Dragon’s Dogma 2

Basically a 11/20 turning into a solid 14/20 if bought with a 50% discount, and up to 17/20 with few basic mods to compensate the weird game design choices and micro-transactions.
And I'll even give a short list of the must-have mods in my opinion :
· Updated Seamless Warfarer
· Durnehviir - Dynamic Enemy Encounters
· Weaponlord - Unique Weapons
· Lock-On Combat with Dodge (not for the locking mechanic but for the dodge added to all vocations)
· Stop Selling Yourself
· Infinite Stamina Out of Combat
· Dialogue Auto Advance
· Additional Pawn Commands
Get the game with a good discount, add those mods, and you'll have really good time !

If you're looking for an honest unbiased review of the game, I suggest you read this one:
I waited a whole year to play this game do to mixed reviews and issues with the game. I also bought this game when it was on sale which if I recall was about half off. I also did play Dark Arisen, so I am basing my experiences off of that.
One of the biggest hurdles for me was hearing about the performance of the game. It was heavily disappointing to see that a game was released with so many issues so I can understand the negative reviews at the game's launch As of right now I barely have any issues with the game's performance.
Here are my computer specs: 13 Gen Intel(R) Core i7-13700k, 32 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
While there are a few glitches here and there it's nothing that stops my progress of the game. When I enter the towns I actually don't have any problems with lagging or any drops. I optimized my game to make it run with my computer, which I strongly suggest even if you do have to lower the memory and settings a bit. I'm not one of those people that needs heavy graphics to enjoy a game though. Long as it looks good and it's playable is usually enough for me. Even then it still looks great.
Now as for the game:
It really feels like I am playing Dragon's Dogma 2. The game play, the way it feels, the way it works - I mean it's Dragon's Dogma 2. I know maybe some people were expecting something else - or more, but for me I wanted something like Dark Arisen and I would say that this is it. What makes Dragon's Dogma 2 fun - is how unique it is, the fighting, the pawn system, the monsters. All these things vary to a degree, but still the same in most regards. Are there some things taken away from the first game? The armor and clothing layer for one. Why they removed it - I have no idea. There some of it still present, but not like the first game. The lack of vocations too, but there's still quite a bit to choose from and a different offset for each vocation. The fighting is practically the same as the first game. Whether it's the first or the second game you're still using the same buttons to attack regardless of what your vocation is. Can it be a bit repetitive depending on the vocation? Yeah sure, I play a mage - most of that is spells, standing, and using the same spells. Does it bother me? No. my goal is to stay alive and stand back to deal as much damage as I can while I let my pawns do most of the close combat fighting. You really just have to pick which vocation works for you.
One of the most creative things about Dragon's Dogma was the pawn system, which in this game... is FANTASTIC. I would say a lot more than the first. I'm not sure if maybe a lot of what they did went to the pawn system compared to everything else, but the pawns are so fun, and it's so interesting to see their interactions based on each other. It is incredibly more in depth than it appears, the way they remember quests and other Arisen’s and the things they may have done during the game is phenomenal from an AI standpoint. They feel surprisingly real, I've had a pawn recently tell me how the quest I completed was failed by an arisen they traveled with. They'll tell you who Arisen's travel with, one at the beginning of the game told me someone traveled with only females (lol). I've had my own pawn run around and hail everyone after defeating an ogre. I also had my pawn pick up another pawn and throw them over the cliff when that pawn was down and trying to revive them. Why did she do that? Don't know but it was funny. Can the things they say become repetitive? For sure, they can repeat dialogue, but if you pay attention you'll always see a unique interaction with your pawn or other pawns. And I do enjoy being able to high-five pawns and give them gestures after fights. It's really unique and a great part of the game.
As for the quest; the quest system in the first game wasn't really all that great either. I would say it's about the same. I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be. A lot of the quests are more direct and this may be due to the fact that in the first game you could fail quests if you didn't do them in a timely manner. While the second game has that same feature, the difference is this time they make you a little more aware of that so you just don't "fail" and wonder.. how did that even happen? In a lot of ways, they still throw quests out just like the first one, it's up to you whether you want to do them or not.
The map, in my opinion, leads for a lot of exploration. I think it's enjoyable, the first one was a lot smaller. This map I do feel like with the little towns, or places, various caves, there's more going on in it. Would it be nice if there was more to some of these areas? Yeah, but do I feel like it ruins the game? No- a lot of these places tend to be for quests/exploration you don't necessarily need to go back to it (if you don't want to) after you're done. Plus, with the ox/ferrystone system, you have a fairly easy time traveling through the majority of the map.
The ox cart system is really unique, and as you progress 200 gold is chump change, you can also save ferrystones and travel to any portcrystal. Truth be told, I find myself using the ox cart system quite a bit.
Which leads to camp/resting/inns. Backpacks are actually fairly easy to come by, and you can use them until they're gone due to a monster attack. In the beginning it can be difficult to sleep and replenish health at inns but once again.. after you progress, spending the money isn't all that bad. Even then I would just find myself sleeping at a camp on purpose to save money. After some point you can buy a house in Vermund and travel and sleep there whenever you want. As far as the health system goes - I don't find myself having all that much trouble with the shortening of the health. I think it makes for good planning/strategy and it's super easy to replenish it by once again going to a campsite/inn if you're already traveling.
The monsters are all the same just like in the first game maybe save for the Hydra and the wyrms. I wish they definitely added more and also the leveling progression was better but that was also an issue with the first game. They're still fun to fight though.
The story; I really enjoy it. I think one of the biggest problems with the story others have is how different it is compared to the first one. It's more political, but I like that sort of setting/premise. I think it's interesting to see how this place built for the arisen to be king is now being usurped from them and it's something that can VERY much happen in something like a monarch. I don't think it's unrealistic - as well as how people don't like pawns or may use them as slaves. The quests also paint a bigger picture of what's going on. It's unfair to say people won't enjoy the story when it really just depends. it may not be for everyone but there's definitely something to get out of it. Plus if you max out your pawns affinity you get one of the better endings of the game which I STRONGLY recommend.
All in all, I think the game is definitely worth playing. I believe most of the negative reviews are unfortunately due to a poorly painted reception due to the launch of the game and what others have to say. Form your own opinion- I was one of those people who thought it must be a terrible game until I played it for myself. I think the other issue is the price. Even then, there's no justifying the price tag and can give more of a negative perception when you're spending so much money. Get it when it's on sale and you'll definitely get your money's worth.
Lastly, the Everfall is not in the game, which gave a lot more to the game after you finish the main quest in the first one. Hopefully they’ll have a good DLC to add like BitterBlack Isle

