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[fallingdove]

I played the first one yes, and in the sequel they added even more hardcore mechanics so i thought the challenge was also higher, especially when one of the most glaring flaws of the first one was the lack of challenge and how easy was to break.

You may not consider those things like flaws, but many people do, not everyone has the same sensibility when it comes to challenge and balancement.

And yeah, from my understanding all the pr campaign for this game was all about how hardcore and old school the experience was about to be, one save file, limited fast travel, no hand holding, losing health every time you reload, recovering full health at camps, heavy handled stamina and weight system, etc.
And after 10 hours the game is not even THAT non-handholdy as promised, you still have yellow icons for objectives, yellow search zones on the map, pawns literally solving quests or telling you what to do, the missions that require even a bit of investigation are few and far between and if you have good pawns, they are gonna guide you even in these cases, and i'm not even mad at pawns being helpful, their interactions have been the best thing about the game for now.
I'm sure there is gonna be some obtuse sidequest where pawns are not that helpful and the timed thing can be tricky i give you that.

I don't wanna sound overly negative but when i read some opinions\reviews i feel like i'm playing a completely different game, hopefully the first 10 hours are by far the worst, i really hope it's the case.

But with the exception of the more helpful pawns, everything you mentioned was in the first game.

You also have the choice of whether or not to use pawns. Using up all three slots is, of course, going to equate to easy mode.

I just don't know what people were expecting with this game. Its more Dragons Dogma.

 

[Madflavor]

Well, again, you're describing the majority of games here, you can play most gives like shit and still win. You only have to take a lot at a random streamer for any game to realise how terrible the average player actually is at videogames.
Souls games are a different thing and designed to be unforgiven, but this doesn't really have any bearing on how 'strategic' or not you approach combat, it's mostly just memorisation of patterns so you don't get hit, or brute forcing your way through with stats.

If you truly wish to campare the two in this fashion, you can just venture out solo, I'm not sure if it's the same here, but in the first game you got extra xp for being alone and also had augments that would only activate solo; a single pack of wolves can quickly kill you solo if you make a mistake, so I'd say it can be fiercely unforgiving when played like that as well.

For me I think I would be enjoying the combat more if it was a lot harder. I never get the feeling that I'm in a place I'm not strong enough for, or fighting a beast that I'm ill prepared to face. Ya dig?

I get why the game appeals to some people. It's a playground. A playground where random things can happen, and the way you can interact with the world can lead to encounters with enemies to sometimes progress differently than the last. I do get it, it isn't lost on me. But that challenge and sense of accomplishment is missing for me. I never once had a 'Fuck yeah!" moment for anything I killed. And I had those moments in DD1 a decade ago when I played it.

But with the exception of the more helpful pawns, everything you mentioned was in the first game.

You also have the choice of whether or not to use pawns. Using up all three slots is, of course, going to equate to easy mode.

I just don't know what people were expecting with this game. Its more Dragons Dogma.

I think some people were expecting, or hoping for some major improvements and evolution after 12 years. I don't think that's unreasonable. Yes I am well aware that there are improvements, but overall it does feel like DD1 but with better graphics. And clearly that's more than enough for some people, cool. But for some people they were just hoping to see more after over a decade long wait. I'm beginning to realize that perhaps part of the reason this gaming isn't knocking my dick on the floor like it is for some people, is because of how similar it is to the first game.

 

[BobbyColtrane]

If you're bothered by the one save thing and on PC, Dragon's Dogma Save Manager has been updated for DD2 here

If you're on console,

Spoiler

 

[DavidGzz]

The battles definitely aren’t comparable in the sense that so far I can kill everything in DD2 in my sleep. But saying ER is always samey, considering the huge breadth of different playstyles, feels like a pretty disingenuous way to put down the game so you can prop up DD2.

You're the one coming in defending ER without actually quoting the posts in question first so not sure why you're mad about anyone propping a game up in it's own OT. I love ER, it's in my top 5 ever but combat wise, DD2 kills it. Hell, DD1 does too. DD1 just sucked on most other areas compared to Souls, Bloodborne, etc, but DD2 is much better than it's predecessor. Elden Ring excels in many different areas, just not combat. It feels good and is great but Dogma is on another level. It's like real time Baldur's Gate. We don't all have to have the same opinions. I doubt you're taking Drakes or Chimera's in your sleep. Sure, the goblins are pretty easy, but so are trash mobs in ER.

 

[DavidGzz]

I get why the game appeals to some people. It's a playground. A playground where random things can happen, and the way you can interact with the world can lead to encounters with enemies to sometimes progress differently than the last. I do get it, it isn't lost on me. But that challenge and sense of accomplishment is missing for me. I never once had a 'Fuck yeah!" moment for anything I killed. And I had those moments in DD1 a decade ago when I played it.



