Dragon's Dogma

 Xbox 360
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
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  1. Ayvaza
    Mar 21, 2021
    10
    probably the best monster hunter rpg game out there, awesome battle and skill system. i love it, i played it on 3 different consoles/pc ... i hope they will produce a second part
  2. storygamer
    Sep 10, 2020
    8
    I am really surprised of Dragon´s Dogma, I had no expectations. Exploring the beautiful open world is great and it´s one of the freshest RPGs I´ve ever played. It´s really a nearly perfect mix between eastern and western RPGs. Special recommendation for Monster Hunter fans!
  3. Narniak
    Mar 30, 2016
    10
    Dragon's Dogma is one of the most underrated games of all time. It was released about 6 months after Skyrim, and only 3 months after Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning, so naturally very few people purchased it. The game has beautiful graphics, amazing lighting effects, and a giant open world. The sound design is top notch and the voice acting is decent. It has the most fluid and responsiveDragon's Dogma is one of the most underrated games of all time. It was released about 6 months after Skyrim, and only 3 months after Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning, so naturally very few people purchased it. The game has beautiful graphics, amazing lighting effects, and a giant open world. The sound design is top notch and the voice acting is decent. It has the most fluid and responsive character animations and controls I have ever played (imagine The Witcher 3 if Geralt controlled much less like a drunk monkey). All action RPGs should take note of the nearly flawless 3rd person controls in this game. The weapons/armor customization/upgrades are incredibly addicting, and the enemies are varied, plentiful, and often very tough. The one major problem with the game is the weak generic story. The pawn system was innovative and awesome, but unfortunately the game is so old now that you will only really benefit from any online friends you have that are also still playing the game and can recruit your pawn. You MUST get the Dark Arisen version of the game, as it adds a gigantic difficult dungeon and most importantly fast travel beacons that can be placed anywhere in the world.… Expand
  4. Rocksbury
    Dec 8, 2015
    10
    I wholeheartedly believe this is one of the best games of last generation, but incredibly overlooked because of a few minor flaws that upset critics (aka muh action and progression driven rpg doesnt have enough story.)

    A few brief points - Amazing graphics and effects for a 360 game (though the letterbox and fps drops will kill you) -Terrific Pawn AI that learns as you learn, and can    I wholeheartedly believe this is one of the best games of last generation, but incredibly overlooked because of a few minor flaws that upset critics (aka muh action and progression driven rpg doesnt have enough story.)

    A few brief points
    - Amazing graphics and effects for a 360 game (though the letterbox and fps drops will kill you)
    -Terrific Pawn AI that learns as you learn, and can learn from other players that summon it. As such if you play like an idiot the whole game your pawn will too. (Another thing that upset reviewers.)
    - Probably the best character progression in a game (Go from a lone fisherman to a crazy **** magic archer who lights himself on fire and jumps on chimera's and burns them to death)
    -Bitterblack Isle is the best add on content in terms of difficulty. It adds dozens and dozens of more hours of gameplay, a huge dungeon that punishes the player at every turn yet remains fair and rewarding. The jump in difficulty is marvelous as up till this point the game has been more or less pretty easy. BBI will make you rethink that though as it pushes your **** in over and over, making you rethink your strategy each time, what items you should be using etc.
    -The most satisfying and interactive combat system in a video game. I don't know any other games where you can personally climb up a cyclops and stab their eye out with your dagger, or hold on to the wing of a dragon as it flies and slice its wings to make it crash to the ground. Not to mention the ridiculous magic system as well (Summon tornados, meteors or huge towers of ice)
    -A Controversial but new way of playing NG+. NG+ resets the world state to its original state, meaning all enemies are as weak as they were at the beginning of the game, yet your character is just as strong. This is a double edged sword, because of this if you play the same vocation the game is a cakewalk, but it's moreso to let people who want to change vocations who are at the end of the game do so without getting their ass kicked over and over again in BBI. I'm ok with it but not everyone is a fan of it.

