Dragon's Dogma 2 review: A benchmark for modern role-playing games

Dragon's Dogma 2 left me genuinely speechless, despite it not being the kind of role-playing experience that I particularly like or enjoy, to be honest. Coming from having sunk more than 100 hours into the original Dragon's Dogma on Xbox 360 more than a decade ago, I was only mildly excited for the sequel simply because of my drastic shift of taste in video games.

That said, with every new trailer that Capcom released, I admit I felt the excitement kick in. Given I had plenty of time before Shadow of the Erdtree was released, I thought I'd take a dabble at Dragon's Dogma 2, completely oblivious to the fact that it would end up being one of the best gaming experiences of my life!

Dragon's Dogma 2 now has set a new benchmark for action role-playing games in my life, and something I think even FromSoftware's games would have to work harder to match, much less surpass. Everything in Dragon's Dogma 2 feels crafted with a lot of love and passion, from the excellent combat system to the organic open-world exploration.

While yes there are a few issues with the game, mostly on the technical side of things, it's nothing more than a minor inconvenience that I, or anyone who's looking for a good, robust, and engaging action RPG experience, can easily look past. Dragon's Dogma 2 is truly the quintessential role-playing game of this decade.

Dragon's Dogma 2: A role-playing game for the generations

An excellent showcase of current-gen graphical fidelity, courtesy of RE Engine

Say what you will, but Capcom taking a gamble and ditching MT Framework in favor of RE Engine is one of the best things the Japanese publisher did back in 2017. When it first debuted with Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, the RE Engine looked a bit rough around the edges, especially due to the lack of a proper TAA implementation.

The opening hours of Dragon's Dogma 2 can be a bit arduous, especially due to lack of proper combat gear (Image via Capcom)

Be that as it may, over the last few years, the RE Engine has evolved dramatically, making it one of the most visually impressive game engines out there. With Dragon's Dogma 2 being built on RE Engine, there was little to no doubt in my mind that the game would look phenomenal, and honestly, it has far exceeded my expectations.

Dragon's Dogma 2, hands down, is the most graphically impressive open-world role-playing game I've played since 2016's Final Fantasy XV. And say what you will about FFXV, when it comes to visuals, there are very few modern RPGs that come close to matching its quality, let alone surpass it.

RE engine at its best (Image via Capcom)

From the bustling town of Vermund to the sun-bathed deserts of Battahl, every inch of Dragon's Dogma 2's world feels crafted with painstaking detail, marrying the series' unique art style with RE Engine's near photorealistic presentation. To top it off, the game also features an excellent soundtrack, as well as the general audio design.

I'm really impressed with how Capcom and director Hideaki Itsuno took full advantage of the current-gen hardware to deliver a role-playing game that features no compromise in terms of its presentation. While the graphical fidelity of the game does come at a cost to its performance, I think it's a worthy trade-off for a true "next-gen" RPG.

The photomode and the Arisen, in action (Image via Capcom)

Also, I'm really surprised by how detailed each of the armor sets and weapons looks in Dragon's Dogma 2. Every single armor piece and weapon has unique and highly-detailed engravings on them, that you can inspect using the in-game photomode. It's these small details that really impress me about current-gen games.

A politically-charged fantasy tale, filled with intrigue and epicness

Hear me out; if you're looking to pick up Dragon's Dogma 2 for its story instead of its open-world exploration bits and combat, you might be in for a disappointment. While yes, Dragon's Dogma 2 has a story, it's not the primary focus of the game, and that'll be apparent to you almost immediately once you reach the first main area, the Vernworth castle.

The questline surrounding the False Sovran genuinely gripped me (Image via Capcom)

The game starts with a rather bombastic and epic set piece, having you fight against a Medusa, leap onto a Griffin, and subsequently face groups of Goblins. However, once you reach the game's first main region, Vermund, the story is pushed to the back burner, with progression, combat, and exploration taking center stage.

The plot of Dragon's Dogma 2 is almost identical to that of the original game, albeit with a bit more politics and a much more fleshed-out mythology behind the Arisen and the Drakes. For the uninitiated, in Dragon's Dogma, you start the game as an Arisen whose heart is taken by a Dragon (literally).

The Arisen, being well, the Arisen (Image via Capcom)

As a typical nameless undead, your main objective is to find and slay the Dragon that took your heart and, along the way, maybe find out the reason behind your being chosen as an Arisen and the connection you have with the Drakes. Along your journey, you will accompanied by pawns, mystical beings hailing from another realm to the Arisen's aid.

