The original Dragon’s Dogma, released in 2012, gained popularity as a one-of-a-kind, open-world action RPG. It delivered a polished combat experience and the freedom to explore a truly immersive, classic fantasy world. Its Pawn system – support NPCs that’d join adventurers on their quests – meant you never ventured forth alone. Its RE Engine-powered PS5 sequel, due out next year, follows in those footsteps.
At last week’s Tokyo Game Show, I sat down with a playable demo. Here’s what I found out.
In the demo, I was given a choice of three vocations: Fighter, Thief, or Archer. The Thief deals rapid consecutive attacks with daggers in both hands, while the Archer specializes in long-range combat using a bow and arrows. All three were excellent choices, but I decided to go with the Fighter, who was my go-to in the first Dragon’s Dogma. The Fighter wields a sword and shield, and excels in melee combat.
Once in the field, a pre-arranged party was already waiting for me. Dragon’s Dogma 2 sees the series’ Pawn system return, as players can create a party consisting of up to four members, which includes your main Pawn, as well as up to two additional Pawns from other players through the network.
Diverse monsters inhabit this world and are all ready to attack the Arisen (me) and its party (Pawns). Smaller monsters are not a threat, but the larger ones can be challenging and intriguing. I encountered a one-eyed giant, the Cyclops, who wields a club and performs hip slams.
Since I chose Fighter as my vocation, my role is to engage first and lead the charge with melee. I used my shield to block incoming attacks while pressing the Square button for Light Attacks, and Triangle button for Heavy Attacks. The combination of the L1 button
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