A demo for Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is now available to download on the Nintendo Switch's eShop and it offers a huge chunk of gameplay for players to experience in the run-up to its release.
The demo for Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition also gives players a chance to see how well the game runs on the Nintendo Switch, which is something that fans have been wondering out since the game was announced.
Blurry Quest
The original version of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age was released for PC and PlayStation 4. The fact that Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is being released on weaker hardware means that some concessions had to be made in order to get the game running on the Nintendo Switch.
The visuals of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition aren't as crisp as the other versions of the game and there is definitely an element of blurriness to the visuals that weren't present in the past. The effect isn't a deal-breaker by any means and the game still looks good, but those who are coming from the older versions of the game will notice the drop in quality.
The visuals look better in handheld mode, but not by a huge degree. There aren't any performance issues present in regards to the speed of the game, but there are instances of graphical elements unloading when the player looks away and returning when the player has already looked back. This effect is most notable when the player has the camera movement speed switched to its highest settings.
The New Features & The Missing Features
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition adds a 2D mode that allows the player to go through the entire game in a retro style that is similar to the earlier games in the series. The 2D mode is not present in the demo, sadly, which means that the player can only experience the 3D version of the game.
One new addition in Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is a choice between English and Japanese voice acting. The original Japanese version of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age didn't have any voice acting at all and this entry marks the first game in the series to be voiced in Japanese, as the English Dragon Quest games have been voiced since Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King.
The English localizations of the Dragon Quest series have always been top-notch, but their over-the-top Britishness hasn't always been to everyone's taste, so there is at least another option available in this game.
One of the best new features that has been added to Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is an "Ultra-Fast" option for the combat, which drastically increases the speed of the battles. The remasters of the old Final Fantasy games have proven how useful fast-forward features are in turn-based RPGs and Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is no exception, especially for those who are playing the game for a second time.
The Demo Is Bladder-Bustingly Long
A good demo can make a player buy a game as soon as it ends. The demo for Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition may not do this, as the player might have passed out from exhaustion due to its sheer length.
Nintendo has claimed that the demo for Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is around ten hours long, but this number will vary. There are people who are saying that the demo can be cleared in around six hours if the player doesn't explore or perform any non-essential actions. The demo could also be longer if the player takes their time and explores every corner of the game world.
The demo for Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is longer than a lot of retail games and the player will be given a lot of time to decide whether or not they are interested in the final product.
It's A Battery Burner
One of the major benefits of the Nintendo Switch version of the game is the portability factor, which is especially helpful for a title with a main storyline quest as long as this one. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is a huge game with a mandatory storyline that is longer than most other JRPGs, so the handheld mode will be useful to those who wish to see the end of the Luminary's quest.
If the retail version of the game uses the same amount of power consumption as the demo, then the game won't be portable for long periods of time. The game with the sound on takes up about 20% of the Nintendo Switch's battery for around half an hour of play. This metric is based on the launch model of the Nintendo Switch, so someone who has purchased the new model with the better battery life will be able to play it for longer.
The demo for Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition offers a sizable chunk of the game for free and all progress can be carried over to the main game if the player purchases it, so there is no reason not to check out the adventures of the Luminary.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is due to be released for the Nintendo Switch on September 27, 2019.