Recent reviews by Maly_007

This is the first (and probably the last good one, taking into account what Ubisoft has shown so far) Assassin's Creed set in Japan. And it is indeed a really good game.
However, I can't recommend it due to Sony's recent actions.

We Dive Together or Not At All
Sony delisted another 3 countries.

Snoy also delisted those 180 from Ghost of Tsushima.

It has great potential, but it's not quite there yet.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is a game that, as a fan of DDDA, I really wanted to like. Unfortunately, at every turn, I get the feeling that Capcom didn't try to make DD2, but rather DD1.2, and what they ended up with is Dragon's Dogma 0.7. And at the point where I can say I had fun with the game, I absolutely cannot recommend it, certainly not in its current state.

Short summary, to be expanded below:
+ Character editor
+ Audiovisuals
+ Improved combat system and game formula

- Lack of new game option (fixed, but worth mentioning)
- RE engine, optimization, and technical graphics side
- Microtransactions
- Developer statements and unmet expectations
- Fewer monster types than in DDDA
- Simplified armor system and overall equipment
- Classes and skills
- Pawn system (worse than in DDDA)
- Storyline
- Endgame
- "Eternal" wakestone


+ Character editor
Probably the best character editor in Capcom games, which, besides visuals, slightly affects character statistics (mainly endurance and its regeneration, carrying capacity, and melee weapon range).
+ Audiovisuals
Despite some shortcomings (facial animations), the game looks really good. Models, animations, there's not much to complain about here. The music doesn't particularly stand out (with a few exceptions) and it lacks something as characteristic as the main theme from DDDA.
Unfortunately, the technical aspect related to graphics disappoints.
+ Improved combat system and game formula
They moved some skills from the original game's weapon skill to core skill, which immediately improved combat. Here, you can really feel progress compared to the original because fighting is simply more enjoyable. Similarly, the core of the game remains unchanged from DDDA - it's still an action RPG with an open world, somewhat trying to be like "what if Monster Hunter worked in an open-world medieval fantasy setting." Now on a significantly larger map, where west part of the region is a different biome.


- Lack of new game option (fixed, but worth mentioning)
WTF Capcom? I find it hard to believe that no one, absolutely no one, during the game's development or reviewing process noticed the absence of such a basic feature as the new game option. It's like some grim joke from a game dev.
- RE engine, optimization, and technical graphics side
Capcom is heading down the same path EA recently stumbled upon, pushing for all studio games to be on the Frostbite engine. Here, you can clearly see that the engine is barely keeping up when forced to generate an open world, with a large number of enemies, NPCs, and more options than the closed corridors of Resident Evil locations. The optimization sucks (especially in cities, related to how the game calculates NPCs), and the game should not have been released in such a technical state. Furthermore, there's something off with the implementation of RTX and DLSS, as enabling both options noticeably degrades the game's appearance (and this is a problem not just for me, as modders have already fixed it, working much faster than Capcom).
- Microtransactions
You might have already read somewhere that microtransactions in Dragon's Dogma 2 are okay because everything (or almost everything) can be obtained normally in the game. However, this is a single-player AAA game - it shouldn't contain any microtransactions, and it's a mistake on Capcom's part. Especially since you can practically get everything in the game without much trouble, it was an unnecessary move that brings more PR backlash to Capcom than benefits.
- Developer statements and unmet expectations
Another aspect that looks bad is related to the developers' statements about the game and how it was marketed. Before release, you hear about how the developers don't like fast travel because it's shortcut, how they want their game to be so engaging that players don't feel the need to use fast travel at all. What do you see after release? Microtransactions with a fast travel pack.
Another issue is with the game's announcements, quoting one of the trailers, "the game will offer what we've shown, and much, much more." The problem is, there's nothing more. Practically all the most interesting elements of the game were shown in the trailers, but more on that later. A third issue is (I'm not sure if this is confimred) that Dragon's Dogma 2 had a much smaller dev team than other flagship Capcom titles.
- Fewer monster types than in DDDA
Continuing the above thought - I refer to the trailer with the Sphinx. The creators promised more of complex monster encounters. There's literally nothing more like that in the whole game. The Sphinx is a one-time encounter, the fight with it is completely optional (and quite easy to miss).
There's another monster, definitely less complex, but if you remember Zorah Magdaros from Monster Hunter World and weren't a fan of that fight, I have bad news for you.
There are fewer types of monsters than in the predecessor. Moreover, not only are there fewer monsters, but their population is spread over a map about four times larger, which simply makes everything feel the same everywhere. The fact that despite the larger map, the distances between enemy groups seem even smaller than in DDDA doesn't help, making fighting all the time start to feel tedious in the long run. Just to be clear, here's a numerical comparison of monsters (small and bosses together) in DDDA and Dragon's Dogma 2:
DDDA: 92 types of enemies
DD2: 57 types of enemies
- Simplified armor system and overall equipment
There are fewer options regarding armor in the game, leading to situations when using a riftstone pawns are dressed in very similar gear (Capcom claimed this solution would increase diversity).
In DDDA, there was an armor system where you separately chose the clothing layer and the armor layer. This has now been simplified to one category per body part, except for the head, where some items are treated as cosmetic and can be worn with a helmet. Most often, it's some kind of mask or glasses.
Another criticism is that there are no horizontal choices here. Practically every item has its clear upgrade, every category of item has the best item you want to find. Did I say find? I'm sorry. I meant buy. In the game, about 95% of equipment can simply be bought from a merchant (along with the best items available in the game).
I'm not sure if this is a flaw, but it's worth mentioning - the chest system has been changed from DDDA and now contains predetermined items, but their contents never respawn. Unfortunately, most of the things found in chests are junk or consumable items.

The lastest update to the game added a DRM.
The game now runs worse, using much more CPU, for no real reason.
This update also broke Steam Deck and linux compatibility.

One of the biggest disappointments of the year.

I'm doing my part!

No.

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