Dragon Quest Builders (Day One Edition)

Description

Dragon Quest Builders reimagines the original Dragon Quest ending with a twist: the hero accepted the Dragonlord’s offer, and the realm of Alefgard has been plunged into ruin. You play as the Legendary Builder, chosen by the Goddess to restore the power of creation to humanity, rebuild towns, and ultimately defeat the Dragonlord.

The gameplay blends sandbox construction with guided RPG structure: you gather materials, craft tools, weapons, and decorative items, and design settlements to attract NPCs, all while fending off monsters in real‑time combat. Each chapter focuses on a different region of Alefgard, with its own storyline, quests, and building challenges, culminating in boss battles. Between story chapters, the Terra Incognita free‑build mode lets you create without constraints.

The Day One Edition adds a voucher for three exclusive crafting recipes usable in Terra Incognita mode: the Springtide Sprinkles Recipe (festive cherry blossom trees and straw floors), the Slimy Block Recipe (cute blue Slime‑patterned blocks), and the Gold Block Recipe (pure gold decorative blocks). These cosmetic extras let players personalise their creations with unique materials once they’ve unlocked free‑build play.

This game caught my attention, as I found the sandbox approach to a JRPG with a proper story seemed to tie everything together nicely. The game starts slow but remains a lot of fun throughout. It was surprisingly popular enough to result in a sequel being released.