable, it was incredible
  20. andrew9
    May 4, 2022
    8
    great game .
  21. Hackattaque
    Apr 29, 2022
    9
    I was apprehensive going in. I had only played 2 previous Dragon Quests before this, and never really ‘clicked’ with the stop-start momentum of heavy grinding between towns & quests. But DQ11 blew me away. No random encounters, generous auto saves and flexible difficulty settings mean you can concentrate on the rich characters, the fantastic story and fun combat with gorgeously animatedI was apprehensive going in. I had only played 2 previous Dragon Quests before this, and never really ‘clicked’ with the stop-start momentum of heavy grinding between towns & quests. But DQ11 blew me away. No random encounters, generous auto saves and flexible difficulty settings mean you can concentrate on the rich characters, the fantastic story and fun combat with gorgeously animated enemies. Not grinding.

    The story at first seems standard fantasy fare. But the moment you step out from your village the world comes alive. Whereas Final Fantasy feels like high opera, this is more an epic Odyssey combined with touches of the Brothers Grimm and Disney. (But always with an adult edge.)

    The detailed and lively towns you visit are filled with interesting NPCs & hilarious dialogue, in keeping with past games. Castles and caves are a joy to fight in and explore. You learn to know and love every member of your party. The art by Akira Toriyama gives it a Dragonball-ish feeling, with each new location bringing a new mini adventure.

    The game has some tiny flaws but nothing big. The pacing of the game slows down a bit towards the end, as in most RPGs, when you prepare for the final battle by assembling artifacts. (what else?) The post-game section is a neat idea but drags at times — and, for once, requires grinding.

    Bottom line: this is one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played at a time when I thought I’d exhausted my options (BOTW, Elder Scrolls, Dark Souls, Divinity: Original Sin, Witcher) and after a slightly disappointing experience with Persona 5 and Final Fantasy VII Remake (both overly long with pacing issues imo). I highly recommend it.    … Expand
  22. grimreapersims
    Apr 1, 2022
    9
    ....................................................................................................................................................................................................blank
  23. 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
  24. Jcdbengals
    Mar 24, 2022
    9
    Do not stop after the credits roll the first time! The game's true ending and plot unfolds after the credits. This wasn't explained very well, but is how the game is meant to be played. And what a game...so addicting! While the inventory menu is a bit clunky, and the characters aren't fleshed out as well as they could have been, it's still one of the best experiences I've had on the switch!
  25. Pathock
    Mar 20, 2022
    8
    Refined JRPG. .
  26. NoLameGames
    Feb 28, 2022
    9
    What a grand adventure this game was! A total gem, I'd never played a Dragon Quest game before, I'd heard it was good, but was always skeptical about that. I was in for a wonderful surprise this game was a breath of fresh air in the JRPG scene. It's very tried and true, but it had just enough QOL features to show what a JRPG should be striving for in this day and age.
  27. Tikur
    Feb 28, 2022
    10
    Its a masterpiece, simply a masterpiece.

    i have thought that the times, were I spent hours and nights into a game are over. However, this game proved me wrong, I was so fascinated from the story, the characters and the battle system, that I simply couldn't put the controller away. The turn-based battle system is easy to learn and never gets frustrated or boring. There are a variety    Its a masterpiece, simply a masterpiece.

    i have thought that the times, were I spent hours and nights into a game are over.
    However, this game proved me wrong, I was so fascinated from the story, the characters and the battle system, that I simply couldn't put the controller away.

    The turn-based battle system is easy to learn and never gets frustrated or boring. There are a variety of strategies you can experiment with. In combination with the ability system, the motivation to fight gets never lost. You always want to level up to get enough ability points for the next technique or ability. So the core element of the gameplay is motivational and very fun.

    Although it is a very important aspect of each JRPG, the gameplay alone is not the reason, why I rate this game with the 10 out of 10. The main reason are the story and in combination with that, the characters. There are so many fantastic JRPG's like the Final Fantasy Series, the Tales of Series or Xenoblade Chronicles. However creating a cast of characters where anyone of them gets a deep character developement with interesting facets is difficult to achieve. Dragon Quest did just that.
    Every character, which will become one of your allies, has his own unique motivation, his own unique attitude, his own beliefs and most importantly his own backstory with other strong characters.

    For example, the relationship between Henrik and Jasper is one of the strongest side-stories in the game. Rabs sections of characterdevelopement and funny and serious moments are balanced perfectly. Sylvandos joyful attitude will thrill you sooner or later.

    The story as a whole, gets better from act to act. The third act, which is post-game is by far the best of the three. I don't want to spoiler here. Only one thing. Best time travel plot I have seen so far.    … Expand
  28. shw079
    Feb 4, 2022
    10
    This is my favorite DQ game and RPG game so far! The graphics are so nice, even on Switch. The plot, as always in DQ series, is intriguing. I don't have any complaint!
  29. fanmadeendings
    Feb 4, 2022
    10
    One of the best RPGs of all time, polished beyond believe. There is so much to do and the characters are all extremely likeable!
  30. GenkiYokota
    Jan 27, 2022
    0
    Imperfect version of a game gem originally released on PS4 and PC
    It has a brutal graphic downgrade and doesn't do justice to the original release of 2018.
  31. kuki_nuri
    Jan 25, 2022
    8
    Ha sido mi primer Dragon Quest y en general me ha encantado. Si te gustan los juegos de combates por turnos, te gustará. La banda sonora espectacular, una bonita historia, unos personajes entrañables y unos gráficos muy simpáticos. Quizás la forma que está repartida la historia a veces se hace un pelín pesada y los final boss los vi un poco fáciles, por lo demás, genial!
  32. patinete92
    Dec 26, 2021
    10
    Espectacular, de los mejores rpg que he jugado jamás y además en switch está muy bien optimizado, incluso en portátil va genial
  33. Phuz
    Dec 25, 2021
    0
    When a game is not compelling enough to even keep me entertained for the duration of a demo, then there is something wrong.

    Very strange choice of voice actors. The girl of young appearance, sounded like a middle aged British farmer. It felt like a chore. At least with ARPG's you mash A and continue. In this, as with many turn based RPG's you mash a and sit through the animations again    When a game is not compelling enough to even keep me entertained for the duration of a demo, then there is something wrong.

    Very strange choice of voice actors. The girl of young appearance, sounded like a middle aged British farmer.

    It felt like a chore. At least with ARPG's you mash A and continue. In this, as with many turn based RPG's you mash a and sit through the animations again and again. Quite frankly, after 3, or 4 times, I was mumbling to myself, something along the lines of please hurry the **** up.

    To me, games like this can be saved by a good OST. This however has a really old fashioned OST. It isn't even remotely memorable. For comparison, I didn't like XCDE very much but I still listen to the OST loads.

