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

 Xbox One
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 178 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 150 out of 178
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 178
  3. Negative: 15 out of 178
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  1. KarimTheTraitor
    May 3, 2021
    9
    One of the best Dragon Quest to date, removing some defects such as that you have to farm a lot of experience sometimes. The characters are brilliant, the story is unparalleled, and the battle system is one of the most satisfying out there.
  2. JimPickens
    May 31, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Maybe not the best Dragon Quest game, but it is damn high up there.

    DQ11 is a masterclass of its genre. Not surprising to anybody that the visual style is beautiful, Akira Toriyama's unmistakable style blends flawlessly with the world design. The music, finally given the orchestral makeover it desperately needed is equally beautiful and makes you wanna go kick a comically evil bad guy in the face.

    The characters are the undeniable highlight of this game, from your very first party member Erik to the villain turned hero Hendrik, and everybody in between are all full of personality and charm, while they may initially feel like they fit in to very bland archetypes; Erik is the rugged thief, Jade is the overprotective best friend, Serena is the weak healer. But all of these are the most surface level aspect of these characters, there's far more depth to them, you just have to play for... about 80 hours to see absolutely everything.

    The main point of contention surrounding the game is Act 3, a post-game part of the story that has you go back in the time to before Yggdrasil fell to right all the wrongs done by Mordegon, but in the process, leaving your current time behind to go back to the past. Where people find issue in this is that many of the characters personal development is erased... except... not really.

    Erik's story with him saving his sister is redone, only now you use the power of the Luminary to free her without putting Erik through the moral dilemma of almost killing his sister. Veronica doesn't sacrifice herself, but I'd argue saving millions of people is slightly better than keeping Veronica's sacrifice intact. Serena doesn't come to the same conclusion she does in the main game, but does she need to? she learns to be stronger, but it's not like that hinged on Veronica dying in that very specific way, Serena will eventually go through loss and arrive at the same conclusion. Jade wasn't part of a weird hentai plot... I see this as an absolute win. Sylvando can still reconnect with his father, and this time Hendriks involved, so it's even better. Rab only got a new power, which he still gets somehow. Leaving only The Luminary, who, if the player chooses to forge The Supreme Sword of Light, can recreate the forging scene from Act 2, albeit, less emotional, as he's the only one to forge the sword, instead of everybody forging it together, so he's really the only person who suffers, however, I wouldn't blame you for staying in the first timeline purely for that scene, it's pretty great. Another reason Act 3 is so controversial is because you leave the original timeline behind, however Horii has stated the timelines merge and become one, thought this conflicts with the ending of Act 3, it's very unclear and honestly, just go with whatever explanation you like best, they all make just as much sense as each other.

