Dragon Quest XI’s New Screenshots Give Us A Better Look At Its Zone And Co-op Skills

We recently learned that Dragon Quest XI will have a sweet Chrono Trigger-style “Co-op Skill” system as well as a “Zone” mode that is similar to Final Fantasy IX’s Trance. Here’s a closer look with new screenshots from the game’s official website.

Zone is a new battle feature that happens when a character’s concentration is at its best, temporarily increasing powers. Zone is characterized by its blue aura and it triggers while taking damage from enemies and such.

The effects of Zone can carry over to the next battle, and having several party members in Zone mode can certainly bring out the damage.

However, you’ll want to be careful, as monsters can also enter Zone status, and they’ll be tougher than ever.

When the protagonist goes Zone mode, he’s able to pair up with a party member or more to perform “Co-op Skills” that brings a variety of powerful mash-up abilities to the table. These vary according to what spells, abilities, and the number of Zone-active party members you have.

This one shows Sylvia using his fire breath to power up the protagonist’s sword.

The protagonist and Camus about the bust out “Shadow Attack.”

Monsters can go Zone, so that means they’re also able to pull off their own “Co-op Skills.” It looks like we’re going to have to be careful with these ones.

Let’s take a look at some more Co-op Skills:

The protagonist and Camus’ Co-op Skill “Falcon Dance.”

Sylvia, the protagonist, and Rou’s Co-op Skill “Rose Hurricane.”

The full-party Co-op Skill “Giga Burst.”

Martina and Rou’s Co-op Skill “Matou Enbu” or “Magic Fists Display.”

Dragon Quest XI releases in Japan on July 29 for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 3DS. The game is also in development for Nintendo Switch.