For a while, I just wasn't getting Dragon's Dogma 2. It wasn't being put off by the game, there was nothing 'wrong' with it and nothing pushing me away. I didn't find it frustrating, or difficult, or even struggle to know what to do next. I've had that issue in 'go wherever you feel like!' open world games before. But I knew exactly what to do in Dragon's Dogma 2, I just didn't quite see why I was bothering. I get it now, 15 hours in, but I think I would have understood a lot sooner if any of the characters actually wanted me to bother.

I wrote recently that the quests in Dragon's Dogma 2 don't live up to the open world, being too prescriptive and often quite dull compared to the excitement of fighting a minotaur in the wild. But I realised, after my first battle with a dragon, that it wasn't just the nature of the quests. It was the purpose of them.

Dragon's Dogma 2 Is Not Impressed When You Defeat Dragons

This dragon battle was part of a central quest. I was asked to take a letter to Melve, and seeing as I had another quest asking that I check in on Melve from time to time, I packed my rations and my camping supplies, and off I went on foot - far more fun than the suggested ox cart fast travel, or the hypothetical horses. When I arrived in Melve I was unable to hand the letter over immediately because (as you may have deduced by now in that shiny chestnut of yours) it was under attack by a dragon.

We only had to damage the dragon enough to repel the beast rather than slay it, and having settled on the archery vocation, I could pepper it with elemental bolts from a distance to make light work of the task. Fighting a fire-breathing dragon is clearly an exciting thing to do - far more so than my present quest of 'deliver a letter'. And yet they both felt the same, because no one cared.

I didn't expect the townsfolk to all name their first born after me, but like, something? The game seemed to count this as an objective completed for the quest, but I'll need to return again in the future. After this reception, I'm not sure I'll bother. Aside from the man awaiting the letter (his response, a brusque thank you that did not mention the dragon I just fought off), nobody even seemed to notice that I had arrived just as a dragon was razing what was left of their destroyed town and was able to chase it off. Try to chit chat and all you get is "don't reckon I've aught to say myself" and the like. It's all so bland.

For the record, I think my character’s title Lady Jumpathumpa would be a lovely name for a baby.

It's especially odd that there's so little response from Ulrika. One of the first characters you meet in the game, she knows you as the true Arisen and after the prologue, it is she who bandages you up for the main adventure. She is present during the dragon attack, and even loiters by the well as if to suggest she has a key conversation ready. Instead, she expresses mild surprise about a dragon coming to Melve, and then repeats this surprise verbatim every time you speak to her for the rest of the day.

Dragon's Dogma 2 Needs More Conversations

This problem goes deeper than this one quest, or the gormless drips of Melve. While other RPGs have towns that feature an array of colourful characters who add to the game's texture, Dragon's Dogma 2 is absent of any charm. They're not even tropes or overwritten to the point of annoyance, they offer nothing at all. Aside from specific and flavourless exposition, all characters say to you are polite variations of 'go away'.

While the pawn chatter can get repetitive, it adds so much liveliness to the game with its humour and their tendency to comment on every little thing. This is especially effective when the pawns discuss other masters they've had, and their tendencies for getting arrested, running around naked, sleeping with everyone, or speculating on their sexuality. Capcom clearly understands the value of injecting characters with more substance than perfunctory quest responses, and yet has abandoned entire villages.

The quests would be so much better if anyone in the game cared about you completing them, and if any of the villages made you feel invested in their plight. It's odd to see the open world feel so rich and know it hides secrets around every tree and cave and hilltop, then have the villages feel like a first draft. If Melve doesn't greet me warmly on my next visit, maybe I will leave it for the dragons.

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Dragon's Dogma 2

Action RPG 4.5/5 Released March 22, 2024 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Engine RE Engine Franchise Dragon's Dogma
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Dragon's Dogma is the long-anticipated sequel to Capcom's action RPG. Once again taking on the role of the Arisen, the game promises full customisation in how you create your character and play through your story.

Platform(s) PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by Expand Collapse