Despite having an entire Island as my playground, to build up and shape how I please, I’m spending a disproportionate amount of time making bathrooms. Washrooms, spas and shared toilets, both fancy and rustic—there’s a lot to choose from and each one makes the citizens of my kingdom literally burst with happiness. I can then spend that happiness to unlock more things to make even more bathrooms. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is as weird as it is delightful and an entirely different beast to the main Dragon Quest RPG series. The world needs saving and there are goofy Slimes to bash, but here you’re more Bob the builder than dashing swordsman.

In this quirky offshoot, you go from building basic bedrooms and kitchens in order to help people survive in dire times, to constructing elaborate castles and giant magical trees all in the name of defeating the evil Children of Hargon. After inheriting a deserted Island off of a hairy mole-thing with a hammer and befriending a chap that likes hitting things a little too much, you start about your task of creating your own kingdom. Doing so requires more people and resources, so off you pop to different Islands, solving the issues there before returning with everything you’ve learned and plenty of materials.

The game is mostly split into two halves. There's your time on the Isle of Awakening where you can do whatever you want, be that creating cities, sculpting blocky statues in your own image, or, in my case, building a multiplex of bathrooms; and your time investigating other islands where you’ll help people out with quests and more specific builds.

The result is a building game with just enough direction to help you make some impressive-looking stuff. The second major Island, for instance, has you build increasingly opulent bars to motivate miners into working. The major plot-integral buildings have blueprints for you to follow, but mostly you’re left to it. A room needs to be at least two blocks high and have a door to be recognised as such, but they can be any size or shape and contain whatever you like. 

For most quests you’ll be given a rough recipe—a pot and a towel rail will make a toilet, a chest and some bonfires will make a kitchen—but you can shape them however you please. Experimenting will lead you to unlocking other room types and earn you the gratitude of the people you’re helping. There’s a hell of a lot of block types to keep things fresh so, even if you did decide to build 10 restaurants in a row, there are enough components to keep them all varied. From simple wooden walls and floorboards, to marble buttresses and fancy carpets, there’s a lot to play with. There are even minecarts and track to help you make rollercoasters or transport links if you wish. However you won’t get to make the most of it until after the first major island and your return to the Isle of Awakening, which is a long time to wait to be given more freedom.

There’s also an absolutely massive RPG story here full of peril and plot twists that ties into the original Dragon Quest II on NES. Set 'some time' after the events of the game, the Children of Hargon seek to destroy the world by summoning a demon. Their appetite for destruction is so ravenous that creating anything is considered heresy. That’s where you, the legendary builder, step in to rebuild forgotten settlements and restore peace. It’s full of traditional fantasy fare, but it’s told with humour and some excellently written character dialogue. You never hear a single person speak but, thanks to the way their accents are written, you’ll still vividly hear them in your head.

The port job is fine. There are a few basic graphical options and it runs smoothly, but there’s not much room to customise your experience. The PC version includes all of the console version’s DLC from the offset so you’ll have loads more building options, but you won’t be able to make use of these until you get quite far into the story.

My one complaint is that the pacing gets a little odd sometimes. About halfway through there's a section that you're locked to until you complete it—not being able to switch to the freebuilding of the Isle of Awakening or even the multiplayer. It’s not bad, it’s just a very strange choice when you've previously had so much freedom. Also, the (thankfully brief) stealth section can do one—why is it in a building game?! The endgame also has a fair bit of grinding to do as a lot of block types and items are locked until you spend 'gratitude' to get them. You’ll gather it quite easily by building things for your citizens, but it’s a bit of a slog to get it all.

Calling Dragon Quest Builders 2 a Minecraft clone is a disservice. Yes, they’re both block-based building games, but DQB2’s story gives your building purpose. You might not be able to craft impressive redstone circuitry, but at least the furniture actually looks like something you can use rather than wool, trapdoors and guesswork slapped together. By having so many individual items, DQB2 feels way more polished. It’s also easier to make something that looks good even if you don’t feel particularly creative. There’s always going to be that person who can somehow create entire cities out of perfectly coordinated blocks, but you can happily take pride in your simple square bedrooms and toilets when all of the pieces fit together so nicely.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a madly addictive mash-up of Minecraft and a JRPG. The building is fun, the writing is hilarious, and the visuals are pleasantly chunky and colourful. It's a really great game and I'm delighted to see it on PC.

