Drew Tries Stuff: Builder Games
While not especially talented at them, anyone who has seen The Adventure Brodeo will know that I am a fan of video games. My love goes all the way back to the NES era, the OG for many of my generation, and through the years I’ve tried to keep at least one foot in the gaming world where I can. As life has worn on and free time has shrunk down, however, I noticed myself falling into something of a pattern. I’d still pick up releases in series or genres I’d previously enjoyed, but getting something truly new to crack through enough that I’d make time to try it got harder and harder. More often, I’d end up experiencing something fresh more by happenstance than intent, like when Rogue Legacy went free on PSN.
There’s not something inherently wrong there, necessarily, but it’s also not a great idea to get so stuck in what has come before that you miss trying any new stuff. In that spirit, I decided it was time to purposefully stride into a new genre, one the world at large was enamored with yet I hadn’t been hooked on. After a little digging around, I decided that the building genre was a natural choice, and with the absolute explosion of popularity the genre has enjoyed in the last decade, there was obviously joy in those games worth experiencing.
The Selection
I’ve said it before, but the core of Drew Tries Stuff always comes with the potential for me to like what I’m trying, these are never about shitting on or testing things with a closed mind. Knowing that, I actually tried a few building-focused games before making my pick on what to commit to. The reasoning here was that by testing the waters a bit, I could find one that appealed to me the most, offering the greatest chance of a positive play experience. Minecraft was my obvious starting point, given that it essentially launched this very genre and the love for it persists to this day. While it was fun messing around for a bit, I have a hunch this is one I either needed more time or practice to truly get the most out of. Next up I tried out Stardew Valley, which is very much a crafting game though turned out to be less of a building one. I enjoyed it, and plan to play more, but it wasn’t really what I wanted to test for this blog, so the search continued until I found Dragon Quest Builders 2.
Gotta be honest, I’ve never done Dragon Quest games before, and I didn’t play the first DQB, so I really had no idea what I’d be getting into on this one, but it had a free demo. Several hours later, I figured I’d better actually buy the game so I could keep playing, and realized I’d found a clear winner for my building game selection. I’m not sure if it was the easy mechanics or RPG-style elements that made me feel more at ease, I just knew I’d gotten lost in the game, which was exactly the outcome I’d hoped for at this stage. Also, props to DQB2 for making a huge demo, and one that lets you keep your save when you upgraded. Always love to call out that kind of thought for the customer when I see it.
The Playing
This was, without question, the longest I’ve invested in anything for a Drew Tries Stuff. That’s not me playing for sympathy about hours spent playing games, but rather to say I took this seriously enough to want a full experience of the selection. I’m not quite done yet, though I’ve gotten fairly close by now, and I imagine it won’t be a lot longer, because I am definitely seeing this one through.
As for the game itself, I have to say, I really enjoyed it. The building mechanics are, unsurprisingly, my weakest part, as it takes me quite a while to get things constructed. Thankfully, the game gives you lots of assistance on that front, in the form of helpers who aid you with earlier projects and tools you unlock. But for the first chunk of the game, I played it like I would any other. Do the quests, trigger the events, collect the resources, it really didn’t feel much different from other games save for the block-aesthetic.
I can still remember when it clicked for me, though. I was in the second town, getting hit by monster assaults that were growing steadily more annoying, and then I noticed something. A block I’d set down for a jump was still in the area where we always spawned for monster fights, something impermanent I’d given no thought to. That was the moment it really sank in that I could control this terrain, this world, if I wanted. Next time we fought, I’d built iron walls, towers, and bunkers for my people to move through while also slowing down the monsters. My character was barely even needed. It felt curiously fulfilling, watching the battle playout on my terms, field of combat shaped by my own ideas. That was when I tapped into the sense of freedom that seems to be at the very core of these games.
The Conclusion
While I’m not sure I’ll ever have the passion or the patience to jump into building games entirely, Dragon Quest Builders 2 has been a really great experience in terms of testing out a new (to me) genre. It gave me enough of the old along with the new that I never felt completely out of depth, and was forgiving enough not to be frustrating for someone learning mechanics for the first time. If you’re an old-school RPG fan who has been wanting to dip a toe into something more modern, this is a great option to try, but there are also loads more versions of building games out there. Find one that pairs well with what you like already, and who knows, you might be on the road to discovering your new favorite genre.