Heartwarming / Dragon Quest XI

• Meeting Chalky in the vision of Cobblestone past. While the whole scenario is a tearjerker, Chalky instantly recognizes you as the baby he found, is incredibly kind and simply says he is so glad he got to see you as a grown man after all, despite the fact that he dies long before the game's events. His parting words as the illusion fades are just him telling you to meet the world with kindness and adding a friendly little "Bye, now."
• When disguised as Prince Faris you can talk to the commoners and they are honored to hear you talk to them.
• A book in the Gallopolis Circus reveals that the Sultan had asked the circus to permanently stay in town after their last visit, but they decided to reject that and continue traveling. When they returned to Gallopolis, the Sultan had an enormous big top tent built for their return. They were so moved by this they settled into the city permanently.
  • Another one for the Sultan of Gallopolis - the current one. The current Sultan is a bit ineffective in global policy, but he's well-liked among his subjects and tries to do his best to keep them safe. Following the end of Act 1, you learn the maid who cleans his chambers is willing to stay and guard the Sultan against all danger despite what everyone thinks is a star threatening to fall down and kill everyone and everything within miles of the impact. Why this undying loyalty? The maid was an orphan the Sultan and Sultana took in. They allowed her to live in a palace and basically acted as parents for her. Sure, the Sultan obviously shows deference to his actual son, but the maid makes it clear that the Sultan views her as family. No one gets left behind in his Kingdom.
• After the events in Octagonia, Vince challenges the hero to a 1-on-1 match in the arena to reveal his true (lack of) skill without his Psycho Serum. Even after suffering a major defeat, the spectators continue to shower him with support and adoration as he walks out of the arena. Manly Tears are shed.
  • Even before that, after the boss was felled, Rab sympathizing with Vince, and even offering to have a chat with the mayor to sort out the orphanage's financial issues.
    Rab: We'll make sure the orphanage is looked after.
• Rab and Jade revealing that they're the Hero's maternal grandfather and older sister figure respectively, meaning that after losing everyone from Cobblestone he still has some family left.
• Jade's desire to atone for her self-perceived past failure to protect the Luminary as a child is enough for her to — without a moment's hesitation — leap off a cliff after the Luminary in an attempt to break his fall. This becomes even more poignant when some later optional dialogues reveal that Jade has a fear of heights.
• It's an invisible quest that does not appear in the quest list; but in L'Academie De Notre Maitre des Medailles; a member of the faculty will ask you to enroll any young girls who have lost their families. There is a small girl who has lost everything sitting on the pier of Last Bastion. You can tell her L'Academie's offer and she'll accept. Returning to L'Academie, you'll find her seated in a classroom, a bit happier.
  • There is also a monster atop the Eerie Eyrie, that was left alone after all her friends went mad. You can also invite her to the academy.
• Among the stories you can find, you can come across the journal's of a treasure hunter seeking the Rainbough. In the last entry, after saving the son of a chief and presented with the choice of the Rainbough or a mysterious jewel, the adventurer realizes that he's enjoyed the journey he's taken to get there and wishes to continue his travels and takes the jewel, which happens to be the Keystone for the Door of Departure. He then signs the entry as 'Chalky' aka your grandfather!
• Among the survivors at the Last Bastion, there is a man who is, by his own admission, a career criminal. But after the World Tree fell, he found a little girl who had lost her parents; and he didn't take her in so much as she took him in. He is utterly devoted to her, calls her "Her Ladyship", and is genuinely trying to be a better man for her. An example of how Erdrea's darkest days have brought out good in people one wouldn't expect.
• After completing one of Drustan's trials, the Luminary is given a choice between five available wishes. One of them is to marry Gemma. Every time he returns home and speaks to her from then on, she affectionately calls him, "Darling."
  • In the Definitive version, the options are extended to marry or form a partnership with any of your party members, complete with a cutscene of the hero and the chosen character hiking up the Tor.
  • The Hero and Gemma's Wedding Photo also counts. It shows the Hero and Gemma in wedding attire, with Sandy in front of them along with a proudly smiling Dunstan and a teary-eyed Amber to the side, with Erik and Serena acting as the best man and maid of honor respectively, along with Veronica as the flower girl, while Jade catches Rab hiding one of his playboy magazines and Sylvando showers the newlyweds with confetti. Also in attendance are King Carnelian and Sir Hendrik, with Heartwarming smiles on their faces, along with Erik's sister Mia, who seems to be highly amused by the whole ceremony. To top it all off, in the back with proud smiles on their faces, are the ghosts of King Irwin, Queen Eleanor, and Chalky.
• Sylvando having been terrified that his father was disappointed in him for choosing the path of an entertainer instead of continuing the path of knighthood. When it turns out papi Don Rodrigo was only ever proud of him regardless of what he chose, it can only be described as heartwarming.
• Serena's Important Haircut is this when you remember the custom Arborians have when a villager dies — they offer up a lock of hair to help guide the lost soul to Yggdrasil. She was that close to her twin to chop that much off, and chances are Veronica would have done the same if the roles were reversed.
• The postgame's end credits. While they scroll up the screen, its not scenes from the game that start to play, but every other Dragon Quest that came before it. Paying tribute to the entire series in one long glorious trip down nostalgia lane would warm the heart of any fan of the series.
• If you marry Veronica in the Definitive Edition, since the choice comes up in the post game after you've gone back in time to save her.
• Satoru Iwata personally requested this game be ported to Nintendo Switch, and the developers made good on that promise.
• The postgame has an optional, hidden scene (it can only be obtained by going back to talk to King Carnelian after learning how to defeat Calasmos even when there's no indication it would do anything) in which King Carnelian and Jade finally have a proper heart-to-heart reunion. Jade gives a speech to her father, saying that despite all the tragedies and hardships, her travels made her realize the true beauty and meaning of the world.
• Hendrik reconciling with Jasper's ghost on the Heliodor Castle balcony in Act 3 of the Definitive Edition is both heartwarming and rather tear-jerking.
• Sylvando's bonus story, where he goes around solving problems and spreading laughter after the fall of Yggdrasil is enough to put a big cheesy grin on anyone's face.
• The Tickington quest that involves reversing the damage to the story of the marriage of Ortega, the father of the hero in Dragon Quest 3. When you arrive, you learn the townspeople have been cursed to think poorly of Ortega, openly wondering why his fiancee would ruin her life marrying such a worthless lout. But after you break the curse, it's heartwarming to see the people regain their true opinions, acknowledging that even if Ortega's a little rough around the edges, he's noble and brave and otherwise one hell of a guy. After his We Hardly Knew Ye opening (and death) at the start of DQ3, it's also nice that we finally learn a bit more about Ortega's life.
• After you turn back time so you can save Veronica's life and defeat Mordegon early, she thanks the Luminary for everything he's done for her. However, she looks directly at the camera, that is, the player while she does so.
• In the true ending, the Luminary willingly gives up the Sword of Light and his power to a newly-restored Serenica, so she can go back in time herself to save Erdwin; just as the Luminary did for Veronica.