    Regardless this is the best RPG and probably one of the best games of last gen. I love it to pieces, have bought it twice before and will be buying it again when it's released for PC next month.    … Expand
  5. ravingmasher
    Mar 12, 2015
    9
    I'm going to be completely honest here: I wouldn't recommend this game to most people.

    It's great to me personally and I could go on listing the fantastic points this game has. But, some of the aspects that I enjoy, others wouldn't. For example, the world is huge and thus you have to travel everywhere by foot due there being no fast travel (although there is once you get far into the    I'm going to be completely honest here: I wouldn't recommend this game to most people.

    It's great to me personally and I could go on listing the fantastic points this game has. But, some of the aspects that I enjoy, others wouldn't. For example, the world is huge and thus you have to travel everywhere by foot due there being no fast travel (although there is once you get far into the game but it is very limited). I enjoy this though due to the exploration aspect. The pawns (emotionless companions that travel with the player) add a creative and brilliant flair to the game, yet others may find them annoying, boring and constantly in the way.

    Great game; not for everyone.    … Expand
  6. Dexer
    Dec 22, 2014
    10
    Its one of the best games i played. It have some very specific mechanics which take some time to get used to. For example, you have to read description of every single new item you acquire. This way you can see how its used in crafting or otherwise useable and decide, should you take this type of items in future ar not. Or maybe you shall take it for sale. If you take everything, you willIts one of the best games i played. It have some very specific mechanics which take some time to get used to. For example, you have to read description of every single new item you acquire. This way you can see how its used in crafting or otherwise useable and decide, should you take this type of items in future ar not. Or maybe you shall take it for sale. If you take everything, you will be over encumbered very fast. If you take nothing, you will lack many cool possibilities and will be underpowered. Apart from items game is truly brilliant. Its much more fun than Skyrim. Assimetric multiplayer (pawns system) makes it even better. You never had so fun and intelligent ai-driven companions. This game is underrated. I made metacritic account especially to rate this game 10. Capcom should make sequel. And if you will decide to buy it, buy it with expansion Dark Arisen.… Expand
  7. Maki
    Mar 2, 2014
    10
    This game was so epic i loved it,flawless in my opinion it should have won 2012 or at least some kind of award this game was to special for a low sly 75 it should be at least 8.5-9
  8. 2ksnipefest
    Sep 27, 2013
    10
    I've played over 50 hours of Dark arizen. You get an unlimited ferrystone. (Very Helpful) There are more port crystals to place along the map. Fighting any boss is a blast. The difficulty is awesome especially on bitter black island. I love this game. The fact that not many have tried it makes me feel wise. Try the demo. It's so immersing.
  9. 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 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    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 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.    … Expand
  10. Brbreview
    Apr 24, 2013
    8
    Dragon's dogma probably has one of the most unique game play a game has to offer. Dragon's dogma gives players a diverse choice of classes with a different set of skills. Also the game gives players the chance to customize their own characters which i always enjoyed. While the graphics might not be up to date there was some beauty when battling giants and other such creatures. While theDragon's dogma probably has one of the most unique game play a game has to offer. Dragon's dogma gives players a diverse choice of classes with a different set of skills. Also the game gives players the chance to customize their own characters which i always enjoyed. While the graphics might not be up to date there was some beauty when battling giants and other such creatures. While the voice acting is okay the characters animations are completely off to the voices. The most annoying thing I found annoying was travel system which is possible through ferry stones which only takes your to Gran Solen. At first i was okay with back tracking but after consistently have to go back and forth it got tiresome. The game is open world game but you end up back tracking and fighting the same enemies. About the enmeies there are certain difficulty spikes and players will probably have to grind to complete certain task. Overall the game is great and players should give it a try.… Expand
  11. GildaTheGriffin
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    One of the best RPGs I ever played. I had such an amazing time on this game. I couldn't stop talking about the time a Gryphon came and just ambushed me in the middle of a quest and it took me literally 25 minutes to kill made it suspenseful and surprising. Its attacks and defensive motions made him/her a challenge. But once you ride the Gryphon in the middle of battle, you seem toOne of the best RPGs I ever played. I had such an amazing time on this game. I couldn't stop talking about the time a Gryphon came and just ambushed me in the middle of a quest and it took me literally 25 minutes to kill made it suspenseful and surprising. Its attacks and defensive motions made him/her a challenge. But once you ride the Gryphon in the middle of battle, you seem to forget that your fighting and the awe and wonder of the game is so immense that once that Gryphon starts trying to buck you off and you mercifully bash it's skull in with a kanabo and it crashes into the ground the idea of combat seemed free and note worthy. The once you defeat it, you just reveal in the moment of what a great battle it was.… Expand
  12. psbox362
    Feb 1, 2013
    8