    Overall DQ11 is a brilliant game, somehow made even better, certainly worth your time and money.    … Expand
  3. 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 theyde add DQ8 monster capturing to the newer games.
  4. flattyfour
    Oct 25, 2021
    9
    Solid DQ. Better than 8? Better than 5? Tough question for me personally. Thank you Enix team within Square to keep the traditions alive and well.
  5. jfallen1990
    May 2, 2021
    10
    My first Dragon Quest game. Game Pass offered it and was hooked. If you enjoy Final Fantasy you should give this game a chance. Fun gameplay great characters and fantastic music. I found myself pausing for long periods just to let the music play. Outside a few annoying parts great story and had a blast.
  6. Ekon
    Mar 24, 2021
    9
    Dragon Quest XI is a brilliant game with many spectacular sequences that are overwhelming and powerful. There's no point hurrying along and I played about 250 hours while completing about 20 of the 73 side quests. I just touched on the 2D storyline, which is very involved as well. There is too much of a good thing in this game. There is a lot of repetition and all the story linesDragon Quest XI is a brilliant game with many spectacular sequences that are overwhelming and powerful. There's no point hurrying along and I played about 250 hours while completing about 20 of the 73 side quests. I just touched on the 2D storyline, which is very involved as well. There is too much of a good thing in this game. There is a lot of repetition and all the story lines are very long-winded. I was fine with all this until Part II. Here you have to do everything all over again and all the girls on the team are dropped for a good while. Rad, the old stocky guy, becomes the lead companion and I simply hated him. Jade is my favorite companion for the Luminary. Be sure to build up her 'Allure' skills. They're a hoot. The Mermaid story is beautiful and heart braking. Definitely recommended.… Expand
  7. TERMINAL64
    Apr 13, 2021
    10
    The best RPG of the 2010's. More than 200 hours of gameplay, an interesting story, colorful characters, amazing soundtrack, great HD graphics, and one of the best games of all time.I would definitley recomend this to anyone with a PS4, PC, PS5, Switch, XBOX ONE, or XBOX SERIES X/S.
  8. Xbox_Alive
    Feb 16, 2021
    9
    Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age - Definitive Edition includes the critically acclaimed DRAGON QUEST XI, plus additional scenarios, orchestral soundtrack, 2D mode and more! Whether you are a longtime fan or a new adventurer, this is the ultimate DQXI experience for sure. Something this arrangement has consistently had is its appeal to the players and fans of the franchise. EachDragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age - Definitive Edition includes the critically acclaimed DRAGON QUEST XI, plus additional scenarios, orchestral soundtrack, 2D mode and more! Whether you are a longtime fan or a new adventurer, this is the ultimate DQXI experience for sure. Something this arrangement has consistently had is its appeal to the players and fans of the franchise. Each character feels unique and memorable regardless of whether you remember their name, you will remember the character themselves as an independent and memorable persona. Pondering through your old neighborhood of Cobblestone, it fits the classic example of an traditional RPG. You aren’t anyone important by nature, and live in the classic quiet town, that until that harmony is disturbed by some incredible foe ready to destroy the universe appears, etc, etc, etc. While this beginning never surprises anyone it always has worked well for some of the best RPGs ever made. Winged serpent Quest XI has you play the part of an anonymous saint who is the overcomer of a malevolent assault on the realm of Dundrasil. You are only an infant right now – discovered coasting sluggishly down the waterway by a caring elderly person named Chalky. After a genuinely wonderful early life, you find – through a hazardous transitioning occasion, that you are the luminary. This is a title conceded to those picked by Yggdrasil, the world tree. Dragon Quest XI dominates when it comes to battling the evil doers, investigating prisons, and discovering all the spoils and treasure that awaits. It's a visual bouquet populated by a cast of bright beasts more engaging than its main characters of the story. Lopsided story beats and some disgusting pieces once in a while sluggish Dragon Quest down, however heavenly mechanics stay the center, making Echoes of an Elusive Age a top-level JRPG for the advanced age. If you are a fan there’s obviously no reason to doubt the greatness that Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age - Definitive Edition holds. If you haven’t yet enjoyed the series or maybe you did many years ago, this is the most definite time to re-visit or try the series for the 1st time. Newcomers will be pleased you don’t need to be a master of the lore to enjoy what’s awaiting. So what are you waiting for? But this masterpiece now on the Xbox games digital store now or pick up the hard copy ASAP at your local retail store.… Expand
  9. RevAnikin
    Apr 14, 2021
    10
    Я получил огромное удовольствие от этой игры! Как будто бы ребята взяли классические jRPG времён первой PS и исправили в ней все недостатки, проблемы и раздражающие механики. В общем, эту игру можно рекомендовать смело всем фанатам японских ролевых игр, а также тем, кто только хочет познакомиться с жанром. Игра очень доброжелательна к игроку.Я получил огромное удовольствие от этой игры! Как будто бы ребята взяли классические jRPG времён первой PS и исправили в ней все недостатки, проблемы и раздражающие механики. В общем, эту игру можно рекомендовать смело всем фанатам японских ролевых игр, а также тем, кто только хочет познакомиться с жанром. Игра очень доброжелательна к игроку.
  10. TotoMisanthrope
    Mar 20, 2021
    9
    If you like japanese RPG it's a must have ! Perfect chara design (thanks to Akira Toriyama) and story, the gameplay is very good.
  11. Blacklich
    Dec 7, 2020
    10
    Ein Traum von ein jrpg Charaktere sind liebevoll gestaltet worden und die witzigen Gegner auf der Landkarte.
  12. Xloser
    Dec 21, 2020
    8
    Dragón quest es otro juego clásico de la saga, muy buena historia con compañeros épicos. Si te gustan los jrpg este es sin duda el mejor que puedes jugar en xbox. La única pega es que no se han currado nada la versión de Xbox, es un Port de switch así que gráficamente no luce muy bien.
  13. Jackpi
    Feb 1, 2021
    10
    Great... absolutely a perfect jrpg , on the Xbox series console with the auto hdr got also great graphics
  14. Speedy85
    Feb 15, 2021
    9
    A spectacular game paying tribute to the great rpg. A great Dragon Quest without a doubt.
  15. kefka2589
    Dec 13, 2020
    10
    There probably isnt a single JRPG I cherish more than this game. It's absolute prefection for new and old fans of Dragon Quest. I can't reccomend it enough.
  16. BuschiVP
    Dec 6, 2020
    8
    This a good Game, I loved playing it.

