Couchpotato spotted a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official 'Different Ways to Play' Gameplay Overview Trailer

PCGamesN presents Dragon's Dogma 2:

How Dragon's Dogma 2 has crafted something for every type of RPG Fan

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Exputer played Dragon's Dogma 2 for 100 hours:

After 100 Hours, Here’s Why I Think Dragon’s Dogma 2 Is GOTY Material

The opening sequence in Dragon's Dogma 2 is fairly frustrating, but the later game areas add too much fun to hate the game.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 received a lot of criticism due to microtransactions and performance issues.
Capcom cleared the confusion with microtransactions, which changed the game’s reception.
In my 100-hour journey, performance issues didn’t bother me, and I think Dragon’s Dogma 2 is GOTY material.  
On launch, Dragon’s Dogma 2 was tarnished due to microtransactions and many performance issues. I agree with many of the complaints, but some of the players failed to realize that Capcom is no stranger to adding MTX on release—the developer has been following this pattern and is likely to continue doing so. 

Despite the criticism, I decided to dedicate myself and spent over 100 hours unknowingly. This made me realize that Dragon’s Dogma 2 is so far the only game that is Game of The Year material. 

Unfortunately, frustrated players’ reviews overshadowed its main features and massive world. However, some of the concerns regarding the performance are genuine, but fret not, as there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Capcom is well aware of the concerns and is looking into the fixes as we speak. 

[...]

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Henriquejr spotted a new patch for Dragon's Dogma 2:

We have released an update including the following modifications and fixes:

• Reducing the infection frequency of dragonsplague and adjusting the signs of Pawns infected with dragonsplague to be more noticeable.
  　- For example, when infected, glowing eyes will be more noticeable.
• Adding the option to zoom in on the faces of the Arisen and Pawns in the status screen, shops, etc.
• Fixing some issues and implementing adjustments related to the mini map.
  　- Treasure chests that have already been acquired won't be displayed on the mini map.
• Adjustments to Pawns’ behavior and dialogue. 
  　- Fixing issues where occasionally the player couldn't high five Pawns.
  　- Fixing issues where Pawns wouldn't start guiding after offering to guide.
  　- Making Pawns less likely to fall off cliffs. 
  　- Reducing the frequency of some Pawn dialogue lines. 
  　- Improving Pawn lines to better match circumstances.
  　- Fixing some issues where Pawns stop speaking outside of combat. 
  　- Fixing some issues where the Main Pawn speaks support Pawn’s dialogue. 
  　- Making Pawns more likely to aid the Arisen if the Arisen commands them to help while being held by enemies.
  　- Reducing the frequency of Pawns offering to be hired by the player while in the field.
• Fixing issues where sometimes escort quests are considered failed when accessing Character Edit or other specific situations.
• Fixing issues where the player could be jailed when fighting monsters in town.
• Fixing some crashes and freezes in specific circumstances.
• Miscellaneous bug fixes.

VG247 thinks Dragon's Dogma 2 is the Morrowind of the current generation:

Dragon's Dogma 2 is Gen-Z Morrowind and I love it

A barnstorming AAA fantasy adventure that pointedly refuses to hold the player's hand? More of that, please.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is an early but solid contender for GOTY – we said that might be the case during preview, and we’re certain of it now. It’s a game of uncompromised vision, and where the original looked at the likes of Fable and Oblivion and asked “what does Capcom’s version of that look like?”, the sequel responds: “why don’t we make Capcom’s version of Dragon’s Dogma instead?”.

The original game is full of compromises. Content cut short for time or RAM. An entire planned beast race that never made it in. Only two inhabited settlements, one of them a tiny tutorial village. And squeezed onto creaking hardware that could barely run it. Well, the more things change, etc. To anyone with an interest in the original game and its development, it’s clear that Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a labour of love, and a hugely successful do-over for an idea that didn’t quite materialise on the first attempt.

Which is why, as explained in the video above, I’m not convinced by the circulating idea that Dragon’s Dogma 2 is some kind of cynical money-grab. Yes, the microtransactions are stupid, pointless, and opportunistic. But if they’re a dealbreaker, that’s a whole lot of baby getting thrown out with the bath water.

[...]

