Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Easy Allies Review
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Easy Allies Review
Dragon Quest XI is a sprawling adventure filled with incredible warmth.
Written by Ben Moore
Video Edited by Ian Hinck
Reviewed on PlayStation 4 Pro
Available on PC and PlayStation 4
Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot include music from Dragon Quest XI without the associated gameplay. Square Enix representatives recommended including the clips picture-in-picture to accommodate this restriction.
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October 9, 2018 @ 9:51 pm
the music in the background is so bad…
October 9, 2018 @ 9:53 pm
Great review Ben. I just finished this game last night and it’s one of my favorite games of all time. I can already tell I’m going to miss the characters, world, and battle system.
October 9, 2018 @ 9:54 pm
Went to this review at random, heard that voice, and thought "Holy hell it’s the Gametrailers guy!" Subbed.
October 9, 2018 @ 9:55 pm
This game looks incredible! I’ve never played a Dragon Quest game before (hated RPGs when I was younger). My backlog needs to be cleaned out a bit, but I think I’m going to scoop this later. Thanks for the review Ben.
October 9, 2018 @ 9:56 pm
My very first dragon quest game. It was so good! I guess i have to add DQ games to my list of series that will be day 1 buys for me now.
October 9, 2018 @ 9:56 pm
Sandy my favourite character
October 9, 2018 @ 9:57 pm
Is this to DQ8 like Skyrim was to Oblivion? Easier and dumbed down but more impressive visually etc etc
October 9, 2018 @ 10:01 pm
What a joke with the music thing tbh, hope when the composer passes his estate is less anal about it
October 9, 2018 @ 10:01 pm
I have to agree, the music leaves a lot to be desired. Would’ve been great if it had a lot more variety.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:03 pm
What’s up with the picture in picture thing in the corner of a lot of these scenes?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:03 pm
I have this on PC and it’s amazing!
October 9, 2018 @ 10:04 pm
Is "monotonous" no longer a word we’re using?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:05 pm
9:53 how to get that costume for hero?????
October 9, 2018 @ 10:07 pm
why do i watch reviews for games i already bought
October 9, 2018 @ 10:08 pm
LOL. I hope you had a good time doing this clipping of scenes just for the music.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:09 pm
If I didn’t like DQ VIII will I like DQ XI?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:09 pm
Oh
October 9, 2018 @ 10:10 pm
My biggest complaint is with perfectionist pearls. Why do I need these stupid things to upgrade stuff I already own? Why don’t I get a bonus pearl when I very a +3 item? Just a completely stupid restriction.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:11 pm
Why midi tracks? I mean I love midi tracks, but….it’s 2018. They even have an orchestral soundtrack for the game, but it’s not in the game? Why not let us choose?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:12 pm
Gemma!!
October 9, 2018 @ 10:14 pm
Been playing it since launch….. does not disappoint a true love letter for any jrpg fan just a beautiful amazing game and since we get so few Dragon Quest games in the West I am glad wife and I pre ordered this.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:14 pm
Anyone prefer having a spiky hair hero?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:15 pm
Huh? A Dragon Quest that’s easy? What has the world come to?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:15 pm
Almost sad that this came out the same time as spiderman. Other than rpg fans how many people would choose this over that.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:16 pm
Is this game coming to Nintendo Switch?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:17 pm
Well…guess I got another franchise to get into
October 9, 2018 @ 10:22 pm
My personal opinion. I really like the game and I love the story about erdwin. I’d love to play that game in this format. But I seriously have an issue with the hero of this story. He is boring, and useless 70% of the time. His only contribution is that mark on his hand I feel like. Yes they want to give reason for his other allies but damn, he is weak and comes up with like 0 ideas on how to survive this fight most of the game.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:23 pm
Does this game have any romance?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:23 pm
2:42 = HOLY CRAP, didn’t know you could ride monsters and whatnot! That’s badass! I don’t know why that is making me so hype for this! lol
October 9, 2018 @ 10:23 pm
Hands Down the best JRPG for this generation.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:26 pm
Final boss was pretty difficult.
You’ll need at least lv 70-80.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:27 pm
You guys make the best reviews. The writing, voice work and editing are all second to none. Compared to the other reviews of this same game, I got far more insight as to what the game is actually like without spoiling anything, so thank you. You give established publications a run for their money.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:32 pm
Isn’t this the person who used to review games on Game trailers before it shut down? Sounds familiar.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:32 pm
Love it so much. The soundtrack isn’t very good though and the composer is kind of a horrible person. Everything else is top notch
October 9, 2018 @ 10:33 pm
I’m 52 hours in the game it’s really good story an a well made game, tbh the first like 12 hours I was kinda bored of the game an just waiting like when is the game gunns pick up but it eventually did after getting the whole party an it’s got a very good classic original story that fits the game well an haven’t played in a jrpg in a while definitely one of my favorite jrpgs on my list can’t wait to get the xc2 dlc next month too
October 9, 2018 @ 10:35 pm
Sylvando best boy.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:35 pm
BUT….Denuvo
October 9, 2018 @ 10:37 pm
I know this has been said plenty but Brandon’s voice is the best review voice. That’s why I only come to easy allies.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:38 pm
should of played on draconian mode, you have to grind a few levels between each boss but it makes the combat so much more fun
October 9, 2018 @ 10:39 pm
Play with super enemies on it’s the perfect challenge but if you don’t enjoy grinding turn it off
October 9, 2018 @ 10:40 pm
Masterfully done review, really insightful and engaging. You my good sir just earned a sub!
