Fans of the beloved Dragon Quest games are well aware that the franchise turned 30 this year, and recently held an anniversary presentation. Square Enix announced a few new titles, including Dragon Quest Builders, which has gotten a release date and trailer via a Square Enix press release. Dragon Quest Builders is a crafting adventure that will have players rebuilding Alefgard, a realm ruined by evil powers, and the game will come to North America in October for the Playstation 4 and Playstation Vita.
Apparently, this game is part Minecraft and part… well, Dragon Quest. Gameplay will focus on rebuilding Alefgard by collecting tools and materials throughout the sandbox world, but there’s also an “immersive story” in Dragon Quest Builders. Looking at the trailer and the screenshots (featured below), it really does look like it’s taking a lot of influence from Minecraft, which is no surprise, given the pervasiveness of crafting in most games these days.
Dragon Quest Builders Announcement Trailer
Heres a glimpse of the adventure ahead.
“A long time ago, the realm of Alefgard was engulfed in an ongoing battle between the humans and the monsters. A celebrated hero stood up and confronted the Dragonlord, the wicked king of the monsters, to try to put an end to the conflict. Through his vile trickery, the Dragonlord deceived the hero into a false deal, and Alefgard was destroyed in the process. The few survivors were robbed of the power to build and scattered around the world to live out their lives in despair and apathy. The very idea of creativity and imagination became mere legend, and mankind was reduced to a meager existence, surviving only by scavenging what remained among the ruins for centuries to come.”
Until one day, a new hero is awoken by the spirit of the land – one who will become the Legendary Builder, within whose fingertips dwells the long-lost power of creation. Rebuild the ruined realm in your own image and bring an end to the Dragonlord’s reign of evil once and for all.”
Now, I have issues with crafting creeping into my favorite franchises, and honestly, when the game isn’t centered around crafting at its core, I usually avoid it. I’m using Fallout 4 as an example here. I get the appeal for some, but I simply don’t have the time for it. Becoming over encumbered after picking up a bunch of junk is frustrating, especially when it’s as un-exotic as some aluminum. I can deal with it in The Witcher 3, because it’s a bit more exciting to craft new swords and you don’t waste hours doing it, but I have no desire to build a wasteland oasis. However, when I go into a game knowing that it’s all about crafting, like Dragon Quest Builders, for instance, then it’s all good.
