Dragon Quest Heroes II

If you played the first Dragon Quest Heroes, know that this sequel improves in just about every single facet. I'm impressed that Koei Tecmo didn't just phone this one in, but made some great changes that really enhance the overall experience.

Dragon Quest Heroes II takes everything that was amazing about the first game and fixes all of the major gripes that I had with it. I highly recommend it for any Dragon Quest or arena fighting fan and hope this is a sign of more incredible Dragon Quest games to come.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is an excellent game, taking everything that was great about the first game and doubling down on it. It’s still fundamentally a Warriors game, but now there’s even more focus on the Dragon Quest heritage with deeper RPG systems and increased focus. Dragon Quest Heroes did a fine job of combining the two franchises, but Dragon Quest Heroes II takes that to the next level.

Dragon Quest Heroes II improves significantly on its predecessor. The changes introduced leave a satisfactory overall set and will give enough hours of play for its base content, multiplayer and post game.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is arguably the best thing Omega Force has ever put out, and the best spin-off to come out of Dragon Quest since Dragon Quest Monster: Joker.

Dragon Quest Heroes II fits in perfectly with the other entries in the Dragon Quest series, only with a splash of that musou battle system. Being a huge fan of the Dragon Quest mainline series, I was blown away with how well this collaboration was executed and could easily call this one of my favorite games of 2017.

It’s all so completely charming that immediately after swearing for a few seconds, I was good to go again. I would like to see Koei Tecmo and Square Enix collaborate on more of these kinds of games down the track. Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is undeniable proof that the mix between a genuine JRPG and Warriors game works, and now it’s time for a Final Fantasy Heroes, methinks.

Feels too similar to the original Dragon Quest Heroes for PS4, but it is still a great combination of "musou" mechanics with RPG elements, and the great monster design from the series.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is a great improvement compared with the original game. It offers a very enjoyable hack-and-slash experience, one that rewards experimentation with the characters and its abilities. Even with some pacing issues, this love letter to the fans keeps the essence of the series and gives it a new purpose with the help of impressive visuals.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is an incredible sequel that surpasses its predecessor in every aspect. It has great gameplay, a better story, more mechanics that refresh its experience and a cast of memorable and diverse characters specialized in many combat styles that make to not turn so easily en a repetitive and boring experience.

This is a great sequel, bigger and better than the original. It delivers more DQ Heroes enhanced with very interesting additions, keeping the essence of the franchise while embracing the musou genre.

A great successor to the original game that comes with enhanced RPG elements and great multiplayer and online features.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is a fast-paced, ridiculously fun hack-and-slash RPG. Even if you’re tired of the Dynasty Warriors style of hack and slash gameplay, the open world and massive amount of depth should be enough to keep you interested for the duration of the game.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is a muosu with enough RPG elements to make it interesting even for those who don't like the genre. The possibility to change your character mid-combo, Toriyama's trademark style, amazing special attacks and the series' characteristic sense of humour make you forget dull, empty scenarios that you won't remember once you leave them. A perfect game for those who don't know what a musou is and don't want to jump into a classic one.

It's difficult to judge how successful Dragon Quest Heroes II's changes are because at the end of the day, they are both drastic and minor. The core gameplay is almost the same, but the shift in gameplay changes the feel. Someone who enjoyed the focused tower defense gameplay of Dragon Quest Heroes would be less pleased with this iteration. Taken on its own merits, it's a fun enough game, and its flaws are relatively minor. Multiplayer alone should be enough to give it an edge. Fans of Dragon Quest should enjoy DQH 2 regardless, and newcomers should find it just as good of a starting point as the previous title. Be prepared to be overwhelmed by the puns.

Fantastic sequel of one of the best musou games out there. The new innovations are welcome, especially the new cooperative multiplayer mode.

This is by far the most ambitious and thought through musou game that Omega Force has produced yet. While staying true to the basic formula the action-roleplaying elements as well as the true-to-the-source art design make this an engrossing experience.

