Dragon's Dogma Review

[Aeonknight]

Admittedly I might have been a little harsh on the game when I wasn't that far in (although it does start off slow, leaving you with no idea wtf you're doing.) It still comes across as the bastard child of Skyrim and Dark Souls, but the mix may be a little bit better than I originally anticipated. After I unlocked a few decent skills and messed around with the pawn system a little more, it started to grow on me. I do find myself enjoying it, and will most likely do so until the Dark Souls DLC comes out.

I'd recommend it.

 

[Sparrow]

I have a question: Does downloading other players' pawns on the Xbox 360 require Gold Membership? I have access to Xbox Live but, knowing the kinds of games I play, I've never found it worth buying a subscription.

I have a heap of games to get through first, but this is definitely on my to-buy list. At the very least my partner will probably make me snatch it up soon.

Nope, you can still download pawns without Gold. Pretty neat, I think.

I don't know how the pawn system will work in the long-term scenario, but I'm really starting to get annoyed with companies adding online multiplayer components to their single player games. Multiplayer modes are all well and good, but things like this and White Knight Chronicles' online group quests seem to forget that eventually people stop playing these games, leaving people who arrive to the party a little late high and dry.

If the game keeps a constant database of these pawns, then I don't really have a complaint here, it's just a trend I've noticed a lot of RPG's (Western-themed J-RPG's for the most part, oddly enough) doing.

The game has a bunch of preset pawns that update with your level, meaning that if you're offline you're not going to miss any of the fun. Plus, the online component doesn't require a Gold membership, so you're good in that respect.

 

[Kenkurogue]

One of the really cool things about the pawn system is the way they can learn from other players. If you are on a quest, and one of your pawns already did it with another player they will give you tips based on what they know. Pawns will also give info on fighting monsters that they learned while being used by another player. Things the pawns say can get annoyingly repetitive at times, but you learn to ignore the chatter.
The lack of a fast travel system was annoying at first and added to the challenge (if you did not prepare well enough for your trip you might not make it all the way back alive.) As I got further along I discovered there are rest camps scattered around the map, and also magic item ( while expensive to keep buying ) that will teleport you back to the main city. So the travelling gets easier as you go along,
As for the story, it needs to be discovered, just like the world. It is refreshing to play a game that does not grab you by the nose and say "now you have to go over here because the story says so"

 

[Dresos]

I actually liked that the combat against isnt just "wave sword till he dies" The monsters are big and you're small, it's quite fun to finally finish of a giant enemy after some tough combat. I would hate it if they included fast travel, just add horses or something instead.

 

[Scars Unseen]

1) The "pawn" system has the best AI companions I've ever seen in a game. Your main pawn can be trained and learns combat tactics from observing your behavior as well as that of the monsters you fight. They will surprise you, and not in that "he's stuck on the chest high wall again" way. And that behavior carries over when you hire someone else's pawn.

the only flaw I found with that is in my case my main pawn is a mage and I´m a fighter (and soon warrior) and my pawn is getting to thick in the fight, would have enjoyed a more detailed command system, being able to specific tell her to stay at the edge of a fight, or say tell my strider pawn to shoot the sea bird I´m looking at, so she can help me with that quest X)

Well the thing about the pawn system is that you are training behavior rather than simply tactics. There are more competing personality aspects in the pawn system than in The Sims. Training your pawn is done through a combination of them watching you, you coaching them in the Chair of Knowledge, and - if you prefer more immediate results - buying behavior affecting potions with Rift Crystals.

 

[Scars Unseen]

I actually liked that the combat against isnt just "wave sword till he dies" The monsters are big and you're small, it's quite fun to finally finish of a giant enemy after some tough combat. I would hate it if they included fast travel, just add horses or something instead.

I would hate even that. Just like mounts and Fast Travel made Oblivion and Skyrim feel small, so it would be for Dragon's Dogma if such were included. In this game, the journey is the point, and where all of the game's magic occurs. Skipping out on that would be like putting fast travel into The Oregon Trail. There just wouldn't be a point. And there actually is in game teleportation, it's just that it uses up a rare and expensive consumable item, so it isn't something to be done lightly.

 

[Mr Companion]

Nice innovation but I wish it more of it's own personality. It's the same problem Kingdoms of Alamur had.

