Dragon Quest Builders

Solid gameplay and simple storytelling give players a reason to keep coming back, simply put, Dragon Quest Builders is a game for those that enjoy structured creative freedom, even if that is an oxymoron.

Dragon Quest Builders is a stunning balance of build and adventure. I was incredibly skeptical that the two genres would ever evenly mix, but somehow Square Enix found the right spots and put together one helluva package for Dragon Quest and Minecraft fans to enjoy. It’s really quite good and addictive.

Dragon Quest Builders mixes Minecraft's formula with Dragon Quest's RPG tradition and the result is surprising. It's a game that will hook you in terribly, that always unfolds something new (enemies, new creative options...) and even if it may seem a complex game, it's always easy to play and is very fun. If you give it a chance, you won't escape.

Masterpiece.

Dragon Quest Builders is definitely a great stride of creativity in the gaming world. Going in, I didn’t expect anything more than the ability to build things and killing a bunch of slimes. What I got was something far greater, and far better than anything I could have imagined. You have the ability to completely change everything around you, and you can truly feel the importance of your role; even the aesthetics and sounds are great enough to evoke that kind of emotion. It gives you an awesome sense of accomplishment, surrounds you with some of the most interesting concepts that this genre has ever seen, and makes you feel like you’re worth something in this world. This is what it means to be a Builder.

The game is fun and highly addictive. The rather steep difficulty curve in story mode, coupled with the high number of hidden item recipes and blueprints mean it will take some time before you're able to utilise the free build mode to its fullest. That being said, given the adorable and gorgeous graphics, the large and varied landscapes, and the beautiful soundtrack of remastered songs from the series, it's time you won't begrudge spending.

Half Dragon Quest, half Minecraft, all delightful.

Dragon Quest Builders is an entertaining RPG, a marvellous builder, and simply a tremendous game all-round.

It's by no means perfect, and has ideas that could stand to be improved upon when the game eventually gets a sequel, but what could've ended up as a cynical cash in has instead wound up as one of 2016's most interesting games.

Ultimately, Dragon Quest Builders takes what makes Minecraft great, uses that template within a more traditional adventure/RPG, and does so with polish and personality. Absolutely worth playing.

I adore how none of it feels contrived, forced, or packed-in for the sake of nostalgia. It all flows well, including the natural progression to new tools that mirror the discovery of new villages and vendors in a classic JRPG romp. There's a small sense of rote iteration, especially if you power through the questline with little exploration, but any of those feelings are quickly washed away.

Striking an almost perfect balance between RPG and construction game, Dragon Quest: Builders manages to hold fast to the best parts of the series whose name it bears while creating a guided, structured format for the Minecraft concept. The end result works brilliantly, with top-notch visuals, music, and writing that help drive home the appeal. There's room for improvement here... but not much.

While I certainly respect Minecraft, I prefer Dragon Quest Builders. It doesn’t offer the sheer depth that Minecraft does, of course, and there will be no “educational edition” of the game being sold into schools, as there is with Minecraft. What it is, however, is a down-to-earth and genuinely entertaining little game that shares far, far more in common with its JRPG roots than even the game itself wants to admit. And as a long-suffering Dragon Quest fan, that makes Builders special indeed.

Dragon Quest Builders is instead a beautiful, voxel-informed, crafting-focused, thematically relatable fantasy roleplaying extravaganza that’s better because of its constraints, not in spite of them. It’s the sort of thing those who’ve bounced playing Minecraft but still find its crazy everywhere appeal intriguing should pay attention to—an exquisite, Lego-like builder deftly equipoised between structured and freeform play.

While created for fans first and foremost, Dragon Quest Builders serves as not only a love letter to the long running series, but also as an excellent introduction for newcomers to this wonderful franchise that is definitely worth checking out.

To put my enjoyment in perspective, I am a huge Dragon Quest fan, and while I appreciate what Minecraft is and what it does, it never held my interest for long as a game. I couldn’t stop playing Dragon Quest Builders and it is one of those experiences that I look forward to continue playing even after the review is done.

Dragon Quest Builders is both a fantastic game and a testament to the incredible versatility of the Dragon Quest series. It is a culmination of everything that the series is known and loved for, combined with the strongest elements of Minecraft. With solid gameplay, a gorgeous world, and genuinely funny writing, even those unfamiliar with the franchise can easily find something here to enjoy.

Taking a formula made famous by Minecraft and refining it in every possible way is what makes Dragon Quest Builders a fun and enjoyable experience through and through. The only thing holding it back is your own lack of imagination.

Dragon Quest Builders is totally, thoroughly engaging. Its gameplay is accessible to kids while its dialogue offers enough sly references to keep Dad or Mom amused.

Dragon Quest Builders succeeds in being both a beautiful RPG and a great sandbox game, delivering one of the most engaging gaming experience of its genre.

The controls are simple and soon become second nature as you mine, create, and battle your way around a lush yet simplistic world.

