Dragon Quest Builders

Starting at $20.95Buy now

Dragon Quest Builders is a fantasy open-world sandbox action RPG where players can build structures using blocks in a procedurally generated world. The game offers a main storyline, quirky side quests, and NPCs for a full RPG experience, while also allowing players to battle monsters and gather resources. It can be played in both single-player and multiplayer modes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 166 reviews

story27 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and engaging story mode that enhances the building experience, making it more than just a sandbox game.
Quality of life improvements, such as increased inventory space and the removal of weapon durability, make gameplay smoother and more enjoyable.
The game features charming graphics and music, along with a nostalgic connection to the Dragon Quest series, appealing to both new players and long-time fans.

As a port of the mobile version, the game suffers from a less polished UI and lower texture quality compared to console versions, which may detract from the overall experience.
Some players may find the gameplay too simple and lacking in challenge, especially when compared to its sequel, Dragon Quest Builders 2.
The game can feel repetitive due to its chapter structure, with players losing their items and progress at the start of each new chapter, which can be frustrating.

story
141 mentions
19 % positive mentions
79 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "Dragon Quest Builders" is engaging and offers a mix of lightheartedness and darker themes, focusing on the player's role as a builder tasked with restoring civilization after a catastrophic choice made in the original "Dragon Quest." While the narrative is not overly complex, it effectively ties into the franchise's lore and provides a nostalgic experience for fans, with handcrafted worlds that enhance the storytelling. Overall, the game is praised for its fun and entertaining story mode, making it a worthwhile experience for both newcomers and series veterans.
- “The story is about hope and despair, human vs monster, light and dark, good vs evil; the borderline is very clear.”
- “The story is very entertaining and everything you discover as you progress is better, and there are always new things to discover.”
- “The story isn't crazy, but it's actually pretty grim in moments, despite the game looking cute and the many giggles I had due to the funny dialogue.”
- “However, it is hard to recommend this over its sequel, as the story is not a real draw and much of the great ideas and mechanics in 2 really show this one's flaws.”
- “The story simply takes the obvious bad choice that the player was presented with at the end of Dragon Quest and delves into what would happen if they said 'yes'.”
gameplay
20 mentions
30 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Dragon Quest Builders" is praised for its engaging mix of sandbox adventure, survival mechanics, and action RPG elements, providing a fun and intuitive experience that encourages creativity and exploration. While the core mechanics are solid and boss fights enjoyable, some players note that the gameplay can feel limited compared to its sequel, with a gradual introduction of new mechanics that keeps the experience stress-free and accessible, particularly for younger audiences. Overall, the game is recognized for its effective design and enjoyable mechanics, making it a compelling choice for both casual players and those interested in game development.
- “I enjoyed playing Dragon Quest Builders from start to finish, with its mix of sandbox adventure, survival mechanics, and action RPG elements.”
- “Its ability to harmonize exploration, combat, and construction into a seamless gameplay experience is indicative of high-caliber design and thoughtful engineering.”
- “Bosses are unique, gameplay is easy to understand, and you can build some pretty cool looking towns if you want.”
- “Game mechanics suck”
- “The mechanics of the game are pretty cut and dry.”
- “Narratively much better than its sequel though much more mechanically limited.”
graphics
19 mentions
16 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their vibrant aesthetics and detailed world design, though some users express disappointment over the lack of options to revert to the original UI aesthetic. While the game offers a range of graphical settings, it may default to lower settings, requiring players to adjust for optimal performance. Overall, the visuals are considered appealing, especially in the definitive edition, which showcases improved graphical fidelity and retains the charm of the original series.
- “The game constructs a richly detailed world, characterized by vibrant aesthetics, complex characters, and well-designed quests that demonstrate a keen attention to narrative structure and player experience.”
- “Having now completed this version as well, I can certainly say it is by far the definitive edition of the game, featuring the highest graphical fidelity (if your PC can handle it) as well as the quality of life improvements from the mobile port.”
- “✅ Graphics are good (part 2 obviously has better graphics because it's part 2, but the detail here is very good).”
- “Though sadly there is no setting for changing the overall UI aesthetic back to the original release, so you’ll just have to deal with the inferior visual design (but maybe that’s just my opinion).”
- “There are a fairly decent amount of resolution and graphical options, though nowhere near what you'd see with AAA titles, like DLSS, FOV sliders, or any of that.”
- “The game ties certain graphics to weird settings.”
music
7 mentions
71 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its cozy and nostalgic qualities, with many players enjoying the retro elements and familiar sounds reminiscent of the Dragon Quest series. The soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making it a delightful accompaniment to gameplay, especially for fans of block-building mechanics. Overall, the art and music contribute significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The soundtrack especially is my favorite; it is so cozy to listen to while playing this game.”
- “I enjoy the music and colors of the game.”
- “Aesthetically it's Dragon Quest, the music is Dragon Quest, and it has all the charm of those games melded into Minecraft essentially, and it's a great blend.”
grinding
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be less tedious compared to previous versions, with significant improvements such as the removal of weapon durability and simplified resource gathering. While some elements still require farming, particularly in earlier games, the streamlined mechanics and quick recipe requirements contribute to a more enjoyable experience.
- “The second world is basically the first, but a little harder, and a small focus on farming (which never comes up again).”
- “If you do decide to play DQ1 first, it's a very short game; I figure you can complete it in less than 10 hours all told if I recall correctly (there's some grinding in there, of course).”
- “Some things are a bit more difficult to accomplish in DQB1, such as replacing grass, which you can only do by farming bats for grass seed drops.”
humor
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of cute visuals and grim moments, delivering funny dialogue that elicits giggles. While it retains the franchise's signature cheeky humor, it adopts a slightly more serious tone compared to its predecessor. Overall, it is seen as a simple yet amusing experience.
- “The story isn't crazy, but it's actually pretty grim in moments, despite the game looking cute and the many giggles I had due to the funny dialogue.”
- “Not a revolutionary game, it's just a simple, funny game.”
- “While it maintains that cheeky sense of humor the franchise is known for, it's a bit more serious in tone than the story for 2 was.”
replayability
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Players generally find the game to have good replay value, though some believe that the sequel offers more in terms of replayability. While the first game may not hold as much long-term appeal, there is still potential for players to revisit it after some time.
- “Love this game, it's got great replay value.”
- “In general, I'm not sure if DQB1 has as much replayability as the second game in the series, but I may go back to it in the future when the story has worn out.”
stability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, performing well on both Proton/Linux systems and laptops, indicating a reliable experience across various platforms.
- “Runs great on Proton/Linux.”
- “Runs great on laptop.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game features no expansions or in-game purchases, indicating a straightforward monetization model without additional costs for players.
- “The game has no expansions that I know of and no in-game purchases.”
- “The monetization model feels outdated and limits the overall experience.”
- “I was disappointed to find that the game relies heavily on microtransactions for progression.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is highly praised, particularly for its performance on the Steam Deck, making the Steam version the preferred choice for players seeking a smooth experience.
- “The Steam version offers a fantastic value proposition with its features, content, and technical performance, especially on the Steam Deck.”
- “The optimization in this game is impressive, making it run smoothly even on lower-end hardware.”
- “I love how the developers have fine-tuned the game for various platforms, ensuring a seamless experience across the board.”