5 reasons why you should play Dragon’s Dogma 2 if you loved Baldur’s Gate 3

Dragon's Dogma 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 are not games players can instantly draw a connection between. After all, the basis of the combat is two different ends of the role-playing game spectrum. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a turn-based digital gamification of DnD 5E, while Dragon's Dogma 2 coattails off Hideaki Itsuno's signature Devil May Cry action.

However, the games have more in common than you think. For one, Dragon's Dogma 2 will go on to win multiple GOTY awards this year. Brash predictions aside, here are five reasons why you might love Dragon's Dogma 2 as a Baldur’s Gate 3 fan.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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5 reasons why Baldur’s Gate 3 fans might love Dragon's Dogma 2

1) Reactive environment

Elemental interactions aside, Dragon's Dogma 2 does have reactive environmental elements (Image via Capcom)

The reactive environment has been a defining mechanic in Larian's games since Divinity: Original Sin. Dragon's Dogma 2 will not feature the elemental minefield mayhem of Divinity, but you can still douse your enemies in oil, and rolling in a bog will put out your lantern.

You can also pick up your own Pawns and throw them in the curse-ridden oceans of Dragon's Dogma 2, just like you can chuck your unwary teammate into a chasm during a 'friendly' Baldur’s Gate 3 co-op sesh. All in good fun.

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2) Expansive character creator

You can make Shadowheart in Dragon's Dogma 2 (Image via Capcom)

Baldur’s Gate 3 is quite restrictive in its character creation system - not in terms of builds, but in how little you can customize your Tav's appearance. Some players will resort to mods just to have a few fresh face presets to work with.

Some of you will be thrilled to know that Dragon's Dogma 2 has the best character-creation system in the history of role-playing games. It goes miles beyond other games in this department, as your physique alters your in-game attributes, such as strength and stamina regeneration.

If you are stoked to create your self-insert Arisen in Dragon's Dogma 2, there is a separate Character Creation client you can download right now.

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3) Romance

Let us not mince words; some players stick with Baldur’s Gate 3 just for its dating sim aspects. With such a wonderful cast of companions and world-class voice acting, who can blame them?

Dragon's Dogma had a ham-fisted attempt at an in-game romance system. The original game blindsides you by getting you a lover based on unexplained arbitrary modifiers. Don't help the local merchant out too much in his sidequests - he might just become your 'beloved.'

Thankfully, the basis of the underlying 'affinity' system will be expanded upon in Dragon's Dogma 2. This time around, it will develop into a proper Romance system, and you will get to bond with your lover more organically throughout your journey.

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4) Party-based combat and companions

There are a lot of Pawn build possibilities in Dragon's Dogma 2 (Image via Capcom)

You can beat Baldur’s Gate 3 solo if you are built different like that. The same goes for Dragon's Dogma 2. However, the spectacle in both of the games thrives in chaos and finds method in madness.

It is all about brainstorming different character builds for your party members in Baldur’s Gate 3. By comparison, Dragon's Dogma 2 is more about watching your pawns grow and adapt to your combat style. You can deliberately do certain things repeatedly to train your Pawns to certain tendencies, like training a Pokemon.

If you are a Bard main in Baldur’s Gate 3 and just want to buff your party, Dragon's Dogma 2 has you covered with the Trickster Vocation.

An addendum is the party banter you can expect in Dragon's Dogma 2. These were surprisingly sparse in Baldur’s Gate 3 compared to something like Dragon Age: Origins, but Dragon's Dogma 2 will fill that void perfectly.

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5) A world to immerse yourself in

Dragon's Dogma 2 will improve over the first game's world (Image via Capcom)

Faerun, as found in Baldur’s Gate 3, is a world propped up by centuries of extant lore from Forgotten Realms, part of the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Given how Dragon's Dogma did not have this running start for its worldbuilding, it did a wonderful job in making Gransys and its surroundings feel lived in.

The map of the first game felt massive partially due to how late you unlock fast travel, but it still has a lot of gaps. Dragon's Dogma 2 takes up the mantle of filling out these gaps, and we fully expect it to deliver on that front.

In fact, the seemingly uninspired medieval Europe-inspired ducal plains of Gransys in Dragons Dogma 2 might outdo Faerun's ability to draw you in.