Dragon Quest XI - Echoes of an Elusive Age is the latest installment in the Dragon Quest series. (Image Source: 4gamer.net)
Since its first release on 1986, Dragon Quest has always been a mainstay in the Japanese game industry. And this year, its popularity still hasn’t dwindled at all, as proven by the release of Dragon Quest XI, which sales has, so far, exceeded over three million copies sold.
During the 1980s, no RPG has ever existed for consoles, and such games only thrived on expensive personal computers. Several games such as Adventure and Tower of Druaga tried to make it work—but only Dragon Quest was able to incorporate all the elements that were considered as mandatory in every RPG, such as random enemy encounters and experience levels. It also has a unique sense of humor and storyline, and its character designs were made by Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, which was a major hit at that time. These elements paved a way for its massive success and it took Japan by storm and even inspired dozens of clones. Three decades later, it seems like the magic still hasn’t vanished at all.
Aside from the eleven main series titles that it currently has, it also has several spin-off games such as Mystery Dungeon and Dragon Quest Monsters. Most of the titles in the main series had an anime and manga adaptation, and these titles have also been released in various gaming consoles. In fact, several more Dragon Quest games are going to be released this year, such as Dragon Quest XI, Dragon Quest Rivals and ports of the early Dragon Quest games.
First to be released this year is the eleventh installment to the main series, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, which was released on July 29. This game features a similar playstyle as the previous series in which the player explores different worlds, fights monsters and completes various missions.The game details the adventures of the protagonist, usually referred to as the “Hero”, who is known to be the reincarnation of the legendary hero who once saved the world. Being the hero’s reincarnation, the protagonist is burdened with a mission to do the same—and in order to fulfill it, he plans to know more about the past hero and his mission, and he can only do so by going to Delcadar to meet the king. His meeting with the king didn’t go well, however, and the protagonist was chased out of the castle after labeling the hero as a “demon child.” What will happen to the protagonist after this incident?
The protagonist as he was chased out of the castle in the PS4 version. (Image Source: Gematsu)
Echoes of an Elusive Age was released simultaneously on Playstation 4 and Nintendo 3DS, and while the gameplay is mostly the same, there were also several things that are unique to each version. In fact, it’s better to know what those differences are so that you’ll know which version to buy!
One of the most notable differences between the two versions is the graphics. If you look at the visuals, it is apparent that the PS4 version has prettier and better graphics than the 3DS version. On the other hand, you can change the graphics on the 3DS version into 3D or 2D, depending on your liking. Aside from the graphics, the music for each version is different as well. You can check out more of their differences in the video below:
Thanks to Unreal Engine 4, the graphics for the PS4 version are absolutely stunning! (Image Source: 4gamer.net)
Dragon Quest XI will also have a Nintendo Switch version. Although no official release date has been announced yet, It will be released to the West in 2018. Judging from the reactions of the Western fans on Reddit, it is highly likely that the game is going to be well-received. After all, Dragon Quest XI has sold two million copies on its first two days and will most likely break the record for the highest-selling Dragon Quest game, a position that was originally held by Dragon Quest IX, which sold over 5.3 million copies.
ドラゴンクエスト11：5年ぶりの新作、きょう全国で発売開始 東京・池袋の“聖地”に80人の列 https://t.co/SgYWJQ8rsT #ドラゴンクエスト11 #ドラクエ11 #DQ11 pic.twitter.com/7NrtvDGl8D
— mantanotaku (@mantanotaku) July 28, 2017
The game is already sold out on other shops and people still line outside to buy it.
Yuji Horii announces the Western release of Dragon Quest XI.
If you’re a fan of the original Dragon Quest games and you want to relive the experience, you’ll have something to look forward to since the first three main Dragon Quest games now has a Playstation 4 and 3DS port! And if you bought Dragon Quest XI, you can also download the game for free just by entering the Restoration Spell in the credits after the true ending.
And if you’re curious about what the original Dragon Quest game will look like in PS4, you can take a look at the first gameplay footage provided by NeoGAFF user Kanann below:
Aside from console games, Square Enix has plans to release Dragon Quest Rivals, a new spin-off game for iOS and Android. This will be a card based battle game where players will be able to enjoy turn-based battles by using cards that will feature various characters from the main Dragon Quest series. Some of the characters that will appear are Huser from Dragon Quest X, as well as Camus and Martina from Dragon Quest XI.
With all these recent Dragon Quest releases, fans will surely have a lot to look forward to. After all, you can either go on a new adventure with Dragon Quest XI, relive the classics with the release of Dragon Quest I, II and III PS4 and 3DS ports, or even play Dragon Quest Rivals on your phone! And if the high sales of Dragon Quest XI are any indication, it is apparent that despite being a classic, Dragon Quest still remains as one of the best-selling video game series of all time.
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