Dragon’s Dogma 2 Hands- Tg777 com on Impressions

Before we even get into the action of the game, we are given a fair bit of history on the current state of the world. In the human kingdom of Vermund, the Arisen is considered the rightful ruler, as they are a person of great power and responsibility. The title is “earned” by becoming chosen by The Dragon, an omen of the coming apocalypse,  in a slightly horrific process: the Dragon plucks out your still-beating heart, gulps it down, and flies off happy as can be, burdening you with either ending its terror or dying while you’re at it. Fun.

Being connected to a massively powerful beast of the end times has its upsides though, as you are not much more powerful than the average Joe or Jane, command the respect of a race of benevolent, but emotionless, creatures known as Pawns, and are now the rightful Sovran of a whole Kingdom! Or, well… you should be. Here’s where things get weird.

In Dragon’s Dogma 2, a false Arisen has claimed the throne with royal support, while you, the true Arisen, begin as a memoryless laborer marked by a strange scar. Guided by a mysterious voice, you embark on a journey to uncover your identity and challenge the impostor.

The game truly begins once you’re free to explore your chosen Vocation. Starting classes—Thief, Archer, Fighter, and Mage—each offer unique combat styles. As you battle and level up, you unlock new skills and abilities, allowing you to grow and refine your playstyle through experience.

This may seem like a lot of options, and it is — especially since you have to pick a Vocation for yourself and your Main Pawn — but thankfully, it is easy to unlock all the others, so you can try them all out with little downside if you end up not liking your current skills. I went with a Thief and Mage combo. As a side note, the Character Creator for the game is quite detailed, allowing users to be either very creative or copy their favourite characters from other media; believe me, I ran into quite a few Shadowhearts.

With my Main Pawn created and my Vocations ready, I was ready to adventure! I ventured into a nearby city that was attacked by the Dragon, where I gained some useful information. I was then to travel to the capital city, required to present myself to the Captain of the guard, as impersonating the Arisen was a dirty crime! I was offered an oxcart to make the trip go by quickly, but I decided to get a feel for the land, going exploring into the lush forests and rocky environment!

Now, this may seem like the game is not letting me explore and is too harsh, but it was in fact the opposite! I was absolutely thrilled with how the game let me go my own way and decide which enemies to take on. The Pawns in my party often warned me about dangers ahead, counselling me to use caution. Being a stubborn man, I went in knives (literally) blazing. The sense of discovery was fantastic and being blindsided by a powerful foe made for organic storytelling. Sure, I lost to the giant shadow beast (I ran away before seeing what it was), but now I knew to keep an eye out and carried a vendetta to become stronger.

A fact worth noting, however, is that I have played a lot of Dragon’s Dogma before, so I knew the basic tactics and what to expect. If you are new to the game, I do recommend trucking along with the main questline for a while, so you can get some practise in and get some useful skills, such as elemental attacks, before taking on the wild. Oh, and don’t stay up after nightfall. It gets… spooky.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 emphasizes organic exploration as one of its core strengths. While quests guide you to key locations, much of the game’s joy comes from freely discovering hidden areas, dynamic encounters, and immersive world details—making every journey feel natural, rewarding, and alive.