2024-03-27 12:15:00
There is a saying that second parts are never good, but history has given us many examples that show that this is totally false. Terminator 2, Aliens: The Return, The Empire Strikes Back… they are all second parts that managed to surpass the main work. In the world of video games, of course, these types of cases also occur. The most recent has been Helldivers 2. The sequel to the original 2015 game has become a true social phenomenon. We also have titles like Baldur’s Gate 3a third installment that completely destroyed sales and was last year’s GOTY.
Now Capcomone of the fittest companies of the moment, has just launched Dragon’s Dogma 2. The ARPG returns 12 years later after gaining fame with pick and shovel or, rather, spear and sword. Thanks to the faithful of Arisen, in 2024 we have this sequel that arrives sweeping like a dragon that spits fire from its jaws. A game that, although it is not free from controversy, is a candidate to be one of the best titles of the genre.
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The Arisen returns to reclaim his throne
Every time a sequel to a video game is released, the first thing that comes to mind (especially if we are new to the saga) is: “Will it be necessary to have played the first one to know the story?” In the case of Dragon’s Dogma 2 the answer is NO. Also, the story of Dragon’s Dogma 2 It’s not even its main attractionThen I’ll tell you why.
Our character is Arisen, the one chosen to end the life of a powerful dragon that has taken and devoured our hearts. This event shows that we have been chosen to be his rival and put an end to him before he destroys everything in his path. Lacking a heart means we find ourselves in limbo, a place that oscillates between life and death. To fully return to the real world, we will have to find and defeat the beast. Only then can we claim what belongs to us and return it to our chest.
As if that were not enough to put an end to this monstrous creature, we will also have to claim our throne as Sovereignthe sovereign of Vermund, the kingdom of humans. And someone is posing as the dragon’s chosen one, endangering our very existence.
The story is just the beginning
As I mentioned before, the main story of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is an excuse for us to live our own adventure. The plot does not have particularly surprising moments, to the point that it will become diluted along the way. But this is not a bad thing, quite the contrary, because what Capcom wants is for us to delve as far as possible into this fantasy world and venture to explore.
We are owners of our destiny and we will build it based on the decisions we make along the way. Dragon’s Dogma 2 It does not distinguish between main and secondary missions, so anyone can be surprised to realize that it is related to the main plot. In addition, there will be missions that will vary depending on the time of day or that will change the course of the plot, therefore, we will always have incentives to do them and know what happens.
What is your vocation?
Regarding combat, Capcom’s work respects the same system of the original work with certain arrangements. This translates into simple attack and defense commands that draw, in part, from other titles such as Monster Hunter. Although there are special abilities, Dragon’s Dogma 2 does not have an excessively deep customization system for these.
However, we can vary our style of play thanks to the vocations. These would be the typical classes of an RPG: fighter, archer, thief and magician. Each of them has its own combat system, strengths and weaknesses.. Throughout the adventure we will find six more, even more complex. We can change our vocation whenever we want in the vocational unions that we will find in the towns. Of course, in exchange for a price.
Count on my daggers. And with my bow. And with my magic!
One of the most characteristic mechanics of Dragon’s Dogma, which returns in this new installment of the saga, is the presence of the pawns. Any self-respecting king must be accompanied by his faithful followers. The pawns are mystical warriors who respond to the orders of the Arisen. At the beginning of the adventure, we will create our main pawn, which we can customize as we please. Later, we will have the possibility of summoning up to two more through the fault stones located around the world.
If we activate the online function of the game, the pawns are creations of other players that are shared through the aforementioned magical rifts. Each pawn has its own vocation, level and even personality. Creating a balanced group with different vocations is essential for battle. If, for example, our Arisen is a warrior, it will be good to have a mage to heal us when we charge headlong into the enemy. Or an archer who shoots from a distance and shoots down flying enemies that we can’t reach.
Besides, Pawns created by other players retain information from other games where they have been previously invoked.. This means that if, for example, another player has discovered a secret that you have not, his pawn will know it and guide you there. If the pawn you have summoned has ever fought against the monster you just discovered, he will know its weaknesses and it will be easier to defeat it. Alternating between pawns depending on the class we have or according to their level, personality and nature for certain occasions is the real sauce of the work of Hideaki Itsuno.