I think some people were expecting, or hoping for some major improvements and evolution after 12 years. I don't think that's unreasonable. Yes I am well aware that there are improvements, but overall it does feel like DD1 but with better graphics. And clearly that's more than enough for some people, cool. But for some people they were just hoping to see more after over a decade long wait. I'm beginning to realize that perhaps part of the reason this gaming isn't knocking my dick on the floor like it is for some people, is because of how similar it is to the first game.

There are soooo many improvements from Demon's to ER and that was 13 years.(sarcasm) If it ain't broke...

Anyway, since you're such a god gamer, play with only one pawn or none. I've watched many streams where Souls vets die over and over, one is a DD1 junkie who is having a Souls like adventure because she only plays with her main pawn who isn't a healer. Try that.

 

[Skifi28]

I was surprised to find out how well the game plays with a mouse, considering the warning you get when you start it up.

 

[DavidGzz]

not sure if you liked the exploration in elden rings, but i hated its exploration because everywhere you went you got something useless for classes you werent main-ing. Either that or it was some bs boss that took 10-15 tries then gave a crappy reward.

This game is much more fun because of all your coop buddies. The stuff you do find out in the wild is mostly helpful with very rare gear for classes you arent using. you are mostly earning xp which lets you unlock actual skills and abilities instead of putting in 1-2 points into your str, dex etc. a level every few hours.

to me, an open world souls game is a tedious exercise in frustration. this is an open world game done right.

THIS. I hope From Software go back to the original formula for Spellbound or whatever they call their next game.

 

[DavidGzz]

haha good dark souls 1 analogy. I played that game like 3 times on 360 and fps never bothered me aside from blighttown

Yeah, and I loved it on the 360 as well. I didn't own this OLED though, so maybe Blighttown would have sent me if I did lol

 

[Sleepwalker]

Been stuck on the character creator for like an hour now. fml

 

[Madflavor]

You're the one coming in defending ER without actually quoting the posts in question first so not sure why you're mad about anyone propping a game up in it's own OT. I love ER, it's in my top 5 ever but combat wise, DD2 kills it. Hell, DD1 does too. DD1 just sucked on most other areas compared to Souls, Bloodborne, etc, but DD2 is much better than it's predecessor. Elden Ring excels in many different areas, just not combat. It feels good and is great but Dogma is on another level. It's like real time Baldur's Gate. We don't all have to have the same opinions. I doubt you're taking Drakes or Chimera's in your sleep. Sure, the goblins are pretty easy, but so are trash mobs in ER.

|OT| - Dragon's Dogma 2 |OT| Pawnworld

How does this compare to something like Elden ring? In terms of feeling of exploration etc

www.neogaf.com

Balducci brought up Elden Ring and how the games compare, and I (along with plenty of others) gave my two cents on it. And if people wanted to engage in ER vs. DD2 conversation with me afterward, I'm happy to do so.

There are soooo many improvements from Demon's to ER and that was 13 years.(sarcasm) If it ain't broke...

Lol there are yeah.

Anyway, since you're such a god gamer, play with only one pawn or none. I've watched many streams where Souls vets die over and over, one is a DD1 junkie who is having a Souls like adventure because she only plays with her main pawn who isn't a healer. Try that.

not sure why you're mad about anyone propping a game up in it's own OT.

Look man I ain't mad, but you're giving off vibes that you're definitely bothered by my opinion. In regards to me criticizing the game in it's own OT, no offense but I got over it in the Elden Ring OT, I'm pretty sure you can too. All games have their detractors, looks like I'm one of them this time, it's fine.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Game is odd, just like DD1 it's an easy game that still manages to be fun thanks to how well it plays.

My only gripe so far are the "dungeons", since all I've found so far are caves and a few catacombs. Are there any actual dungeons like temples or old castles? That'd be cool.

 

[Madflavor]

So far Thief feels like the strongest Vocation. Helmsplitter just does amazing damage, and latching onto a giant enemy, planting a satchel charge, leaping off and detonating it for big damage is pretty satisfying. I haven’t tested that on parts that can be blown off yet, but I’m assuming it’ll work in many cases.

 

[Madflavor]

Game is odd, just like DD1 it's an easy game that still manages to be fun thanks to how well it plays.

My only gripe so far are the "dungeons", since all I've found so far are caves and a few catacombs. Are there any actual dungeons like temples or old castles? That'd be cool.

Would like to know this as well. Have found nothing but caves with the same aesthetic so far.

 

[DavidGzz]

This girl came rushing in(ambushed in a cave after some boulder killed one of my pawns part of the emergent battle scenarios) with this sword cold buffed from a mage and I thought the Moonlight greatsword was in this game lol

 

[MagiusNecros]

Really enjoying the game. Don't want to stop playing but I gotta say some stuff.

2 caveats though.

DD1 music is superior to DD2 music. Switch to DD1 music asap. DD2 Imminent Triumph is so tame in comparison. Almost too quiet IMO. Lacks that OOMPH.

Also for Mages and Sorcerers they really gutted the fuck out of our spell list. These spells were deleted/pruned. Some spells like Comestion and Bolide were replaced by Salamander and Meteron respectively.

Blearing
Brontide(Lightning Whip)
Dark/Holy : Affinity/Boon
Frazil
Exequy
Fulmination
Ingle
Lassitude
Miasma
Necromancy
Petrifaction
Silentium
Voidspell
Magic Billow
Magic Agent
Grapnel
Perdition
Sopor
Spellscreen

Also worth noting that Elemental affinities no longer have different attacks. Just elemental property. So RIP Dark or Holy Focused Bolt. My personal big offender is no Miasma or way to build around Poison, Petrify, Slows, Torpor.

Pretty upsetting on how they streamlined magic in this game. Mega oof. No Dark Magic available to use in the game at all.

 

[Alexios]

Sad, DD2 doesn't perform anywhere near as good as Forbidden West on my aging PC (that ran 50-60 fps with dips to ~45 at medium settings so I settled for high @ locked 30). Even at low settings 1080p it goes down to ~24 fps in the very first camp. Cinematics seem to tank fps similarly for some reason, maybe they default to higher fidelity face models or something like that. Higher settings wasn't much worse at minimum unless taken to the extreme. Granted it doesn't look awful even in lower settings, except the shadows that need to be at least high to not have constant shimmering everywhere. But performance probably gets way worse getting into the meat of gameplay. The game seems nice but I don't think I can play like this. Also I might prefer the Japanese VA, the medieval english text reads ok but listening to it it's a bit obnoxious and pretentious somehow.

 

[Heaven Angel]

I have the game but I'll wait for few things to get improved while I'm busy with Rise of Ronin.

 

[Topher]

Just maxed out my archer vocation. Is there any best practice as far as changing vocations? Thinking of going assassin just to try something different. Any downside to that?

 

[TintoConCasera]

Just maxed out my archer vocation. Is there any best practice as far as changing vocations? Thinking of going assassin just to try something different. Any downside to that?

When changing vocations, you can check all the available augments for that vocation even after unlocking them.

I recommend having a look at those and rising ranks in a vocation that will grant you a cool augment for your main vocation. For example, I love playing Fighter, but right now I'm playing Thief instead so I can get an augment that increases strength to use when I go back to playing as a Fighter.

 

[Topher]

Maxed out archer vocation.

When changing vocations, you can check all the available augments for that vocation even after unlocking them.

I recommend having a look at those and rising ranks in a vocation that will grant you a cool augment for your main vocation. For example, I love playing Fighter, but right now I'm playing Thief instead so I can get an augment that increases strength to use when I go back to playing as a Fighter.

Ah.....ok. So augments can be used between vocations. Cool. Thanks man.

 

[Freeman76]

There are soooo many improvements from Demon's to ER and that was 13 years.(sarcasm) If it ain't broke...

Anyway, since you're such a god gamer, play with only one pawn or none. I've watched many streams where Souls vets die over and over, one is a DD1 junkie who is having a Souls like adventure because she only plays with her main pawn who isn't a healer. Try that.

Theres always ppl like the guy you quote who enter OTs to tall everyone why the game isnt as good as their favourite, its so pointless I mean who gives a shit teally?

Not only that but they probably havent got far enough in the game to comment, comparison wise. ER is an incredible game, one of my all time faves, but this handles exploration and loot just as well, if not better! The exploration side gets better and better as the game goes on. You hit a 'point of no return' really early on, and if you ignore that there is literally hours of quests and things to find. A lot of these people having issues with exploration are probably following the main quest, which to be fair is piss poor really. If you go to the ceremony when the quest first pops up you miss SO much, quests will autofail and even though he warns you people still get upset lol.

I was initally unimpressed with the size of the map, but there is so much packed into it, its amazingly well done, but to find it you have to properly explore. Reminds me of the good old dayz

The loot as well, in ER 90% of it is pointless shit you will never use, even the legendary items were largely novelty crap nobody bothered with. In this we ar eencouraged to play every vocation, making most of the loot worthwhile. The first part of the game you are stockpiling curative items you never use, that become really valuable later on as you start burning through them, just like the first game. They nailed this!

 

[KàIRóS]

I just had my first griffon ride, shit was kinda scary, I hadn't saved in a while and had no wakestones to revive myself if I had fallen from the mf, I never stopped attacking and it ended up faceplanting on some rocks though

 

[DavidGzz]

These unarmed moves(there are more) make me wish there was a monk vocation. I hope that comes in DLC!

 

[Kacho]

That sexy nun is sexy. Based Japanese studios. They know what’s up.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Maxed out archer vocation.


Ah.....ok. So augments can be used between vocations. Cool. Thanks man.

yes, in fact it's the only way to play any vocation the best way, mages and sorcerers really want that thief vocation to not get target as much, which is why it's weird when people talk about playing a single vocation for a long time from the start like it's some locked in class; you should max out all vocations and then pick one the one you want to play.

 

[Topher]

Thought I'd take a nap on an ox cart. Sleeping nicely until some gotdang saurians started fucking around. Then a damn ogre had to join in. Griffin flying over took the carnage as an invitation as well.

Ox cart got totally fucked up in the process. Guess I'm walking the rest of the way.

yes, in fact it's the only way to play any vocation the best way, mages and sorcerers really want that thief vocation to not get target as much, which is why it's weird when people talk about playing a single vocation for a long time from the start like it's some locked in class; you should max out all vocations and then pick one the one you want to play.

 

[Kacho]

My only gripe so far are the "dungeons", since all I've found so far are caves and a few catacombs. Are there any actual dungeons like temples or old castles? That'd be cool.

Yeah it’s a missed opportunity for sure. It’s a total downgrade from the first game… unless there’s really cool spots later on in the game. We’ll see.

 

[Varteras]

 

[Topher]

That pawn has a design that only D DonkeyPunchJr could truly comprehend.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

That pawn has a design that only D DonkeyPunchJr could truly comprehend.

It’s….beautiful!

I just began my adventure earlier today but damn… I look so good.

 

[SantaC]

I found two magic boosting rings. Do they stack?

 

[SCB3]

So night time exploring, gets dark doesn't it?

 

[Rocco Schiavone]

 

[Topher]

It’s….beautiful!

I just began my adventure earlier today but damn… I look so good.

Ah shit......it's on now.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

So night time exploring, gets dark doesn't it?

the sky is actually a bit brighter than in the first game, but yeah your immediate surroundings can get pitch black.

 

[Kacho]

It’s there any other game dropping this year that can challenge this for GOTY?

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Any tips for a mage? I'm totally new to Dragon's Dogma, no idea WTF I'm doing.

 

[Varteras]

 

[SCB3]

How the fuck do I heal lost HP aside from resting at a Tavern? Its like 2k to rest and I barely have money at this point

 

[Nobody_Important]

Game is odd, just like DD1 it's an easy game that still manages to be fun thanks to how well it plays.

My only gripe so far are the "dungeons", since all I've found so far are caves and a few catacombs. Are there any actual dungeons like temples or old castles? That'd be cool.

I have found at least one dungeon that has puzzles and something resembling an obstacle course.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Any tips for a mage? I'm totally new to Dragon's Dogma, no idea WTF I'm doing.

play thief first so you get the augment that lowers enemies targeting you, and get pawns that can protect you.

 

[Varteras]

How the fuck do I heal lost HP aside from resting at a Tavern? Its like 2k to rest and I barely have money at this point

 

[Nobody_Important]

How the fuck do I heal lost HP aside from resting at a Tavern? Its like 2k to rest and I barely have money at this point

Rest at a campsite and cook some food while you're there.


Once you have set camp just turn around to the campfire and it gives you an option to cook. It will restore any lost health and give you some small buffs depending on the food that you cook.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

How the fuck do I heal lost HP aside from resting at a Tavern? Its like 2k to rest and I barely have money at this point

you don't, sleep is the only way, but you can do it camping as well if you have a camping kit.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

play thief first so you get the augment that lowers enemies targeting you, and get pawns that can protect you.

Dumb question as I’m only an hour in, but do I need to restart the game? Or is it easy to change vocations?

Also are there any poses or facial expressions for photo mode? Seems pretty barebones.

 

[Varteras]

 

[SCB3]

Oh ffs, ok my excuse is I'm a bit ill with a virus, but I just realised I can hire 3 Pawns, I've been walking round with just the one I created

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Dumb question as I’m only an hour in, but do I need to restart the game? Or is it easy to change vocations?

Also are there any poses or facial expressions for photo mode? Seems pretty barebones.

You can switch vocations whenever you want at any settlement.
nothing in photo mode.

 

[Draugoth]

PSA:

 

[ssringo]

Unlocked Trickster last night and been leveling it up. Took a bit to get used to but it's definitely the safest way to play the game. The party hardly loses hp except from my damage buff skill even after wandering around in the wild for a a couple in game days just exploring and fighting.

Even if the vocation doesn't sound fun it's worth getting a single level for the augment that helps you find seeker tokens. I went from about a dozen to nearly 50 in a few hours. Best for when playing a vocation with movement abilities to get to high ledges since we don't have nearly enough map markers.