Dragon’s Dogma 2 Review – A Masterpiece With Rough Edges

Dragon’s Dogma is one of my favorite games of all time, and as of this year, I have put hundreds of hours into it across three different platforms. I have completed every quest, explored every location, and hunted down every monster it has to offer multiple times over, and yet it still keeps me hooked after so many years.

But after over a decade of radio silence from Capcom, I had given up hope that I would ever see a sequel to this brilliant game. Yet here we are in early 2024, and I have the game in my hands, and it’s all I could have ever hoped for.

Yes, the game has some rough edges to be fair, but that does not detract from what is otherwise one of the greatest games I have ever played.

Story And Setting

While the events of Dragon’s Dogma 2 do not take place in the same setting as the first game, there are enough similarities here that returning players should not feel completely out of their depth. It also means that those new to the series can jump in without having played the first game and being aware of its lore.

Essentially, the world of the sequel is parallel to the one featured in the original and is mostly split between the kingdoms of Vermund and Battahl, both of which are very varied in terms of visuals and are a joy to explore on top of that.

This is a vast and extremely dense world filled with secrets around every corner and hundreds of different NPCs to interact with. It’s also an extremely reactive world, and although the game’s central plot is not exactly groundbreaking, what matters most is the adventures that come about simply by existing within it.

There are enough similarities here that returning players should not feel completely out of their depth.

After a brief opening sequence where the protagonist encounters the Dragon and is subsequently turned into the Arisen, almost exactly like in the original game, you are set loose in the open world. And from here, there is little to no handholding going forward.

A Reactive Adventure

It is remarkable how much freedom Dragon’s Dogma 2 gives you in regard to what you are allowed to do. Very often, I would simply start walking in a direction and start talking to NPCs, and would more often than not end up with a goal to accomplish.

And these goals are not like traditional side-quests in other games either. There are no quest markers, no extensive checklists, and no indicators on the map either. You simply talk to people, look for clues in their words and the environment, and venture forth into the world to see what you can find.

This is a vast and extremely dense world filled with secrets around every corner and hundreds of different NPCs to interact with.

Your Pawns help you out as best as they can, especially with tips if they’ve done a quest before with another player, and I found their constant banter to be delightful. Others may not feel the same, but as a longtime fan, I just got a massive kick out of my Pawn pointing out that I had a penchant for traveling in a party full of women.

Comments like these kept me laughing throughout, even when Griffins descended from the sky to wreak havoc on us. That’s another thing about this game, it taught me to always expect the unexpected. I cannot think of many scenarios where things always went according to plan.

Gameplay

Gameplay is so incredibly unpredictable that I always had to be on my toes in terms of what to expect next. Do I head out now into the darkness knowing that the undead could spring up any moment, or do I shelter in a nearby cave until dawn, knowing that there may be other threats inside?

Do I fight the Minotaur guarding the road in the hopes of netting some valuable loot, or do I sneak past and keep myself alive until I’m fully rested up? Scenarios like these popped up every single time I went exploring, but none of them ever made me feel like I was being forced to make a decision. It was all up to me and me alone.

As far as the journey is concerned I genuinely believe that Dragon’s Dogma 2 delivered the most exhilarating adventure I’ve been on in a long time. Not since Elden Ring have I felt this immersed in a game world, and I know there are hours of more gameplay hidden within.

Swords And Sorcery

In terms of the actual combat, each of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s 10 Vocations feels radically different to play, and each of them is weighty and satisfying in its own way. You of course have your standard returning options like Mage and Fighter, but then there are also unique new Vocations like the Trickster and the Mystic Spearhand.

I opted to go for the Mystic Spearhand purely because of how cool it looks, and I do not regret my choice. It makes use of a combination of magic and melee combat to dart around the battlefield, freezing enemies in their tracks and hurling projectiles at them from range.

Each of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s 10 Vocations feels radically different to play, and each of them is weighty and satisfying in its own way.

But the best thing about the game is that allows you to switch to other Vocations easily, and even provides incentives to do so through your playthrough in the form of Augments. These are permanent buffs that you can earn from leveling up different classes.

So when I felt that my character was running out of stamina far too often, I switched to Archer for a while until I unlocked the Endurance augment for additional stamina. And when I felt the need for more health, I switched to Warrior for Vitality.

Investing time into my character meant that I could perform better in fights, and go longer without having to return back to rest at a settlement, which in itself is a strategic decision that can cost you valuable time. It’s one of the most rewarding systems I’ve ever seen in a game.

Visuals And Performance

Let’s be completely upfront here, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a beautiful game with an equally beautiful world. It might not be the most fantastical setting we’ve seen in a fantasy RPG, but it still has its fair share of gorgeous vistas and spectacles.

But the issue is that it’s hard to appreciate this seamless open world when it’s plagued with performance issues that make the whole game a bit harder to play. To be fair, it does not have any major game-breaking bugs or glitches, and not once did the game crash on me, even if others online have reported that it’s happened to them.

It’s hard to appreciate this seamless open world when it’s plagued with performance issues that make the whole game a bit harder to play.

The main issue is how the framerate starts to tank when you encounter large groups of enemies, or when a lot of visual effects occur at the same time. With an uncapped framerate, the game barely manages to hold a steady 60 FPS on PC, but on console, it doesn’t even manage to hit that at all.

Entering cities tanks performance below even 30 FPS on consoles, and NPCs literally pop into view in front of your eyes. PC doesn’t fare much better either, but at least it’s not as nauseating as the console performance. So yeah, the game needed just a bit more polish in that regard so that it could really shine.

Verdict

While its performance issues may be disappointing, do not let that detract from the fact that this is still one of the finest RPGs ever made, and hands down one of the best games Capcom has ever made. Its rich open world, satisfying combat, and Pawn system, all make for one incredible experience you do not want to overlook.

I have no doubt that Capcom will continue to patch their game and update it in the coming weeks and months, but at the same time, It’s kind of hard to recommend people pick the game up right now, especially on consoles. So dive into it with caution, but know that you won’t be disappointed if you stick with it.

This has been my Dragon’s Dogma 2 Review. While you’re here, consider checking out some of our other articles. 

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