Resident Evil 4’s Triumph Ends Up Soaring Our Expectations For Dragon’s Dogma 2

Capcom’s attempt at a western RPG bore fruit in Dragon’s Dogma, as the game delivered a unique experience with many exciting concepts and combat mechanics that were widely praised. After a silence of over ten years, the Japanese industry giant finally rewarded the fans’ patience by announcing Dragon’s Dogma 2 to be in development. The game has garnered a lot of hype and anticipation.

https://twitter.com/DragonsDogma/status/1537561220558950402?cxt=HHwWhMCovZTywdYqAAAA

With the announcement of a sequel, the most pressing concern for us was how it’ll manage to stay true to the original. The concern has surely been mitigated after observing the Resident Evil 4 remake. In an era of frequent remasters and remakes that sometimes fail to reach the heights of the original, Capcom presented a fresh but faithful iteration of one of the most beloved games in the Resident Evil Franchise.

Capcom Defining The Standard Of Remakes Once Again

When Capcom decided to rebuild the games of its classic and highly regarded survival horror series, surely no one was expecting they’ll deliver phenomenal experiences of this scale, as we revisited the thrilling experience of Racoon City in Resident Evil 2. A remake of Resident Evil 3 followed suit and convinced us that Capcom has all hands on deck with this.

And when a remake for Resident Evil 4, the most influential and monumental Resident Evil game for many, was announced, we couldn’t help but rejoice as Capcom had given us no reason to hold doubts. And proving its expertise once again, we received a game that not only felt fresh and full of innovation but also perfectly reflected and upheld the legacy of the original, something we expect Dragon’s Dogma 2 to integrate.

The revolutionary giant that influenced many survival horror games and mechanics down the road is back to dominate once again. The nostalgic venture into the unnamed Spanish village is now much more visually spectacular as Capcom’s RE Engine brilliantly recreates the stunning environments. The ominous setting and fitting audio design re-establishes the dread we felt all those years ago.

In addition, the remake sees many improvements to the gameplay elements without a complete overhaul of what we loved in the original. There is a lot more fluidity to the gameplay. Leon now moves swiftly with much more freedom, like simultaneous aiming and movement, and much more quality-of-life upgrades that make the mechanics more fast-paced in accordance with modern trends.

The more fluid mechanics do not mean you lose the thrill of the tense combat encounters, as the enemies are tailored to react accordingly and make sure you don’t let the mobility get to your head. The cunning enemies of the original are further refined with improved tactics to make your life miserable and keep you on your toes for an adrenaline-fueled journey.

The main objective of the original game was the rescue of Ashley Graham, the daughter of the U.S. president, and considering you decimate everything in your way, this escort should be nothing big. We soon realized how wrong we were, as Ashley’s infamous AI with clunky movements and prone to walking right into the face of danger and losing health served to further our plight.

Why is Ashley such a pain in the ass?
by u/StrelokAnd in residentevil

The improvement of Ashley’s AI was a welcome addition to the remake, as your life is made a lot easier with the more responsive NPC with no health restrictions. Speaking of NPCs, the game also rescues the iconic Merchant from the players’ violent tendencies by taking away your ability to shoot him, something the Merchant will surely appreciate.

All in all, it’s safe to say Resident Evil 4 has made a triumphant return in a way that provides a fresh experience in tune with modern trends while retaining the legacy of the original, which is faithfully reflected in the remake. With Dragon’s Dogma 2 as Capcom’s next major project, our expectations for the long-awaited sequel are higher than ever after witnessing the glorious Resident Evil 4.

Dragon’s Dogma’s Strong Suits

Although not as successful as Capcom’s heavy hitters like Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Monster Hunter, and Devil May Cry, Dragon’s Dogma is an excellent, underrated title that had a dedicated fanbase consistently demanding a sequel as rumors started to float around. The game’s 10th-anniversary stream was a pleasant surprise for the fans as Dragon’s Dogma 2 was officially announced.

The game deserves more recognition than it got, as it had many fascinating concepts for a western fantasy RPG that have a lot of potential for refinement. And that’s precisely why we want the sequel to retain the core ideas instead of giving us something totally different from what made the first game appealing. Dragon’s Dogma 2’s announcement ended up boosting the player count for it as fans sought to relive the beloved adventure.

Dragon's Dogma hit its highest peak Concurrent Players count on Steam in 6+ Years today thanks to the announcement of Dragons Dogma 2 and going on sale for $5. It reached 6,500+ players which hasn't happened since February 2016

Nice to see this IP coming back and interest rising pic.twitter.com/zaqSh3NsxJ

— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) June 19, 2022

The gameplay mechanics and combat were the highlights of the player’s journey through the lands of Gransys. Most notably, the climbing mechanic gave you an upper hand against the many monsters plaguing your way—the ability to climb atop the towering monstrosities to strike effectively brought forth a sense of superiority. Similarly, being able to lift lower monsters and stroll around carrying the unfortunate foe is highly amusing.

The combat mechanics of the game have enough depth to set it apart from conventional action RPGs. Many features influence the behavior of various monsters, which can be exploited. This brings a tactical aspect where you can refine your approach by studying the patterns of the enemies. In addition, various classes are all polished in their own way, capable of excelling with appropriate effort.

The magic system of the game is straight-up entertaining with its freedom and absolute destruction. The gameplay tactics are further reinforced by the party system, which provides you with customizable pawns and the option to deploy pawns of other players. The pawn system brings a fascinating addition to the gameplay as you plan your moves as a party. A refined implementation of this mechanic in Dragon’s Dogma 2 is highly desired.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Should Play To The Series’ Strengths

These points further establish our desire for more of the same. The world of Dragon’s Dogma has expansive lore that wasn’t fully explored in the first game. Dragon’s Dogma 2 has the opportunity to take a deep dive into the immense underlying plot points and bring them to light, which will fuel the engagement of players. After the epic conclusion of the first game, we eagerly await the new premise the sequel will present.

I believe we need not be concerned with the visual fidelity and the performance of the game since it is being developed on the RE Engine, Capcom’s exceptional and lightweight engine creating a smooth experience for even low-end devices. Starting from Resident Evil 7, the RE Engine has supported Capcom’s big releases like Devil May Cry 5 and the Resident Evil remakes, boasting impressive visuals and performance across the board.

Although the game was exceptional in its approach, there is room for improvement that the sequel can address. The open world of the first game was somewhat lacking in content and was filled with repeated enemies. Dragon’s Dogma 2 can bring the series to new heights by providing a rich open world and bringing a variety of foes to oppose the players.

The sequel can delve into the stories of your companions and deepen their involvement and character interactions to make the relationship more meaningful. Subsequently, the party system can be expanded to integrate a co-op mode, bringing a lot more immersion in the combat and the ability to enjoy it with other players.

Capcom’s decision to revive Dragon’s Dogma was met with extreme joy as the prayers of dedicated fans were answered. Everyone’s desire is a game that makes the most of the prequel and delivers a refined experience true to the series’ roots, as Resident Evil 4 has reignited the hype for this upcoming game. The platforms and release window for Dragon’s Dogma 2 are yet unknown.