Dragon's Dogma 2 Review: Gameplay, Pawn System, Combat, And Why It's Still Worth Playing In 2025?

Dragon's Dogma 1 stands alone in the genre of fantasy RPGs set in a different world. Compared to RPGs like The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher series, which boast strong storylines but average combat, Dragon's Dogma series is the other extreme.

Dragon's Dogma 2, created by star developer Hideaki Itsuno, received mixed reviews upon its 2024 release. It features both brilliant design elements and some truly disappointing ones (such as teleportation and save mode). Itsuno has stated that he will not be producing DLC for Dragon's Dogma 2, and with his resignation, this may be the final Dragon's Dogma game. So, is this game, with its many regrets, still worth playing?

Graphics

The overall lighting and shadows, especially the support for ray tracing, are quite impressive. Dragon's Dogma 2's character modeling and face-shaping system are clearly an experiment in Monster Hunter Wilds, but the results are still excellent. You can easily create the look you want, such as Geralt or Daenerys Targaryen.

However, there are issues with the strangely low-resolution textures of some items up close, and the default water effects are poor. Overall, however, it's still of high quality.

Music And Voice Acting

The overall music is average, and the boss battle music merely serves to remind you that this fight is different from a typical one, but it's nothing particularly memorable.

However, the voice acting, especially Japanese voice acting, is excellent. The voice acting for the various Pawn inclinations is richly detailed, and each voice acting brings a unique and engaging experience.

Quests And Story

Main Quests

The main story is surprisingly short, consisting of only three chapters. The main storyline is very linear and simple, and if you focus on it, you can probably complete the game in 10 hours. As for the main story, it might be a bit confusing if you haven't played the original, but overall, it stays true to the classic JRPG framework. While the true ending is well-designed, it's also quite difficult to trigger.

Side Quests

The side quests are thoughtfully designed, and the rewards aren't simple Dragon's Dogma 2 gold, but a variety of valuable items, including clothing and even houses. Almost all of them have both good and bad endings, and the designer's original intention was that you shouldn't just complete the good ending on your first playthrough, because your pawn even provides conversation comments based on each bad ending. The game encourages you to find your desired ending through exploration and reflection on your quest choices in each playthrough.

Pawn System

Pawn Dialogue System

Pawn system is arguably the most interesting aspect of Dragon's Dogma 2. First, let's talk about the pawn's dialogue system. Many players feel their Pawn seems clueless, with only a few lines of dialogue, likely because they haven't really listened to their Pawn's dialogue.

A pawn's dialogue is determined by the mission, progress, environment, player sentiment, and their inclinations. Even teaming up with pawns of varying inclinations and experience can lead to different interactions.

For example, a straightforward pawn will slack off in combat, but a calm follower on your team will order it to stand up and fight. Pawns with different tendencies will behave differently in combat, and visiting special landmarks, starting and completing missions, and followers with different personalities may trigger unique voice lines, providing subtle reminders.

Of course, you can romance pawns in this game. There's a hidden relationship statistic: haircuts +50, conversations +2, clapping +5, changing clothes +5, and hot springs +10. Once you reach 620, a follower will defend you and occasionally blush. If you visit more mature settings, your romantically linked pawn will even show jealousy. It's highly recommended to try it out!

Pawn Combat System

Then there's the pawn combat system. Granted, pawns can't directly optimize spell-casting like players do; they're generic combat AIs that unleash whatever skills are available. However, the strategic possibilities of follower combinations are the core gameplay of the game. After all, on a team, your own combat power isn't necessarily decisive. It can be said that the core of Dragon's Dogma 2's combat lies in pawn coordination.

Finally, the pawn rental system is worth mentioning; it's quite engaging. Every player hopes to have their pawns recruited and liked by other players. Furthermore, rented pawns can bring Dragons Dogma 2 gold back, while seeing the various unique pawns created by other players is a real pleasure.

Combat

The early and mid-game battles are appropriately challenging and engaging, allowing you to think about follower coordination, skill allocation, and resource allocation. However, the later stages are far too easy, and the difficulty doesn't increase as you progress through the game. This completely undermines the game's once promising follower coordination system.

The combat in Dragon's Dogma series has always been a strong point, and Dragon's Dogma II certainly hasn't regressed. However, compared to the agile player and minions, the bosses are a bit too easy. All their movements are predictable, and there are no varied attack tempos like those of the bosses in Elden Ring. As long as you are not greedy for more DPS, you can almost take down any boss without taking damage.

Anyone who has played Dragon's Dogma II will feel pity for it. It's a game with great potential. Given more time for optimization and polish, it could definitely become a game like The Elder Scrolls V. While it's not perfect, if you enjoy combat and follower system, Dragon's Dogma II will definitely appeal to you, even in 2025.