Hard mode finally revealed game design features that never have been ever noticed before. Game became much more deeper and detailed. One of the best games i played last year. Another one is Dark Souls =)

This game rivals Skyrim for me. It offers a wide open world to explore and lots of interesting enemies to fight. The best thing about this game though is the character customization. You can create a character that you care about and really feels like its you. Also you get to create your own follower which you get to customize from the way they look down to their personality. The game also has an interesting story that will keep you going. It also has some amazing voice acting. This is probably the best game of the year (besides AC3 that is).… Expand

This is a seriously solid adventure game. Do not hesitate, just try it. I tried the demo and wasn't convinced. I almost didn't buy the game because of some very negative reviews. But trust me, this game adds a lot to the genre and other developers should take notes. Let me just point some features that make this game so great. Combat is rewarding, but most reviewers put too much emphasis on it. It's the little things that surprise you. Like when you walk across a river, at night, and your pawn warns you not to get soaked. But then you do get soaked and your lantern goes off. At night, it's dark... really dark. When you're blinded, you can't see a thing. When you carry too much, you walk really slowly. You can make you're own arrows with branches taken from dead trees and dip them into poison. You can climb on rocks, explore long beaches for hidden treasures, etc. I must say the tone is a little on the Fable-side, which is a little too light for me. You don't have conversations with NPCs, which is a drag at first. But the graphics are gorgeous. The character creation system is very deep and it's great to be able to create a companion you know will be with you the whole game. Some have complained about the lack of fast-travel system. Well those ae babies fed with this generation of games which makes it all too easy on the player. If you're too far away to walk back, well just remember to prepare for an adventure next time. I would've liked a lock-on feature for fights (Dark Souls). It is my main complain about combat. Pawns are not as stupid as some reviewers make it sound. They are actually very helpful and knowing some other player around the world might use your pawn in his adventure makes it more rewarding to craft it with taste. This game can be tough at first, but you quickly get the hang of it and then it's a fun ride if you like to explore a breathing and dangerous world.… Expand

Allow me to be blunt: I am not a Bethesda fan. More to the point, Skyrim put me in a coma. I mention this because the only even remotely recent game that's comparable to Dragon's Dogma is Skyrim. It's what you'd expect on the surface: sandbox RPG with a few innovative elements, companions, a main story with some side quests. And dragons. Always **** dragons.

Dig a little deeper and you'll find some relatively innovative features, an insurmountable number of decisions that insist you discover your play style, a rich story, brilliant companion system, and the potential to play the game pretty much until the sequel comes out. Instead of delving into the typical graphics vs controls vs story vs whatever matters to you, I'm going to focus primarily on the key features and those innovative qualities I vaguely mentioned earlier.

First, you've got the pawn system. As I said, I'm not going to describe how it works, what it is, and so on, but the elements of that system that were so impressive. Your pawns are intelligent. They will call out strategies during battle, make suggestions during quests, and although they have their full retard moments, they're aggressive, capable combatants. There were times I found myself verbally interacting with them, but don't expect any back story or dialog that's going to shock you. On top of that, there's the online element. You can recruit pawns made by other players and those players will earn pawn experience and items based on your accomplishments. It's a nice touch to an already robust system.

The class system is not what you'd expect from a sandbox RPG. Think of a cross between Final Fantasy's Job system and the traditional archetype standard. I made the mistake of restarting twice because I didn't like the class I chose for myself and / or my main pawn. Then I realized you can earn experience in one class, and apply both augments, passive buffs, and weapon abilities to one you switch to later. There are several different hybrids / classes / sub-classes that give you the ability to make a very unique character with a diverse skill set. You can do this for both yourself and your main pawn while pawns you pick up in the Rift are pre-established and cannot be changed - but swapped out at just about any time to suit your style and situation.

Another thing most reviews don't give enough credit to is the replay value. It's insane. I won't drop any spoilers but as you may have guess from watching even a trailer, the dragon is the main antagonist. But killing him is very, very far from the end of the game. Things change, dungeons open, bosses appear, and there are optional bosses to hunt down and murder for the best gear in the game. There's even a boss that can be killed over an extensive period of time by all online players, though you'll never see them -- just the opponent's health dropping. The game also features NG+ mode, which can become NG++++++ and so on if you're so inclined.

The last and certainly not least is the Shadow of the Colossus / God of War type mini and big boss battles that allow you to mount, climb, and stab away from a part of their hulking body. Are they flying above your party and you don't have a bow available? No problem. Grab its tail, climb up and slash its wings. Looking for a weak spot on that towering Cyclops? Make your way to its head and stab it in the eye. In addition, you've got tons of combat abilities that also can be customized to your liking.

You're probably wondering at this point why I didn't give the game a 10. Well, there are certainly a few elements that need polish and you will encounter a glitch here and there. On occasion in dangerous terrain with various pitfalls, one of your Pawns might decide to end it all, removing them permanently (excluding your main pawn) from the party halfway through a brutal area. But those things can be overlooked. What knocked off a whole point for me, even with port crystals and stones (look it up) is the travel. There isn't any. You can teleport later in the game for a price, but only to 5 locations marked on your map. Until then, I hope you like running. And even after that... I still hope you like running. The game's huge world demands you explore it on foot. No flying mounts, no horses, nothing. Just run.

Dragon's Dogma is a masterpiece in its own right. If you're accustomed to games like Skyrim perhaps its time to try something new, different, and ultimately a very refreshing take on an ancient genre.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've logged 200+ hours in this game, I've killed the online UR dragon, and feel its about time for me to move on, and write this review as my farewell to this lovely gem. The combat system is very fun, engaging, and deep, you will probably not find a better rpg game when it comes to combat. The classes are fairly diverse and balanced, there are tons of combination to try out which is of the game's main replay value.

The last time I've spent this much time for a rpg game was Diablo 2, and manytimes I couldn't stop wondering, that I was playing Diablo 2 again in a different perspective, because you can find much similarity in things such as classes, skills, dungeons, monsters, only the visual&sound effects are all buffed in orders of magnitude.

Yes the story is kinda cliche but by no means boring. Funny thing is, I noticed a number of traces from popular TV shows like "The Tudors" and "Game of Thrones", and I applaud Capcom's attention to details in this regard, and the presentation of a lively fantasy medieval world to players.

That said, this game still has so much potential, and some flaws. I'm very excited that Capcom will develop the sequels in future.

p.s.: This game was developed by the team that made Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry, which are both all time classics as well. My hats off to these true talented developers.… Expand

I joined metacritic just to post this. I will not criticise those who gave this a low score as everyone is entitled to their opinion but I am truly amazed how I can love a game so much and yet others give it 0.

As a lover of western, particularly German RPGs, I have always avoided any made by Japanese developers and picked this up on a whim and am so glad I did. Just to establish my RPG credentials, I have been gaming for over 25 years and my favourites in no particular order would be Ultima Underworld, Baldurs gate, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim and Gothic 1 and 2. My absolute favourite until now had been Gothic 2. Deep, challenging and no hand holding.

For me, Dragon's Dogma is Gothic 2 with updated graphics and 3 extra companions. I found the graphics to be stunning for an xbox360 title. Sure there are pop-ups but your rarely notice them unless you're trying to spot them. If anybody thinks the graphics are poor, pick up a copy of Risen 2 for the xbox - yuck!

The combat never gets old and the boss fights are simply the best I've ever encountered in an RPG - This games shows how very shallow Skyrim's combat is.

Other things I love:
Creating your pawn is fantastic - I always play as a fighter but regret not having a mage along - this allows me to have both. I became attached to Amy, my mage pawn as much as I did to my main character.
Excellent array of armour and weapons, some of which are very hard to obtain - always a plus in my book
Being able to change your vocation - genius. I played half the game as a fighter then switched to an Assassin. Having finished the game (after 60 hours), I can now play through again with the same character but will switch him to a sorcerer just to see what it's like.

