Dragon Quest Treasures

Grab your spade, your flying pig and your pirate hat: it's treasure hunting time in Dragon Quest Treasures. There is some fine loot to claim, though not all that glitters is gold. Our conclusion: Treasures mainly is a good introduction to the series for somewhat younger or less experienced gamers.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a new challenge for this long-running series. It is full of Dragon Quest’s unique charm and delivers a wonderful experience that lasts for many hours. However, altogether the experience feels a bit too shallow. Deeper character development and more monsters could have gone a long here. Still, as a more compact game, Dragon Quest Treasures is a great open world to casually have some fun in.

Not quite a serious Pokemon challenger, then, but with pressure on The Pokemon Company to bring in an experienced development partner for future titles, this is a fine calling card for Tose. [Issue#381, p.104]

Dragon Quest Treasures feels like a long-lost 3DS gem brought to Nintendo Switch. It has all the charm from an older Dragon Quest game, and is one of the better Switch exclusive of 2022. While the core gameplay loop might not be for everyone, I enjoyed it a lot. I just wish the technical aspects of the game were a bit better.

Dragon Quest Treasures is an exploration odyssey full of excitement and accessible gameplay. It is a fresh and introductory installment that exploits in some exciting ways the Dragon Quest formula. It makes a great effort to combine exploration and gameplay mechanics.

It’s this buildup of minor annoyances that makes it hard to recommend Dragon Quest Treasures. The experience is driven by charm and nostalgia, but if you don’t have an existing appreciation for the series, there isn’t much here that I could recommend over most other open-world role-playing games. It’s an experience that would greatly vary depending on the player; in other words, one player’s Dragon Quest trash is another player’s Dragon Quest Treasure.

Dragon Quest Treasures offers a cute story, beautiful lore, and a magnificent world to discover, and while that’s all lovely, the experience is marred by its weak combat. In ways both good and bad, this game put me in the mood to play other Dragon Quest games. The treasure is tarnished, but it’s still at least something shiny and new to do, making Dragon Quest Treasures a decent appetizer as we continue to await Dragon Quest XII.

Although it has good ideas, Dragon Quest Treasures is an average game. When you take out the generic combat and stale treasure hunting, you're left with just the beloved Dragon Quest universe.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a bland adventure that sucks out everything that makes the franchise charming. There’s quite a lot to do in the game, but none of it is fun or feels good. Playing this game feels more like checking things off your to-do list: the act of crossing things off may offer a hint of satisfaction, but you don’t actually like doing the tasks on it.

If Dragon Quest Treasures didn't insist on forcing players to engage in its bland combat, the experience would be much better. Thankfully, the world, exploration, and treasure hunting system is a lot of fun. Investigating every nook and cranny or poking around each new landmark does not get old through the game's over 55-hour runtime (with completing most quests and extras), and the rush of discovering new treasure and watching your gang's value grow is satisfying and exciting. Despite its failures, the ways in which Dragon Quests Treasures succeeds outweigh them, if only slightly.

Dragon Quest Treasures is one of the best spin-offs of the franchise, shining with its own light beyond being a perfect complement for those who enjoyed the story of Dragon Quest XI. Its open world, its variety of monsters and its charismatic cast of characters are only let down by some repetitiveness on its gameplay and too simple combat mechanics.

Don't expect something similar to the excellence of Dragon Quest XI, rather, Treasures feels much closer to Pokemon. It is a fun game overall, but there are shortcomings.

With the usual Dragon Quest charm, Treasures convinces with its main elements: Exploration and collecting know how to entertain despite the simple story and optics. Treasures is a fun and engaging gameplay loop.

Dragon Quest Treasures could have been a Switch's little gem, but it will remain in the shadow of its elder brother. With its efficient collecting, taming and crafting mechanics, the spin-off could get any gamer hooked. The exploration is generous, engaging, but the annoying back and forth, the lack of fast travel, the laughably poor combat system and the shaky technique will get the better of the most patient. A fun game, captivating at its best, with wasted potential.

Looking for a learning material for JRPG beginners? Dragon Quest Treasures is there for you. Except for the lack of volume compared to the original series, the game offers you a quality time with simple, cute and fun treasure hunting stories.

