Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition for every platform! (including Xbox Game Pass)

[Benny]

I completely ignored the 8-bit bits. I don't think you miss out on anything important in them to be honest, the game is long enough as it is.

[deerokus]

The 8 bit sections were added for the switch version which this is a port of. They're not vital. 

[Cheyenne]

I say that, and now the game has thrown me into a boss that can outright kill minimum one of my characters each turn. 

 

Up until now (which to be fair I'm fairly sure is a sizable chunk of the game) I thought it was pretty good at not having too many spiked that enforce grinding. Guess it decides to save them for later on. I've been playing a lot anyway, I'll set it aside for a couple days.

[carlospie]

I didn't bother with any 8 bit parts. There are s few difficulty spikes in this but nothing too major 

[CheekyLee]

I found it really fun for a very long time, and then suddenly tedious. It's as if there comes a point where bosses just ramp up in difficulty, and seem downright unfair. 3 hits per turn, at least 1 of your party unable to act or even dead every round. The bosses resist every spell, and fights are just a war of attrition instead of actual challenge. 

 

I can't complain, even if I'd bought it instead of just Game Passing. I was well over 60 hours in, but that's indicative of another problem in itself. I'm sure it could have ended long before it does and be satisfying enough. I don't recall uninstalling it, but when I went to play it and found it no longer there I wasn't as upset as I should have been.

[AK Bell]

I hit a few walls like that, but you end up just having to go off and do something completely different for a while rather than grind. It's not worth persisting too hard on the same boss. 

 

There only seemed to be a couple of these walls (both off the coast without spoiling it). 

[Triple A]

Koichi Sugiyama has died.  Just confirmed on the Dragon Quest JP website.

[ryodi]

Beat the final boss in Act 2 without much trouble with all of my characters around level 52. Start taking on the bosses in Act 3 / postgame and kept getting my ass unceremoniously handed to me by all of them so have spent a few hours level grinding (all hail the Switch where you can grind while watching tv) using this guide until all of my characters were level 80 and the boss fights stopped being frustrating. I thought I was done when I saw the credits at the end of Act 2 and I usually don't bother with the postgame in Dragon Quest games I've finished before but this has still got its hooks into me despite Metroid Dread being sat in the cart slot. 

[ryodi]

After 120 hours I'm calling it a day. I've completed almost all of the Tickington quests but the difficult spike at the end just isn't fun. The actual quests themselves aren't amazing either and without the Divine Intervention spell the frequency of the random battles would have made me quit a lot earlier than they did. The only interesting moment in the Tickington quests is from Altar of the Heavenly Bride

 

Spoiler

If you ask Jade to marry you in the practice ceremony she's resistant because she see's herself as the hero's older sister and has to be asked twice. Whereas when you choose Jade for your wish of someone to live happily ever after with Drustan's spell means she doesn't have any doubts at all. It makes me wonder what kind of spell he put on her. 

 

I can see myself playing through the PS4 version at some point just to the get the trophies after playing it through this time on the Switch. It's just a really enjoyable RPG without many annoyances once you get past the usual incredibly slow intro. Now to finally go back and complete DQ VIII. 

[Kayin Amoh]

Interesting changes there. I'll never play through DQXI S because I played through the original game on PS4 at launch and the game is freaking massive, but it does seem like there's some interesting changes made.

[BitterToad]

I’ve been playing the demo of this for a while and it’s just absolutely ace. Properly relaxed, funny in places, it feels like taking a big warm bath. I think I’m getting towards the end of the demo so it looks like this’ll be my bought game for January. Anyone got a copy they don’t want and an eye on Metroid Dread/Skyward Sword? 

[Cheyenne]

I would happily swap you for either of those, sadly I'm based in Czechia and I reckon that would make postage a bit of a mare.

[carlospie]

29 minutes ago, BitterToad said:

I’ve been playing the demo of this for a while and it’s just absolutely ace. Properly relaxed, funny in places, it feels like taking a big warm bath. I think I’m getting towards the end of the demo so it looks like this’ll be my bought game for January. Anyone got a copy they don’t want and an eye on Metroid Dread/Skyward Sword? 

It's worth every penny and lasts ages too

 

[Calashnikov]

It’s often in the sales. I nailed it in a recent Nintendo eShop sale with the sole intent of playing it over Christmas for ultimate cosy vibes, which I have been doing, and fucking loving

[Triple A]

It’s perhaps the ultimate Christmas game!  It’s so cosy in feel, generous of content, well balanced and beautifully crafted.  An absolute all-timer.

 

Typing this reminds me of Christmas 2006, when I had US versions of both DQ8 and FF12 on the go - best Christmas gaming ever!

[CovisGod]

I’m a huge JRPG fan but this has always totally passed my by, I started playing Christmas Eve and literally haven’t put it down since. Absolutely amazing game 

[BitterToad]

I have just reached the end of the demo. At a paltry 9 hours for no money whatsoever I am absolutely disgusted at how cheap Square have been. 
 

I’m going to spend £50 on this aren’t I? 

[Triple A]

Yes and it is so worth it

[Calashnikov]

It’s fucking gorgeous too. The rolling skies above that chunky toy-town fantasy anime-style world, beautiful vistas throughout the landscape, the bright and colourful characters and monster designs etc all look incredible.

[Triple A]

You’re tempting me to reinstall!

[Stanley]

I love it, the characters are fabulous. 

[carlospie]

That flamboyant male is awesome. 

[Stanley]

Sylvando, yes he is magnificent. 

[Triple A]

Yes and very well written

[CovisGod]

This probably isn’t the thread for it but as I am enjoying this so much are there others in the series I should check out? I suppose the easiest ones to pick up would be the 3DS entries 7, 8 & 9? 

[Triple A]

5 is the best closely followed by 3.  They are two of the best games ever made.  The DS versions are probably best, though 3 also has an excellent Super Famicom version and 5 a very good JPN PS2 version.

 

4, 6 and 8 are also very good indeed.

7 is decent but very long/padded.

9 is a bit of an oddity but also great.

[ryodi]

Apart from IX all of the DS 3DS games are expensive to buy physically. VII and VIII are a bit awkward to control due to the lack of a second stick but still fun to play with VIII being the better game and plays a lot like XI. The DS games are old style JRPGs with random battles, the iOS versions are ports of those games but I don’t know how well they control with the touch screen only. I’d recommend starting with VIII which is on the eShop if you want something like XI.

[Triple A]

Yeah 8 is perhaps closest to 11.

[CovisGod]

Cheers guys, I’m a bit of a collector so will probably have a go at getting the DS / 3DS entries. I’ll check out 5 and 8 first then. Much appreciated 

[Stanley]

DQ8 got me into the series and it’s a high entry point, definitely worth playing if you like XI as they’re quite similar. 
 

Also worth checking out side games in the series such as Dragon Quest Builders and Dragon Quest Heroes.