October 9, 2018 @ 10:42 pm
Lol im the only one in mygroup of friends who knows dragon quest =.= theyre all enjoying spiderman.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:42 pm
SE provided you with the loophole to their own rules? lol
October 9, 2018 @ 10:44 pm
It’s reviewed well across the board for the most part it’s just not my bag. I wish the title to do well but I’m trying to get through Ni No Kuni 2 and the kiddy story is just so rough to chomp into.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:45 pm
GOTY
October 9, 2018 @ 10:47 pm
I miss gametrailers ?
October 9, 2018 @ 10:47 pm
I assume the music style is that way to strike a Dragon Quest nostalgia cord… but crap every song I heard during this review was grating as heck. I wish the music got the same treatment as the visuals. The visuals kept the same style but no one could ever accuse these graphics of being from any generation but this one with the lighting effects the physics applied to monsters and character clothing. Music in these kinds of game play a huge part of pulling me into the experience and setting the emotional landscape.
Chrono Trigger goes from being a 10/10 experience to a 15/10 with its ridiculously good soundtrack. When I first started this review, just the beauty of the art style combined with current gen graphics had me seriously wanting to play this game, but that music from what I heard was at best "meh" and at worst grating in such a fashion as to take my attention off of how great the game is looking and feeling.
Perfect example of a game keeping the same feel of the previous game’s music but updating it and using all the tools available to the console generation is Chrono Cross. Yes I’m fanboying on those two games, but FREAKING HECK. Go listen to this for 20 seconds and then you’ll be like, "Oh yeah I see what he’s talking about." https://youtu.be/bnKNwBVG5Yw?t=1m
Yes the whole game isn’t live recorded like that first track, but even the songs created using sounds available to the PSX are still flipping intricate and amazing and striving to push further and be more and better and succeed in doing that. Take this song Lizard Dance https://youtu.be/bnKNwBVG5Yw or this song Arni Village https://youtu.be/bnKNwBVG5Yw
Compare Arni Village to Peaceful Days from Chrono Trigger https://youtu.be/0Lo8Q5tL0WQ which is also a "walking about in a town" theme. They give you this similar vibe because the composer kept similar ideas to give you a peaceful, quiet town life feel. The way the melody is always moving at a simple and pace not doing anything crazy or moving away from it’s 4/4 quarter notes or it’s 6/8 eight notes. They feel very similar and it invokes the same feeling of a peaceful town. This is how you update the music but keep the FEELING the music gave the game.
The composition of the pieces of music should make you think nostalgically not the quality of instrumentation or recording or lack of too many instruments playing at the same time as was the NES problem. Yes there is definitely a place for chiptune and other musical ways of evoking nostalgia, but making your next console entry of one of the genre defining franchises is not the place. This was them not being confident in Dragon Quest standing on its own two feet and trying to hard to hit you with the throwback feel. The art of Dragon Quest XI makes me think nostalgically about Dragon Quest not the graphics, the graphics are beautiful and they didn’t decided to nerf their graphics to try to get some nostalgia. The style of the music should invoke my nostalgia not the poorness of the instrumentation.
Maybe I’m insane but I feel so so sad about that MIDI music it’s pushing me away from Dragon Quest XI.
(Wow I’m writing an essay about this in a youtube comment… I really am insane)
October 9, 2018 @ 10:49 pm
Didn’t think I would enjoy this more than 8 , especially since it wasn’t orchestrated and it’s slightly easier , but god damn do I love this game. My new favorite dragon quest game for the characters , the locations , and the amount of weapons and Armour, god it’s so good . I’m 83 hours in and still not done
October 9, 2018 @ 10:49 pm
The game has the hard option o.O, dunno why the difficulty is a problem especially on a JRPG, where Grind is a option? Don’t Grind game will be hard, grind it will be easier so it’s up to the player how difficulty it would. One can argue that the game is naturally easy when played on a "Normal" pace, but then, each person has a Normal pace. Great Review otherwise.
October 9, 2018 @ 10:50 pm
This game is mechanically identical to a NES game … with much better graphics .. the game design has not changed since DW1