Review for Dragon Quest Builders 2. Game for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 20/12/2018
The first chapter of Dragon Quest Builders, released in 2016, was a small novelty and, at the same time, a clear "conceptual" break with the major series: instead of turn-based fights and rather elaborate plots sewn around the good / evil duopoly, Builders clung to the same imaginative universe conceived in 1985 by Yūji Horii, however, offering a "simplified" version of it that is different on a mechanical level and closer to the universe of Minecraft. An experiment in some ways risky, both for the overcrowding of the sector, and for the extreme "toughness" of the fans of the saga, which however managed to obtain some success. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the second chapter of the series: already available in Japan since last December, it faces our market, confirming the good that was seen in the first chapter, while trying to expand it. Will he succeed in the enterprise?
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a sandbox action game, conceptually similar to what was seen in Minecraft and the like, with small RPG and Tower Defense elements. As in the first chapter, also in this one we will play the role of a builder, a taciturn hero capable of… building! In the game world, in fact, the builders are the absolute evil (this according to the absolute evil in person, among other things) and badly seen by almost all the colorful and assorted population of the game universe. As in the previous chapter, here too our task will be to restore a world destroyed by the previous battle between good and evil., in which despite the latter having been defeated, it has nevertheless filled the world with its followers, still intent on its own plan of global destruction.
From a more purely mechanical point of view, Dragon Quest Builders 2 confirms much of the seed of the previous chapter, making some small changes to the main game mechanics. As mentioned, once we have created our alter ego (also in this chapter the characters of the game will be drawn by Toriyama, the father of Dragon Ball) we will immediately be catapulted onto a ship full of bad guys, where we will begin to learn the first rudiments of gameplay . But, after a rather long tutorial, we will finally arrive at the main heart of the game: the goal will be to put our island back on its feet, traveling around the game world and helping other islands to defeat the sharp-eyed enemies that hold the universe of Dragon Quest Builders 2.
Basically, through various mini-missions, we will be called to the incessant search for materials in order to build and proceed with the story of the game, structured in various mini-stories relating to completely different but interrelated stages with the primary objective of re-establishing the game. initial island. As in the first chapter, Dragon Quest Builders 2 will not be just a "building simulator": in the game we will also have the right to fight the nice enemies, albeit the combat system offered will be substantially identical to the previous chapter, simple but not particularly deep.
We will be able to access, by defeating enemies and leveling up, to new weapons and new skills that will be taught to us by the God of Destruction Malroth, who will be our "nice" friend in the game. In this sector, the first novelty will be the reset of the keys: we will have special objects such as the hammer, an urn to pour water, gloves that will allow us to move objects, etc.) which will be interchangeable and usable with a special button . Different speech for the weapons, which in Dragon Quest Builders 2 will have a specific key assigned, breaking the static subdivision that had appeared in the previous chapter.
The first novelty compared to the past, will concern our with the characters who will inhabit the settlements: as we build and complete the missions, our fellow citizens will drop small hearts, which will fill a special indicator: once full, we will be able to level up our base, with all the advantages that this brings (for example, an improved ability of our townsfolk to build, a larger construction area, etc.). The same "currency" can also be used in other ways: continuing with the game, in fact, we will have the right to decide which islands to explore, paying a small duty in "hearts" to the captain of the vessel. As in the previous chapter, after a series of missions, the moment dedicated to tower defending will come: the armies of evil will gather outside our camp and will try in every way to destroy it completely. As the story progresses, the waves will become more and more difficult to deal with, until we come to collide with the final Boss, who will generally offer a slightly higher challenge than normal enemies without, however, ever particularly worry.
Also in Dragon Quest Builders 2 we will be able to stop the advance of the enemy by building walls and defense weapons, which will be to a greater extent than in the past, and arm our fellow citizens with the latest (from us!) technology. Surely, the biggest novelty brought by the game (already too lamented lack in the first chapter) is the ability to play online multiplayer for up to four players which will greatly expand longevity (already quite extensive) of the title. In general, despite the small innovations introduced in terms of gameplay, Dragon Quest Builders 2 offers substantially the same core in terms of gameplay, thus suffering from the same limitations as the first chapter (albeit much more attenuated also thanks to the online coop), that is a a certain repetitiveness, also connected to a nice plot but rather rich in clichés and not particularly exciting, which will soon make the dialogues totally secondary.
From a more purely technical point of view, Dragon Quest Builders 2 takes a significant step forward, also thanks to the intended use: in fact, the first chapter was also released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, making it necessary to have a "labor file" for defect to make the game usable even on the aforementioned old-gen platforms, with the natural effect of obtaining a throttled version for PlayStation 4. Which, as anticipated, did not happen for Dragon Quest Builders 2, developed entirely for current gen and therefore it certainly offers superior performance (especially in terms of frame rate) and a graphic quality with a different impact, consisting of well-made textures and a certainly valuable chromatic style.
The only drawback of an otherwise technically flawless production is the general user interface, a bit lacking and not particularly clear. For example, beyond options that are not particularly understandable in terms of in-game effects, there will be obvious criticalities regarding the objective of the side quests (which will not be included in a special menu that can be consulted, but will appear on the head of the "quest giver ”), Or the game map (which will be scalable from local to global but… the player's geographical position will not be synchronized between the two). An applause instead to the sound sector, always original and valid as in any Dragon Quest production.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an excellent sequel that confirms the positive substratum of the first chapter, adding some features and novelties in terms of gameplay to sure leaps forward such as those relating to the technical sector and the multiplayer mode. A sure general improvement, but that gameplay side could certainly have been richer and more voluminous.
► Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an Action-RPG type game developed and published by Square Enix for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 20/12/2018