DRAGON QUEST TREASURES is fun for a while and any series fan will be happy to see the return of many familiar monsters. However, the gameplay loop gets repetitive quite early and it failed to keep my attention as well as the other DRAGON QUEST spin-offs do.

Dragon Quest Treasures is an enjoyable action-RPG with an interesting treasure-hunting gimmick that is boosted by how it uses elements of the series. It’s perhaps a little on the easy side, and there are aspects of the game that feel thinner than I would prefer. Still, I think it’s a solid choice for fans of Dragon Quest or younger players who are dipping their toes into the action-RPG genre. It’s a bit of a trifle, but it’s a well-made one that sits well in the proverbial stomach.

Vibrant and colorful, Dragon Quest Treasures is a fun and entertaining action RPG, which we recommend to both newbies and experts of the genre. Due to the excessive backtracking and the expected cyclical routine of the gameplay, it may not be the classic title to devote entire days to, but on the other hand, the spin-off lends itself very well to fleeting sessions, perhaps aimed at interspersing much more demanding activities. The most successful elements of the package are the combat system, satisfying and intuitive, and the amount of content, which we are convinced will be able to give you many hours of entertainment in the always fascinating Dragon Quest universe.

Dragon Quest Treasures isn’t a massive 100-hour epic like Dragon Quest XI. The game can still comfortably occupy a couple dozen hours at least. The islands are large and hold plenty of secrets, side quests, and monsters to discover. It’s definitely aimed at younger gamers to get them into JRPGs with its young protagonists, cute graphics, and monster collecting gameplay, but it's fun for all ages.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a simple yet wholesome and endearing Dragon Quest experience that stands out among the crowd. It might not retain some of the luster and sheen from mainline entries, but an addictive gameplay loop and enticing exploration makes for an adventure worth undertaking.

It’s with these pleasant vibes where Dragon Quest Treasures finds its strength. At its best, Treasures is JRPG candy that acts either as a solid first JRPG for new players or a relaxing diversion for series fans. I just wish the game wouldn’t get in its own way so much. If Treasures had more monsters, a more thoughtful combat experience, fewer annoying interruptions, and some more bosses, Treasures would hit the Saturday morning cartoon highs of Level-5s best titles. This, unfortunately, misses the mark a bit.

A whimsical romp across a colourful world of magic and monsters, Dragon Quest Treasures is a comforting and nostalgia-filled addition to the series. From its recruitable monsters that ooze personality to its collectible trophies, this title is full of charm and is an absolute joy to play – in short sessions. Some frustrating camera issues and a repetitive gameplay loop do get stale when playing for longer periods. Dragon Quest Treasures is best enjoyed in little bites, each of which is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Dragon Quest Treasures shines with a free exploration, progression system that will keep you busy with plenty to do. The variety of monsters and the use of unique abilities is a great idea but it's a shame that the battle system is limited, as well as having some graphical shortcomings. Despite this, it's a fun game, plus it includes many references that Dragon Quest fans will enjoy.

This more casual JRPG isn't a very challenging adventure, but the fun exploration, treasure collecting, and monster recruiting at the game's core are very enjoyable.

Dragon Quest Treasures is far from the richest jewel in the Dragon Quest crown, but a laid-back structure, charming world, and endless stream of rewards make it a relaxing RPG still worth admiring.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a celebration of everything that makes this franchise a unique and special treat. Those willing to put up with a few slow hours to start their grand adventure will surely not be disappointed with the treasure that lies within, as the jewels and coins shine brightly within.

It's a testament to how strong the other elements of Dragon Quest Treasures are that, in spite of combat frequently being unfulfilling, the game still manages to keep you eagerly coming back for more exploration and treasure-scouting. Its bright-eyed, adventurous atmosphere and rewarding core gameplay loop go a long way in carrying the game to its conclusion. It might not be the richest game out there, but for the length of its runtime, Dragon Quest Treasures does a fine job of making you feel like a bandit king.

I managed to get through the campaign in twenty hours, even though I went out of my way to complete some quest chains. Thankfully there’s a decent post-game with more quest lines, and an endless dungeon you can challenge. While there are performance issues and lackluster bosses, I always treasure a game that encourages exploration and gives me plenty to do. Dragon Quest Treasures has some trash in the hoard but is a quality addition to the series.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a solid but not really exciting spin-off of the Dragon Quest series. Eric and Mida are recruiting monsters to find treasures all over Draconia. Graphic and storyline feel old and outdated but at least it's fun to play for some hours, even though the tasks get repetitive after some time.

