Square Enix recently updated Dragon Quest XI: In Search of Departed Time’s website to further elaborate on details mentioned during the 3DS Nintendo Direct.
First of all, the biggest feature of the 3DS version, the 2D and 3D Modes, allows you to set the game’s visual style to whichever you please. In the beginning of the game, both are displayed at the same time, but eventually you need to choose which style to stick with. Thankfully, you’ll be able to switch styles whenever you visit a church.
2D Mode allows you to play the game like an old school Dragon Quest game, including random battles. While classic sprites are displayed on the top screen, the party’s status and actions are displayed on the bottom.
3D Mode allows players and enemies alike to see each other on the field. If you aren’t careful, you could be surrounded by enemies or attacked on the field. Like with 2D Mode, the bottom screen is dedicated to the party’s status and actions.
Next, Dragon Quest XI also adds the chance to rewatch important scenes in the story with “Memories of Your Journey.” This feature can be used at certain places and allows you to switch visual modes. You know, in case you want to see how a scene you played in 3D worked in 2D.
Next we have the Labyrinth Beyond Time, an extra dungeon that only the Yocchi can explore. Who are the Yocchi? The creatures are a special tribe of the Incarnations of Time and are collected through Street Pass. Allowing them into the Labyrinth Beyond Time can net you items as well as boss battles against Gate Keepers.
Lastly, you can also help the Yocchi in their quest to find “Adventure Log Passwords” within the Labyrinth Beyond Time. The Yocchi elder, Jorocchi, brings you to “The Altar,” a place that holds records of legendary heroes from different worlds. However, these adventure logs have been blackened out and nearly destroyed. It is your task to find the passwords that revitalizes the different adventure logs. Doing so allows the player to travel to various worlds from previous Dragon Quest games.
Dragon Quest XI: In Search of Departed Time releases on Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4 on July 29th in Japan. A Western release date has yet to be announced. Also, a Nintendo Switch version of the game has been confirmed, but no details, including a release date, have been mentioned yet.
