FORGET Rise of the Ronin. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the best game in the first quarter of 2024. Whether a returning fan of the first game released over a decade ago or a newcomer, this game welcomes all to its messy, entertaining mediaeval world.
The game opens with the player character stripped of their memories and bound in slavery. Players will quickly learn that they are an “Arisen”, a person who is marked by a dragon that they will need to defeat according to the game’s fictional mythology.
Throughout the game, players will work towards that dragon-slaying goal, as they manoeuvre the two kingdoms the game takes place in, called Vermund and Battahl. Due to the nations warring with each other, there will be political intrigue, along with a myriad of medium and small stories involving the colourful denizens of Dragon’s Dogma 2.
The story has other other pivots but its usual mediaeval tapestry; corrupt royals, conniving politicians and other undesirable characters.
Everyone also speaks with olde English with words that can mean several different things at once, like “aught”, which players will hear at least 50 times in just the first hour. Its syntax means “everything” and at the same time, “nothing”.
Death is inevitable, but in this game, it also brings fun and laughs.
Open-world freedom
Levity is at the forefront of Dragon’s Dogma 2. Despite being a high fantasy set in a mediaeval world, the game does not take itself seriously, unlike many of its po-faced cohorts. Party members controlled by artificial intelligence will behave erratically, and they will sometimes throw in silly banter while players are getting beaten and punted across the screen.
Anything that can go wrong, will probably go wrong, with Murphy’s law adding entertainment to the more action heavy elements the game offers, which itself is a lot. Players can grab small enemies like goblins, throw them over their shoulder like a bag of rice, run to the nearest cliff and throw them off it, all while the hostage goblin and his friends are screaming blue murder.
This a watered down version of the versatility that Dragon’s Dogma 2 offers players, and it is much more in-depth than that, just like the core fantasy gameplay involving weapons and magic.
Swords and magic are always fun
Upon starting the game, players have the option of picking one of four jobs which will shape their character’s journey and combat, which is the fighter, archer, thief and mage jobs.
Later in the game, six other jobs will become available. These are sorcerer, warrior, magick archer, mystic spearhand, trickster and warfarer.
The fighting mechanics itself are very good, even if players will need some time getting used to the controls, whether they are swinging their massive swords around or casting ground-shaking magic spells.
Other than issue with PC players at launch, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a clear winner for those playing on consoles and is available on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
