Editor's annotation : This review has been updated to reflect our experience with the Definitive Edition of Dragon Quest Eleven on Nintendo Switch. Caput to the lesser of the review to see our full thoughts.

The Dragon Quest serial is a standard-bearer for an unabridged genre. Numerous JRPGs that accept come and gone over the years have adapted from--and built upon--many of the formulas Dragon Quest established in the 8-fleck era. While series like Concluding Fantasy have transformed dramatically over time, Dragon Quest tends towards traditionalism, enshrining many of its cadre gameplay and story concepts from game to game.

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Now Playing: Dragon Quest Eleven: Echoes Of An Elusive Age Video Review

Dragon Quest Eleven is no exception. The chosen hero and his growing group of party members continue a globe-spanning gamble in a realm of fantasy and magic, exploring dungeons, solving story beats to proceed, and battling foes in turn-based combat. It'south a tale you lot're probably familiar with if y'all've played any classic JRPG. But Dragon Quest Xi is proof that traditions and tropes don't have to feel worn-out and tedious, as this gorgeous hazard will challenge your skills, tug at your heartstrings, and go on y'all eagerly playing farther and further into its lengthy quest.

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The hero of Dragon Quest XI is the reincarnation of the Luminary, a chosen warrior who will destroy a foretold dark presence. Notwithstanding the glorious hero is not welcomed with open up arms when his destiny is revealed; some fearfulness him equally a harbinger that disaster is imminent, and wish him dead. As the hero adventures from his hometown into the wider world, he makes many friends, encounters wicked monsters, endures intense tribulations, and fights for light in the shadow of an empire manipulated past darkness.

That setup likely sounds quite familiar. The story in Dragon Quest Eleven doesn't really offer any novel plot beats or twists, but that'southward not a knock confronting information technology; the game does a spectacular job of melding familiar story elements with engaging characters and fantabulous choreography.

For instance, a tournament sequence is something yous run across in a lot of JRPGs, simply the presentation, characterization, and sprinkling of sense of humour present in Dragon Quest XI'southward tournament arc makes it truly unforgettable. I memorable sequence involves the hero learning about his mysterious origins and the land that he came from. While that sounds like nothing more than than a genre cliché, the fashion it's presented here is absolutely beautiful and touching.

The characterization of the game's diverse personalities helps a lot in making the story and earth every bit engaging as it is. Every fellow member of your party has a well-adult, unique personality that accentuates their role. For case, one of the more iconic party members is the flamboyant entertainer, Sylvando. His over-the-peak mannerisms, cheerful mental attitude, and gainsay prowess make him stand out, just you besides get an impression that the clown act might belie something cached in his past. There are plenty of fun NPCs you lot'll interact with in the story also, such as a love-starved mermaid, an eccentric dean of an aristocracy girls' prep school, and a stunningly incompetent prince. Finally, villains like the conflicted Sir Hendrick and the cunning Jasper nowadays a constant threat that pushes you ever-forward.

Like the story and world, Dragon Quest XI'south combat is familiar and traditional, but presented in a mannerly and engaging style that makes it feel anything but dated.

Special praise should be given to the game'due south localization. While it does alter quite a few grapheme and identify names from the Japanese version, information technology does a magnificent job of making the dialogue and overall mood of the game feel warm, soulful, and inviting. Character personalities and the flavor of various regions of the world come up through in dialogue with delightful flourishes (I feel for the editor who had to write hundreds of dialogue boxes for the characters who simply speak in haiku), and even incidental bill of fare and combat text has a fun, lighthearted feel to it that makes simply running through menus more lively. And when things go somber and serious, the writing changes to match, knowing full well what sort of tone needs to be prepare.

Dragon Quest XI is a very linear game; you lot hit one story point, solve whatever problem you're facing there (be it by defeating a monster, collecting an particular, beating a minigame, or various combinations of these things), then venture out to the next surface area where you're presented with a new story beat, slashing down mobs of enemies along the manner to build up your characters' levels. Yous tin go off the beaten path a bit to consummate subquests and explore optional areas, but most locales are completely locked off until you hit a specific point in the story.

Like the story and globe, Dragon Quest XI'south gainsay is familiar and traditional, merely presented in a charming and engaging manner that makes it experience anything merely dated. Characters and enemies take individual turns based on their agility, and you choose what characters do past either picking commands from a text-based carte or setting the CPU to deed based on preset guidelines. Animations play out as blows are exchanged and spells are cast, and every and then often in that location'due south a funky footling twist to the fight that livens things upward, like characters achieving a "pepped upward" state that raises their abilities and grants them access to special attacks.