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Fextralife reviewed Dragon's Dogma 2:

Is Dragon's Dogma 2 GAME OF THE YEAR? Review after 250 Hours!

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Digital Foundry checked out the patched version of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: Does The New Patch Fix The Game? All Systems Tested

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IGN is giving some tips and tricks for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: How Pawns, Vocations, Portcrystals (And More!) Work

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Gameffine reviewed Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Review: Honeymoon Period

Presenting Gameffine's Dragon's Dogma 2 review. Dragon's Dogma 2 is the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2012 cult classic RPG from Capcom.

Released to little fanfare in 2012, the Japanese-Western RPG hybrid Dragon’s Dogma gained a huge cult status after the release of its Dark Arisen expansion. While the Western fandom didn’t get to enjoy the Japan exclusive MMORPG Dragon’s Dogma online, they have been clamoring for a sequel for years — A sequel that expands heavily on the fantastical combat, innovative pawn system and larger-than-life boss fights. An RPG known for its deep character progression and old-school sense of exploration, Dragon’s Dogma is still enjoyed today, and you won’t have to go far to find people experimenting with ridiculous builds and capturing funny montages. After a grueling waiting period, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is finally here. The word online is pretty polarizing, with criticisms aimed at the game’s performance and microtransactions. What does the regal RPG authority at Gameffine think, you ask? Sit down, grab a jug of cold mead, and hear this tall tale. 60 hours and one true ending later, here’s me presenting Gameffine’s Dragon’s Dogma 2 review.

[...]

The hours I spent in Dragon’s Dogma 2 were filled with spectacular highs and frustrating lows. When the game gets going, it really gets going, before suddenly coming to a screeching halt. While I still look back to the 5 days I spent with the game with fondness and admiration towards Itsunos’ craft, the game’s poor performance coupled with Capcom’s less-than-ideal monetization practices and the underwhelming endgame tarnished my experience to a degree. Let’s just hope that Dragon’s Dogma 2’s upcoming expansion rectifies its many shortcomings. May it prove to be another Dark Arisen.

FINAL RATING: 75/100

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Fextralife is giving some Dragon's Dogma 2 tips:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Do THIS to Have MORE FUN!

In this Dragon's Dogma 2 video, we're gonna be talking about equip weight, stamina, how to manage these things in order to make your gameplay experience better. And I want to go through in this video, same very exact tips to help you with this aspect to help you enjoy your game more.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Dragon's Dogma 2 Best Augments
0:23 - Essentials to Bring
1:48 - Consumables
2:54 - Ferrystones and Wakestones
3:20 - Don't Carry Extra Armor and Weapons
3:54 - Increase Total Carry Weight
4:21 - Don't Be Heavy
4:29 - Store Excess Items
4:46 - Increase Stamina
5:22 - Increase Stamina Recovery
5:57 - Sheathe your Weapon
6:17 - Upgrade Armors and Weapons
6:49 - Athleticism
7:04 - Dynamism
7:32 - Port Crystal
7:57 - Fugacity
8:23 - Missing NPC "Fix"
9:13 - Final Thought

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Couchpotato spotted that Dragon's Dogma 2 sales top 2.5 million units and Fextralife thinks you play it wrong.

C4G reviewed Dragon's Dogma 2:

I Completed Dragon's Dogma 2 - My Brutally Honest Review

PC Gamer thinks PC system requirements are often misleading nowadays:

Dragon's Dogma 2 is an object lesson in how system requirements pages are failing PC gamers

And that's especially true where games are released on Steam.

There have been some major PC games released these past couple of months. In February, we got Helldivers 2, Pacific Drive, and Sons of the Forest came out of Early Access. This month, it's been Dragon's Dogma 2 and the PC-port of Horizon Forbidden West that have garnered all the headlines. They're as varied as you can get, in terms of performance, gameplay, and features.

But they all have one thing in common and that's 'system requirements' - a list of PC components the publishers claim are needed as a minimum or ones that they recommend. The time I've recently spent testing the performance of Dragon's Dogma 2 (as well as Pacific Drive, Sons of the Forest, and Horizon Forbidden West, just because I wanted to) has reminded me an awful lot of developers know very little about PC hardware and although this is something I've know about for a long time, and experienced first hand, it's still a surprise that the industry hasn't got better at this.