A huge world that feels alive
Dragon’s Dogma 2 has one of the most incredible open worlds I’ve seen since Elden Ring. It is no longer just because of the overwhelming size of the map, but because you can find dozens of surprising situations and events along the way.
After the launch of the game, a debate has been generated on Twitter about the absence of fast travel as such. Many people have complained about it. Capcom’s work has an object called “conveyor stone” that performs this function. The problem is that these stones are expensive, scarce and single-use. There are also other forms of transportation, such as the oxcart, but it is so slow that it is not worth it. For my part, after having been playing for a few hours, I can understand the reason for this decision.
Traveling between towns in Itsuno’s title is a true adventure and you never know what you may find. In my game, for example, I was fighting a band of goblins when, suddenly, a griffin that was lurking around the area appeared and I had to deal with it. After killing him with difficulty and continuing on my way, I arrived with my fellow laborers at a nearby village. There a kind man told me about a beast that was devouring and killing his flock. Said beast was the griffin I had just hunted, therefore, the NPC gave me a succulent reward without even having accepted the mission.
This dynamism and situations that flow naturally are a constant throughout the adventure. The existence of fast travel would put an end to them and, above all, to the most important thing: the surprise factor. Yes indeed, It would have been nice if the stamina bar was only consumed in combat and not also while moving.
The magic of Dragon’s Dogma 2
Regarding technical level, Dragon’s Dogma 2 It makes it clear from the first moment that it is a true beast. As soon as we start the game we will come across a incredibly complex character editor that will allow us to create almost anything that comes to mind. It is very likely that the first hours of the game will be spent creating your Arisen. Above all, taking into account that, Once the game has started, you will not be able to create a new one. (a rather negative aspect that I will address in the conclusions of this analysis).
Once we have our hero or heroine, we will go out into the world and see the real magic. Through an immense map, we will discover places of all kinds, see starry nights and fight all kinds of creatures. Monsters ranging from tribes of goblins, to living skeletons that only appear at night, enormous cyclops and, of course, dragons. Capcom has used the graphics engine for the first time RE Engine (that of Resident Evil 7 or Devil May Cry 5) for an open world game and the result, in general, is quite good. The title runs at 30 fps on Series X, which is enough for a smooth gaming experience.
The lighting is also very successful.. The game has sacrificed the quality of certain textures to give us some very beautiful prints, which play with the rendering, lights and shadows depending on the time of day.
It is worth highlighting the excellent job that Capcom has done in the design of the AI. Dragon’s Dogma 2 has a world that is constantly interacting with each other. We will be able to see creatures in full territorial disputes. The peons have their own conversations with each other and at certain times they can even save our lives. In this regard, the Japanese company has left me very surprised.
Definitely
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the return in style of Capcom’s beloved action RPG. But it is clear that it is a title that seeks the affection of the Arisen faithful more than that of the newcomers. Hideaki Itsuno and his team have been conservative, to some extent, with mechanics like combat, which feels somewhat dated. Nevertheless, The game is an incredible experience for all those adventurers who enjoy getting lost in huge open worlds full of secrets. Additionally, the pawns give the feeling of playing with a real party in a role-playing game. Everyone interacts and has their own personality, which leads to unexpected situations.
Unfortunately, Capcom has also made its mistakes and I could not finish this analysis without briefly commenting on them. First of all, Dragon’s Dogma 2 does not have a second save slot. That is, if we start a game we will not be able to start a new one until we have finished the game. This controversial decision has ended up generating so much controversy that Capcom itself communicated on its Steam page that would fix it. At the moment we do not know if this change will also reach consoles.
Another aspect that has also caused a stir has been the inclusion of microtransactions. The Japanese company has introduced a long catalog of objects that can be obtained separately with real money. It must be clarified that These objects can be obtained perfectly throughout the game and are pay to fast. But these types of policies are still annoying, especially in expensive games.
Be that as it may, it is undeniable that we are facing one of the great games of the year. An experience that will dazzle all role-playing lovers and those who enjoy the purest medieval fantasy.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
74,99 €
Pros
- Huge open world that constantly motivates you to explore
- The construction of the world is organic and offers a multitude of unexpected situations
- The pawn system and its personality
- Its technical section is excellent
Cons
- The combat system, while fun, feels a bit dated
- Stamina is spent during movement
- For now, the game only has one save slot.
- Microtransacciones pay to fast
#Analysis #Dragons #Dogma #Pure #medieval #fantasy