It's hard not to be immediately impressed with Dragon Quest 11 merely for its presentation alone. Akira Toriyama's character designs have never been so beautifully realized, placed within a backdrop of vibrant colors and a timeless artstlye. DQ 11 is truly one of the most beautiful games I have ever seen. Reminiscent of Ni-No Kuni and Blue Dragon, far exceeding its graphical limits through sheer artistry.
Dragon Quest 11 is a traditional JRPG through and through, with a bevy of contemporary tweaks and quality of life improvements to temper the tedium of an older gametype. The auto run, sprint, spells for fast travel, etc. go a long way to alleviate annoyances older titles are plagued with, allowing the player to immerse themselves in the adventure and not be bogged down with backtracking or menu managment. This coupled with the charm and wonderful voice acting makes the story a joy to unravel. There's nothing revolutionary about it but it's extremely fitting, exhuding a sense of coziness contrasted with its epic scale of adventure the franchise is known for.
Combat is the tried and true turn based formula of age-old series, nestled in a depth between novice and hardcore difficulty; making it accessible for newcomers yet engaging enough for longtime fans. Towns and cities are standard fare for the genre, but are filled to the gills with NPCs to talk to and in the later half of the game activities in the major areas to occupy your time between dungeons.
While the Illusive Age takes several strides in tackling the grievances often plaguing JRPGs, not every contention has been addressed. Many of the plot lines are predictable and the characters, although likeable, are shallow with the villains hardly being even servicable. The from town to town loop so typical of these ventures can start to get stale, despite the vibrancy and life the areas of respite have to offer.
Dragon Quest 11 is a reminder that traditional turn based combat is traditional for a reason, and is a modern treat to old school fans. With it being such a streamlined, beautiful, and polished experience theres no suprise it'll gain a new fanbase as well.
Dragon Quest 11 is a traditional JRPG through and through, with a bevy of contemporary tweaks and quality of life improvements to temper the tedium of an older gametype. The auto run, sprint, spells for fast travel, etc. go a long way to alleviate annoyances older titles are plagued with, allowing the player to immerse themselves in the adventure and not be bogged down with backtracking or menu managment. This coupled with the charm and wonderful voice acting makes the story a joy to unravel. There's nothing revolutionary about it but it's extremely fitting, exhuding a sense of coziness contrasted with its epic scale of adventure the franchise is known for.
Combat is the tried and true turn based formula of age-old series, nestled in a depth between novice and hardcore difficulty; making it accessible for newcomers yet engaging enough for longtime fans. Towns and cities are standard fare for the genre, but are filled to the gills with NPCs to talk to and in the later half of the game activities in the major areas to occupy your time between dungeons.
While the Illusive Age takes several strides in tackling the grievances often plaguing JRPGs, not every contention has been addressed. Many of the plot lines are predictable and the characters, although likeable, are shallow with the villains hardly being even servicable. The from town to town loop so typical of these ventures can start to get stale, despite the vibrancy and life the areas of respite have to offer.
Dragon Quest 11 is a reminder that traditional turn based combat is traditional for a reason, and is a modern treat to old school fans. With it being such a streamlined, beautiful, and polished experience theres no suprise it'll gain a new fanbase as well.