It's also surprisingly deep, with a lot of systems to master and uncover, so here are a few quick tips to get you started on your adventure. And don't forget to check out our list of every recipe in the game as well.

Carry a bedWhen you go out exploring, make sure you have a straw bed in your inventory. This means that if you're low on HP you don't have to use any healing items: just pull out the bed and take a nap, which fully restores your health. This also lets you snooze through the night when the monsters are more powerful.

Falling is fineIf you accidentally fall off something high you'll never die. A particularly nasty fall will drop your HP to 1, but that's easily restored with food or sleep. So if you don't fancy carefully making your way down from somewhere high up, don't bother: just dramatically leap off. You'll survive and save a lot of time.

Build a toiletYeah, seriously. When you build a toilet in a town you'll notice the villagers queuing up to use it, taking turns to dump their loads. If you pop in after them and access the pot you'll find stacks of a crafting material called Night Soil (yes, that is what you think it is) which can be used to create worm food and fertiliser.

Switch viewsNew to Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the ability to switch to a first-person perspective. This is particularly useful when you're tunnelling underground, which tends to send the standard third-person camera bit loopy. It also makes the experience feel more like Minecraft if that's your thing.

Defend yourselfDon't leave your settlement out in the open: building moats, walls, and fences won't keep enemies out entirely, but it'll dramatically slow their advance. And before a battle begins, make sure your combat-ready villagers are equipped with the finest armour and weapons your current list of recipes will allow.

Finish the storyThe sooner you finish the main story, the sooner you'll have access to all of Dragon Quest Builders 2's vast collection of materials, tools, recipes, and blueprints. These are steadily unlocked as you progress through it, some quite late on, and once you have them all you can really get creative.

Build quickerIf you hold the build button down your character will stay facing in the same direction, which lets you quickly place blocks without having to position yourself each time. This means you can build a wall or whatever else in half the time, without worrying about any misplaced blocks messing your rhythm up.

Cook everythingRaw food will give you a small health boost in a pinch, but it's always better to carry cooked food around with you—especially in a fight. If you're being hammered by an enemy you'll be forced to use healing items, and eating a nice bowl of saucy spaghetti will heal you a lot more than a handful of raw kelp.

Help people outIf you see a red exclamation point hovering over a villager's head, that means they have a quest for you. These are often quite easy and you'll be rewarded with gratitude points that will ultimately contribute to your base level. A higher base level will give you access to new recipes, blueprints, and more.

Need a list of Dragon Quest Builders 2 recipes? If you want to build the best base and give yourself every chance in combat, you should know as many of them as possible. There's a huge amount of them and it isn't always clear what they are, so now that Dragon Quest Builders 2 is on PC, I'm here to help give you the head start you need.

When it comes to Dragon Quest Builders 2 room recipes, they'll tell you what furnishings a room needs to fit a given spec. Starting with an empty room—a walled-in space with walls at least two blocks high with a door—you can add extras to create bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and more in return for Gratitude. The better your room fits your villagers needs, the more of that special currency you get. Thanks to All Gamers (spotted by GamesRadar) for the complete list.

Food recipes in Dragon Quest Builders 2 function differently. Cooking recipes give you the edge in combat and can boost your attack and defence stats, plus your resistance to debuffs inflicted by enemies in uncharted areas. Below are all the recipes you can find in Square Enix's build-'em-up sequel.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 room recipes

