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Dragon Quest Builders 2 announced for PS4/Switch, has multiplayer
- Thread starter TheGamingBox
- Start date
Jon Carter
Member
I hope there's single Joy-Con multiplayer.
Same. Would be fun
Wuthering_Heights
Banned
Please let us customize the controls this time.
The convoluted ass button layouts they had last time made absolutely no sense.
The convoluted ass button layouts they had last time made absolutely no sense.
Rad Shadow
Banned
Ha.
I was hoping the 1st game would get announced for the switch.
This is better.
So buying this.
I was hoping the 1st game would get announced for the switch.
This is better.
So buying this.
J
JeremyEtcetera
Unconfirmed Member
Among the few things they need to add:
-Customizable Controls
-Display Bonus Objectives before entering a world, not after leaving it.
-Get rid of time limit based bonus objectives, it kills the fun of building. Make them more exploration based.
-Streamline inventory system/chest system a bit better
-Improve battle system just a bit more(it felt like it could reach Zelda Snes level but fell a little flat).
I really enjoyed DQB1 and am looking forward to their improvements this time around.
Most of the timed challenges are not particularly challenging. And you don't have to do all the challenges in a single run--my strategy was to play each chapter at my own pace, using the first run to get the non-timed challenges, and then immediately re-play the chapter and only doing the bare amount to complete the quests.
The one you're most likely to have trouble with his chapter 2, because the nature of the quest lines has "wait a couple days" built into it. But even that one I was able to do on the first try (albeit just barely by the skin of my teeth). The rest are very generous.
And I generally suck at timed things myself.
This isn't like, say, Jak II where the only way to accomplish it is to execute perfectly.
If this comes to the west I'm certainly in for a purchase when it comes to the Switch version. If it has local multiplayer (either two or more on one system or multiple systems connected together via wireless) in addition to online multiplayer I can see the Switch version doing very well.
IIRC it was the most successful DQ games amongst those who released since IX.
EDIT : in the west ofc.
DriftingSpirit
Member
http://gematsu.com/2016/11/dragon-quest-builders-worldwide-sales-top-1-1-million
Seems like enough to me!
CentralScrutinizer
Member
Played the first one on PS4 and enjoyed it a lot. Definitely getting DQB2 on Switch for the handheld and console options.
I hope they get rid of the chapter / level structure and make it a larger world adventure this time around. It's the only thing I didn't like about the first.
I hope they get rid of the chapter / level structure and make it a larger world adventure this time around. It's the only thing I didn't like about the first.
Lord of Ostia
Member
It sold well in the West for a DQ spinoff. Way better than the Heroes games.
For some reason, despite putting an unhealthy amount of hours into the demo and pre-ordering it, I didn't actually get around to playing the first one until the last couple weeks.
I haven't been this enamored with a game in a long time. It's just so relaxing and fun. Hearing about a sequel just as I'm starting to get that "but what will I do when I'm done!?" feeling is great news.
I haven't been this enamored with a game in a long time. It's just so relaxing and fun. Hearing about a sequel just as I'm starting to get that "but what will I do when I'm done!?" feeling is great news.
bronk
Banned
One of the worst control schemes in recent memory and not being able to change controls is so archaic.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
I wonder how they'll handle the campaign and stuff again. I really enjoyed the game, but fell off hard by the 3rd island. Restarting from scratch every time felt unsatisfying to me. I fully respect the vision they had and how you were "helping" each village/island to recover from nothing, but it was a major bummer to spend all that time on one location just to be stripped of all your hard work shortly after.
Having said that, this is a day 1 purchase for me.
Having said that, this is a day 1 purchase for me.
Hopefully the world is better connected this time around. It was pretty cool to see how they've used DQ1's world for this, but you were always confined to these seperated areas. I think it'd have been a lot more interesting if you had to search for the next town by yourself after finishing another. Give the game more of a sense of adventure.
We don't really know that. All we know is the global shipment+digital (1.1m), Japanese retail sellthrough (well over 700k) and that it generally bombed in Europe (under 4k 1st week UK at #13, out of top 40 by 3rd week, never charted in France, Germany, Spain or any other country). An NPD leak would go a long way here but I suspect the game did worse in the west than people think.
Game has reached really low prices in Germany. 10 to 15 Euros low.
Skittzo0413
Member
I'm gonna guess/hope the story for this will be self contained, since I never got to play 1. Super excited about this though, I'll buy anything DQ related for Switch.
Now they just need to localize DQ Heroes 1+2...