Despite adopting the same formula as Minecraft, Dragon Quest Builders gives the player an adventure of its own. It has an extensive open world to explore, easy to understand crafting mechanics, but the best part of this Square Enix game is that there is a goal to accomplish, colorful characters and great storytelling.

Dragon Quest Builders is a great game which borrows a few features from Minecraft. But with those, it does it's own thing. This creates a game with huge world filled with secrets and hours of gameplay and a few minor misses. Worth every penny!

Dragon Quest Builders is a superb game, appealing to both fans of the series and newcomers alike. Don’t think of this as a Minecraft clone, but rather as a good Dragon Quest game with crafting and building elements.

Dragon Quest Builders seems to get a lot of "inspiration" from Minecraft, but thanks to the quests this game has a bigger purpose. It is hard to put it down as there is this constant feeling of adventure. Not everything within Dragon Quest Builders is as excellent, but you will definitely get hours and hours of building fun.

While the gameplay, levels, and locations are something that everyone will experience by the end game, how players build their towns and help the townsfolk is what will give each person their unique experience.

It's worth it, though, to finally experience joy in creating and crafting. I just needed a little guidance and a reason to build.

Dragon Quest Builders may be simple, but it works astonishingly well. Square Enix here proposes a very successful Minecraft-like, which brings its own ideas and features, in spite of some camera problems and below-average battles.

It's charming, it's funny, it's accessible, it's easy to play, and it has enough of its own strengths to be worth playing even for die-hard Minecraft fans.

Dragon Quest Builders combines RPG gameplay , building and creativity. It's an excellent videogame.

I never thought building in the name of saving the world could be this entertaining or keep me up so late at night. I’ve always enjoyed the crafting side of RPGs, but this takes it on to a whole new level.

Square Enix takes the well known gameplay mechanics we all know from games like Minecraft and gives them a twist in order to create their own building game with Dragon's Quest soul. As addictive as easy to learn, Builders is a great surprise and the proof that you can do a lot with very little.

Dragon Quest Builders merges the fun of Minecraft's sandbox mechanic and the quest from the famous Dragon Quest series.

Dragon Quest Builders is not perfect, but it is accessible and exciting. If you're searching for a Minecraft-like product with a nice graphic and some good ludic dynamics, this could be the game you should buy.

I never got hooked on Minecraft because I never felt any real satisfaction from building a new mansion or creating a town with friends. Dragon Quest Builders delivered that feeling to me by making me care for villagers and setting me on some great RPG-like quests. It is easily my preferred title in the crafting game genre.

Charming, funny, and full of creative scope. A nice break from Minecraft, even if it is limited in comparison. [Dec 2016, p.72]

Dragon Quest Builders is a game that isn’t scared to show the game from which it took inspiration. Moreover, it is a title that, although it uses some familiar mechanics from games like Terraria or Minecraft, shines on its own because of all those elements that come from the Dragon Quest franchise. It’s fun, charming and feels quite familiar but it also looks different. And because of that, you will enjoy it.

Dragon Quest Builders provides a lot of the freedom of Minecraft but does guide you enough that you'll never feel like you don't have something important to do even if all you want to do is build and that's okay. You can choose to do that too.

It is so hard not to like DragonQuest Builders. With its mix of MineCraft-ish creative freedom, meaningful quests and a very superficial fight system this adventure sparks my curiosity and keeps me interested for a long time.

Dragon Quest Builders manages to strike a great balance, combining a streamlined Minecraft-inspired building system with a goal-directed minimalist RPG series. The simple nature of each can lack depth when compared to standalone games in the corresponding genre, but as a combination it works, enabling players to delve into each system without overloading them. The game's somewhat repetitive nature, outdated graphics, and limited combat do somewhat detract, but with the added dash of nostalgia and a hefty dose of humorous charm, Square Enix has the beginnings of a successful formula on its hands with Dragon Quest Builders.

A serious contender to the Voxel throne. [Issue#181, p.80]

Dragon Quest Builders is one of the best evolutions of the Minecraft model, and it features the sights and sounds of one of the biggest RPG franchises to boot. Hopefully bringing it to the states was worth Square Enix’s time, because a sequel could work on a lot of trouble areas and make the journey even more immersive. If this world looks like one you’d like to make your own, don’t hesitate to start chipping away.

Ironically, those who overindulged on Minecraft will appreciate it most of all – its structure turns out to be exactly the fresh spin on the genre we’ve been waiting for. [Christmas 2016, p67]

Its structure turns out to be exactly the fresh spin on the genre we've been waiting for. [Dec 2016, p.76]

The excellence of Dragon Quest Builders illustrates the versatility of this 30-year-old franchise as much as it speaks to the engrossing appeal of Minecraft-inspired creation. The story-advancing draw of quests goes hand-in-hand with the depth of a crafting system that cleverly uses monster drops as some of the game's building tools.

Sure, there's some problems here and there that could use some tuning, but DQB is one of the most interesting and unique titles I've played in a long time.

