Dragon's Dogma

 Xbox 360
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 59 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 59
  3. Negative: 1 out of 59
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  1. ActionTrip
    Jun 19, 2012
    71
    What we have here is a bold attempt from Capcom; an attempt to provide what's best in JRPGs and Western themed games. Sadly, too many things get in the way of entertainment. The story is confusing and offers little to explain the world you're adventuring in.
  2. Xbox World Australia
    Jul 17, 2012
    70
    Although I did know what kind of game Dragon's Dogma was when I picked it up, I was hoping that it would be different, have something I found compelling, something I could get addicted to and want to spend my time with. But for me, this kind of 'old school' gaming found in Dragon's Dogma is simply tedious and rarely enjoyable.
  3. The Escapist
    Jun 1, 2012
    70
    It's a true open-world RPG with an engaging combat system and neat pawn mechanic, but Dragon's Dogma has some flaws you have to overlook to enjoy.
  5. IncGamers
    May 25, 2012
    70
    A decent effort at a difficult genre. More polish and more charm would have improved Dragon's Dogma enormously, but it's still worth a trip for genre fans.
  6. Metro GameCentral
    May 21, 2012
    70
    Despite borrowing so much from so many different games Capcom's new Western style role-player is very much its own game - with plenty of interesting ideas of its own.
  7. Polygon
    May 21, 2012
    70
    Like many of the Western RPGs that influenced it, Dragon's Dogma is an uneven experience, but it's one that rewards patience and perseverance, and it's a bold argument for why Japanese developers should continue making RPGs, with or without the inspiration from this side of the Pacific.
  8. GamesRadar+
    May 21, 2012
    70
    It's a game destined to find an audience among that rare action junkie with extensive patience, or Elder Scrolls fans who are tired of swinging swords in the first-person. If you're someone who falls in that category, jump in.
  9. VideoGamer
    May 21, 2012
    70
    In many ways, Dragon's Dogma is comparable to that other recent Japanese take on the Western RPG, Dark Souls. Both are defiantly obstinate, both offer physical, tangible combat, and both try out clever ways of interacting online. And both, of course, are definitely a matter of taste. Where Dark Souls divides people through design choices, though, Dragon's Dogma's will likely divide through design flaws.
  10. Eurogamer
    May 21, 2012
    70
    Ambitious, grand, at once derivative and pioneering, Dragon's Dogma may not be a classic but it's an important title nonetheless - the first example of a blockbuster Japanese RPG attempting to marry its own heritage with contemporary Western expressions. Expectedly, coming as it does from an action game developer, its jewels are to be found in the dynamic combat, stat-tweaking party-building and defining boss battles.
  11. Edge Magazine
    May 15, 2012
    70
    Capcom might not have crafted the kind of world in which players will invest, but it understands the powerful draw of party building and gear tweaking, the immediate thrills of slashing and spellcasting, and the spirit of adventure in sallying forth on a dragon hunt. [June 2012, p.106]
  12. Gaming Nexus
    Jun 27, 2012
    67
    Dragon's Dogma may not be the best game of 2012, but it is certainly one of the most surprising. Intense and refined combat help an otherwise average RPG become something special. This game redefines the concept of boss battles with confrontations of epic proportions. The future is bright for this new IP.
  13. XboxAddict
    Jun 20, 2012
    67
    If you're able to look past all the flaws and simply sink a lot of hours into it to get to the good parts, you're going to have a great time in the end.
  14. DarkStation
    Jun 21, 2012
    60
    Dragon's Dogma is a game of missteps. It tries to be open world, but doesn't fill it with much to do. It tries to be a co-op style adventure game, but doesn't actually have co-op. It tries to tell an epic tale, but fills it with boring tasks. It has a lot going for it thanks to its intense combat and amazing ending.
  15. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Jun 5, 2012
    60
    Has plenty of good ideas: it just fails to make any of them work properly. [Issue#85, p.86]
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  16. Gamereactor Denmark
    Jun 1, 2012
    60
    We like Dragon's Dogma, but it's missing something to really complete the package. With a better story or more refined combat, this could have been a solid RPG.
  17. Giant Bomb
    May 24, 2012
    60
    Capcom built this huge place to run around in but didn't fill it with anything interesting. The saving grace: Capcom's expertise in building robust, customizable, and super fun combat systems pays off.
  18. Gamereactor Sweden
    May 21, 2012
    60
    Dragon's Dogma has a nice and big world to explore and some amazing boss encounters. Unfortunately it also has some big flaws like a horrible save system, a bland story and it also lacks in the control department.
  19. Official Xbox Magazine
    May 11, 2012
    60
    Much like the main character's chest cavity, this RPG ultimately feels hollow, with no real heart. [July 2012, p.76]

Awards & Rankings

89
#89 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
23
#23 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
38
#38 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 334 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 252 out of 334
  2. Mixed: 44 out of 334
  3. Negative: 38 out of 334
  1. M9ki
    Jul 2, 2013
    10
    This game is a masterpiece you have to admit the rare feature's in this game.Personaly I like it way better then skyrim the whole game wasThis game is a masterpiece you have to admit the rare feature's in this game.Personaly I like it way better then skyrim the whole game was Amazing you must try it.They currently made a new Dragon dogma dark arisen I hated they new one its the same thing until you beat it all over again then at end theres Expansion,but I though the original was way better.

