Dragon’s Dogma ended up being one of the biggest surprises of 2012. Capcom’s high fantasy RPG, which lets players explore the world of Gransys, became a cult hit thanks to its unique combat and mechanics. Taking cues from Shadow of the Colossus, the combat involved grappling and climbing on top of larger enemies and bosses, while the Pawn system allowed players to create and share custom party members.
After a decade of anticipation, we’re finally getting a sequel. The long-awaited Dragon’s Dogma 2 is set for a March 22 release. The game launches on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, but will it satisfy fans?
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Gameplay
Dragon’s Dogma 2 once again sees players thrust into the role of an Arisen. Marked by a dragon they must defeat, the hero will explore the world, tackle quests, and fight monsters. The game sees the return of the Pawn system, allowing players to customize their AI-controlled party members, or share them with other players. Both the Arisen and Pawns operate under various vocations (classes), determining their capabilities and the equipment they can use.
Many of the vocations will be familiar to players of the first Dragon’s Dogma, with some changes. For example, the Strider and Ranger vocations have respectively changed to Thief and Archer, while new hybrid variations are available to explore. The Mystic Spearhand, a variation of the Mystic Knight from the first game, and the Trickster, who can buff allies and beguile enemies, are a couple of examples.
After creating a character and a Pawn, the player chooses their vocation. Following the choice of Thief, Mage, Fighter, or Archer, the option to expand into an advanced hybrid class becomes available. You’ll be able to evolve your base class into something more complex and powerful, whether that’s Mystic Spearhead, Magick Archer, Warrior, Sorcerer, or Trickster, each with its own varying strengths and weaknesses.
Story and World
Dragon’s Dogma 2 takes place in an open-world four times larger than the first game. This allegedly seamless world is a parallel world to the original. It features an emphasis on Emergent events, which may occur throughout the game, forcing players to make use of destructible environments and the day-night cycle that determines the nature and strength of your foes.
Furthermore, the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is populated with humans, elves, and beastrens, similar to the khajiit of The Elder Scrolls. Much like the first game, the world is dominated by geopolitical strife. The two warring kingdoms, Vermund, the human kingdom, and Battahl, home of the Beastren, present radically different cultures, worlds, and philosophies for the player to uncover and explore. According to the devs, the world features “a ridiculous number” of NPCs to take quests from and build relationships with.
March 22 is the release date for Dragon’s Dogma 2. The open-world RPG will launch on PS5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC. The first game received a belated Switch port, but there’s been no word of a portable version yet. Stay tuned for more!
Are you a fan of the original Dragon’s Dogma? Are you hyped that we’re finally getting a sequel? Let us know in the comments!
