Sep 282016
Dragon Quest Builders, the building/crafting RPG due out on October 11 for the PS4 and PS Vita, now has a demo available from the PlayStation Store.
I tried the Vita demo, and Dragon Quest Builders seems like it could be a lot of fun.
Its RPG elements are mild. Your character doesn’t level up for killing monsters (although your base’s level increases as you expand it), but you grow stronger by equipping better armor and weapons. In addition to your HP, you have a hunger meter. Food items are found in the world like other materials, and you can cook them once you build a kitchen.
Building is at the game’s core, similar to Terraria or Minecraft. Unlike those, however, you’re given guidance and a path to follow. NPCs give you quests that advance the plot and open up new building options to you. During the demo, I never felt myself wondering what I should do, although I had freedom to explore the starting island if I wanted to.
I explored some parts of the island to find new materials and optional messages, attracted three NPCs to my fledgling town, fought off a wave of attacking monsters, and built enough rooms and decorations to raise my town to Level 2 before the demo ended.
What intrigued me the most is that it’s somewhat story-driven. Most of the quests had me build things, but there were also hints of lore and the mystery of how Alefgard fell into ruin. The demo even had some humor, with the Goddess frustrated by my protagonist’s lack of interest in learning about her destiny.
The controls took a little getting used to, but overall I enjoyed it. The full game is definitely on my radar. What about you? What do you think about Dragon Quest Builders and its demo?