    DQ 11 is a failure.    … Expand
  34. letunglinh
    Dec 18, 2021
    9
    Siêu phẩm JRPG mọi thời đại. Cảm giác như xem phim chứ không phải chơi game. Nghệ thuật
  35. BodkinDQ
    Dec 8, 2021
    10
    Dragon Quest XI S is a game steeped in tradition and brewed to modernized perfection: the perfect cup of JRPG tea. This is quite candidly the best JRPG and video game of this last decade. Dragon Quest XI S and Persona 5 have essentially led the era into a 2nd coming of the golden age of rpgs. So many great JRPGS in these last few years and DQ XI S is undeniably a leader of the pack. What aDragon Quest XI S is a game steeped in tradition and brewed to modernized perfection: the perfect cup of JRPG tea. This is quite candidly the best JRPG and video game of this last decade. Dragon Quest XI S and Persona 5 have essentially led the era into a 2nd coming of the golden age of rpgs. So many great JRPGS in these last few years and DQ XI S is undeniably a leader of the pack. What a phenomenal, magical adventure this game was, just... Wow! Haven't felt this naive excitement playing games in a long time. Truly a masterpiece!

    Gameplay- was ludicrously enjoyable. Combat system is excellent. It's a traditional turn based combat with modern twists like the exciting pep system and each character's individual turn is acted upon as soon as a skill is selected, rather than picking all your characters skills at the start of a turn and just hoping they act in order of agility. DQ XI S gets rid of that bollocks and its turn based combat is much more conducive to strategic combat. The great turn based combat system is furthermore bolstered when played with draconian modifiers for emphasis on more strategic gameplay, which really makes excellent use of buffs/debuffs, status ailments, set ups, effective damage, etc. If playing normal, it's fun just clobbering the hell outta enemies anyways, so both difficulties have their perks, and difficulty picks up on normal mode in act 3 and post game for sure. Also, it's fun and I mean a fricken blast to ride on defeated monsters, especially on gnarly looking dragons and on the poor slime knight, who just kinda dangles haphazardly on the side as you hop along! That gets a hearty chuckle out of me every time.

    Story- starts out fairly traditional and does have some twists that definitely aren't expected, but the story is exceptionally well told. Erik's memory loss felt all too real and completely genuine. It made me feel like I could empathize with his pain... Veronica's act 2 moment left me in a state of complete emotional distraught. The story is just so heartfelt in this game. It's just a nice fantasy story without the superfluous fluff. Erik is now my new favorite JRPG character and video game character of all time because of both his amazing combat prowess and his characterization. What a cast of lovable characters in general though. Erik and Veronica especially, but the whole cast just was so salt of the earth and fantastic.

    Graphics- cannot tell you how many times I stopped playing this game just to indulge in the breathtaking scenery! This game is gorgeous! The graphic downgrade from PS4 to Switch is barely noticeable, so well played on DQ XI for not being a slouch in the graphic department on the Switch. The water and lava areas in particular are stunning and realistic. I love the unorthodox mix of the hyper realistic graphics using anime esque qualities with realism. Brilliant!

    Music- while the story certainly got more involved and considerably better in the S version, with it's add ins that make the story more cohesive and beautifully told, the music got a much needed redo: A orchestral soundtrack and the option to use Dragon Quest VIII's soundtrack. The only downside about the original DQ XI was the music, and DQ XI S fixed that and made the music much more palpable to the ears.

    Dragon Quest XI S changed my gaming life: I was addicted to gachas before playing this game. I had stopped playing real games like I had done my whole life to play sunken fallacy games in the form of gachas and my life had hit some all time personal lows to top it all off... I played this game, forgot my woes, and everything changed and I've been playing JRPGs and beating them left and right, but DQ XI S remains my favorite game of all time. Bye bye gachas, hello rpgs my old friends! I created a metacritic account just to review this phenomenal game. I had such a blast playing this game and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes JRPGS done right. One of the few games I'd rate a perfect 10/10 or in my mind: 11/10    … Expand
  36. RafaTamer
    Nov 22, 2021
    10
    Um dos melhores rpg que joguei na vida, roteiro e história impecáveis, aliado com visual lindíssimo. Um clássico J-RPG.
  37. 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
  38. Andrewblank610
    Sep 28, 2021
    9
    2nd best Dragon Quest game by far after 8. Every character is fun and has a great story both alone and combined with the other. Just wish they'd add DQ8 monster capturing to the newer games.
  39. Ripper36
    Sep 10, 2021
    10
    What a wonderful game this is. Its one of the best looking games on the Switch Period. Runs smooth and plays even smoother. I loved the story and combat. Be awhere, its a huge long game that will takes alot of hours to complete but well worth it. Good job Nintendo!
  40. VikiSetyah
    Aug 25, 2021
    10
    Cool, beatiful, immersive world and story. Turn based is not my genre but with beautiful soundtrack i can enjoy this games.
  41. Cesspul
    Jul 31, 2021
    1
    extremely boring dialog and storyline even 45 hours in. Combat and leveling system with the ability grid is like ff10 but for preteen super weebs. Very unstrategic and boring even late in the game. Worst rpg I've played in years. Music is annoying. How is this trash so popular?
  42. giannis2001
    Jul 16, 2021
    9
    One of the best turned based RPG games you can play. The combat is excellent, the world is astonishing and the story is incredibly interesting with a lot of twists along the way, and well written characters. The soundtrack is excellent, and one of the most important parts of the game. It's just a masterpiece.
  43. frankzhang2046
    Jul 7, 2021
    9
    One of the best JRPGs I've ever played (definitely up there with Persona 4.) I really appreciate how everything is streamlined with tons of quality-of-life improvements. (story recap, quest markers, markers for red doors, etc) so you always know where to go and who to talk to.
  44. kanariya
    Jun 12, 2021
    10
    God game!!
    One of my best games in my life.
    Because if this game I become to look after other JRPGs.
  45. PsychoJoona
    May 8, 2021
    8
    Dragon Quest hasen't changed at all in over 20 years.. And that's okay to me! If you want classic JRPG play DRAGON QUEST XI! But I have to say the bonus content is cool for the Switch but the secret final boss is impossible so f u Square Enix. And this game doesn't look that great but atleast it runs well!
  46. MegaMania
    Apr 28, 2021
    10
    Probably one of the best JRPGs of all time. Between the world building, characters, and gameplay, it's hard for me to say anything negative about it. The designs done by Akira Toriyama look amazing, and the graphical style is so charming. The plot is an absolute thrill to discover, and the music is always on point. I don't think there's a single song in this game that I even mildly disliked.
  47. Theday
    Apr 10, 2021
    10
    Dragon Quest XI is a real celebration of the series as a whole. It's pure JRPG comfort food.
  48. Wboy2006
    Mar 30, 2021
    10
    The BEST RPG ever! A must play for every RPG fan! And if you don't know if you like it, download the demo. It is the first 10 HOURS of the game. There is no excuse not to play it. The story is brilliant, voice acting is great (in English at least). Characters are likable or hatable (it depends). And characters evolve in the story, characters change. Motivations change. It is a world withThe BEST RPG ever! A must play for every RPG fan! And if you don't know if you like it, download the demo. It is the first 10 HOURS of the game. There is no excuse not to play it. The story is brilliant, voice acting is great (in English at least). Characters are likable or hatable (it depends). And characters evolve in the story, characters change. Motivations change. It is a world with people, not blank slates that help you. A masterpiece. (It is sometimes a little bit grindy, but the game is so good that it doesn't even matter). A must have for any RPG fan.… Expand
  49. lalahand
    Mar 6, 2021
    0
    Another jrpg with disappointing story. I fell asleep several times while playing this game
  50. MisterMacys
    Feb 16, 2021
    8
    Too few music tracks, and wayyy too repetitive. This is a game from 2019, not 1989. It ruins the charm of the entire rest of the story to hear the same 60 second loop over and over and over again in a 30-60 hour game.
  51. greninjaX
    Feb 15, 2021
    10
    100 hours of pure adventure. this game is great if you need a break from reality.
  52. yangfanhong
    Feb 13, 2021
    9
    This game has top quality among JRPGs. The graphic is amazing, the gameplay is great and the story is classic.
  53. oldhorse
    Jan 29, 2021
    4
    Not captivating in the least. Voice acting is comically bad, which isn't totally bad because at least it's funny. But the combat is dull and repetitive. And moving around in the world feels like a chore. Story is cliche and dull. Camera controls feel clumsy. It is charming I suppose which I why I didn't give it a zero but it truly is a game of such an easy difficulty, I felt moreNot captivating in the least. Voice acting is comically bad, which isn't totally bad because at least it's funny. But the combat is dull and repetitive. And moving around in the world feels like a chore. Story is cliche and dull. Camera controls feel clumsy. It is charming I suppose which I why I didn't give it a zero but it truly is a game of such an easy difficulty, I felt more accomplished for stomaching the god awful story and mechanics.

