Why I'm Excited for Dragon's Dogma 2

One of the main selling points of the original, and some of my favourite moments, were the battles with monsters big and small: whether it be a simple Goblin or a ferocious Ogre, the game had a way of making each monster feel unique, almost like playing a TTRPG. Goblins were quick and devious, using their larger numbers to great effect, whereas the giant cyclopes were powerful to no end but dumb as bricks, often harming their allies more than their targets! As each foe had a strength, so too did they have a weakness, which made the battles feel more intelligent and dynamic, with players having to be creative if they were missing a key resource to defeat a foe easily.

I'm hoping the sequel will further refine this, giving each Vocation unique ways to take down foes by either playing smart or buffing their allies. For example, in the prequel, fighting a Golem as a mage was horrid, as your spells did nothing and your staff, a mighty hammer, was not. New and/or smarter monsters would naturally be appreciated!

Something I absolutely adored in the original was the Vocations, the “classes” you could pick from. They all had unique skills and factors that made them feel unique, but they also were “upgradeable” to more advanced and hybrid Vocations, giving instant replay value and depth to the game. 

Looking at the information available, this seems to be the case in the sequel as well, though that remains to be seen! Splitting the Strider into the Archer and Thief Vocations is an interesting move, though I'm hoping this will mean both will receive more focused skills and tricks. The new Arisen-only Vocations look like a blast as well, with the addition of both a spear and illusion magick being intriguing from the get-go. I'm going to start with a Thief, what about you?

The Pawns, while occasionally a bit annoying, were still my absolute favourite part of the game. These faithful friends, while “emotionally cold”, were hilarious, helpful, and comforting on the many treks I did into the Gransys wilds. I'm unsure how the AI of these fellows has changed, but it seems their ability to learn and grow with the player has increased dramatically. Adding in the fact that there may be Pawns from other factions (humans, beastren, and elven, respectfully), I'm keen to see how this plays out. I'm also interested to see how the new race options will change the dynamic; Pawns supposedly come to look and act like their Arisen, so how would that manifest in a party of a beastren Arisen and human Pawn?

Finally, I am dying to know how the game ties into what we know of the Dragon's Dogma lore! Based on the previous title, there are multiple ways and places we could be, each more interesting and obscure than the last. Will there be mention of the previous game's Arisen? Is this even in the same continuity or continent? The questions are endless, and so are the opportunities. I, for one, cannot wait to dive in and find out!