Dragon Quest Builders 2

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 133 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 105 out of 133
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 133
  3. Negative: 20 out of 133
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  1. bersi84
    Jul 13, 2019
    9
    This game is a worthy successor to an already great title. I dropped quite some hours into DQB2 and to me this game is not perfect but so much fun. I would rate it 8.5 so far but gave a 9 because the fun factor is to me more relevant than the minor flaws. Read on for more.

    DQB2 adapts all the basic that DQB1 already delivered in a solid and fun way but changed the game and story play in    This game is a worthy successor to an already great title. I dropped quite some hours into DQB2 and to me this game is not perfect but so much fun. I would rate it 8.5 so far but gave a 9 because the fun factor is to me more relevant than the minor flaws. Read on for more.

    DQB2 adapts all the basic that DQB1 already delivered in a solid and fun way but changed the game and story play in some interesting ways.

    Game world and story mode:
    **************************************
    In DQB1 the story mode was somewhat depressing because the final boss often destroyed your town and even worse, it did not matter because each chapter was completely independent and you started new every single chapter. DQB2 does things vastly different with a centralized hub island and a ship that leads you to side-islands or main-islands.

    Main islands are where the story is being told and you will leave them this time also but you can come back at any time and the story islands are way more intensified. The first story island will keep you busy for 6 to 10hrs depending on your playstyle alone. Side-islands provide quick adventures on a pretty thin basis to be fair where the hub island appears as a free-to-build island with some story driven attachments.

    The new concept is more motivating to me although I see some missed opportunities. Sometimes interruptions due to quests-givers are pretty high. The quests itself are mostly very simple or just guidelines through the main missions. Hopefully in a future title they will enhance this a little bit more because the benefit for the game atmosphere is pretty good.

    Graphics // Sounds // Engine:
    **************************************
    What can I say. It pretty much looks like DQB1 to me. Maybe a little bit polished. Loading times on my PS4 Pro with SSD are okay-ish but feel too long to be honest. On the bright side the islands are loaded once and other loadings screens do not happen often or are very short. So I would not even rate this down. Graphics are of course cartoon-ish for this title but very solid. I personally like it way more then Minecraft even modded but that might be very subjective.

    The sound and "voice acting" is still a clear downside for me. Most or even all of the dialogue passages are text-only. To me thats a missed opportunity still and not state of the art anymore. I d prefer them to take a step forward and present the nice story in a way it deserves. On the other side the character are cool and I like the writing a lot. As a non-native english speaker I still dislike that most of the characters "talk" with accents. Without a proper voice acting this is giving me some hazzle and honestly... makes me skip dialogue sometimes. Sad! The soundtrack in general falls flat to me and could be a little bit more entertaining but is still okay-ish.

    Controls:
    ************
    DQB1 and 2 share a similar basis. For people who did not play either: the controls feel really decent for a console title in my opinion and not frustrating at all in comparison to other titles that seem to be perfectly made for mouse and keyboard. I was surprised with DQB1 and still like them. Some mappings are strange though. There are times where you want to change your tool but talk to your buddy etc. I see room for improvement here although there are some controller layouts you can choose from.

    Gameplay:
    **************
    DQB2 is in my opinion clearly optimized for solo play. There is a multiplayer-like mode but it is not perfectly integrated which is a little bit sad and definetely a missed opportunity. In your solo story you are accompanied by an NPC buddy which is really fun and helps a lot in terms of collecting stuff and having a more dynamic feeling. Main focus is again getting materials, buildings, new stuff, but this time things are enhanced as you have more intense layered buildings, you have farming options and also your buddies will work more intensely for you. I like these changes a lot because they add convenience and atmosphere by a great margin as you try to develop your town, achieve quests for the people around and gain new recipes or blueprints to build.