[...]

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Henriquejr spotted a patch for Dragon's Dogma 2:

We have released an update including the following modifications and fixes:

• Adding the option to start a new game when save data already exists.
• Changing the number of "Art of Metamorphosis" items available at Pawn Guilds in the game to 99.
• Making the quest that allows players to acquire their own dwelling (where they can save and rest) available earlier in the game.
• Improving quality when DLSS SUPER RESOLUTION is enabled.
• Fixing an issue related to the display of models under some specific settings.
• Miscellaneous text display issues.
• Miscellaneous bug fixes.

IGN compares Dragon's Dogma 2 with Skyrim:

Dragon's Dogma 2's World Has The Spirit of Skyrim

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Mortismal Gaming reviewed Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Review After 100%

Fextralife takes a look at the planned changes for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 NEW PATCH COMING SOON! - New Save, Appearance Change, Performance and More!

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IGN checked out the microtransactions of Dragon's Dogma 2:

How Bad Are Dragon's Dogma 2's Microtransactions?

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Mortismal Gaming checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - First Impressions

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Dragon's Dogma 2 will be released tomorrow:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Launch Trailer

Couchpotato spotted two reviews for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Review @ Fextralife

Performance Review @ IGN

VG247 reviewed Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon’s Dogma 2 review: one of the greatest games of all time… if you’ve the right constitution

Capcom's 12-year vision comes to life in a leap that's comparable to the jump FromSoft made from Demon's Souls to Dark Souls 3. Yes, really.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is uncompromising.

It took me a long time to settle on a single word that I could use to describe this curious role-playing game. Even stretching beyond a word, Dragon’s Dogma 2 practically defies easy definition. There’s a huge laundry list of games that it is a little bit like, but few that it is actually really similar to - so that shorthand is ineffective.

In the good old days, Capcom’s marketing department would’ve briefed that Dragon’s Dogma is so unique that it renders traditional genre names obsolete. We’d be getting press releases telling us that it isn’t just an action-RPG, but instead is something like a ‘Full Action Reactive World RPG’, or some nonsense like that.

[...]

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is wickedly clever, tightly designed, self-aware in all the right ways, and refreshingly unconcerned with whatever the latest trends are. The only game Dragon’s Dogma 2 is really interested in iterating on and answering to is the original Dragon’s Dogma. For fans of that game there’s delightful bonuses, references, and punch-the-air moments, too. But even for newcomers, what should be plain is that Dragon’s Dogma 2 does its own thing - and its own thing is magnificent.

The caveat is that it’s only so magnificent if you can stomach a game that quite deliberately has sharp corners and rough edges. This rugged texture is part and parcel of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s charm - but you have to be willing to take the rough with the smooth, as the saying goes. If you are, you’ll be handsomely rewarded with not just one of the best games of the year - but one of the best games of the generation.

Score: 5/5

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Fextralife explains the loot system of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Weapons, Armor & Loot EXPLAINED!

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Fextralife explains the party composition of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Party Composition - Pawns, Roles, & Party Synergy

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GamingBolt presents all vocations of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon’s Dogma 2 – All Vocations And Everything You Need To Know About Them

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Fextralife presents the classes and vocations of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 CLASSES & VOCATIONS - Which is BEST For You?

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Ian McShane presents Dragon's Dogma 2:

Welcome to Dragon's Dogma 2 - Presented by Ian McShane

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Learn more about the Warfarer in Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official Warfarer Vocation Gameplay Trailer

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Fextralife checked out the character creator of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Character Creation is INSANE - BEST Community Creations

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Gamespot gives an overview of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Everything To Know

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:29 - Plot
01:18 - Setting
02:22 - What's Different
04:07 - DLC
04:28 - Development Team
04:49 - Platforms
05:10 - Release Date & Price

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Take your time for character creation in Dragon's Dogma 2:

Download the free Character Creator ＆ Storage today and get ready for launch!

Ready for your grand adventure, Arisen? Ahead of launch day, you can start making your characters with Character Creator & Storage, available to download today for free!