    Do yourself a favor and don't buy this game    … Expand
  54. PokeProX
    Jan 26, 2021
    10
    This game is one of the best JRPGs I've ever played, well let's review this.

    The story is both interesting and time-consuming, the story is divided into three phases, the entire game takes about 100 hours to finish, so if you have the time, then you can finish it. The gameplay is a simple turn-based RPG, it's fun and intuitive. The graphics are spectacular, and the updated soundtrack is    This game is one of the best JRPGs I've ever played, well let's review this.

    The story is both interesting and time-consuming, the story is divided into three phases, the entire game takes about 100 hours to finish, so if you have the time, then you can finish it. The gameplay is a simple turn-based RPG, it's fun and intuitive. The graphics are spectacular, and the updated soundtrack is amazing, you can feel the passion put into it. The cast of characters is all quite interesting and they show personality.

    Depending on your perspective, this might be one of the best JRPGs that you might ever play and according to me, this was a fun experience, Dragon Quest XI S is up there with FFX and KH2. For me, this was a great experience, it does have a few minor/major flaws, but I'm willing to overlook them. The game gets a score of 9.8!    … Expand
  55. HeavyMachineGon
    Jan 6, 2021
    9
    2019了还在做传统jprg的估计只有DQ了，玩试玩版玩了一会就喜欢上了（试玩版竟然有10小时内容，真的值），喜欢DQ的剧情，有阳光有黑暗，有那么一点中二热血，但又没有那么中二，时常会被感动到。里面还有一部分内容是致敬前作DQ的，直接做成了像素风，不影响主线，但非常好玩，整个DQ11最后打完差不多花了125小时，是我第一个破100小时的游戏。
    游戏的最终boss出来后目的性就有点太明确了：做支线，升级，打装备。会有那么一点无聊。    2019了还在做传统jprg的估计只有DQ了，玩试玩版玩了一会就喜欢上了（试玩版竟然有10小时内容，真的值），喜欢DQ的剧情，有阳光有黑暗，有那么一点中二热血，但又没有那么中二，时常会被感动到。里面还有一部分内容是致敬前作DQ的，直接做成了像素风，不影响主线，但非常好玩，整个DQ11最后打完差不多花了125小时，是我第一个破100小时的游戏。
    游戏的最终boss出来后目的性就有点太明确了：做支线，升级，打装备。会有那么一点无聊。
  56. supermalik987
    Dec 30, 2020
    10
    I been trying to find a game that bring back old memories of playing video since playstation 2 .Dragon Quest 11 give me that amazing feeling that alot of game are missing . Not ever new video have to run each other . To be honest it's getting tired of seeing video games showing of graphics that doesn't look good on launch one world map . Dragon Quest 11 is the one game that doesn't need toI been trying to find a game that bring back old memories of playing video since playstation 2 .Dragon Quest 11 give me that amazing feeling that alot of game are missing . Not ever new video have to run each other . To be honest it's getting tired of seeing video games showing of graphics that doesn't look good on launch one world map . Dragon Quest 11 is the one game that doesn't need to follow the trend . While playing other RPG in this gem. Final Fantasy XV , Final Fantasy vii remake Persona 5 Shin Megami Tensei IV .while does some are them are good and one was a joke .. after this I'm a fan of dragon quest and I know when dragon quest 12 cones out it will be amazing… Expand
  57. DerPandaYT
    Dec 13, 2020
    10
    Loved it. Big fan of the Dragon Quest series and this one had nearly everything. Fun story, good fights, lovely world. It is a dragonquest game through and through.
    Only thing that i missed (it was only in dqix) was that armor changes my characters looks. I really liked that.
  58. IntroducirNombr
    Dec 1, 2020
    10
    Si a algún juego le queda bien la etiqueta "definitive edition" es a este.
    Como fan de la saga desde hace tiempo, he de decir que este juego me ha parecido una absoluta maravilla. El fandom occidental de DQ solía elegir el V o el VIII como las mejores entregas (aunque todas están a un nivel similar), pero el XI, y sobre todo el XI S, ha entrado al podio; de hecho, para mí esta versión es    Si a algún juego le queda bien la etiqueta "definitive edition" es a este.
    Como fan de la saga desde hace tiempo, he de decir que este juego me ha parecido una absoluta maravilla. El fandom occidental de DQ solía elegir el V o el VIII como las mejores entregas (aunque todas están a un nivel similar), pero el XI, y sobre todo el XI S, ha entrado al podio; de hecho, para mí esta versión es el mejor juego de la saga.