• Fiery Frying Pan: Bonfire, Frying Pan
• Dining Table: Table, Chair, Decorative Food Dish
• Buffet: Large Table, Crock Pot, Crockery
• King's Banquet: King's Table, Fancy Chairs x4, Decorative Food Dish x4, Candelabra x2
• Meal: Large Table, Salad with Soup, Fish Platter or Meat Platter, Basket of Bread, Decorative Food Dish
• Onsen Bath: Onsen Water blocks x10, Scattered Petals or Lion Fountain
• Swimming Pool: Pure Water blocks x10, Ladder (inside pool)
• Cocktail Counter: Bar Counter, Stool x4, Cocktail Shaker
• Simple Sipper's Set: Table, Chair, Decorative Drink
• Social Sipper's Set: Large Table, Chair x4, Decorative Drink x4
• Card Table: Table, Chair x2, Playing Cards
• Medication Station: Chair, Crate, First Aid Kit
• Rocket Battery: Firework Cannon x3 (in a row)
• Dracky Totem: Dracky Totem x3 (on top of each other)
• Slime Stack: Stackable Slime x3 (on top of each other)
• Tree Swing: Tree, Swing
• Potted Flower: Pot, Flower
• Potted Plant: Pot, Plant
• Station: Rail Track, Stop Sign (at the end of the track)
• Darty Party: Dartboard x3 (on a wall in a row)
• Playable Piano: Grand Piano, Chair

• Basic Bedroom: Bed (any) x2, Light Source (any)
• Social Bedroom: Bed (any) x4, Light Source (any) x2
• Communal Bedroom: Bed (any) x8, Light Source (any) x4
• Prepared Bedroom: Bed (any), Light Source (any), Grandfather Clock, Potted Plant (set)
• Farmers' Bedroom: Bed (any) x2, Light Source (any), Farming Tools, Firewood
• Farmers' Flophouse: Bed (any) x4, Light Source (any) x2, Farming Tools x2, Firewood x2
• Farmers' Lodge: Bed (any) x8, Light Source (any) x4, Farming Tools x4, Firewood x4
• Dormitory: Bed (any) x8, Pot x3, Inn Sign
• Better Dormitory: Bed (any) x8, Pot x3, Inn Sign, Light Source (any) x2, Stool x2
• Luxury Dormitory: Four-poster Bed x8, Pot x3, Inn Sign, Sconce x2, Stool x2, Chest of Drawers
• Basic Soldier's Bedroom: Decorative Armour/Swords, Bed (any) x2, Light Source (any)
• Barracks: Decorative Armour/Swords x2, Bed (any) x4, Light Source (any) x2
• Bigger Barracks: Decorative Armour/Swords x4, Bed (any) x8, Light Source (any) x4

• Double Bathroom: Bathtub/Shower x2, Towel Rack x2, Washtub x2, Light Source (any)
• Private Men's Bathroom: Bathtub/Shower x2, Towel Rack x2, Gentleman Sign
• Private Women's Bathroom: Bathtub/Shower x2, Towel Rack x2, Lady Sign
• Rustic Bathroom: Basic Bathtub, Towel Rack x3, Washtub x4, Chair (any)
• Deluxe Bathroom: Bathtub x2, Towel Rack x3, Washtub x4, Stool, Light Source (any), Firewood x2
• Shower Room: Shower, Towel Rack, Folding Screen
• Scenic Shower Room: Shower x4, Towel Rack x2, Folding Screen x2, Light Source (any) x2, Window x4
• Onsen Bathroom: Onsen Water x10 blocks (dig holes for them), Flower Petals (on top of Onsen Water), Bathroom Stool x3, Washtub x3, Filter Fountain (pouring into Onsen Water)
• Suspicious Spa: Plasma blocks x10 (dig a hole), Evil Item (any), Bathroom Stool x3, Washtub x3
• Swimming Pool: Standard Water x10 blocks (dig holes for them), Ladder (inside the pool), Pool Chair, Sun Parasol, Cactus Drink

• Simple Kitchen: Chest, Bonfire x3
• Kitchen Diner: Chest, Bonfire x3, Dining Table (set)
• Agricultural Kitchen: Chest, Sack of Wheat x3, Firewood x2, Bonfire x3
• Agricultural Cafe: Chest, Sack of Wheat x3, Firewood x2, Bonfire x3 or Fiery Frying Pan (set) x2 or Brick Barbecue, Dining Table (set)
• Simple Mushroom Cookroom: Chest, Fungus (any, pick up with gloves and bring inside), Bonfire x2
• Deluxe Mushroom Kitchen: Chest, Fungus (any, pick up with gloves and bring inside), Fiery Frying Pan (set) x2 or Brick Barbecue, Dining Table (set)
• Simple Castle Kitchen: Chest, Well, Brick Barbecue
• Castle Cafeteria: Chest, Well, Brick Barbecue, Buffet (set)
• Gory Grillhouse: Chest, Meaty Marshy Mountain, Brick Barbecue
• Standard Dining Room: Light Source (any), Dining Table (set) x4
• King's Dining Room: King's Table, Fancy Chairs x4, Crockery x4 (placed by chairs), Candelabra x2, Fireplace, Bold Banner x2