    Ever wanted to play a game where you can be minding your own business in a forest and a giant griffin would randomly fly by and attack your party? A barrage of magical fire arrows force the beast to the ground allowing you to climb up onto it's back to ensure that it'll never get out of range of your blade. You hold on for dear life as the griffin tries to shake you off it's back andEver wanted to play a game where you can be minding your own business in a forest and a giant griffin would randomly fly by and attack your party? A barrage of magical fire arrows force the beast to the ground allowing you to climb up onto it's back to ensure that it'll never get out of range of your blade. You hold on for dear life as the griffin tries to shake you off it's back and attempts to take to the skies. When you finally manage to land the killing blow, the monster crashes back down to the ground and you simply walk away as if you just got off of some kind of twisted amusement park ride. Well, what I just wrote is not only possible, but has happened to me more than once while playing Dragon's Dogma. The game's highlight is the encounters with giant monsters, which feel like some sort of cross between Shadow of the Colossus and Devil May Cry. It sounds like a weird mix, but it's the only real way I know how to describe it. And it works gloriously. I do have a few minor gripes. This game only has one save file, so if you want to make a different character, you're going to have to save over your old game and start from square one. Granted, you can change your class at any time, but the only way to change your appearance is by some item that you have to buy that can only be used once per play-through. Another problem that rises from the single save file is that you can permanently fail side-quests and NPCs can die for good. So if you screw up, you have to live with it. I know the reason for the single save file ties into how the game uses Xbox Live to allow you to lend out your pawn, essentially your partner in the game, to other players so that they can bring back experience and loot from their time spent with other players. It's an interesting way to implement online features to a game and something I wouldn't mind seeing in the future.… Expand
  13. Ace_of_Bladez
    Jan 27, 2013
    8
    This game is one of the best games I played in 2012, I found myself playing this over Skyrim 90% of the time. It does have its problems like any other game but its boss battles and unique lv system more than make up for it. I wouldn't be surprised if Capcom makes a sequel to this game and make it as epic as it could have been if they took more time. The problems I found with this game wasThis game is one of the best games I played in 2012, I found myself playing this over Skyrim 90% of the time. It does have its problems like any other game but its boss battles and unique lv system more than make up for it. I wouldn't be surprised if Capcom makes a sequel to this game and make it as epic as it could have been if they took more time. The problems I found with this game was the lack of random events in the world, in a game like this with a massive map there should always be things going on that a player can engage him/herself in. Also the lack of fast-travel makes it take longer to finish a quest and sometimes makes it an inconveniences to even want to do that quest. Other than those problems I really enjoyed myself and still play this game always trying to find secrets and other epic loot in the game. I recommend it for Demon Souls players and Monster Hunter players, it… Expand
  14. Rox22
    Dec 12, 2012
    8
    Really a wonderful game that was far more than I expected it to be. From the looks of it, I think that the developers had also not expected it to be as much of a success as it was. The PAWN system was a great idea that I loved using. I really loved exploring other people's creations and how I could make my own and have it ranked as well. Excellent combat and styles: I actually tried allReally a wonderful game that was far more than I expected it to be. From the looks of it, I think that the developers had also not expected it to be as much of a success as it was. The PAWN system was a great idea that I loved using. I really loved exploring other people's creations and how I could make my own and have it ranked as well. Excellent combat and styles: I actually tried all the classes and they're all great (though I did prefer the Magical Archer class.) Character and PAWN customization was great, but considering just how many people & PAWNS there are it did feel a little limited. More clothing, Armor, weapon, hair, tattoo types would have been nice just to try and make a good looking PAWN that stood out (without having to make it a purple midget.) Overall: I say this is a wonderful first game of what I hope will become a franchise. Hopefully Capcom are taking notes and improve upon the formula for the sequel.… Expand
  15. bartonamra
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This is a seriously solid adventure game. Do not hesitate, just try it. I tried the demo and wasn't convinced. I almost didn't buy the game because of some very negative reviews. But trust me, this game adds a lot to the genre and other developers should take notes. Let me just point some features that make this game so great. Combat is rewarding, but most reviewers put too much emphasisThis is a seriously solid adventure game. Do not hesitate, just try it. I tried the demo and wasn't convinced. I almost didn't buy the game because of some very negative reviews. But trust me, this game adds a lot to the genre and other developers should take notes. Let me just point some features that make this game so great. Combat is rewarding, but most reviewers put too much emphasis on it. It's the little things that surprise you. Like when you walk across a river, at night, and your pawn warns you not to get soaked. But then you do get soaked and your lantern goes off. At night, it's dark... really dark. When you're blinded, you can't see a thing. When you carry too much, you walk really slowly. You can make you're own arrows with branches taken from dead trees and dip them into poison. You can climb on rocks, explore long beaches for hidden treasures, etc. I must say the tone is a little on the Fable-side, which is a little too light for me. You don't have conversations with NPCs, which is a drag at first. But the graphics are gorgeous. The character creation system is very deep and it's great to be able to create a companion you know will be with you the whole game. Some have complained about the lack of fast-travel system. Well those ae babies fed with this generation of games which makes it all too easy on the player. If you're too far away to walk back, well just remember to prepare for an adventure next time. I would've liked a lock-on feature for fights (Dark Souls). It is my main complain about combat. Pawns are not as stupid as some reviewers make it sound. They are actually very helpful and knowing some other player around the world might use your pawn in his adventure makes it more rewarding to craft it with taste. This game can be tough at first, but you quickly get the hang of it and then it's a fun ride if you like to explore a breathing and dangerous world.… Expand
  16. MadMacallan
    Nov 2, 2012
    9
    Allow me to be blunt: I am not a Bethesda fan. More to the point, Skyrim put me in a coma. I mention this because the only even remotely recent game that's comparable to Dragon's Dogma is Skyrim. It's what you'd expect on the surface: sandbox RPG with a few innovative elements, companions, a main story with some side quests. And dragons. Always **** dragons.