    La historia y los capítulos extra son geniales, tanto en la parte principal como en el post-game (unas 120 horas de historia ininterrumpda), las animaciones de los personajes, el doblaje japonés e inglés, la banda sonora sinfónica; todo está a un nivel altísimo.
    No obstante, para mí, el cambio más notorio respecto a la saga es el sistema de combate, me parece el mejor, y si lo combinas con los modos difíciles de la Misión Draconiana, el juego se convierte en el más desafiante de la saga. Los turnos son mucho más dinámicos, se van asignando a cada personaje durante el combate, pues tras seleccionar el movimiento de tu personaje, atacas al instante, no seleccionas todos los movimientos de la party y se ejecutan por orden en función de la velocidad como en entregas anteriores. Si bien se repiten algunas habilidades del árbol, las combinaciones y posibilidades con ataques especiales son abrumadoras.

    En el modo 2D los mapas son significativamente más pequeños y el sistema de combate mucho más tosco, como en los juegos de la era de 16 bits; toda la música se ha adaptado a los 8 bits y gráficamente se ve increíble, una pasada que hayan metido todo esto. Además de las misiones con guiños y escenarios recreados de los juegos anteriores de DQ.

    La música de la versión de PS4 y PC fue polémica debido a varios vídeos que circulan por YouTube que la critican y critican al autor, pero yo la veo muy bien, aunque esto va a gustos. Es verdad que tiene menos temas originales (aunque son muy buenos en mi opinión) y se utilizan muchas pistas de juegos pasados, pero si eres nuevo en la saga no lo vas a notar y si conoces la saga ya te gustan porque Sugiyama es un genio.

    Lo que yo considero "más flojo" del juego:
    -Mazmorras más lineales y con menos puzles que en anteriores entregas.
    -Repetición de algunas habilidades en el árbol de habilidades, sobre todo en espadas.

    En definitiva, es un juego muy muy recomendable para cualquier amante del RPG, tanto si ha jugado antes DQ como si no; mi juego favorito de Switch (y lo digo habiendo jugado Breath of the Wild y Odyssey). Le pongo un 10, que sería un 9,5 o más debido a los mínimos inconvenientes que le he encontrado.

    Esta saga merece más fans, si dudáis de comprarlo, compradlo, buena compra seguro.    … Expand
  59. gq_foine
    Nov 16, 2020
    10
    MASETERPIECE! I give this 10/10 right behind Chrono Trigger.

    It's one of the best JRPG experiences you will have! There are 3 main acts so make sure to clear all 3 acts to get the true ending!! This was so freaken amazing I loved it! TOP 5 best JRPGs! Do not miss this if you love Dragon Quest, JRPG, or turnbase style games! I loved it so much I paid 2X for PS4 and Switch    MASETERPIECE! I give this 10/10 right behind Chrono Trigger.

    It's one of the best JRPG experiences you will have! There are 3 main acts so make sure to clear all 3 acts to get the true ending!! This was so freaken amazing I loved it! TOP 5 best JRPGs! Do not miss this if you love Dragon Quest, JRPG, or turnbase style games!

    I loved it so much I paid 2X for PS4 and Switch version! cleared both times! Literally the only gripe on this game was that it was a bit easy except the final true boss and the training fights on the mountain.

    DO NOT MISS THIS MASTERPIECE! GO BUY IT! IT'S WORTH 100%!    … Expand
  60. the-mighty-ant
    Nov 16, 2020
    8
    A truly wonderful and heart warming adventure.

    I was playing JRPG's over twenty years ago but in recent years had become tired of the genre. This game restored my faith. A wonderful story, enjoyable gameplay loop all in a fascinating world to explore and with a wonderful orchestrated soundtrack. Truly memorable. N.B. the DEMO is one of the most generous available with around 10    A truly wonderful and heart warming adventure.

    I was playing JRPG's over twenty years ago but in recent years had become tired of the genre. This game restored my faith. A wonderful story, enjoyable gameplay loop all in a fascinating world to explore and with a wonderful orchestrated soundtrack. Truly memorable.

    N.B. the DEMO is one of the most generous available with around 10 hours of gameplay. If in doubt check it out!    … Expand
  61. 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.
  62. Cotelindsey
    Oct 27, 2020
    10
    To put it simply, this is the greatest JRPG of the modern era. It knows what it is/wants to be and had the time, money, passion, and experienced team to pull it off. If you like JRPGs, you must play this game immediately.
  63. jad_giovanni
    Oct 25, 2020
    10
    La verdad no tengo nada malo que decir. Es obvio que es inferior gráficamente a otras versiones, pero si quieres algo superior compra otra consola y el juego y listo. Gráficamente se ve muy bien, la música es increíble. Es muy agradable no tener que dar instrucciones para cada una de las pequeñas batallas en las que participas para farmear, pero poder controlar todo con enemigos másLa verdad no tengo nada malo que decir. Es obvio que es inferior gráficamente a otras versiones, pero si quieres algo superior compra otra consola y el juego y listo. Gráficamente se ve muy bien, la música es increíble. Es muy agradable no tener que dar instrucciones para cada una de las pequeñas batallas en las que participas para farmear, pero poder controlar todo con enemigos más fuertes. Son interesantes todas sus opciones de juego retro, pero son más una curiosidad que otra cosa. La historia es bastante agradable y hasta cierto punto puede ser interesante, pero no es ningún triller.… Expand
  64. S1XString88
    Oct 23, 2020
    8
    First time playing a Dragon Quest game and I was not disappointed. The game play is fantastic and I never had any issues on the Switch. Graphics are good, some pop but not enough to be bothered by. Considering the size of this game, having the ability to play on the go is a real achievement.

    In terms of the game world, it was a delight to explore. There was a fairly typical selection of    First time playing a Dragon Quest game and I was not disappointed. The game play is fantastic and I never had any issues on the Switch. Graphics are good, some pop but not enough to be bothered by. Considering the size of this game, having the ability to play on the go is a real achievement.

    In terms of the game world, it was a delight to explore. There was a fairly typical selection of environments and a vast array of enemies to keep me occupied. However, the game dragged it's heels more than I'd like during Act 2 and revisiting areas became a tad tedious.

    The fights were enjoyable, although relatively easy considering I had no experience with the series. If I was to be picky I'd have preferred a bit more of a challenge! Later in the game the boss fights can be rewarding as long as you don't go into them over-levelled.

