Dragon Quest Treasures Introduces Combat; Catapults, Medals, Unleash the Dragon, Wild Side & More

Square Enix has shared new gameplay information for their upcoming action-adventure spinoff of the Dragon Quest franchise, Dragon Quest Treasures.

• The Dragon Quest franchise was recently confirmed to have sold over 85 million units worldwide.
• Previous Dragon Quest Treasures Coverage

Combat is the focus of this news reveal, with Erik and Mia able to pick up to three monster allies to accompany them on the field. Attacking and dodging are simple, merely requiring single button presses. Further, combat is exemplified as simple since monsters are AI-controlled, automatically attacking enemies when approached.

To get a leg up on encounters, Erik and Mia can perform sneak attacks for significant initial damage. Still, if one doesn’t desire to engage in combat, digging up nearby buried treasure can be done while allied monsters take care of foes. Moreover, two orders can be given to monster allies; “Gather round!” for them to rush to your vicinity, and “Go, go, go!” to seek out nearby enemies.

Erik’s and Mia’s combative tools comprise their Dragon Daggers and catapults. The former can destroy pots and crates, and strike enemies, while also supplying healing functionality. On the other hand, the catapult is used for ranged maneuvers via pellets either bought or found in treasure chests. Pellets boast a plethora of effects, such as healing and buffing allies. Some foes will even be weak to certain affinities and elements particular pellets embody, making them a must-have at all times.

Yet another functionality the pellet umbrella has is the Buddy Bullet, which increases the likelihood of the shot monster joining Erik’s and Mia’s gang. When coupled with the fact that the catapult can be utilized while moving, players must continually strategize and organize their arsenal across each island they explore.

While fighting, a Monster Medley can occur if Erik, Mia, and their monster allies chain their attacks in the correct order. Severe amounts of damage can be dealt, and thankfully, the monsters’ AI is capable of choosing the best abilities to use depending on context. Monsters will also have three of four abilities each, with their line-up and exact number differing, even across the same species.

A resource players will have to keep in mind is monster-themed medals that are found in treasure chests and dropped by enemies. They increase stats when equipped and arrive in four ranks; bronze, silver, gold, and rainbow. Higher-ranked medals are rarer and impart exceptional boons. Further, the amount that can be equipped expands as the main cast’s gang rank rises.

The last explained combat mechanic is Unleash the Dragon. These special techniques can be triggered when Erik’s and Mia’s Dagger Gauge is maxed out, filled by attacking enemies. The Dagger Gauge can be charged for up to three uses and is depicted by Erik’s and Mia’s portrait UI. Allied monsters have their own unique variations of Unleash the Dragon, such as the Slimes’ Meteoric Rise, which causes substantial damage.

However, Erik and Mia actually have their own Unleash the Dragon ability, dubbed Wild Side. Activating it calls upon their survival instincts, temporarily enhancing all of their stats and movement speed. It is also worth noting that a singular usage of Unleash the Dragon takes one charge of the Dagger Gauge, so one strategy can be storing all three charges for especially dangerous bouts.

Lastly, you can view several other new Dragon Quest Treasures screenshots below, correlating to this article’s revealed information:

 Dragon Quest Treasures is releasing for Nintendo Switch worldwide on December 9, 2022.

• Release Date & Screenshots.
• Setting & Character News.
• Gameplay Mechanics & Japanese Screenshots.
• English Screenshots & English Voice Cast.
• Gameplay loop alongside treasure classifications alongside pre-orders being available + bonuses.
• Monster Recruitment, Species & Fortes; new English screenshots.
• Story & Exploration Trailer; Japanese
• Gameplay Overview Trailer
• Base Building, Facilities & The Snarl
• Rival Gangs Introduced
• 5 Explorable Islands, Balloon Popping Sidequest & Rare Monsters Introduced

Dragon Quest Treasures follows Erik and Mia, both prominent characters from Dragon Quest XI, with Erik even having been a party member. However, in this title, these siblings are taken away from the Viking ship they normally reside in to a new world called Draconia, housing a myriad of treasures, including the Seven Dragonstones. Conveniently, Erik and Mia can communicate with the monsters here, allowing for integral cooperation regarding treasure hunting.