Dragon Quest XI S: Play Craft and Loose

September 9, 2021

While Dragon Quest XII was just announced at the recent 35th anniversary special, I’ve been sitting idly by with Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition sitting on my backlog untouched… This weekend I put some time in at long last!

Initial impressions are it’s very addictive, I love digging through every nook and cranny for secrets and finally it’s paying off!

Through exploration and discovery you find ingredients (typically sparkling spots) and recipe books. Taking them to any campsite you can use your fun-size forge to create new equipment and damn do I feel good creating the perfect equipment.

This takes place in a short mini-game, you “bash” on sections of the armour filling the bar within the green zone. At the moment it feels a little tactical and random, periodically abilities are unlocked to streamline the process, with a limit of points to use decisions must be made to make the most of each point. Do I risk strongly striking the hilt harder at the risk of over-tempering this sword?

All of this takes me back to Fantasy Life on the 3DS - while I didn’t make the most progress in that game, I fondly remember the addictive pull of foraging or mining resources to make into new equipment or food for stat buffs and health recovery. Often in the form of mini-games putting together a few challenges like mashing buttons, timing cursors and running between stations.

I sorta wish I could fish in Dragon Quest XI, and maybe have more input into mining ore, shaking down trees and crafting items. Maybe it’s the simplicity that gives me pause in the first place, an idle distraction to completing a far more compelling goal?

However you spell it, there’s an addictive pull to forging at the moment and I’m embracing its hold.