    All in all, my first experience with the Dragon Quest series was a great one. The game kept me hooked although it was slightly too easy and the story fairly stereotypical. There were also a couple of annoying companions that started to get on my nerves after 50 hours, hence the 8/10. Great game, lots of content and a highly enjoyable experience!    … Expand
  65. pacomantu
    Oct 20, 2020
    9
    Gran juego. Es bonito, es entretenido y la historia está muy bien contada y tiene personajes muy carismáticos. Para mi gusto, el único fallo es la música, que, aunque en esta edición es cosa de la Orquesta Sinfónica Metropolitana de Tokio, no llega a darle un tono de verdadera emoción a ciertos combates. A pesar de esto, creo que es un JRPG sobresaliente y esta 'Definitive Edition' enGran juego. Es bonito, es entretenido y la historia está muy bien contada y tiene personajes muy carismáticos. Para mi gusto, el único fallo es la música, que, aunque en esta edición es cosa de la Orquesta Sinfónica Metropolitana de Tokio, no llega a darle un tono de verdadera emoción a ciertos combates. A pesar de esto, creo que es un JRPG sobresaliente y esta 'Definitive Edition' en Switch es un port espectacular que me ha **** jugar sin parar y en todas partes.… Expand
  66. Theuzetz
    Oct 19, 2020
    10
    I grew up playing pokémon emerald, and this game is literally EVERYTHING I wanted a modern JRPG to be like, everything I ever wanted in a game is in this one, it has a great yet clichè story, with a evil villain that just wants to destroy the world, and you experience the tragedy and pain people are feeling while you travel the world.
    this review will contain heavy spoilers after the arc    I grew up playing pokémon emerald, and this game is literally EVERYTHING I wanted a modern JRPG to be like, everything I ever wanted in a game is in this one, it has a great yet clichè story, with a evil villain that just wants to destroy the world, and you experience the tragedy and pain people are feeling while you travel the world.
    this review will contain heavy spoilers after the arc 1 review, if you haven't played the game yet, I recommend you do so before reading my reviews for arc 2 and 3 (post game)

    Arc 1 : First half of the game is less about the story, and more just about the adventure. You go out to the vast world of Erdrea, and your objective is to get to the world tree, also called Yggdrasil. On your way to the world tree, you find 6 people that will join your party, and became loyal companions of the luminary, and will help you on your journey. You get to explore the world and learn much about it in the first arc, and help many people to fulfill their wishes, and the chapter ends with a big event that sets the path to the second arc.

    REVIEW WILL GET SPOILER HEAVY AFTER THIS POINT

    Arc 2: After Mordegon reveals himself, steals the sword of light and destroys the world tree, you play as a few of the main characters separately, as they've all been separated after what happened at the world tree. Once they're all reunited (now with Hendrik, who realized the luminary fought fir the right cause), you go out on another journey, now to reclaim the sword of light, defeat Mordegon and bring peace back to the world. The second arc is more challenging than the first one, although it's still not very difficult if you are used to turn based JRPGs, but it's quite fun. At the end of arc 2, after you defeat Mordegon, the game teases there's something else that could still be a threat, because you know you haven't defeated the so called Calasmos, which was mentioned earlier in the game. Peace has been restored, and if you boot up the game again, you mission will be to travel and look at the peaceful world you created.

    Arc 3 (post-game) : In the middle of the second arc, you find out Veronica, one of the main characters, died, to save everyone at the world changing event in the end of the first arc, but, later on the post-game, you also find out there's a way to travel back in time, not only to save her, but to prevent the world tree to fall as well, and you do so, however, only the luminary can travel back in time, he takes with him the dark sword, since the sword of light was broken to travel back in time. He then, predicts all of mordegon's moves, and defeats him, however, his last words were: "So be it... but do not think... you are the only one who has... defied the flow of time...". You then, find out, calasmos also traveled back in time, alongside the luminary, and then tries to destroy the world again. Although you managed to stop Mordegon's triumph and save Veronica, now there's a much bigger threat, calasmos is far more powerful than mordegon, but that's pretty much where the game ends. After you gain access to Cetacea, you can challenge calsamos at any time, but you should definitely do some side quests first, since this is the end of the game.
    The game calls back to DQIII A LOT, giving the past game a great closure to the story, but it's still very enjoyable even if you haven't played DQXIII.
    The music is much better in this orchestrated version, and gameplay might be the best a turn based JRPG has ever been, exploration feels great and the story and characters are really fleshed out.

    This is a masterpiece among masterpieces, and one of the best modern JRPGs I've ever played, definitely well worth it and is constantly on sale, although it's easily worth the 60 bucks it costs.    … Expand
  67. GuEmoRRiRoW
    Oct 12, 2020
    10
    Easily the best Jrpg of the generation. I wasn’t expecting to put 155h into this game. Even though I managed to finish it with 110h, I kept playing just because I didn’t want to leave the world of Erdrea. I even created an account here to post this! One of the best swicth games with Zelda Breath of the Wild.
  68. Kacek1996
    Oct 11, 2020
    10
    It was my first dragon quest contact ever. I started with the demo, and that's what took the hold of my soul and reminded me about my long forgotten love towards the turn based RPGs. Graphics are smooth and compact, I adore the art of Akira Toriyama. My favourite characters were Erik, Jade, Rab, Veronica and Hero, whom I named Jotaro. Enemies have a clever design here as well, IIt was my first dragon quest contact ever. I started with the demo, and that's what took the hold of my soul and reminded me about my long forgotten love towards the turn based RPGs. Graphics are smooth and compact, I adore the art of Akira Toriyama. My favourite characters were Erik, Jade, Rab, Veronica and Hero, whom I named Jotaro. Enemies have a clever design here as well, I appreciated the look of sabrecat and sabrecub, all dragons (especially Yggdragon), Jargon, Hornknight and Sham hatwitch (and their variants) and many more. The plot was a little longer than I expected and it had some twists I would never consider (if I count correctly, there were 5 for me). I was shocked by the diversity of the map, it was made thoughtfully, the pallet of colours ain't dull and that's nice. Music with time got repetitive and it sucked, so while I played in handheld I muted the game music xD However, while docked I used it. I appreciate that I had an option to choose between Japanese and English dubs (I used Japanese with English subs it seemed more natural, since it has the art from Akira Toriyama), voice actors did a great job here. Now moving farther from graphics, sound and plot. Game at 99% of time had a consistent framerate. However, I had some rare frame drops while starting my movement after the relocating from map to map. It was a really rare case, but it happened (it didn't ruin my gameplay, so I don't mind it). There was one time I had to grind levels and one time when I didn't know I should use my sword in the other way than slashing (huh, last boss), but in any other way it wasn't hard to progress. It brought back my love towards the turn based games and that's why I dismiss minuses I mentioned. Also, I had a marvellous 120 hours of my time with this gem of a game 10/10. I do recommend it wholeheartedly!… Expand
  69. Dany8
    Sep 23, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. JUEGAZO, de los mejores RPG, lo mejor esque es protatil, la historia del luminario es tan buena y sus personajes que encancha.
    La banda orquestada pone sentimiento al juego    … Expand
  70. rosnk30
    Sep 23, 2020
    8
    Well, after spend 86 hours until the end I feel ready to speak about DQXI. Technically this game's gorgeous, showing tons of stuff like battlemode, free will, start where you want, chooses a way to play and chooses between 2D and 3D mode.

    I guess that DQ had more positive points instead of negative after all....if I choose one negative, sinceraly I would talk about story. Well, the    Well, after spend 86 hours until the end I feel ready to speak about DQXI. Technically this game's gorgeous, showing tons of stuff like battlemode, free will, start where you want, chooses a way to play and chooses between 2D and 3D mode.

