Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age Review

Nothing here is new and everything here is finished. Turn based combat, a party of eight, towns with problems, a world map, a boat and eventually a flying mount: the structure is the one the series settled on decades ago, executed with such care that the familiarity becomes a virtue. The party is the reason it works. Erik, Veronica, Sylvando and Jade each have their own thread and the writing gives them real affection for one another, so the long journey has emotional continuity rather than a plot on rails.

The second act turns the game genuinely dark and the third act contains a structural swing that is best left unspoiled. The Definitive Edition added an orchestral score, a two dimensional mode and character stories, and is the version to play. Weaknesses are the ones you would expect: it is long, some dungeons are visually repetitive, and the difficulty is gentle unless you enable the optional restrictions. Comfortable, generous and superbly made.