Summary
Like its predecessor,Dragon’s Dogma 2is commonly referred to as a “cult classic” for a reason. By and large,Dragon’s Dogma 2is unlike any other game, even those made by its own developer, Capcom. While it could be considered a distant cousin ofCapcom’sMonster Hunterseries,Dragon’s Dogma 2is still set apart in many ways. Unfortunately, although its unique qualities certainly help it to stand out in a crowd, many ofDragon’s Dogma 2’s features are highly contentious, primarily on account of them defying the norm as much as they possibly can.
There are plenty of things to love aboutDragon’s Dogma 2, but many of those things that fans love are also some of the very things that others criticize. Some of the first game’s most endearing issues are still present inDragon’s Dogma 2, granting nostalgia to some longtime fans of the franchise and a bit of frustration to newcomers and veterans who expected those issues to be resolved. One would consider this friction to be a massive downside forDragon’s Dogma 2, but a perspective remains that might consider it to be one of the game’s most defining characteristics, and something it couldn’t succeed without.
Why Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Most Contentious Features May Be the Secret to Its Success
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Fast Travel and Janky Comat Are Two Examples of Contention
At the height ofDragon’s Dogma 2’s contention has been its controversial fast travel system. First of all,fast travel inDragon’s Dogma 2is very limited because, unlike most open-world games, it is a very costly action to perform. In order to fast travel, players must use a rare resource called a Ferrystone. Even then, the game’s fast travel points are few and far between, so players still spend the majority of their time walking from one point to the next.
The main reasonDragon’s Dogma 2’s limited fast travel system has been met with plenty of controversy is because it was originally believed that players could spend real money on microtransactions that would ultimately stretch the limitations of the system. However, this was debunked, asDragon’s Dogma 2’s microtransactionswere not the resources required to fast travel but one Portcrystal that players could place in the world to act as an extra fast travel point.
Even so, many players still feel thatDragon’s Dogma 2’s open worldis not interesting enough to merit such limited fast travel mechanics.
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s janky combathas also been a subject of contention, even though it has been that way since the first game was released in 2012. Many fans of the first game expected the rough edges of its combat to be smoothed out in the sequel, but that turned out not to be the case. Instead, Capcom doubled down onDragon’s Dogma’s janky combat in the sequel, even to the point of affirming that everything inDragon’s Dogma 2was put there on purpose.
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Friction Is All Part of Its Unique Identity
Some might say that the friction caused byDragon’s Dogma 2’s unwillingness to conform puts it in a bad position, but it may very well be the secret to its success. For example, having a fast travel system identical to every other open-world game might cause it to fit in more with the crowd, but it could be argued that the last thing any game hoping to achieve success would want to do is fit in. Furthermore,Dragon’s Dogma 2’s janky combat is arguably a non-negotiable part of its unique identity. Without it,Dragon’s Dogma 2’s learning curvemight be too shallow to make it a one-of-a-kind experience.
It’s currently unknown whether Capcom will be developing and releasing aDragon’s Dogma 3. However, if it does, it shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss those points of contention that makeDragon’s Dogmawhat it is. Instead, openly embracing that friction might inspire more fans to embrace it as well and find things that are meaningful about it.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen!Dragon’s Dogma is a single player, narrative driven action-RPG series that challenges the players to choose their own experience – from the appearance of their Arisen, their vocation, their party, how to approach different situations and more. Now, in this long-awaited sequel, the deep, explorable fantasy world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 awaits.On your journey, you’ll be joined by Pawns, mysterious otherworldly beings, in an adventure so unique you will feel as if accompanied by other players while on your own adventure.All of these elements are elevated further through physics technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and the latest in graphics, to create a truly immersive fantasy world in Dragon’s Dogma 2.
