Dragon Quest Builders 2

All the joy and satisfaction of the original, now with upgraded toys, a bigger world and a dog you can pet.

I’ve found Dragon Quest Builders 2 to be an absolute blast, and I’ve had a hard time putting it down just to write this review. I’d absolutely suggest checking it out when it releases, regardless of whether you’ve played any type of Dragon Quest game prior to this. The heavy emphasis on exploration and building mixed with breezy action is a real joy, making Dragon Quest Builders 2 one of my favorite games so far this year.

A massive game that can get even more massive if you date to venture outside the box and get creative on your own. But even if you don’t care for sandbox-style gameplay, there is more than enough story to keep JRPG and Dragon Quest fans occupied. If the first game seemed a little out of your comfort zone as a traditional Dragon Quest fan, rest assured that Dragon Quest Builders 2 smooths out nearly all the first game’s rough edges, has plenty of Dragon Quest fanservice to shake a slime at, and has plenty of tools to make the sometimes icky survival and resource management of the genre easy enough to deal with. With so much to do, fun, engaging play and a cute, lighthearted story that takes its time to breathe, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the best kind of sequel.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a masterfully built game with a multitude of shiny new features that are just a joy every second you get to tinker with them. I could play this game for a very long time and never get bored with it. There’s something included here for fans of multiple genres and titles. Whether you’re a fan of the Dragon Quest series or not, this is a game you can jump into. While it’s certainly a spin-off from the mainline series, Dragon Quest Builders 2 may very well be one of the best game in the entire franchise.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is better than the original game in every possible way, introducing many quality of life improvements and fixing some of the biggest issues like the linear progression system and more. And with a simple yet engaging story, excellent exploration, crafting and building mechanics and multiplayer features, the game is an excellent title that no fan of the Dragon Quest series and sandbox games should pass on, even if they never played the original.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a marvelous upgrade to its initial brethren. It offers up a bigger world, well thought through RPG construction, and keeps you exploring and building.

Dragon Quest Time Devourer is back! A full-fledged JRPG with plenty of Minecraft elements comes as a ridiculously huge and open sandbox world. If there is a single element of the game that catches your eye, the bet is - you would enjoy it. Because, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a monster of a game, only one with enough spare time will manage to explore it in a full capacity.

Takes what was great about the first and adds to it without diluting it. It’s possibly a little too simple – the boss battles aren’t much of a challenge – but that just makes it all the more relaxing. [Issue#165, p.94]

Apart from a few minor points, it is an absolute winner.

Quotation forthcoming.

This is one of those rare sequels that delivers on just about every front, so long as you’re able to put in the time it asks of you. This definitely isn’t a weekend project, but it’s one that’s absolutely worth the effort.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 seems to take the best ingredients of Minecraft, The Sims, Harvest Moon, and The Legend of Zelda, and blend it all together with a sprinkle of the Dragon Quest flavour. And it works magnificently, because it allows Dragon Quest Builders 2 to step out of being a straight clone and become a standout title in its own right. It is a game for both veterans of the series and newcomers alike.

Players looking for a fun co-op experience or those who don’t care about paying a little extra can quickly jump into Dragon Quest Builders 2 for an improved experience and a healthy dose of new mechanics and features.

Playing Dragon Quest Builders 2 is just as fun, if not more fun than the first one.

Builders 2 finds the perfect balance between construction games such as Minecraft and the classic RPG saga. This sequel adds new abilities such as flying, diving and an online multiplayer mode for four players.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is gigantic, enhancing the original game in every noteworthy aspect.

A bigger, more complex and better sequel, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the perfect match for sandbox and action/GdR fans.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 improves upon the first game by adding interesting new mechanics and great combat, all while creating a lively world. Combined with its incredible writing and stirring music, the end result is, simply put, just a lot of fun to play.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 does everything right for a sequel to an excellent title. The core mechanics have been improved, so basic building remains engaging, while the minor issues with deconstruction and weapon management have been ironed out. This is especially true of combat, which feels much better than before. The addition of multiplayer is absolutely welcome, but it's limited to one island and there's no way to play the whole campaign this way. DQB2 is a treat that is just as good as the first game, and it's highly recommended for RPG fans with an itch for building and lots of time to burn.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a quintessential example of a great sequel. It takes everything that's fun about the first game and adds more of the good stuff while removing the mechanics that didn't work the first time around. It's slow to really get started, but once it starts rolling, you never want to stop digging, building, and fighting. If you're curious about the Dragon Quest Builders series on any level, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a good jumping-on point.