    Final thoughts:
    *******************
    I loved DQB1 and bought it just due to being bored at a weekend. Turned to be a lucky grab for me as I was really waiting for DQB2 and having a lot fun with it. I did not encounter any bugs or performance problems so far letting aside the loading times at the beginning. The gameplay is solid but got well enhanced with added atmosphere and a more quest related storymode. The characters are lovely so are the graphics. As stated in the beginning I would give DQB2 a solid 8.5 because it feels repetitive at times and misses some opportunities. It gives me so much fun though that I took the 9 with a tendency to 10. The game will provide a good amount of playtime (around 50hrs+) and is to me a solid buy for the initial price.    … Expand
  2. Agarwel
    Jul 15, 2019
    9
    As addicitve as the first one. With lots of QoL improvements. So you can focus more on the fun part and not on the inventory juggling or grinding. The fact that the sandbox island is part of the main story will draw you in and keep you playing it much longer.
    The only downside is that beggining is weaker and it takes longer before you get to the good stuff. So trying the demo may put some    As addicitve as the first one. With lots of QoL improvements. So you can focus more on the fun part and not on the inventory juggling or grinding. The fact that the sandbox island is part of the main story will draw you in and keep you playing it much longer.
    The only downside is that beggining is weaker and it takes longer before you get to the good stuff. So trying the demo may put some people off. And town borders and not so obvious as in the DQB1 so I already made mistake by building the blueprint outside the area by mistake. But it is really small issue.    … Expand
  3. Kai82
    Jul 25, 2020
    10
    A charming and addicting mixture of Minecraft, Harvest Moon and Dragon Quest. It is part action adventure and part sandbox / building game. It is the best spin off of Dragon Quest and I was surprised how good this game was. It is the kind of game you can spend hundred hours and still enjoy it. The building is greatly integrated into the story. In each chapter you build new stuff andA charming and addicting mixture of Minecraft, Harvest Moon and Dragon Quest. It is part action adventure and part sandbox / building game. It is the best spin off of Dragon Quest and I was surprised how good this game was. It is the kind of game you can spend hundred hours and still enjoy it. The building is greatly integrated into the story. In each chapter you build new stuff and buildings as you get new resources, tools and ideas. Even when you finish the main story you have a lot to unlock, to build and to explore. You can experiment with new rooms and buildings as you build your own island to you hearts content. There are countless possibilities. The action adventure parts are a welcome addition but would be not enough for a good game if rated alone. It is however a fitting combination together with the rest. There is also a crafting system for better equipment, tools, armor and consumables ranging from healing items to meals that give you benefits. The characters are charming and I like the interactions between the main character and Malroth. In each chapter there are people with their own stories and goals you support. It is so heart-warming when you archive the goals and everyone comes together to celebrate. Like I said you unlock new possibilities by levelling up, progressing in the story, finding resources or building some new things. There are also hidden objects that allow you to rebuild them once you find them. Also the boss battles are excellent. You have to use special tactics here and it always feels great to overcome the menacing battles. For me this is the best building game I have played in years and an insider tip. I will definitely buy Dragon Quest Builders 3. There are of cause some minor complaints. Talking and changing tools use the same button. Often you start a conversation when you just want to change your active tool. There is just 1 save file and some scripted scenes feel like taking hours. Special warning: It has not a Shakespearian story or is that deep. It is more the enjoyable vehicle to carry on the game and I liked it for this. I even think a really deep story would be unnecessary. Overall the negative points don't matter. It was an enjoyable and relaxing experience. One of the most positive surprises in gaming for me and a recommendation even more if you like Minecraft and Harvest Moon.… Expand
  4. Katielee508
    Jul 13, 2019
    10
    I absolutely loved the first game and this game is even better! I love all the characters, and they improved upon things I didn’t even know could be better!
  5. okamimiyazaki
    Jul 29, 2019
    10
    Amazing building system with a lot of explore and to do. The first part of the game is slow but it gets continuously better. Dialogue is a massive slog, but can be skimmed through to get the gist of things. Controls are not perfect but you do get used to them. The thing that makes this game shine is the exploration, gathering, and building, which are fantastic. There's an insane amount ofAmazing building system with a lot of explore and to do. The first part of the game is slow but it gets continuously better. Dialogue is a massive slog, but can be skimmed through to get the gist of things. Controls are not perfect but you do get used to them. The thing that makes this game shine is the exploration, gathering, and building, which are fantastic. There's an insane amount of customization, and managing your citizens within your buildings/towns is the icing on the cake. Definitely one of the best implementations of gathering/building (Minecraft/Lego style) to date.