    For films review see: virtualpicture.de
  17. Cafe_8bits
    Dec 26, 2020
    9
    One of the best, most polished, fun and memorable experiences i ever had in a JRPG. A modern classic for sure.
  18. Arturos
    Jul 30, 2021
    10
    If you like JRPG it's a must have! Perfect character design and a nice story, the soundtrack and the gameplay they are very good.
  19. Broyax
    Feb 22, 2021
    0
    Oh mais qu’est-ce donc… une japoniaiserie bien niaise de chez **** le responsable des Final Fientasy ! mais celle-ci comme toutes les autres est surtout démoulée par un développeur dédié à cette franchise de japoniaiseries bien niaises ! c’est leur boulot de boulotter ce genre de daubes depuis nombre d’années !

    Bizarrement, ça se retrouve aussi sur Xbox alors qu’on avait rien demandé…    Oh mais qu’est-ce donc… une japoniaiserie bien niaise de chez **** le responsable des Final Fientasy ! mais celle-ci comme toutes les autres est surtout démoulée par un développeur dédié à cette franchise de japoniaiseries bien niaises ! c’est leur boulot de boulotter ce genre de daubes depuis nombre d’années !

    Bizarrement, ça se retrouve aussi sur Xbox alors qu’on avait rien demandé… ils auraient mieux fait de garder leurs étrons en guimauve 256 couleurs pour eux, pour les soniais et les nintendaubeux réunis ! Quoi qu’il en soit, on a ici la même grenadine (aromatisée au melon) que d’habitude et c’est -comme d’habitude- tellement niais qu’on sent en direct nos neurones se liquéfier et dégouliner par les oreilles !

    La « musique » (une torture), les voix (gnééééé) les dialogues eux-mêmes (niiiiéééé) l’espèce d’histoire à l’eau de rose (aromatisée au melon), le « héros » qui a l’air con et constipé (et qui reste muet), les compagnons (niaaaiiiseux) à souhait, les combats au tour par tour et par n’importe lequel, du tour par tour en solde à deux centimes de yen d’occasion recyclé et enfin, comme de bien entendu, l’ennui général qui s’en dégage, la torpeur qui vous envahit, puis le coma pas ludique cérébral !

    Quelle putain d’horreur, ce soit-disant « jeu de rôle » ! un jeu rôle, ça, ce putain de couloir ? et en plus, il faut prier devant la « statue » quand tu trouves un feu de camp pour simplement… sauvegarder, putain ! non mais halte au sketch, ouvrez grand la poubelle et balancez cette infamie ! Et jetez la clé.    … Expand
  20. Aokana
    Mar 30, 2021
    7
    I usually write very long reviews. I'll keep this one short.

    The game overall is excellent. Game-play and visuals are top notch. However two things severely hold this game back and make me glad I tried it as part of the Xbox Game Pass. 1) - The Horns... Holy F' balls its like the music composer had just found a shiny new button that puts in horn blares and couldn't stop pressing    I usually write very long reviews. I'll keep this one short.

    The game overall is excellent. Game-play and visuals are top notch.

    However two things severely hold this game back and make me glad I tried it as part of the Xbox Game Pass.

    1) - The Horns... Holy F' balls its like the music composer had just found a shiny new button that puts in horn blares and couldn't stop pressing it like a 5 year old who just got his first toy car with the noise buttons, you know the one. I just found the sound in the game off putting.

    2) It's way too dragonball, Everything kind of comes together way too close to dragonball and I'm not just saying visually, Plenty of games like Chrono Cross have a dragon-ball aesthetic and visual appearance but manage to FEEL unique. However with Dragon Quest XI you just wonder when the Dragonball announcers going to cut in with "Next time on Dragon Quest Eleven!"

