Dragon Quest XI: The Kotaku Review
Dragon Quest XI: The Kotaku Review
Dragon Quest XI is the best game in the 32-year-old series.
I don’t say that lightly. I’ve obsessed over Dragon Quest for the last thirty years. I’ve played every inch of every one of the games in the series. I played Dragon Quest XI in Japanese when it was released in 2017. Then I played it again. Now I’ve played it a third time, in English. Only when watching my own review did I decide to go ahead and declare this game the best in the series. Because it is.
This review contains snippets of cutscenes from the first 20 hours of the game, which some players may consider spoilers. I’ve taken care to exclude all dialogue and subtitles from the screen, however, and to present these cutscenes in something of an inscrutable order.
This review breaks the game down in seven chapters:
0. intro (“the bottom line”) (1:06)
1. the history of the series (2:22)
2. world-building (6:45)
3. The difficulty (10:33)
4. battles (12:12)
5. characters (22:39)
6. the story (27:18)
7. the localization (31:04)
September 24, 2018 @ 9:35 am
This is the most unique review possible, a love letter to the game, and you managed to keep me watching for 30+ minutes. You should be on your own, being advertised as Kotaku just dilutes the uniqueness you bring in.
September 24, 2018 @ 9:36 am
Now, now. I was just going to watch this review and i just bought this game. thank you Kotaku >.>
September 24, 2018 @ 9:38 am
Man I can’t stand this guys style of review. Stop rambling and making stupid puns and jokes. 36 mins for a review? God damn.
September 24, 2018 @ 9:42 am
I’ve never played DQ before. I love FF, Tales, KH, Persona and Disgaea but never got into DQ, probably because it never got all the hype, pre posters and ads in the UK. No one seems to know it much compared to other JRPGs here, but this looks like a good game to get into the series though
September 24, 2018 @ 9:42 am
I just finished this game now and had to come here to post my thoughts. This was the first Dragon Quest Game I have ever played. I didn’t know what to think honestly. I bought the game thinking I would play it for a couple of days before Spiderman came out and then maybe finish it later next year. NOPE. Once I was a couple of hours into it I was hooked. I haven’t touched Spiderman and am tearing up watching the end credits as I type this now. This was one of the best games I’ve ever played in my life. There wasn’t a single part of the game that I disliked, I wanted to collect everything I could, hours felt like minutes, I got attached to each and every character I met along the way, I felt for every NPC I came across, I fell in love with the world, I thought about the story and the characters while I wasn’t playing and I was genuinely hooked with the story from start to finish. Nothing ever felt unnecessary, the story never felt cliche even though elements of it have been told countless times before and I never wanted it to end. Even right now I feel a little empty and spent inside after finishing it. This game really left a huge impression on me. Time to go see what the end game has in store.
September 24, 2018 @ 9:45 am
Thats it, I’m buying it. Best review Ive ever seen
September 24, 2018 @ 9:47 am
I love seeing a corporate review with so much character! I freaking love it!
September 24, 2018 @ 9:49 am
Best review ever. There. I said it.
September 24, 2018 @ 9:50 am
Best review ever
September 24, 2018 @ 9:51 am
Do you read Japanese?
September 24, 2018 @ 9:51 am
BEST REVIEW I HAVE EVER READ OR WATCHED, GREAT AND FUNNY AS HELL!!!!
September 24, 2018 @ 9:52 am
11h in the game and am loving it so fking much and still feels like a big journey still await for me after hundreds of amazing events already.
September 24, 2018 @ 9:52 am
Why am I watching this crap I don’t even like jrpg games and I don’t own a PlayStation. But I do like 30 minutes videos about “chilling with your buds”
September 24, 2018 @ 9:52 am
If only the main character wouldn’t look like crap.
September 24, 2018 @ 9:54 am
Not a big fan of kotaku. But I loved this review was actually the best review i have heard in a long time. I played dragon quest 1 an most of the games up to this one. I am a big fan. Thanks a lot for this review I hope they make it for the switch. I’d hate to buy another ps4 just to have this game Haha
September 24, 2018 @ 9:55 am
And the main character name is hero?
September 24, 2018 @ 9:56 am
This is the single best review of anything on the internet
September 24, 2018 @ 9:57 am
The problem of the reviewers nowdays is… Too much asking to be different from Previous.. episode?
Look our problem Dynasty Warrior 9. Its OPEN World, and you know what reviewers say ? Awesome, buy when its came out. They begin critics it should be like this and that, the road is empty and such. These joke want to make it looks like Skyrim OMG!! + MOD.
Look! the more game makers hear these fcking reviewers, the more game become a super toxic and undesireable.
What you said is correct. Its flow within your expectation and there is nothing wrong with that. That is the main point of the series.
The so called reviewers by User who sometimes only buy games to have right to reviews, actually cant see good point of the game.
And sometimes maybe these games makers know there is generation Gap within the game.
You are doing a good job. You should be more wellknown.