    I'm normally a handheld guy but I recommend this one on PS4 as the performance on Switch is pretty bad.    … Expand
  6. SJile
    Jul 15, 2019
    9
    This is an astonishingly good game and has utterly captured my imagination. I dumped a whole weekend into this world, and I'm eagerly waiting for my chance to dive back in.

    My only qualm is that I occasionally feel like the entire game is a tutorial, and you're always sort of holding off doing what you REALLY want for that next step, but that's probably more to do with my personal    This is an astonishingly good game and has utterly captured my imagination. I dumped a whole weekend into this world, and I'm eagerly waiting for my chance to dive back in.

    My only qualm is that I occasionally feel like the entire game is a tutorial, and you're always sort of holding off doing what you REALLY want for that next step, but that's probably more to do with my personal neurotic tendencies than any major design flaw.

    The content drips in fast enough that I never really tired of what I was doing but slow enough that I still had time to experiment with my own little ideas. And there's a staggering amount of content packed into this game, so I have a hard time imagining myself getting tired of it any time soon.

    It's all the best features from games of this genre packaged in a familiar and fun IP, and all my qualms with it feel trivial in the face of just how much fun I'm having.    … Expand
  7. karay123
    Jun 20, 2020
    10
    For me is the best building game of all time. It still has less to do than minecraft but the graphics do their job.
  8. leothelionninja
    Jul 22, 2020
    8
    Dragon Quest Builders 2 though suffers from a monotonous plot and a lackluster combat system, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a fantastic sandbox RPG game. You play as The Only Living Builder, with their best friend Maltroth, whom are tasked with rebuilding islands lost to ruin because of the religion of Hargon. Your Builder can either be Male or Female, and can choose from very few hairstyles,Dragon Quest Builders 2 though suffers from a monotonous plot and a lackluster combat system, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a fantastic sandbox RPG game. You play as The Only Living Builder, with their best friend Maltroth, whom are tasked with rebuilding islands lost to ruin because of the religion of Hargon. Your Builder can either be Male or Female, and can choose from very few hairstyles, but a nice list of skin, hair, and eye colors.
    Though I said the plot is monotonous that does not mean it is not good; in fact, it can easily be compared to a mainline Dragon Quest plot. It is fascinating and fun, with very memorable moments. The combat isuster because it is a simple hack-and-slash system.
    The building, destroying, and creating part of the game I think is the best that Sandbox games have to offer.
    The visuals are stunning and adorable, with an super-durpy cartoon style.
    The gameplay is smooth and relaxing. The plot can last 60-80 hours. (It lasted me 90 hours before I completed the plot.)
    Once you are done with the plot, you are able to build to your hearts content. With fun, adorable, a deep story line Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a super fun game.    … Expand
  9. SylvaConnect
    Jul 18, 2019
    10
    First game was great, this one is even better!

    First the bad. Multiplayer is not even unlocked til well into the game after the first, VERY long island. PISS poor decision. Had I cared about MP, this game would get an automatic 5/10 for this. SE is lucking out on this game for most players dont care about MP. Its total S**t Due to this, you absolutely not call this game a MP game.    First game was great, this one is even better!

    First the bad. Multiplayer is not even unlocked til well into the game after the first, VERY long island. PISS poor decision. Had I cared about MP, this game would get an automatic 5/10 for this. SE is lucking out on this game for most players dont care about MP. Its total S**t

    Due to this, you absolutely not call this game a MP game. Most people interest d in MP want to do MP start to finish, together, as a team, thus is the point of MP. This is more like a stupid visitation system thats not even unlocked for a long time. That is not MP.