    All in all I only managed to put in about 12 or so hours before i just couldn't stand the awful music and removed the game from my system. Which sucks because there just aren't many JRPGS on the Game Pass and I was really looking forward to it.    … Expand
  21. Demonrex
    Feb 20, 2021
    10
    To be honest, I have never ever played any jrpg besides Pokemon. Before getting the XSX I wanted to play DQ XI on Switch but never had time to do so. But finally, because DQ XI is in Game Pass (thanks Phil!) I decided to try it, and it was one of the best 80h spent in a game. It took me a while to get used to the turn-based combat, but the auto-combat with programmable (very simple, butTo be honest, I have never ever played any jrpg besides Pokemon. Before getting the XSX I wanted to play DQ XI on Switch but never had time to do so. But finally, because DQ XI is in Game Pass (thanks Phil!) I decided to try it, and it was one of the best 80h spent in a game. It took me a while to get used to the turn-based combat, but the auto-combat with programmable (very simple, but satisfying) tactics for every hero was a real relief for action-guy like me. Besides, full-ang dubbed dialogs, great yet simple story, unique crafting system and beautifully written characters make this game a masterpiece.

    tl;dr Even if you don't like jrpgs, give it a try. 10/10    … Expand
  22. Sacred666
    Feb 20, 2021
    10
    Great classic JRPG with modern graphics. ( insert required characters here )
  23. GregoryDQ
    Jun 27, 2023
    9
    Great classic JRPG.
    One of the best Dragon Quest.More than 200 hours of gameplay
  24. 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
  25. DoctorZack
    Jun 18, 2021
    9
    Other than some really grindy late-game and annoying side-quests (though series fans or JRPG fans knew these were coming before playing) the game is gorgeous, cinematic, and easily a recommend to Dragon Quest newcomers or JRPG fans.
  26. D4vidz
    Jan 29, 2023
    10
    Phenomenal JRPG and the best Dragon Quest game to date. Incredible cast of characters, amazing story that kept me on the tip of my toes always surprised by what happened next. Plenty of quality of life improvements over previous entries as well. This version of the game is just essentially perfect
  27. Usmart
    Nov 27, 2022
    10
    Es uno de los juegos más increíbles que he jugado en mi existencia. La música, la historia, el gameplay, todo es perfecto. Un diez completamente merecido
  28. Geralt123
    Mar 13, 2023
    9
    A very good adventure, I almost had the feeling the other party members are my friends!

    Combat system is excellent, countless sorceries and skills to choose from.

    Graphics are very good.

    Writing is very good, I was really curious how the story would continue!

    And this is a very long game if you also play act 3. You will need over 100 hours, but it is fun!
  29. Pietrovish
    Feb 23, 2022
    8
    Una aventura bastante buena, muchas horas de juego y mucho contenido. La manera episódica es muy satisfactoria.
  30. dukey03
    Mar 17, 2022
    10
    This is my favorite game of all time! We’ve been waiting for a modern game that has that PS1/Golden Age era JRPG feel and this is it x10! I love the characters, story, world, combat, and exploration! Highly recommend it for JRPG fans old and new!
  31. Uncl3s4mbr
    Feb 5, 2023
    10
    Classic RPG with new look. Awesome experience, characters and history. This game surprised me , how I did not play this series before.
  32. IamChris8
    Aug 17, 2021
    9
    Was soll ich noch zu DQ11 sagen? Für mich war das Game ein absoluter MUST-PLAY Titel. Zusätzlich war es aber auch mein erstes DQ-Game, obwohl ich jahrelang auf der Playstation unterwegs war, ist die Reihe an mir vorbeigegangen. Dank des genialen Game Pass´ konnte ich endlich mal eines der Titel "antesten" und habe mich sofort in das Game verliebt.
    Das Game ist wirklich mit LIEBE    Was soll ich noch zu DQ11 sagen? Für mich war das Game ein absoluter MUST-PLAY Titel. Zusätzlich war es aber auch mein erstes DQ-Game, obwohl ich jahrelang auf der Playstation unterwegs war, ist die Reihe an mir vorbeigegangen. Dank des genialen Game Pass´ konnte ich endlich mal eines der Titel "antesten" und habe mich sofort in das Game verliebt.
    Das Game ist wirklich mit LIEBE programmiert wurden.
    Klar, gibt es einige Fehler, aber es ist immer noch Kritik auf einem hohen Niveau.