If you’ve played the original Dragon Quest Builders, the sequel is ultimately more of the same, except polished in very way. The slight improvements in building, inventory, combat and town management make this game an easy one to play, so much so that I imagine it’d be hard to go back to the first once you’ve become accustomed to the new mechanics. If you’ve got a lot of time to kill, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great choice – it’s clever, rewarding, and has a wealth of possibility.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is just what the previous game should have been. You will live a new adventure in a world made of blocks with many new features and a compelling brand new co-op multiplayer mode. You can build just about anything, with fantasy as the only limit to your creations.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an admirable RPG and an admirable building game which seems in most cases to have gotten the best bits of both of its parent genres. Clunky, overly straightforward combat and unintuitive controls drag it down a little bit, but it still manages to soar above all of the less ambitious Minecraft clones we’ve seen over the years.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a creative marvel with a ton of ways to unleash your imagination within a huge world. However, it doesn't fix the main issues of the first game nor does it carry over its perfect balance of structure and creativity.

Almost all of my time with Dragon Quest Builders 2 has been pleasant, and I look forward to building more, either with my kids playing along or by myself, sipping a beer and relaxing after a long day.

With such an expansive land to explore divided into isles, a fantastic building component, and genuine feeling of warmth and accomplishment, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is utterly fun and adorable at the same time. Whether you play for a little or hours at a time, there is always something to do that will add to your gaming experience. This game is utterly charming to look at and plays like a really well tuned machine. I am pressed to fault it to be honest. It achieves everything it promises and then some. I had a good time with it and am sure you will as well regardless of your age.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 works just as well as the already fun predecessor. With "more of everything", the scope in terms of creative possibilities was once again significantly expanded. There are more recipes, more story, more features and, above all, a more focused campaign that finally feels like a big adventure. Nevertheless, I would have liked faster progress.

Overall, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a huge improvement over its predecessor, with a beautiful world to explore, lots of varied quests and tons of new features. If not for the mediocre combat mechanics and annoying camera, the game would've earned an even higher score.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a very good building game that offers true story and quest system. The main let down are the boring combats. A must-buy if you're into sandbox games.

With improvements on the crafting and material accessing mechanisms, with new items and recipes, new ways to explore and with interesting characters to interact, Dragon Quest Builders 2 improves itself compared to the first game of the series and combines a compelling storyline and the crafting mechanisms in a way that even the pioneers of the genre have not done so far. Minor issues might take points from our building experience, but Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a crafting adventure not to be missed.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 takes what was great about the first game and expands on it meaningfully, focusing on community development and large-scale building. While the combat is less-than-stellar, the overall result is a more unique experience that offers much to work with on the Isle of Awakening.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a breath of fresh air. While the first episode of the "crossover" between Minecraft and DQ focused on the builder game aspect, neglecting the roleplaying component and narration, the new proposal by Square Enix manages to blend the various elements of the product with skill. The result is a witty, engaging and relaxing title at the same time.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a carefully studied sequel, full of content and new ideas.

Builders 2 isn’t a revolution, but it is indeed a great game. Even if you’re not into Minecraft, you should give it a try, since it’s much more than it looks on the surface.

One of the best Dragon Quest spin offs is back. Dragon Quest Builders uses all of the concepts of its predecessor and take them to a whole new level. A great game for all Dragque fans out there.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great follow-up to the original, placing you in the shoes of an amateur builder. The main story practically amounts to a fetch quest of acquiring skills and people, but that doesn't bring the game down much. Building takes the forefront, and it will definitely keep you busy.

Building on the original’s strong foundations Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a sequel that improves on the original in almost every way.

It would have been nice to see Dragon Quest Builders 2 have a greater emphasis on non-linear progression or a less initially sparse world, but it successfully iterates on the original by streamlining its systems and mechanics without trivializing them, creating an endlessly endearing game brimming with simple, unadulterated pleasures.

Not a revolution but an evolution of the first game on the series that would please everyone that has played that game or Minecraft, but become repetitive with the time.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 took everything that worked from the original, adorable, nostalgia riddled experience and upped the ante with better graphical effects, a stronger progression structure, and a more mature narrative that still has the classic Dragon Quest charm. While the controls can still feel a little clunky from time to time, the sheer options for creativity and the joys of letting your imagination run wild more than make up for a few odd accidental button presses. It’s a game that captures the essence of fun and will make any RPG fan happy as they go from building a moderate little village in the hill into constructing an elaborate and gorgeous castle to share online with other players.

Dragon Quest Builders is what you would expect from a sequel. Richer, bigger, better.

In a lot of detail areas far better than its predecessor the rather disappointing fight system as well as the story structure and execution with its boring dialogue boxes hold this worldbuilder back.

The first Dragon Quest Builders was an amazing surprise, taking all the things its progenitor did and improving on them by adding its own flair and style, now Dragon Quest Builders 2 feels bigger in every way, but only better in some. The core mechanics have been polished, the world shines, and, generally, this is an absolute joy to chill out with. It's a shame that the whole thing doesn't feel this way, with the sections that experiment elsewhere feeling a step backward and detracting from the whole experience. It's clear the developers are still experimenting, and it's very exciting to imagine what the third entry could look like.

