‘Dragon Quest Builders’ Coming To PS4 In October, Ready To Take On ‘Minecraft’


It looks like Dragon Quest Builders is finally coming to the West after all. Square Enix announced on Friday the Dragon Quest spin-off that blends Minecraft gameplay is coming to the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita this October.

Dragon Quest Builders is set to launch in North America and Europe for the PS4 and PS Vita in October 2016. The game launched in Japan for both consoles plus the PS3 in January of this year, where it received high marks from Famitsu (via Gematsu). The Western release will eschew the last-gen console, but will still support the struggling handheld.

The game blends the open-world sandbox elements from Minecraft with the action RPG gameplay from the Dragon Quest franchise. The game world is made entirely of blocks that players can harvest for resources, craft items, and construct any weapons, armor, or structures that they wish.

Dragon Quest Builders (PS4, PS Vita)
[Image via Square Enix]
Additionally, Dragon Quest Builders layers on an over-arching narrative for players to explore. This includes side quests to tackle plus non-player characters (NPCs) to interact with and support. NPCs are important additions, as they help defend your town and craft items for you.

Square Enix Community Manager Dan Seto described the Dragon Quest Builders story on the PlayStation Blog.

“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.”

Unlike Minecraft, Dragon Quest Builders provides a clear sense of direction and progression. Players are directed to complete specific goals, such as constructing buildings for their towns. These buildings act as points to the town once completed, which can then be used to level up the entire town. This is required to advance the game’s story and give certain benefits or buffs to the NPCs residing there.

Dragon Quest Builders (PS4, PS Vita)
[Image via Square Enix]
The story of Dragon Quest Builders is laid out in chapters, which feature a series of NPC quests. Completing the quests leads to a boss encounter, which can be won by using some of the key items that players learned how to craft during the chapter. For example, the boulders thrown by the Stone Golem boss can be reflected using a barricade built by players. He then becomes vulnerable and can be damaged by using magic bombs. That leads to the next chapter, and eventually, the end of the main quest line.

Traditional sandbox play is available, but there are certain restrictions. The Dragon Quest Builders sandbox mode is only unlocked after progressing a certain amount in the game. Additionally, all items will only become available after beating the final boss.

It is also important to point out Dragon Quest Builders does not support multiplayer. It is a single-player only experience on the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita.

What do you think about Dragon Quest Builders coming to the PS4 and PS Vita this October? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image via Square Enix]

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