    Gameplay: 9/10
    Story: 10/10
    Welt: 10/10
    Atmosphäre: 9/10
    Umfang: 9/10
    Grafik: - (Anime/Zeitlos)

    Negative Punkte:
    - Hero spricht nicht
    - für meinen Geschmack etwas in die Länge gezogen.

    Wer den Game Pass hat, muss es UNBEDINGT spielen.    … Expand
  33. Berty4ever
    Aug 2, 2021
    10
    This is not only my favorite RPG, but also the greatest game of all time in my opinion. It has great gameplay, memorable characters, beautiful overworld, amazing music, this game has it all. I literally can't explain how amazing this game is. It literally changed what I thought video games were capable of in terms of storytelling and overall fun. You definitely need to play it toThis is not only my favorite RPG, but also the greatest game of all time in my opinion. It has great gameplay, memorable characters, beautiful overworld, amazing music, this game has it all. I literally can't explain how amazing this game is. It literally changed what I thought video games were capable of in terms of storytelling and overall fun. You definitely need to play it to understand what I mean. Overall absolutely the greatest game of all time and I doubt that I will ever play a game that is greater.… Expand
  34. judgementblade
    Jan 4, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is mostly a short, very subjective experience report, so take from it what you want or not.

    So, I played the original PS4 version in it's release year and I really loved it. There are also some spoilers in this so prepare yourself when continuing reading.

    Visually it was great and had a neat style. The world was vibrant and had great characters and story.
    Multiple times I was just standing around using the Ego-Perspective to appreciate the place I'm at. So I find it a bit sad they took it out for the "S" version. But I am also glad there are no more crossbow targets to shoot.
    I got actually emotionally involved and the Veronica thing hit my hard.
    Then came the Act 3 twist and I cannot talk about DQ XI without mentioning how positively surprised I was that the post-game is also a good continuation of the story teased in Act 2. That said, I still think the graphic, due it's unique style, holds up rather well but you do notice that it was ported to the Switch and then ported back to PS4.
    I also still think this is a great game to play but the new content is not really worth paying full price again, maybe a third of it, unless you REALLY like Dragon Quest. However, by this point you most likely will be able to get a new copy for about half the initial selling price so you can decide yourself.

    With all that said, there are still things I would wish they had implemented. So from here on a bit of what they NEED to add in a re-make if they would do one (even if they do in 10-15 years the won't add this but let me dream) so you don't need to read more in terms of what the game offers.

    1: Allow me to rebuild Dundrasil, I mean, the assets to do that seem to be already there with the opening movie and the short story part where you travel back in time to Dundrasil at your day of birth (which was also the end of the Kingdom). Reviving Zwaardsrust additionally to that would be icing on the cake.
    2: Have a bit of a better narrative lead through Act 3 since you really have not much of a reason to walk through the world again. Maybe have the by then useless Orbs be part of Dundrasil restoration and Cetaceas upgrade and give some narrative reason to restore them as you travel the world one last time.
    3: Additional playable characters, namely Krystalinda and Pang and also make them marriageable with Drustan's wish.
    4: To add to point 3, give wedding cloths as costumes and a bit more of a scene for that instead of a few dialogues and a picture in your house in Cobblestone.
    5: Allow me to have Veronica look like her actual age permanently sorta like what was done with Serenas haircut for example.

    Now, that's for that from me. Enjoy the game yourself (even if you got spoilert now it's still a good game) is all left to say.    … Expand
  35. 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.
  36. thehbrwhammer
    Dec 11, 2021
    9
    Music alone makes this game memorable. Action is fun and exciting. Characters are excellent too.
  37. titoim
    Jan 18, 2022
    10
    The best traditional JRPG of all time. Incredible music, gameplay, graphics, art style and combat mechanics. Interesting story and lots of replayability.
  38. SolarSamurai
    Jan 27, 2022
    10
    This game is a masterpiece, play it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  39. Egopez
    Sep 7, 2023
    8
    the game is great, the progress system with the menus and activities is very good too, the graphics are also colorful and spectacular, and as a negative point I would say that there is a lot to farm to level up, which does not make you progress as fast that one would like
  40. ertotoba
    Jul 16, 2022
    5
    Decent designs in general, impressive dubbing (Sylvando, a main character, might be one of the best dubbings I have ever seen in a videogame). Storyline too childish, barely any difficulty. Good if you want a game for your 6yo kid.
  41. NunezGTX
    May 11, 2022
    10
    My first RPG experience and I have to say, it made fall in love with the genre. I strongly recommend it!
  42. Smiley256
    Jul 31, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragon quest 11 is everything that the series is meant to be. It is not a perfect game, but it comes extremely close in a lot of ways. Starting with the story, dragon quest 11 weaves an epic medieval tale that surprised me multiple times. It took me 80 hours to beat the game, and I was never bored throughout the experience. This is due to the expressive characters who’s personality traits grew on me as the game went on. They’re all unique, and have their own motivations for helping to save the world from Mordegon. Mordegon is an acceptable antagonist, though he doesn’t have much of a story. His achievements in the game are what make him threatening. Watching him creep into erdrea from the inside (through flashbacks) to see where it all went wrong was very entertaining. His triumph in the finale of act 1 solidified him as a real threat, and watching smaller and larger characters react to his victory made the world feel alive. When you see all he has done, it makes beating him feel much more significant.

