80
MONSTER
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a block-building role-playing game with a charming campaign and a robust multiplayer building mode that supports up to four players online. Create your customized character, team-up with your fearless friend Malroth, gather the skills required to become a full-fledged builder, and combat the Children of Hargon, a vile cult that worships destruction! Then, take your builder online and join your friends to collaborate and create something truly magnificent. Don’t let the name fool you, despite the 2, this is a completely standalone experience featuring new characters, an expansive world, unlimited building combinations, and a storyline that’s sure to satisfy longtime fans and newcomers alike!
Game analysis
Monster Scorecard
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Story and Narrative
Expand for full analysis
81
Dragon Quest Builders 2 dazzles with whimsical charm, inventive world-building, and a lighthearted RPG narrative that blends gameplay and story seamlessly, but its reliance on tired tropes, sluggish pacing, and shallow character arcs undermine its potential, offering a fun yet formulaic adventure for fans of creative freedom over deep storytelling.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY
Story Score
81
Positive Reviews (80-100)
65%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
34%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
1%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.
TL;DR
story and narrative
Dragon Quest Builders 2 dazzles with whimsical charm, inventive world-building, and a lighthearted RPG narrative that blends gameplay and story seamlessly, but its reliance on tired tropes, sluggish pacing, and shallow character arcs undermine its potential, offering a fun yet formulaic adventure for fans of creative freedom over deep storytelling.
Gameplay Mechanics
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88
Dragon Quest Builders 2 shines with creative freedom, seamless RPG-sandbox fusion, and addictive building loops, praised for its immersive world and quality-of-life upgrades—yet struggles with simplistic combat, repetitive mechanics, and reduced player agency, though these flaws fail to overshadow its inventive charm and nostalgic appeal.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY
Gameplay Score
88
Positive Reviews (80-100)
80%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
20%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.
TL;DR
gameplay mechanics
Dragon Quest Builders 2 shines with creative freedom, seamless RPG-sandbox fusion, and addictive building loops, praised for its immersive world and quality-of-life upgrades—yet struggles with simplistic combat, repetitive mechanics, and reduced player agency, though these flaws fail to overshadow its inventive charm and nostalgic appeal.
Graphics and Visual Design
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83
Charming blocky art style and whimsical design win praise, but technical hiccups and performance issues on Switch undermine polish. Critics adore its nostalgic, vibrant aesthetic and creative building tools, yet note muddy visuals, clipping, and frame rate drops. A mixed reception where charm often overshadows flaws.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS
Visual Score
83
Positive Reviews (80-100)
63%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
37%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.
TL;DR
graphics and visual design
Charming blocky art style and whimsical design win praise, but technical hiccups and performance issues on Switch undermine polish. Critics adore its nostalgic, vibrant aesthetic and creative building tools, yet note muddy visuals, clipping, and frame rate drops. A mixed reception where charm often overshadows flaws.
Music and Sound Design
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80
Dragon Quest Builders 2’s sound design nails nostalgic charm with Koichi Sugiyama’s iconic themes, delivering lively SFX and consistent cross-platform music that elevates gameplay. While praised for its familiar warmth and immersive quality, critics call out repetitive motifs and a lack of originality, with some calling it a rehash of classic material. The soundtrack excels as a fitting companion to the game’s whimsical style but misses chances for innovation, balancing tradition with minor flaws.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN
Sound Score
80
Positive Reviews (80-100)
59%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
41%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.
TL;DR
music and sound design
Dragon Quest Builders 2’s sound design nails nostalgic charm with Koichi Sugiyama’s iconic themes, delivering lively SFX and consistent cross-platform music that elevates gameplay. While praised for its familiar warmth and immersive quality, critics call out repetitive motifs and a lack of originality, with some calling it a rehash of classic material. The soundtrack excels as a fitting companion to the game’s whimsical style but misses chances for innovation, balancing tradition with minor flaws.