Dragon's Dogma 2 Character Creator ＆ Storage lets you create your player character, known as the "Arisen," and your main Pawn, who will be your loyal adventuring companion.

You can create up to 5 Arisen and 5 main Pawns, any of which can be transferred to the main game.

Try creating a character that looks like you, a character from your imagination, or anything you like! Let your imagination run wild with the robust character creator in Dragon's Dogma 2 to ensure you're ready to jump right into the acton when the game launches on March 22.

[...]

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IGN presents some gameplay of Dragon's Dogma 2:

11 Minutes of Dragon's Dogma 2 Gameplay on PS5

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IGN checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Has Us Completely Hooked - IGN's Final Impressions

Official Trickster Vocation Trailer

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Capcom presents a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Vocation Spotlight: Mystic Spearhand

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IGN presents another Dragon's Dogma 2 trailer:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official Magick Archer Vocation Trailer

IGN presents a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official Sorcerer Vocation Trailer

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Couchpotato spotted a trailer for the Warrior class of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Vocation Spotlight: Warrior

IGN presents a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official Mage Vocation Trailer

IGN presents a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official Archer Vocation Trailer

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IGN presents a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official Thief Vocation Trailer

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IGN presents a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Official Fighter Vocation Trailer

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IGN checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: Everything We Know After 10 Hours of Play - IGN First

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IGN presents a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - New Gameplay Trailer | State of Play 2024

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IGN checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Preview - Our Thoughts After 10 Hours of Gameplay

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IGN interviewed Capcom developers about Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Creating a High Fantasy Open World - Dev Interview

Find out how the grand high fantasy world of Dragon's Dogma 2 came together in this interview with Capcom developers, including Game Director Hideaki Itsuno, Art Director Daigo Ikeno, and Concept Designer & Lead Designer Keitaro Kato.

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Game Director Hideaki Itsuno and Lead Developer Kento Kinoshita talk about the evolution of Pawns in Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - The Evolution of Pawns Developer Interview - IGN First

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IGN takes a look at the character creator of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon’s Dogma 2: In-Depth Look at the Character Creator – IGN First

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Learn more about the Spinx - a boss monster of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: Get to Know the Sphinx - IGN First

Game Director Hideaki Itsuno and Lead Game Designer Kento Kinoshita discuss one of the most unique monsters in Dragon's Dogma 2, the riddle loving Sphinx. Find out the Sphinx's role in Dragon's Dogma 2, and how it incorporates riddles into the action heavy gameplay of DD2.

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Learn more about the Trickster class of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: Trickster Vocation Breakdown - IGN First

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Couchpotato spotted some gameplay for Dragon's Dogma 2 on IGN:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - 18 Minutes of Fighter, Thief, Warrior, and Sorcerer Gameplay - IGN First

Gamesradar reports that game director Hideaki Itsuno praises the fans of Dragon's Dogma:

Dragon's Dogma 2 director apologizes for the long wait for the JRPG, says its best ideas were inspired by lack of sleep

The game director credits fans' support for making the sequel a reality

The original Dragon's Dogma from developer Capcom took some time to find its audience, but it eventually became a cult favorite in the years following its 2012 release. As Capcom's first attempt at an open-world action RPG, it blended a swords and sorcery high-fantasy conceit with the developer's pedigree for delivering fast and epic action from similar games like Monster Hunter and Devil May Cry. 

But with the upcoming sequel, Dragon's Dogma 2, the developers are looking to up the ante in many ways -- even including ideas that wouldn't have worked for the first game. In a recent issue of Play magazine (issue 35), which is on sale now, game director Hideaki Itsuno took some time to reflect on the original game and what he hopes to achieve with the long-awaited sequel -- and how exactly he came up with the sequel's massively upgraded world.

"I've really wanted to be able to make a sequel right after [the original game] came out, so sorry for making everyone wait so long," said game director Hideaki Itsuno in the Play magazine interview. "I've been so grateful to see so many fans appreciate the quality of the game and support it for so many years. Having fans support the game - both inside Capcom and out - is definitely something that helped push the project towards realisation."