Why only 9 instead of 10? A few minor (and they are minor niggles). I don't like too much fast travelling but they could have made it a little easier to get between places you'd already visited. A few wobbly camera issues in boss battles. The pawns have way too few phrases and it does get a little tiresome when they repeat the same thing over and over. A few minor holes in the story. Other than that - almost perfect. Cannot wait for the sequel.… Expand

Dragon's Dogma is one of my "must have" games. My recommendation is to try the demo, but don't just mash the buttons like I did at first. The controller button scheme seems weird at first but it becomes second nature after a while and is actually well designed. If you're not impressed by the demo, you probably won't like the main game.
Dragon's Dogma has an elusive "fun factor" than many games lack (e.g., Skyrim for me is fun to explore but not fun to play). There is a great sense of adventure and the world is very memorable. Combat is highly satisfying and the giant creature battles are intense. It can be more difficult than average games but it doesn't feel frustrating as with Demon's Souls (e.g., you can save your game except during combat). The art, game animation (i.e. character/creature movements), and music are all excellent. The story is somewhat minimalist and leaves some things to your imagination but it works well here. Despite my great enjoyment, there are some annoyances with this game. To me they are tolerable but they seem fixable in any potential sequel(s). My biggest complaint? After 70 hours (I play slowly) to finish, I wanted more! Not more sidequests, but more of the world, more dungeons, continued story, more combat styles, more monsters, etc. This is not a complaint but a huge compliment to the game.… Expand

I had just finished Kingdoms Of Amalur and I was looking for my next game when Dragons Dogma appeared. Its a great game. The world is quite limited in physical size compared to Skyrim and KoA, but what is there is consistant and graphically quite beautiful - right up there with Skyrim, maybe even a bit better! The story is very good. Gets off to a slow start, but overall brilliant. Again, like KoA, quite an adult story line and several bits that were (unexpectedly) quite emotionally moving. I didn't like the character skills progression much, but thats a small gripe in a great game.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I may view games differently than everyone else but I rate games on enjoyment and experience. When it come to Dragon's Dogma it was full of enjoyment and filled some of the best game play experience I have had in a role playing game (RPG) in a few years. I think the only lacking area of the game is story line and somewhat the direction of the game become a bit ambiguous. Those are small peanuts compared to all the things were implemented correctly. Game play is a bright light in this game, as well as the companions (Pawns). I have read in many reviews, that the user did not enjoy the companions constant vocal assistance but in my case it was the exact opposite. Most time at night I wouldn't see the enemies in my area and the companions alerted that to me. Also, I enjoy that my companion would be used by other players and rated accordingly, because I liked the response and feed back. Also, the fighting functions in the game were like no other, whether I was fighting bandit or griffins it was always a good fight. In most games I will roam about without any regard to be killed, not in this game. Going far from any city is practically suicide in this game, even with hp potions. I learned very quickly that this has been tuned to be challenging and I enjoyed the difficulty. All in all, I think this game was home run in many areas such as defeating the dragon which I thought the game was over, ruthless enemies and AI, the class system was fun and interesting, and the companions were of great assistance in my experience. For a game that is being mocked for looking like a variant of Skyrim I would say that is a ridiculous statement, this game is much different.… Expand

Highly recommended. This is Capcoms' best title for some time and one of the best games of 2012. There are some inspired touches and it delivers on action and atmosphere in equal measure. The ambition of it's design combined with it's fun factor far outweigh any technical flaws. Dragon's Dogmas' fighting mechanics really set the bar for an action RPG: Creative, spectacular and sometimes epic in size and scope. It's a massive game with tons of quests, equipment and skills to play with. This is essential for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy romp with extra hack 'n slash.… Expand

Great game, the lip sync is bad, but that doesn't bug me. The gameplay makes up for it. The monsters/bosses in this game are truly amazing. Better than any game I have ever played.

This is a really great game, I'm so impressed with the graphics, game play, and innovative play style. Big budget game developers definitely could learn a thing or two from this game. I encourage people to buy a copy of this game and prepare to be wowed.

Dragons dogma is one of the unique, and different RPG's to come out in years. Creating a pawn and making him a warrior, ranger , or whatever you want to benefit your team is really cool. Plus any other people playing the game could use your pawn you made to aid them in there own adventure through the rift. In the rift you can see and recruit other pawns users have made and it gives a really cool sense of community in the game. The combat feels great and is reminiscent of something like monster hunter. Learning new skills, for you and your pawn gives you a sense of progression, and the world is big and expansive with a lot of places to explore, a good amount of side quests to take on, and a pretty interesting main storyline to keep you playing. Well worth the money for anyone who likes RPGS.… Expand

Expanding a genre that I thought Skyrim had covered - big world - long story and questline - plenty to do and see - and plenty to kill - One bad thing is camera used to take photos for sharing on facebook (on xbox it blurs screen and is not adjustable) - this does not affect game in any way - fighting works great - game is very hard at start after level 20 it works well - but when over level 100 mini bosses become a tad easy - the add-ons so far have been aimed at low level/new chars - bar it in mind if you are purchasing them - I would say level 20 or below for 'from a different sky' DLC and prob below 50 for 'The chosen' - I bought them not knowing they where low level due to XBL wording (could have been better) but all in all easily the best RPG available - having spent nigh on 200 hours ingame on this and skyrim each I would pick this title as winner - just hoping the 'real' dlc (which includes achievements) will live up to the game - Nice to see a bug-free game released aswell - these days a rare thing :) well done capcom on breaking into fantasy RPG with this epic.… Expand

As a big elder scrolls and fallout fan im always looking for RPG's able to compete with them. This game has certainly come closest on the 'open box' gameplay. You can pretty much go everywhere and climb up, unlike similar games that have recently come out where your restricted (witcher 2). Combat is fun and easy, you have 9 types of classes to chose from. Melee, Ranger and Mage. You can chose to further those 3 classes by becoming an even more powerful melee, ranger or mage. Or you can chose the 3 hybrid classes, mage/ranger. ranger/melee or melee/mage. Unlike most games you can change this during gameplay when you get to the main cities inn. There is alot of loot to pickup and crafting materials. But unfortunatly it seems pretty much all the crafted items are generally potions that you dont even need for the game and can just be sold. Graphics are beautiful and the draw distance is just as far as Skyrim. The one bonus this game has is monsters respawn so you dont get bored when walking the long distances between quests and locations as there is no 'fast travel' but there is a stone you can purchase for cheap that teleports you back to the main city. There are also many large boss monsters that just casual roam around the wilderness that literally can take an hour to kill which gives a very entertaining and rewarding feel to killing. Theres very little different armor types but there are a few rare and excellent weapons and armors to be found by scouring the huge locations. I dont think its a game that can be played over and over again but its definatly worth one playthrough which can yield at least 100 hours if you want to complete everything. A definate purchase for an RPG player.… Expand

I was a little reluctant to get this game after seeing the video clips for it but after reading some positive reviews I went out and purchased it. DD is a compelling open world action RPG with some stunning graphics and some of the best modelled creatures from mythology and the AD&D monstrous compendium you'll ever see including the awesome Beholder. Even better is the free flowing nature of the pan system. Recruiting someone else's off sider with quest and monster killing strategies that you have yet to encounter is awesome, and sending your own pawn out to adventure with other players and possibly pick up some extra knowledge and items for you is likewise addictive.
The story is well told, the adventuring well paced, and the map to explore large and interesting. It really does tick all the boxes for a modern interesting RPG, and the amount of character and pawn customisation available is a plus too. DD even allows you to spend xp levelling as a fighter and save that stored knowledge then start levelling as a mage or hybrid class knowing you'll be able to switch back the next time your in town if the wizards life isn't for you still retaining all your former stats.
Highly recommended.… Expand

Allright, listen. I know some of you people might be dissapointed in the fact that the "graphics" are outdated and the "AI behavior" is not like what we have seen in other games.
But honestly, I could not care less about graphics. I mean...seriously, Diablo II is the PERFECT example of a game that is wonderfull and does not depend on graphics. I know you people, you'd play that game 10x over. Even today.
And the AI behavior. Meh...who cares. They`ll patch that soon enough.
Dogma is about Exploring, combat, looting, suspense, questing, and all the things you'd expect from a fantasy RPG.
And dont get me started on the whole Scale of the game. I myself took just 2,5 hour alone to look in every nook and cranny and comeplete every quest...just in the first city alone!
The combine system, The skills, The Pawns, The Game mechanics. This game is just a great example of what a fantasy RPG should be like.

My advise to capcom: Take Skyrims envoirment and free roam. Take Dogma's Combat system. Add a little Multiplayer and BAM!! You got yourself a game that will rival all of the RPG games out there!… Expand

Dragon

A lot of mainstream press seemed to not have given this game a fair shake. Sure there are comparisons to Dark Souls (but not as difficult, similar asynchronous/social aspects, thoughtful combat and weight to the characters) and Skyrim (open world, questing, exploration, immersion and the technical issues but Dragon's Dogma definitely does dragons better) but this game stands out in the areas of fast fluid combat, deep character customization, and an immersive large world to explore.