Despite my criticism of the pacing, I actually love this game. It improves upon the first game in all the ways I would want. I only wish there was a way to have the game stop trying to walk me through every step of the game. I would rather fail and have the game tell me I did something incorrectly than having to wait for the game to give me permission to play the game. The inclusion of a first person mode makes building roofs and exploring caves far more pleasurable than the first game as well. Overall, DQ Builders 2 manages to do everything a sequel should do to improve upon the previous game. I fully recommended to anyone wanting to play a more structured Minecraft-like experience to pick this one up.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a light fare that provides hours of fun, a palate cleanser to more arduous experiences that is much deeper than it may at first appear.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 offers many big and small improvements over the original. Building is a lot more extended, though that chews a bit off of the adventure. There is so much to do though, it will keep you busy all summer.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great time for kids. Adults might be slightly bored by the stale combat, but will be impressed with the amazing building-mechanics. The story is a tad long though, but that's understandable seeing how this is still a JRPG.

Though there are still areas where it could stand to improve, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is exactly what it needs to be: A solid experience that builds upon what came before it.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 shares all of the same strengths with the first game, but it's the little additions and tweaks that make it an easy recommendation over its predecessor. I think fans are going to have an absolute blast messing around with the new materials and tools, but the game is still rough around the edges and has too much combat. I just want to build, guilt-free and uninterrupted, and you do get that reward when you beat the game, but it takes a long time to get there.

Like its predecessor, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great mix of Japanese role-playing games, The Sims and Minecraft. It is very similar to the original; not least the graphics, building and combat, although many small improvements enhances the experience a great deal. With a successful mix of creative construction, exciting exploration, and easy-going combat Dragon Quest Builders 2 is one of Square Enix best games on Playstation 4.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the definitive edition of Square Enix’s crafting RPG. Not only does it fix issues from the original, but it also expands upon its predecessor with a larger scale and more content. On the other end of the spectrum, the sequel doesn’t drastically change the formula. Quality-of-life improvements make it easier to customize your structures and engage with the campaign, but it’s more of the same. If the original offering was enough for you or you didn’t like it in the first place, this game won’t change your mind. But if your goal is to enjoy the best version of an immersive and charming crafting RPG experience, then Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great place to start building.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a cute, fun, deeply enjoyable and satisfying trek through a ruined world that only needs an irrepressible spark of creation to burst back to life.

There’s so much to do, whether you’re tackling the lengthy solo campaign or playing alongside friends to stake your claim in this fantasy world. It’s also a worthwhile love letter to the long-running series, filled with adorable references and easter eggs hardcore fans will adore.

Despite some unforgivable frustrations created through some of the quests though, the overall experience of Dragon Quest Builders 2 is very gratifying. It builds on the success of the first game by adding a range of new features and materials. Building feels effortless and allows for the player to be as creative as they can be, while each island offers a whole new world of adventure. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is close enough to being the building canvas you have always hoped for, and it gives you the power to be the creative builder you’ve always wanted to be.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 refines its formula and cuts out many of the frustrations from the first game, delivering a more structured story and rewarding pacing that lets you see your hard work gradually blossom rather than be swept away. It's an engrossing sequel that is difficult to pull away from, and now far more welcoming to start too.

If you like the building, crafting, and collecting aspects of something like Minecraft, but wanted a little more structure, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an easy recommendation whether you're a Dragon Quest fan or not.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 does a lot of things better than its predecessor. A better story is propped up by better characters, and even though the opening hours are slow, there's a better overall flow to the game. All in all, Square Enix has constructed a rock solid sequel that, while safe and undeniably familiar, should satisfy both returning players and newcomers alike.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 balances itself almost perfectly between the thrill of exploration and fighting of strange baddies, and the serenity of building. While it might lean over one way or the other on occasion, its foundations are solid and hard to crack.

I’m ecstatic that Square Enix took a gamble on this series. Dragon Quest is one of the oldest and most popular JRPG franchises, and its a perfect vehicle for this sort of gameplay. It’s colorful and friendly while still having enough adult themes to keep you hooked. I was glad to see a lot of the issues from the first game were rectified, and I can’t wait to see where the series goes from here.

It's easy for me to say Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a good game because it'd be a lie for me to say otherwise. The groundwork laid by the first title is still sound, but it just didn't grab me the same way its predecessor did. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop playing anytime soon -- I still have my home island to complete -- but it does mean it's not going to get my undivided attention for weeks-on-end like the first game did.

While an extremely guided and structured experience, Dragon Quest Builders 2 maintains enough of the charm of the franchise to be worth a look for fans. Players accustomed to free-play modes in other building sims will chafe at the story mode, but patient players that don’t mind a simple battle system and chatty NPCs will still find plenty of content here to enjoy.