Dragon’s Dogma 2 Review (PS5) – A Masterwork Comeback

After 12 years, we’re being pulled back into the tale of stolen hearts and the dragons that accost them. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the sequel to Capcom’s original RPG title. At times, I’ve always compared its action feel to some of its’ beat-em-up category, such as the impressive Dungeons and Dragons: Mystaria Chronicles, but the Dragon’s Dogma 2 is so much more.

Thanks to customer feedback and possibly the hidden success of the expansion Dark Arisen, the recent re-release of the first game for the last-generation consoles, the Netflix Anime that came out, and the Japan-only MMORPG Dragon’s Dogma Online, the demand for a sequel has been known. But was the wait worth it? Find out in our Dragon’s Dogma 2 review.

Name: Dragon’s Dogma 2
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (reviewed), PC, Xbox Series X|S
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Game Type: Action RPG
Mode(s): Single-player
Release Date: March 22, 2024

The game starts in Vermund. A celebratory feast is in full swing as guard leader Brant readies himself to introduce the new Sovren of the land – the Arisen. Suddenly, the room freezes, and a familiar voice addresses him. After the words are spoken,  everyone is carted off to prison, where the story’s main character is imprisoned and called to act when a Medusa awakens and causes trouble in a quarry. The main character, along with another character named Rook, takes advantage of the commotion to escape using a passing griffin. The griffin flies over various locations before a ballista shot sends it plummeting to the ground, along with its passengers.

This is a pretext to the original plot: an eternal dragon picks out a candidate for a match to keep the structure of balance in its world. This individual has to stop the dragon from destroying said world and sets out on an adventure to do so. Enlisting Pawns – humanoid beings whose only charge is to help the Arisen complete this task, the Arisen goes through several trials to accomplish this in the form of mythical beasts.

Welcomed Changes To The Hunt

Aesthetically, Dragon’s Dogma 2 does have a bit more speed and graphical advantages to it than the original. The engine of Capcom, the RE Engine(Reach For The Moon), is back and ready to diversify even the Character Creation screen. Real-world races for characters can be further simulated here. Some of the character creations that have been created by players from all over the week, via the past few weeks, have been pretty stellar and on-point( the Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima Customization one is probably one of my favorites since the tattoos paint the glasses). The details for even monsters have been changed. Grigori, the antagonist, even has a new upgrade from his original red coat of paint. In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Grigori is as menacingly detailed as he could ever get.

The Beastren, who resemble actual lions and Elves, are the new races, while the Beastren is available as both a main character and Pawn. The UI has changed for the better. For combinations, there is a recipe guide to help offload alot of the ideas to have in order to keep the inventory clean. Captions are now put near the bottom to almost mirror Monster Hunter. Weight is still a factor that affects your character’s stamina, so keeping a good inventory on hand is a boon. Outside, waiting to camp to use food( for everyone in a lovely fashion) or just using meat to recover health isn’t the only way to use food. Thanks to recipes, even rotten food can be repurposed for other things like Lantern Oil.

Some of the new changes add more depth to various aspects of the sequel. For instance, wall bouncing – which is so subtle yet so interesting to watch. If anyone is sent flying into a wall, they’ll bounce off of it, though they ran into the wall. Not a weird crash, but a stun of sorts. This, at times, can warrant a higher sense of awareness for the player, even during close-quarter human or hobgoblin fights. Get knocked into a cliff wall, and a knockdown can still happen, which is one of my favorite things about the mechanics of Dragon’s Dogma’s original gameplay. Climbing monsters to deliver hits is still intact, even for a certain man vs machine fight that happens within the game.

Playing this with the Dualsense made Dragon’s Dogma 2’s experience even more special. When a Pawn dies and needs to be revived, the speakers make a warning sound. During Lich fights, you can hear a creepy laughing sound coming from the controller. Capcom has had a tendency to keep things immersive with their use of the technology with lights to indicate health, too. Resident Evil VIllage comes to mind. The lesser dragons’ voices will whisper to you and call you out more personally than ever before, because of the speaker, with a heartbeat vibration to accompany it. I love see companies putting in honest attempts to take advantage of the Dualsense’s abilities.

The new vocations seem to gel with their counterparts in Dragon’s Dogma. Some have been culled or split, such as the Strider class of old. The archery and dagger set of classes, including the Ranger and Assassin have also been cut, as were the Arisen-only Hybrid classes, such as Mystic Knight. The new classes, however, are exceptional replacements. For instance, try prying me off of the Spearhand vocation. This vocation should be called the Darth Maul of Dragon’s Dogma because of its’ versatility. It possesses a telekinetic shield capable of withstanding attacks, a double-bladed bow staff that looks on par with an uncontrolled lightsaber when elemental boosts are applied, and a telekinetic pull and push that screams Mass Effect.

Seeing this reminds me of the BioWare jump from the 6th to 7th generation’s Andromeda telekinetic moves that actually allow force grabbing of enemies or items to throw back at opponents. Unlike the original, the hybrid classes are now given out by NPCs called Meisters. These individuals will have to be sought out in order to gain their respective vocations. Some have quests of their own that have a substantial range and are not totally hinted at until moments later in the game.

