The Dragon Quest series has always been an adventurous wonder for fans across the world. Solidifying an investment in players hearts since the early 90s outside of Japan. And with its latest instalment, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age or rather Dragon Quest 11 , fans are in for a treat...

Pep Powers; The over-world is absolutely gorgeous; Changing your battle line-up during an active battle; Music

The main protagonist can feel empty at times

Its traditional mechanics and setup mean its unlikely to change your mind if you don't already enjoy JRPGs but for those that do, Dragon Quest XI is...

Looks amazing; Great cast; Great traditional JRPG gameplay

Familiar narrative; Weak soundtrack; Reminds us of all the great DQ games we missed out on

Where to even begin Dragon Quest XI is a massive game, not just because of its oppressive length, but also the sheer volume of stuff you'll be doing as a passenger on this journey.

Everything about the monsters; Gorgeous visuals; Genuine surprises in the storytelling

Lots of little mechanics that get in the way; Skill system feels burdensome; A bit too much open (empty) space

Dragon Quest XI excels when it emphasizes fighting bad guys, exploring dungeons, and finding treasure. It's a visual feast populated by a cast of colorful monsters more engrossing than its main characters.

Dragon Quest XI continues the gameplay of previous games in the series, in which players explore worlds and fight against various monsters, including the ability to explore high areas.

After the last several Dragon Quest games have either been on 3DS or became an MMO (as was the case in Dragon Quest X), Dragon Quest XI is a return to the large single-player formula the series is known for.

Vibrant and lively world to explore; A fun party of characters; Little to no grinding is necessary; Bold story choices..

...That are recycled from another series; Overcomplicated inventory system; Lengthy story cutscenes

As the longest-running Japanese RPG series, Dragon Quest has never strayed too far from its classic roots. If you're a fan, you know what to expect: turn-based combat, a silent protagonist, and a grand adventure to save the world. In some ways, this franchise shows its age.

As much as I've nitpicked this game for refusing to evolve, I absolutely love all the dumb little side quests and content that Dragon Quest XI comes with. Hunting for mini medals, gambling, crafting and scavenging is a blast.

Character models are gorgeous; Combat is fast and fluid; Leveling/progression feels excellent

Draconian Quest should be default; Pep Powers felt superfluous; Occasionally cringey voice acting

It's not an exaggeration to say the release of a new Dragon Quest game is enough to send Japan into fervor. Capturing the quintessential elements of traditional JRPGs, Dragon Quest is crafted by legendary series creator Yuji Horii, character designer Akira Toriyama and composer Koichi Sugiyama.

One day, Dragon Quest may succumb and drop turn-based combat. Thankfully, that is not today. Echoes of an Elusive Age may play it very safe, but the carefully balanced combat and wealth of ways to build the characters keeps things from getting boring.