Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a 2017 role-playing video game created and released by Square Enix. It is the 11th game in the Dragon Quest series. The game was first released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4 in July 2017. It was later released worldwide for the PlayStation 4 and Windows in September 2018. An improved version, called Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition, was released for the Nintendo Switch in September 2019. It was also released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in December 2020, and for Stadia in March 2021. The game takes place in a world named Erdrea. It follows a hero’s journey to save the world from a coming disaster. During the game, the hero faces challenges tied to his role as a Luminary, a special identity foretold in a prophecy. He also deals with people who wrongly accuse him.
The game was one of the first announced for the Nintendo Switch. It was originally planned to have an open world, but this idea was changed because it did not fit the story the developers wanted to tell. To help more people in the West learn about the Dragon Quest series, the game added support for Windows, English voice acting, and 4K resolution. Later, the game included more story details and an option to listen to an orchestral version of the music.
When it was first released, the game was praised for its story, characters, and how well it was translated into English. However, some people said the game’s design was too similar to older games. As of December 2024, the game has sold more than seven million copies. The Luminary character has also appeared in other media, such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Gameplay
Dragon Quest XI continues the gameplay from earlier games in the series. Players explore different worlds, fight various monsters, and can climb to high areas. The Nintendo 3DS version has a unique look. It shows 3D graphics on the top screen and uses 16-bit style images on the bottom screen. Players can switch between these styles at any time during the game. Similar to Dragon Quest IX, the battle system does not use random encounters. All enemies are visible on the game world map. The battle system includes a camera that lets players move freely around the battlefield, inspired by Dragon Quest X. However, this feature only affects the view and does not change how the game is played.
Plot
The story takes place in the world of Erdrea. It begins with the kingdom of Dundrasil being attacked and destroyed by a group of monsters. The main character, who was an infant during the attack, survives and is discovered floating down a river by an old man named Chalky in the village of Cobblestone. Chalky’s daughter, Amber, adopts the child and raises him in the village. After the character reaches adulthood, Amber tells him the truth about his birth and sends him to meet King Carnelian of Heliodor. However, the king believes the character is an evil being and imprisons him in a dungeon.
While in prison, the character meets a thief named Erik. Erik explains that the mark on the character’s hand proves he is the Luminary, a legendary hero chosen by the world tree Yggdrasil to save Erdrea from evil. The two escape and are later joined by two mages: Veronica, who is trapped in a child’s body because of a curse, and her twin sister, Serena. On their journey to help the Luminary reach Yggdrasil, they meet three more companions: Sylvando, a traveling entertainer; Jade, the exiled princess of Heliodor who helped the infant character escape during the attack on Dundrasil; and Rab, the former king of Dundrasil and the character’s grandfather.
The group reaches the heart of Yggdrasil, where the Sword of Light, the Luminary’s destined weapon, is located. However, just as the Luminary is about to take the sword, he and his companions are stopped by King Carnelian and his men, Jasper and Hendrik. It is revealed that Carnelian was possessed by an evil sorcerer named Mordegon, who also destroyed Dundrasil. Jasper is Mordegon’s agent. Mordegon and Carnelian overpower the group, steal the Luminary’s power, and corrupt the Sword of Light into the Sword of Shadows. Mordegon also takes the heart of Yggdrasil, destroying the tree and causing darkness to spread across the world.
Separated from his friends, the Luminary returns to Cobblestone, now a safe place for Heliodor citizens led by Carnelian and Hendrik. They apologize to the Luminary for their actions. Hendrik joins the Luminary, and together they fight to reclaim Heliodor from Mordegon’s forces. At one point, a dark spirit brings forth a mysterious object called Erdwin’s Lantern. However, Mordegon destroys it to prevent anyone from stopping him. After reuniting with most of his companions, except Veronica, who died saving the others during Yggdrasil’s fall, the Luminary regains his power and forges a new Sword of Light. They use it to defeat Jasper and Mordegon, restoring Yggdrasil and the world.
