Dragon Quest Builders Reviews

Dragon Quest Builders is ranked in the 91st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10
Oct 15, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders is a real pleasure to play. It understands exactly what players enjoy most about the genre and executes it expertly and confidently. It's an incredibly approachable game, with a control scheme and UI easy to get to grips with and suitably intuitive. Not only does Builders offer a package with the best elements of Animal Crossing and Minecraft but it structures it with a fun filled narrative, crucially giving players a real sense of purpose and satisfaction. Rather than building aimlessly and without reason, Square Enix has created something where the player's imagination really matters and is rewarded. The set of characters accompanying the protagonist are a real joy to have around and the world encapsulating them is one of real life and activity, with thrilling underlying dangers. In short, Dragon Quest Builders is really quite an exceptional game and the most fun you will have had on the PS4 in a long, long time.

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Oct 16, 2016

Square Enix has produced a great game that successfully straddles the line between action RPG and creative freedom

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9.1 / 10.0
Oct 17, 2016

The game offers players both an adventure with purpose as well as a game that can be enjoyed by just wandering around slaying monsters all day. Dragon Quest Builders is a must try for all Dragon Quest and Minecraft fans alike.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 17, 2016

If you've ever played Minecraft and liked it, but felt that it didn't have quite enough direction or concrete goals, Dragon Quest Builders is the perfect game for you

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8.5 / 10.0
Oct 17, 2016

This Dragon Quest experiment gives players a great reason to build

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Unscored
Oct 18, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders is an incredibly strong title, both in gameplay and presentation. It might not be pushing the PS4 hardware to its limits by any means, especially since this is also available on the Vita, but its gorgeous color palette and cute character designs make it very pleasing to look at for extended periods of time. For those that like that typical DQ soundtrack, will find a lot to like here as well.

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Oct 18, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders makes crafting and building fun while giving a relaxing experience.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8.8 / 10.0
Oct 18, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders succeeds in being both a beautiful RPG and a great sandbox game, delivering one of the most engaging gaming experience of its genre.

Review in Italian | Read full review

4 / 5.0
Oct 19, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders could have easily been a lazy Minecraft ripoff. Instead, Square Enix does a great job in adding compelling mechanics that make this a breath of fresh air for the genre that can stand on its own. The game’s greatest strength lies in its campaign, which makes it a bonafide action-adventure game with enjoyable combat and great boss fights while still incorporating the fun elements of building. The camera, admittedly, can be a pain at times and the lack of fleshed-out multiplayer and co-op is an unfortunate missed opportunity. If you’re looking for a solid crafting game and are intrigued by the addition of RPG and action elements, however, Dragon Quest Builders is a fabulous construct that fans both young and old will enjoy.

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Oct 19, 2016

Marrying the best ideas from 'Minecraft' with the structure and charm of 'Dragon Quest', 'Builders' had its work cut out for it from the start. The team behind it, however, have gone the extra mile in developing a game that feels wholly unique and endlessly endearing. It's by no means perfect, and has ideas that could stand to be improved upon when the game eventually gets a sequel, but what could've ended up as a cynical cash in has instead wound up as one of 2016's most interesting games.

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Justin Celani
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Oct 19, 2016

While the gameplay, levels, and locations are something that everyone will experience by the end game, how players build their towns and help the townsfolk is what will give each person their unique experience.

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Oct 19, 2016

Its colour and ever-changing scenery is worth exploring.

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5 / 10.0
Oct 20, 2016

The real question, though, is whether or not DQB is worth playing at all. It’s hard for me to recommend it to anyone who already enjoys these types of games, but if you’re just getting into city-builders and ARPGs, I suppose this would be a nice primer for what to expect from other titles. Even then, for the $60 USD pricepoint, I’d advise one to wait until it goes on sale.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 20, 2016

Square Enix wanted more than just a Minecraft clone with Dragon Quest art. It is a Minecraft clone with Dragon Quest art, most definitely, but it’s also got a little extra magic all its own.

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3.3 / 5.0
Oct 20, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders combines the sandbox-crafting elements of Minecraft with the classic Japanese role-playing game systems of long-running series Dragon Quest, resulting in a fun video game spin-off that works. Aside from sometimes repetitive combat and personal preferences on its level of linearity, DQB is a game worth checking out for crafting-simulation lovers and fans of the classic JRPG franchise open to a new direction, but the lack of multiplayer is an omission which can’t be ignored when considering a purchase.

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Oct 20, 2016

Whether you're a die-hard Dragon Quest fan, or just a gamer looking to break into a crafting game with a healthy side of quests, Dragon Quest Builders offers and in-depth experience with the charming style of the franchise. While the addiction may wear off slightly after the first couple chapters, it never ceases to be a rewarding game. Humor, style, and creative freedom make this a great title.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 21, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders is an excellent role playing game which masterfully blends crafting and JRPG mechanics to offer a very addictive experience. The humorous and witty writing, the scope of the game's world, the charming presentation, the quest variety and the balanced difficulty level are just some of the things that the game gets right. Whether you are a long-time fan of the series or a newcomer, the unique charm of Dragon Quest Builders will grab you and will only let go once the game's four chapters have been completed.

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Alan Bell
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Oct 21, 2016

Dragon Quest Builders is an entertaining RPG, a marvellous builder, and simply a tremendous game all-round.

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Drew Hurley
Top Critic
9 / 10
Oct 24, 2016

One of the most surprising gems of the year. Every part of Dragon Quest Builders is a real joy, filled with the sort of addictive gameplay that just seems to make the hours disappear. While the hardcore Minecraft fans may consider this as sacrilege, this feels superior in many ways. The Dragon Quest style, the RPG elements, and the entertaining story, all elevate it over its progenitor. Absolutely superb.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 25, 2016

Eventually you have to let go of that life, like a mother bird watching her chick leave the next, and find a new frontier to conquer. I mastered my domain, but my clockwork castle will continue without me. Where Minecraft leaves you as Ozymandias, a lonely king overlooking an empty empire, Dragon Quest Builders finds joy in the journey, and provides all the right nudges and motivations to keep you moving on, to build a legacy that will outlast your presence in it.

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