Would also have been nice to have some decent character creation instead of a bunch of presets.

There is an in depth character creation, its almost too detailed. Did you not find it?
I guess the menu for it is a little strange.

Anyways I think this review was a little overly critical of things that are fairly intentional. Large health bars are a product of its tactical boss combat. And if you found one thing boring it would be wise to wander off into the wilderness to hunt some massive game for fun and profit. Its a game that doesn't lend itself to reviewing I guess because it is best to let you lose yourself in the crazy adventures you get into. The initial difficulty and sudden introduction of new enemies makes for hilarious unpredictable fun.

Anyway I sympathies that the game is little bewildering at times and he had limited time in which to review it but I feel the review might have skimmed over some good parts of the game such as (moral?) choices, day night cycle and inventive combat moves that set it apart from most RPG's.

 

[remmus]

My biggest issue with the game (aside from the fact that when you open up the world map huge portions, though drawn, seem to be inaccessible) are the damn pawns. They're annoying. They have no personality (the game even explains this in some attempt to justify it) and they're not that interesting. I would have liked it a lot more if it was just you, like Skyrim, and you could have people tag along every once in a while for a quest or whatever.

Still, great game.

I actually liked that part, think about it, how many rpg in gaming history haven´t had you pick up followers you only met a minute ago and yet they fight and die for you no questions? With the Pawns they at least give a lore wise reason why there so blindly loyal minutes into meeting you.

As for personality, well if you haven´t seen any you didn´t care to see it to begin with. As I constantly refreshed my team of pawns I seen everything from self confident braggers to caution promoters who talks of getting nightmares from fighting monsters.

Well the thing about the pawn system is that you are training behavior rather than simply tactics. There are more competing personality aspects in the pawn system than in The Sims. Training your pawn is done through a combination of them watching you, you coaching them in the Chair of Knowledge, and - if you prefer more immediate results - buying behavior affecting potions with Rift Crystals.

True, that helps, but I still think if a rl commander can both use a soldier autonomy and give him/her direct orders, why can´t this game keep it´s current self thinking pawns AND let me give direct orders what to do and not do?

 

[gibboss28]

Hmm, this game from what I've seen looks very interesting, may have to dust off the PS3 and get to it as soon as I can.

 

[Sneaky Paladin]

I would get it if I wasn't still bitter over Monster Hunter not coming, also fuck Capcom in general.

 

[ace_of_something]

I played as a mage for some time (now I'm a magick archer way awesome) I am really confused by you saying there is no targeting system. You charge the spell move the ridicule over what you want to die, it locks into place in case it moves around and release spell. The arcane arrows I have HOME in on targets. I barely have to aim. My dagger abilities are as simple as, face the target you want and attack. I disagree with you on a lot of points here.

I do agree that most of the game's visuals being 90% is forest/valley/cave does get a little blah. That and the story is a barely there until you get a good ways in.

edit: One more point the word 'aught' makes me want to hurt someone.

 

[The Funslinger]

I really like this game.

Reminds me of Dark Souls and Monster Hunter.

Light on story, but great on combat mechanics, character customisation and atmosphere.

I was wondering, is it as difficult as dark souls?

 

[Sonicron]

It's Monster Hunter with worse visual design, blander colours, ludicrously annoying party NPCs and a horribly unwieldy inventory system. (And I already didn't like Monster Hunter.)
Such a shame. It looked so good in trailers and previews, but in the end I had to force myself to play it for 9 hours before my patience finally gave out and I trudged back to the rental store.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I really like this game.

Reminds me of Dark Souls and Monster Hunter.

Light on story, but great on combat mechanics, character customisation and atmosphere.

I was wondering, is it as difficult as dark souls?

Nah, not nearly as difficult as DS.

It's challenging at times, but not DS challenging

 

[The Funslinger]

I really like this game.

Reminds me of Dark Souls and Monster Hunter.

Light on story, but great on combat mechanics, character customisation and atmosphere.

I was wondering, is it as difficult as dark souls?

Nah, not nearly as difficult as DS.

It's challenging at times, but not DS challenging

That's good. But the slightly masochistic challenge accepter in me is a little disappointed.