Game play
There are often complaints about grinding and repetitive nature but the core of this game is the game play and if you enjoy good combat, leveling up and gaining new abilities and testing them in battle (or get tired of that class? just change classes anytime you like or even pick a hybrid class), getting new gear and renting new pawns to change up or fix your squad's dynamics then it's probably the best game in years. Or if you just want to climb onto an ogre and have him run off a cliff, jump off just as he goes over the edge that is cool too. The traversal and climbing aspects help in combat against large mini-bosses and you can take them out with a variety of strategies and you can also explore the world with the same traversal. Climbing an abandoned and shore side fortress in the dead of night in a thunderstorm where one slip can be your doom while looking for hidden treasure chests is immersive, dangerous, and very exciting.

Difficulty
This game doesn't hand hold and doesn't tell you everything you need to know right away in the vein of Dark Souls but it feels a bit more forgiving, no fast travel (but like Dark Souls you can find shortcuts) until way late in the game and an interesting ending given the standard prologue/background story. There are plenty of water-cooler moments that occur as with many open world games but it feels like many of the elements are intentional (I didn't even notice that there are other types of birds besides; seagulls and crows) Without easy fast travel, your adventure into the unknown is actually an adventure you need to be prepared because when night falls things become very dangerous. The joy and relief of overcoming an enemy that was giving you trouble a few levels ago or finding a safe camp to rest at in the middle of the night is a major relief.

Story
There's some complaints on the story but most people who tend to play these open world games often repeat over and over that they just ignore the main quest and do side quests anyways, but it's true that the story components are a bit sparse and that subjectively appeals to the type of player that prefer more narrative or one that just wants to get into the game.

Pawns
Forgoing a rather typical tacked on multi-player (you can already play Monster Hunter) the pawn system lets the player experience an immersive undistracted single player experience with a bit of social interaction; you make and share pawns that will serve as guides to the world as they learn in their adventures and can be ranked by others. You mold your own pawn to your liking and see if others have done well in theirs; not doing their job? talking too much? hire a new pawn. There is also the Ur-Dragon which is an end game boss that resides online that players cooperatively work together to bring down with the damage each player deals.… Expand

thisss game rite here is fun, so fun i will type it down for you, i spend 40 hours before i started main quest, i play as wizard, whn i got that tornado i had so fun boooyha, sweet jesus but boy, this game could have been so much better if them gredy capcoms didnt clutter the game with dlc, this could ve been my next dark souls but no. they had to ruin it, boy mmm good stuf

Dragon's Dogma may not have the production values of Skyrim, or the hype of the Final Fantasy series, but for a "gamers" gamer, this is one hell of a game. The things Dragon's Dogma DOESN'T have are an amazingly deep story, or alot of interesting characters, sadly. But what it lacks in those departments it makes up for in gameplay -- Dragon's Dogma CRUSHES games like Skyrim and The Witcher 2 in the fun department. And yes, I've played both of those games and love them dearly.

If you break the game down there are quite a few flaws --- mediocre graphics in some places, annoying pawn behavior, strange endgame, etc. However, if you play videogames for FUN (which I believe a great deal of us have lost sight of, honestly), then DD is a game worth not just playing, but owning and cherishing. It really reminds of me Capcom's glory days, where their games had an inexplicable magic to them. Final Word? Don't believe the negative critical attention -- play this game if you like action games, RPG's, or both. It's quite amazing.… Expand

The game is NEAR perfect, creating the hero AND your main ally, the best idea ever.
Now there's only one thing, and I'm REALLY sure that a lot of people say this...your pawns and how MUCH they talk. If only it had some kind of 'disable pawn blabbering' then it would be perfect. But other than that, the map is perfect with huge places, there's no confusion, and from start to end, it's a beautiful game.

This game deserves a higher rank!~… Expand

A true RPG player's dream. A story that isn't too obvious, an ending that NONE of you will see coming, huge amounts of perks and skill trees (via Augmentations and Classes), and the Pawn system is completely function-able bringing a sense of community to the game that many other RPGs have never been able to accomplish. (This idea of community for such a weighty role-player is touching without at all being too invasive). Graphically outstanding in gameplay and cutscenes with slightly jarring dialogue screens (NPCs can look unfinished and lipsyncing is non-existent), and Capcom have somehow managed to nail detail and lighting perfectly, offering some of the best battles and vistas on the market today. DD offers up the unique day and night cycle that despite what many reviewers have said works brilliantly. In this case Capcom have managed to inject the perfect amount of survival horror into a game since Fallout introduced the Goul ridden subways. Dragon's Dogma really is a masterpiece. Gransys has a wonderful ability to drip feed you lore so that you are compelled from one point to the next rather than pushed, and just when you feel like you have no idea what's going on something will grab you by the horns and pull you right back in again. It's shortcomings such as this that remind you that this IS Capcoms first RPG. It's obvious the designers of this game were having just as much fun creating this world as they hoped we would have being in it. The ideas, and scale of them are unfathomable, and sometimes unfinished (evident in some dis-juncture between the quests etc), but by god, they are all there. It is all here in Dragon's Dogma, even though you might have to look that little bit harder to find it all.… Expand

Take monster hunter mix in better combat, a huge game world and days of content to eat through and you have this masterpiece. The story is vague but intriguing and pays off very nicely at the ending (which leads to a new game+ mode with additional quests/loot) This game should be the bench mark for rpg combat, do you remember shadow of the colossus? it's that with every monster above a humanoid which is most of the worlds monster population. There are frustrations console controls just never seem to have the precision I'm used to as a PC user and the difficulty tends to dip ridiculously but through all that I'm well on my way to a second new game+ and I still haven't done/seen everything and I'm loving almost every second of it.… Expand

I'm actually quite surprised to read paid critic reviews of this game giving it a 7 or 7.5 out of 10 score... it makes me wonder if these reviewers actually play the game their suppose to be reviewing. I must say, this game is definitely a "Sleeper" hit for me. It is very rare that an RPG plays like an actually from the D&D days RPG and has the feel to go with it. In these types of RPGs I'm usually a magic user; that's my bread and butter and in this game I feel like Gandolf or Merlin when I cast spells---and the damage is on par with how awesome the spell is to feel and behold. Battling mythical beasts such as huge Hydras and Chimeras alone is worth its weight in gold and, as many reviewers have already stated, there is no QTEs, its you, your magic or sword and your pawns battling it out in hack-in-slash style or magic shearing fun. The game is not perfect and there is a steep learning curve in the beginning since there is no tutorial to hold your hand, but with some dedication to learning what certain monsters are weak to and (avoiding night time wandering), folks will be able to acclimate pretty easily after a while.… Expand

I'd like this review to give you a very clear idea of what you'll be getting into if you'd like to play Dragon's Dogma. -Overall-
This game is a decent blend of a few different games. Take the harsh, and sprawling world from Shadow of the Colossus and then fill it with all kinds of creatures from myth and legend, add to that the combat from Devil May Cry 1, then incorporate the RPG style of Final Fantasy 3 or 4... This is Dragons Dogma in a nutshell.

I don't know why people keep comparing this game to Skyrim. THIS IS NOT SKYRIM. The world is much closer to Shadow of the Colossus; sparse, open, harsh. Climbing on certain enemies is a must to kill them much like Shadow of the Colossus. Unlike Colossus there are other people here trying to eek out a life in the harsh landscape, as well as plenty of enemies.

-Story-
This game wasn't molded around a storytelling experience. Many RPGs now are centered around a strong narrative, (i.e. Mass Effect, the Witcher 2) this is not that game. Stuff happens, sure, but the game is centered around combat/survival and questing/exploration. There are plot points, but if you want to be informed of the lore in this world you have to find it.

-Gameplay-
The game has a beautiful and challenging RPG element. There are 9 classes that mix a few weapons with impressive skills. The classes are balanced and can carry over some skills you learn in one class over to another if you decide to change. In classic RPG style you can be a Tank/Warrior, Archer, Thief/Rouge or healing/elemental magic. You are given a few NPC followers that allow you to build unique parties which is a nice touch.... You aren't wandering around alone.

One thing that stands out is the crafting in this game. Its simple and fun. Almost anything you find can be mixed and matched and since your whole party is constantly looting going through their inventories can often yield interesting surprises. Weapons can also be improved in the main city.


-Presentation-
Its obvious a lot of work went into this game, but it is a mixed bag when it comes to presentation. The character animations are awesome, but its obvious they put more attention into the larger enemy models than the trees and rocks. I'm okay with this decision, others may not be. Its not a bad looking game, but if you're someone that is going to spend lots of time examining grass and trees up close you may be disappointed.

