《勇者鬥惡龍 英雄集結 闇龍與世界樹之城》（Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below）是由Omega Force開發、Square Enix發行的動作角色扮演遊戲（ARPG）。於2015年在PlayStation 3、PlayStation 4和PC平台推出，2017年移植到Switch。融合《勇者鬥惡龍》的經典元素與無雙類型的動作玩法，是系列的一次創新嘗試。

背景設定在充滿魔法與怪物的世界「艾爾薩澤」。本來，人類與怪物和平共存，但某一天，邪惡的魔法師「賽爾班提斯」施展黑暗魔法，使怪物陷入狂暴，開始攻擊人類。王國的兩名主角，年輕的將軍「奧魯涅斯」與「柯蕾特」，肩負起拯救世界的使命。他們攜手其他來自《勇者鬥惡龍》歷代的知名角色，一同對抗賽爾班提斯，尋找恢復世界和平的方法。玩家將跟隨主角們穿越各地，尋找盟友、解開世界樹的秘密，並最終與黑暗魔龍展開決戰。故事雖然相對傳統，但以《勇者鬥惡龍》風格呈現，充滿幽默、熱血以及感動人心的情節，尤其是來自不同作品的角色們互動，讓老玩家感到懷舊而親切。

採用即時動作戰鬥，類似無雙遊戲，可以操控多名角色，在大量敵人中大殺四方。不同角色擁有各自的武器與技能，像是奧魯涅斯擅長大劍攻擊，而柯蕾特則是使用雙劍進行快速連擊。戰鬥中可以隨時切換隊伍成員，根據戰況選擇最適合的角色進行攻擊。技能系統能夠學習與強化不同的技能，並且透過MP管理施展強力魔法或特殊技。此外，還引入「怪物召喚系統」，收集怪物召喚石，召喚被打敗的怪物來協助戰鬥，增加戰術變化。

主要分為故事模式與支線任務。故事模式中，將逐步探索不同的王國，每個地區都有獨特的敵人與挑戰，甚至還有守護世界樹的戰役。部分關卡帶有防守元素，需要保護據點不被敵人攻破，而不是單純清場。這樣的設計讓戰鬥不只是單調的砍殺，還需要戰略佈局與防守思維。支線任務則提供額外的挑戰與獎勵，可以完成NPC委託、獵殺強敵或蒐集素材來強化裝備。遊戲內還有鍛造與合成系統，能夠製作更強的武器與防具，提升角色戰力。

當年發售後獲得不錯的評價，特別是在《勇者鬥惡龍》粉絲群體中廣受好評。美術風格忠實還原鳥山明的設計，戰鬥爽快、角色眾多，並且配樂也由系列長期作曲家椙山浩一負責，讓人能夠享受熟悉的音樂氛圍。然而，部分玩家認為關卡設計較為重複，敵人AI偏簡單，導致挑戰性較低。此外，劇情雖然有趣，但相較於傳統的《勇者鬥惡龍》正傳，深度較淺，對RPG要素的比重也較輕。對於不熟悉該系列的玩家來說，整體的樂趣可能會略微減少。

總體而言，作為動作RPG，成功結合《勇者鬥惡龍》的魅力與無雙風格的戰鬥，讓新舊玩家都能享受其中的樂趣。這次的嘗試也獲得足夠的成功，促使Square Enix 在2016年推出續作《勇者鬥惡龍 英雄集結 II 雙子之王與預言的終焉》，進一步強化遊戲系統並加入更多角色與新內容。

Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below is an action role-playing game (ARPG) developed by Omega Force and published by Square Enix. It was released in 2015 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC, and later ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2017. The game blends classic Dragon Quest elements with Dynasty Warriors-style hack-and-slash action, making it an innovative attempt for the series.

The story takes place in the magical world of Elsalze, where humans and monsters once coexisted peacefully. However, one day, an evil sorcerer named Velasco casts dark magic, driving the monsters into a frenzy and causing them to attack humans. The kingdom’s two young generals, Luceus and Aurora, take on the mission of saving the world. They join forces with legendary characters from past Dragon Quest games to battle Velasco and find a way to restore peace.

Players embark on an adventure across different lands, seeking allies, uncovering the secrets of the World Tree, and ultimately facing the Dark Dragon in a climactic battle. While the storyline follows a traditional fantasy structure, it is presented in the signature Dragon Quest style, filled with humor, excitement, and emotional moments. The interactions between characters from different Dragon Quest titles bring nostalgia and familiarity to longtime fans.

The game features real-time action combat, similar to Dynasty Warriors, allowing players to control multiple characters and fight through waves of enemies. Each character has unique weapons and abilities—Luceus excels in heavy greatsword attacks, while Aurora wields dual swords for swift combos. Players can freely switch between party members during battle, choosing the most suitable character based on the situation.

The skill system enables characters to learn and enhance various abilities, while MP management plays a crucial role in executing powerful spells and special moves. Additionally, the game introduces the Monster Summoning System, where players collect monster medals to summon defeated monsters as allies, adding more strategic depth to combat.

The game is divided into Story Mode and Side Quests. In Story Mode, players gradually explore different kingdoms, each featuring unique enemies and challenges, including major battles to defend the World Tree. Some stages incorporate defensive missions, requiring players to protect a stronghold from enemy invasions instead of simply clearing out foes. This design adds an element of tactical planning beyond simple hack-and-slash gameplay.

Side quests provide additional challenges and rewards, such as NPC requests, hunting powerful enemies, and gathering materials to upgrade equipment. The game also includes a forging and synthesis system, allowing players to craft stronger weapons and armor to enhance their characters.

Upon release, the game received generally positive reviews, particularly from Dragon Quest fans. The art style faithfully recreates Akira Toriyama’s designs, the combat is exhilarating with a large cast of playable characters, and the soundtrack, composed by series veteran Koichi Sugiyama, delivers a familiar and immersive musical experience. However, some players felt that the level design was repetitive, enemy AI was overly simplistic, and the game lacked significant challenge. Additionally, while the story was engaging, it lacked the depth of a mainline Dragon Quest RPG, with a lighter emphasis on traditional RPG mechanics. For newcomers unfamiliar with the series, the overall experience might feel somewhat less compelling.

Overall, as an action RPG, the game successfully combines the charm of Dragon Quest with Dynasty Warriors-style combat, making it enjoyable for both new and veteran players. This successful experiment led Square Enix to release a sequel, Dragon Quest Heroes II: Twin Kings and the Prophecy’s End, in 2016, which further refined the gameplay mechanics and introduced new characters and content.