• Private Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any), Bed (any), Light Source (any), Stool
• Master Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any), Bed (any), Light Source (any), Chair (any), Table (any), Wall Hanging, Velvet Draping or Triangular Bunting
• Private Noble's Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any), Four-Poster Bed, Fancy Chair, Fancy Table, Sconce, Wall Hanging
• Rough n' Tough Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any), Barrel, Bottles, Dumb-bells, Light Source (any), Bed (any)
• Neat n' Sweet Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any), Dressing Table, Chair, Ornamental Flower, Light Source (any), Bed (any)
• Royal Bedchamber: Resident's Sign (any), King-Size Bed, Fancy Chair, Fancy Light Source, Fireplace
• Princess Bedchamber: Resident's Sign (any), Four-Poster Bed, Fancy Chair, Fancy Light Source, Potted Plant (set)
• Simple Shared Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any) x2, Bed (any) x2, Light Source (any), Stool x2
• Superior Shared Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any) x2, Bed (any) x2, Light Source (any), Chairs x2, Table, Wall Hanging
• Shared Noble Bedroom: Resident's Sign (any) x2, King-Size or Four-Poster Bed x2, Fancy Light Source, Fancy Chair x2, Fancy Table, Wall Hanging

• Ranch: Haystack, Wooden Gate, Grass x5
• Animal House: Haystack, Pet Bedding, Pet Bowl
• Watering Hole: Water blocks x10 (dig holes for them), Chest, Washtub, Pot x2
• Well Room: Wooden Doormat (use at entrance), Well, Flower
• Playful Park: Tree Swing (set), Bench x2, Wooden Plank Pathway x2, Flower x2
• Grassy Garden: Bench, Plant x5
• Flower Garden: Flower x6, Plant x4
• Luxurious Park: Fancy Bench, Rose, Rose Leaves, Blue Hydrangea, Flower x8
• Tree Park: Bench, Branch x2, Leafy Tree, Palm Tree, Fir or Cedar Tree, Birch Tree
• Cactus Garden: Bench, Small Round Flowering Cactus x3, Cactus Stem x3, Cactus Head x2, Gladiolus, Sunflower
• Tropical Garden: Bench, Pongsettia, Bigonia, Tingleweed x5, Fan Fern, Coneconut Tree
• Stone Garden: Bench, Large Rock x3, Small Rock x5, Paving Stone x2, Pile of Pebbles
• Fountain Garden: Fancy Bench, Water blocks x10 (dig holes for them), Filter Fountain (position outside Water blocks), Lily Pad, Lily Flower
• Snow Garden: Bench, Snowman, Snowy Cedar Tree x2, Snow Flower x3
• Freak-Out Room: Simple Bench, Vile Tile, Huge Horn x2, Septic Shrub x3, Dead Tree x2, Pampas Grass x3
• Cantlin Garden: Fancy Bench, Pure Water blocks x8 (dig holes for them), Holyhock x5, Blossoming Shrub x3, Cherry Blossom Tree, Basic Bridge

• Simple Bar: Cocktail Counter (set)
• Well-Stocked Bar: Cocktail Counter (set), Social Sippers (set), Simple Sippers (set) x2, Beer Cask x2, Pub Sign
• Game Bar: Cocktail Counter (set), Card Table (set), Darty Party (set), Water Pitcher, Light Source (any)

