| #2 | Dragon Quest Builders 2 |
|---|---|
| platform | Switch |
| release year | 2018 |
| developer/publisher | SquareEnix |
| genre | sandbox |
| links | Wikipedia |
So, last year Dragon Quest Builders entered my list. This time I knew I wanted the game. So I abstained from the demo, as I didn't want again fall in love with the demo and then have to wait way too long for the game. And you know what? The first game was great and deserves it's spot in the TOP 50, but DQB2 improves it in nearly every area.
And I couldn't get away from it. I tried to get back from work as fast as possible, fired up the Switch to get to DQB2 and played for hours. Only this quest, only that monster, explore this bit, get this material. And before I knew it was four in the morning and I had again not enough sleep time before work. My Switch says I played it for more than 185 hours.
So, how does DQB2 improves over it's predecessor? Well, there is the story. It is much more grand and more cohesive. The chapters aren't that separated anymore. And each chapter is longer. The free to build area is now part of the story as the Isle of Awakening and has also story parts between the chapters. And building enourmous buildings. And landscaping projects. And when you used everything you learned on the Isle of Awakening you are sent to the next chapter to learn more stuff, more room recipes, more items. And you see more stuff. Did I mention the enourmous dungeons you can find? And then there is the endgame, which in itself is bigger than each of the main chapters. And this part of the story is so great too:
. Isn't that great? Already in the first area you build
.
The game also improves over the building. You get a lot more tools to build with and modify. For instance replace many blocks at once to change a wall or a floor. You can now color many blocks in lots of different colors. Including some cool light sources. Or now you can take blueprints from everything you see to copy it.
But the best, most meaningful change is that you now have a buddy, Malroth. He is with you from the start of the adventure and becomes fast your pal. He helps actually a lot. He fights with you and makes so fighting less tedious. If you harvest some materials he goes around and harvests more of the same stuff, so that you grind less for needed materials. He is deeply tied into the story. And he gives you high fives for completed tasks. This last bit may sound like nothing - but believe me, once he is separated from you for some time, you really start to miss it.
Really, this game is so great, so fun, so addicting, I don't know if Square can top it in the next game. Hell, I doubt they can get it even as good as this one. But I will be very happy if they do. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1aOW2wD7kE
