《勇者鬥惡龍 英雄集結 II 雙子之王與預言的終焉》（Dragon Quest Heroes II: Twin Kings and the Prophecy's End）是Square Enix與Omega Force聯手開發的動作角色扮演遊戲，於2016年在PlayStation 3、PlayStation 4、PlayStation Vita平台推出，隨後登陸 PC（Steam）與 Nintendo Switch。作為系列的第二部作品，不僅延續前作的無雙風格戰鬥，更強化RPG元素，並新增開放世界探索與多人連線合作模式，讓遊戲體驗更加豐富。

千年前，異世界由雙子之王札拉姆與納吉姆統治，兩兄弟攜手維繫著世界的秩序。然而，札拉姆最終墮入黑暗，化身為魔王，試圖毀滅這個世界。為阻止哥哥的暴行，納吉姆竭盡全力，最終成功將札拉姆封印，並離開異世界，來到遊戲中的世界。

然而，札拉姆的破壞已經讓世界陷入混亂，一場毀滅性的戰爭爆發，導致世界最終分裂為七大國家。南方由奧倫加、傑瓦爾和庫雷帝亞三國組成，北方則是莫利亞斯、拉達爾與費爾諾克，而在世界中心，則矗立著宗主國瑟比翁。南方三國與宗主國瑟比翁是人類與怪物共存的國度，而北方三國則由怪物族所統治。戰爭結束後，瑟比翁王成為各國的盟主，透過協調與談判，使得這片大地得以暫時維持和平。

然而，這片土地上流傳著一則古老的預言。預言之中提到，當世界再度陷入戰亂與動盪之時，雙子之王將再次降臨，掌控天下，帶來新的秩序，改變這個世界的命運。隨著時間的推移，人們逐漸遺忘這段歷史，然而，命運的齒輪卻已經悄然開始轉動……

主角分為兩名年輕的戰士，分別是「拉傑爾」與「泰蕾西雅」，他們是兄妹，原本在不同的國家生活，卻因為戰爭的緣故重逢，並決定攜手尋找戰爭背後的真相。在旅途中，他們遇見來自《勇者鬥惡龍》歷代的知名角色，像是《DQIV》的特魯內克、《DQVI》的哈桑、《DQVII》的瑪麗貝爾、賈波等，這些英雄們與主角並肩作戰，共同對抗試圖掌控世界的神祕敵人「賽爾班提斯」，並揭開古老預言的真正含義。

相較於前作偏向單線劇情，本作的故事更加宏大，帶有更多政治鬥爭、國家間的衝突與陰謀，讓劇情變得更加有層次。此外，主角可以選擇不同的職業，使得玩家在故事中的成長體驗更加多樣化。

戰鬥系統延續前作的即時動作風格，但引入更多RPG要素，使遊戲不再只是單純的無雙式砍殺，而是更接近傳統的《勇者鬥惡龍》冒險模式。依舊可以組成四人小隊，在戰鬥中自由切換操控角色，每個角色都有各自獨特的武器與技能，透過連續攻擊與魔法組合，可以施展出強大的連擊。

本作最大的改變之一是「職業系統」，主角可以自由轉職，選擇戰士、僧侶、魔法師、武鬥家等經典職業，每種職業都有不同的戰鬥風格與技能，能夠依照自己的遊玩風格打造角色。此外，透過升級與裝備強化，進一步強化角色的能力，增添遊戲深度。另一個新要素是「怪物變身系統」，收集怪物的靈魂，並在戰鬥中變身成該怪物，使用其特殊技能來應對戰況。這使得戰鬥變得更加多變，特別是在面對強敵或大規模戰鬥時，怪物變身能提供戰術上的優勢。

捨棄前作較為線性的關卡設計，改為開放式地圖，自由探索不同的國度。七個國家各自擁有獨特的環境與怪物，從繁華都市、沙漠、森林到冰雪地帶，每個地區都設計得相當細緻，夠體驗更具冒險感的旅程。此外，加入NPC任務、隱藏寶箱、地下迷宮等探索要素，增強整體的耐玩度。關卡設計上也更加多元，不只是單純的擊敗敵人，部分關卡還需要進行防禦戰，保護特定據點免受怪物侵襲，或是解開機關來開啟通往下一個區域的道路。此外，新增「多人合作模式」，最多可四人連線協力挑戰特定關卡，使耐玩度大幅提升。

當年在發售後獲得普遍良好的評價，許多玩家認為比前作更加精緻，特別是在戰鬥系統與探索要素上的改進，使遊戲不再只是單純的無雙風格，而更接近傳統的《勇者鬥惡龍》冒險體驗。職業系統的加入讓角色培養更具深度，而開放式地圖與多人連線模式則大幅提高可玩性。然而，部分玩家仍然認為本作的劇情雖然有所提升，但相比於《勇者鬥惡龍》本傳，仍然稍嫌薄弱。此外，部分關卡的AI設計仍然較為單調，使得挑戰性稍顯不足，對於習慣高難度動作遊戲的玩家來說可能不夠具有挑戰性。

