The Dragon's Dogma 2 2023 showcase kicked things off with a release date trailer to remember. Giving an impressive overview of Capcom's upcoming action-RPG, it threw us right into its fantasy world, with a look at the story and combat we'll get to experience as the Arisen. But as if that wasn't enough, we got to see a new monster enter the scene in the form of a hulking bronze giant known as Talos akin to the mythological beast ordered by Zeus himself. The man-made creature absolutely towers over the environment, crashing through solid rock walls like it's nothing at all. We see first-hand how its very body will become a platform for us to latch onto so we can attempt to strike at various weak points. The whole spectacle immediately gives me Shadow of the Colossus vibes, and before I know it, I catch myself thinking one thing: I'm so in.
And let me tell you, that's not what I was expecting at all going into this showcase as someone who's not familiar with the first game. While I've always been somewhat intrigued by the concept of Dragon's Dogma, it's one adventure that passed me by. And with so many other RPGs to occupy my time, I never got around to checking it out over a decade ago. But after this showcase for the follow-up, I want to correct that.. After all, it wasn't just the giant battle that's sold me. With a showing of a side quest, vocations, and more, I went away from the showcase thinking Dragon's Dogma 2 is one RPG coming in 2024 that I absolutely need to watch out for.
Fantasy world
The fantasy world of the follow-up already sounds like it will have plenty of intrigue, with it being home to the human kingdom of Vermund and the beastren nation of Battahl. With divides between the nations, everyone is said to have different belief systems, motivations, customs, and cultures that we'll be put right in the middle of. Nothing makes a world feel so rich and alive than its inhabitants, and with the same common enemy in The Dragon who steals your heart as the Arisen, I'm already keen to see how we'll have to navigate the differing values of the two kingdoms on our journey.
Having companions or party members help you along the way has always been one of the biggest draws for me when it comes to RPGs, and there was one part of the Dragon's Dogma 2 showcase that was really speaking my language. Capcom took us through an example of a side quest, in which you have the opportunity to "deepen your relationships with the inhabitants of the world". The Arisen sets out to help siblings by coming to the aid of a young elf called Glyndwr. They venture to an elven settlement known as the Sacred Abor, where they communicate in their own Elvish language. While we can't understand it, Glyndwr is able to translate for us, which is a neat touch that promises to really immerse you in the location.
As explained, the Elvish language is one of the specializations party members - who are known as pawns that are devoted to the Arisen - can have in Dragon's Dogma 2. I always love when they have certain skills that can really help you out in given scenarios, and having a sense of companionship always makes the world really come alive for me when it comes to fantasy settings.
Additionally, we even got to check out the character creator, where we're able to make our own Arisen and the main pawn who will be accompanying us. Said to make use of "photogrammetry technology" to make "photo-realistic characters", there appears to be plenty of attention to detail, and I can already see myself spending far too much time messing around with the options to bring my characters to life.
There are a lot of interesting concepts and RPG ingredients that really spoke to me. With different vocations, weapons, and approaches in combat, everything I saw in the showcase just served to convince me all the more that this is one upcoming RPG I need to have firmly on my wishlist in the new year. And that's something when 2023 has been such a fantastic one for RPG fans - you just have to look at the amount of hours I've spent pouring into Baldur's Gate 3 alone. Perhaps now I'll finally give Dragon's Dogma a go as I eagerly await the release of the follow-up.
Look ahead to what else is coming our way in the future with our roundup of new games for 2023 and beyond.