Later, the group learns how to bring back Veronica and others who died. They visit the Tower of Lost Time, where they meet the Timekeeper, who gives the Luminary the ability to travel back in time to stop Mordegon before he steals the Sword of Light and Yggdrasil’s heart. This would save Veronica and prevent the dark age. However, because Mordegon was not present, Erdwin’s Lantern was not destroyed, allowing a dark spirit to merge with it and awaken the Dark One, Calasmos. The group discovers that a previous Luminary named Erdwin was betrayed by his mage companion, Morcant, who absorbed Calasmos’ powers and became Mordegon. To stop Mordegon forever, Serenica, Erdwin’s former sage companion and lover, sealed Calasmos inside Erdwin’s Lantern and tried to return to the past at the Tower of Lost Time. Instead, she became the Timekeeper.
The group defeats Calasmos, and the Luminary gives his mark to Serenica, who returns to her original form and goes back in time to reunite with Erdwin. With Veronica and Serena, the Luminary returns the Sword of Light to Yggdrasil, which reveals itself to be Yggdragon, an ancient dragon of light who was defeated by Calasmos long ago. Yggdragon’s body transformed into the tree Yggdrasil, which gave life to Erdrea. Yggdragon honors the Luminary with the title “Erdrick,” the greatest hero, and keeps the Sword for when a new hero is needed to protect Erdrea.
In the credits, Serenica reunites with Erdwin in the past. Later, a young mother reads the Luminary’s story in a book and wakes her child, beginning the events of Dragon Quest III.
Characters
A young boy was washed into Cobblestone by a river when he was a baby. He is the Luminary and feels very guilty that Modregon took control of the world. When he broke the Time Sphere, he decided to go back in time to try to fix what he believes he caused. He has a sisterly relationship with Jade and is the grandson of Rab. He is also an orphan. He uses a sword in battle. He is the first character in the series who can be in a romantic relationship with any character, regardless of gender.
A boy about the same age as the protagonist has blue hair and eyes. He is a thief and feels responsible for his sister Mia turning into gold. He was once enslaved by the Vikings. When they first travel to Sniflheim, he is distracted and nervous, not telling the protagonist about his time there. When he falls from the Rock of Wrong in the sky, he loses all his memories to survive. He hides in the cargo bay and regains his memories when they rescue him from Mia’s golden henchmen. He fights with daggers and is a romance option.
A girl was transformed into the shape of a child. After regaining her magic, she does not return to her original form but regains her magic. She has a twin sister named Serena, and both were tasked with traveling with and protecting the Luminary. They come from Arboria, near Yggdrasil. Veronica dies in Act Two. She fights with a staff and is a romance option.
Veronica’s twin sister appears older and is more polite than Veronica. When Veronica dies in Act Two, she cuts her hair and burns some of it during a traditional Arborian funeral ceremony. She fights with a wand and a shield and helps the group with healing. She is a romance option.
A traveling entertainer was trained as a knight by his estranged father, Don Rodrigo, the leader of Puerto Valor. He also knows Hendrik. In Act One, he tries to avoid Puerto Valor and people recognizing him. He fights with a long, thin sword and is a romance option.
The princess of Heliodor is an expert in martial arts. She defeats Erik during the Masked Martial Arts Competition and has a brotherly relationship with the protagonist. She feels embarrassed for Rab because he keeps pornography magazines about bunny girls. She fights using a spear and martial arts and is a romance option.
The protagonist’s grandfather is very old and reads pornography magazines about bunny girls. During Act Two, he meditates and becomes a hermit, meeting someone who helps him strengthen his powers. He is revealed to be the old king of Dundrasil because of his royal pendant. He fights using claws and is a romance option, even though he is the protagonist’s grandfather.
One of King Carnelian’s two loyal advisors believes the protagonist is the Darkspawn during Act One but helps him during Act Two. He talks with Jasper about his feelings before he dies and fights a shadow Jasper alone in Act Three. He fights with an axe and is a romance option.