    Dig a little deeper and    Allow me to be blunt: I am not a Bethesda fan. More to the point, Skyrim put me in a coma. I mention this because the only even remotely recent game that's comparable to Dragon's Dogma is Skyrim. It's what you'd expect on the surface: sandbox RPG with a few innovative elements, companions, a main story with some side quests. And dragons. Always **** dragons.

    Dig a little deeper and you'll find some relatively innovative features, an insurmountable number of decisions that insist you discover your play style, a rich story, brilliant companion system, and the potential to play the game pretty much until the sequel comes out. Instead of delving into the typical graphics vs controls vs story vs whatever matters to you, I'm going to focus primarily on the key features and those innovative qualities I vaguely mentioned earlier.

    First, you've got the pawn system. As I said, I'm not going to describe how it works, what it is, and so on, but the elements of that system that were so impressive. Your pawns are intelligent. They will call out strategies during battle, make suggestions during quests, and although they have their full retard moments, they're aggressive, capable combatants. There were times I found myself verbally interacting with them, but don't expect any back story or dialog that's going to shock you. On top of that, there's the online element. You can recruit pawns made by other players and those players will earn pawn experience and items based on your accomplishments. It's a nice touch to an already robust system.

    The class system is not what you'd expect from a sandbox RPG. Think of a cross between Final Fantasy's Job system and the traditional archetype standard. I made the mistake of restarting twice because I didn't like the class I chose for myself and / or my main pawn. Then I realized you can earn experience in one class, and apply both augments, passive buffs, and weapon abilities to one you switch to later. There are several different hybrids / classes / sub-classes that give you the ability to make a very unique character with a diverse skill set. You can do this for both yourself and your main pawn while pawns you pick up in the Rift are pre-established and cannot be changed - but swapped out at just about any time to suit your style and situation.

    Another thing most reviews don't give enough credit to is the replay value. It's insane. I won't drop any spoilers but as you may have guess from watching even a trailer, the dragon is the main antagonist. But killing him is very, very far from the end of the game. Things change, dungeons open, bosses appear, and there are optional bosses to hunt down and murder for the best gear in the game. There's even a boss that can be killed over an extensive period of time by all online players, though you'll never see them -- just the opponent's health dropping. The game also features NG+ mode, which can become NG++++++ and so on if you're so inclined.

    The last and certainly not least is the Shadow of the Colossus / God of War type mini and big boss battles that allow you to mount, climb, and stab away from a part of their hulking body. Are they flying above your party and you don't have a bow available? No problem. Grab its tail, climb up and slash its wings. Looking for a weak spot on that towering Cyclops? Make your way to its head and stab it in the eye. In addition, you've got tons of combat abilities that also can be customized to your liking.

    You're probably wondering at this point why I didn't give the game a 10. Well, there are certainly a few elements that need polish and you will encounter a glitch here and there. On occasion in dangerous terrain with various pitfalls, one of your Pawns might decide to end it all, removing them permanently (excluding your main pawn) from the party halfway through a brutal area. But those things can be overlooked. What knocked off a whole point for me, even with port crystals and stones (look it up) is the travel. There isn't any. You can teleport later in the game for a price, but only to 5 locations marked on your map. Until then, I hope you like running. And even after that... I still hope you like running. The game's huge world demands you explore it on foot. No flying mounts, no horses, nothing. Just run.

    Dragon's Dogma is a masterpiece in its own right. If you're accustomed to games like Skyrim perhaps its time to try something new, different, and ultimately a very refreshing take on an ancient genre.    … Expand
  17. daemons
    Oct 27, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've logged 200+ hours in this game, I've killed the online UR dragon, and feel its about time for me to move on, and write this review as my farewell to this lovely gem. The combat system is very fun, engaging, and deep, you will probably not find a better rpg game when it comes to combat. The classes are fairly diverse and balanced, there are tons of combination to try out which is of the game's main replay value.

    The last time I've spent this much time for a rpg game was Diablo 2, and manytimes I couldn't stop wondering, that I was playing Diablo 2 again in a different perspective, because you can find much similarity in things such as classes, skills, dungeons, monsters, only the visual&sound effects are all buffed in orders of magnitude.

    Yes the story is kinda cliche but by no means boring. Funny thing is, I noticed a number of traces from popular TV shows like "The Tudors" and "Game of Thrones", and I applaud Capcom's attention to details in this regard, and the presentation of a lively fantasy medieval world to players.

    That said, this game still has so much potential, and some flaws. I'm very excited that Capcom will develop the sequels in future.

    p.s.: This game was developed by the team that made Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry, which are both all time classics as well. My hats off to these true talented developers.    … Expand
  18. kagegibbo
    Oct 10, 2012
    9
    I joined metacritic just to post this. I will not criticise those who gave this a low score as everyone is entitled to their opinion but I am truly amazed how I can love a game so much and yet others give it 0.

    As a lover of western, particularly German RPGs, I have always avoided any made by Japanese developers and picked this up on a whim and am so glad I did. Just to establish my RPG    I joined metacritic just to post this. I will not criticise those who gave this a low score as everyone is entitled to their opinion but I am truly amazed how I can love a game so much and yet others give it 0.