    Moving on from the story, let’s talk about the gameplay. Dragon quest 11 features many scenic landscapes as you travel the world in your adventure. The game is not open world in the same sense as breath of the wild, but there are elements of exploration and discovery to keep things interesting. Random encounters, as expected given the DQ8 remaster, are gone. Instead, who you fight is completely up to you, and since enemies respawn, you can fight as much or as little as you want. Well that last sentence comes with a big fat asterisk, since if you want to progress, there will be some times where you need to find high level enemies, and grind for hours to reach a high enough level. This was fine with me, but it will be a major turnoff for a lot of people who want more excitement from their games. Turn based combat sticks around, and it’s as you would expect. If you’ve played any rpg from the SNES era you know what to except here. It’s not as action oriented as other rpgs like final fantasy, but it provides a sizable amount of weapons armor and moves (thanks to the skill tree) that you can approach every battle from a lot of ways, which is only amplified by the eight party members you’ll have over the course of the game. But with the combat comes my biggest issue with this game. The difficulty. I died a resounding 2 times over the course of 80 hours. This simply isn’t acceptable in the normal mode of a game. There is a harder mode called draconian quest, but one shouldn’t have to play the hardest difficulty available to experience an inkling of challenge. Even during the final boss, I was completely relaxed as I knew I stood zero chance of losing.

    One of this games other problems that feels outdated and more like a product of rush is the music. Luckily in the definitive edition the soundtrack is orchestrated. And what’s in the soundtrack is really beautiful. I still hum some of the themes from it, even a week after beating the game. But the problem is that it feels like there are only 5 tracks, over and over again for 80 hours. The lack of music variety really hurts immersion and makes towns and landmarks feel forgettable, since there are only 2 town themes for day and night applied to every single town. Presentation wise, this is the best dragon quest has ever looked, though there are some issues with it. Playing on the switch version, whenever characters were behind a rock in a cutscene, the textures were laughably bad and looked like they jumped out of the ps2. There’s also this recurring issue where when characters are doing something that isn’t walking or running, the screen will go black and play some sound effects of what they are doing. This doesn’t sound like an issue, but in a very cutscene heavy game like this one, it starts to drag down the experience.

