Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

From Dragon Quest Wiki

Dragon Quest XI is the eleventh main Dragon Quest game. The game will be released for the Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation 4 game consoles as well on the Nintendo Switch.[1] The game was first revealed during a livestream on July 28, 2015.[2]The game will be released on July 29th, 2017 on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 3DS, with the Nintendo Switch version planned for release some time later.

On July 28th, 2017, Yuji Horii announced that the game will be released internationally in 2018 in five different languages. The Western release of the game was announced on March 28th, 2018, which will include various new features added from the Japanese release, including voice acting, as well as a release on PC systems. The five languages the game will be released are English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German.

Gameplay

Dragon Quest XI has the same gameplay elements from the previous Dragon Quest games in the series, in which the players explore and fight against monsters, including the ability to explore high areas. The Nintendo 3DS shows a different style than the PlayStation 4 version. The game's battle system still uses the series' traditional turn-based battle system.

Graphics

Dragon Quest XI shows several styles for the Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation 4. The Nintendo 3DS version shows super deformed graphics which is shown on the top screen and 16-bit styled sprites on the bottom of the screen. However, the split scene between 3D and 2D graphics is not entirely shown in the game, which revealed that it is only like that for the opening stages and after the opening stages, the players can decide which style to play. But the players can switch between its 3D and 2D styles at any time during the game.[3] The PlayStation 4 version of the game shows an entire 3D style layout with a clear appearance of the area and the monsters. The players has a lot of freedom to walk through many part of the game which the players can even walk through ropes.[4]

Battle style

Dragon Quest XI is still using its traditional turn-based battle system, which the player and monsters can attack by turns. The player can switch the battle style graphics of the Nintendo 3DS version from 3D to 2D, which the battle system can be toggled after encountering a monster when the players are walking through the field. The PlayStation 4 version shows a much more wider version of the battle system rather than the Nintendo 3DS version, but it's still unknown if it can switch between 3D and 2D graphics.

International bonus features

  • Fully voiced characters.
  • Draconian quest: an excessively difficult mode for experienced players.
  • A sprint button that allows a character to dash.
  • Redesigned menus that replace the traditional translucent black with sepia tone parchment that displays item and equipment artwork.
  • Refined camera control for easier viewing of details.

Characters

Playable Characters

  • Hero - A young man from the village of Ishi who is, in fact, the reincarnation of an ancient hero that once saved the world. He was born with a mysterious mark on his left hand.
  • Erik - A blue-haired thief that is encountered during the adventure. He is quite mean, but behind his tough appearance is a kind heart. He encounters the hero in the prisons of Delcadar.
  • Veronica - A strong-willed girl who hates being treated like a child. She is skilled with offensive magic.
  • Senya - A neat and tidy beauty. She is seen playing a lyre in the game’s opening movie. She is capable of using healing magic.
  • Sylvia - A flamboyant entertainer with a dream to make people smile around the world.
  • Martina - A female martial artist with a desire to protect everyone.
  • Row - A mysterious elderly man who has been waiting for the Hero. He is a nimble fighter who wields a pair of claws.

Other Characters

  • Emma - Childhood friend of the hero, who was born on the same day as her. She and the Hero celebrated their birthday together, just before the young man departs on his journey.
  • Hendrik - A general from the Kingdom of Delcadar with a strong sense of justice and loyalty to his lord. He leads a chase against the Hero and is seen dueling with him.
  • Homer - A cruel strategist from the Kingdom of Delcadar. His cold methods have led to many victories
  • King of Delcadar - The wise and respected ruler of Delcadar. He is known as a master swordsman and is skeptical of the Hero's claims.

Pre-released information

Development

The news about Dragon Quest XI was revealed by its creator Yuji Horii, when saying that he won't release Dragon Quest XI for smartphones.[5] In April 2014, Horii teased that he is working on the next Dragon Quest title.[6] In July 2015, they announced through a Japanese magazine Shonen Jump that they will release a new Dragon Quest title during a livestream on Tuesday, July 28th. [7] After the announcement in Shonen Jump, there were been rumours that the newly titled game is in fact Dragon Quest XI. A Wall Street Journal Japan reporter received a letter of invitation from Square Enix containing that there will be "a new title from main Dragon Quest series." which the letter fully revealed "a new title from the main Dragon Quest series for the first time in three years."[8] During the livestream on July 28, 2015, the revealed gameplay footage of Dragon Quest XI, revealing that it will be released for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4. They also said that the PlayStation 4 version uses the Unreal Engine 4 game engine to create a high quality game.

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References

Names, etymology and in other regions
Language Name Meaning