    For me personally I enjoyed it as a 10/10 solo. But had I bought it expecting to coop right away, I would have ben EXTREMELY furious about that. You do not EVER make a coop game where coop is not unlocked right out of the gate. Dumbest feature cap Ive ever seen in my life in a game. Aside from that back to solo mode >

    Post game actually makes more sense now and your custom island is actually used between story modes as its part of the story this time, instead of being some random non attackable island like in the first one. Rooms you make there etc all still feel like youre playing the story mode and just as fun. It is not lacking there at all like the first one was. Without spoilers youll just need to play to see the improvements as there are tons!    … Expand
  10. Louissmroy
    Jul 15, 2019
    6
    Ok for a solo player game,but I bought to play with friend, after 12h of game play still did not unlock the online, at that point i refunded the game.
  11. CesarV
    Sep 2, 2020
    0
    Game is kinda fun in the first and second island and feels like the gameplay is building up to something, but the game falls completely flat on itself on the third island where the protagonist is showed as a gutless coward who can't even defend his friend, it's so disgusting you can't do anything and then you're forced to take back the dudes from that island back. I deleted the game atGame is kinda fun in the first and second island and feels like the gameplay is building up to something, but the game falls completely flat on itself on the third island where the protagonist is showed as a gutless coward who can't even defend his friend, it's so disgusting you can't do anything and then you're forced to take back the dudes from that island back. I deleted the game at this point, really bad story telling and lazy gameplay design that builds up to nothing. Did you have fun in dragon quest games getting op rewards from mini medals? Here you get cosmetics and that's it. You can't even use magic and you're limited to 2 specials abilities during the whole game.… Expand
  12. Persona5GOAT
    May 17, 2020
    4
    Overpriced garbage. Unreasonable number of QoL issues and horrendously BORING gameplay not to mention the worst combat ever. you have a shield but you can't block, and dodging is practically non-existant so any battle against >1 opponent becomes mash triangle and spam healing items because your NPC followers WILL be garbage and useless, and leveling won't help because each area has a cap.Overpriced garbage. Unreasonable number of QoL issues and horrendously BORING gameplay not to mention the worst combat ever. you have a shield but you can't block, and dodging is practically non-existant so any battle against >1 opponent becomes mash triangle and spam healing items because your NPC followers WILL be garbage and useless, and leveling won't help because each area has a cap. so enjoy that. Also whoever thought the interact button and the tool switch button should be the same should be fired. The list goes on but this game was supposed to be enjoyable and I just found everything FRUSTRATING.… Expand
  13. Loonlamb007
    Jan 8, 2022
    0
    Game Breaking Bug on the second Island. WTF??? No Chance to continue the Quests. After two years noone came up with the Idea to patch this? Threads are full with this issue - Still!!! What a Joke. Start all over again??? No Chance... Who the hell is programming this sh.... !!! What a Shame!!!
  14. Elli27
    Sep 4, 2019
    8
    this game is a much improved sequel and what I like about it is the story aspect of it, you aren't just given a blank world that you do what you want with it but you are given a reason to build stuff and proceed with the game
  15. kazuki1866
    Jul 23, 2019
    9
    Este juego me está encantando empecé a jugarlo y no he podido dejarlo, es muy entretenido y adictivo. Lo recomiendo 100%100.
  16. shirowind
    Jun 22, 2020
    9
    A great RPG, that mix elements of constructions like minecraft and the classic Dragon Quest. It's really fun to play for hours, very recommended for RPG fans.
  17. Akschnhiro
    Sep 1, 2019
    9
    Story is pretty standard, but the building mechanics are extremly fun.
    The Sandbox Isle is the main reason that kept me going.
    Pretty much a game to chill after a day of work. Loved it!
  18. Berik
    Jun 1, 2021
    6
    Back in 2016 Dragon Quest Builders was released, and was a surprise hit for me. Mixing JRPG's with Minecraft resulted in a fun and addictive game that let you build various buildings with a purpose, but also gave you freedom to create different variants. The story was quite adult and amusingly sarcastic at times. You had to rebuild cities in different locations with each having differentBack in 2016 Dragon Quest Builders was released, and was a surprise hit for me. Mixing JRPG's with Minecraft resulted in a fun and addictive game that let you build various buildings with a purpose, but also gave you freedom to create different variants. The story was quite adult and amusingly sarcastic at times. You had to rebuild cities in different locations with each having different obstacles, keeping the challenge fresh longer. There was an open world, with some exploration. My negatives for that game would be that there was a limit on how large the area of the city was where you could build a community, and that it was way too easy to reach the max. level of the city. So... how does Builders 2 fare?

