It’s not uncommon for those who would consider themselves ex-Minecraft players to feel the game’s siren call float to the back of their mind every once in a while, launching that nostalgia-driven urge to start over in a new world. Whether it’s returning to survival mode to aimlessly punch trees, or finally committing to recreating Hobbiton using creative mode and a rich suite of mods, there’s no denying that Minecraft has an enduring appeal and a malleable blend of freedom and structure that will keep people coming back to it indefinitely.
I’m no stranger to the allure of Minecraft, but recently I’ve found myself drawn back to its peculiar, spiky-haired cousin: Dragon Quest Builders 2, which just might be the best thing that Minecraft has ever inspired. It’s a game that serves as proof that there is still rich, untapped potential in mixing Minecraft’s best qualities with other genres’ and aesthetics.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a prime example of where such ambition can take us: an undeniably charming game that shows both reverence to the franchise it’s based on and the art of creativity within games itself. Across the game’s lengthy single player story and beyond, Builders 2 frequently acknowledges the kind of player that it attracts, encouraging you to ignore the boundaries of its intricate community-building simulator in favor of building whatever the hell you’d like on your own terms.
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