    [This is a must buy Massive Open world]

    M9ki.    … Full Review »
  2. Maelstrom52
    May 22, 2012
    9
    Destined to be one of the most underrated games of all time (it seems). Honestly, this game truly breaks new ground and I'm not beingDestined to be one of the most underrated games of all time (it seems). Honestly, this game truly breaks new ground and I'm not being facetious. Yes, it is an gorgeous game in terms of scenery and landscape, and it has a massive open world, but what sets it apart from other RPGs of its incredible ability to make everything you do feel like an absolutely organic (in-game) experience. What I mean by that, is that there are these incredible water cooler-like moments like climbing on a Hydras neck and cutting it open to free your companion that it just swallowed. But unlike most games, this is not a canned experience or QTE. This is just the natural style of combat in the game. When in your traversing the world at night, it actually feels like wandering in the wilderness at night. It's pitch black and your lantern only lets you see about 10 feet in front of you. You constantly hear roars, screams, and growls in the distance and you know that there are monsters just waiting to pounce on you. This is the way the game is all the time. There is a robust item system, where you can combine almost anything you pick up with some other item and create something else, and every single weapon or piece of armor can be upgrade with the right materials and coin. There is no fast travel in this game (though there is the equivalent of a town portal spell), but that is in line with the theory that this game is going for: a completely organic experience, that very much makes you believe that you are living in the world of Gransys and that every journey you take requires careful planning and preparation. All in all, its a fantastic experience all around. Yes the story is rather weak, and another shortcoming is that many of the characters you speak to don't exactly glimmer with personality, but the game world is so vibrant otherwise you might not even notice it. For those of you tired of the status quo and looking to try something truly unique, I couldn't recommend a better game out there today.… Full Review »
  3. ftfh40
    May 22, 2012
    9
    When you take into account some of the obvious technical flaws, most of the 80-85 reviews are about right. If you can mostly ignore thoseWhen you take into account some of the obvious technical flaws, most of the 80-85 reviews are about right. If you can mostly ignore those issues, as I can, Dragon's Dogma is a 95+. All future action RPGs need to take notes from Dragon's Dogma when it comes to combat. The smallest battles are epic at times and the big battles, well...just WOW. I have never seen such a wide variety of available fighting skills and combat is very fluid. The RPG elements are pretty deep with a ton of items and plenty of character customization options. I can't say exactly how big the world is as I'm only about 20 hours in, but it sure seems like it's going to be huge. Dragon's Dogma is an open-world RPG but you reveal the map as you explore and unlike many other open-world RPGs, you cannot immediately travel from one end of the map to the other early on without getting slaughtered. Dragon's Dogma is very accessible but far from easy. Much of what players able to accomplish will depend on their ability in combat. There are many areas that some will be able to battle their way through with a party that is several levels lower than other, less-skilled, players. I took on a mission yesterday that ultimately took me around three-and-a-half hours to complete. About half of that time was spent traveling and fighting my way to the destination. The other half was spent fighting goblins, hobgoblins, and multiple cyclops all while dodging flaming ballista bolts inside a massive fort. I died several times, occasionally in spectacular fashion. Once, I was jumping across a broken bridge at one end of the fort and was hit in mid-air by a ballista bolt that came flying from the other end. Another time, while running across a balcony near the final goal, a cyclops clubbed me and sent me flying several stories down to the ground. After finally completing the quest, we were ready to head home and collect our reward. It wasn't until then that I realized that I had no ferrystones in my inventory so we would actually have to travel the entire way back on foot. I love it. Fast travel is limited to ferrystones, which you can use only for fast travel back to the main city of Gran Soren, and port crystals, which can be used to set up other fast travel locations. There are a finite amount of port crystals in the game, though, and I have yet to encounter one.

    Dragon's Dogma for me, personally, is a 10/10. I believe that by the time I am ultimately finished with this game, this will be the RPG into which I have poured the most hours. Like any game, though, it isn't perfect. There's some pretty bad pop-in, some screen tearing, clipping, etc. I've seen some complaints about the menu system which I don't agree with. The story is so-so. For these reasons, I have to give it a review score of 9/10. If you are like me and can overlook these flaws for the most part, though, you will find yourself having the most fun you have had in an RPG in a very long time.    … Full Review »
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