Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of a Lost Era - Preview, the saga returns to consoles

It was 2006 when the fantastic Dragon Quest VIII: The Odyssey of the Cursed King was released, the last chapter of the main saga to arrive on PlayStation 2. The eighth episode was a whirlwind of colors, emotions and sensations difficult to replicate, all seasoned with a adventure able to keep the user glued thanks to the narrative quality and a deep and well written plot, full of twists and insights on the world around you. Precisely for this reason, fans have been clamoring for years now,  a comeback in style, especially after the release of games like Dragon Quest Heroes or Builders. We were finally satisfied, albeit a year later than Japan. The video game is already available in the land of the rising sun, but this has not prevented the development house from rewarding the patience of us Westerners, making small additions that certainly make the experience richer. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of a Lost Era, promises to be the classic game of the franchise, remaining very faithful to the style that made the saga famous all over the world. Obviously, however, also due to the current times the software house had to reinvent some playful elements, making them in step with the times and usable by current generations. This is not to say that longtime fans have been excluded from the thoughts of Square Enix, in fact, they will most likely find the experience even more fulfilling and immersive than usual.

A new adventure!

As hardcore fans are perfectly aware, Dragon Quest XI is yet another stand alone chapter of the saga, with a new story and unreleased characters. The adventure does not differ from the more classic plots, even if it will always be full of twists and insights on the protagonists and the various places visited. It all starts with the main character (unnamed as it will be at the player's discretion) celebrating his 16th birthday. The boy lives in the village of Ishi, a very friendly place where there is great support and support among the various inhabitants. This happy event for the customs of the place means a really important rite of passage, as it represents the change from child to adult. During the ceremony of this character, however, the inevitable will happen: on the left hand of the protagonist a mysterious symbol appears, a sign that unequivocally declares that the boy is the reincarnation of the hero who, in the past, managed to save the world. Now a new adventure will begin for him, full of dangers and mysteries revealed. The first visit will be to the World Tree, an essential step to find out what is happening.

Already by arriving in this distant place you will understand the vastness of the game map. The path will be winding or full of pitfalls, so as to make you feel like you are going through a real undertaking. Obviously, as in the most classic role-playing games, during the experience you will meet other characters, each with unique skills and abilities, some of which will join you in fulfilling your mission, so that you always have a well-organized party just in case. Unfortunately, we still don't know anything about most of them, but regarding the thief Camus and his childhood friend Ema we certainly have some more details. The first is certainly a more chameleon-like character, a fundamental quality for someone who hovers in the shadows by profession. The second, on the other hand, is linked to the protagonist since she was a child, and she decided to accompany him on his journey to watch over him.

As mentioned at the beginning of the paragraph, the plot does not differ from the most classic clichés, both of the series and of role-playing games in general. However, many details have not been revealed by choice of the company, as it appears that Dragon Quest XI has a more multifaceted and branched narrative than in the past. In this sense, therefore, the title distances itself from the previous chapters, all with a story line that is always interesting but rather flat and all too linear in some situations. All this obviously must also be seen in the open world context of videogames, an implementation that inevitably requires more creative commitment on the part of the developers. Each city is preparing to be characterized by something in particularbe it for gambling or horse racing. It will also be important to see how the software house has worked on all the members of the party, so as to give each of them a characterization that strikes the player. Basically, we expect real supporting actors and not just support mates.

To arms

It goes without saying that, due to the size of the map, having a horse will be essential for moving quickly. Furthermore, in order not to waste your time, the development house has thought about the possibility of galloping at high speed without limits, and above all without the monsters bothering you. When you are on top of your courser, you will be immune to clashes with enemies, which also makes the exploration of the areas much freer. For the first time in the series the monsters will not appear suddenly, they will in fact be clearly visible on the pitch, making the setting more alive than in the past. A really funny little detail: the development house has decided not to relegate the player to having only one mount, in fact it will be possible to steal their "passage" from the opponents, so you will find yourself in an instant riding monsters with various specialties; some will be able to fly, others will be able to swim, climb and so on. The possibilities are truly numerous.

Despite an open world structure, the development house did not want to give up turn-based combat, a somewhat particular combination not in line with the style of current productions. Obviously you will not have excessive static, the compromise is to turn freely in the clash area, as in the Tales of games, so to speak. Each character will belong to a specific class, with certain specialties and powers. There will be those more predisposed to a physical confrontation, those who will benefit from the powerful arcane arts and those, on the other hand, who will prefer support to teammates afflicting bonuses and penalties depending on the target. However, there will not be only these three types, the party has been designed to be varied and open to any type of player and style.

Even the level design of environments such as cities and dungeons seems much deeper, less linear and more layered than previously seen. However, the main mission will not be your only goal, you will have an avalanche of side quests that will give you the opportunity to discover incredible views, obtain special items, additional experience points and so on. We hope to see a well-devised secondary mission system, which is not limited to the usual clichés of the genre, so as not to be too repetitive and meaningless in addition to the classic reward. To get certain tasks, you just need to talk to the reference NPC, clearly visible thanks to an exclamation point above your head. Another small addition was made regarding the save points: now, in addition to the various churches, during the movements small bonfires were placed with a statue of the Goddess next to them. To memorize the game, all you have to do is approach and interact with the structure.

In conclusion we can say with certainty that Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of a Lost Age is the great comeback of the console saga. To see the general quality of the product we will still have to wait until September, but the votes of the Japanese press have done nothing but raise expectations even more. In addition, to repay us for the wait, the development house has applied some significant improvements, such as the entire localization of the dialogues and the English dubbing. Some sound effects have also been included that further help the user to immerse themselves in the experience. The gameplay has also undergone some minor changes, such as the ability to run on foot, so you can move quickly even within cities or dungeons. The user will now also have the opportunity to switch to a first-person view, so that they can also take advantage of the photo mode. The conditions for a great title are all there, we hope in the end we will not be disappointed.