Puzzle infuriation and stolen tropes from other RPGs do drag down the experience, but when compared to the first game, DQ2 is a revelation. The story, characters and open world make the game feel like so much more than a "mash attack til everything is dead" musou title M.O., and the move toward a traditional Dragon Quest game over a hack and slash title makes a huge difference. If Dragon Quest, Dynasty Warriors or action-RPGs are your wheelhouse, there is more than enough here to keep you busy for between 30 and 50 hours.

Fans of Dynasty Warriors or the Dragon Quest series will enjoy this second-edition genre mashup. Dragon Quest Heroes 2 strikes a great balance between complexity and action and weaves an entertaining story through and around its fast and furious battles. Whether mainlining the story quest or venturing off into the side missions, the fun-factor of plowing through masses of monsters may eventually wane. That said, it was refreshing to enjoy an action RPG that didn't involve geysers of plasma or the dark forces of evil.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes II is easily the most lovingly-recreated celebration of fanservice since Hyrule Warriors. There is an undeniable charm in its presentation, dialog and audio cues, and the shift towards more gameplay variety than the average Musou title is greatly appreciated, even if it isn’t the biggest step forward. There is also an RPG worth’s amount of extra content, including periodic updates featuring additional characters to fight alongside and powerful new foes to fight against. Musou titles may more commonplace than sports games these days, but this is definitely one of the few worth seeking out, and an absolute must-have purchase for longtime Dragon Quest fans.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is a surprising game. I went in expecting it to be a typical Musou game, but what I got instead was a fantastic action-RPG that’s really worthy of the Dragon Quest name. I’ve played many Musou games over the course of my life, more than I would like to admit, but I have to say that this is probably one of, if not the best game of its kind that I’ve played.

It's both better and more enjoyable than its predecessor, with lots of depth in its world and gameplay.

Dragon Quest Heroes II offers a beautiful mix of musou and RPG. There are tons of characters and there is a lot to do in the game. Especially hack-and-slashing. Plus, it offers a multiplayer mode. It has a few flaws, but nothing game-breaking.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is one of the most flexible Warriors games on the market, full of nods to its dual lineage for better and for worse.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes II is an upgrade over its predecessor. It’s packed with plenty of content, long action sequences and a healthy dose of role-playing elements to keep your interest firmly hooked. The balance between action and RPG helps make this more than just a Dragon Quest title with the beating heart of Dynasty Warriors. It’s a worthy sequel.

Action + RPG + musou... in one word: fun! One of the most entertaining Omega Force games and also one of the best Dragon Quest spin-offs.

Offering you more freedom to explore and customise your characters, Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is undoubtedly a commendable follow-up to its predecessor even though it feels more than a little bit samey at times.

Quotation forthcoming.

A fun game that every Dragon Quest fun should enjoy, despite its being far from perfect due to some poor design choices on its RPG side.

Despite the lack of character development and the occasional forced grind for gear, Dragon Quest Heroes II is a monstrously fun and childish game that will appeal to both grown-ups and children alike. It’s witty script and adorable looking characters makes the game enjoyable to play throughout plus the sheer size of the customisable skill trees will keep Dynasty Warriors fans happy.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 takes all the best ingredients of the first episode and improves the formula by adding lots of gameplay elements that make the experience even more cool.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is an acquired taste. It helps if you’ve acquired a taste for either Dragon Quest or the Warriors series previously, preferably both. That said, it’s easily one of the most accessible and enjoyable games Omega Force has produced, and a real joy to play if you already know and love Dragon Quest...Richer, deeper and more varied than the original, it’s also closer to the true nature of Square Enix’s beloved series and a much stronger hybrid than the underwhelming Hyrule Warriors.