Dragon Quest Treasures offers plenty of charm, solid core mechanics, and a certain slot-machine-style appeal, but fortune favors the bold, and the game holds back in too many ways. Unremarkable visuals, simplistic combat, and the eventual repetitive feeling of treasure hunting limit the experience. Younger players and hardcore fans of the franchise may still covet Dragon Quest Treasures, but the game could have truly sparkled with a bit more polish.

Charming and relaxing is not how you’d describe the average action role-player but this wholesome Dragon Quest spin-off is an enjoyably undemanding, family friendly adventure.

A fun and lighthearted spin-off, recommended for all Dragon Quest fans.

Treasures has a lot of good building blocks, but they don’t add up to much. The gameplay loop starts out compelling, but it quickly goes stale. The visual presentation is alright, but the music is terribly flat. And the act of traversal, of actually exploring, left me unsatisfied. Worse, I never felt like I was working towards anything particularly interesting. Money eventually ends up meaningless in most RPGs, and this game does not buck that trend. If you find yourself hopelessly compelled by the prospect of hunting for loot, this might be your game. Otherwise, I can’t really recommend Dragon Quest Treasures.

You will have a lot of fun playing Dragon Quest Treasures. It's a quite simple spin-off, and you may listen to some soundtracks recycled from previous Dragon Quest games, but the gameplay is really fresh and funny, thanks to the monsters recruitment and the search of treasures. In addition, the translation and Toriyama designs are wonderful.

It’s a pity that Dragon Quest Treasures is going to be overlooked as a spinoff dumped into the market late in the year, because there’s still in here that the entire industry could learn from. The way that the developers have clearly built an open world around the concept and adventure, rather than the other way around, makes Treasures one of the most meaningfully enjoyable open world experiences this side of the Yakuza series. Yes, the combat is a misfire, but the opportunity to go chill out with and go on grand treasure-hunting expeditions with your favourite Akira Toriyama creations is always going to be irresistable, and this is one of the better opportunities to do just that.

If you're a fan of Dragon Quest, it's obvious that you're going to want to add it to your collection, and when you play it for the first time you'll probably have a hard time letting go of the controller. For its part, if you are not so used to the franchise, it is likely that you can still enjoy it, since you do not need to be a total connoisseur of the genre to understand what this spin off is about.

I have a lot of conflicting feelings about Dragon Quest Treasures. It’s a perfectly serviceable game that accomplishes what it sets out to do in creating a laidback gameplay loop of treasure hunting and monster collecting, but it’s also a shallow experience that feels like too big a departure from the Dragon Quest formula. It’s missing too many things that make these games so compelling - the severe lack of monster variety being the biggest disappointment. While Treasures has high points, the low points outweigh them and leave the game a middling experience.

Dragon Quest Treasures is an engaging yet easygoing monster-recruiting game full of surprises and humor - and, perhaps most importantly, it's a ton of fun.

Dragon Quest Treasures is an interesting action game that tries something new for the series in a mostly successful game.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a fun game for those looking to just wander around a Dragon Quest world and dig up treasure. Long-time series fans and those used to deeper ARPG combat systems might find the game to be too feature-lite though, with a dearth of monsters being the primary culprit from a series with more than a thousand to choose from. The main narrative can be breezed through in about 20 hours, but there are easily several times as many hours of fun to be had for those that enjoy a game with sidequests galore and post-game content. For a series with upwards of three dozen titles to its name over more than 36 years, it’s been a surprisingly long time since fans received a Dragon Quest console release. Mobile games aside, Dragon Quest Treasures is the first new release since 2019’s Dragon Quest Builders 2. While not as feature-rich as that preceding spin-off, Treasures forges its own way with a mountain of treasure to find and an expansive world that’s endlessly fun to explore.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a fun time with plenty of adventuring to be had. Its charming writing expected of the series, and the endearing cast creates a distinct, inviting ambiance, even if the story isn’t exactly compelling. Of course, there are plenty of tasks to complete and items to find to keep busy as well.

This is a spin-off of Dragon Quest 11 that will take us to explore a new world in search of (obviously) treasures. It will keep us fulfilling challenges and missions for a long time. Although its battle system is not deep, it is entertaining as we expand our raid with new members and monsters.

