Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age [REVIEW] – The Luminary Shines Bright on the Nintendo Switch 2

I have clocked HUNDREDS of hours across multiple platforms over the years, and this Switch 2 run marks my fourth playthrough of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age… so yeah, I’d like to think I’m pretty well-versed with the game. I make no secret of my affection for it, either: not only is it my undisputed favourite entry in the series, but it might genuinely be my favourite RPG full stop. It’s THAT good. And, if you happen to be a newcomer who has never touched this game before, do yourself a favour and stop reading right now, boot up the eShop, and buy it. It truly is that special.

However, this release is specifically tailored for the Nintendo Switch 2, so the real question is whether returning players should consider making the trip all over again.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Because Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age has been around for quite a few years now, I’m not going to go into too much depth about the narrative and gameplay in this review. In short, it is classic fantasy storytelling executed with unmatched warmth, with players stepping into the boots of the Luminary – a reincarnated legendary hero destined to shield the realm from an ancient evil – only to find themselves branded a traitor and thrown into a dungeon by your own kingdom’s monarch. You’ll meet an incredible party of companions along the way, the dialogue effortlessly balances light-hearted wit with poignant emotional turns, and some wonderful voice acting brings it all to life with some real cinematic presence.

Gameplay-wise, it refines traditional turn-based combat to near perfection without cluttering the experience. Random battles are long gone, with monsters wandering naturally through fields and dungeons, letting you dodge trouble or land a pre-emptive strike with your blade. Once an encounter begins, the action moves briskly thanks to dynamic camera angles, intelligent party tactics, and battle speed toggles that can accelerate fights up to four times normal speed to ensure the slower vibe of turn-based combat never feels like a chore for those who aren’t so in tune with the traditional pace of the genre. Then you’ve got great dungeon design, a fantastic world that’s packed with secrets to uncover, plenty of side-quests that’ll keep you invested from start to end… basically, all of the classic hallmarks of the RPG genre, but executed with perfection.

“Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age remains one of the finest role-playing journeys ever crafted, and the Nintendo Switch 2 offers a fantastic way to experience the journey.”

So, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age is obviously an excellent game, but how is it on the Nintendo Switch 2? On the original Nintendo Switch, technical concessions were unavoidable, resulting in noticeably lower-quality visuals that didn’t quite hold up so well when compared to other platforms. On the Nintendo Switch 2, it looks bloody fantastic. Docked players can choose between two graphical setups: Quality mode, which targets a crisp 1440p at 30 frames per second, and Performance mode, which locks into a remarkably steady 60 frames per second at 1080p. The Performance mode is easily the star of the show, and dropping down from 1440p comes with practically no discernible penalty to environmental shadows, draw distance, or foliage density, meaning you get fluid 60fps exploration and combat without sacrificing the vibrant visual punch experienced elsewhere. Handheld mode looks pin-sharp at 1080p, and running in Performance mode also happens to be a great way to conserve the console’s battery during extended trips – something a lot of Nintendo Switch 2 gamers will undoubtedly be pleased by. I’ve put close to fifteen hours into this playthrough and I haven’t encountered any issues whatsoever… it has been perfect.

It’s also worth noting that this is the Definitive Edition, so you get all the DLC outfit bundles, the individual character story chapters that flesh out your companions, the full orchestral score played by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and the brilliant option to swap to a retro 16-bit 2D presentation at any in-game church. Whilst this feels like the norm for the title now, especially with other re-releases, it’s always nice to know that you’re playing the most feature-complete version of any game.

Check out some screenshots down below:

It’s a bloody brilliant port then, but still, it might be hard not to feel a little bit sour if you’re an existing owner of the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Not only is there no way to carry over your existing save files here (something that I was very disappointed to encounter), there’s also a lack of any discounted upgrade path. If the game came with extra content, it would be easy to forgive, but since you are essentially just getting a performance and resolution upgrade here, you’ll feel hard done by forking out £34.99 for the game (and especially since Nintendo themselves have offered upgrade paths on their own first-party titles).

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch 2 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Website: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-2-games/DRAGON-QUEST-XI-S-Echoes-of-an-Elusive-Age-Definitive-Edition-3108411.html