    I guess that DQ had more positive points instead of negative after all....if I choose one negative, sinceraly I would talk about story. Well, the story is more larger than the DQ needs and sometimes's boring a lot.....

    Great game...8/10    … Expand
  71. Talabeer
    Sep 17, 2020
    8
    Muy guapo pero muy muy muy muy muy muy muy muy largo (innecesariamente). Lo mejor, pa mí, los personajes. Tremendos todos.
  72. BeeBoss
    Sep 4, 2020
    4
    Not good, not bad, nothing special... and horse design is totally non-anatomical (looks like a horse from a preschooler's drawing)
  73. Dkhenny
    Aug 23, 2020
    10
    Just amazing, the story the old school battle system you name it this game is everything right with a jrpg.
  74. 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
  75. MagicMikey
    Aug 22, 2020
    9
    The Switch Version runs perfectly and look beautiful. Was my First Dragon Quest game and it got me heavily into the series. one of the best games on the Switch a masterful turn based JRPG
  76. BigPapa1
    Aug 12, 2020
    10
    A Strong game with complete plot. Unlike that FF7 Remake. Solid bosses that offer snappy challenge.
  77. 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
  78. GreenPieceofMin
    Aug 15, 2020
    0
    Very superb game!
  79. Dominicl
    Aug 8, 2020
    9
    Fantastic story and graphics. This game is mostly about the cut scenes. Not a game you can play passively whiling watching the news or something. You will want to treat it is as a good book. The difficulty is hard enough to not be boring, but easy enough to not stress you out. The cut scenes and difficulty make for a very relaxing and engaging experience.

    My only wish would be that the    Fantastic story and graphics. This game is mostly about the cut scenes. Not a game you can play passively whiling watching the news or something. You will want to treat it is as a good book. The difficulty is hard enough to not be boring, but easy enough to not stress you out. The cut scenes and difficulty make for a very relaxing and engaging experience.

    My only wish would be that the equipment changes your characters as they wear it. The outfits are cool and all, but I want each item to change each character. Give me some customizationsn.    … Expand
  80. RandomGuy110
    Jul 23, 2020
    10
    Now that the game is on every console and also PC, please play this game it is most worth your time. The graphics are barely even a noticeable downgrade from the original on PS4, with much much more new content added. This is by far my favorite JRPG/RPG on the switch, not BOTW (if that counts), both Xenoblades, Octopath, and everything you can think of, this is my favorite. The worldNow that the game is on every console and also PC, please play this game it is most worth your time. The graphics are barely even a noticeable downgrade from the original on PS4, with much much more new content added. This is by far my favorite JRPG/RPG on the switch, not BOTW (if that counts), both Xenoblades, Octopath, and everything you can think of, this is my favorite. The world feels very connected and the characters get amazing moments, the story tries something I haven’t seen before in an RPG which makes me like it more. I would definitely recommend this to any JRPG fan or anyone looking to get into the genre.… Expand
  81. pmasterfunk
    Jul 22, 2020
    8
    Dragon Quest XI may not be the best Dragon Quest game ever, but it's the probably the most playable one. TL;DR at the end.

    For reference, I've played to completion Dragon Warrior/Quest 1, 3, 6, and 8, and have also played at least a bit of 2, 4, and 5. My favourite of the bunch is 8, so I'll try and use it as a yardstick now and then. Obviously, 11 looks better than 8, but I don't    Dragon Quest XI may not be the best Dragon Quest game ever, but it's the probably the most playable one. TL;DR at the end.

    For reference, I've played to completion Dragon Warrior/Quest 1, 3, 6, and 8, and have also played at least a bit of 2, 4, and 5. My favourite of the bunch is 8, so I'll try and use it as a yardstick now and then.

    Obviously, 11 looks better than 8, but I don't think it looks better in 2020 than 8 did 2004. 8 was top of class in its day, and 11, well, it looks nice, and some of the lighting effects are quite good, but I think the higher degree of precision and resolution makes it a bit more obvious that Akira Toriyama can only draw 3 face types, 3 eye shapes, and 3 hair styles, then mix and match.

    Minor spoiler here, but when I got to the Havens, the island floating in the air with white, semi-spherical buildings built upon it, I actually though to myself "oh god, not Mr. Popo". And lo and behold, there he was, in his palette-swapped glory.

    Gameplay-wise, it doesn't stray far from the formula. Don't be fooled by the movable characters and camera, they do not affect the battles in any way, it's just for show. The slightly updated battle system with characters picking their attacks on right as they are about to act is nice, but it does make the game easier. In fact, it's by far the easiest DQ game I've played. It's possible to up the difficulty with certain options, but at the baseline, it's not a difficult game.

    "You don't even need to use buffs!" - Matador

    I've always had some basic issues with the battle mechanics in DQ. Attack spells aren't that useful or damaging, especially in the later part of the game where some low-MP physical skills can do so much damage. There are always a few skills that are so vastly superior to everything else, there's no reason to use anything else (*cough cough* Sword Dance). Elemental attributes don't seem to ever add extra damage to enemies. For example, I've never seen Jade's Crushed Ice do more damage than Multithrust, even against obviously flame-based enemies. I mean, I'm in a freaking volcano for chrissakes.
    Status effects are useful early/mid-game, especially with Erik's Persecutter and Victimiser skills, but Erik's late-game damage output make him and status effects kinda obsolete. His steal skill still works at best 50% of the time, even against the first enemies you meet in the game.
    There's a weird scaling effect for enemies with high defense, where lower powered attacks do 1 point of damage, making, again, Erik kinda useless if he's using a multi-hit weapon.
    I don't know why
    Breath attacks seem to hit for consistent damage regardless of defense. Chimeras (wyverns for you old-schoolers) will hit for 10 points of damage, then do a breath attack for 70 points of damage to the whole team, lol wut.

    I'm complaining a lot about the battle system, but for the most part I still enjoy it. I really enjoy the option to speed up battles, and outside of battles, there are lots of quality of life improvements that make it so much more accessible. Zooming from inside dungeons is nice, the horse makes travelling quite a bit more efficient, having access to the Fun-Sized Forge anywhere is super convenient and the recipe system is way less of a crapshoot compared to DQ8. Load times seem shorter than DQ8, though apparently it's longer than on other platforms.

    The soundtrack is pretty good, but I don't like the overworld theme. Compared to DQ8's soothing track, which made me want to just gaze at the scenery serenely, DQ11's is kind of aggressive and intense.

    The story is a bit of a departure for a DQ game. I'm surprised Dunkey didn't say "it's a silly game with serious moments". For the most part, the tone is light-hearted, but there are some surprisingly grim bits here and there. The doom and gloom is well done, and the secondary characters have fairly interesting arcs. Sadly, once you get halfway through the second act, things go back to normal "save the world from evil so-and-so" stuff. I wish it were a bit less predictable near the end, because I really think the game has some good heartfelt moments, but the game loses all that tension as you inch towards the end. Then the last act feels like DLC filler, and I completely lost interest.