    Story:
    It is noticeable that Akira Toriyama had influence in the making of this game, because it has become a typical cringy JRPG story with animé roots in it. Gone are the subtle adult conversations, gone is the sarcasm and gone is the intelligence. The characters have become typical animé stereotypes (dumb hot girl that needs you, tough anti-villain, goons that have the intelligence of a carrot). The survivors of the Dark Lord from Builders 1 are terrorising certain islands, and you are once again a builder that everyone treats like **** Only this time you got a buddy! He is Vegeta rip-off, and follows you around to act as the tough guy.

    Gameplay:
    The gameplay style is similar to Builders 1, with the addition of more room recipes, a buddy that follows you and helps you fight & collect resources, and a waaaaaay bigger world. In fact it is so large yet barely filled up that i wonder why they had to make it so large. The fact that they added fast travel points every 250 blocks should have made a developer wander: 'Why does it need to be so big?' In my opinion, more is not better. Using what you need, and making that fun is the best recipe for open world design.

    Building:
    So, more recipes and city building. The city no longer upgrades through experience points but by collecting lucky charms that erupt from the inhabitants arses. With every level new villagers arrive that start nagging you about the lack of something. They harvest your food, but also eat it. So now you also have a job to keep them fed... great... Dragon Quest Soup Kitchen. Oh, and the building recipes are only given through a drip feed, so it takes hours and hours before you know the ones that you want to build. I would have preferred the way minecraft does this, where everything can be obtained from the beginning.

    Technical state:
    Works great.

    Verdict:
    More of the same with new stuff added. However, my two big negatives have not changed. The area of the city where you can build (and where NPC's interact with it) is still too small. The city levelling is now a choir as you need lucky charms from your slaves... i mean neighbours. Also, the drip feed of recipes takes too long. The story has declined in quality, and the increase in size is more of a choir than an enhancement of the enjoyment. To me, it is an average sequel. Not good, but also not bad. I give it a 6/10.    … Expand
  19. TheMigrator
    Aug 30, 2019
    10
    Amazing gameplay I like dragon quest builders 1 and I return play dragon quest builders 2. It's better then dragon quest builders 1
  20. KeroKero
    Sep 13, 2020
    2
    Combat isn’t just bad, it’s so invasive you can’t even enjoy the building aspects of the game without being constantly interrupted. There are numerous gameplay improvements over the first game, but it somehow ends up being less fun. Each area drags on forever, makes it difficult to build creatively, and the entire game feels like a glacial tutorial. It doesn’t help the controls areCombat isn’t just bad, it’s so invasive you can’t even enjoy the building aspects of the game without being constantly interrupted. There are numerous gameplay improvements over the first game, but it somehow ends up being less fun. Each area drags on forever, makes it difficult to build creatively, and the entire game feels like a glacial tutorial. It doesn’t help the controls are imprecise and frustrating.

