How Dragon's Dogma two missed the mark Pt. 2
Soldier's of Fortune
Fixing Locations
Adding more vibrant urban hubs with unique architectural styles and cultural traditions would make the world feel alive. Imagine a port city with bustling markets, quaint mountain villages with stonepunk-inspired technology, or desert kingdoms with palaces & nomadic influences. During my own playthrough I found myself so often wishing for more of everything.
I wished for more exotic locations, I wished for better NPC’s to interact with , I wished for each place I visited to have a fully fleshed out culture and culinary style , and I wished to unravel corruption, meet high rollers , do morally grey quests for politicians, meet corrupt soldiers , salvers , and oligarchs…this game had the potential in spades but failed to fulfill it which led to a dullness that should never exist in a game like this.
Enhanced Enemy Variety
Introducing region-specific enemies, such as sandworms in the desert or frost giants in icy regions, would keep combat fresh and engaging. Additionally, I would've loved to see Naga Dragon's, Lamias , centaurs, dinosaurs, water Dragon, werewolves, sirens , fairies , demons , angels , skinwalkers , wendigos , and other mythological monsters.
Moreover, I felt that goblin's appeared far too often and I would've loved to see other variations of the goblin besides the ones so frequently seen in-game. For instance why not make Orcs a species of Goblin? And why not bring in creatures like Phoenix's & Lindworms?
Entrepreneurship in DD2
I think one of the most innovative ways DD 2 could have stood out more is by allowing players to build their own businesses. From running a blacksmith shop to managing an underground smuggling ring, to getting into real estate or earning taverns / restaurants or shops , entrepreneurial features could add depth to both gameplay and storytelling.
Imagine if the player could buy broken down property, restore it , make businesses, and as they're traveling promote those businesses…it'd be an incredible feature.
Unethical Options and Player Agency
Giving players the option to engage in morally ambiguous businesses, such as fencing stolen goods , pulling off assassinations, participating in various levels of trafficking / prostitution, drug dealing , arcane arms dealing for enchanted weapons / armor , poaching , potion dealing , becoming a bootlegger in certain areas, becoming a contract mercenary with wealthy sponsors in the big cities , becoming a volunteer gladiator or bare knuckle fighter, pulling off white collar crimes , running a shady gambling den, would add layers of complexity. These choices could influence the world, such as increasing crime rates in towns or earning the ire of local authorities.
Property Ownership
Players should've also had the ability to purchase and customize homes & businesses. Owning property could come with perks like faster travel, storage options, or even passive income, creating a sense of personal investment in the world.
Imagine becoming a cattle Baron? opening up a primitive chain of fitness gyms in order to increase base stats such as increased stamina and even gain certain perks.
What Could Have Been
Dragon’s Dogma 2, is in my opinion a solid sequel to just get by but it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity in almost every way and doesn't push the boundaries of the RPG genre quite enough. By addressing its narrative shortcomings, incorporating stonepunk elements, expanding the world with diverse towns and enemies, and adding entrepreneurial gameplay, it could have become a groundbreaking title. As it stands, the game is enjoyable but falls short of being truly legendary. Capcom, take note, we Arisen's deserve better.
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