Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of the prettiest games I think I’ve played. It is an astoundingly good-looking game and one where every step I took through the massive part of the open world I had access to was flawless. Flowing rivers, eerily still lakes, amazing forests, a horrible desert area that killed me off a frustrating number of times, and towns that hustle and bustle with the best of them.
As a fan of the original game and someone that’s gone back to Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen in nearly every form, it’s hard. It’s hard for me to describe how excited I am for this game, but I’m also very aware of the flaws that the original had, as well as how far RPG design has come since its release 13 years ago. Dragon’s Dogma 2 does hold onto some of these aspects, too, so what you get, as far as I can tell with my time during the preview, is a game that’s both incredibly modern and surprisingly old-school.
The old-school elements are in things like there being single instance quests and chances, and there being no “convenient” fast travel system. It’s a deliberate design choice that goes hand in hand with things like your health depleting over time until you rest or that your carry load is a constant worry. It’s odd to step back in time with these things, but it’s not bad, it’s just different. It’s different in a way that might be hard for some to deal with, but provides a refreshing tone when compared to the norm.
From the more modern approach, you’ve got the world itself, the combat, and the creatures as well. Everything feels alive, with you stumbling across things like a dragon fighting off a cyclops and just dunking on it, or a group of wolves fighting travellers randomly. It feels a lot more immersive, and that might be why there’s no co-op here, even if I still think it would be an overall improvement to the formula. You’re not alone though, as there are still Pawns that can accompany you and fill out your tactical options. It’s an easy-to-use system, and I like it well enough, but not as much as I’d like a journey with a friend or two.
Combat feels, and this won’t be a surprise for anyone who’s played a Capcom game of late, fantastic. I got to try two classes – the Magick Archer and the Mystic Spearhand – with both being a dual-class that you’ll unlock a little way into the game. The Magick Archer excels in support above all else. While they can dole out big damage, you’re generally going to be using things like long-range healing spells, and the ability to freeze monsters in place, to make sure the rest of your party comes out on top.
The Mystic Spearhand, by contrast, is far more in your face. It’s also a brand-new class for the game, having not been present in Dragon’s Dogma the first. The Spearhand utilises an immensely cool twin-blade to flurry through enemies lightning fast, but can also conjure a magical bolt to either stun enemies, or even teleport to them. It took me a few tries, but you can 100% use this bolt to teleport to, and then grab onto, flying enemies. That’s an immensely satisfying feeling, and I’m excited to see what late-game builds feel like.
Given how large even the small part of the world I explored was, and how in-depth it was, with caves weaving in and out of hills, rivers flowing around past stones you can clamber over, and plenty of impromptu quests and battles to take part in, I’ve no doubts that Dragon’s Dogma 2 is going to feel like a true epic. I’m excited about it, but I’m a little nervous too.
It takes a lot for a game like this to really grip people, and while I think there are certainly a lot of aspects here that can do that, I do wonder if some of the more atypical or archaic design choices in it will scare off most people. It’s probably not going to stop me enjoying the game – and I’ve no doubt that fans of the original will lap this up – but I do think it’s worth considering.
TSBonyman
It looks great, i’ll have to check it out when i’m done with Elden Ring.