On the whole, Dragon Quest Heroes II is a mighty success and one that I'll definitely keep coming back to as the year unfolds, even if it’s to simply put a big smile on my sorrowful brow.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is exactly what a spin-off should be. It appreciates and honors what makes a Dragon Quest game distinct from other JRPGs, while still offering something different than the main series. The gameplay is exhilarating, using over-the-top animations and simple controls to keep you engaged in every battle. The amount of content, while no Dragon Quest VII, is certainly enough to get your money’s worth.

Moving away from the more strict mission based structure of the first game, players now get to travel across the lands of the seven kingdoms in-between the smoother than ever large scale battles. As with any musou game, the combat will get repetitive at times, but there is no question that Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is a bigger and better followup to the original that continues to be a love letter to the Dragon Quest fandom.

Due to the nature of the type of game this is, its gameplay can get repetitive, but that can be said of all Dynasty Warriors games of their spin offs. The absence of local co-op is noticeable, but the inclusion of online shows the developers did listen to player feedback and worked to make improvements over the original. Dragon Quest Heroes II is overall an improvement of the original and one of the better Warriors style games on the market. Dragon Quest and Dynasty Warriors seems like an odd combination, but the team behind these games shows that it works and hopefully this is not the last we hear of Dragon Quest Heroes.

Much like its predecessor, Dragon Quest Heroes II isn't short of opportunities for high-volume slaughter while effectively preserving the charm of Dragon Quest. Omega Force's thoughtful mix of familiar Dragon Quest Heroes designs and new features not only makes this sequel engrossing, but it also shows this side series' potential for future installments. It makes for a satisfying hack-and-slasher that is not only a great Warriors spinoff, but also an effective gateway to the main Dragon Quest series.

Dragon Quest Heroes II takes everything people love about Musou games and ramps up the fun factor. If the core gameplay elements don't interest you this game won't change your mind, but if large-scale action RPGs appeal to you even a little bit you'll likely have a blast with this one.

Despite some pacing issues near the end of the game, Dragon Quest Heroes II takes what its predecessor did right and builds upon it in positive ways. Its open world design is definitely a step in the right direction, as is its more prominent narrative and larger cast of colourful characters. Meanwhile, combat remains fun and satisfying, and a sprinkling of new systems add some welcome depth. Dragon Quest Heroes II is exactly what a sequel should be.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is a fine sequel. But it’s just that. It still is the same mousou game we have played a thousand times before. It has a fine story, some new combat mechanics, but that’s all.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is a great improvement on its predecessor in almost every way – while it’s far from being a perfect game, those put off by the last might actually find this more to their tastes. Dragon Quest Heroes is becoming a great action game series in its own right, though still has plenty of room to grow.

Dragon Quest Heroes II offers a lot of opportunities for the fans of the series. You'll find some welcome improvements here and there, the same things you loved in the first chapter, and the same limitations.

Quotation forthcoming.

Not a bad sequel, but the first chapter is still better.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t feel like a big enough leap. There are minor gameplay improvements that result in a more unique and refined experience, but at it’s core the game is still struggling to pull itself away from the Dynasty Warriors series.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is a solid sequel to a refreshing take on the musou genre. I love that Omega Force has been expanding on the style for a while now. These themed entries are often much more interesting than the standard ‘Warriors’ games. Still, some of the changes feel not for the best, and the combat started to drag on the longer I played.

The Dragon Quest Heroes series is an ambitious undertaking. Blending arcade-style action with RPG elements is a tricky balance, one that Heroes 2 doesn’t always manage to maintain.While it might bite off a bit more than it can chew, the end result is still good frantic fun. If you’re hungry for more Musou action, a Dragon Quest fan, or both, you can’t go wrong with this game.

A brave and funny mix of mousou and RPG, with some incertitudes and too much repetition.

Attempts to build upon the original in some smart ways, but the execution ends up being rather messy. The connected world doesn’t provide the player with a living, breathing world to explore, but rather it’s reminiscent of a diorama. One that attempts to fool the player into not seeing how shallow and lifeless things are outside of its walls. It’s a fun, but flawed, follow-up. One that ultimately feels like a tease, as it adds a few much-needed improvements, but not enough to push it over the edge.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 feels like a step forward in some ways, but a step back in others. The new additions to combat are nice, but the attempts to bring more RPG elements to the story missions don’t always work out for the best – at worst, they wind up transforming an enjoyable action game into a boring slog. At least it shows that Omega Force is willing to try new things with their long-established formula.