    Dragon quest 11 is a resounding achievement for JRPGs, and one of the best that the genre can offer. If you’re willing to push past some annoying issues and balancing problems, you are in for a captivating tale of perseverance and friendship. Its characters are goofy, its world is expansive and full of quests, and it’s villains are threatening and sometimes genuinely interesting (jasper especially). It is almost perfect and if dragon quest 12 can deliver even half of what this game does, then this series has a very bright future.    … Expand
  43. Paradov
    Feb 5, 2023
    10
    This is the game that made me love jrpg.
    The combat is fast, the story is very enjoyable, the side quests are good.
  44. AyraBlade
    Dec 21, 2022
    9
    Nowdays, one of the few JRPG that keep the old-style formula which i personally pref and generally i ask to get when i think about a JRPG. Plot is kinda linear but funny to play through with some twist in between, don't expect nothing so elaborate or so stunning to deal with. What makes this game rated so high it's the fantastic artstyle and that feeling of a true JRPG. A really goodNowdays, one of the few JRPG that keep the old-style formula which i personally pref and generally i ask to get when i think about a JRPG. Plot is kinda linear but funny to play through with some twist in between, don't expect nothing so elaborate or so stunning to deal with. What makes this game rated so high it's the fantastic artstyle and that feeling of a true JRPG. A really good growing system, with a talent tree that work pretty well, combat system it's everything you tought when you think about a classic JRPG. A Dragon Quest title that keep his identity even through all the years. What this game makes you do is to enjoy a chill and a funny experience accompanied with the Art of Toriyama sensei… Expand
  45. thanhqtran
    Jan 5, 2023
    3
    The game is very dull. The combat is okay but extremely slow, and too simplistic.
    Other than that, there are a lot of moments where they tried to tell you the story with cutscenes, so long as you press A a thousand times. This is a dumb decision, they should have made proper cutscenes. I think the game is highly overrated. I did not enjoy it at all.
  46. JugadorRandom15
    Jan 26, 2023
    10
    No puedo ser objetivo aqui, el maldit0 mejor JRPG de la historia, vaya pedazo de juego si no lo juegas aún pues no se que haces con tu vida, anda juegalo nada mas puedas, creanme cuando les digo que es de las mejores experiencias que he tenido con un juego casi 100 horas y me quedaron cosas sin hacer aún asi, es simplemente una locura
  47. aaronnmp96
    Aug 17, 2023
    4
    It's dragon ball but bad, the protagonist is link but bad, it doesn't matter what level you have, if the enemy has to take x amount of life from you, it doesn't have any difficulty until the end, Repetitive music, recycled enemies, characters without charisma, wasted mechanics, repetitive missions, everything that can go wrong in an RPG. The only remarkable thing is the landscapes.
  48. bloodlines
    Jun 12, 2023
    9
    ИМХО, лучшая игра в жанре. Никогда не играл в JRPG, но как-то увидел вскользь трейлер то ли зельды то ли еще чего, и в друг захотелось поиграть в что-то милое и сказочное. Загуглил ТОП похожих игр на ПК, в которых то и дело мелькала эта игра.

    Решил попробовать и о боже, я просто провалился в нее. Настолько интересно играть в игру мне давно не было. Прошел полностью, с эндгеймом, сделав    ИМХО, лучшая игра в жанре. Никогда не играл в JRPG, но как-то увидел вскользь трейлер то ли зельды то ли еще чего, и в друг захотелось поиграть в что-то милое и сказочное. Загуглил ТОП похожих игр на ПК, в которых то и дело мелькала эта игра.

    Решил попробовать и о боже, я просто провалился в нее. Настолько интересно играть в игру мне давно не было. Прошел полностью, с эндгеймом, сделав все сайд квесты.

    Именно после этой игры я по сути теперь только в одни JRPG и играю: Tales of Arise, FF7 Remake, Octipath Traveler, Persona 5, DQ 4/5 (на 3ds) и т.д. это те игры, в которые я с огромным удовольствием нырнул и те, которые от меня бы ускользнули, не поиграй я в эту игру.

    Красивейшая графика, увлекательный гемплей, крутые персонажи, очень разнообразный гемплей и неплохой сюжет, лучшая игра для входа в жанр.

    Жаль, что столь невероятный жанр все эти годы от меня ускользал.    … Expand
  49. Abrahamsireno12
    Jun 26, 2023
    10
    Esta que te muy bueno la historia el diseño de personajes y sobre todo la banda sonora que descanse en paz koichi sugiyama

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox One Game of 2020
20
#20 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. XboxAddict
    Jan 4, 2021
    93
    Regardless if you’re new to the series or a longtime fan, Dragon Quest XI is the perfect game to experience what Dragon Quest is all about. Not only is Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition one of the best JRPG’s you’ll find on Xbox, but it’s actually in my top 5 of all time. Easy enough for new fans to get into but enough optional challenge for those that crave it, this Definitive Edition really does live up to its name and is the version I wish I originally played two years ago.
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  2. TheXboxHub
    Dec 18, 2020
    100
    This is the best RPG I've played this year, bar none, and as such I recommend it to anyone and everyone. The story sucks you in, the game looks beautiful and sounds amazing, and with hours and hours of content to go at, there isn't a mark against it. It’s a rare thing, but this is as close to a perfect game as you’re going to get.
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  3. Gaming Age
    Dec 16, 2020
    100
    If you’ve managed to miss out on Dragon Quest XI so far, then this is surely the version of the game you should get. It’s a great RPG, packs a lot of content in to keep you busy throughout the holiday season, and the nifty 2D mode makes for a fun nostalgia trip to boot.
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