The venerable Dragon Quest franchise is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the RPG genre. Ever since it debuted in 1986, this long-running series has had an immense impact on the development of RPGs worldwide. Despite its immense success, the series has not been resting on its laurels. In addition to new main-series entries like the recent Dragon Quest XI, the franchise has produced numerous spinoffs. Dragon Quest Builders and its sequel, Dragon Quest Builders 2, are especially good examples of the unconventional directions this franchise can move in. Dragon Quest Builders 2 launched in 2018 in Japan, and went worldwide the following year. It’s available for Switch, PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 Premise
While Dragon Quest Builders 2 retains some of the RPG mechanics of the main series, it’s more action focused than the main games’ turn-based style. The biggest departure, however, comes from the “builders” aspect of Dragon Quest Builders 2. The game combines Dragon Quest’s iconic high fantasy setting and monsters with sandbox building mechanics. Much like in Minecraft, players must gather resources and materials, then use them to build new houses and other structures. Dragon Quest Builders 2 also iterates on its predecessor by adding fast travel, optional first-person controls, gliding, and the ability to travel underwater.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 features a plot that picks up from the ending of 1987’s Dragon Quest II. It sees the main character kidnapped by a cult dedicated to that game’s main antagonist. They capture all builders in the world and trap them on an island so that no one can build anything. During your quest to escape you are aided by none other than Malroth, the franchise’s infamous god of destruction. He has no memories of his grim legacy and aids you in honing your building powers.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 Main Characters
Even though Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a sandbox building game, it’s still an RPG at heart. Like other games in the genre, the game has its fair share of major characters for you to meet during your travels. Some of these characters will aid you or offer you quests and objectives, while others serve as fearsome antagonists to halt your progress. Here are some of the most important characters in the game.
- The Builder: Your character is largely a blank slate for you to project onto. You have some basic customization options for your Builder. You can choose their gender, as well as their hair, skin, and eye color. Their biggest dream is building things for their friends to enjoy.
- Malroth: Malroth serves as your ally for much of the game. While he has lost his memories by the time he meets the Builder, the two characters form a fast friendship and become close allies. Over the course of the game, his inability to build begins to trouble him more and more, as do his unexplained destructive urges.
- Hargon: The evil Hargon is a cleric in the service of the God of Destruction, Malroth. The cult that kidnaps the Builder was formed to avenge his defeat at the end of Dragon Quest II, and eventually he resurfaces to confront the Builder himself.
- Babs: Babs is the unofficial leader of the town of Khrumbul-Dun. She is absolutely dedicated to helping the mining town recover its former glory, and becomes a staunch ally of the Builder when they aid her in this goal.
- Goldirox: This mysterious gold golem becomes the Builder’s ally after the hero saves him from a crevice he is trapped in. With his incredible magical strength, he can break walls that are too sturdy for the player to circumvent with their own tools.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 Games In The Series
The RPG genre would not be what it is today if it weren’t for Dragon Quest, and this legendary franchise has the pedigree to prove it. There have been countless entries in the series since it started in the 80s. In addition to the games listed below, Dragon Quest XII is also in progress. Unfortunately, no release date has been announced for the title yet. It has also allegedly struggled to adapt to a remote work environment, which could further delay the title. Luckily, fans of the franchise have plenty more Dragon Quest games to enjoy while they wait. Here’s every single Dragon Quest game that’s been released so far.
- Dragon Quest (1986)
- Dragon Quest II (1987)
- Dragon Quest III (1988)
- Dragon Quest IV (1990)
- Dragon Quest V (1992)
- Torneko’s Great Adventure: Mystery Dungeon (1993)
- Dragon Quest VI (1995)
- Dragon Warrior Monsters (1998)
- Torneko: The Last Hope (1999)
- Dragon Quest VII (2000)
- Dragon Warrior Monsters 2 (2001)
- Dragon Quest Characters: Torneko’s Great Adventure 3 – Mystery Dungeon (2002)
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart (2003)
- Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest (2003)
- Swordmaster Dragon Quest: Resurrection of the Legendary Sword (2003)
- Dragon Quest VIII (2004)
- Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (2005)
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (2006)
- Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mystery Dungeon (2006)
- Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road (2007)
- Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors (2007)
- Dragon Quest IX (2009)
- Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road II (2009)
- Dragon Quest Wars (2009)
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 (2010)
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Wanted! (2010)
- Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road Victory (2010)
- Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3 (2011)
- Dragon Quest X (2012)
- Dragon Quest Monster Parade (2013)
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Super Light (2014)
- Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below (2015)
- Theatrhythm Dragon Quest (2015)
- Dragon Quest of the Stars (2015)
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 (2016)
- Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road Scanner (2016)
- Dragon Quest Builders (2016)
- Dragon Quest Heroes II (2016)
- Dragon Quest XI (2017)
- Dragon Quest Rivals (2017)
- Dragon Quest Builders 2 (2018)
- Dragon Quest Walk (2019)
- Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai: Xross Blade (2020)
- Dragon Quest Tact (2020)
- Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai: A Hero’s Bonds (2021)
- Dragon Quest Keshi Keshi (2021)
- Dragon Quest Treasures (2022)
- Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai (2023)
- Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince (2023)
Dragon Quest Builders 2 Cheat Codes
There are no cheat codes for Dragon Quest Builders 2. If you want to prosper in Hargon’s realm, you’ll undeniably have to survive by your own merits. While no cheats will help you get through the main storyline, there is a special secret to be unlocked once you’ve made it through. In order to reach the epilogue, you need to fulfill a variety of conditions. After you’ve beaten the game, you’ll need to create at least one Buildertopia. You also need to complete all scavenger hunts, as well as at least 35 Tablet objectives. Once you’ve done all that and unlocked at least 45 builder recipes, you should receive a letter which will trigger the epilogue of the game.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 FAQ
Does Dragon Quest Builders 2 have a creative mode? It’s traditional for sandbox building games to offer some sort of creative mode. This alternate mode eschews story objectives, letting players freely explore the world with access to unlimited resources. This lets players build whatever their hearts desire, and one needs only to look at the rich history of Minecraft builds to see the advantages of such an option. While Dragon Quest Builders 2 has its own creative mode, there are some caveats. You can only unlock the creative mode by beating Dragon Quest Builders 2’s campaign. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to create Buildertopia, a paradisiacal realm where you can freely build whatever your heart desires.