The Warfarer vocation is truly the jack of all trades with the skills caveat to keep at least three skills set per weapon on the active end, yet can gain experience for all Vocation Ranks. However, Some new abilities have been added to each of the veteran classes. The vocation can use any weapon through an ordered list. The Rearrangement skill allows players to switch cycles through them in order.

Everyone’s Favorite Chess Piece

Pawns have gotten some more upgrades to their roles in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Pawns are user-created companions that are hired within the game. Riftstones are used to summon/hire Pawns, too. From there, you can see their current vocation, quest knowledge based on your current priority, and skill sets. Quest knowledge can be used to direct the Arisen, yet in a more useful way. When a Pawn has a hand up icon or an exclamation mark near their name, the Arisen can let the Pawn guide the team to the location of where to go next. From treasure that they’ve spotted in their journies, as hired muscle in another Arisen’s game, to that one spot the character needs to go inorder to move the quest forward. This has been a lifesaver for even the timed quests where one would be stuck on for a while, such as a missing person’s task.

Pawns can also attain special medals to indicate triumphs, such as how many types of monsters they have killed. Arisens can put out bounties, for their Pawn to achieve, and reward the employer Arisen if the Pawn achieved it. Guest Pawns can be given more items, as gifts for their service, such as weapons and equipment without any restrictions. Gone are the days of giving out Apples for the 3 quests a Pawn has suffered through to watch your back.

Because of Pawn’s characteristics, not only could the fights change based on vocations, but also how a Pawn will fight and talk. Straightforward would be pretty sharp with their tongue and slightly aggressive with cold steel. One Pawn can gain the ability to speak the tongue of the Elves, but without them, you’re better off going to Middle Earth or getting the NPC that does this a lot. Thanks to specializations, Pawns can even do behind-the-scenes work to help lighten the junk load. One of the coolest things would be what Pawns do after a hard fight: giving the main character props or a high five. It’s great to see that special handshake happen when you’ve felled a great beast.

The quest system has changed significantly. The system allows priorities to be made, and if the Arisen is near a certain area, Pawns and the system will notify the Arisen that there is a quest that can be completed. Leave certain quests undone, and time will sort them out for you. Quests are not visibly shown in terms of NPCs. Sometimes, they’ll just come up to you ask about favors. Sven – the Queen Disa’s son, was notorious for having his servants just show up and ask. Culling missions are probably the most heads-up ones you’ll see in Dragon’s Dogma 2. 

The world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is definitely more alive and massive than the first. Some quests, such as escorts or “find the missing person” cases, would have a certain timeframe as to when to solve it. While rare to see at times, compared to Escort missions, it’s good to see things move forward for some quests. There’s even a follow-up period for some quests just to see how a town or person is getting on. Even the most mundane fetch quest in Dragon’s Dogma 2 can mean so much more, especially with the hidden Vocation Meister quests. It’s a nice touch of realism to remind one that a flow of time is present in Dragon’s Dogma 2.

You and Your Pawn Against The World

In Dragon’s Dogma 2, the feeling of being out there with your pawns and taking on the world doesn’t render a harder task than the first. In the original, you’d be hard-pressed not to see Pawns, that aren’t on your team, take part in fights on their own or jump in when you’re in the thick of it. In Dragon’s Dogma 2, chipping in is fair game on both ends. Even other NPCs, like the Sovren’s guard, will assist in a good Ogre fight. Sometimes, enemies will even try to take out each other. I’ve seen bandits go up against the lizardmen Saurians before they realize that I’m in the same area with them. Taking an Ox cart can lead to an ambush by almost anything, but seeing everyone pitch in to stop whatever does attack you, enhances the game’s open-world vibe. The mid-mapping is not as restrictive as the first.

You can see pretty far out in terms of everything. Usually, griffins take to the skies and sometimes jump down to challenge. There are moments when flying mini-bosses, such as the Lesser Dragons, you’d see griffins either run away or swoop in for a challenge regardless of who or what you’re fighting at the time. Unlike Skyrim, Dragon’s Dogma 2 seems to keep the formalities in mind, namely that fights have more weight to them. Staggering foes, through blows, has only changed with some moments of ragdoll physics. The health gauge remains the same, which is part of Dragon’s Dogma’s challenge. Coming out of a tough fight and losing your main Pawn with at least a fraction of your health gauge available throughout monster-ridden Bathaall does create the ultimate test of will, especially if you’re actively avoiding trouble.

Exploration is definitely a treat for Dragon’s Dogma 2. While Portacrystals and Ferrystones still exist to soften the journey blow, camping is also included. Everyone will stop and sit down – even any NPCs who are there for a quest or two. A meal can be made, which can boost stats for a time period. The food is real and looks good once it’s being made. I had to skip this a few times because it’d just make me hungry. Sometimes, just wondering around the world’s nooks and crannies, looking for fights and random quests, feels like a necessity to fully enjoy Dragon’s Dogma 2. 