What has held Dragon's Dogma in high regard with Capcom fans and fans of the fantasy genre was its unique approach to the familiar swords and sorcery concept. On the surface, it looks like a fairly standard high-fantasy RPG, but Dragon's Dogma features many weird concepts that make for a compelling and action-packed experience.

[...]

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WolfheartFPS checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

This RPG Will Save 2024 ► Dragon's Dogma 2 (Classes /Vocations, Gameplay, Creation, Release & More)

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Mortismal Gaming reports some new details about Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: Release Date & New Details

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The Steam page for Dragon's Dogma 2 has listed a release date of 21st of March 2024.

Dragon’s Dogma is a single player, narrative driven action-RPG 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. 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 by the latest in graphics, artificial intelligence (AI) and physics technology to create a truly immersive fantasy world in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam.

IGN reports that a showcase for Dragon's Dogma 2 is set for November 28:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Showcase Set For Late November 2023

A tight 15 minute event suggests it won't drag on.

Capcom has announced a Dragon Dogma's 2 Showcase for November 28, 2023, which is set to include big reveals and new gameplay.

The event will take place 1pm Pacific / 4pm Eastern / 9pm UK and is set to last roughly 15 minutes. Capcom didn't reveal where exactly fans can watch the showcase, but it will likely be streamed on its YouTube channel if not the official Dragon's Dogma one.

"Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen! Get the latest info on this action-RPG designed to place player choice at the heart of the gameplay experience," reads the post. "Join director Hideaki Itsuno and producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi as they present all the latest info and gameplay in this approximately 15 minute showcase."

[...]

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TecHRaptor interviewed director Hideaki Itsuno and producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi about Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Interview - Developers Discuss Capcom's Highly Anticipated Sequel

Dragon's Dogma 2 Interview Hero Image portraying the Arisen and More Characters

After over a decade, Capcom is finally bringing back Dragon's Dogma with its sequel, Dragon's Dogma 2. 

At Tokyo Game Show, not only did I get the chance to play the game extensively (and you can read my hands-on preview and watch a lot of gameplay), but I also interviewed director Hideaki Itsuno and producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, who had some interesting details to share.

Itsuno-san talked about the pawns, mentioning that they have been improved in several ways. While their ability to lead the player toward an objective existed in the first Dragon's Dogma, the developers wanted them to feel almost like a friend who knows the game and gives you hints on how to progress without spoiling it too much.

The new pawns can have four different kinds of personalities, which change their priorities when acting, the way they speak (and their voices), and other elements that haven't been announced yet. These elements are designed to add more personality and character to each pawn.

They're also intended to provide hints about what kind of person created them, and this was the original idea for pawns in the first game, to connect players indirectly. The developers endeavored to enhance this effect in Dragon's Dogma 2 even further.

While the term "pawn" may sound like they're expendable, they're actually a critical part of the game and the player needs them. This is also one of the reasons why they have been given more personality, so that they won't feel like inorganic beings and will instead feel more like full-fledged and indispensable characters.

We also hear that the world is meant to be roughly four times bigger than that of original game. However, this isn't just about the dimensions of the map, but more about the density of experiences and content included in the world. There is much more to do within the map of Dragon's Dogma 2. 

The verticality of the terrain is another element that has definitely been emphasized, making sure that players get tangible advantages and disadvantages depending on where they're standing on the vertical plane. On top of that, the vertical aspect adds more blind spots, which can lead to more surprises. 

I shared with Itsuno-san my impression that the cities looked very realistic, wondering what kind of research had been done to achieve that. He was quite happy to hear that as the development of the game overlapped with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the team couldn't travel outside Japan.

[...]

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RPG Site interviewed Hideaki Itsuno and Yoshiaki Hirabayashi about Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Interview: Hideaki Itsuno and Yoshiaki Hirabayashi on crafting a more engaging Action RPG world

During this year's TGS, not only did we get the chance to play around an hour of Dragon's Dogma 2, but Capcom was also kind enough to give us a chance to chat about the upcoming Action RPG with both Hideaki Itsuno and Yoshiaki Hirabayashi. We talked about the challenges and objectives the team faced while developing Dragon's Dogma 2, and what they hope fans can look forward to experiencing with the title when it eventually launches.

