For those that have played both at some point, Dragon Quest 11 S or Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, which is the better open JRPG?
I played about half of Dragon Quest 8, never played Xenoblade Chronicles.
If you're looking for open world, then Xenoblade. DQ11's overworld is subdivided into smaller regions (like FFXII but a bit more open and cohesive than that game, it's not like you're in a deep forest and then suddenly on an ice mountain), unlike DQ8 whose overworld was one giant streaming world. Xenoblade's world feels much larger, even though it technically is divided into regions as well.
As for the overall game, it depends.
Is music really important to you? DQ11's soundtrack is terrible, while Xenoblade's is really good
For battle system, XB incorporates an mmo-influenced system with auto-attack and cooldowns. While you know what to expect from DQ.
Storyline, do you want a traditional story (with a dark twist toward the middle of the game) and lots of heartwarming little scenarios, or do you prefer a more grandiose epic with the philosophical musings popular in the PS1 era of RPGs?