I will admit that the opening hours of the story didn't intrigue me; however, once I reached Battahl, and met with some really interesting characters, I was immediately hooked. The story also seems to open up once you reach the 10-12 hour mark. This is when you get to fight the Talos and unveil secrets surrounding the Arisen and the False Sovran.

You will meet some genuinely intriguing characters throughout the story, including Wilhelmina of the Rose Chateau (Image via Capcom)

I won't want to spoil the main story but believe me, it's a narrative that rewards not only patience but also curiosity without having to rely on exposition. While the story starts quite slow, in typical ARPG fashion, once it does start getting interesting, it never lets up, leaving you with a sense of intrigue and excitement, which only some ARPGs are capable of.

Side quests, side quests aplenty!

You know, as much as I liked the main story of Dragon's Dogma 2, it's the side quests that take the cake for being the most engaging aspect of the game, both in terms of its narrative and moment-to-moment gameplay. Don't get me wrong, the main story is awesome, especially during the second half of the game, but side quests are where it shines the most.

Be it a Minotaur or a Goblin, the Arisen and their pawns can overpower almost anything (Image via Capcom)

As soon as you are given your main pawn, the game immediately bombards you with multiple quests, which, despite being brief, are quite refreshing and, honestly, way better than what we see in most modern RPGs. Yes, there are a few boring ones, like one where you must escort an oxcart or something that requires you to collect flowers.

That said, even the most mundane quests come with some standalone narrative, making them somewhat worthwhile. During the 80 hours that I spent playing Dragon's Dogma 2, more than half of it was for completing and pursuing side quests, not out of necessity but purely because it was fun.

Some quests often end with hour-long boss fights (Image via Capcom)

There was a side quest that I got right after arriving at Vermund that required me to help a Magistrate escape out of a Gaol (fancy word for Jail). However, the catch is that you aren't permitted anywhere near the area where the Magistrate is kept. So, as any naive Arisen would do, I charged headfirst into the dungeon, only to get arrested for my transgressions.

This left me with two choices: either to fight all the soldiers guarding the Magistrate or to stealth my way past them. Given that I was severely under-leveled to take on the soldiers, I chose to stealth my way to the Magistrate's cell, only for him to deny my help and give me another quest to find him a refuge first.

There are some quests that eventually lead you to some of the most visually stunning locations on the map (Image via Capcom)

On my quest to find a refuge for the Magistrate, I stumbled upon a hidden village, which then subsequently led me to an underground cave that connected to a nearby church. The hidden village had its own share of side quests and mysteries to uncover, which kept me busy enough to almost forget about the Magistrate's questline.

Quest structure that's reminiscent of old-school RPGs

Dragon's Dogma 2's quests are never based around a single specific solution; instead, they are always built with multiple pathways in mind. Another similar quest I embarked on required me to reach Battahl, the second main region. However, to reach there, I had to pass a checkpost, which can only be done with a permit. Otherwise, you'll have to take a detour.

For most quests, all you'll get is a hint at a general location; everything else, you'll have to figure out for yourself (Image via Capcom)

I remembered getting a fake permit during one of the main quests and tried to use it, but the guard at the checkpost denied me entry, simply due to my Arisen being of the Human race and the permit being for a Beastern. So with no other option in sight, I planned to take the alternate and more treacherous route to reach Battahl.

While I did reach Battahl via the alternate path, I felt really exhausted since I not only had to trek through a mountain but also faced multiple Goblins, Minotaurs, and a giant Dragon on the way. Later that day, one of my friends, who was also playing the game, told me about how he had bypassed the whole ordeal simply by using a mask.

While there are some story-focused quests, most of them are usually centered around combat (Image via Capcom)

Funnily enough, I had the mask in my inventory, and the next time I was passing through the checkpoint, I tried to give that a go. Lo and behold! I was allowed to pass without any questions. Dragon's Dogma 2's quest structure might feel a bit unorthodox, but if you are observant enough, the game will always reward you with clues on how to complete them.

The way every quest here is structured feels a lot like those old-school RPGs like Ultima and King's Field. I understand the quest structure here might not feel accessible to everyone. Still, I feel if you're willing to invest some time in understanding how Dragon's Dogma 2 works, you will be rewarded with an incredibly immersive open-world RPG.

