Dragon's Dogma Xbox 360
User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 274 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 221 out of 274
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 274
  3. Negative: 38 out of 274

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  1. Maelstrom52
    May 22, 2012
    9
    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
  2. ftfh40
    May 22, 2012
    9
    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
  3. Demikly
    May 22, 2012
    9
    Truly a breath of fresh air, Dragon's Dogma has come through for me in the areas that matter.

    It's an adventure game at it's core, complete with companions for your quest, loads of customization and grand battles in the wilderness. Think Willow the game, and you will have a fair idea what Dragon's Dogma is like.

    I got an early copy of the game and have spent 56 hours with it... and have    n't completed it yet - I have however got distracted more than once whilst questing, the mark of a true adventure indeed!! Recommended for fans of Dark Souls / Divinity 2 DKS / KoA - and to a lesser extent, The Elder Scrolls series.
    9/10.    … Expand
  4. kheas
    May 30, 2012
    10
    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
  5. coelo
    May 22, 2012
    9
    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 gam    e. 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
  6. Dragonzdogma
    May 29, 2012
    10
    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.
  7. freejack
    May 25, 2012
    10
    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
  8. Svetlano
    May 29, 2012
    10
    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 r    eviews that i've found here.… Expand
  9. Arrestedevelopr
    May 26, 2012
    9
    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.
  10. still-point
    May 22, 2012
    9
    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
  11. Xborn74
    May 25, 2012
    9
    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
  12. Tropxe
    May 25, 2012
    10
    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
  13. Rewiinded
    May 23, 2012
    10
    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
  14. paddystudmuffin
    May 22, 2012
    10
    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.
  15. Adamathias
    May 24, 2012
    9
    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
  16. Meepooh
    May 25, 2012
    10
    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!!
  17. FalseRealism
    May 27, 2012
    9
    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
  18. ronnel990
    May 25, 2012
    10
    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.
  19. Tundra
    May 22, 2012
    10
    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
  20. FrostyWolf
    May 23, 2012
    10
    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?
  21. tigger
    May 31, 2012
    10
    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...… Collapse
  22. vishusmartishus
    May 30, 2012
    10
    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 o    ut. 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
  23. MadMacallan
    Nov 2, 2012
    9
    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
  24. Dacai
    May 29, 2012
    10
    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
  25. Hyomoto
    May 29, 2012
    9
    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
  26. boboman300
    May 24, 2012
    9
    This game was pretty good with the exception of not being able to fast travel and some bugs. For as savory as Dogmaâ
  27. drizzitdude5
    May 26, 2012
    10
    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
  28. 02pheland
    May 26, 2012
    10
    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
  29. Camu74
    May 26, 2012
    9
    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!
  30. NicolaiB_92
    May 28, 2012
    9
    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 o    f 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
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 59 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 59
  3. Negative: 1 out of 59
  1. Level7.nu
    Aug 3, 2012
    80
    A unique hybrid between japanese and western rpg's featuring extensive customisation options, fun fights and indirect but rewarding ways to help (and be helped by) other players.
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  2. Xbox World Australia
    Jul 17, 2012
    70
    Although I did know what kind of game Dragon's Dogma was when I picked it up, I was hoping that it would be different, have something I found compelling, something I could get addicted to and want to spend my time with. But for me, this kind of 'old school' gaming found in Dragon's Dogma is simply tedious and rarely enjoyable.
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  3. Hyper Magazine
    Jul 8, 2012
    80
    This is what Hercules must've felt like. [July 2012, p.58]
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