9) Dragon Quest Builders
It might have taken some time, but the popularity of sandbox games such as Minecraft and Terraria have influenced a major Japanese franchise, and Dragon Quest Builders is the end result. Set in the world of the original Dragon Quest game, Dragon Quest Builders trades in the traditional JRPG loop of fighting enemies in order to level up, and instead tasks players with rebuilding the destroyed world of Alefgard.
There’s still a focus on defeating enemy monsters, but instead of levelling up traditionally, you’ll gain access to better materials and more powerful recipes, bolstering you crafting ability as a whole. Genre traditionalists may not be too enthused with the focus on crafting and building, but those who are a little more flexible will find an incredibly fun world to explore and craft in.