Development and release
Dragon Quest XI began development in 2013 and was announced in 2015 for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch. At the time, the Nintendo Switch was not yet officially named and was called the Nintendo NX. The game’s developers originally planned to create an open world, but they changed their minds because it would have made it harder to tell the story. The PlayStation 4, Windows, and Switch versions use the Unreal Engine 4 game engine and received help from ORCA Inc, while the 3DS version received help from Toylogic Inc. The 16-bit 2D graphical mode in the 3DS version and the Definitive Edition was created by ArtePiazza.
In April 2017, Square Enix held a special event to share details about the game. The Japanese release dates for the PlayStation 4 and 3DS versions were set for July 29, 2017. That same month, Sony and Nintendo released special editions of their PlayStation 4 Slim and New Nintendo 2DS XL hardware in Japan to promote the game. In 2018, the international version of the game was released, translated into five languages. It was released on September 4, 2018, and included a Windows version through Steam, which was the first main series game to do so. This version added English voice acting, a first-person camera option, support for 4K resolution, and harder difficulty settings. Square Enix aimed to grow the Dragon Quest brand outside Japan, believing these features and the Windows version would help.
The international PlayStation 4 version included a special collector’s edition called Edition of Lost Time. It contained the game, bonus in-game items, a 128-page art book with original character designs by Akira Toriyama, a two-disc soundtrack with orchestrated music by Koichi Sugiyama, a cloth map of the game’s world, and a steelbook case. The 3DS version was not translated for international release, and the Switch version was delayed while the team updated it to a newer version of Unreal Engine 4 compatible with the system. The Switch version was re-announced at Tokyo Game Show 2018 and released worldwide on September 27, 2019, as Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition. This version included English and Japanese voice acting, an expanded 2D mode, orchestral music, improved battle speed, item forging, a photo mode, and more story content. The Definitive Edition was also released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on December 4, 2020, and a Stadia version was released on March 16, 2021.
Reception
Dragon Quest XI received "mostly good reviews" according to Metacritic, a website that collects game reviews. Critics praised the game for its artwork, traditional turn-based battles, story, and characters. The expanded re-release, called XI S, received "very high praise" from Metacritic. Many publications said it was the best game in the Dragon Quest series and one of the best modern Japanese role-playing games. Kotaku's Tim Rogers, who has played the series for a long time, called it one of the best games ever made. USgamer said the game was a natural next step after Dragon Quest VIII, the last main-series console game released outside Japan, and a good way for new players to start the series. PC Gamer praised the English version of the game, calling its writing "the most brilliant and overlooked writing of the year."
Some critics had different opinions. They thought the game's traditional style was not as strong. Polygon said the improved visuals and presentation were "added to an old and weak foundation" and that the game might not attract new players because it did not change much. PC Gamer agreed, saying the Windows version worked well and "looked great," but the game itself was "too safe." IGN criticized some parts of the game that included sexualized content, such as a mission where a female character is dressed in a bunny outfit, and the series' usual "puff puff" scenes. Some critics also said the game's soundtrack, which used MIDI-synthesized music, did not match the game's visuals. For the Windows version, fans created a mod to replace the music with orchestral recordings. Later, an orchestral soundtrack was added to the Definitive Edition, but the original soundtrack was also available.
The game sold over two million physical copies in Japan on its first two days of release. The Nintendo 3DS version sold 1.13 million copies, and the PlayStation 4 version sold 0.95 million. In North America, the game had the best sales month in the series' history, doubling the dollar sales of the previous best, Dragon Quest IX. By November 2018, the game had sold over four million copies worldwide. Dragon Quest XI S sold 303,204 physical copies in its first week in Japan for the Switch version. The 3DS, PS4, and Switch versions sold a total of 5.8 million units in Japan. By November 2025, the game had sold over seven million copies worldwide.
Legacy
The Luminary became a playable character through downloadable content in the 2018 crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. His stage, Yggdrasil's Altar, includes multiple music tracks from the series. A Luminary Amiibo was released in 2020. A prequel to Dragon Quest XI featuring characters Erik and Mia, titled Dragon Quest Treasures, was released in 2022.