alias_sqbr (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alias_sqbr) wrote2022-10-13 10:49 pm
alias_sqbr) wrote2022-10-13 10:49 pm
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DragonQuest Builders 2
I have been having a lot of fun with this game, even more than with DragonQuest Builders 1 (which I enjoyed until I got stuck) It's a sort of cross between Terraria/Minecraft and Animal Crossing with a thin RPG plot about The Power of Friendship And Cooperation to motivate all the gathering, crafting and building. There's combat, and a few other challenges like platforming, driving, and stealth, but unlike DragonQuest Builders 1 it never gets super hard and I made it all the way through without too much trouble. I'm currently noodling about post-endgame finishing up the remaining challenges and building homes and other stuff for all my villagers, which is pretty fun. There's also farming and cooking, which you can get the villagers to do for you.
It's for Windows and consoles, I played the Steam version, which I got on special since the full price is $70AU. I definitely got my $40 worth or whatever I paid, idk about $70.
The writing is very silly, and doesn't hold up to deep thought, with lots of puns and cheesy cliches and a hefty dose of sexism etc. For a large stretch of plot my character was the only female character who wasn't a dancing girl in a bunny costume. On the plus side, as in the first game they were so lazy about adding a female player character option that you are overtly assumed to be into women and have a harem of female quasi-love interests. I assume that if you play a male character the friendship with your loyal male best friend remains just as sweetly shippy, which could be fun, but it was also fun having that sort of intense Brothers In Arms friendship as m/f. The plot never stops being silly but I had feelings about their friendship. Also this is a Square Enix game and the ending is suitably anime.
Still, one does not play this sort of game for the plot. One plays it to SMASH BLOCKS and then BUILD THEM UP AGAIN and in that respect it is fantastic. There were a few points where I had to grind for materials when I wanted to progress the plot and times when the plot took me away from some building projects I was enjoying for an annoyingly long time. But mostly it does a great job of having enough plot, quests, and ability/item progression to keep things interesting while also giving time to noodle about exploring and smashing stuff.
During the main plot you recruit various NPCs to your main island, and from then on they will cheerfully use and suggest various amenities. They don't have much depth once their part in the story is done but I still really like the vibe of a town full of people to build for.
There's also Animal Crossing-esque randomised islands where you can explore for new materials, see cool pre-built buildings, and meet more NPCs to recruit. Alas they lack even the veneer of personality of Animal Crossing NPCs :(
If you're a completionist there is a lot to do, I am definitely not going to finish everything (especially the fishing, which is thankfully entirely optional) but I am enjoying finishing off as many achievements as seem doable, especially since many of them unlock new decorations.
Again, like, Animal Crossing, you can visit other players' islands, which I haven't tried out yet. Mine is embarrassingly ugly, lots of lumpy mismatched cubes to achieve things as easily as possible with what I had to hand. I've started making bits prettier, I am sure I'll get bored but it's still fun to play around with for now.
Content note: The main conflict is kinda... Demon Catholicism/Buddhism vs Good Catholicism/Buddhism etc, it's mostly pretty cartoonish but I can see some parts hitting Religion Buttons for some people. Some of the crafting and plot involves toilets and human poop, and once you build toilets NPCs have little dialogues every time they use one. I just found it funny but ymmv!
It's for Windows and consoles, I played the Steam version, which I got on special since the full price is $70AU. I definitely got my $40 worth or whatever I paid, idk about $70.
The writing is very silly, and doesn't hold up to deep thought, with lots of puns and cheesy cliches and a hefty dose of sexism etc. For a large stretch of plot my character was the only female character who wasn't a dancing girl in a bunny costume. On the plus side, as in the first game they were so lazy about adding a female player character option that you are overtly assumed to be into women and have a harem of female quasi-love interests. I assume that if you play a male character the friendship with your loyal male best friend remains just as sweetly shippy, which could be fun, but it was also fun having that sort of intense Brothers In Arms friendship as m/f. The plot never stops being silly but I had feelings about their friendship. Also this is a Square Enix game and the ending is suitably anime.
Still, one does not play this sort of game for the plot. One plays it to SMASH BLOCKS and then BUILD THEM UP AGAIN and in that respect it is fantastic. There were a few points where I had to grind for materials when I wanted to progress the plot and times when the plot took me away from some building projects I was enjoying for an annoyingly long time. But mostly it does a great job of having enough plot, quests, and ability/item progression to keep things interesting while also giving time to noodle about exploring and smashing stuff.
During the main plot you recruit various NPCs to your main island, and from then on they will cheerfully use and suggest various amenities. They don't have much depth once their part in the story is done but I still really like the vibe of a town full of people to build for.
There's also Animal Crossing-esque randomised islands where you can explore for new materials, see cool pre-built buildings, and meet more NPCs to recruit. Alas they lack even the veneer of personality of Animal Crossing NPCs :(
If you're a completionist there is a lot to do, I am definitely not going to finish everything (especially the fishing, which is thankfully entirely optional) but I am enjoying finishing off as many achievements as seem doable, especially since many of them unlock new decorations.
Again, like, Animal Crossing, you can visit other players' islands, which I haven't tried out yet. Mine is embarrassingly ugly, lots of lumpy mismatched cubes to achieve things as easily as possible with what I had to hand. I've started making bits prettier, I am sure I'll get bored but it's still fun to play around with for now.
Content note: The main conflict is kinda... Demon Catholicism/Buddhism vs Good Catholicism/Buddhism etc, it's mostly pretty cartoonish but I can see some parts hitting Religion Buttons for some people. Some of the crafting and plot involves toilets and human poop, and once you build toilets NPCs have little dialogues every time they use one. I just found it funny but ymmv!
no subject
I always feel so torn when this happens. Like, yes, on the one hand game development is cursed with sexism and heteronormativity of the “ah, yes, of course all our players are straight men RPing other straight men” type… but on the other hand, f/f harem. So. Torn. (I replayed ME2 not long ago, and - I’d almost forgotten how strong these Vibes were with f!Shep and all the female love interests.) (Also, glad the game is fun!)
no subject
Yeah I was thinking of Mass Effect when I was describing it, sigh.