Also the day/night cycle was obviously a huge part of making this world. Watch a sunrise... it will wow you. The night time/darkness plays a huge role. Exploring caves or going out a night is dangerous as hell thanks to the darkness. My advice... Never run out of lantern oil. You may have to play with the color/contrast/brightness on your T.V. to nail the desired effect, but once you have it, it makes for some awesome moments.

-Summary-
So many people love RPGs because of the freedom. The freedom to grow your character anyway you want. Many recent RPGs (Skyrim, Witcher 2, Mass Effect 3,) guide you through your progression with a loving hand. Dragons Dogma takes a different approach that's more like pushing someone that doesn't know how to swim into a lake. The game plays to your fight or flight instinct, which not may games do unless they're survival horror... but in a lot of ways Dragons Dogma IS a survival horror game. There is a sigh of relief that comes every time you make it to town or fell a group of enemies. Anyone who is a fan of action/RPGs should definitely pick this one up.… Expand

Incredible, incredible game. In a quest to find an amazing action adventure/ RPG, Dragon's Dogma has yet to let me down. Beautiful graphics, brilliant battle system, and an epic story with gaps to be filled in by the players imagination. I give capcom's DD an A!

Great game built with tradition RPG values and mechanics with an innovative class and party system. Challenging yet rewarding and flows brilliantly. Combat is fluid and does have a slight learning curve. Only negative for me, after a 8-10hrs and 28levels new equipment seems to be a little sparse, though I could have just missed something - There is no hand holding in this game to ensure you find everything.… Expand

This is a review in progress, I'm currently 10 hours in. So far, Dragon's Dogma is one of the textbook examples about how you can not judge a game as a sum of it's parts. It might have some issues, but those issues simply pale when everything is considered as a whole. The game is incredibly deep and offers a sense of adventure that I didn't feel in years. Every trek to the wilderness is a project you are not sure how and if it is going to end. You might even turn around and go back where you came from and try another day. Beautiful, complex combat system that puts to shame every other RPG we've seen lately. Gloomy, Gothic, idealized western graphics style that reminds of Demon/Dark Souls, coupled with an open world the style of Skyrim. Sense of scale and hight is incredible with buildings and streets in cities the right size, cliffs and canyons that make you dizzy. Never have I've seen such a complete day/night cycle. Nights are dark and full of growling squeaking things that crawl just beyond the short range of your lamp. You start looking at the sky periodically, to check how much time you have before sunset to retreat somewhere safe or reach your destination.. Pawn system delivers a sense of a world, and although you don't see other players, you "feel" their presence in the world, while at the same time they don't interfere with your immersion. The learning process of the pawns and sharing the knowledge from other players is such a great idea. One of the most under rated, over scorned games, that for some reason reviewers decided to ignore the forest and focus on the trees. Bethesda games are some of my favorite RPG's and Demon/Dark Souls my favorite games and this game stands shoulder to shoulder with no shame. Issues with screen tearing I did notice and they are plentiful, however I forgot about them the first time I stood on the edge of a cliff looking at the sea.

Regardless of technical issues, I give this game a 10, although 9 would be the right score, just for the merit of how well everything works together and how much new ground the developers broke. The game sucked me in and doesn't let go.… Expand

I have really enjoyed Dragon's Dogma. It has many of gameplay mechanics that i have been waited for this console generation to come. It has epic battles and very nice feeling when you are doing your adventures in a wild. Graphics may be quite ordinary and there is some other techical issues too, but still it has everything that good game needs and that is "addictive feeling and great a great gameplay". Pawn system is also nice touch at the top of a great game.… Expand

Great game.It's essentially a jrpg disguised as a western RPG.It doesn't always work & is a fairly buggy game but I had great fun from start to finish although the lack of a fast travel option can be infuriating @ times especially since you have to travel huge distances for some of the quests & the trapes all the way back again when you're done.And movement can feel painfully slow @ times when you're travelling long distances.But minor gripes aside I loved it.Highly recommended.… Expand

Dragons Dogma is a great open world RPG that doesn't hold your hand and lets you explore. The action based combat is very satisfying, it is well developed and just feels right. It also has object creation through the combining of materials. Very well done!

This is a long, but honest and thorough review, so read on if that is what you are looking for.

Without a doubt my first five hours in this game was one of the most frustrating, but even near the beginning I realized how good the combat was. It also had a compelling introduction, and though the story is spread out through the game by big chunks of level building and combat, that will not prove to be a deterent to a true adventurer. Normally I prefer the story to flow more quickly as well, but most games do not have the level of detail placed in leveling and structuring of your entire party. This allows for incredibly dynamic gameplay as it is implementing splendidly in battle, making every fight a challenge and exciting encounter. And when you encounter the equivalent of minibosses/bosses, it truly feels like a real fight for your life! The combat/exploration is easily the stand-out part of this game.

When you travel through a dungeon, there are goodies that can be looted everywhere, but there is also real danger likely lurking around every corner, able to swiftly put an end to your adventuring days. Let me list a few of the awesome realistic aspects they placed into the adventuring: When you get hurt in battle, your maximum health slowly fades so that the max you can recover gets less and less over time unless you go and remove the 'fatigue' by sleeping at an inn. When it becomes dark, more insidious and dangerous enemies come out, and making sure you have a lantern and oil that runs out over time are pivotal to safe exploration. If you get drenched the lantern will go out. You'll have to put it away, and pull it back out to re-ignite it. If you run to get somewhere, your stamina drains, but if its downhill it happens slower, uphill drains quicker.

Food and other perishables wilt and go bad after a time, making it important to put them into storage, or to combine them with other things that make them non-perishable. All that seemingly random loot and items you find, they aren't just there to find stuff, they actually come in handy. Implimented into the creation process of new items as well as being used to actually upgrade your weapons and armor you have to make them even stronger and more useful!

Another positive note is the pawn system. If u read anything about this game, u know about it already, so I'll cover other things, but I really hope the pawn idea is used in future games by many developers as it is an incredible idea that could be expanded upon in many ways!

Some of the disadvantages of this adventure lie in a few technical issues that seem to plague all open world games this big. Textural graphical issues on occasion, and collision detection in and out of battle can be dodgey on occassion, but are not nearly as bad or as big an issue as most of the people that gave this a bad review report it to be. Fact is, most of them played barely more than a few hours and gave up crying because it was 'too hard, and didn't tell them what to do'.

The one and only save you get (and have to re-save over that if u want to save again) is kind of brutal, but gives a real finality to the choices you make in your adventure, giving an additional realism and impact of your choices in the world, so though it sucks at times yes, I understand from an artistic point of view.

Lastly, though the AI has its issues, it can be trained to become better over time and more skilled and capable. Their comments are usually useful though they do scream them way too much and too often. But the fact is, you can disable the AI voice if it annoys you, so I don't get the fuss there. If your team isn't doing what you want, sit them down and teach them what to do more often, and if the party isn't working, just change your class and hire pawns of another class that will be useful. The flexibility is amazing, and once you purchase a class, you can switch to it at any time in the future for free at the main inn in the capital city!

The fact is in an age of endless sequels, and games that just wanna tell you a story and hold your hand along the way, this is a refreshing experience that truly hones your skills as a game and explorer. It revitalizes the 'action' that used to exist in games in the past, and brings back the excitement and danger that used to exist. Unless your a terrible gamer (I'm not a big action junkie either, usually a classic RPGer, so u can tough it out if you try!) or you are afraid to try new experiences that challenge you, I can't see any reason for not giving this a shot. With 200 levels to grow in the game, and easily hundreds of hours of exploration for those that truly want to see all this world has to offer, you will easily get far more than your money's worth!… Expand

This game is so great! Do not listen to the negative critics!If you like epic games, just buy this game.The world is very beautiful.The pawn system and combat are great.The fights with the huge beasts and monsters are incredible.I can walk through this world for hours without even doing a quest.It feels that good.You never know what insane monster you will encounter next.It's a perfect mix between the combat and bosses of Dark Souls and the beautiful world of games like Oblivion.Thank you Capcom for this great game!… Expand

What makes a gamer mad is when a game this good gets hidden from them. I wasn't a fan of the free demo which felt like the graphics were worse than the final product. I then saw guys playing the game on twitch and was finally pushed over the edge to buy it even after being brainwashed by angry critic companies that didn't get their fees.