    As a lover of western, particularly German RPGs, I have always avoided any made by Japanese developers and picked this up on a whim and am so glad I did. Just to establish my RPG credentials, I have been gaming for over 25 years and my favourites in no particular order would be Ultima Underworld, Baldurs gate, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim and Gothic 1 and 2. My absolute favourite until now had been Gothic 2. Deep, challenging and no hand holding.

    For me, Dragon's Dogma is Gothic 2 with updated graphics and 3 extra companions. I found the graphics to be stunning for an xbox360 title. Sure there are pop-ups but your rarely notice them unless you're trying to spot them. If anybody thinks the graphics are poor, pick up a copy of Risen 2 for the xbox - yuck!

    The combat never gets old and the boss fights are simply the best I've ever encountered in an RPG - This games shows how very shallow Skyrim's combat is.

    Other things I love:
    Creating your pawn is fantastic - I always play as a fighter but regret not having a mage along - this allows me to have both. I became attached to Amy, my mage pawn as much as I did to my main character.
    Excellent array of armour and weapons, some of which are very hard to obtain - always a plus in my book
    Being able to change your vocation - genius. I played half the game as a fighter then switched to an Assassin. Having finished the game (after 60 hours), I can now play through again with the same character but will switch him to a sorcerer just to see what it's like.