Some quests will often require you to travel to and fro between multiple different regions (Image via Capcom)

While many might not like the lack of guidance the game offers, even for its main story quests, I found that to be one of the most defining aspects of Dragon's Dogma 2. The way each quest is designed, you are incentivized to talk to NPCs, gather clues, and figure out the solution yourself without the game explicitly telling you what to do and where to go.

Furthermore, remember the Sphinx, which Capcom showcased in many of the trailers? Encountering the Sphinx is completely optional, which I think you knew, but did you know that there's a whole questline involving that creature, which is entirely optional and missable? Yeah, Dragon's Dogma 2 is full of such secrets that are easy to miss.

Fast travel is a bit of a chore in Dragon's Dogma 2, but something that feels organic for the kind of role-playing experience it aims to deliver (Image via Capcom)

Optional questlines like these not only encourage replayability but also add a lot of depth to the whole exploration and quests system of a role-playing game. I can only imagine the amount of new things, secrets, and boss fights I'll find out upon my second playthrough of the game, which I've already embarked on.

A challenging but extremely rewarding combat system

One of the first things I'd want to set straight regarding Dragon's Dogma 2's combat, especially for newcomers to the series, is that it's not a Souls-like. Dragon's Dogma, despite sharing thematic and artistic similarities with FromSoftware's Dark Souls series, was a thing of its own, with very little in common, gameplay-wise.

The Trickster vocation is easily one of the best new additions to Dragon's Dogma 2 (Image via Capcom)

The same holds true for the sequel as well. Dragon's Dogma 2, in my opinion, shares much more in common with Monster Hunter than it does with FromSoftware's games. The basic combat loop is quite similar to most action RPGs, with you having access to a set of class-based weapons and abilities.

That said, Dragon's Dogma 2 differs from most ARPGs in how it presents the combat scenarios and the options it gives players against the many adversaries it pits them against. The first and most important choice you will make in the game is choosing your vocation, i.e., starting class.

If ranged combat and magick aren't to your liking, Dragon's Dogma 2 also offers the classic no-nonsense melee vocation - the Warrior (Image via Capcom)

At first, you will be given the choice of four different vocations. However, as you progress through the game, you will unlock new and more advanced ones that open up the path to much more powerful weapons and abilities. Every vocation can also be upgraded with Discipline points, earned by ranking up and killing enemies.

Vocations basically dictate which weapon and armor you will be able to wield, as well as your primary playstyle. Dragon's Dogma 2's combat relies heavily on positioning and proper timing of attacks. Since there's no traditional "dodge" mechanic, you will have to rely on timing your attacks and synergizing with your party.

You can even use the terrain to your advantage against some of the bosses (Image via Capcom)

To be fair, the combat system in Dragon's Dogma 2 can feel a bit off-putting and challenging at first, especially with the game's steep difficulty curve. However, the more time you spend with the game, the more rewarding the combat system will get, regardless of your chosen vocation, weapon, or combat skill.

Moreover, Dragon's Dogma 2 features some genuinely impressive boss fights. From the returning fan favorites like the Cyclops, Ogre, Griffin, and Chimera to new additions like the Stone Golems, Wraiths, and a few others that I won't want to spoil here, there are plenty of monsters for you to test your mettle against in Dragon's Dogma 2.

Dragons in Dragon's Dogma 2 are no joke (Image via Capcom)

I still remember killing the first Drake in the original Dragon's Dogma and how excited I was after besting that monolithic beast after dying to it more than a couple dozen times. Although I was quite over-leveled for the encounter, I still felt that sense of "pride and accomplishment" when I took down my first Dragon in the sequel.

The Arisen never fights alone

One of the best and most unique aspects of the original Dragon's Dogma was the pawns system. Although Dragon's Dogma, as well as the sequel, are both exclusively single-player experiences, the pawns make it feel almost as if you're playing the game in co-op. This was one of my biggest worries, going into Dragon's Dogma 2.

The Rift beckons the pawns in Dragon's Dogma 2 (Image via Capcom)

While I really liked the concept behind the pawns, the execution of it in the original game left a lot to be desired. The pawns in the original game, more often than not, felt like a liability instead of a helping hand. Don't get me wrong, with the right build and synergy, Dragon's Dogma's pawns can be molded into capable warriors.

That said, doing so required you to spend a good chunk of time experimenting with builds and finding the right balance between your Arisen's and the pawns' capabilities. Thankfully, that's not true with Dragon's Dogma 2's pawns. Once you create your main pawn, you rarely need to spend time tinkering with their builds.