It looks like Capcom didn't pay the commercial bill to sites like Gamespot and IGN because the ratings this game is getting is a complete travesty. This and Diablo 3's critic reviews should be flipped. Even if you hate this game you would at least give it an 8. Don't know how Skyrim didn't get marked for bugs since it's bugs were 1000 times worse. The best part about Dragon's Dogma is that you play in a pack or you can play with a friend with your main guy. The attention to detail in this game is a nice addition. Menus are comfortable, ask you the right questions and theres just enough work required to equip, buy and sell without it becoming mindless like Diablo, or way too over the top like Eve. The combat is interesting and requires you to have some skill at mixing a team together that fights well. If you botched a team, then you can grab new teammates in a flash. The fact that it is possible to screw up is what many games don't seem to do anymore. This is a fantastic game that should be considered for RPG GOTY already and it's not even half over yet.… Expand

I thought no game in near future will compete against Skyrim... I was so wrong. This game is an exceptional journey in a big world with tons of quests, a very intriguing story, very good graphics and lots of varied enemies and really cool unique bossfights. The bossfights in this game are very epic and addictive, they are also not very easy at first. But when you know the mechanics and prepare for the fight with the right potions you can kill every Monster out there, no matter how big or epic they seem. I have never seen so much varieties of legendary bossfights in a game before. The atmosphere and the landscape feel totally naturally and are very huge, after playing more and more the whole game will suck you in for a long time (minimum 80 hours if you want to see all and do all quests) if you like Action-RPGs with much to explore and to do. The game starts with an introducton and after it you get to character-creation, the customization is very good and big, you can choose between a lot of things, best character-creation I have ever seen. You have one Main-pawn that you can customize too at first and he is always with you and levels up, you can hire 2 pawns either from other players (if your logged in to the internet) or from the game. They do not level, but you can hire others when you want to everytime. Pawns with your level are free, if you want higher level pawns (then you) you can buy them for riftcrystals, you collect them on your epic trip anyway. Sometimes I thought the game would be over after some bossfights but even after them the game is not over. Even after the credits there is an epic epilogue that surprised me very much and gives you even more hours of epic battles after the mainquest. I suggest all RPG-fans to get the demo or the game, in addition get some days free from work or school and you will be glad.This game was so addictive, I have not played Max Payne 3, GR Future Soldier and Diablo 3 since I got this game. Do not missunderstand me, those games are good too but cannot compete with the legendary, epic Dragon`s Dogma. THIS IS JUST AWESOME CAPCOM! I thank you so much for one of the best if not the best, most epic RPGs I have ever played! I do not want to miss this game, I will start now again...… Expand

Terrific game! Just as good as any other of the RPGs out on the market if not better. Granted it has its nitpicking flaws (what other game doesn't have a single flaw?), but they are minor and are easily over looked. The combat in the game is the most original I have seen and I feel as though I am literally on an adventure, fighting for mine and my pawns lives and I love it! Play the demo if you are unsure about this game, otherwise pick this game up, it's worth it. Also don't let day one DLC or downloadable content already on the disc sway you. All DLC has been extremely minute and you don't miss out on any of the experience from the game.… Expand

A lot of the people who have given this game a bad review have not really given it a fair shake.

I would say this: in order to write an accurate review, you need to play the game for more than 1 hour. Most of the complaints people have about this game are due to the fact that they have no basic understanding of how the game works at all. If you play it a little longer, you may figure it out. Anyway, Dragon's Dogma is the best RPG of 2012 so far. If not for Dark Souls and Demon's Souls, I would call it the best RPG of the PS3/XBOX generation. Let's get into the details:

Graphics: 9/10
Dragon's Dogma looks really good. The environments are varied, and with the cool day/night cycle, you will find yourself often stopping at the water's edge or something and just watching the sunrise or sunset. The game is really beautiful. The character models and monster models look really good, and the animation is just smooth and flawless. The weapon animations are spot-on. The only gripes I have are there are a couple of textures that are muddy if you walk right up next to them, and I did experience graphical glitches such as screen tearing VERY rarely. However, these are small gripes against an otherwise great-looking game.

Sound: 9/10
Let me start by saying the sound effects in the game are awesome. When you're fighting monsters, you really feel like your weapons have impact, and the monsters and bandits make really believable sounds while you are murdering them. The music is also very good, and is well-presented. It gets loud and epic at the appropriate time, and is soft and submissive at appropriate times as well. Let me tell you: when you slay your first Chimera, you will feel like you just conquered the world. The only complaint I have about the sound is, there were a few moments when the music cut off unexpectedly and came back on, and it sounded jagged. Again, another small complaint. Story: 5/10
The story in Dragon's Dogma is pretty lame. I really cared about it until about 5 hours in, when the things I was doing had absolutely nothing to do with the original objective. The problem this game has is that the major plot point is you're trying to find a dragon, but that's about it. The game attempts to throw in these secondary characters that you're supposed to care about, but it does not develop any of them, so you feel very indifferent toward them. About 30 hours in, I witnessed a duel between two characters that was supposed to be very emotionally charged, but I was disappointed to find that I did not care at all about the outcome. If the richness of the story is the first priority for you, you might want to consider a little deeper whether this game is right for you.

Gameplay: 10/10
Obviously, the gameplay is where Dragon's Dogma really shines. I don't need to get into the details of what you can actually do; there's Youtube for that. What you need to know is: this game is as close to a hardcore RPG as we can expect to get in the PS3/XBOX generation. The game is pretty difficult, and you need to be prepared before you go exploring. You need to make sure that you are a high enough level for a quest, and you need to make sure you bring plenty of healing items for the journey. If you die very quickly on a quest, this is not an indication that the quest is broken or too hard. This is an indication that you are not ready for the quest yet, and that you should improve your character before continuing. Some may not like the level of difficulty and the fact that the game does not hold your hand, but I personally loved it. If you are the type of gamer that likes a good challenge and likes to feel like you had to work hard for your achievements, then I would strongly encourage you to check out this game. I have no complaints at all about the gameplay. As far as I'm concerned, the combat engine is as refined or even more refined than what you find in Dark Souls. It isn't very far at all from perfect.

Value: 10/10
This game will last you AT LEAST 50-60 hours. Since I am a pretty thorough gamer, I am expecting to spend between 100 and 150 hours in Gransys. Overall: 10/10

This game IS for you if you value challenging, fun gameplay and strong immersion over other aspects of your RPGs.
This game might NOT be for you if you value story above all else, and do not enjoy having to spend a lot of time preparing for quests. If you LOVED Dark Souls, you will love this game.
If you LOVED Mass Effect 2/3, you might NOT like this game.… Expand

I was heartbroken that I would be missing out on Diablo 3's PC only release until I saw this gem broadcast online. After I spent some quality time with this title, I was more than happy to let Blizzard keep it's Diablo 3. Dragon's Dogma is an innovative take on the action RPG, featuring a combat system more akin to fighting games, but without all the finger gymnastics that come along with it. This isn't just a button-masher though, as you're required to flesh out a party of adventurers to compliment your main character during the game's loose quest-based story and massive open world. The game is full of loot, although it isn't as equipment-heavy as other titles, which is a plus or minus depending on what you like about dungeon crawlers. The game is positively beautiful with interesting enviornments and animations, but the real draw of this game are the monsters. Be prepared for some epic scraps, as you take on mythological creatures both big, small, and utterly gigantic. The character classes are fleshed out well and none seem to have a large advantage over the other, at least initially. The customization comes from buying different skills and changing vocations over time, building a character that suits your personal combat style.

I honestly have nothing bad to say about this game, and even the complaints I've read about the pawns are nitpicky at best. While they repeat dialogue, it's fairly easy to ignore them, and the AI is more than suitable for a game this busy. If your pawns are doing something you can't stand, you can hit the inn and give them new directives, and the D-pad allows you to give them basic commands during combat. I find myself rarely using this though, as they tend to know their place well enough to get the job done. Overall, fantastic game and highly recommended.… Expand

Take one part Skyrim, a dash of Monster Hunter, a sprinkle of Shadow of Colossus and blend with some original concepts and fantastic creature models and you get what could be one of 2012's best sleeper hits. Capcom have outdone themselves with this massive open world game. From detailed character design to astonishing scope and landmass this game will have you playing for a long time. Monsters are highly detailed and can be quite a challenge as you must learn how to properly kill each one by climbing, grabbing and striking the creatures in various ways to best kill these awesome beasts. Everything from cyclops to Griffins, to even dragons, this game has a plethora of beasts to slay. The part that really shines in this game is the ability to create and "share" your companion or "Pawn" with other gamers. Once your main companion is created, even though they never leave you side, she or he will be available to participate in other people games gaining items and knowledge of areas you may not have entered yet. Each time you visit a hotel for a nights rest this information is downloaded to your game and your Pawn can become that much more useful. You may also take on other player created Pawns that can be used throughout the game at your leisure. The monsters are beautiful and brutal, the lands are open and wide, and the story, while slightly vague, is intriguing. A truly excellent start to what is hopefully a long and expansive franchise.… Expand

Strange game to review, this one. It makes me question the way i review. It doesn't have the best graphics or the largest world. It does not have the best story or the most refined loot-system. But somehow it makes me feel like i'm playing the best, most fun rpg in years (played them all btw). That's why this game gets my top mark; 10/10... because it reminded me what gaming is all about... having fun.… Expand

I've made an account just to be able to get the word out,last time I gave skyrim a 10 on this site,however I am doing again for dragons dogma,the game IMO ,it's the little brother ,but with lots of action and great animations. try it yourself, or your going to miss out.

