After helping a small coastal village with a lizard problem, I was making my way back to the Capital. The sun was starting to set I had no camp kit so we couldn’t rest with my battle-weary party. Then out of the darkness, an Ogre appeared. My pawn – Simon, sprang into action sword and shield in hand. I began weaving spells as my two other companions joined the fight. About halfway through the fight, the Ogre grabbed Simon like a dogs chew toy and smashed him into the ground over and over. He tossed him aside as if he was nothing. The battle was hard fought into the night but eventually, we won. Badly injured we staggered into the safe walls of the Verworth for a well-deserved rest at the Inn.
It was at this moment that I felt like Dragons Dogma 2 was incredible.
But then this…
However, a few days later, after once again resting in the Capital I began a quest where I had to follow a strange figure who’d been, in turn, following me. I noticed them fleeing from me and gave chase. They ran every which way and more, stopping every few paces, and then running on again. Nothing was happening. They just kept running around the city. I gave up the chase and carried on with my business.
After traveling out of town and back on the Ox carts for some other quests I walked into a fight with a Minotaur just inside the city. The beast was furious and powerful, throwing guards all over the place. All of sudden – literally in the middle of this fight, the mysterious hooded stranger I was following previously, interrupts me for a cut scene. Now was the right time to progress his quest it would seem… It was baffling. But after looking into it seems this is a way to blow his cover as he’s involved in the fight. Although I’ve only seen one source say this, so who knows? It was totally jarring and completely took me out of the game.
Jekyll & Hyde
From one moment to the next, you’re not quite sure what version of the game you’re going to get. There are fantastic moments of emergent gameplay where events unfold in front of you and you can choose whether or not to insert yourself in the middle of them. There is beautiful scenery to take in and explore. From rolling hills to powerful rivers and waterfalls. Deep caves, to mountain tops. Plus, all the other places I’ve yet to see.
On the flip side, exploring some of these areas had remained a fruitless experience. There seems to be a lack of things to discover in some places. I’ve purposely traveled out of my way at times as there’s been something in the distance that catches my eye. Only to find that when I arrive at this location there isn’t really anything to do or see.
Additionally, the enemy density and variety aren’t the most inspiring. It seems like much of the space between points of interest is filled with alternating goblins or harpies. Which after a while gets a little tiring. Furthermore, the almost constant prattle of your companions pointing out things can get annoying. I don’t need you to tell me about the ladder in Melve every time we enter it. I’ve seen it, I’ve climbed up it. For every great moment I’ve played there seems to be another that knocks it back down a peg.
Spoilt by others
It’s hard not to compare games these days and coming fresh off the back of Baldur’s Gate 3. I can’t help but see the difference in interesting stuff between the two. Baldur’s Gate 3 felt full of stuff to find. Each new area uncovered something cool. Every trial off the beaten track took you somewhere interesting. Additionally, Elden Ring was the same. The world felt so full and rich. Teeming with secrets to find. Dragons Dogma 2 shows flashes of that here and there. I like that it doesn’t hold your hand with every quest and that you have to pay attention to what’s said to find certain locations.
Honestly, I don’t think it would have felt like much of an issue if Hideaki Itsuno hadn’t said that travel is “only an issue because your game is boring” when discussing the games restriction on fast travel. Sorry, but walking for 20 minutes on my way back to a town and fighting a few goblins isn’t interesting. I don’t mind that fast travel is limited, it can make your ‘expeditions’ more interesting. However, bar the odd encounter with the boss enemies the open world has largely seemed trivial.
Overall, Dragons Dogma 2 is good, and each day I’m looking forward to my next play session. I think we’ve just been spoiled with some open-world games that have taken the reward for exploration to a new level, which is tough to match.
-Will