An in-depth pawn creation and customization system (Image via Capcom)

Much like the Arisen, pawns in Dragon's Dogma 2 grow and evolve in terms of their combat prowess and capabilities over time. You can have up to three pawns with you at a time, one of them being your main pawn, who you create at the start of the game, and the other two being additional pawns.

The additional pawns can be recruited from other players if you are playing online> Otherwise, they can be selected from the randomized pool that can be found roaming the open world or within the Rift. Pawns have their own set of combat gear, with the main pawn's loadout being customizable. And yes, you can change your pawn's inclinations this time around, finally!

Camping with the boys! What more can an Arisen ask for? (Image via Capcom)

The pawns also learn a lot from your Arisen, especially when it comes to combat. The more time you spend with them, whether in quests or combat, the better they synergize with you. Depending on your playstyle, the pawns adapt, aiding you in battle, either by healing or buffing you or by creating openings for you to deal damage to enemies.

Few shortcomings

I honestly enjoyed every second I spent playing Dragon's Dogma 2. Yes, there were times when I got really frustrated, especially due to how some quests were structured. However, I could still not put the game down, and I always looked forward to spending the next day simply exploring the open world and maybe slaying a few monsters along the way.

To counteract the difficulty, there are vocation-specific skills for you to unlock (Image via Capcom)

That's not to say there aren't a few issues with the game. The first thing that I think will be a point of contention for many players is the steep difficulty and learning curve. Much like the original Dragon's Dogma, the sequel can feel incredibly challenging at first, especially with the lack of difficulty presets.

The difficulty here is never unfair and can easily be overcome if you spend just a bit of time tinkering with your loadout and combat abilities. There are also ways to make the game incredibly easy, such as simply grinding out levels and vocation ranks or choosing the most overpowered classes, i.e., Mage and Sorcerer.

It's not just a story, it's an epic (Image via Capcom)

All that said, I do understand that some players might find the abrupt difficulty spikes, especially during the opening few hours, a tad overwhelming. Another major issue I have with the game, which I suspected back when I first heard rumors of Dragon's Dogma 2 being locked to 30fps on current-gen consoles, is the performance issues.

Dragon's Dogma 2's PC port has major framerate issues, something that's genuinely rare for a RE Engine game. I played the game on PC with the following specs:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6600XT
Memory: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD

Inconsistent frame rate, especially during combat, is one of the biggest issues in Dragon's Dogma 2 (Image via Capcom)

Despite exceeding the officially recommended system requirements, I couldn't maintain a steady 60fps even at 1080p. Capcom did update the game once during the review period, but it had a negligible impact on performance. While there are no traversal stutters, the uneven framerate did hamper my experience a bit.

In conclusion

Dragon's Dogma 2 is the quintessential role-playing game, one that perfectly encapsulates everything I love about this genre while also bringing innovative and fresh ideas to the table. Yes, the opening few hours can be arduous and, more often than not, infuriating, but once you get past that, you can find what is easily one of the most immersive open-world RPGs to date.

The main story gets extremely interesting once you reach the halfway mark (Image via Capcom)

From the robust combat system that caters to various playstyles without ever funneling players into a meta archetype to the quaint open world that beckons to be explored, Dragon's Dogma 2 is a pinnacle of modern RPGs.

I can't even remember the last time I had this much fun getting immersed in an open-world game while also being mesmerized by the depth of its combat system. Yes, Elden Ring is up there as a similar open-world experience, but honestly, if I were to choose between that or Dragon's Dogma 2, I'd happily go with the latter.

Despite the few technical hiccups, Dragon's Dogma 2 still prevails as one of the most visually impressive RPGs of all time (Image via Capcom)

While Elden Ring excels in many things, I think Dragon's Dogma 2 surpasses it in terms of its open world. You know, there's something truly magical about how Dragon's Dogma 2's world is structured. Exploring it never felt like a chore despite lacking a comprehensive, fast travel system or an objective marker.

Exploring the vast open world alongside my pawns while trying to help anyone who calls upon my Arisen, be it to gather resources or slay a beast, it genuinely felt like I was going through an epic adventure.

The only other games I have played with a similar level of immersion are Red Dead Redemption 2 and the original Dragon's Dogma.

Although the PC performance leaves a lot to be desired, with framerate fluctuations often ending up hampering the flow of combat or exploration, I think the positives of Dragon's Dogma 2 far outweigh its few shortcomings. If you're looking for a good action RPG to sink hundreds of hours into, you can't go wrong with this game.