• Basic Toilet: Pot or Toilet (any), Towel Rack
• Shared Toilet: Toilet (any) x3, Towel Rack x3, Folding Screens x2 (place between the toilets)
• Men's Toilet: Toilet (any) x3, Towel Rack x3, Gentleman Sign
• Women's Toilet: Toilet (any) x3, Towel Rack x3, Lady Sign
• Rustic Toilet: Pot OR Toilet (any), Towel Rack, Haystack
• Lovely Toilet: Toilet (any), Towel Rack, Ornamental Flower
• Soldier's Toilet: Toilet (any), Towel Rack, Wall Flag
• Basic Changing Room: Wardrobe, Light Source (any), Dressing Table, Stool
• Pool Changing Room: Wardrobe, Light Source (any), Towel Rack, Washtub
• Bunny Girl Changing Room: Wardrobe, Light Source (any), Barrel, Ornamental Flower
• Beach Changing Room: Wardrobe, Light Source (any), Towel Rack, Parasol
• Chill-Out Room: Comfy Sofa, Potted Flower (set) x2, Potted Plant (set) x2, Fireplace, Swabbing Tools

• Barn: Chest, Pot, Haystack, Rope, Farming Tools, Firewood
• Armoury: Chest, Ornamental Armour/Weapon x4, Barricade x2
• Smithy: Forge, Chest, Hanging Bag, Pot
• Metalworker's Workshop: Anvil, Chest, Hanging Bag, Weapon Sign
• Brewery: Beer Cask x2, Chest, Hanging Bag, Barrel x2
• Dyeing Workshop: Slime Paint Barrel x2, Chest, Hanging Bag, Washtub x2
• Builder's Workshop: Builder's Table, Chest, Hanging Sacks, Medicinal Mortar, Tool Rack
• Wizard's Workshop: Wizard's Workbench, Comfy Cushion, Crystal Ball, Incense Burner
• Item Store: Table, Shop Sign, Price Tag, Crate x2
• Weapon Store: Table, Weapon Sign, Price Tag, Decorative Armour/Weapon x2

• Reception: Table x2, Wall Hanging, Stationery, Candle
• Corridor: Light Source (any) x2, Pillar x2, Ornamental Flower x2, Wall Hanging x2
• Pumping Station: Dumb-Bell x2, Mining Tool x2, Towel Rack x2
• Relaxation Room: Bed (any), Curtain x2, Folding Screen, Light Source (any)
• Chapel: Altar, Candle x2, Goddess Statue, Chair (any) x4
• Training Room: Target Dummy x4, Ornamental Spear Rack x2, Wooden Fortification x4
• Throne Room: Throne, Bold Banner x4, Brazier x2
• Shabby Throne Room: Disfigured Throne
• Hargon Chapel: Unholy Altar, False Idol, Small Hargon Wall Gargoyle, Tall Hargon Wall Panel, Double Hargon Wall Panel, Sinister Sconce
• Summoning Chamber: Forbidden Altar, Unholy Altar, Chest, False Idol, Peculiar Pillar x2, Sinister Sconce
• Creepy Conservatory: Chest, Blooming Poxglove x2, Budding Poxglove x4
• Playroom/Toy Room: Hammerhood Plush x2, Snow Yeti Rug, Chair
• Music Hall: Instrument (Cello/Drums/Piano) x3, Stool (not in front of a piano), Curtain x2
• Ballroom/Dancing Room: Dancing Platform x3, Light Block, Curtain x4

• Sculpture Gallery: Stationary Statue, Handrail x3
• Picture Gallery: Painting x2, Handrail x4
• Large Museum Room: Painting x4, Goddess Statue x2, Handrail x10, Exhibition Sign
• Small Exhibition Room: Exhibition Podium x2, Handrail x4
• Large Exhibition Room: Exhibition Podium x5, Handrail x10, Exhibition Sign, Exhibition Shelf Connectors x2
• Small Treasury: Exhibition Podium, Handrail x2, Treasure Chest x5, Treasure (any valuable item, try something gold)
• Large Treasury: Exhibition Podium, Handrail x2, Treasure Chest x5, Treasure, Pile of Treasure, Bold Banner x2
• Study: Bookshelf x3, Pile of Books x3
• Library: Bookshelf x5, Pile of Books x3, Book x3, Table, Chair, Sheets of Paper

