Dragon's Dogma 2 Review (PS5) | Push Square

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We're not quite ready to deliver our final verdict on Dragon's Dogma 2 right now. Because of circumstances outside of our control, we still need to finish the main quest, and then check out how the game handles New Game+ — which was a staple component of the original Dragon's Dogma.

When we've wrapped all of that up (hopefully within the next couple of days), we'll be returning to this review in order to issue a definitive conclusion and a score.

When you think of truly memorable open world games, it's hard not to picture the likes of Elden Ring and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Both are ultimately shooting for different goals, but they share a deep appreciation for discovery. Their worlds aren't defined by map markers; they're designed in ways that push players towards the unknown, and that's what makes them so engrossing.

But there was a game all the way back in 2012 that attempted to capture that same sense of adventure — and it was called Dragon's Dogma. Initially, Capcom's first real foray into the fantasy RPG space was sadly overshadowed by Skyrim, but across the last half decade or so, the title has firmly established itself as a cult classic through positive word of mouth. There's an argument to be made that Dragon's Dogma was actually ahead of its time, with a clear emphasis on 'emergent' gameplay depth and a distinct lack of handholding — popular characteristics of critical darlings here in 2024.

And that brings us to Dragon's Dogma 2 — a much deserved sequel that diehard DD fans have been waiting 12 years for. Given the current open world landscape, Capcom could have easily changed course and crafted a more… modernised example of the genre — but no, Dragon's Dogma 2 is basically a retread of its predecessor, except it's been handed the resources and budget that its vision demands. The result is an open world action RPG that sits alongside Elden Ring and Breath of the Wild as one of the most absorbing adventures we've ever played.

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