There are caves mostly in terms of that in which it is unhinged. Larger clearings, and it’s as dark as it can get. Lanterns are definitely needed when night falls since the vision is definitely impeded at night. Dungeons do net some goods and are mostly multi-leveled. There is a possibility of boss double-teaming, but the terrain is versatile enough to maneuver and get to good footing. A Cyclops and an Ogre can beset the party together, and you’d have to kill them both or just run away from both or one. There’s the luck of seeing them fall to their doom by a misstep over a cliff or a high evolution area. One Lich boss battle I encountered had my party in a large cave with him. The Lich fell off of the outside cliff within the cave to a lower level. The same room of where we killed a Chimera when we first came in. Environmental damage is new, which can turn the battle to keen Arisens really quickly. See a crack in the wall that’s flooding? Throw an explosive barrel at it and watch the water wash up foes. You can destroy bridges if you’re dealing with enemies who are about to cross them to fight against you. Just be prepared to find another way around if you do.

Both nation’s capitals are huge to a point that they’ll have multiple shops of the same offerings. There are even additional places to go to. Both are practically NSFW, so the warning is definitely there. How one is handled is hilarious, while the other may be a way to explain another character’s being. Sometimes, I’d have to use the waymarkers even for this part since they could be hard to track. The map and quest tie-ins assist with this, too.

The other aspects of gameplay are still apparent. The original Dragon’s Dogma allowed the freedom to solve certain quests with other means, and the sequel doesn’t restrict, either. From being straightforward to more underhanded tactics, but with such choice, there’s a price. Trying to sell off a counterfeit good can lead to prison time. Nearly the same price it would cost to get you out of jail would be something to put towards a property – which could inevitably offset the Inn costs in towns. There have been times when I’d sit and try to figure out the best solution to solve an issue, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 would not disappoint. Carrying an old man so we don’t get stuck into a Golem fight that we’d lose because of having to watch over said old man would be brutal during the fight. Choices and sacrifices would need to be made for the greater good.

The Bad In The Masterwork

Between the masterworks, there are gripes with Dragon’s Dogma 2. For instance, one of the issues would be similar to the original game, whereas some fights can cause a drop in the framerate. Some busy fights would see a significant drop on a console. The game tries hard to keep 30 frames per second, but the frame rate chugs when the spells are intense. This happens mostly at night.

There is no priority feature to keep Performance or Quality (4K), so it’s hard to pinpoint the why. We’ve tried this on the PS5 and noticed this mostly at dawn’s break or night. Pawn banter can get old quickly, and sometimes, the roles of who says what can switch depending on who’s involved. My straightforward pawn seems to forget that she shouldn’t overpraise a victory. The Saving system is a definite negative since one would have to remember to save often or visit an Inn. Compared to the original, multiple files felt like a godsend. There are occasional random movements of Pawns and NPCs. The camera angles may or may not agree with some battles. Sometimes, even NPC conversations felt weird once you were in control of the camera. 

In some quest points, certain NPCs would randomly attack the Arisen even though the conversation was calm. I’m not sure if there’s a logical reason. Official Pawns from different influencers that Capcom has picked can also be hired if you choose to do so and aren’t any different than the other pawns in the game. Crossplay Pawns, however, aren’t in the game at the time of our review. Pawns are ecosystem-locked. The current DLC offering has much of what’s already in the game so far, such as the revival item – Wakestones – and the Portacrystals, so it’s hard to justify getting most of it. A definite nitpick would be not having access to the Storage at stores or shopkeepers to sell off wares, but it’s understandable. Most of the places to sell things are near Inns, with access to storage in a safe area.

Quick Time events to break out of hairy battle situations, such as a wolf dragging you from one corner to another, are gone. In this context, having to rely on Pawns to save you in time might be unlikely. The Dragonsplague illness is heavily hinted at, but I have yet to see it in pre- or post-release action. It could be the lack of Pawn density, but I have yet to see it.

Since Dragon’s Dogma 2 was one of the most anticipated games in the last few years, it’s weird that Capcom chose not to release the game without a Collector’s Edition to usher in the new age. On the same token, Street Fighter 6, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Resident Evil 3 Remake, and Resident Evil 4 Remake all received a collector’s edition. A bust of Grigori on my desk would have been cool to commemorate Dragon’s Dogma 2’s launch.

Lastly, and this is just me nitpicking, the amazing track “Into Free – The Dangan” by B’z, from the original game that was removed in Dragon’s Dogma: Arisen, has not returned to Dragon’s Dogma 2. What’s with that, Capcom? This game is supposed to mirror the original Dragon’s Dogma game, so shouldn’t this track also make a return? Licensing issues be damned.

Still A Masterwork

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is already coming into its own as another cult classic and boosts the things that made it a solid start to its initial franchise run. Despite some technical hiccups, seeing the series return in this form was incredible. While a few technical aspects need to be ironed out, the rest of the game is bliss. As much as I have done on Dragon’s Dogma 2 thus far, I still need to go back and undertake some pressing Meister Vocation mastery and Sphinx challenges and redo some challenges with the same vim enthusiasm that I have stored up since the 2022 announcement.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is available on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam).

Review Disclosure Statement: Dragon’s Dogma 2 was provided to us by Capcom for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please review our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy.