Capcom showed off 15 minutes of Dragon’s Dogma 2 footage in a new showcase, and the RPG is looking like one to keep an eye on. Steam might have accidentally spoiled the big piece of news – that Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches on March 22, 2024 – but Capcom had plenty more to show off from the long-awaited sequel, including new classes, spectacular boss battles, and some very chatty Pawns.
If Dragon’s Dogma 2 seems a bit familiar, there’s a good reason for that. Capcom said it takes place in a parallel world to the original game’s setting, which means most of the basics are the same. You’re an Arisen, someone whose heart belongs to an evil dragon, and you want to get your heart back. Pawns are specialized warriors who serve the Arisen and accompany you on your quest, just like they were in the first game. That’s where the familiarity ends.
It seems like Capcom’s cooking up an even more interesting narrative than the dark tale of the original. You’re stuck in the middle of two kingdoms with clashing philosophies and plenty of ideas about what you should be doing with your life. Disa, queen regent of the human kingdom, wants to get her son on the throne and uses a fake Arisen to do it. The beast nation, led by empress Nadinia, thinks Pawns – yours and everyone else’s – are the source of the world’s misfortune, which is bound to cause problems once you stop by for a visit.
Whatever Nadinia thinks, Pawns are pretty useful to you. Outside of the roles they play in combat, they have special characteristics that help make adventuring easier for you and even some that unlock new opportunities. One example Capcom showed was a Pawn who speaks Elvish and can translate when you’re dealing with elves, opening new quests and other interactions you’d, apparently, just have to miss otherwise.
Finally is the combat, which looks like it might borrow a bit from Monster Hunter. Every part of an enemy is fair game. Want to jump on a dragon’s head, MonHun style? Go for it, and take a swipe at its neck spines while you’re there. You can climb giant stone monsters, get birds to fly you into advantageous positions, and influence the course of battle depending on where and how you attack.
Warrior and Sorcerer return as battle vocations, and Capcom showed off a new role as well – Trickster. This role is sort of like a Cleric, with several support spells that center on their censor. Tricksters use smoke to create illusions and confuse enemies, and they can cast some helpful buffs to power up Pawns as well.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 22, 2024, and pre-orders are open now on all platforms.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
