"Even if I hadn't have played the first Dragon's Dogma, I can tell you with complete certainty that I'd have come to same conclusion I have now, and I'd have given Dragon's Dogma 2 the same score I have now, simply because no other game in recent memory has inspired the same feeling of captivation and wonder in me. The joy of discovery lies within all of us, and Dragon's Dogma 2 succeeds in evoking that magical feeling in a way no other game has before it."
"Dragon’s Dogma 2 is wickedly clever, tightly designed, self-aware in all the right ways, and refreshingly unconcerned with whatever the latest trends are. The only game Dragon’s Dogma 2 is really interested in iterating on and answering to is the original Dragon’s Dogma. For fans of that game there’s delightful bonuses, references, and punch-the-air moments, too. But even for newcomers, what should be plain is that Dragon’s Dogma 2 does its own thing - and its own thing is magnificent."
"Dragon's Dogma 2 is a triumph of a game that wants you to just take your time and see everything you possibly can. You'll be constantly pulled from your path by a new cave, a random quest, a chest one of your Pawns has found, random fights, and it's all part of the experience. I adore this game, and while it has some aspects I think some will find too clunky, it's a masterpiece."
"If the popularity of Elden Ring wasn’t a clear enough indicator, let Dragon’s Dogma 2 be used in boardrooms across the world as the shining example of what a modern, massive, gorgeous open-world game can be. Players want freedom. Players want to feel like they played a role in this role-playing game."
"As a sequel, Dragon's Dogma 2 is an extension of everything the first game achieved 12 years ago. It's an enchanting open-world RPG with varied, exciting combat and a player-created companion system that's still unlike anything else. It doesn't do much beyond what the original did, but advancements in technology have enhanced its anomalous strengths, breathing new life into its massive open world and the ways in which you and everything around you can interact with it."
"Despite my reservations about the late game, Dragon's Dogma 2 remains an exceptional experience on almost all fronts and an adventure that you unequivocally won't want to miss."
"Dragon’s Dogma 2 captures the spirit of the original without sanding down the edges of what made it excellent. Its insistence on player exploration and discovery, coupled with an ending I will think about for the rest of the year, makes Dragon’s Dogma 2 a standout game and a worthy successor."
IGN (8/10)
"Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a strange and wonderful game that seems haunted by some of yesteryear’s bugaboos. It is a retelling and reimplementation of all of those wonderful ideas from the 2012 cult-classic, including an awesome dynamic world and some of the best combat in the genre that integrates a subtle but amazingly complex physics system.
On the other hand, its finicky ally AI, clunky climbing, choppy frame rate, and camera with a habit of going haywire at the worst times are all “features” I wish hadn’t been brought back for another round. Even so, there’s an action-RPG here that’s richly rewarding and incomparable to its contemporaries if you can be patient with its quirks and open to embracing its hands-off open-world and quest designs."
"All in all, I think Dragon's Dogma 2 is a great proposition for the RPG genre and a title that delivers on many of its promises of great adventures for players. But despite its many good things, its interesting story and the wonderful feeling of exploration and living a truly unusual adventure, the game has those technical issues that fail to deliver a product as well rounded as it could be."
"Its peerless sense of exploration, meaty combat system, and stunning visuals will motivate you throughout the entire playthrough. Just don't expect to find a fantasy world simulator or, indeed, a narrative worth remembering."
It seems we have another Capcom banger on our hands, then! At the time of writing, the team has picked up an overall Metacritic score of 87 and an OpenCritic rating of 89 - this could be one Xbox RPG worth investing in.
