DRAGON QUEST® XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age™ - Definitive Edition

DRAGON QUEST® XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age™ - Definitive Edition is widely praised as a masterful JRPG that balances classic turn-based mechanics with modern enhancements. Players appreciate the vibrant, anime-inspired graphics and the expansive, beautifully crafted world full of diverse environments and charming characters. The story, centered on the Luminary's heroic journey, offers emotional depth and memorable moments, enhanced by fully voiced dialogue and rich side quests. The game includes quality-of-life improvements such as faster movement, auto-saving, and customizable difficulty modes, which broaden its appeal to both newcomers and veterans.

However, some players find the pacing slow, especially during extended story-heavy segments that temporarily halt gameplay. The soundtrack receives mixed opinions, with some preferring mods to enhance it. Combat is generally satisfying but may feel repetitive or too easy on default settings. Despite minor criticisms, the Definitive Edition is regarded as a comprehensive and polished JRPG experience, highly recommended for fans of the genre and newcomers alike.

Highlights

Players especially praise the game's engaging turn-based combat that balances accessibility and strategic depth, allowing for varied playstyles through expanded skill trees and equipment customization. The vibrant, colorful graphics and beautifully rendered world create an inviting fantasy atmosphere, enhanced by Akira Toriyama's iconic character designs. The storyline offers a heartfelt and grand narrative with memorable characters, supported by fully voiced dialogue in English and Japanese. Quality-of-life features like faster movement and auto-saving improve pacing, while additional content and modes add replay value. The orchestral soundtrack is also highlighted as a standout element, elevating the game's emotional and epic moments.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include the slow pacing during early chapters and a lengthy mid-to-late game story segment that halts gameplay for extensive narrative exposition, which some players found frustrating. The soundtrack is seen as repetitive by some, with suggestions to use mods for improvement. Combat, while solid, can feel boring or too easy on default difficulty, and difficulty scaling is inconsistent. The 2D mode, though nostalgic, is criticized for slow gameplay and less polished visuals. Additionally, the PC port lacks modern graphical features like HDR, DLSS, or FSR, which some players expected.