September 24, 2018 @ 9:57 am
Sasuke Uchiha reviewing Dragon Quest
September 24, 2018 @ 9:58 am
Worstst Music i have ever heard in a JRPG
September 24, 2018 @ 10:00 am
I was wondering how the Japenese would tolerate the bgm in this game, especially when there isn’t voiceover. It’s not the worst, but definitely below average for JRPGs.
Turns out we’re not getting the bgm from the Japanese version.
September 24, 2018 @ 10:02 am
It is so hard to explain to people why Dragon Quest is so good… but it is, it’s a lot of small details when put together that make it good. Well for me.. my favourite series. And he is right the voice acting doesn’t fit. I like the voice acting but it makes it seem like a kids game when it is not.
September 24, 2018 @ 10:03 am
Dude you are awesome, great review. Masterful reading and very entertaining : )
September 24, 2018 @ 10:06 am
And Dragon Quest and FF also take heavily from the Wizardry series.
September 24, 2018 @ 10:06 am
Watched it through and by the end when you said you want circle to be a confirm button, and that Square should implement this… Errr, there is actually an option to choose whether X or O is a confirm button. Right there in the options menu… It’s called "set the confirm button". How could you miss this? And even blaming it on the square when not checking the options menu in the first place? ^_^”
September 24, 2018 @ 10:06 am
All of the if you likes match me. ?
September 24, 2018 @ 10:07 am
Looks Incredibly gay..
downloading now 😀
September 24, 2018 @ 10:08 am
The best review of a game ever!
September 24, 2018 @ 10:09 am
This review is fking solid, the amount of research and information in it is unfathomable
September 24, 2018 @ 10:14 am
I was on the fence about getting this game, but you sir have sold me
September 24, 2018 @ 10:15 am
Should have mentioned the terrible MIDI music. Even on the website this was mentioned only once in the summary, stating the midi music makes it feel "hecka dinky" sometimes. No not sometimes, the music is so low in quality that it contrasts with the rest of the game which is quite polished. This review does not show music from the game which is quite misleading.
September 24, 2018 @ 10:15 am
this was the best game review i have ever watched! thank you for that!
September 24, 2018 @ 10:20 am
http://fitgirl-repacks.site/dragon-quest-xi/
September 24, 2018 @ 10:21 am
I was iffy on this since I havent played a DQ game since Eight, but you sir, have convinced me to buy and try!
September 24, 2018 @ 10:21 am
yeah at least its someone who loves the series reviewing it
September 24, 2018 @ 10:22 am
can someone tell me if the characters are any good? like to the point where you just get attached to them cause i love my games that make me feel at home lol
September 24, 2018 @ 10:22 am
Masterpiece!
September 24, 2018 @ 10:24 am
Drink game when he said Dragon Quest! F**k man, typing while my eyes close
September 24, 2018 @ 10:24 am
i recorded the audio for this video in a tiny 120-degree soundproof booth at 3am. it took me three hours, during which time i re-read like 98 sentences with the word "eleven" in them 45 times each. please stop pointing out that i said "final fantasy xi" when i meant to say "final fantasy xii." trust me: i know the difference between final fantasy xi and final fantasy xii. i was *there*
anyway, if you liked this video, watch my (so far!) ten-part series about final fantasy vii: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsiJPoHlPqEEA07AKMQ2Hm2oRLiGkR_uJ
September 24, 2018 @ 10:24 am
You just caused me to spend 80 hours playing DQXI. Thank you.
September 24, 2018 @ 10:25 am
You should review all the jrpgs
September 24, 2018 @ 10:25 am
God is this turn base? I hate turn base games.
September 24, 2018 @ 10:26 am
Iam desperately wondering if there is artwork like Dragon Quest but gameplay like for Honor
September 24, 2018 @ 10:26 am
Too much information bro, TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 24, 2018 @ 10:27 am
10/10 best review I’ve ever heard!
September 24, 2018 @ 10:27 am
you could use notepad 2 and find all this hidden math yourself the old fashioned way
September 24, 2018 @ 10:28 am
35:46 I feel an irrepressible compulsion to learn that dance, and practice the IDGAF facial expression…
September 24, 2018 @ 10:30 am
This is the level of improvement FFXV supposed to have achieved but it didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, FFXV is good and all but for me it’s lacking, lacking of the feelings I felt upon playing DQXI for the first time. The feeling of being in a "fantasy" world perhaps?
September 24, 2018 @ 10:31 am
I bought this game because of this review. This is how you do video game reviews, with…. you know, passion. And so far 20 hours in and shaping up to be one of my favorite games of all time. My interest was especially peeked because I did not know that the story director for Chrono Trigger, which is my all time favorite game ever, wrote this game. The charm you exhibited in this review, shows up in the game because the more I play, the more I find myself smiling and quietly enjoying my time with it because this game breathes charm. It’s great. Thank you.
September 24, 2018 @ 10:33 am
" dragon quest games are bedtime story"
more like a series of bedtime novels. think Harry Potter series times 11.
p/s: your voice makes me sleepy.