RPG Site: It's been over a decade since the original Dragon's Dogma. What would you say is the #1 thing you want to convey to fans of the original, coming into Dragon's Dogma 2?

Hideaki Itsuno: First off - I really, really wanted to make Dragon's Dogma 2 immediately after the first one came out. Due to diverse reasons, I couldn't quite jump to it - which is to say, I was very much looking forward to developing it. Now that I'm working on it, I'm doing it in a way that there's nothing left behind, this time around. I hope player's can look forward to the game.

RPG Site: One thing that stood out to me while playing the demo is how much of the original game's DNA is... I wouldn't say unchanged, but rather "preserved" is perhaps a better way of putting it. So many of the original game's elements are still there for everyone to see. It strikes me that, going off what I played the title feels almost like a reimagining of the original game. Was that intentional, or can you share anything about the direction the project has taken?

Itsuno: Before jumping into creating Dragon's Dogma 2, we put together a lot of information - namely, what people expected of a sequel, what they would want from a sequel, and trying to see how that would align with what we wanted to develop as a follow-up. A lot of the concepts actually matched between what fans expected and what we personally wanted to develop, so that gave us confidence to move forward with this concept.

Of course, we were very careful with leaving in many of these key elements to convey them to a new generation of fans, but we also made many adjustments to live up to current trends and expectations. So you saying that the game felt like a reimagining of the original game is quite heartening, as that matches what we were going for.

RPG Site: Another aspect of the demo that stood out to me is how different the world feels, this time around. The original game's world, even today - as I was reacquainting myself on the flight over on my Steam Deck - is a very dense world, even compared to the open-world Action RPGs of today. Yet going through some of the wooded areas of the demo, opening the map and getting a general idea of how large the game world appears to be - it feels like we're on another level, here. It must've been quite the undertaking. What sort of considerations did the team make when designing the new game world?

Itsuno: Density was exactly the sort of feeling we were trying to convey, and in fact it was one of the first concepts penned during our original design documents. When you focus on wide, open environments where everything is visible - nothing is scary, there's no tension.

Having wide or narrow areas doesn't necessarily mean that a game will be fun, so what we aimed to achieve was to design a world where you could see what your situation is and where you're attempting to get to, but you won't really know what's exactly right in front of you at all times. You won't be sure what can happen on the trek ahead of you and you'll have to prepare accordingly.

To that end, we had several different team members go out and explore different areas, and different landscapes, to see if we could arrive at that sort of density where things don't feel either too narrow, or too wide - so hearing that our intentions have been properly conveyed is encouraging to hear as a developer.

[...]

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Mortismal Gaming checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2: Initial Details

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VGC asks Capcom why the development of Dragon's Dogma 2 has taken so long?

Interview: Capcom explains why Dragon’s Dogma 2 has taken so long

DIRECTOR HIDEAKI ITSUNO AND PRODUCER YOSHIAKI HIRABAYASHI DISCUSS CAPCOM’S FIRST CURRENT-GEN EXCLUSIVE

More than a decade since it first released, Dragon’s Dogma has grown to become a cult favourite.

Much like Dark Souls, it’s a Japanese developer’s unique take on the Western fantasy action RPG that hasn’t been replicated until now with Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Having played the preview build at Tokyo Game Show, our impressions were that it largely and almost uncannily plays just like the original game, but its unique feature of pawns that you can recruit to fight alongside you have been developed to be more talkative and reactive to what’s happening in the game.

Game director Hideaki Itsuno tells us, rather to our surprise, that GTA 5 was a source of inspiration, saying, “That feeling of a living world is something that I’ve definitely tried to achieve in Dragon’s Dogma 2.”

Read on for our full discussion with Itsuno and Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, who shares why it’s taken so long for the sequel to be made and why it’s the company’s first title of this console generation to be current-gen exclusive.

It’s been over a decade since Dragon’s Dogma first released. What took so long for a sequel and was there a driving factor to getting Dragon’s Dogma 2 made?

Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: Dragon’s Dogma is a really valuable IP to us. We knew we wanted to make a sequel at an early stage, but there wasn’t really one particular thing that just changed from no to a green light. It was more that we needed a lot of things to fall into place.

