Dragon Quest Builder 2

Lighthearted frolics hide a deep RPG.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is as weird as it is delightful – and a very different beast to the main series.

The world needs saving and there are goofy Slimes to bash, but here you’re more Bob the Builder than dashing swordsman. This quirky offshoot sees you go from building basic bedrooms and kitchens to help people survive in dire times, to constructing elaborate castles and giant magical trees, all in the name of defeating the evil Children of Hargon.

After inheriting a deserted island from a hairy mole-thing with a hammer and befriending a chap that likes hitting things a little too much you start about your task of creating your own kingdom. But you’ll need more people and resources to do that, so off you pop to different islands, solving the issues there before returning with everything you’ve learned and plenty of materials.

The game is mostly split into two halves: your time on the Isle of Awakening when you can do whatever you want, be that creating cities, sculpting blocky statues in your own image, or, in my case, building a multiplex of bathrooms, and your time investigating other islands where you’ll help people out with quests and more specific builds.It’s a great mix of freebuilding with just enough direction to help you make some impressive-looking stuff.

My one complaint is that the pacing gets a little odd sometimes. About halfway through you’ll reach a section that you’re stuck on until you complete it – no being able to switch to the freebuilding of the Isle Of Awakening or accessing the multiplayer.

Calling Dragon Quest Builders 2 a Minecraft clone is a disservice. Yes, they’re both block-based building games, but DQB2 ’s story gives all of your building purpose. By having so many individual items, DQB2 feels way more polished. It’s also easier to make something that looks good even if you don’t feel creative.