Voice Acting
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67
Praised for witty, character-driven dialogue and quirky accents, Dragon Quest Builders 2 shines with creative writing but falters without voice acting, leaving key moments flat and immersion fragmented by confusing dialects and a mute protagonist.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING
Acting Score
67
Positive Reviews (80-100)
15%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
77%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
8%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.
TL;DR
voice acting
Praised for witty, character-driven dialogue and quirky accents, Dragon Quest Builders 2 shines with creative writing but falters without voice acting, leaving key moments flat and immersion fragmented by confusing dialects and a mute protagonist.
Technical Performance
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74
Dragon Quest Builders 2 shines on PS4 and PC with stable, smooth performance, while the Switch struggles with frame drops, slowdowns, and long load times—though all versions remain playable despite technical hiccups.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
Tech Score
74
Positive Reviews (80-100)
27%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
73%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.
TL;DR
technical performance
Dragon Quest Builders 2 shines on PS4 and PC with stable, smooth performance, while the Switch struggles with frame drops, slowdowns, and long load times—though all versions remain playable despite technical hiccups.
Replay Value
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84
Dragon Quest Builders 2 thrives on creative freedom, multiplayer chaos, and endless island-building fun—but repetitive grinding and uneven pacing risk boring players before they finish.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE
Replay Score
84
Positive Reviews (80-100)
68%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
33%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.
TL;DR
replay value
Dragon Quest Builders 2 thrives on creative freedom, multiplayer chaos, and endless island-building fun—but repetitive grinding and uneven pacing risk boring players before they finish.
Overall Verdict
80
MONSTER
OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION
Monster Score
80
Positive Reviews (80-100)
88%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
12%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.
TL;DR
"Dragon Quest Builders 2" earns high praise for its creative building mechanics, charming world, and refined RPG blend, but struggles with clunky combat, simplistic story beats, and technical hiccups—yet its whimsical charm and improvements over the original make it a must-play for fans.
80
MONSTER
Reviews
152 reviews found100
VGC
Jul 11, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a highly recommended sequel that improves on every aspect of the original game. It offers meaningful content additions, quality of life improvements, and maintains the core enjoyable elements of the series.
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100
Gaming Age
Jul 11, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an absolute blast and a worthy sequel that addresses complaints with the original. Despite some performance trade-offs on the Switch version, it is still a rich and enjoyable game.
100
VG247
Sep 18, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a masterpiece and a great game to lose oneself in during the summer months.
100
GamesRadar+
Jul 11, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a beautiful mashup of iconic games with a quirky sense of humor. The gameplay offers a satisfying mix of building, farming, and exploration. The story can sometimes drag, and there are technical issues on the Nintendo Switch version. Overall, it is a highly enjoyable game.
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95
DualShockers
Jul 11, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is praised as one of the best games of 2019, appealing to fans of various genres and providing a rich, enjoyable experience.
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95
PlayStation LifeStyle
Jul 11, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is described as a successful sequel that improves upon its predecessor with more content, engaging gameplay, and a charming story, making it appealing to both JRPG fans and newcomers.
95
NintendoWorldReport
Jul 11, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 combines the best elements of the Dragon Quest franchise with the creativity and freedom of Minecraft, resulting in an impressive and memorable gaming experience that is likely to appeal to a wide audience.
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95
Gameplanet
Aug 2, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a fantastic game that improves upon the first game in every way. It offers a great building and ARPG adventure experience with a lot of content to enjoy.
93
Wccftech
Jul 11, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 improves on its predecessor in every way, offering an enjoyable experience for fans of the series and sandbox games.
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92
Digital Chumps
Dec 16, 2019
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Dragon Quest Builders 2 on PC offers a meaningful and engaging experience with a well-constructed story, rewarding gameplay, improved graphics, and solid technical performance. The PC version enhances the gameplay experience and provides a different perspective for players familiar with similar games like Minecraft.
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