Dragon Quest Builders 2is part of a charming offshoot of the main RPG series. It brings all the visual flair ofDragon Questwith a mix ofMinecraftthrown in for good measure. Of course, with that mix comes the complexity of building a base. Throughout the game, players must harvest resources to construct villages. These not only have to stand up to constant monster attacks, but also serve as an enticing home for hopeful colonists.
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Improving this place is a long and complex process. At first glance, it can easily be overwhelming, especially with the plethora of tools at one’s disposal. Players should come prepared.Arming themselves with the knowledge to better their basecan make the game a far smoother experience overall. Instead of going in blind and halfcocked, potential builders can hit the ground running, embracing the incredible customization and making their village the best it can be.
10Expand, Expand, Expand!
Unlike the originalDragon Quest Builders, the sequel gives players plenty of room for construction. As such, the buildings no longer need to be bunched together to accommodate the lack of space. Gamers can expand their base across the island, harvesting more materials and widening their borders.
On top of that, improvement is central to growth, and vice versa. Acquiring more resources means no longer settling for the rudimentary layouts and structures from the start. Feel free to tear down existing buildings, replace them with new ones, and rearrange the village to make it more aesthetically pleasing for potential citizens.
9Talk To Your Villagers
At first glance, the people that populate a village look like simple NPCs. Players ordinarily pay these in-game citizens no mind since they have nothing of value to say. However, engaging with the men and women who call this place home can open new avenues for expansion.
Many of them come with chains of side quests for those so inclined. Not only do many of these deal with improving the base anyway, but completing them yields potentially useful materials, such as plant seeds and teleportals. Not to mention, as with anyDragon Questgame,these side activities add countless more hours of content.
8Tend Your Crops
As is the case with most rural villages, farming is a huge part of these island bases. After building a scarecrow and plotting out a field, villagers will actively aid in cultivating the crops that grow. However, players should keep a few things in mind.
First, try to place the crops near the local water source, possibly digging trenches directly to the plants to ensure optimal hydration. Second, extra materials like fertilizer and planting poles are never a bad idea to help in healthy growth. Third, be sure to clear away any dead crops to make room for new ones. It may look mundane, but effective farming is an art. Such a professionshould have its own zodiac sign within this franchise, as it’s one that builders must master to maintain a village.
7Don’t Build Near Monster Spawn Points…
Monsters are a regular nuisance for any hopeful builder. Pay attention to where these creatures make their home. Constructing a village near their spawn point does no one any favors, especially for those ill-equipped to defend themselves.
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These monsters will constantly attack the borders of any base impeding on their territory. The close proximity to their home turf means that their strikes will be relentless, gradually wearing down the borders and negating further expansion. Plus, it makes the village thoroughly unappealing as a home.
6…But Still Be On The Lookout For Monsters
Even villages far away from monster spawn points should be on guard. After all, one never knows which creatures will come looking for trouble, particularly at night. This is why players should always be prepared to protect their base from potential enemies. The combatisn’t as engaging as other JRPGs, but it functions well enough.
It doesn’t stop there, though. The people in the village aren’t as helpless as they seem. Gift them a spare weapon or two, and they’ll be equally as effective in dispatching foes. Players who decide to explore (or rack up some easy experience) will come to rely on these denizens to defend their den.
5Spare No Expense On The Finer Things
No one wants to live in a dump. Villagers can get by with only the essentials, but that doesn’t mean they’ll like it. That’s why it’s important to improve their living conditions. For instance, a house should come adorned with luxuries and decorations, thereby turning it from a haphazard hut to a welcoming home.
The people’s approval will rise, and they’ll reward the builder with resource donations. Players can then use these rewards to upgrade the base even further. It’s a win-win scenario and a cycle of mutual benefit.
4Progress The Story
This is a base-building game. Why should players waste their efforts on a story which is probablyarbitrary and glacially paced to begin with? Well, the simple fact is that would-be builders will be extremely hampered otherwise.
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Completing narrative missions grants various materials, blueprints, and other building tools. Many of these are essential for expanding the base. So, if players don’t want their home to sit in stagnation, they’d best unlock more stuff by working through the main tale. Sure, it’s cheap, but most of the tasks revolve around the base. This somewhat lessens the feeling of doing chores to get to customization.
3Go Exploring
The untamed wild can be a scary place. It’s tempting to stay in the safety of the base, particularly after bolstering the defenses and building an organic community. That’s why vast riches await those whodoexplore the islands.
Not only do the environments hold a wealth of materials just waiting to be mined, but they’re also home to all manner of monsters to harvest. The most challenging of these are optional boss battles, many of which harken back tothe series' high fantasy roots. Defeating these behemoths grants rare items to make one’s base second to none. So, go outside and exploit that environment.Contrary to what PETA says, it’s not harmful if it’s in cyberspace.
2Play With Friends
Like with most games,Dragon Quest Builders 2is often more fun with friends.It may not be the deepest multiplayer out there, but it gets the job done. For one thing, it makes some of the tougher enemy encounters a cakewalk. As a result, grinding for even the rarest resources is a much faster and enjoyable process.
Granted, the game is around two years old at this point, so it’s unclear how many players are still online or how long they’ll stay there. However, if one can wrangle a few buddies for a gaming session, then everyone’s base will benefit in the end.
1Don’t Neglect Yourself
Like many RPGs of recent years,Dragon Quest Builders 2tries to strengthen the immersion by making the protagonist more human. Specifically, eventhe greatest heroesget hungry; players need to eat semi-regularly. Otherwise, they lose their stamina, rendering them weaker in combat and unable to sprint.
With all the care and attention the base requires, it’s easy to forget about the person putting it all together. That said, focusing only on the village slows down progress all around. The player can’t effectively gather new materials, and it practically doubles any travel time. All of this adds up, making for a constant fight against counterproductivity. Staying healthy may seem like a minor annoyance, but it saves tons of time in the long run. As anyDragon Questbuilder knows, one can never have too much time.
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