Dragon Quest Builders 2 is aptly named, as it builds upon the strong foundation of the first game, improving it in every single way. A couple of sections could stand to be better paced, but the breadth of content and genuinely intriguing story make Builders 2 a must-play.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Developer: Square Enix
Price: $60
Platforms: PS4 and Nintendo Switch
MonsterVine was Provided With a PS4 Code for Review
The first Dragon Quest Builders was a creative and endlessly fun game that offered a new perspective on the world of the original Dragon Quest. The announcement of a sequel had me excited, as I figured it could fix the minor issues I had with the first Builders game. Builders 2 fixes all of these issues while adding lots of exciting new content on top of it.
Builders 2 takes place in the same world as Dragon Quest II: Luminaries of the Legendary Line. Like the first Builders, the sequel begins in an alternate version of the original game’s world, though to dive too deep into the setting would spoil the surprising twist that comes towards the end of Builders 2. What I can say is that the relationship between the Builder (you) and Malroth, your amnesiac, violence-loving pal, is genuinely touching. The Builder feels like a real character despite having no dialogue primarily because of their friendship with Malroth, as the two exchange high-fives and sneers after completing blueprints and quests. Both characters develop towards the end of the game in an incredibly satisfying and organic way, and I hope to see them appear in future spin-offs in one way or another.
The stories of each individual island are enjoyable as well, with Moonbrooke standing out as the strongest. You’ll be visiting three major islands throughout Builders 2, each with its own diverse atmosphere and cast of characters. By the end of the game, all of the NPCs you’ve met on each island feel like actual characters. You get to know them rather well, though this is partially because the three main islands that they come from drag on a bit. There are one or two missions too many, as I found myself wanting to return to the Isle of Awakening sooner to try out the new tricks and building strategies that I had learned.
“Having somewhere to return to after each island, where you can continue to build whatever you want at your own pace, helps the pacing of Builders 2 while also providing players with a creative outlet that’s available at any time.“
Builders 2 makes building pretty much everything faster and more fun than ever. Your hammer, which is used to break blocks and other materials, and your weapon are now bound to separate buttons, so you don’t have to stop to switch between tools when jumping between combat and building. The constant presence of Malroth helps keep things consistent as well, as he’ll deal with any monsters or threats that approach you while you’re busy building. NPCs will help you build big blueprints as well, provided you give them the necessary materials, which can make multitasking and finishing major projects far easier. You can even enter a first-person mode if you’re more accustomed to Minecraft-style building, though I found the default camera perspective to be best.
The Isle of Awakening is my favorite addition to Builders 2, as the inclusion of a hub island where you can build to your heart’s content is brilliant. Having somewhere to return to after each island, where you can continue to build whatever you want at your own pace, helps the pacing of Builders 2 while also providing players with a creative outlet that’s available at any time. Explorer’s Islands are great additions as well. These side-quests provide fun scavenger hunts to decompress between islands while rewarding players with unlimited material resources on the Isle of Awakening, making each island both fun and rewarding.
As usual, Akira Toriyama’s art-style is all kinds of wonderful. Every environment is full of color and life, and the monsters are all as memorable as ever. The blocky Minecraft-style environments fit with the whimsical world of Dragon Quest quite well, as it did in the first Builders. The music of Builders 2 will be largely familiar to franchise veterans, but that doesn’t make the songs any less fantastic.
The Final Word
Dragon Quest Builders 2 improves upon the first Builders game in practically every single way. The story is unique and genuinely surprising, the gameplay is tighter and full of quality-of-life improvements, and there’s an immense amount of content to occupy players even after the story is done. Outside of some minor pacing issues, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is nothing short of an incredible sequel.