Dragon Quest Builders is much more than just a construction game. It is an inspiring hybrid between two genres with an amazing mission structure and lively characters.

Dragon Quest Builders is a splendid fusion between Minecraft and Dragon Quest. Instead of just roaming a huge world at your own will, you will always have a (mostly) clear goal to work towards and townspeople to pamper. There is still plenty of room for making your own creations, even though it is not on the same grand scale as Minecraft.

Dragon Quest Builders brings fresh air to the series. It has its ups and downs but generally it is a relaxing game.

Similar to Minecraft it may be but Dragon Quest Builders is a great game in its own right. The quest structure works as both a tutorial and a reason for building, whilst those who prefer to just get on with it have the Terra Incognita mode to turn to. A very well made game all round that should appeal to both sets of fans.

With the humor and silliness of Dragon Quest, a series of goals to keep players compelled, as well as the introduction of form and meaning in that everso popular survival crafting gameplay, Builders escapes being the cynical reskin it may at first glance appear to be. On the contrary, it evidences more love and care than could be expected.

Dragon Quest Builders is exciting, relaxing, simple, intuitive, and will never leave you alone with your creativity.

A surprisingly successful mash-up between two completely different franchises, whose quiet charms offer a welcome alternative to incessant action and overbearing storytelling.

Dragon Quest Builders does and exceptional job of implementing a proven formula from a game that sold so well Microsoft decided to buy it, but it doesn’t stop there. DQB improves on that formula and give players a more well rounded, fuller experience. Its a guided experience but its this structure that makes the game both addictive and rewarding.

Dragon Quest Builders gives players the freedom to do whatever they want, while making sure they don’t get bored of that freedom too quickly by restricting how they get materials and recipes. This smart concept, mixed with the villager management and RPG elements make this one of the freshest experiences in the series.

Dragon Quest Builders continues in the series' tradition of being slightly cumbersome and unpolished, but getting lost in its toybox pleasures is easy and extremely fun.

Sadly, Dragon Quest Builders isn’t quite the Dragon Quest meets Minecraft mash-up that I was really hoping for. What it does, however, is offer an engrossing adventure that proves giving a world-building engine some storyline, characters, and proper combat goes a long way.

Even though a couple of wonky design choices prevent proceedings from being totally watertight, this is still one of the most downright addictive titles available on the PS4.

Whether you are a fan of Dragon Quest, a connoisseur of building games, or someone that is new to both; it is hard to resist the charm of Dragon Quest Builders.

Relaxing and compelling, with Dragon Quest Builders if you’ve struggled to get into the genre with building games in the past this might just be the game that changes your mind.

Dragon Quest Builders demonstrates that a JRPG can think outside of the box and successfully incorporate elements out of games like Minecraft, although the experience needs a little refinement before it becomes perfect.

Don't think about this as a Minecraft clone, but as a great Dragon Quest spin-off. It has a really solid learning curve and its design is engaging enough for anyone who gives it a try.

Dragon Quest Builders is a brilliant and fun game. There is an obvious similarity with Minecraft and the building system is more driven and weaker, but this title also offers a good story, a deep action-RPG gameplay and a blocky version of world of the first Dragon Quest for NES.

Combat could be better, but Dragon Quest Builders combines RPG structure and freeform creativity to great effect. It's Minecraft for people who hate Minecraft.

The charming visuals work with a solid action/RPG that, while still a bit rough in a few small areas, is a surprising treat.

Builders is a very solid title with the perfect mix of genre-bending to make it unique.

Dragon Quest Builders has a perfect design and concept to entertain the younger and an adult audience.

Square Enix has managed to capture the spirit of the Dragon Quest-series and make something new with it.

An idea to mix jRPG with Minecraft was a wild one, but it works surprisingly well. What drags DQB down is its excessive simplicity in terms of quests, story and combat. It would be a great game to play with a child, but sadly it lacks co-op. [13/2016, p.69]

It's another Minecraft look-a-like, folks - complete with simple mechanics, an unreliable camera and a bare bones fighting system. And still, mainly due to its beautiful graphics and addictive gameplay, Dragon Quest Builders comes highly recommended.

Dragon Quest Builders is a natural Minecraft evolution, but in its huge world became quickly redundant and repetitive. The RPG component is enjoyable, but quite limited.

Obviously the appeal of Dragon Quest Builders is the universe it’s set in, but there’s also the appeal for younger audiences who will find the guided nature of this sandbox JRPG an inviting and accessible proposition. It’s far from perfect, but it’s a good effort and another potentially successful spin-off.

Dragon Quest Builders is not exactly a Minecraft-like, it uses some of its mechanics to make an hybrid experience between RPG and builder genres. The result is interesting in the story mode, but unfortunately it lacks possibilities in the free mode.

Aside from sometimes repetitive combat and personal preferences on its level of linearity, DQB is a game worth checking out for crafting-simulation lovers and fans of the classic JRPG franchise open to a new direction, but the lack of multiplayer is an omission which can’t be ignored when considering a purchase.