Dragon Quest Treasures is not a perfect experience, but it is a fun and enjoyable one overall. The new ideas and mechanics it blends with the Dragon Quest series’ trademarks are sound ones, and they could prove to be vital to the series’ direction both in mainline games and what will hopefully be a strong new spinoff series for years to come. So long as one is willing to bear with its rough introduction, there’s little doubt they’ll find a game that’s well worth the patience.

While its sheer amount of missions can be overwhelming at first, once you sink into Dragon Quest Treasures you’ll have a great time exploring the world of Draconia at your own pace. Its combat lets it down somewhat, but it’s easily forgiven when the lure to find bigger and better treasure is so strong. It might not be your usual Dragon Quest adventure, but it’s well worth your time.

Dragon Quest Treasures is just an infinitely likeable game, that had had me beaming from ear to ear from the word go.

Dragon Quest Treasures offers a glimpse into the early years of two intriguing Dragon Quest XI characters. The world of floating islands is a wonderful setting for open-ended adventure, where hunting for treasure and monsters can become equally addictive pursuits. The numerous callbacks to other Dragon Quest titles are sure to bring a smile to longtime fans, whether it be familiar pieces of music or the fan service treasure items. This is not only a brand new adventure, but a love letter to the franchise. Dragon Quest Treasures is enjoyable from the start and only becomes better as the story gradually unfolds and players gain access to new areas and monstrous companions.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a lot! It offers tons to do. Players get diverse islands to explore, many quests to complete, and an ample assortment of monsters to collect. It is clearly the sort of game someone is supposed to pick at for weeks. The downside is, it can almost be too overwhelming when it comes to how many tasks fall into your to-do list. As long as you take your time (and regular breaks to rest your thumbs after all the digging), it’s a manageable and sometimes even memorable experience.

A different take on the series that works when it comes to collectables and exploration, although sacrifices its combat to reach a wider audience.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a slow burn and it may take a while to find its stride, but in the end this exhilarating adventure is diminished by its own ambitions.

Dragon Quest Treasures builds on the legacy of old Dragon Quest Monsters titles, making exploration and treasure hunting the pillars of its gameplay. It's a solid effort for youg player and a celebration of the 30-year franchise it belongs to, but also too simplistic and easy for long time fans of the series.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a pleasant adventure despite its insistence on being a game for a younger audience. Unfortunately, its core gameplay loop isn’t satisfying enough to sink a huge amount of hours into it. In the flurry of games released this holiday season, picking up this game will largely depend on how much you love the Dragon Quest franchise.

A treasure hunt in the world of Dragon Quest turns out to be a pleasant RPG with simple and affordable mechanics suitable for young and old, especially aimed at those who like to have fun without bothering with overly complex plots. The collecting aspect takes over from a basic combat system, but it remains a very enjoyable game.

A rambunctious, treasure-filled adventure with that classic DQ charm, Dragon Quest Treasures embraces the world of its predecessors perfectly, while still setting itself apart. Its mechanics are unique and engaging, it’s full of personality and charm, and, above all, it’s just great fun. A wonderful entry into a popular series for returning and new players alike.

Dragon Quest Treasures is some of the most fun I’ve had just exploring a game world all year, between its great world design and excellent soundtrack. This treasure hunt is a delight for players of all ages and one of the more unique experiences I’ve had on Switch in recent memory. The strange combat system will disappoint some, but if you can just get over that and a few other little quirks, this is an adventure well worth taking.

Maybe it’s the Dragon Quest charm, or maybe it’s because I’m happy to be playing a game way less buggy than the last one I reviewed, but I got a kick out of Dragon Quest Treasures. This is the type of game I will happily sink hours into without caring about whether or not I’m actually progressing beyond just building up my cache. A perfect game for those long winter nights, Dragon Quest Treasures will more than tide me over until Square Enix finally gets around to releasing Infinity Strash.

Though its core treasure-hunting loop is tedious, there's a lot of charm worth digging up in Dragon Quest Treasures.

An ode to traditional role-playing games, Dragon Quest Treasures is a joyous adventure. A well-paced story means you’re free to take in Square Enix’s expansive open world at your own leisure, and the game offers no shortage of reasons to make exploring each beautiful island feel compelling.