I love thats its a more anime-like minecraft, and the story is supriseingly one of my faves. I was not expecting to get so attached to the characters as I did, for whet I thought was a "knock-off minecraft." Also RIP Akira Torihama.

So, I finally forced myself to finish this game and for a lack of a better description, this game's biggest flaw is that it takes the control away from you, the player, too many times. I really wanted to like it and the game shines through when they let you build and give you objectives, heck most of the dialogue is good. BUT... there's too much unskippable cutscene like stuff to truly make it an enjoyable experience. Some examples:

1) When the mysterious voice is speaking, you can't skip the dialogue. And it takes like 30 seconds to continue when it just writes 10 words. How did anyone in the QA team thought this was fun is beyond me.
2) Whenever new npcs join you, there's a 15 second long song that's also unskippable. The first coupleof times it is fine, but it keeps happening again and again. By the tenth time I dreaded asking new npcs to join the settlement.
3) Very long dialogue, spewing things that you already know or has already been said. Half the game is dialogue, which shows the problem.

All in all, I think I'd give it a 6/10 and it could have been easily an 8 if they didn't take control away from you, the player, so much or at least let you skip most of it. Buy it on sale if you really want to try it.

Yes

I highly recommend Dragon Quest Builders 2 (DQB2). It's an incredibly fun, relaxing, and joyful game.

“I’ll just build one more house and then sleep—oh, how is it morning already?”

Some people might compare it to Minecraft since they’re both block-building games, but in my opinion, the experiences are quite different. DQB2 is more suited for players who enjoy RPGs—with combat, items, and a simple yet touching storyline. The block-building aspect is just part of the game (and more of the focus after finishing the main story). Even if you only build the most basic rooms and focus on the story, you can still enjoy 70-80 hours of gameplay in the first playthrough, plus an endless post-game. In fact, if you spend time solving puzzles in the world, building more structures, and taking in the scenery, it’s easy to sink hundreds of hours into the game. In this way, it feels a lot like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild—you get to enjoy the freedom and the joy of exploration.

DQB2 is better suited for those who like building but aren’t great at turning chopped-up blocks into other objects. This might sound confusing, so let me explain briefly. In Minecraft, you can break fences into small pieces and combine them with some halved blocks to make a couch—or something that looks like a couch. This gives rise to endless possibilities. In DQB2, well, you can kind of do that, but you don’t need to—the game already lets you craft different types of couches. Your creativity is more about how you arrange the couch, rather than having to build one from scratch. While this may seem like less freedom, for someone like me, who doesn’t have a wildly creative mind, it’s actually very convenient.

What makes DQB2 stand out are the NPCs. They don’t just wander around town aimlessly or randomly occupy a room and attack you when you intrude. The NPCs in DQB2 have their own daily routines. They wake up, go to the dining hall for breakfast, use the restroom, then go to work (farming or other tasks), have lunch, ... take a bath, enjoy some nightlife, and then go to bed. They cook various meals and drinks and enjoy them too. They use the rooms and furniture you build and are constantly impressed with your work. Watching them is such a joy—it brings a sense of life similar to what you get in Animal Crossing.

DQB2 also includes farming and raising livestock. You can create your own farm, fertilize crops, and harvest them. The crops can be used to make delicious dishes. You can raise cows, sheep, chickens, dogs, and cats, harvesting milk, eggs, and even... meat. You can also grow flowers for decoration or medicine. In a way, you can experience a 3D version of Stardew Valley here.

DQB2 retains the RPG elements that the series is known for—a decent storyline, enjoyable adventures, and reliable companions (or husband/wife if you prefer). It’s a complete and heartwarming Dragon Quest game. So, even if you’re just looking for a traditional JRPG, DQB2 will still satisfy you.

The post-game comes with three previously paid DLCs, three randomly generated islands with unlimited resources, and a massive, empty island with different weather systems for you to build your kingdom. Not to mention the rogue-like randomly generated islands—if you want, the creation possibilities in this game are endless.

I’ve played this game for over 500 hours on the Nintendo Switch. But considering the performance limitations of the Switch later on, I bought it again on Steam. I’ve had a flawless, smooth experience playing the game on the Steam Deck, and I highly recommend it. You don’t have to hesitate—the demo version of this game is the most generous and fun I’ve ever seen, and you’ll likely be hooked into buying the full game.

Just like the captain asks at the start of the game, “Do you really think building is that fun?” Yes, for me, it’s just like the response in the game—"Come on, how could you build everything with a smile and not feel happy?”

Dragon Quest Builders 3 when?