Jul 2019
Imagine you’re plopped into a world where you can build, craft, and fend off monsters, all while wondering if it's okay that your whole existence revolves around placing blocks. Welcome to Dragon Quest Builders 2, the game where you realize that escaping your responsibilities can actually involve building a cozy little town rather than just binging shows and avoiding your responsibilities. And yes, you can do all of this on your Nintendo Switch, ideal for alibiing your procrastination.
Let's start with gameplay, which can only be described as a delightful amalgamation of building, battling, and occasionally head-smacking at your own incompetency. In this blocky paradise, players can dig, build, and craft to their heart's content. The combat is straightforward: you have an attack button and a ‘Spinning Slice’ button, parting the seas of button-mashing battles like Moses. A primary feature is a fast-travel map that’s as retro as the music out of your dad’s old records, and yes, you’ll feel hip just using it. New to this version is the ability to invite your friends into your world, which can be a double-edged sword—more fun, but also more debugging your catastrophic architecture. Want to float a bridge above a lake? Good luck, architect; sounds like a job for someone who didn’t flunk high school math. With underwater exploration and gliding now thrown in, Dragon Quest Builders 2 manages to have you forgetting your existence in the adult world. Players can also rescue their precious blueprints from the crushing hands of oblivion, and, let’s be honest, if you haven't accidentally deleted your entire 100-hour build because you thought 'save' and 'exit' weren't related, are you really a gamer?
Graphically, Dragon Quest Builders 2 looks colorful enough to induce joyful seizures—crayon colors splashed on the blocky world make it feel like a fun cartoon rather than something out of a horror film featuring dollhouses. Each town feels alive, if not a bit populated by the odd sentient NPC that might have emerged from an art class gone wrong. Despite the simplicity of its graphics, the aesthetic charm pulls you in, like a magnet for nostalgia and pixelated creativity. The design remains true to traditional Dragon Quest vibes where every corner feels like it could burst into a vibrant song, even if the characters are occasionally more annoying than helpful. Sorry, villagers, I am not your building manual.
In conclusion, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is what happens when you take the creativity of Minecraft, season it with some RPG mechanics, and throw in a few perky characters that feel less like quest-givers and more like roommates you distance yourself from during a party. It's endearing, charming, and more than a little addictive; once you start, you may find yourself recreating your childhood home, complete with the awkward family dinners. Overall, if you enjoy sandbox games with a sprinkle of nostalgia and humor laced through a well-crafted story, grab Dragon Quest Builders 2 on the Switch. Just remember, even if it’s a game based on blocks, it doesn’t mean you can build your future with it. Smart decisions, kids. Happy building!
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