    The first DQ Builders had a LOT of problems, but it also had a ton of heart and a surprisingly dire, emotional story. DQ Builders 2 has some cute moments, but the story is predictable, repetitive, and full of poop jokes. I only finished it because I liked the first game and hoped this one would improve, but it never did, and I have no desire to continue building after the ending.    … Expand
  21. Leocolt
    Nov 20, 2020
    9
    This is one of those games that give you a ton of entertainment hours with its campaign and, if invested enough, thanks to the endgame content and the creative nature of its gameplay, you could play it forever.
    In the end, that’s why I enjoyed my time with the original Dragon Quest Builders and, this sequel I just find it a better game in pretty much every way. The story, variety, RPG    This is one of those games that give you a ton of entertainment hours with its campaign and, if invested enough, thanks to the endgame content and the creative nature of its gameplay, you could play it forever.
    In the end, that’s why I enjoyed my time with the original Dragon Quest Builders and, this sequel I just find it a better game in pretty much every way. The story, variety, RPG elements...    … Expand
  22. Primebear
    Apr 12, 2021
    8
    It's fun to make, but the story is very boring. In particular, I only want to finish the story in the second half quickly. If you like sandbox-style games, this is a great choice.
  23. Ulrick
    Jan 22, 2022
    7
    Dragon Quest Builder 2 struggles goes through the same dilemma the main character goes through during the game. Without destruction, you cant possess the love of creating something from the ground up. Without the creation, you don't have the process of trying something new and tearing down the old ways. Juggling to be an RPG with a deep story while using the building mechanics of games theDragon Quest Builder 2 struggles goes through the same dilemma the main character goes through during the game. Without destruction, you cant possess the love of creating something from the ground up. Without the creation, you don't have the process of trying something new and tearing down the old ways. Juggling to be an RPG with a deep story while using the building mechanics of games the Minecraft. For the most part, both come together beautifully but at moments one side takes over when you need the other side to enjoy the game for what it could be. The second game in the series, hence the number 2 at the end of the title learned a lot from its predecessor. Like after boss battles your base is rebuilt from before a giant Dragon decided his foot should be in the amazing bedroom you just spent hours working on. Little things like this made DQB 1 infuriating to the point the building process was not the main focus. This time the building process can go as far as your imagination. Want to build a train station in the middle of a giant pyramid? Hey! We got you! A pool with a bar to have your favorite cocktail? No problem busy! But we will need to finish this 3-hour questline first. This is where the game struggles on the balance of an RPG and building. I had moments after unlocking new crafting options the game would push me into a boss fight or we would have to leave the island. I felt like a child shown a new shiny toy at the store and then it was put back on the shelf. You can have this toy later but first, we have to go to a place where you have to start with no toys and a crazy slime monster will talk to you. Which is cool, but I really liked that toy. Omega-Force has experience crafting amazing stories with their work in the Dynasty Warriors games. There is a deep connection between the main character and Marloth. Which was a great call back to the original DQB game. Creating a warm-hearted story that trumps the first one in a lot of ways. You feel the struggle the characters are going through and some of the decisions they had to make to survive. But not the bodybuilder guys, they are just weird and a little creepy at times. There may have been a few times I cringed at the dialog and didn't need to speak to 10 different characters to move the story along but overall well done on their part.
    Finally, we get to the mechanics of the game. The fighting and actual building took a step back. Besides a new move, not much changed here and the battles were at times too easy. Hack away at something and ran away before you got hit on the bosses. At times use a magic potion to heal up. Oh, then there is block placement when building. When building something at eye level you will need to either jump like a mad man or move to a first-person view. This can become disorienting when working in cramped areas or large structures. The plus side of the first-person view is that you can reach blocks three times higher than you. Not sure why but it helped me several times. If you can get pass simple fighting mechanics and at times some over the top cheese then this RPG/crafting game is for you. Omega-Force added enough to make this worthy purchase in the series. Go out there and build to your heart content! Just ignore the creepy bodybuilders getting massages.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Best PS4 Game of 2019
86
#86 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2019
7
#7 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 63
  3. Negative: 0 out of 63
  1. Cubed3
    Dec 30, 2019
    80
    The first Dragon Quest Builders was an amazing surprise, taking all the things its progenitor did and improving on them by adding its own flair and style, now Dragon Quest Builders 2 feels bigger in every way, but only better in some. The core mechanics have been polished, the world shines, and, generally, this is an absolute joy to chill out with. It's a shame that the whole thing doesn't feel this way, with the sections that experiment elsewhere feeling a step backward and detracting from the whole experience. It's clear the developers are still experimenting, and it's very exciting to imagine what the third entry could look like.
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  2. PLAY! Zine
    Oct 8, 2019
    90
    Dragon Quest Time Devourer is back! A full-fledged JRPG with plenty of Minecraft elements comes as a ridiculously huge and open sandbox world. If there is a single element of the game that catches your eye, the bet is - you would enjoy it. Because, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a monster of a game, only one with enough spare time will manage to explore it in a full capacity.
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  3. VG247
    Sep 18, 2019
    100
    Other than that, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a masterpiece. No joke. If automation was to take my job right now, at least I’d have something to lose myself in during these long summer months.
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