Hey guys how's it going,just trying to be as real as possible with you,I played skyrim and gave that game a 10,I've been playing dragons dogma for about 40 hours,and I've already en like it better than skyrim.
So it's only fair for this game to get that kinda score.Don't believe the hype,or the fanboys, play the game for yourself and decided.

This game is horribly underrated, even if only for being a genuinely unique and fresh experience in a highly stagnated genre where Skyrim is considered exciting. Despite some technical hiccups, all the the mechanics belie more details than you'll notice in the first twenty hours. As an example, there are a lot of clever and interesting options in quests that usually are not pointed out to you. For instance, you can make forgeries of certain items. Some are perfect duplicates but others, like magical or quests items, are imperfect. However, for many quests you can still turn them in for varying effects. This is never explained to you, you have to come up with that plan on your own. This alone should be enough to get you to try it. A few other highlights, a HUD that can be completely turned off, an interesting AI, unique character customization, superb level progression, amazing combat, unforgettable boss battles. The down points are mostly technical flaws. I didn't encounter any bugs, but essentially the engine lacks polish you might find in a AAA title. Overt LOD changes and low res textures in places will bother the more mainstream crowd. Most complaints about this game will stem directly from that. However, everything is functional, works as it should and is highly entertaining.… Expand

Most people are giving low scores complaining for the lack of multiplayer, whining because there is not a pc release and such a crap.
Stop being so lame !
This is a great game that has its technical flaws which don't ruin the playing experience though, i would give a 8,5 only for the technical problems, but the game deserves a 9+ score.
Giving a 10 to balance all the not objective user's reviews that i've found here.… Expand

Capcom's ambition lies under a veil of what appears to be the most absurdly bland RPG to be released this decade. Don't let its initial appearance fool you, and if you don't know much about the game, don't worry: It flew under the radar initially but now it's out in the open and ready to impress.

Known only in the RPG genre for their Monster Hunter series, Capcom's most impressive feat of all with this title is that they put together not only a high quality open-world RPG, but that it will remind you (in good ways) of some of the most critically acclaimed games seen in years. Combining elements from Shadow of the Colossus, Demon's Souls and The Elder Scrolls, Dragon's Dogma shows a lot of promise that makes it a near-perfect combination of ingredients if not for a few flaws holding it back.

Utilizing an intense and varied combat system, nearly every fight you engage in will feel visceral, dangerous and exciting. Though not as difficult as Demon's/Dark Souls, this game is punishing to the unwise and the unprepared, so combat isn't always a cakewalk. Luckily, on top of a well made action-oriented combat scheme you'll also have AI allies known as Pawns to help you all throughout your journey. Their tenacity is unending as they leap into combat (oft unintelligently), shouting hints (which may grind on your nerves if you can't stand repeated lines) as they pummel your foes, their own safety usually be damned.

These Pawns will also help you as you explore the utterly massive open world of Gransys. Each Pawn learns of its environment, quests and enemies as your adventure continues, and they will make use of this knowledge to guide you along your way. One particular Pawn, known as your Main Pawn, is created from scratch just as your playable character is and will stick with you throughout the entirety of the game, leveling up alongside you and being as customizable as yourself. The other two Pawns you can have at once are like mercenaries of sorts; you can hire them as they wander about the world or go into the 'Rift' at various points to do a thorough search for them based on specific criteria. If you are connected to the internet while playing, these Pawns will be those of other players' creation, and they will share what knowledge they have gained from their own journeys in that player's world when you hire them. Likewise, any knowledge your Pawn learns while adventuring with another player will be known by them in your world as well, updating every time you sleep at an Inn.

This feels like a very thorough and far more fleshed-out version of Demon's/Dark Souls' message system and proves a very enticing feature to take advantage of, even if the Pawns are a bit annoying in their habitual incessant yammering. In the vein of the Elder Scrolls series, this game is actually a totally single-player experience, which I feel doesn't hurt it at all, as multiplayer would likely ruin its challenge with overpowered allies or otherwise be annoyingly restrictive to keep players similarly leveled.

Expect a lot to do in this game, as there are dozens of sidequests, a plethora of main quests and just a huge world to explore. Though the storyline is relatively weak and extremely strung out due to long travel times and constant distractions, it does not detract from the game's overall enjoyable feel. Expect to often meet large, fearsome beasts throughout your journey, whether in the wild or as part of a quest, and to have fun fighting them each time, especially if you're a fan of Shadow of the Colossus style climbing combat when it comes to the huge beasties.

The game's only flaw is not the overly talkative Pawns, though. Expect camera issues here and there, as they're quite common in tight areas or places with lots of trees and flying foes. The framerate is also only held up beautifully thanks to noticeable and ugly screen tearing and a letterbox aspect ratio, but that's a small complaint, really. Don't expect to get things done quickly, either, as fast travel isn't the most friendly (or frequently usable) mechanic in this title, meaning you'll be trekking across familiar terrain often.

Despite its flaws, though, this is a daring and successful RPG from Capcom, and one that every fan of the genre should give a try.… Expand

Unfairly rated,

This game's flaws are far outdone by the innovation that RPGs have desperately craved the last few years. Don't allow negative reviews put you off before trying out this gem.

The game features a fluid combat system and fast, responsive party members in addition to a world that is believable to scale. Unlike other games like Skyrim, a large city in this game, is indeed the size of one, and traveling across a land filled with danger at every corner actually gives the player a good reason to stick to the roads. This experience is very organic in nature, but the game unfortunately suffers from some flaws that put off most critics and casual players, the game does NOT hold your hand in any aspect, and expects the player to be able to reach victory by their own hand, contrary to blindly following a quest to it's next objective. Graphically speaking the game textures can be a bit blurry when zoomed in, and you may encounter a few shadows flickering back and forth, a tell-tale sign of the age of the current console generation unfortunately.

Overall if you want to play a game that is a great mix of Monster Hunter, Dragon Age, along with an open world similar to Skyrim or Oblivion, you don't want to miss out on this game.… Expand

I write this review to give thanks to Capcom for create this wonderful game. I can not describe it with words because there are too many things that are simply amazing. I only can recommend you to buy it, you will not sorry for that. FLY AND BUY IT. FLY YOU, FOOLS!

Havent had this much fun in combat in any RPG for a long time,
Quests are well structure and interesting
Able to play as all classes and the melee ranged and magic offer completely different experiences so they is bound to be something for everyone to enjoy Put a good few hours into it already and I havent even covered a quarter of the map yet

Only negative point I have is that it doesnt explain things very well so you might have to do some trial and error with skills but you get plenty of points to buy skills with as you go so it never feels like a mistake just a set back… Expand

this is quite honestly the most amazing RpG I ahve ever played. Beats the crap out of even the 'soul' games. The combat is tight,active and responsive and the game world is huge. I cannot believe how many people downrate this game because of its lack of multiplayer and no fast travel. While I can agree having multiplayer would be nice you sods complaining about lack of fast travel are spoiled rotten by the elder scrolls games where u just blow from one objective to the next with no thought of the enviroment. I am MORE than happy to fight my way from the capital city to the mission area (a whole 10-15 minutes to the farthest reaches of the map) exploring the enviroment for treasure and killing enemies and if needed fork over a little cash for a teleport BACK to the town the only time that is even expensive is inccredibly early on in the game unless you are hoarding every worthless item you get andf not doing any quests for cash. This games combat, open world, and shadow of collosus style boss fights make it compeltely new and amazing and if you people cannot get over the fact there is no multiplayer then there is in no way or form any room for story driven rpgs anymore and everyone should just pour more money into wow clone rpgs instead of trying something innovative.… Expand

Multiplayer would have been nice (a must for a sequel) but the AI companions do a great job. Don't underestimate how fun climbing on top of a cyclops and stabbing his eye can be.