First and foremost, if Itsuno-san doesn’t have time to be the director of the game, it can’t really get made. So having an opportunity to have him spend the time he needed on the game and being able to bring together the other resources needed, such as a large team to work on a game with this scope, just took some years for that all to really fit together. And then once it did, we got started.

[...]

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GameSpot and IGN checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - The First Video Preview

 

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Combat Preview (Hands-On)

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IGN shows some Dragons's Dogma 2 gameplay:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Gameplay Showcase | TGS 2023

IGN presents the gameplay of Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 - Developer Gameplay Overview | Capcom Showcase 2023

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The Steam page for Dragon's Dogma 2 is now available with the release date still unknown and the system requirements not yet revealed.

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.

*Supported languages will be updated at a later date. 

Couchpotato spotted some previews for Dragon's Dogma 2:

The Escapist: Dragon’s Dogma Wasn’t for Me, Yet I Have Faith in Capcom for Dragon’s Dogma 2

Gamesradar: With Elder Scrolls 6 nowhere to be seen, Dragon's Dogma 2 can't come fast enough

Wccftech: Dragon’s Dogma 2 Looks Great, But No Co-Op Is a Missed Opportunity

Fextralife checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon's Dogma 2 Gameplay Reaction & Impressions

Thanks Couchpotato!

The 1st gameplay trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2.

Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen! Dragon’s Dogma is a single player, narrative driven action-RPG 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.

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 by the latest in graphics, artificial intelligence (AI) and physics technology to create a truly immersive fantasy world in Dragon’s Dogma 2. 

Cultured Vultures checked out Dragon's Dogma 2:

Dragon’s Dogma 2 – Everything You Should Know

Before Dragon’s Dogma 2 was even a distant hope for fans, it all started with a feud with a dragon. Not just your run-of-the-mill dragon, though. This fire-breathing fiend took the protagonist’s heart, forcing players on an epic quest through lands filled with mythical beasts and unsavory characters to stop the apocalypse. Dragon’s Dogma was a delightful action RPG that stumbled a little until the enhanced Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen released to deliver a more technically impressive and complete version.

Dark Arisen was developed in response to the community’s cry for more content and lore. With it came Bitterblack Isle, a piece of expanded content that added a new dungeon, new weapons, and new armor. Dragon Dogma’s unique AI-driven “pawn” system proved to be a favorite, as did the vocation (or class) system and varied combat styles, from hack ‘n slash to powerful magic attacks. But Dark Arisen still would only hold fans off for so long, and it wasn’t long before requests for a sequel started to pour in.

Dragon Dogma’s vocal following ultimately led to an official announcement of a sequel’s existence in June 2022, with director Hideaki Itsuno returning at the helm. But when can we expect to play Dragon’s Dogma 2?

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Thanks Couchpotato!

Dragon's Dogma 2 has been announced by Capcom during the 10th anniversary stream for Dragon's Dogma.

Well met, brave Arisen.

A part of today’s “10 Years of Dragon’s Dogma” Developer Video, director Hideaki Itsuno officially announced a title that many of you have been waiting for: Dragon’s Dogma II is now in development!

In case you missed it, watch the video above for the full message, or read our quick recap below!

Mr. Itsuno recalls how his earliest experiences with high fantasy were thanks to classic pen-and-paper role playing games. This resulted in his love of RPGs as a whole, something that he would carry with him throughout his time working on arcade titles for Capcom throughout the 90’s. By 2000, Mr. Itsuno began to build out his own fantasy world, one that would eventually become what we now know as Dragon’s Dogma.

Touching on how the team built out the land of Gransys, the reason behind the game’s unique Pawn System, and the titles he worked on in between his initial concept for Dragon’s Dogma and the game’s release, we encourage Arisen of all types to enjoy Mr. Itsuno’s reflections on his time developing the original game and the thrill of the surprise announcement of Dragon’s Dogma II.

To celebrate, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is also be on sale on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam, making it the perfect time to explore the world of Gransys and prepare yourself for what lies ahead. They’re masteworks, all – you can’t go wrong.

While the team is hard at work on Dragon’s Dogma II, follow the Dragon’s Dogma Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts for all the latest news, activities, and celebrations of this momentous anniversary for Dragon’s Dogma!