Comparison

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS vs Ex Astris

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS

Embark on an epic adventure in a block-based world to defeat the Dragonlord. Gather resources, craft items, and build anything from simple structures to entire towns to restore the realm. Engage in action-packed combat against familiar monsters and share your creations with friends.

Highlights
  • Explore a vast block world
  • Gather and craft items
  • Build structures and towns
  • Battle monsters
  • Specialized mobile controls
  • Share creations with friends
Read full description

Explore a world made of blocks as you gather, craft, and build to defeat the evil Dragonlord! Build everywhere from anywhere in DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS, available now on mobile. Brought to you by SQUARE ENIX! ◆ TRAVEL AND EXPLORE THE VAST WORLD OF DRAGON QUEST! In this “Block-Building RPG”, YOU are the legendary builder that has the power to build! The realm of Alefgard has been plunged into darkness by the terrible and treacherous Dragonlord, the ruler of all monsters. Venture off on the epic adventure to restore Alefgard! ◆ FACE OFF AGAINST VICIOUS FOES! You will encounter Slimes, Golems, Dragons, and more. Familiar DRAGON QUEST monsters of all sizes threaten the survival of humankind! Craft weapons, build defenses, and fight the monsters to protect your base. Use your power to build and play smart when fighting against frightening enemies in action packed combat! ◆ GATHER, CRAFT AND BUILD FROM ANYWHERE! In this world made of blocks, everything you see can be materials used to create! Farm ingredients, craft various items and build your base to unite the people roaming the ruins. From buildings to entire towns, you have the freedom to make your village your very own. The power to build is in the palm of your hands! ◆ BUILD BETTER ON MOBILE WITH SPECIAL FEATURES ADDED! Place blocks by simply tapping the screen and destroy blocks and items more easily with specialized cursors. A convenient Undo Button function has also been added to allow you to restore your work! Convert your buildings in to Build Cards to share with friends and scan their buildings to have them show up in your island! ◆ NEW DLC AS IN-APP PURCHASES New DLC added in “Terra Incognita,” the land where you can freely build and play! DLC includes: • “Magic carpet”, “Boss figure pack”, “Celestial pack”, “Dot ring” • “All in one pack” (A set of the above 4) *Please be aware of duplicate purchases. "OS: iOS 13 or later iPhone 8 or later (minimum 3GB of RAM)" *Playing this game on a non-recommended device may result in unexpected errors, such as crashing due to insufficient memory. Please be aware that we may not be able to provide support for non-recommended devices.

About

Ex Astris

Embark on an interstellar adventure as an investigator on a tidally locked planet. Explore diverse landscapes, engage in strategic turn-based combat with a unique maneuver system, and uncover the planet's mysteries with a team of companions.

Highlights
  • 3D Sci-Fi Adventure RPG
  • Semi-real-time, turn-based combat
  • Innovative Obscuran Maneuver system
  • World exploration on a tidally locked planet
  • Assemble and empower a team of companions
  • Crafting and puzzle-solving
Read full description

When the first satellite passes through the atmosphere, we believe we shall conquer the universe someday. Now I realized, humans are solely extending the boundaries of the earth left the kaleidoscopic world behind. Investigator. Have you ever thought that the mourning sea in front of you has lost its warmth? We are struggling in the shallow waters when tides over the shore. We are stranded on the sandbank when waves recede. Every single star shall rejoice and lament. "Go through the storm and transcend eternity. Bon voyage." Game Features: Ex Astris is a semi-real-time, turn-based 3D RPG. As an investigator, you will delve into the world of Allindo and embark on a wondrous interstellar adventure. #WorldExploration Explore a planet in a tidally locked orbit, a realm where the sun never sets. Split into two distinct hemispheres by massive ring-shaped storms, this planet is home to bizarre creatures and intelligent beings remarkably similar to humans. On an RV journey, you will explore foreign lands with diverse local cultures, collect memories of extraordinary encounters, and unravel the mystery behind a looming storm. #ObscuranManeuvers A cool blend of turn-based gameplay and fast-paced action: Make the most of our innovative Obscuran Maneuver system and time your responses to perfectly counter enemy attacks. You can also pull off powerful team combos and joint attacks with your allies for strategic advantages. #ProgressionExperience Assemble a team of vibrant companions, each with their own motives and stories. Their powers and strength will depend on your knowledge of their traits. Scour Allindo for various materials to concoct special dishes and craft all sorts of Laylah-Keys to empower your team. Solve intricate puzzles in strongholds, defeat challenging foes that stand in your way, and unveil the mysteries of Allindo. Stay connected: Official Website: https://exa.gryphline.com/en-us/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExAstrisOfficial/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Astris_EN Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExAstris_en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exastris_en/ Support Email: exastris_cs@gryphline.com *Minimum system requirements Device: iPhone 8 or better models; iPads with the A12 chip or better processors System: iOS 12 or above Storage: 10GB free space or above