 

[Syzygy23]

I don't know how the pawn system will work in the long-term scenario, but I'm really starting to get annoyed with companies adding online multiplayer components to their single player games. Multiplayer modes are all well and good, but things like this and White Knight Chronicles' online group quests seem to forget that eventually people stop playing these games, leaving people who arrive to the party a little late high and dry.

If the game keeps a constant database of these pawns, then I don't really have a complaint here, it's just a trend I've noticed a lot of RPG's (Western-themed J-RPG's for the most part, oddly enough) doing.

Capcom apparently thought of everything, because they offer "Special Pawns", a large list of developer made pawns that offer everything you could want in pawn if you don't feel like using player made ones, or if all the player made ones are too high level.

 

[remmus]

I really like this game.

Reminds me of Dark Souls and Monster Hunter.

Light on story, but great on combat mechanics, character customisation and atmosphere.

I was wondering, is it as difficult as dark souls?

Nah, not nearly as difficult as DS.

It's challenging at times, but not DS challenging

That's good. But the slightly masochistic challenge accepter in me is a little disappointed.

trust me, with the sole save file you have plus the lack of a "respawn" mechanic means you get your share of teeth grinding challenge.

 

[captaincabbage]

I really like this game.

Reminds me of Dark Souls and Monster Hunter.

Light on story, but great on combat mechanics, character customisation and atmosphere.

Yeah I really feel the same as you. I'm bloody loving the world, not because of the story (which is literally the classic story of the stalwart hero facing the evil dragon, Capcom admitted to this purposely) but because the gameplay is excellent, the customization is just hella fantastically varied and the actual monsters you fight are the exact sorts of monsters I've always wanted to fight in a game; classic European myth and folklore.

Really, I loved the landscapes too, the forests are a little sparse, but have a beautiful feel to them and every place I've been to in my 40+ hours so far has felt fairly unique, which is impressive for a game which is essentially all British countryside and then a canyon.

 

[captaincabbage]

I really like this game.

Reminds me of Dark Souls and Monster Hunter.

Light on story, but great on combat mechanics, character customisation and atmosphere.

I was wondering, is it as difficult as dark souls?

Nah, not nearly as difficult as DS.

It's challenging at times, but not DS challenging

That's good. But the slightly masochistic challenge accepter in me is a little disappointed.

trust me, with the sole save file you have plus the lack of a "respawn" mechanic means you get your share of teeth grinding challenge.

Yeah it's really more about tension in DD than actual proper challenge. Of course is you try and take down a chimera at level ten you're going to get completely mutilated, as at that level a single pounce can kill you instantly, but it's not overwhelming hard.

I've actually waited a long time for a game like this. I'm not into the masochistic difficulty of Dark Souls because I would be down a controller or two in the first hour, and I've always loved the idea of the Monster Hunter games, but I 1.) don't have a Wii, and 2.) don't like the "Japanese-ness" of it, if you know what I mean. I just hate the whole thing of giant, retardedly elaborate armour and a weapon as tall as you are, killing monsters that, frankly, look like they came out of a half-transformed transformer convention.

 

[remmus]

I really like this game.

Reminds me of Dark Souls and Monster Hunter.

Light on story, but great on combat mechanics, character customisation and atmosphere.

I was wondering, is it as difficult as dark souls?

Nah, not nearly as difficult as DS.

It's challenging at times, but not DS challenging

That's good. But the slightly masochistic challenge accepter in me is a little disappointed.

trust me, with the sole save file you have plus the lack of a "respawn" mechanic means you get your share of teeth grinding challenge.

Yeah it's really more about tension in DD than actual proper challenge. Of course is you try and take down a chimera at level ten you're going to get completely mutilated, as at that level a single pounce can kill you instantly, but it's not overwhelming hard.

I've actually waited a long time for a game like this. I'm not into the masochistic difficulty of Dark Souls because I would be down a controller or two in the first hour, and I've always loved the idea of the Monster Hunter games, but I 1.) don't have a Wii, and 2.) don't like the "Japanese-ness" of it, if you know what I mean. I just hate the whole thing of giant, retardedly elaborate armour and a weapon as tall as you are, killing monsters that, frankly, look like they came out of a half-transformed transformer convention.

agreed, very refreshing in general (and being a Japanese game especially) to see more down to earth aesthetics, it still feels like fantasy, but it´s a bit more grounded fantasy and I like it