What’s so good about… DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2?

With the game now available on Xbox One, Windows 10 PC and Xbox Game Pass, we ask: how has the game built up such a fanbase?
By Duncan Heaney

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 is now available on Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, and Xbox Game Pass. Loads of you are already smashing blocks, building impressive creations and having a wonderful time doing so.

But those who have yet to experience the block-buster RPG might be wondering: why is everyone so excited about the game?

We’ve put together six reasons why DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 has made such an impact:

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS SCREENSHOT

It builds on the original’s strong foundations

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 takes everything that people liked about the original game, and either builds on the ideas or refines them.

Take building for example. This has been expanded dramatically - you can now make much bigger, more complex creations than ever before. It’s something that players have taken advantage of - I mean, just look at this insanely impressive build from Nenari (via Twitter):

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS SCREENSHOT

The game is also full of quality of life improvements that make the act of building, crafting and fighting more convenient and enjoyable. For example, early on in the adventure, you get a limitless bag, which is always accessible and lets you store a near-unlimited number of items inside.

This frees you up to focus on what’s fun - collecting and using materials and resources - rather than having to drop items to make room or spending time fiddling with inventory management.

That’s just the tip of the blocky iceberg - you can now move blocks around by hand, which speeds up building, you can craft in batches, weapons and tools don’t degrade and much more. It all adds up to an exceedingly entertaining and player-friendly game.

It crafts a compelling story

One of the things that makes DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 stand out from other building games is that it features a charming and memorable narrative.

While the game features a lot of scope for creativity, this is a full story-driven RPG - you’ll complete quests, befriend allies and face off against some particularly nefarious ne’er-do-wells.

Here’s the basic premise: the evil Children of Hargon are out to eradicate all creators and have outlawed the building, cooking, and making of all things, and started abducting builders - those with the power of creation.

A young apprentice builder (spoilers: that’s you), manages to escape from the clutches of the cult. Washing up on the shores of the deserted Isle of Awakening, you encounter the spirited Malroth, a mysterious youth who has no memory of his past. Together, you set out on adventure to become Master Builders, defeat the cult and restore peace and creativity to the world.

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2

It makes a great starting point for newcomers

It may have a great big ‘2’ in the title, you don’t need to have played the original DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS to enjoy this sequel.

On the contrary - DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 offers the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to get into the series. It tells its own standalone story, and introduces the ideas and mechanics in such a way that anyone can jump in without the need for a PhD in Dragon Questology to enjoy it.


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That said, if you are a long-term fan of DRAGON QUEST, you may notice more than a few nods to the original DRAGON QUEST II in the story and its world. You don’t need to get the references to understand and enjoy the story, but it’s a nice bonus for those who do.

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 Underwater

You’ll dig the exploration

As fun as it is to hang around your home base, building new rooms, or farming crops, eventually you’ll have to head out to one of the other islands and take a look around for resources to collect and characters to recruit.

Fortunately, exploration in DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 is entertaining and rewarding.

That’s partly due to the improved traversal techniques. You can now dash to get around faster, and swim in water. You can even use your cape to soar through the air like a majestic dracky.

It’s worth using that increased mobility to go off the beaten track, because each area is packed with cool things to discover, including rare building materials, valuable food to cook up and monsters to battle.

Particularly fun are the Builder Puzzles - find and solve these mini-challenges, and you’ll be rewarded with precious mini-medals that you can trade for precious and useful items.

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 Brainy Badboon

It develops your skills throughout the game

The road from apprentice builder to Master isn’t easy, but it is satisfying. DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 gives you a constant feeling of progression, as you watch your character go from stranded escapee to a hammer-wielding lord of creation.

As you play the game, make allies and explore the world, you’ll uncover new recipes that teach you how create new tools, food or structures and it’s rewarding to see your options explode like this.

There’s also a more traditional leveling system too. As with many other RPGs, defeating monsters gives you XP, so as you defeat threats and protect your home from monster attacks, you’ll get stronger and stronger. It’s just another way that DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 makes you feel like you’re always accomplishing something.

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 - Builder and Malroth

You’ll reinforce friendships

Throughout most of DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2, you’ll be supported by Malroth. This spiky-haired youth is brash and undisciplined, but also very useful to have around.

He’ll help you dig, collect resources and even take on monsters for you, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll become quite fond of him over time.

But as helpful as Malroth is, he’s not a patch on your real friends. DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 supports online multiplayer for up to four players.

That means up to three of your friends can join your game and build things together. Alternatively, you can just show them your own beautiful creations and let them ooh and ah at your creative genius.

That’s not the only way for you and your friends to show off your building prowess. There’s also a notice board that showcases some of the best community creations out there. Great builds deserve to be shared after all.


DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2 is out now on Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, and Xbox Game Pass.

It's also available to buy for PS4 and Steam:

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