Screenshots

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS4 screens
Ex Astris4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Ex Astris at $9.99 against DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS's $27.99. Ex Astris also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and chart position (#85 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS costs $27.99 and Ex Astris $9.99 up front. DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Ex Astris asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS against 4.4 for Ex Astris. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 163 and 267 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 66% and 66% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS ships an update fortnightly, Ex Astris every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS versus Ex Astris: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDRAGON QUEST BUILDERSEx Astris
Price$27.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.5 (163 ratings) — better4.4 (267 ratings)
Positive reviews65.7% of reviews65.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings163267 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank—#85 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size639 MB3.7 GB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperSQUARE ENIXGRYPH FRONTIER PTE.LTD.

Customer experience

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS

All ratings163 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive65.7%
Neutral15.7%
Negative18.6%

Ex Astris

All ratings267 ratings
Positive84.3%
Neutral5.6%
Negative10.1%
Written reviews313 reviews
Positive65.8%
Neutral13.1%
Negative21.1%

User reviews

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS

From 163 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great port quality
  • 👍 Fun and engaging gameplay
  • 👍 Good story and RPG elements
  • 👍 Intuitive touch controls (for some)
  • 👍 Well-optimized for mobile

Room to improve

  • 🎮 No controller support
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🔥 Device overheating
  • 🕹️ Clunky/unplayable touch controls (for many)
  • 📱 UI offset on larger iPads

Ex Astris

From 267 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Seamless combat system
  • 🎨 Breathtaking graphics and art style
  • 💰 Great value for a one-time purchase
  • 🌟 Captivating story and world-building
  • 🎮 Engaging turn-based gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🔇 Inconsistent audio/sound issues
  • 📜 Unclear story and lore explanations
  • 🕹️ Lack of controller support
  • 🌐 Requires internet connection to play
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

Bugs and requests

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Controller support partially implemented (left stick only)
  • Game freezes/crashes
  • Challenges not reflecting completion
  • Camera zooms unexpectedly in caves
  • NPCs behaving erratically (walking on walls, jumping)
Show 5 more
  • Quest progression bugs (e.g., Divine Draught quest)
  • Save file issues (no cloud sync, iPad/iPhone sync issues)
  • Frame rate issues/stuttering
  • Game not progressing after defeating certain bosses (Helcondor)
  • Developer support link broken

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add controller support
  • Add cloud save sync
  • Allow UI customization (button placement, size)
  • Add option for free-form joystick
  • Improve optimization for better battery life and performance
Show 5 more
  • Add more advanced graphics settings
  • Allow iPad app to run on macOS
  • Add map markers for quests
  • Request for Dragon Quest Builders 2 port
  • Request for Dragon Quest Builders 3

Ex Astris

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Game freezes at startup for some users
  • Second fight cannot be progressed through
  • Ziplines outside trade center are bugged
  • Dialogue text pacing issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add controller support
  • Improve story explanations and lore
  • Implement offline play mode
  • Add English voice-over option
  • Provide more in-depth tutorial for combat

In-app purchases

5 purchases

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS

One-time5
  • New Content! Magic Carpet$2.99
  • New Content! Astronomy Set$2.99
  • Boss Monster Model Set$2.99
Show 2 more
  • New Content! Pixel Ring$2.99
  • All-in-One Pack$5.99
None

Ex Astris

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS free?
DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS costs $27.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Ex Astris free?
Ex Astris costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS or Ex Astris?
DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS is rated higher. DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS averages 4.5 out of 5 from 163 ratings, while Ex Astris averages 4.4 from 267 ratings.
Do DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS or Ex Astris have ads?
Neither DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS nor Ex Astris shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS or Ex Astris?
DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS ships an update fortnightly, and Ex Astris every 3 weeks. Most recently, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS was updated on September 21, 2026 and Ex Astris on September 24, 2026.

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