Now they just need to localize DQ Heroes 1+2...
I don't mind there still being chapters, at least technically anyway. But I hope we move away from segmented areas. I mean the portals are fine, but I should be able to visit or soend a lot of time in the Chapter 1 area while in Chapter 3. Basically I want the areas and options you have available te expand gradually overtime maybe, instead of relocating. Essentially one big continuing campaign over 4 smaller interlinking ones.
I hope they tinker with some other stuff as well. Maybe have a button to toggle between allowing to see your character through walls when inside a building or underground. The AI could use some tweaks as well. In Chapter 1 my niece wanted me to turn the whole Base into a castle. So I raised the floor, with steps leading down to the flag, added a few tiers and had a basement. Everything was fine, but when the story battles happened it went wrong.
The AI villagers seem to be programmed to spawn at a specific point or elevation, but since I raised the floor, they ended up innthe basement and didn't know how to use the stairs I built to get out. The enemies also didn't understand it either, but they both had a rough idea where the other was. So what happened is that the enemy woukd be in my Base on the raised ground floor, and my villager would be in the exact same spot but a floor below in the basement. Both enemy and villager woukd take swings at mid air trying to hit each other despite being of different floors. It was a similar problem to when creating a new room or completing a quest. The NPC would run directly to your position, but they wouldn't go upstairs or downstairs as appropriate
I hope they tinker with some other stuff as well. Maybe have a button to toggle between allowing to see your character through walls when inside a building or underground. The AI could use some tweaks as well. In Chapter 1 my niece wanted me to turn the whole Base into a castle. So I raised the floor, with steps leading down to the flag, added a few tiers and had a basement. Everything was fine, but when the story battles happened it went wrong.
The AI villagers seem to be programmed to spawn at a specific point or elevation, but since I raised the floor, they ended up innthe basement and didn't know how to use the stairs I built to get out. The enemies also didn't understand it either, but they both had a rough idea where the other was. So what happened is that the enemy woukd be in my Base on the raised ground floor, and my villager would be in the exact same spot but a floor below in the basement. Both enemy and villager woukd take swings at mid air trying to hit each other despite being of different floors. It was a similar problem to when creating a new room or completing a quest. The NPC would run directly to your position, but they wouldn't go upstairs or downstairs as appropriate
Dragon Quest Builders was such a surprise delight--very relaxing and provided just enough of a "campaign" to make the building experience feel guided.
I would love it if the sequel leaned heavily into being more of a sim of sorts. It would be awesome if the game had some sort of in-game economy, where the stores you create actually served a function in the game instead of just having you meet quest objectives.
For example, if you create a blacksmith, you could actually buy weapons from there and generate revenue from travelers passing through. Additionally, if you build an inn, you could have NPC's from past Dragon Quest games give you optional quests to fulfill while they stay.
While I appreciated the level-based design from the last game, I feel like I would less guided experience where you can create one city that grows with you, and perpetuates your growth, throughout the duration of the campaign.
Either way, I loved the first game enough to buy a sequel. The only problem will be deciding to buy it on the PS4 for Trophy Support, or the Switch for obvious portability and perhaps touch screen support?
I would love it if the sequel leaned heavily into being more of a sim of sorts. It would be awesome if the game had some sort of in-game economy, where the stores you create actually served a function in the game instead of just having you meet quest objectives.
For example, if you create a blacksmith, you could actually buy weapons from there and generate revenue from travelers passing through. Additionally, if you build an inn, you could have NPC's from past Dragon Quest games give you optional quests to fulfill while they stay.
While I appreciated the level-based design from the last game, I feel like I would less guided experience where you can create one city that grows with you, and perpetuates your growth, throughout the duration of the campaign.
Either way, I loved the first game enough to buy a sequel. The only problem will be deciding to buy it on the PS4 for Trophy Support, or the Switch for obvious portability and perhaps touch screen support?
Glass Rebel
Member
Nice, never bought the first because of the lack of multiplayer. Didn't have any interest in playing this by myself.
SuperSonic1305
Member
It couldn't even run well on a PS4.
sloppyjoe_gamer
Member
ThatStupidLion
Member
yup - loved the first one, but i NEED improvements to most of its systems, before i dive back into a cut and paste but with multiplayer.
Secret Character
Member
DQB2 is an instant day 1 purchase for me. The first one caught me by surprise, and I still pop it in my PS4 every now and then to play it and improve my free build.
AuthenticM
Member
There was probably something wrong with your PS4. I don't remember stories of the game running poorly back last year. And it ran perfectly on mine.