For all its shortcomings, Dragon Quest Heroes II ends up a perfectly adequate beat-em-up. I encountered few surprises during my playthrough, but the simple fun of being a single soldier against an army of colorful Dragon Quest baddies is undeniable. I still prefer the original Dragon Quest Heroes, but this sequel continues to inspire confidence in Omega Force as it continues to experiment with its brand of action.

I was expecting some of the on-paper enhancements to impact me more, but Dragon Quest Heroes II isn't a stark improvement. It is better though, so if you wanted to get in on the first quest and missed out, you may as well skip it and jump in here -- you won't be missing a whole lot.

For a sequel made pretty much on the fly (in just a year!), DQH 2 is a surprisingly decent game. Plus, the English localization is top-notch.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is an odd mix. It has some super smart enhancements to gameplay but is bogged down by a terrible, messy storyline. There’s a lot of fun to be had, but you may be best served just not paying attention to the story. The game’s expansive gameplay options may feel overwhelming at first, but mastering its systems will reward you with a great action RPG to play.

A fun and charming action RPG with robust gameplay and some great battles. It's just a shame that there are very few surprises.

An improvement on the original, but it throws in a few flaws of its own.

Even though Dragon Quest Heroes II might not feel like a full fledged sequel, it fixes our main gripes of the first game and offers an enjoyable adventure filled with charm and flashy but somewhat repetitive battles.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is an enjoyable hack and slash sequel with a great array of characters and enemies. It continues on the good work of the first title in conjuring the feel of the Dragon Quest series, but it’s still just a Musou title underneath it all with all the repetitive combat that entails. While the RPG elements add a nice level of customisation, it can all feel a little too prescribed to be truly enthralling.

What stands out to me is how all of the new elements and tweaked versions of older elements combine together to create something that, in many ways, feels less like a Warriors game and more like a proper Action-RPG. It's almost as if the team had ambitions of moving in that direction, but felt unsure about pulling too far from its roots. Who knows if we'll ever see a third game that will go all-in on that approach, but what we've been given here is a decidedly fun, if flawed, Dragon Quest adventure.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is exactly the kind of game that, one year from now, I won’t even remember playing. It’s entertaining enough, but in spite of that it never quite finds its stride. Each of its highest moments come with the knowledge of what the game is grasping towards but can’t quite reach, both as an RPG and as a Warriors game.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 adds a substantial amount of traditional JRPG-ing to the Musou formula, Overworld-like areas allow you to explore more freely than the in-story battle missions. Equipment and skills customization rival anything seen in a mainline DQ game. It’s a passable, mostly mindless foray into the DQ universe, which is never a bad place to visit thanks to the colourful, buoyant art and character design from Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. But more than anything, its best features made me want to play a regular Dragon Quest game instead.

Action RPG in a very colorful design where you will fight the large armies. It's nice, but it can quickly turn tiresome. [Issue#274]

While the charming characters, stellar voice acting and cutscenes are all great, it's just not enough. [Issue#189, p.78]

While I loved Dragon Quest Heroes back in 2015, Dragon Quest Heroes II is a very safe sequel that doesn't add much to a stale formula. While this is a good sequel, it definitely has its moments where it could have ended much earlier than it did. Musou and Dragon Quest enthusiasts, of which I am both, will be easily sold on this game. Still, part of me feels that if this game had been a tad shorter and more cohesive, I would have loved it as much as the first.

What do you get when you mix Dragon Quest and Dynasty Warriors? A boring experience apparently bause Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is way too repetitive and offers a very dull story.

Dragon Quest continues to be the most successful partner for Dynasty Warriors, but the pace of improvement remains painfully slow.