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Kevin VanOrd doesn't give Dragon's Dogma a 7.5? You lost your bet? GS Review!

Blabadon · 2012-05-30 06:36:51

http://www.gamespot.com/dragons-dogma/reviews/dragons-dogma-review-6379024/[spoiler] 8.0The GoodFantastic combat encounters against awesome monstersOne of the best boss fights in any role-playing game, everThere is always a surprise around the cornerAtmospheric touches that make the world feel authenticA series of striking choices leads to an unforgettable ending.The BadTedious backtracking through familiar territoryExasperating pawn behaviorBizarre quest-related and story events.'You might have heard Dragon's Dogma compared toShadow of the Colossus, theThe Elder Scrollsseries, theMonster Huntergames, or evenDark Souls. But while this open-world role-playing adventure has some superficial similarities to these games and others, it can't really be described through such comparisons. Dragon's Dogma is stubborn and defiant, wonderful and infuriating in the way it does its own thing without regard for whether or not it was the right thing to do. That defiant attitude will have you cursing the game and rolling your eyes at the frustrations, yet you will be enchanted. When a game plays by a set of rules this unique, there is always a surprise lurking around the bend, or ready to strike from above.And so you may love Dragon's Dogma. Prepare for a passionate relationship but a dysfunctional one, in which your lover refuses to give an inch, and yet you return for more. And like many relationships, this one begins with a bright spark--in this case, a prologue that gives you a taste of the legendary battles to come. And if that scenario doesn't draw you in, then an early cutscene certainly will: a dragon tears open your puny chest with a gigantic single claw, pierces your heart with that same claw, and swallows the vital organ in a gulp.How could you possibly survive such an attack? After all: you have no heart! Answers come--well, some, anyway--but not before you ask countless more questions. You discover that you are the Arisen, but what does this title truly mean? How are you connected to this giant wyrm? How is it you can understand its guttural, unknown language? But before you find resolution, you must come to grips with yet another discovery. As the Arisen, you can command humanoids known as pawns that hail from another dimension. These pawns exist to serve; they wander the roads, ready to enlist as your companion, and aimlessly stroll in a murky otherworld called the Rift, where you can call them to your cause.Up to three pawns can join you on your journey. One of them is a permanent fixture; you choose his (or her) looks, his name, and his class, and as he levels, you can equip skills and upgrades for him just as you can for yourself. Your other pawns are hirelings and can be taken on and dismissed as you see fit. These poor lost sheep aren't necessarily products of the game's creators, however; they may also be other players' main pawns who have stolen away to your own world, serfs to be bought by the land's rising star. Provided you have enough of the rift points needed to purchase them, you can bring on pawns of any level--even one much higher than yourself.Monsters are everywhere, so be vigilant.Traveling with pawns is like having the company of curious, forgetful children who are constantly delighted by the world around them. And like children, they never shut up about things, interrupting each other with abandon. 'What a large tree,' one enthuses, each time you pass the same oak. 'It's weak to fire!' your mage exclaims, as if it isn't the hundredth time he's seen a goblin. There are ways to adjust your pawns' social behavior, but the repeated lines can get tiresome. How is it possible they're so surprised that the path is near the beach, when they've noted the information countless times already? The chatter is meant to make pawns seem aware of the world around them, but with so much repetition, the illusion is shattered.Yet despite their short-term memory loss, there's a charm to the dignified acting and affected Ye Olde English dialogue of your pawns. Your minions are just so happy to serve you, so happy to remind you that you need to shoot at a cyclops's single eye that you can only shake your head in wonder of their dedication. If only their other transgressions were so modest. 'Heal thyself' you will cry aloud to your mage, who possesses any number of healing items, yet ignores them in favor of throwing another few fireballs. A system for micromanaging the AI in the way ofFinal Fantasy XIIorDragon Age: Originswould have been a godsend.Nevertheless, your pawns--bless their childlike souls--have a way of earning your affection, both by announcing their desire to serve, and by summoning meteor showers and spikes of ice when you most need them. Dragon's Dogma's closing moments use this attachment to enormous effect. Don't worry that this is a spoiler: nothing could prepare you for the bizarre and memorable turn of events to come. Well, nothing, perhaps, but the few hours of incredible gameplay leading up to it, beginning with an amazing and heroic boss battle that just keeps going and going, yet never drags because it keeps introducing new ideas and finding new ways to build tension.Your lamp provides illumination when you most need it. Just make sure you don't run out of lamp oil.It certainly doesn't hurt that the same boss creature is many, many times your size--as are a number of the other monsters you face. Griffons, chimeras, and golems are among the beasts you slay, and the ensuing battles are the game's primary draw. Imagine this scenario: You exit the city of Gran Soren, and a massive shrieking griffon flies above, circling in the air before landing just a few feet from you. As a warrior, you lash away at its talons while your companions set its wings ablaze, though this is by no means a certain victory. The griffon may simply fly away if you don't occupy its attention long enough. It might pick you up, fly upward, and drop you to your death. But you might gain ...

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aaronmullan

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#51 aaronmullan

Member since 2004 • 33426 Posts

My friend also says it's pretty good. I'll get it later.

12 years ago

xOMGITSJASONx

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#52 xOMGITSJASONx

Member since 2009 • 2634 Posts

Great score. Better than I thought GS would give it after I played the demo.

12 years ago

santoron

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#53 santoron

Member since 2006 • 8584 Posts

Decent review. Not getting anytime soon, but once the price drops down I'll probably pick it up.

12 years ago

xLittlekillx

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#54 xLittlekillx

Member since 2005 • 1833 Posts

The game is definitely not for everybody. You have to be the kind of person who really likes exploration and crazy japanese game mechanics. There's no hand holding or anything. Some of the monsters take forever to kill, some of them are just really frustrating, like fighting a golem if you're a sorcerer (they're immune to magic). But I personally have to say that I love this game.

12 years ago