Dragon Quest 11 Info – Everything You Need to Know

We’ve waited an awful long time—too long, perhaps—but the day has almost arrived.

That’s right; Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is officially headed west, and it heralds a rich, sprawling new adventure that’s already been hailed as one of the best JRPGs of modern times.

As a matter of fact, our own Lucas White awarded Dragon Quest XI with a 9.0/10 (and an Editor’s Choice award!) on the belief that Echoes of an Elusive Age is one of the most accomplished entries in this 30-year saga. That’s a compliment in and of itself, given the Dragon Quest series ranks pretty highly on the industry’s list of JRPG gems—up there with Final Fantasy and Shin Megami Tensei for its rich history and genre-defining titles.

And so, with the eleventh mainline installment due for a release this week, we’ve scoured the four corners of the Internet (and the PSLS archives!) to present to you everything you need to know about Echoes of an Elusive Age.

Let’s begin at the beginning, shall we?

Dragon Quest XI reaches PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on September 4th. A Switch port is also in the works, though Square Enix is yet to detail exactly when Echoes of an Elusive Age will expand onto the hybrid console.

Essential Reading:

Dragon Quest XI info dump

Dragon Quest XI – EYNTK

Let's get to it, shall we?
What is Dragon Quest XI?

It's the latest mainline installment in Square's legendary series and the first to make its way west since Dragon Quest IX back in 2010.

According to Square, it also heralds a "massive, gorgeous world to life in a style that blends stylistic cel-shading with photorealistic detail."
What’s the Story?

In a nutshell, you, the "Luminary," must set out on a quest through the wondrous world of Erdrea to fight an ancient evil.

Per Square Enix, this standalone adventure is best described as:

Dragon Quest XI follows the perilous journey of a hunted hero who must uncover the mystery of his fate with the aid of a charismatic cast of supporting characters. They embark on a quest taking them across continents and over vast oceans as they learn of an ominous threat facing the world.
How Does it Play?

Like your regular ol' turn-based JRPG, albeit with callbacks to the Dragon Quest of old.
T for Teen

The ESRB has spoken, and Dragon Quest XI has been rated Teen for fantasy violence and "suggestive material."

This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a hero who must defeat an evil force in the land of Erdrea. From a third-person perspective, players explore towns, complete quests, and battle fantastical creatures to advance the storyline. Combat is turn-based, with players selecting attack moves/skills/items from a menu; on-screen characters perform short animations for each action, using swords, crossbows, and magic spells to defeat enemies (e.g., slimes, dragons, robots, demons). Cutscenes sometimes depict characters getting impaled; a handful of scenes depict dead soldiers on the ground. One enemy is called “Bloody Hand,” and is represented by a disembodied hand dripping with red, slime-like blood. The game contains some suggestive material: female characters wearing low-cut tops or bunny outfits; male characters caught with “girlie magazines” (e.g., Ogler’s Digest); innuendo in the dialogue (e.g., “Wild thou sample the sensual puff-puff for a mere 20 gold coins?”; “Art thou not alive with pleasure?”; “Does that feel good? You’ll tell me if it hurts, won’t you?”). During the course of the game, characters can enter a casino and bet tokens on games such as slot machines, roulette, and poker. Some characters are depicted drunk (e.g., slurring their speech, hiccupping) in pubs and/or party environments. Players have the ability to acquire horse manure as in inventory item; one cutscene depicts a character placing a lump of feces in a creature’s hand.
Welcome to Erdrea

It's the fantastical world in which Dragon Quest XI takes place, and "features tons of side-quests and mini-games that provide enough content to keep you playing for well over 100 hours."

It also is home to Yggdrasil, The Great Tree of Life, which brings life and vitality to all those around it. Something tells us this tree will be crucial to the game's story, which brings us to...
Echoes of an Elusive Age

The subtitle of Dragon Quest XI is telling, as it perfectly captures the story that awaits—that is, a story orbiting around an unassuming hero who finds that he is destined for greatness.

Per Square Enix:

A young man, about to participate in his village's coming of age ceremony, heads off to the top of the local lookout point alongside his childhood friend. After a series of unexpected events, this intrepid adventurer learns he is the reincarnation of a legendary hero from a forgotten age.
Turned-Based Combat

Dragon Quest XI is a turned-based RPG, and with 100+ hours of content to enjoy, it won't be long before you've learned—if not mastered—the ropes.

Engage in a turn-based battle system that eases players into combat with an accessible experience, featuring mechanics simple enough for novices but with enough depth to satisfy long-time fans.
A Callback to VIII

From the get-go, players will have access to the Trodain Bandana and Trodain Togs which, if equipped, allows your in-game hero to resemble the main character of Dragon Quest VIII.
Already a Hit in Japan

Having graced PS4 and 3DS in Japan in 2017, Dragon Quest XI has already racked up three million sales, and that number will only continue to climb once the JRPG makes its way west.
100+ Hours of Content

This is a sprawling JRPG in every sense of the word, so don't expect to have much spare time for something like Marvel's Spider-Man if you decide to take the plunge.
Gameplay Footage

Curious to see Dragon Quest XI in action? We've got you covered.
Download Size

If you're hoping to purchase Dragon Quest XI digitally, you should know that Square's JRPG weighs in at 30.1GB, with an initial down of 9.7GB.
Switch Port in the Works

A Switch port of Dragon Quest XI is in development, though Square Enix has yet to disclose a specific date.
Critical Reception

Boasting a Metacritic review score of 88, Dragon Quest XI has earned its place among the PS4's finest titles,
Edition of Light

The Edition of Light is available for the PS4 and features a raft of extras, including reversible box art, three seeds of skill, and Healer and Supplicant accessories.
Edition of Lost Time

This is the premium version of Dragon Quest XI and is recommended only to those who consider themselves super fans of Square's series.
Preorder Perks

Meanwhile, securing your copy via PlayStation Store will net you the following in-game bonuses:

1. Exclusive PS4™ theme
2. Seed of Skill x15: A nifty nut that confers an extra skill point upon anyone who eats it.Consumed upon use.
3. Vest For Success: A pristine white waistcoat that makes it more likely the wearer will land extra loot when they win a battle.
4. Über Agate of Evolution x3: An enigmatic orb imbued with the potent power of purified progress.Consumed upon use.
Hands-On Preview

Two months ago, PSLS' own Paulmichael Contreras took Dragon Quest XI out for a spin, and found that,

For those in search of a dependable RPG experience, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age should fit the bill nicely. It has all the usual bells and whistles of a lengthy RPG and appears to be a faithful localization of an exquisitely popular Japanese game. It’s not a complicated RPG, as the mainline series has tended to stick with the RPG mechanics that it helped to originate with the original entry in 1986.
Our Final Verdict

With a 9.0 and an Editor's Choice award to its name, Dragon Quest XI certainly impressed PSLS' own Lucas White, who found that,

I have my issues with Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age. It’s a bit clunky when it tries to pretend it’s cool like other video games. I wish I had vocations instead of skill points to play with, and it would be nice if I could get from point A to B a bit faster, or have more to do along the way. But at the same time, I found myself engrossed in the usual grind I’ve come to love over the years, the silly and fantastical creatures from my favorite artist, and the storytelling that met and even rattled my expectations.