Summary
Releasing in May 2012, the firstDragon’s Dogmacame out just a few months after FromSoftware’s firstDark Soulsgame. WithDark Soulsmaking a pretty huge impact upon its debut, and both games being challenging fantasy RPGs,the firstDragon’s Dogmaended up being compared toDark Soulsquite a bit when it first came out. But aside from their general structure and vibes, both games are very different in terms of gameplay. WhileDark Soulsfocused on methodical melee combat and precise dodge mechanics,Dragon’s Dogmafocused much more on large-scale boss fights, freedom of movement, and fast-paced combat. Now,Dragon’s Dogma 2follows suit.
Despite releasing over a decade after its predecessor,Dragon’s Dogma 2carries over the vast majority of the original’s mechanics and structure, for better and for worse. This does mean, however, thatDragon’s Dogma 2is able to stand out fromDark Souls,Elden Ring, and the rest of the Soulslike genre very easily, though it wouldn’t have hurt ifDragon’s Dogma 2borrowed one specific mechanic from its competition.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Could Benefit From a Lock-On Mechanic
Though it certainly wasn’t invented by FromSoftware—withThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timewidely being considered as one of the first to implement the feature successfully—a lock-on mechanic has become a staple ofthe Soulslike genre. Usually activated by pressing down the right stick on the controller, an active lock-on feature sees the camera center the camera on an enemy, and remain fixed on them until they’re defeated.
While locked on, the player can strafe around their target without worrying about the camera suddenly shifting around the environment.
Over the last few years, as Soulslikes have become increasingly more popular, as has the desire forlock-on mechanicsin just about any third-person action game that focuses heavily on melee combat. While these lock-on mechanics aren’t essential for every third-person action game, they can often be beneficial, and that’s certainly the case forDragon’s Dogma 2.
Currently,Dragon’s Dogma 2has no form of active lock-on. For fans of the original game, that’s going to come as no surprise, asDragon’s Dogma 2emphasizes freedom of movement in a combat arena. Still, a lock-on mechanic could greatly benefitDragon’s Dogma 2’s melee-focused combat, at least in some instances. It’s all too often that a fight inDragon’s Dogma 2will lead to multiple enemies attacking the player at once. The camera being free at all times allows players to track all enemies at their own leisure, but in the heat of battle, that’s often much easier said than done.
To make matters worse, without an active lock-on,Dragon’s Dogma 2’s parrying and blocking mechanic can also be a little unresponsive. When large groups of enemies are attacking the player at once, they don’t really have control over which direction their character blocks, leading to some frustrating moments. A lock-on that allowed players to swap targets on the fly would go a long way in eliminating this problem.
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Boss Fights Benefit From Having a Free Camera
The lack of an active lock-on system thankfully isn’tDragon’s Dogma 2’s biggest issue. In fact, when fighting bosses or large monsters,Dragon’s Dogma 2’s free camera is actually much more helpful, allowing the player to easily position themselves around the large foe, and climb on top of it with ease. This high level of freedom of movement might not have been achievable with a locked-on camera, though that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have been an option.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen!Dragon’s Dogma is a single player, narrative driven action-RPG series that challenges the players to choose their own experience – from the appearance of their Arisen, their vocation, their party, how to approach different situations and more. Now, in this long-awaited sequel, the deep, explorable fantasy world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 awaits.On your journey, you’ll be joined by Pawns, mysterious otherworldly beings, in an adventure so unique you will feel as if accompanied by other players while on your own adventure.All of these elements are elevated further through physics technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and the latest in graphics, to create a truly immersive fantasy world in Dragon’s Dogma 2.