    Why only 9 instead of 10? A few minor (and they are minor niggles). I don't like too much fast travelling but they could have made it a little easier to get between places you'd already visited. A few wobbly camera issues in boss battles. The pawns have way too few phrases and it does get a little tiresome when they repeat the same thing over and over. A few minor holes in the story. Other than that - almost perfect. Cannot wait for the sequel.    … Expand
  19. msherry9
    Oct 1, 2012
    8
    I'm not really following the "BREATH OF FRESH AIR!!!!" cliches that seem to be floating around about this game, but I do agree that, overall, it is a good game that can provide many solid hours of gameplay for those of you seeking an open-world RPG. Being brutally honest, I use the term "open-world" quite loosely, since the world actually seems quite linear. Sure, you have the ability toI'm not really following the "BREATH OF FRESH AIR!!!!" cliches that seem to be floating around about this game, but I do agree that, overall, it is a good game that can provide many solid hours of gameplay for those of you seeking an open-world RPG. Being brutally honest, I use the term "open-world" quite loosely, since the world actually seems quite linear. Sure, you have the ability to enter almost any segment of the map at anytime, but of course, there are several catches with this. First off, the entire open-world isn't that large to begin with (I'd compare it to about a third of Skyrim's open-world map). The areas that are traversible all feature the same repetitive environments, whether it's a dank catacombish area, a bland cave, or the most obvious "grasslands as far as you can see". You can literally see across the entire map if you stand high enough upon a mountain, so the whole "huge world" notion truly dissipates after a few hours of gameplay. The quests become truly tedious after the first 10 or 15 that tell you to either kill a certain number of this type of monster or collect a certain number of this type of item. In addition to standard questfare, the main storyline is an absolute bore. By the end of the game, I did not care one single bit about the story. In fact, the story is so poorly pieced together that you will not even understand most of what is going on until the conclusion. Which would've been fine if the conclusion was not so ridiculous to begin with. The offer of "New Game+" certainly adds additional gameplay time for those seeking to continue leveling up or completing quests but the absurd downside is that monsters maintain the exact same strength the second time around. Meaning, everything becomes a cakewalk to destroy and the challenge of combat is removed entirely. After my first playthrough, I was able to one-shot giant ogres and cyclops as a Ranger. One of Dogma's selling points was the abundance of giant monsters and the grappling mechanic that has been implemented. What they didn't tell you was that the majority of those giant monsters appear once, maybe twice, throughout the entire game that spans 50 or so hours. Bosses are very poorly designed, making them either laughably easy or annoyingly cheap. The grappling mechanic is also extremely flawed due to the fact that monsters make it their life's mission to remove you the moment you attach yourself. They will flail their arms everywhere, shake furiously, all of which drastically drains your stamina, meaning you can only attack while grappling for short durations until far later in the game. The Pawn System, while somewhat innovative and fun, remains flawed as well. Rift crystals essentially have no use since you can hire pawns for free that are your level. One of the more irritating aspects of the whole Pawn System is the lack of the ability to assign combat tactics. Far too often will my pawn refuse to heal me when I desperately needed it. Of course, there are the other times in which my pawn will constantly attempt to heal me when I'm full health, wasting their offensive abilities that have been assigned to them. Combat, however, is remarkably well done and does not feel forced or tacked on in any way. Melee is brutally satisfying and archery is some of the best I've ever seen in an RPG. Magic leaves much to be desired due to the clunky targetting system and long casting times during combat. My biggest gripe for this game is the lack of multiplayer. On paper, this sounds like the absolute best game to include co-op for, and yet, Capcom fails to deliver, again. Still, the lack of co-op does not tarnish the current experience as is, and I would fully recommend this game to open-world RPG fans. However, going in with the mentality of "ANOTHER SKYRIM!!!!" would be foolish and if this is indeed your thoughts before you purchase this game, rethink it.… Expand