Yeah, I agree with these. I would also add maybe one giant open world instead of separate levels. I personally didn't have problems with the levels, but I know a lot of people did. Specifically, the part where you have to start your base from scratch.
Here's an idea that I would be perfect for me: keep the start-a-new-base-from-scratch for every chapter, but every chapter takes place in the same giant open-world.
The game space is compose of islands, right? Take the first chapter. You beat the boss. Now instead of teleporting out of the game and back to the main menu, you can travel to the next chapter by taking a boat. A boat that you have to build. And the islands composing the next chapter can be seen from the islands of the first chapter. You just can't access them before getting the boat, which you can only build after beating the boss and clearing the chapter.
So every chapter takes place in the same playspace. However! You cannot take your inventory with you. A magical force of some sorts prevents you from doing that. So once you are in your second base in chapter 2, you can go back to the first chapter's cluster of islands whenever you want. Except you can't take your inventory with you. Each chapter has its own inventory.
Also, once you beat a chapter boss, monsters no longer attack the chapter base. That's a must. Just let me build my base in peace, yo.
A rare bug with framepacing while under certain conditions isn't really enough to drop it into "couldn't run well", 99.9% of the time it was in perfect 60fps.
Whether having an expanded Z axis vertically and below the water (along with all the other enhancements) in DQB2 will start to strain the base PS4 remains to be seen.
AuthenticM
Member
New idea!
There are still chapters, as well as islands that are gated off by them. However! You only have one base that you build upon for the entire game. Once you finish a chapter, a new cluster of islands open up for you, giving you access to new materials, NPCs and recipes. After each chapter, your base is required to expand more and more. You bring back more NPCs to your settlement. Your settlement grows into a village. Then into a town. And at the end of the game, you have a kingdom.
I think this would be perfect. It would solve the issue that many people had with the first game; that is, starting from scratch every time. But it would keep what people like about this game compared to minecraft: story, sense of progression and pacing.
To make my example clearer, let's take the first Dragon Quest Builders.
The first chapter is exactly like it is in the game. Then, after beating the boss, you travel (by boat!) to the next chapter. All inside the same playspace. You arrive at the next cluster of islands: there is no settlement. However! All the same NPCs are there on these new islands. You bring them all back to your one and only base: the medic woman, the old guy, and all.
The same story happens: you bring in sick people, they turn into zombies, etc. The only difference is that all of it happens in your only base that you will use for the whole game.
The game can keep things fresh by modifying the environment around your base. Your in the new chapter with the barbarian guys? Lava appears around your base! Or darkness! Anything the game designer deems appropriate.
How does that sound?
There are still chapters, as well as islands that are gated off by them. However! You only have one base that you build upon for the entire game. Once you finish a chapter, a new cluster of islands open up for you, giving you access to new materials, NPCs and recipes. After each chapter, your base is required to expand more and more. You bring back more NPCs to your settlement. Your settlement grows into a village. Then into a town. And at the end of the game, you have a kingdom.
I think this would be perfect. It would solve the issue that many people had with the first game; that is, starting from scratch every time. But it would keep what people like about this game compared to minecraft: story, sense of progression and pacing.
To make my example clearer, let's take the first Dragon Quest Builders.
The first chapter is exactly like it is in the game. Then, after beating the boss, you travel (by boat!) to the next chapter. All inside the same playspace. You arrive at the next cluster of islands: there is no settlement. However! All the same NPCs are there on these new islands. You bring them all back to your one and only base: the medic woman, the old guy, and all.
The same story happens: you bring in sick people, they turn into zombies, etc. The only difference is that all of it happens in your only base that you will use for the whole game.
The game can keep things fresh by modifying the environment around your base. Your in the new chapter with the barbarian guys? Lava appears around your base! Or darkness! Anything the game designer deems appropriate.
How does that sound?
Yep, I love the idea of you having to change your kingdom to suit the different aspects of of the campaign. Maybe entire sections of town will be destroyed due to story reasons, or certain buildings will need to be retrofitted to face current story requirements.
I really hope the first game did well enough for them to be more ambitious with the sim aspects of the sequel.
A good year to be a DQ fan !
DQXI released this year in Japan and the localization is happening for the rest of the world and now they announced this, and I'm pretty sure we will see this one released in English as well .
So how about we get a new Slime Mori Mori game?
DQXI released this year in Japan and the localization is happening for the rest of the world and now they announced this, and I'm pretty sure we will see this one released in English as well .
