Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the sequel to the first title in 2012. Both of these titles were both developed and published by Capcom. The studio announced the title in 2022, and the game was released on March 22, 2024, after various trailers and showcases.
Initially, the game also gathered attention because of an overused and cliched narrative trick that its Director, Hideaki Itsuno, revealed and stated would help players jump in without prior knowledge. But now, a clip from the game has emerged, and various people applaud the developer studio for their attention to detail.
Capcom’s work on intelligent NPCs in Dragon’s Dogma 2 pleasantly surprises players
The title has recently been receiving mixed reviews from gamers. On the one hand, it currently stands at 86 Metascore, dubbed generally favorable. On the other, Steam, inarguably the most popular gaming platform and marketplace for PC, is receiving significant backlash and is stuck on gamers’ overall mixed review score.
There are also plenty of performance issues with the title on PC, causing various players to opt for a refund. On the flip side, however, there is also some praise for the title on the internet, and one such avenue where the title does shine is the NPC department or the pawn system.
In the title, the player can have up to four pawns at the same time, and from a clip that is making rounds on the Internet, they are much more advanced than scripted, robotic NPCs gamers are used to in typical fantasy titles:
As seen in the clip, the pawn suggests that the bridge between the gap is broken, so the player baits a giant ogre/ troll, making them fall off the ledge. Due to their stature, the ogre is used to make it across the gap. The NPCs can be heard quipping organically. Afterward, the player cunningly strikes the ogre on the leg and makes them fall off the ledge, causing them to perish, and this is followed by the pawns realistically appreciating the player for their wits.
Why intelligent pawns in Dragon’s Dogma 2 are a big deal
Fantasy games and RPGs are nothing without NPCs, which come in various forms and serve various purposes. In this case, having four custom companions beside you who are not simply helping you in battle but also have enough thought put into them is refreshing for a change.
Also, fantasy RPG enthusiasts are used to having NPCs that are borderline one-dimensional and do not seem to express anything apart from the lines that are hard-coded using handy but archaic computer logic in their script. That makes exciting pawn NPCs that can guide you to treasure help you in battle, pat your back on a job well done, and express wonder so well a welcome addition.
What do you think of the clip embedded above? Do you think pawns are intelligent thanks to AI, or are they more heavily coded with logic to make them look intelligent? Let us know in the comment section below!