    Anyway, this review is way too long, but the long and short of it is: It's a Dragon Quest game, it plays like Dragon Quest, it looks like Dragon Quest, it takes forever to finish like Dragon Quest, and it's very accessible for a Dragon Quest title.    … Expand
  82. novembr
    Jul 21, 2020
    9
    While it doesn't try to innovate quite as much as, say, the Persona series, this is a classically-styled JRPG that is highly polished and expertly refined in nearly every way. While Square's Final Fantasy efforts the past decade or so have been mostly overly designed, bloated efforts that attempt to reinvent the wheel, DQ stays true to its roots while honing the edges of a tried and trueWhile it doesn't try to innovate quite as much as, say, the Persona series, this is a classically-styled JRPG that is highly polished and expertly refined in nearly every way. While Square's Final Fantasy efforts the past decade or so have been mostly overly designed, bloated efforts that attempt to reinvent the wheel, DQ stays true to its roots while honing the edges of a tried and true formula. It won't convert anyone who cannot stand to play JRPGs, but will surely win the hearts of those who are accepting of the strengths and weaknesses of the genre.

    The story, as usual, is similar to past titles (FF does this too), but the characters, dialogue, and voice acting are all top notch. The English dub is superb. The music leaves a bit to be desired, however. Though the tracks are well done (especially the Switch orchestral versions), they repeat constantly and often don't fit the tone of the the scripted scenes. There should have been more variety for a game of this caliber. Balancing is fair, in normal mode, and compared to many other JRPGs, you won't find yourself needing to grind endlessly throughout the quest.

    The Switch version looks nice, given its capacity, and suffers from very few technical hitches, in my experience. Audio sounds great and not compressed to hell. Overall, an impressive port.    … Expand
  83. ADrunkenRabbit
    Jul 11, 2020
    8
    If you like old school turn based JRPGs this is really nice. It isn't mind blowing and honestly plot wise it's a little too tame and vanilla for me to love but it's very well told. As a FF series fan playing his first Dragon Quest I really liked that it is told and paced more like a Shonen manga series with multiple short self contained arcs that fit in to a larger story, rather than howIf you like old school turn based JRPGs this is really nice. It isn't mind blowing and honestly plot wise it's a little too tame and vanilla for me to love but it's very well told. As a FF series fan playing his first Dragon Quest I really liked that it is told and paced more like a Shonen manga series with multiple short self contained arcs that fit in to a larger story, rather than how FF does it (often feeling like a really long movie). It made it very consumable over a long period of time and kept it engaging. Even if the big bad felt far away there was always something to do within the area around me that felt like it mattered.

    This game seriously **** needs more music tho. It's OST is pitifully small for how insanely long this game is.    … Expand
  84. Anonime
    Jul 10, 2020
    10
    It has been a long time since I played a Dragon quest, and I wanted it since they launched it in 3Ds, but unfortunately that version never came to us and I gave it up for lost.

    And here I am, happy to be able to talk about it after completing almost everything thanks to this complete version of the game. The first thing I fell in love with were its graphics and its semi-open world,    It has been a long time since I played a Dragon quest, and I wanted it since they launched it in 3Ds, but unfortunately that version never came to us and I gave it up for lost.

    And here I am, happy to be able to talk about it after completing almost everything thanks to this complete version of the game.

    The first thing I fell in love with were its graphics and its semi-open world, the freedom you have to do what you want is vast, its world is full of life (and monsters), the mounts are great and with a purpose, and their characters, each which more charismatic.

    The story, on the other hand, kept me hooked to the end, and that means going over to the most secret parts of the game. I did not feel bored and tired of repeating certain parts, on the contrary. And the added pieces of history, while short, are interesting.

    2D mode is a delicacy, and its extra to achieve the books of old games in the saga is something very beautiful and nostalgic, as well as a challenge to complete.

    The music is still the same as in the saga, and I love that.    … Expand
  85. niceshim
    Jul 8, 2020
    9
    It was the most fun of the Dragon Quest series I have ever played. It's optimized for switches and has a lot of added elements, so I really recommend it if you like JRPG.
  86. T-RoyTime
    Jul 7, 2020
    0
    Honestly one of the best games on Switch, and probably the best JRPG I've ever played in general. The characters, the story, the music, and the gameplay, though a little bit repetitive at times, the payoff is great. If you haven't bought or played this game yet, I think that tis is something that you truly can't miss out on.
  87. illumi3602
    Jul 2, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I only played this game because the main character was in smash ultimate and i gotta say that i really enjoyed my time playing this game. i first play the demo that came one month before the actually game and it was a very long demo like ten hours long. I felt like it should have ended where the main character and Erik jump off the cliff to save their self from being captured by the heliodor knights instead of unexpectedly ending on me, i felt like that would be a better hook anyway I still ended up buying the whole game. i manged to finished the game in 60-70 hours which is consider a lot for $60 dollar game so if you have a switch and gotten all the first party Nintendo games i would recommend you to buy this game and if you have both a switch and ps4 or PC. i would still recommend you to buy this game for the switch even though it's a little downgrade in graphic and quality, there are many things that you couldn't have done on the ps4 like running in the game that is on the switch and many other inspect that improve the quality of playing on the switch.… Expand
  88. A99wxy
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    Incredible, simply incredible. It is a pity that this series is so infrequent, many are probably frightened by the genre to which the game belongs but I am sure that if they tried the game they would love it.

    So full of content, stories and beautiful quests, an incredible adventure with an exquisitely fantasy taste.One of the greatest exponents of the classic jrpg genre, a summary of    Incredible, simply incredible. It is a pity that this series is so infrequent, many are probably frightened by the genre to which the game belongs but I am sure that if they tried the game they would love it.

    So full of content, stories and beautiful quests, an incredible adventure with an exquisitely fantasy taste.One of the greatest exponents of the classic jrpg genre, a summary of the best features that one of those games should have.

    There is no lack of innovative ideas for the saga even if the game always remains strongly anchored to its genre, bringing the most classic features of the saga to their maximum potential.