Really immersive and atmospheric, particularly at night when it gets really dark so you need your lantern. The combat is solid, firm and satisfying, a far cry from Skyrim's floaty weightless mess. There's a lot of attention to detail, such as your character's clothes getting soaked if you go into water and a the wind really swaying the grass and trees all around you. The pawn system adds a lot to the game and allows you to connect with other players without breaking the illusion of the world and events being real (e.g. you don't get some guy jumping all over the place and "hilariously" hitting NPCs). There is some slowdown at times, and the voice acting can be pretty poor at times, but the sense of adventure, exploration and truly being part of a living, detailed world all make that seem like an insignificantly small price to pay. There are tons of side quests that all help give the world more depth and variety, as well as the main quests nicely feeding into each other in interesting ways. At one point you're attacked by a gigantic hyrda. After climbing its body and decapitating it, your then told you could take the head to a nearby nobleman as a gift, and he'll honour you in some way. So starts a quest where you escort the hyrda's head on the back of a wagon through dangerous terrain. It feels so much better than "go there and get me that thing" followed by "Good, now go to the other guy who will tell you to go get him something to" which makes up most of the quests in WRPGs. I really recommend this game if you like atmospheric worlds that you feel like you're really living in, and also want combat to be a well-made part of the game rather than some embarrassingly bad thing that's been tacked on. It's familiar due to it's standard fantasy setting, yet somehow unfamiliar and refreshingly strange feeling thanks to it being a Japanese take on those elements.… Expand

Let me start off by saying in all my years as a gamer I have never once felt the need to 'review' a game or post about it online but I'm doing so now because I feel a horrible injustice has been done against Dragon's Dogma. In a world where Diablo 3 and Skyrim are getting near perfect scores, it is beyond all belief how many professional reviewers are trashing this game with scores under 70. It's got all the makings of an RPG for TRUE RPG fans. A detailed stat system, dozens of skill and augmentation customizations, a complex crafting system, a huge open world filled with quests. I haven't experienced this since I played the first Elder Scrolls except this game is so much better. The combat is varied with dozens of moves per class (or vocation as it's called in the game) and it's even got gameplay like Shadow of the Colossus where you can take down large mobs by climbing on them.
Whereas magic and combat felt 'mechanical' and disconnected to me in Skyrim, every spell and combat move feels visceral like you're actually casting or swinging due to the detailed animations and sound-effects.
Most fights feel epic because the mobs in this game are not one-shot kills. At any moment, a walk through the forest can be a fight to the death when you get ambushed by any of the variety of challenging creatures in the game.
I could go on but others more eloquent than myself have written far better reviews. All you need to know is that this game ranks among the best games this year in terms of design and gameplay and if you believe the reviewers who are bashing this game, you're missing out on an experience found nowhere else.… Expand

Dragon's Dogma is the newest Capcom action RPG that blends characteristics of several other games like Monster Hunter and Shadow of the Colossus. The game follows the story of a character, who lives in a village by the ocean that is attacked by a dragon, and while many soldiers die and people run away, you, a normal person gets a sword and face the dragon. You're defeated, but amazed at the bravery, he rips his heart from your chest and swallows it. Nevertheless, you do not die and resurge as a Risen to start your quest to reach the dragon, aided by human-like creatures, called Paws,beings of another dimension, that look like us, but without the spark of life that gives life and personality. The graphics are very good, in some parts and less in others, but maintains a high standard. The designs of the characters are are just a bit simpler, but very good and varied.Having a look that reminds the classic D&D look and their books of rules.

The highlights are the same environments and monsters; the scenarios are richly detailed and general environments, possesses impressive details such as wind, dust, foliage, effects of light, magic and fire... I found very realistic this recreation of a world by Capcom. The game has cycles of day / night, about 24 min, with variations among them, and in the night the number of monsters increases dramatically, and you must use itens to help visualize things like lanterns. One thing I missed: weather effects like rain and snow.

The enemies are richly detailed, and feature designs that reminds a encyclopedia of monsters of a rules book, some enemies beying huge and very impressive.

As for sounds and music: aside the corny J-Pop in the presentation, I have no criticism - the songs range from epic orchestrated music to choirs, all timely and at key moments to give the general climate the game. So say the sound effects are perfect, from scenarios sounds like winds of the sea breeze, birds and leafes up the sounds and cries of monsters and other things. The criticism in this department is in some voiceovers too forced, but nothing to panic about.

The gameplay is a mixture of RPGs, has many touches of Monster hunter (collecting) and elements from other action RPG games like Shadow of the Colossus.

Initially, you set up a character, starting from basic models pre-selected, which may or may not customize according to your preferences: you choose the name, nickname, voice (out of 6 variations). After this you can customize the face in detail, variations between body proportions and appearance, from lean to muscular and fat.

Finally you select between 3 basic specialties: Fighter, Mage and Strider. The game has a Manin Quest and Secundary Quests, and you are free to follow whatever you want, within the maps, which have physical limitations despite being enormously large.

The gameplay has good fluidity and very well done fighting, where you should actually use group work and planning, for without the help of the Pawns, you die easily, and what they do know and use is essential to survive. You have a primary weapon, with strong and weak attacks, and a secondary, which varies according to class (shield, bow and staff), each with sub-special moves. The primary and secondary weapons (selected with the shoulder buttons) have up to 4 special moves, selected with the normal buttons, that can be bought in some places with the credits that you collects in the game, and can be purchased either for you or your Pawns.

The Pawns (may be 3) are controlled by the AI, and you have a primary pawn, that can be customized as you want plus personality traits, and that is fixed, and 2 Pawns that exist in training camps, which are varied, and can be purchased (higher classes) - the main Pawn can be used in Live, where friends can use it in their party, and he brings back to you after material gains and of XP acquired, beying acessed in Rift Stones. I missed a true Coop in this game...

The fights always need a variety of strategies, and specific skills and Pawns to survive the toughest enemies. The struggles against bosses, are sometimes epic, and using the resource to climb them, as in the Shadow of the Colossus for grabs and punches.

The collection part of the game aplies to several objects found in the world or collection, and have several uses for combining or using the same material: for example, you find a empty vial and kill the goblins, sometimes takes their remains, and by combining the two, it makes oil vials that can be used to fuel lanterns, or combined with arrows to create arrows that serve oil enemies to soak them and then set fire with fire spells.
Life has points, but if she regenrea food and using spells (no end Wolverine here).

In short the game is a excellent hardcore RPG, where you must use more than brawn, and presents an ingenious and varied gameplay, you just addicting, despite some wandering power churn, with elements such as coletagem / combination and press strategy.… Expand

Simply epic game with some flaws that can overlooked..........a difficulty comparison with dark soul is welcome cuz both have a nearly same difficulty, but it's gameplay will deliver a blasting experience you won't forget for a long long time, I can't tell you more of this, you must test its for yourself!!

Don't listen to those so called "reviewers" they only got paid to get high scores. This is an awesome RPG if you like TES games you will be able to like this much more better combat with much more scenes storyline, So far it's the best RPG I've played in years.

Dragon's Dogma is quite the venture for Capcom, When I first heard of this game i felt that this would go under the radar for the very clientel it is targeted for, the western audience. Lets get one thing straight, this is a way for them to grab a new audience and Capcom excelled in areas, and flopped in others. Dragon's Dogma's combat/class system is- bar none- the most compelling and engaging I have ever played, tossing a bandit off a cliff, grabbing a harpy so I can clear a chasm that would take half an hour to get around in less than a minute, wrestling with an ogre as you are falling down a stairwell to make sure survive by making him land first gandalf style. Just exploring Gransys for a few hours can lead to a tell all experience you can't wait to share. There are no mounts, quick travel is rare and expensive, forcing you to explore. Then the sun sets, your lantern your only light source you barely see in front of you and all you hear is growls, howls, and all manner of noises that let you want to heep to the roads and hope that you can hit the capitol quickly .As you progress you can quickly find that there are many large, daunting creatures that are gratyfying to defeat and if you are unprepared for any type of fight, you will be punished a la Dark souls style. Dragon's Dogma in terms of gameplay is exactly where it should be, wheras games like Dragon Age and Skyrim fell short, conversely, they excel in story and lore, but in DD, it falls flat on its face. That nessicarily isn't a bad thing though. DD is meant for exploration, learning, taking time to plan out your next move. everything in DD is left completely open to you, if you dare. For me, all I want is my heart back, don't care two licks about the politics, but we all get pulled into it anyway. in all of this you are never truly alone you always have pawns that tag along and learn with you or with others online. they can, and will, be clumsy and dimwitted at first, but they learn like you and take their knowledge to great effect. if your main pawn was with someone else online and fought something you never did, then you discover them after setting out from the capitol, they will tell you how to fight them, and be more efficient at killing them as well. I will never forget when my main pawn jumped and grabbed a harpy, brought it to the ground , and skewered it all in a manner of a second. now there are a few technical glitches that on the Xbox nearly demand an install, even then some shopkeepers ans quest importants take a second to pop up. If you are willing to ignore some glitches and a rather bland story, this is a must buy. Gransys awaits.… Expand

