Excitingly, more than a decade after the game’s first release, we are finally due to receive Dragon’s Dogma 2 in the coming months and years. After releasing the game’s first trailer a couple of weeks back, Capcom were in attendance at their own conference today with more information about what awaits players gameplay-wise.
Hideaki Itsuno, the director of Dragon’s Dogma 2, gave audiences an in-depth preview of the game’s combat mechanics, Pawns, and gameplay systems. Players’ chosen vocations determine whether they engage adversaries with swords or magical spells, while diverse aspects like terrain and enemies contribute to how you use these these to your advantage or disadvantage in combat.
The AI-controlled Pawns, first introduced in the original Dragon’s Dogma, reappear in the sequel, supporting players in forming a party with up to four characters. Players have the flexibility to customize both their character, the Arisen, and their main Pawn. These Pawns can be shared among players, learning new skills and adapting their behaviour based on their experiences, thus evolving into more resourceful allies.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is claimed to take advantage of the RE ENGINE to develop a world map that is approximately four times larger than its predecessor. The expanded environment boasts an array of enemies, events, and locations. Size isn’t everything, especially when Dragon’s Dogma took full advantage of its relatively small open world, but provided they don’t make it bigger for the sake of being bigger, hopefully they can still deliver the same charm.
The game claims to feature advanced physics and AI, hopefully adding some valuable logic to your Pawn companion. Pawns not only aid players in battle but also spontaneously lead them to undiscovered areas and interact with them during special moments, such as celebrating a close victory.
The game also involves battling a mix of familiar and new monsters, with NPCs playing a significant role. For instance, the archer Ulrika shares a profound bond with the Arisen, and Nadinia, the high priestess of the beastren, has complex relationships that contribute to the game’s overarching narrative.
Further information on Dragon’s Dogma 2 will be released in the coming months, ahead of the game’s full release on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