• Graveyard: Gravestone x3, Flower x3, Bench
• Fortune Teller Room: Comfy Cushion, Crystal Ball, Pile of Books, Book, Curtain x2
• Mayor's Office: Table x3 (in a row), Planner's Stationery (put along table), Sign, Bell (hit the bell to call everyone in)
• Prison Cell: Chains, Pot
• Execution Chamber: Chains x2, Guillotine (rare drop for defeating a pink dragon by the Material Islands snowy lake), Straw Mattress, Human Bones x2
• Slime Room: Slime Eye x2, Slime Mouth, Slime Block, Slime Lamp
• Light Room: Bench, Sconce x2, Fancy Sconce x2, Brazier x2, Tall Brazier x2
• Lava Room: Lava blocks x6 (dig a hole for them), Stone x3
• Dragonfly Room: Filthy Water blocks x6 (dig a hole for them), Reeds x3, Dead Tree
• Demonlord's Throne Room:  Hargon Chapel already built, Demonlord's Throne, Demonlord's Banner Flag x2, Peculiar Pillar x2
• Pot Chamber: Chest, Pot x5
• Mushroom Chamber: Chest, Fungus (Any) x6
• Wrecking Ball Room: Wrecking Ball explosive
• War Room: Emblematic Table, Map, Wargame Piece x2

Dragon Quest Builders 2 food recipes

There are over 150 cooking recipes in Dragon Quest Builders 2, so here's a handy spreadsheet from Redditor ---Blix--- that details all of them. Each recipe indicates the ingredient(s) required, the effects they imbue, and cooking time. Keep an eye out for the ingredients listed and combat will be a cinch; that way you can focus on get your township up to scratch, more on that below.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 releases next week, on December 10 to be specific, and in the lead up you'll be able to sample its wares thanks to a new 'Jumbo Demo'. It's called that because it's actually quite large: you'll get to create your character, play through the (rather long) introductory sequence, and then visit the first biome to help rebuild a town there.

I've played both Dragon Quest Builders 2 and its predecessor on Switch, and I can confirm these games are very charming, very relaxing, and almost worryingly addictive. If you do play the demo, your progress will carry over to the main game if you choose to buy it. And that's good: if you take your time, the demo might well take you about five hours to complete.

The demo is available from now until December 2029, so you better get a move on. Our friends at Gamesradar were very impressed by the game, rewarding it a five star rating, and writing that it has "all the joy and satisfaction of the original, now with upgraded toys, a bigger world and a dog you can pet."

In February 2017, Wes put the question to Square Enix: "Where's Dragon Quest Builders?" Today, he got his answer, sort of. The sequel, Dragon Quest Builders 2, will make its long-awaited PC debut on December 10.

Arriving a year after it was released in Japan on the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch (to very positive reviews, by the way), the PC version of Dragon Quest Builders 2 will come with all DLC that was included with the PS4 season pass, including the Hotto Stuff Pack, the Aquarium Pack, and the Modernist Pack, with new recipes, hairstyles, clothing, and areas to explore.

And fortunately for those who missed out on the first game, Square Enix emphasized that Dragon Quest Builders 2 "is a completely standalone experience featuring new characters, an expansive world, unlimited building combinations, and a storyline that’s sure to satisfy long-time fans and newcomers alike."

What is that story? Seeking revenge for the defeat of the evil wizard Hargon in Dragon Quest 2, a group known as the Children of Hargon have outlawed all building, cooking, and creation, and have imprisoned all the world's builders. But the tide starts to turn when a young apprentice builder (that's you) manages to escape. After making your way to the deserted island of Awakening, you'll team up with a mysterious amnesiac named Malroth to hone your skills, become a full-fledged builder, discover the secrets of this strange new land, and—this is the big one—lay the smackdown on the Children of Hargoth.

Or, the reductive version: It's Minecraft + a JRPG.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is available for pre-purchase on Steam for $60/£50/€60. Buying it prior to January 6 will also get you a bunch of bonus customization content, including the Ornamental Medicinal Herb recipe, the Dragon Quest Logo recipe, the Ornamental Chimaera Wing recipe , five Sigil Block Recipes for building decorative blocks with sun, stars, moon, water and soul motifs, the Legendary Line Art recipe, and Lo-Res Luminary recipes. You can find out more about what's cooking at square-enix-games.com.