While there's a setting in the options that allows y'all to physically move characters during battle (rather than having them stay in a stationary row), information technology doesn't change the gainsay significantly; positioning doesn't bear upon attacks, and the fighting remains strictly turn-driven. Though information technology's relatively bones, little animations, messages, and quirks about combat, similar enemies that fuse together or bizarre status conditions, keep you interested and engaged. Boss battles aren't terribly common, but the large fights are truly trying, challenging yous to make utilize of your learned spells and skills against a foe that will utterly wipe you out if you don't play strategically.

Despite Dragon Quest Eleven's massive length (anywhere from 60 to over 100 hours, depending on how y'all pace yourself and how much extra content and questing you do), it rarely feels like it'south dragging its anxiety. There'due south practically always a new place to explore, a new grapheme to run across, or a new threat to tackle. The game occasionally fails to maintain its otherwise steady step--a mid-game sequence involving the search for magical orbs is particularly troublesome--only it doesn't often continue yous in one place or dealing with 1 subplot for too long. You lot as well won't take to grind if yous're smart nigh picking enemy fights and divvying up graphic symbol skill points. And if you always need a bit of pause, you tin invest time in various mini-games like crafting items, equus caballus racing, and a casino with slots and poker, amongst other things.

Innovation in games is talked well-nigh a lot, merely it'due south as well neat to run into traditional gameplay formulas that accept been effectually for decades presented uncommonly well. Dragon Quest Eleven is ane of the best modern examples of this; its cute presentation, both visual- and story-wise, combines with a tried-and-true gameplay formula for a journey that's full of heart and soul. Once you observe yourself sucked into the earth of Dragon Quest Xi, it's going to be hard to put down until yous achieve the grand finale.

Nintendo Switch Definitive Edition Update

Calling the Switch version of Dragon Quest 11 the "Definitive Edition" is assuming, only it's no exaggeration--save for a few pocket-size visual downgrades, Dragon Quest 11 on Switch improves on the already-splendid PS4 and Steam release in numerous substantial ways.

While most of the core game is the same in terms of story beats, character interactions, and whimsical dialogue, there are numerous quality-of-life improvements (as well equally some additions near the endgame) that bear on the game feel. Some of these fine-tunings are insufficiently pocket-size, such every bit a grapheme's cosmetic battle outfit being split from their equipped gear and the option between orchestrated and synthesized music, while others have a substantial impact on the game's menses.

For example, a big office of Dragon Quest Xi is the forge, which allows yous to arts and crafts items, weapons, and armor using materials you lot've gathered on your quest. Previously, the forge could just be used at sporadically-placed campsites, but now y'all can dig it out whenever the urge to upgrade emerges--perfect for getting that extra edge during the middle of dungeon crawling. In addition, if y'all are short on materials needed to make your goods and gear and it's something bachelor in a store, the game gives y'all the selection to purchase whatever you're lacking directly from the forge card. And for those harder-to-obtain items, you can easily look upwards where to find them and what foes drop them.

One of the biggest additions to Dragon Quest 11 on Switch is the 2d manner. Originally exclusive to the Japan-only 3DS version of the game, you lot are given the option to adventure through Erdrea in classic, 16-flake style pixel art. Both the second and 3D modes deliver the same story content, so yous won't miss out on whatsoever of Dragon Quest Eleven'due south near memorable moments--and if y'all miss the polygon expect, you lot tin swap back and along at any church in the game. Notably, 2D mode moves at a far brisker footstep than its 3D counterpart. While 2D way lacks voice acting and dramatic 3D camerawork, it delivers significantly faster combat, simpler maps, and easier exploration overall. The lack of elaborate enemy boxing animation (every bit seen in some of the second Dragon Quest remakes) is a bummer, but overall, 2D mode offers a fantastic fashion to explore, grind, and farm efficiently--or just feel a fresh perspective on the game every bit a whole if y'all've played information technology before. (Plus, y'all tin can access special quests that take you dorsum to the worlds of previous Dragon Quest titles for the ultimate nostalgia trip.)

Despite some small graphical compromises in 3D manner--rare frame rate stuttering and some occasional popular-in--almost everything in Dragon Quest 11 on Switch is an improvement on its original release. If yous have been putting off playing this RPG masterpiece, this portable edition is admittedly the mode to get--and if you desire to revisit it, this version is the perfect alibi to do so. -- Heidi Kemps, September 26, 2019

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