總體而言，《勇者鬥惡龍 英雄集結 II》成功改進前作的不足，提供更加豐富的遊戲體驗，對於喜歡《勇者鬥惡龍》系列或是動作 RPG 的玩家來說，該作無疑是值得嘗試的佳作。

Dragon Quest Heroes II: Twin Kings and the Prophecy's End is an action RPG developed by Square Enix and Omega Force. It was released in 2016 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita, followed by a later release on PC (via Steam) and Nintendo Switch. As the second installment in the series, the game builds upon the hack-and-slash combat of its predecessor while incorporating deeper RPG elements, open-world exploration, and online co-op multiplayer, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

A thousand years ago, an alternate world was ruled by twin kings, Zalam and Najim. The two brothers maintained order in their realm, but Zalam ultimately succumbed to darkness and became the Demon King, seeking to destroy everything. To stop his brother’s rampage, Najim fought with all his might, successfully sealing Zalam away before leaving the alternate world and arriving in the game's world.

However, Zalam’s destruction had already plunged the world into chaos, triggering a devastating war that led to its division into seven nations. The southern lands consisted of Orlenka, Gewar, and Creitia, while the northern lands were home to Morias, Ladar, and Felknok. At the center of the world stood the dominant kingdom of Serbion. The southern nations and Serbion were home to both humans and monsters, while the northern nations were ruled entirely by monsters. After the war, the King of Serbion took on the role of the world's leader, mediating conflicts and preserving a fragile peace.

Yet, an ancient prophecy foretold that when war once again engulfed the world, the twin kings would reappear, ruling over all and reshaping the world's destiny. As time passed, history was gradually forgotten, but the wheels of fate had already begun to turn…

The protagonists of this tale are two young warriors, Lazarel and Teresia, a brother and sister who had been living separately in different nations but were reunited due to the outbreak of war. Determined to uncover the truth behind the conflict, they embark on a journey that brings them into contact with legendary characters from past Dragon Quest titles. Familiar faces such as Torneko (DQIV), Hassan (DQVI), Maribel, and Ruff (DQVII) join forces with the protagonists, aiding them in their battle against the mysterious enemy Cervantes, who seeks to dominate the world. Along the way, they unravel the true meaning behind the ancient prophecy.

Unlike its predecessor, which followed a more linear storyline, Dragon Quest Heroes II presents a grander narrative with deeper themes of political strife, national conflicts, and intrigue. The protagonists can choose from multiple job classes, allowing for greater character development and strategic depth.

The combat system retains the real-time action style of the previous game but introduces additional RPG mechanics, making battles more than just mindless hack-and-slash encounters. Players can form a four-person party and freely switch between characters during combat, each wielding unique weapons and skills. By combining attacks and magic, players can unleash devastating combos.

One of the game’s most significant additions is the Job System, allowing protagonists to switch between various classic Dragon Quest professions such as Warrior, Priest, Mage, and Martial Artist. Each job features distinct combat styles and abilities, enabling players to tailor their characters to their preferred playstyle. Character progression is further enhanced through leveling up and equipment upgrades, adding more depth to the gameplay.

Another new mechanic is the Monster Transformation System, where players can collect monster souls and temporarily transform into those creatures during battle. This feature adds a strategic layer, as certain monster forms provide unique abilities useful for different combat scenarios.

Unlike the first game’s linear stage progression, Dragon Quest Heroes II adopts an open-world structure, allowing players to freely explore different nations. Each of the seven countries boasts distinct environments and enemy types, ranging from bustling cities and deserts to dense forests and icy wastelands. The game also includes NPC side quests, hidden treasure chests, and underground dungeons, enhancing the sense of adventure.

The level design offers more variety, introducing defensive missions, where players must protect key locations from waves of monsters, and puzzle-based challenges, requiring players to unlock paths by solving environmental obstacles. Additionally, the game features multiplayer co-op mode, allowing up to four players to team up and tackle special missions together, greatly increasing replayability.

Upon release, Dragon Quest Heroes II received generally positive reviews. Many players praised its improvements over the first game, particularly the refined combat mechanics and expanded exploration elements, making it feel closer to a traditional Dragon Quest experience rather than just a Dynasty Warriors-style hack-and-slash game. The introduction of the Job System was well received, offering greater depth to character progression, while the open-world design and co-op multiplayer added significant longevity.

However, some players felt that while the story was more engaging than its predecessor, it still fell short compared to the mainline Dragon Quest games. Additionally, certain AI behaviors were criticized for being too simplistic, making some battles feel less challenging for experienced action RPG players.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes II successfully refined its predecessor’s formula, delivering a richer and more engaging experience. For fans of the Dragon Quest series or action RPGs, this game is a worthy addition to their collection.