    Highly recommended, especially in the switch version which adds various contents also to the trama which are important for the characterization of the characters.    … Expand
  89. 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.
  90. Rairix
    Jun 19, 2020
    9
    A great dragon quest game, loved the ps4 version, but love this version even more for the added music, scenes and optional costumes. You're going to laugh a lot from the story, but also cry quite a few times as well your first time through. 80+ hours for your first run (if you go for true ending) My only complaint is never getting to undo Veronica's curse/play as her adult self.
  91. webfubard
    Jun 19, 2020
    2
    This is my first JRPG and a first for Dragon Quest. I have been playing video games since the very first one was released many decades ago. The graphics are excellent & the story is good, but that's about it. The music is mind numbing and the ability to manipulate the characters is slim. During battle, you just basically stand there and do nothing. You can't use any items in your personalThis is my first JRPG and a first for Dragon Quest. I have been playing video games since the very first one was released many decades ago. The graphics are excellent & the story is good, but that's about it. The music is mind numbing and the ability to manipulate the characters is slim. During battle, you just basically stand there and do nothing. You can't use any items in your personal bag, you can't maneuver the characters other than moving, you just wait until you either win or lose, but what good is that? This is highly disappointing! Unless I am missing something, this is not a very Interactive game.… Expand
  92. Cristiansan
    May 10, 2020
    8
    Un gran RPG por turnos muy bonito visualmente con ese estilo propio de Toriyama. Corre muy bien en la switch y tiene momentos épicos y muy cachondos. Si te gustan los RPG por turnos, es una de las mejores opciones en switch.
  93. Sunshadow87
    May 8, 2020
    10
    Este es un juego de los que debe ser considerado una obra maestra, un 10 muy muy merecido. La única "pega" es que el juego no es innovador, sí no muy conservador. Básicamente es el epitomo de lo que es un jrpg clásico llevado a su máximo exponente, y actualizando algunas de las mecánicas clásicas sin eliminarlas para que su gameplay sea accesible y disfrutable a los tiempos actuales.
    Si    Este es un juego de los que debe ser considerado una obra maestra, un 10 muy muy merecido. La única "pega" es que el juego no es innovador, sí no muy conservador. Básicamente es el epitomo de lo que es un jrpg clásico llevado a su máximo exponente, y actualizando algunas de las mecánicas clásicas sin eliminarlas para que su gameplay sea accesible y disfrutable a los tiempos actuales.
    Si te gustan los JRPGS y/o la saga dragon quest es una compra obligatoria con muchas horas de contenido.
    Si no te gustan los JRPGS clásicos o las historias clásicas (estilo dragon quest), prueba primero la demo (que son unas buenas cuantas horas de juego).    … Expand
  94. Stamantha
    Apr 25, 2020
    8
    This game is an "ode" to traditional 16-bit JRPGs: it feels and plays like a classic masterpiece. It's huge, it has an overworld map and turn based battle system, beautiful/ colorful visuals and memorable characters. It has a great sense of humor throughout and the story can get very emotional. The Switch version is the best option: new scenarios that really add to character development,This game is an "ode" to traditional 16-bit JRPGs: it feels and plays like a classic masterpiece. It's huge, it has an overworld map and turn based battle system, beautiful/ colorful visuals and memorable characters. It has a great sense of humor throughout and the story can get very emotional. The Switch version is the best option: new scenarios that really add to character development, more content in terms of quests, story and items, orchestral score and the option to play the entire game in beautiful 2D. The only downside is that it's really linear. Just give it time because it can take a while until it shows it's true potential.… Expand
  95. wdias89
    Apr 14, 2020
    10
    Easily the best JRPG of the decade. A "must have" for all the lovers of this style.
  96. Troxartas
    Apr 12, 2020
    8
    Fans of classic RPG's rejoice! DQ11: DE is truly one of the best entries in the genre in a good long while. The story is a long journey that surprises you over and over again, there are points when you think the journey is over only to realize there is a ton more to go. Voice acting is nice and helps the storytelling along. The whole game has a fairy tail feel thats a nice contrast toFans of classic RPG's rejoice! DQ11: DE is truly one of the best entries in the genre in a good long while. The story is a long journey that surprises you over and over again, there are points when you think the journey is over only to realize there is a ton more to go. Voice acting is nice and helps the storytelling along. The whole game has a fairy tail feel thats a nice contrast to games that need to be dark and edgy all the time. This special edition also enhances the game for a fresher experience, offering things like an orchestrated soundtrack, the option to use DQ8 music for certain areas such as the open world sections. (also orchestrated) the game also includes the 2-D mode for older school fans, but personally this feature wasn't as good as I'd hoped. The music does'nt change to match the old school graphics, which in my opinion would have helped with the immersion of it. The other issue I have with 2-D mode is that transitioning from 3-D to 2-D and vice versa isn't as seamless as they led us to believe. You need to restart at certain chapters and replay segments to continue, and the game doesn't seem to tell you when a new checkpoint is reached. You can even abuse this given you have the patience as the game saves your items/levels from the point you go back, and since all chests are replaced upon going back, you can do things like restart a chapter, loot rarer items like stat seeds and equipment, and repeat for as long as you want. The game also has a ton of Quality of life changes that make the game much easier. There's the ability to forge items anywhere instead of just at campsites, and even the ability to buy missing ingredients for forging without visiting shops. (though some items must be found) You can also summon your horse with an item rather than only at certain points helping with travel. And even a battle speed change to zip through fights and grind exp faster. The game also tossed in a new side quest that caries throughout the game, that shifts the action to 2-D and has you doing mini quests in the worlds of the previous 10 DQ games. (which is amazing for longtime fans of the series) In total the game is an amazing port, but those whom already own it on PC or PS4, can skip this one if they don't care about the extra features. There's also the dreaded "Nintendo Tax" where the game is going to be far more expensive than the other platforms. Sure you get some extra content but the original versions still give you a grand experience. For fans of old school RPG's this game is a MUST, as well as the best thing Square Enix has produced in a long long time.… Expand
  97. dundee
    Apr 8, 2020
    10
    I've played this game for around 280hrs. The gameplay is so exciting and the story was amazing! I wasn't expecting the end game content. Absolutely 10/10 for me.
  98. ProfPlum
    Apr 5, 2020
    10
    This masterpiece has become the only turned based RPG I'll ever need. Great story, great characters, and easy to learn. My only complaint is the mechanics, when running through town or out in the field, are a little wonky
  99. Ravager47
    Mar 29, 2020
    9
    Dragon Quest XIS is simply one of the best games I've ever played. The visuals are still amazing even on switch, and the quality of life features added really do make this the best version. The only fault is that the game is a little too easy besides some post game battles, but other than that this is an experience every JRPG fan should have!
  100. maginny
    Mar 28, 2020
    10
    What can I say? It's simply amazing. It has become my all time FAVORITE game. I 100% recommend it to any RPG fan without any doubt, it looks and runs great on the Switch, magnificent story, graphics, combat, characters, storytelling, the music, everything in this game is just amazing. Please do yourself a favor and buy this right now, you won't regret it a single bit. Do not listen to theWhat can I say? It's simply amazing. It has become my all time FAVORITE game. I 100% recommend it to any RPG fan without any doubt, it looks and runs great on the Switch, magnificent story, graphics, combat, characters, storytelling, the music, everything in this game is just amazing. Please do yourself a favor and buy this right now, you won't regret it a single bit. Do not listen to the people who give this game a 0 because they're haters.… Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »