"The stage set for greatness with no audience to witness"

Perhaps Dragon's Dogma 2 can be summarized by its own credits song. A great game with potential to become even better but held back by its lifeless world and NPCs and a promising story with a lackluster finale, hence the "no audience to witness" and "stage set for greatness"

First of my two major complaints about this game is the NPCs. They come across as lifeless shells, aimlessly wandering and repeating their lines even amidst impending apocalyptic events. Ironically, the Pawns, known for their lack of true humanity, exhibit more personality than the entirety of the game's generic NPCs.

The second issue lies with the story. While it starts off strong, it loses momentum along the way. The concluding part feels vague and lacks adequate explanation, leaving much to the player's interpretation. The titular Dragon's role feels underutilized, almost as if it's there merely for the game's namesake. Despite the hyped-up finale, it feels disjointed from the overall narrative. Nonetheless, I found immense enjoyment in witnessing my Arisen and my pawn in the captivating and badass final cutscene.

One minor complaint I'd like to add to this review is the consistent superiority of shop/vendor loot compared to items found through exploration. However, it's a relief that we no longer have to resort to save-scumming to obtain desired items from chests, like we did in the first game.

Apart from that, I find that this game presents a truly captivating fantasy world and offers enjoyable gameplay, especially with its combat and exploration mechanics. Each Vocation (which are essentially the classes of this game) provides a unique and enjoyable experience, although Trickster might be an exception. I noticed that the magic-based Vocations feel a bit lacking compared to the first game since many spells from the first game is not included, even so I still find playing magic-based Vocations enjoyable, especially since being able to cast spells while moving makes a significant difference. On the other hand, melee-based Vocations feel very impactful. I had a lot of fun playing Warrior; knocking everything off balance and hearing that satisfying break guard sound every time my giant sword connects with something. The game map is vast but its usually filled with goblins, green goblins, wolves, and red wolves. This didn't bother me much, although I do agree with the criticism that the game lacks variety. Finally, the Pawns in this game feel surprisingly alive for some reason. Although they still repeat the same lines frequently, I can't help but feel attached to my main pawn when I reflect on the journey we had together after finishing the game in around 70 hours.

If you're able to overlook its flaws and the subpar optimization, this game provides a truly memorable experience, potentially standing out as one of the best in recent years. Hopefully CAPCOM will release a DLC soon, so I can return to adventuring with my main pawn.

"the cast take their place
raise the curtain and let the drama unfold

all told we'll be glad that we got to play"

It's like a less scary stalker experience with a car in it, featuring fun gameplay and progression. The pacing and storyline are genuinely intriguing throughout the journey. However, reaching the end, you realize that nothing significant unfolds. Instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment and perhaps a tinge of sadness that often accompanies completing a compelling game, you're left feeling disappointed. Despite its potential for a solid 4 perhaps a 4.5-star rating, I could only muster a 3.5 due to the lackluster finale.