Dragon's Dogma 2 Review 59 Hours In (Mostly Positive, With Some Gripes)
Just hit 59 hours on Dragon's Dogma 2 and finally feel like I've seen enough to write something honest. This game is a wild ride that scratches a very specific itch the kind of fantasy adventure where you actually feel like a wandering Arisen making your way through a living, breathing world. If you loved the first game or just want something that isn't another Ubisoft map-marker fest, this one delivers in spades.
The Good Stuff (There's a Lot)
The combat is still the absolute star. Climbing on a griffin while your pawns are yelling tactical advice, smashing a cyclops in the eye with a thrown boulder, or chaining spells as a Sorcerer, it never gets old. The physics and ragdoll stuff is ridiculous in the best way. I spent way too many hours just experimenting with different vocations. Mystic Spear hand and Thief became my favourites after I got bored of Warrior. Every class feels distinct and satisfying once you unlock the good skills.
The pawn system is genius. My main pawn has been with me the whole time and actually feels like a companion who learns from my playstyle. Hiring other players' pawns and seeing them use gear and inclinations I set up is super cool. Some of them are absolute idiots who run off cliffs, but that's part of the charm.
Exploration in this world is fantastic. The map feels dense and vertical. You'll stumble on random caves, bandit camps, or ancient ruins while just walking from point A to B. Nighttime travel is legitimately tense, you better have a lantern and some oil because things get spicy after dark. I loved the sense of discovery, finding secret Portcrystals and shortcuts that made later trips way faster.
The world itself looks gorgeous in a painterly, storybook kind of way. Vermund and Battahl feel distinct, and the side quests often have clever or dark twists that fit the tone perfectly. Some of the emergent moments (like a random dragon attack derailing your entire plan) are unforgettable.
The Not So Good
It's not perfect. The main story is pretty short and basic if you rush it (I took my time and still finished the critical path around hour 35-40). Some side quests are brilliant, others feel like fetch quests with extra steps. Enemy variety starts to drag in the late game, you fight a lot of the same big monsters, and once you're over levelled the challenge drops off unless you handicap yourself.
Performance can still be rough on PC (I had some stutters in crowded areas and cities), and the inventory management is as annoying as ever. Dragons plague was more of a meme than a real threat for me, but the microtransactions for convenience stuff still feel lame even if you can ignore them.
Final Verdict
59 hours in and I'm still playing. Dragon's Dogma 2 is one of the most fun action RPGs I've played in years if you buy into its particular brand of jank and freedom. It's not for everyone, if you need a super tight narrative, hand-holding, or constant new enemies, you might bounce off it. But if you want to live in a dangerous fantasy world where your choices (and your pawns) actually matter, this is something special.
Score: 8.5/10 Highly Recommended for fans of the original or anyone craving a proper adventure. I'm probably putting another 30-40 hours into New Game+ and vocation grinding. Arisen, the road calls!
Would I buy it again? Absolutely. Just maybe wait for a sale or a performance patch if you're on the fence.
