Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age review - a staunchly traditional return for the stately RPG series
And that's absolutely fine, especially when it's a game as sumptuous as this. Just as Dragon Quest 8 dragged the series into the world of 3D, Dragon Quest 11 does a fine job of introducing it wholesale to the HD generation (indeed, so belated has its introduction to that world been that it's also available in 4K on PlayStation 4 Pro, where it looks absolutely splendid). Those rich blues, greens and yellows that serve as the core part of Dragon Quest's palette, that feed into that feeling of sun-parched days that stretch out endlessly for summertime adventures, have never looked better.

And, in its tale, it's also about familiar tropes being wheeled out for the umpteenth time. Echoes of an Elusive Age is about a mute hero, orphaned soon after birth who slowly awakens to his innate powers and his destiny to do no less than save the world. It's a tale of idiot princes, evil kings, sassy mages and wise-cracking thieves - nothing you won't have seen before, essentially, but as ever it's not about the tale so much as the telling, and this is complete with the charm that's always defined Dragon Quest.

Even beyond the localisation, Echoes of the Elusive Age feels like it's been set up as an entry point for the series and an attempt for Dragon Quest to emulate the phenomenal success it sees in Japan over in the west. This is a linear adventure, but it's one that will go out of its way to lead you along its path (one that's lined with sub-quests and side missions, of course, as well as the welcome distraction of horse racing and gambling), and one that presents a stripped back, simplified take on traditional RPG combat.

It's a little like Final Fantasy 12, but without much of that game's depth, and it's not the only trace you'll find here. Characters are levelled up via a builder that works like Final Fantasy 12's Licence Board - or Final Fantasy 10's Sphere Grid, if you prefer - with ability points unlocked upon levelling up exchanged for new skills. Combine that with the crafting system - fuelled by a cute mini-game in which you hammer away at a forge, but hampered by the fact you'll need to have unearthed the recipe for any given item first by rifling through bookshelves and drawers - and you've got some scope for customisation.

It's a cute touch, but it pales in comparison to the quirks that previous games have introduced - Heavenly Bride's recruitable monsters, say, or Chapters of the Chosen's episodic approach. Dragon Quest might be a series anchored in its traditions, but the pleasure of playing a new one has often been seeing how they're subverted, or played upon. Echoes of the Elusive Age is defined by its conservatism, and even given the number of twist and turns its plot throws at you it always ends up back on the straight and narrow.
And after the boldness of past entries - whether that's the not-so-recent Dragon Quest 9, or even the perfectly executed Builders spin-offs - Echoes of the Elusive Age ends up feeling like it's missing a trick. This is a pointed return to a different age of RPGs, a throwback to a golden era that shines brightly in its splendour. You'll be hard pushed to find a more lavish production this year, or one that's so generous, though you can't help but wonder whether it's too much of a backwards step.
No comments