Dragon’s Dogma 2 isn’t a Soulslike, and it isn’t Monster Hunter either. Its closest relative might actually be Dragon Age, but without rows of hotkey skills cluttering the UI. Instead, combat uses button + direction combinations for "aiming" at the enemy, no auto-lock here, very Capcom-esque, and the interface stays clean and immersive without MMO-style hotbars. You feel like you’re fighting, not managing a control panel.
What truly sets Dragon’s Dogma apart (both 1 and 2) is that there’s still no other game that plays exactly like it. Other titles may imitate fragments of the experience, but nothing replaces the feeling of climbing a giant monster in real time while your AI companions scream advices and join into the brawl. The sequel expands everything the first game proved was already fun.
Technically, it runs on the RE Engine, which has already been refined by multiple Resident Evil remakes. So the game itself isn’t held back by some experimental tech. If you hit performance issues, enable DLSS (it’s OFF by default), update your driver, and maybe blame Denuvo for minor frame dips. The engine first version itself wasn't really meant for open world and lots of AI characters, so bring a beefy CPU cause this game is hungry for X3D.
Story-wise: don’t expect a Baldur’s Gate–level branching narrative. Expect a linear adventure with possible different endings, focused more on the journey and the vibe than on complex plot branches. I watched the Netflix adaptation ages ago and platinumthe first game, the narrative wasn’t jaw-dropping, but it wasn’t bad either. The game’s strength isn’t its plot, it’s the freedom to explore, experiment, and cause chaos.
Music and voice acting? It’s Capcom. Worrying about that is pointless ! you’ll probably end up searching for the OST later.
A few tips from experience:
The pawn system replaces multiplayer, and the AI companions are legitimately competent.
If you don’t like getting punched in the face, play Mage or Archer, the lock-on system is better than in the first game (and better than Monster Hunter’s).
The game is much easier than Elden Ring or Souls games so you don't need to “get good,” just explore and experiment.
However, this is a single-player adventure. If you only enjoy Monster Hunter or Elden Ring because of multiplayer, think twice. This is a world to explore alone (with AI buddies), at your own pace.
“He who fights monsters becomes the monster”
Final thought:
If you like Elden Ring exploration, combat that feels grounded and physical, or Dragon Age–style adventuring, buy it without hesitation. Just don’t ruin it with cheats, the game’s magic lies in overcoming the journey yourself.