This game was pretty good with the exception of not being able to fast travel and some bugs. For as savory as Dogmaâ

Excellent game, the combat seems to be a mix between Monster Hunter and the two Souls games. That coupled with a better open world experience than Skyrim make this for me the best game so far in 2012

One of, if not the best RPG's of current generation of gaming. The game expertly blends old school and new school RPG gaming, western and eastern styles, with a touch of Greek mythology to boot! What more could you ask for?

unbelievable how low the reviews are for this game.... somehow Skyrim gets a pass on all its faults and scores a 95, but Dragon's Dogma is hitting around 80?

Let me tell you this, I am a real gamer and this game has WAY better combat than Skyrim. The environment is not as detailed as the PC version of Skyrim, but comparing a PC game to a console game is not fair at all.

This is a FUN game. If you like Skyrim, Dark Souls, etc you will really enjoy this game a lot. It does many things better than Skyrim, and I love Bethesda, but this game is a pure win for anyone who likes action/RPG.

Lastly, I would think that RPG gamers would be praising this company endlessly considering how badly they've been treated with dumbed down sequels to their favs, not nitpicking on a few minor imperfections that truly do not take away from the overall great experience this game offers.

In Dark Souls blightown was practically unplayable due to framerate drops but you heard little criticism and it was just a footnote, it also had major connection problems with its multiplayer, again completely glossed over by reviewers. Dark Souls is probably one of my all time favorite games and it was universally loved by reviewers and lavished with praise. It is really unclear to me why this game is not getting at least 85's by most review sites - because it is totally worth that.

Bioware and Bethesda can only wish they could make an RPG with combat this good. I cannot believe what a pass BEthesda gets on their GOD AWFUL COMBAT.

It is just a great game. You really should play it.… Expand

I'm absolutely in love with the environment in Dragon's Dogma. The combat feels great, the enemies are fun to kill and the mechanics of the game just boom for me. The day/night cycle is probably what stands out to me the most. It raises your cautiousness as the night is pitch black. The only light you really get is from your lantern. Monsters get more dangerous and it is advisable to travel at a steady pace. I love the open-world survival feel to it.

Several months ago I sort of blew this game off thinking it wasn't going to be anything. I tried the demo and immediately picked up on it and enjoyed it. I didn't thing this game would amount to anything so I never followed it at all. Me being a big Monster Hunter fan, this game resembles it quite a bit. The main story isn't too there but neither is Skyrim's in my opinion. I played Skyrim for the open world exploration and lore. I'll be happily playing Dragon's Dogma for its great gameplay experience.

If you're a fan of Dark Souls, Monster Hunter or even Skyrim, I say try it out and give it a rent atleast.… Expand

Well done capcom you've created a great game. I wish some of these reviewers weren't so damn harsh on a few glitches here and there. Like come on, name me one open world game with no glitches. It's just ridiculous.

My favorite games of past and present have been: Metal Gear Solid, The Witcher 1 and 2, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Dragon Age 2. This title stands firmly on its own two feet. We have recently been spoiled by some some amazing adventure and role-playing games. Personally, I hope this marks the start a new trend. We always have to keep in mind that creating a game of THIS SCOPE takes years of hard work, research, and massively talented development teams. A few well known reviewers have tossed this game aside like a sack of potatoes due to a few glitches or small setbacks, but yet these are the same reviewers who gave the horrendously glitchy and repetitive Skyrim a 9.5! (I enjoyed Skyrim but it wasn't the 9.5 everyone said it was!).

It seems that Capcom has, for the most part, really listened to fan feedback and seem to have a much better understanding of what the true RPG gamer wants now more than ever: an open world to explore in, deep customization, freedom in combat, believable characters, a decent soundtrack, and challenging enemies. It really looks like Capcom has delivered on almost all fronts and should be recognized for their efforts. The storyline is about all that lacks here... and really who cares? Let's just get to the action, shall we?!

Hopefully this marks the start of a flood of amazing adventure games. Capcom, thanks for adding another great title to this genre!… Expand

Destined to be one of the most underrated games of all time (it seems). Honestly, this game truly breaks new ground and I'm not being facetious. Yes, it is an gorgeous game in terms of scenery and landscape, and it has a massive open world, but what sets it apart from other RPGs of its incredible ability to make everything you do feel like an absolutely organic (in-game) experience. What I mean by that, is that there are these incredible water cooler-like moments like climbing on a Hydras neck and cutting it open to free your companion that it just swallowed. But unlike most games, this is not a canned experience or QTE. This is just the natural style of combat in the game. When in your traversing the world at night, it actually feels like wandering in the wilderness at night. It's pitch black and your lantern only lets you see about 10 feet in front of you. You constantly hear roars, screams, and growls in the distance and you know that there are monsters just waiting to pounce on you. This is the way the game is all the time. There is a robust item system, where you can combine almost anything you pick up with some other item and create something else, and every single weapon or piece of armor can be upgrade with the right materials and coin. There is no fast travel in this game (though there is the equivalent of a town portal spell), but that is in line with the theory that this game is going for: a completely organic experience, that very much makes you believe that you are living in the world of Gransys and that every journey you take requires careful planning and preparation. All in all, its a fantastic experience all around. Yes the story is rather weak, and another shortcoming is that many of the characters you speak to don't exactly glimmer with personality, but the game world is so vibrant otherwise you might not even notice it. For those of you tired of the status quo and looking to try something truly unique, I couldn't recommend a better game out there today.… Expand

When you take into account some of the obvious technical flaws, most of the 80-85 reviews are about right. If you can mostly ignore those issues, as I can, Dragon's Dogma is a 95+. All future action RPGs need to take notes from Dragon's Dogma when it comes to combat. The smallest battles are epic at times and the big battles, well...just WOW. I have never seen such a wide variety of available fighting skills and combat is very fluid. The RPG elements are pretty deep with a ton of items and plenty of character customization options. I can't say exactly how big the world is as I'm only about 20 hours in, but it sure seems like it's going to be huge. Dragon's Dogma is an open-world RPG but you reveal the map as you explore and unlike many other open-world RPGs, you cannot immediately travel from one end of the map to the other early on without getting slaughtered. Dragon's Dogma is very accessible but far from easy. Much of what players able to accomplish will depend on their ability in combat. There are many areas that some will be able to battle their way through with a party that is several levels lower than other, less-skilled, players. I took on a mission yesterday that ultimately took me around three-and-a-half hours to complete. About half of that time was spent traveling and fighting my way to the destination. The other half was spent fighting goblins, hobgoblins, and multiple cyclops all while dodging flaming ballista bolts inside a massive fort. I died several times, occasionally in spectacular fashion. Once, I was jumping across a broken bridge at one end of the fort and was hit in mid-air by a ballista bolt that came flying from the other end. Another time, while running across a balcony near the final goal, a cyclops clubbed me and sent me flying several stories down to the ground. After finally completing the quest, we were ready to head home and collect our reward. It wasn't until then that I realized that I had no ferrystones in my inventory so we would actually have to travel the entire way back on foot. I love it. Fast travel is limited to ferrystones, which you can use only for fast travel back to the main city of Gran Soren, and port crystals, which can be used to set up other fast travel locations. There are a finite amount of port crystals in the game, though, and I have yet to encounter one.

Dragon's Dogma for me, personally, is a 10/10. I believe that by the time I am ultimately finished with this game, this will be the RPG into which I have poured the most hours. Like any game, though, it isn't perfect. There's some pretty bad pop-in, some screen tearing, clipping, etc. I've seen some complaints about the menu system which I don't agree with. The story is so-so. For these reasons, I have to give it a review score of 9/10. If you are like me and can overlook these flaws for the most part, though, you will find yourself having the most fun you have had in an RPG in a very long time.… Expand