Dragon's Dogma 2 is one of 2024’s most eagerly-awaited new games, but how good will it really be?  This fantasy RPG is a sequel to 2012’s successful Dragon’s Dogma, and if it’s a hit, it could inspire a new wave of dragon-based games, so let’s see what it’s all about.
 

The History of Dragons in Gaming to Date

Of course, the original Dragon’s Dogma is far from being the only game about dragons that people love to play. To get a good idea of the diversity of this genre, we can look at this list of the best dragon games, which includes classics such as Game of Thrones: Winter Is Coming, Final Fantasy XIV, and Skyrim. These mythical creatures are perfect for role-playing games in fantasy worlds, which is why they appear so often as we play this kind of adventure.

Dragons are also popular as a theme in casino games. They add excitement and fantasy to these games, as you’ll see when playing and enjoying online slots like Dragon’s Scroll and 15 Dragon Pearls. These games work like other slots - as you need to get a matching combo of symbols- but use dragons and related images as their symbols. You might also get a bonus feature where the dragons swoop onto the reels to help you win.  

So, dragon games are already popular, but by taking a look through 2024’s other big releases, we can see that not too many other dragon-based games are on their way. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is part of a popular series that’s more about fighting than fire-breathing creatures. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the remake of a game that features the Red Dragon as a boss, but it isn’t yet clear if that character will appear in this instalment of the new trilogy.
 

What We Know About Dragon’s Dogma 2

The original Dragon’s Dogma was based on the idea that the character explores a big fantasy world called Gransys. The way that pawn characters can be used to support players was a huge part of its success. It’s sold about eight million copies to date, and the gameplay has been widely praised, although the narrative has been criticized by some reviewers for being a bit lightweight.

As for Dragon’s Dogma 2, it’s been created with a third-person perspective and again sees players exploring a vast world. The hero - known as the Arisen - needs to find and defeat the fearsome dragon that has marked them. But that’s only one part of the story, as they’re going to get caught up in a bigger conflict as they explore the land.

Pawns are again used, with the chance to recruit one or two pawns created by other players as well as the AI-controlled pawns that are assigned. Combat is controlled through a vocation system that is used to define the strengths and weaknesses of each player. Mystic Spearhand and Trickster are among the new vocations added to those that return from the original game. The Trickster vocation allows you to create a clone of your character that distracts the attention of your enemies for a few vital seconds.

The size of the open-world setting is another piece of good news, as it’s four times bigger than the one used in Dragon’s Dogma. It’s a parallel world to the one you’ll already know if you played the original, divided into a couple of warring kingdoms, known as Battahl and Vermund. Elves, humans, and beastrens are among the creatures you’ll meet as you travel through the landscapes under dynamically changing weather conditions. 

One of the most striking characters we’ve seen in the trailer is a huge monster with red eyes and a weird grin. It isn’t a dragon though, as it’s known as the Sphinx and wasn’t in the original but did make an appearance in Dragon’s Dogma Online. The Sphinx lives alone and is hard to find, but it’s been reported that you can complete the game without ever meeting it. Assuming you do find it, you can either fight this creature or try to solve its riddles to earn rewards.
 

The Release Details and What Happens Next

This new game was originally announced by Capcom in mid-2022, so fans have been waiting a long time for it to finally appear for sale and give it a try. The release date is set for March 22 this year, at which point it will be made available on several formats such as PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PCs.

Will it be a big hit? At the time of writing, there’s a high level of expectation among gamers for Dragon’s Dogma 2. The trailer looks excellent and even if it doesn’t create a new boom for dragon-themed games, it should at least ensure that fantasy RPG titles remain popular.