Great game although far from perfect. Capcom please give us an expansion/DLC!!!

Do i like this game: Yes. is it the best game iv ever played: no. is it overpriced: a little yeah. is it well optomised: No. did i have fun and do i recomend it: yes... but only with a discount

This is probably the most frustrating gaming experience I have personally had. Not because the game is bad mind, Its just that it falls well short of the absolute Masterpiece it should have been. I will give it an upvote if only in the slim hope that I can tip the scales to convince CAPCOM to give this Game a DLC like the first game but from my personal experience, I would have to give this a downvote otherwise. (Edit: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ITS HAPPENING THE DLC ACTUALLY GOT ANNOUNCED IM IN TEARS)
The game does SO MUCH right that the places where it falls short are baffling to me. Every Vocation feels like a master piece yet most vocations feel neutered because equip able skills were cut in half. This is probably the best looking Game of the Genre yet the performance is complete balls so most people are stuck playing at settings that make the game look like the first one. The quests feel like they're building up a grand and intricate narrative until most plot points get completely forgotten about in the second half of the game. The World feels very lived in and vibrant until you try to interact with it at which point you realize its all just window-dressing. You are tasked with infiltration missions more than 3 times in the main story and not a single one of them functions properly. The guards just walk past you, they don't care. In fact no one cares if you throw the entire population of the city to their deaths. It very much feels like a play castle world without consequence.
The romance system feels completely botched. I feel like I am made to have feelings for this Ulrika girl when I have barely met her like twice and now we are supposed to have a house and hearth together or something. I suppose I cant really complain about that because the romance system has always been hilarious in these games. At least in the first game you could have some really funny moments with it though. this game doesn't really allow for that. The quests are meh. They have always been meh. you dont play these games for the story but its frustrating that this game puts so much emphasis on them as if it isnt aware how mid the characters and their quests are. The Idea of Meisters and Meisters Teachings in every vocation sounds like so much fun in theory until you realize that they basically gutted the good skills from the first game and locked them behind completing these Meister's quests (Some examples of which are genuinely so convoluted and downright ass that I guarantee you, you will lock yourself out of the possibility of getting all of them if you don't refer to a guide) on top of kissing their ass enough to convince them to graciously grant you their skills. Not to mention THE GAME DOESNT TELL YOU WHO THESE MEISTERS ARE SO GOOD LUCK FINDING THEM OR EVEN LEARNING THAT MEISTERS ARE EVEN A THING IN THE FIRST PLACE ON A BLIND PLAYTHROUGH... This entire system has been added to make the vocation experience WORSE from the original game and I just cant wrap my head around why they had to do it this way. They had so much potential with these meisters too.
The bosses and Creatures are super satisfying to fight, in my opinion the combat of this game rivals and at times exceeds that of monster hunter, yet between this and the first game, there are only like 3 new creatures to fight and im counting the sphinx among those 3 which 1> isnt even really a fight and 2> 90% of players will completely miss. Not counting the enemies you get to face during a break of the cycle which literally no one has done if you go by steam achievements.
This might be rude to say but as neither the Dark Arisen DLC for the first game, nor Dragons Dogma Online which are in my opinion the absolute highlights of Dragons Dogma were made by the original Director; Hideaki Itsuno, Mayhaps the best thing that could happen to this game for the players would be a DLC that's similar to Dark arisen, made by another director.

This game pissed me off when it was released. The narrative for the new continent was shunted, you get the mcguffin and then all that careful story telling just rushes to an immediate and disappointing ending. The dragon fight compared to the first game was disappointing, its introduction didn't make sense for its placement in the story and all of it suddenly fell so flat for the 60 hours i had just spent investing into the world and story and characters that I completely dropped the game right then and there.
Queue the schizoid dive into the lore, development and system mechanics for the full experience of DD2 that changed this from a game that felt like a scorned lover that cheated on me with my best friend after a year of planning our perfect Christian family into an artistic masterpiece that's fully intentional down to how its narrative suddenly ends its act prematurely.
Play the game, pay attention to EVERY detail from the very start to the very end and you'll see how Hideaki Itsuno plays with his narrative at every level. From the in game narrative to the meta commentary on what Dragons Dogma is even supposed to be in the first place.
The convoluted story involving the "pathfinder"
The sudden dragon reveal that's out of place and disappointing
The fact that you can start new game plus before even being given a proper title card...
This damn game is perfect in the worst kind of way.
Its Dragons Dogma 2 - Hideaki Itsuno's final words to a company that doesn't care.