So how about we get a new Slime Mori Mori game?
Can it be localized this time, please?
The only sources I can find are that 1.1 million physical and digital was sold, not shipped. Or at least I'm not seeing where it says the 700k was sell through while the 1.1m was a different measure. Both seem to be numbers announced by SE themselves.
Also, the 1.1m was in November 2016, the 700k on May 30, 2016. The game was released in January for Japan. After 5 months, I'm guessing the sales were almost negligible.
As evidence, it didn't chart at all on top 50 for media create for may. The 20th game on MC sold about 2.5k copies each week. Even if DQ builders was selling 2k copies a week, thats 8k copies a month. For June, July, August, September, October, November, thats a measly 50k by the most aggressive estimation. So while it sold over 700k, I'm not sure how much one can say "well over" 700k, and it seems clear that NA and Europe were 300k minimum of the 1.1m in November. (Edit: as pointed out below, I forgot the rest of Asia, which apparently liked DQ Builders. So I guess it's still unclear how well received it was in the West. Though as friendcode mentioned, Europe didn't seem too keen on it.)
Once the 1.1m number was announced, they did release greatest hits versions in Japan, which I'm sure did help move more units, but that was after the 1.1m announcement.
However I can't read Japanese so perhaps I'm going off poorly translated Japanese Press releases -- if you know Japanese well, please do share.
that 1.1 million includes Asia sales. It did really well in Asia.
Shin-Ra
Junior Member
Little inventory UI comparison.
Weapons and Tools
In DQB1 up to five (combined) weapons and tools could be equipped (separate equipment menu) and cycled through in the left-most circular slot with dpad up/down. TRIANGLE used the highlighted tool or weapon. Weapons and tools had a limited number of uses (blue gauge) before they broke, hitting harder types of terrain and maybe enemies caused tools and weapons to shatter more quickly.
In DQB2 the active weapon seems to be split out into its own slot on SQUARE with no quick cycling of different weapons. Once you've found a more powerful stick→club→sword you'd be unlikely to switch it anyway, unless weapons have more unique qualities in DQB2. Active tools, R2 to use, still have quick switching which is useful because a hammer has a very different use to the shovel. Curiously, neither weapons or tools have a life remaining blue gauge, just for demonstration purposes or did they remove this completely?
Miscellaneous Items
In DQB1 you cycled left/right with the dpad and used with SQUARE, this has changed to TRIANGLE in DQB2 with the button prompt appearing above the active item, also highlighted more clearly in yellow.
The other change is the addition of light grey item slot backgrounds, maybe for items you've manually placed in your active 15-slot inventory so you can more easily discriminate what you choose and what you've randomly picked up without noticing.
Maybe someone can translate the new touchpad input. I'd like it if they switched the menu button from CROSS
to OPTIONS with the birds-eye view changed to L3. I don't remember ever resetting the camera with R3 so that could be something more useful.
Weapons and Tools
In DQB1 up to five (combined) weapons and tools could be equipped (separate equipment menu) and cycled through in the left-most circular slot with dpad up/down. TRIANGLE used the highlighted tool or weapon. Weapons and tools had a limited number of uses (blue gauge) before they broke, hitting harder types of terrain and maybe enemies caused tools and weapons to shatter more quickly.
In DQB2 the active weapon seems to be split out into its own slot on SQUARE with no quick cycling of different weapons. Once you've found a more powerful stick→club→sword you'd be unlikely to switch it anyway, unless weapons have more unique qualities in DQB2. Active tools, R2 to use, still have quick switching which is useful because a hammer has a very different use to the shovel. Curiously, neither weapons or tools have a life remaining blue gauge, just for demonstration purposes or did they remove this completely?
Miscellaneous Items
In DQB1 you cycled left/right with the dpad and used with SQUARE, this has changed to TRIANGLE in DQB2 with the button prompt appearing above the active item, also highlighted more clearly in yellow.
The other change is the addition of light grey item slot backgrounds, maybe for items you've manually placed in your active 15-slot inventory so you can more easily discriminate what you choose and what you've randomly picked up without noticing.
Maybe someone can translate the new touchpad input. I'd like it if they switched the menu button from CROSS
to OPTIONS with the birds-eye view changed to L3. I don't remember ever resetting the camera with R3 so that could be something more useful.
VectorVictor
Member
Still hoping that they port the first one over...great game (playing through it now), but would be better portable.
Omnistalgic
Member
Think I'm going to get the first one on Amazon...it's dirt cheap now. Is the story actually fun?