  20. MikeE50
    Sep 5, 2012
    10
    Dragon's Dogma is one of my "must have" games. My recommendation is to try the demo, but don't just mash the buttons like I did at first. The controller button scheme seems weird at first but it becomes second nature after a while and is actually well designed. If you're not impressed by the demo, you probably won't like the main game.
    Dragon's Dogma has an elusive "fun factor" than many    Dragon's Dogma is one of my "must have" games. My recommendation is to try the demo, but don't just mash the buttons like I did at first. The controller button scheme seems weird at first but it becomes second nature after a while and is actually well designed. If you're not impressed by the demo, you probably won't like the main game.
    Dragon's Dogma has an elusive "fun factor" than many games lack (e.g., Skyrim for me is fun to explore but not fun to play). There is a great sense of adventure and the world is very memorable. Combat is highly satisfying and the giant creature battles are intense. It can be more difficult than average games but it doesn't feel frustrating as with Demon's Souls (e.g., you can save your game except during combat). The art, game animation (i.e. character/creature movements), and music are all excellent. The story is somewhat minimalist and leaves some things to your imagination but it works well here. Despite my great enjoyment, there are some annoyances with this game. To me they are tolerable but they seem fixable in any potential sequel(s). My biggest complaint? After 70 hours (I play slowly) to finish, I wanted more! Not more sidequests, but more of the world, more dungeons, continued story, more combat styles, more monsters, etc. This is not a complaint but a huge compliment to the game.    … Expand
  21. diehard-gamer
    Aug 31, 2012
    10
    I had just finished Kingdoms Of Amalur and I was looking for my next game when Dragons Dogma appeared. Its a great game. The world is quite limited in physical size compared to Skyrim and KoA, but what is there is consistant and graphically quite beautiful - right up there with Skyrim, maybe even a bit better! The story is very good. Gets off to a slow start, but overall brilliant. Again,I had just finished Kingdoms Of Amalur and I was looking for my next game when Dragons Dogma appeared. Its a great game. The world is quite limited in physical size compared to Skyrim and KoA, but what is there is consistant and graphically quite beautiful - right up there with Skyrim, maybe even a bit better! The story is very good. Gets off to a slow start, but overall brilliant. Again, like KoA, quite an adult story line and several bits that were (unexpectedly) quite emotionally moving. I didn't like the character skills progression much, but thats a small gripe in a great game.… Expand
  22. Rumboom
    Aug 30, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I may view games differently than everyone else but I rate games on enjoyment and experience. When it come to Dragon's Dogma it was full of enjoyment and filled some of the best game play experience I have had in a role playing game (RPG) in a few years. I think the only lacking area of the game is story line and somewhat the direction of the game become a bit ambiguous. Those are small peanuts compared to all the things were implemented correctly. Game play is a bright light in this game, as well as the companions (Pawns). I have read in many reviews, that the user did not enjoy the companions constant vocal assistance but in my case it was the exact opposite. Most time at night I wouldn't see the enemies in my area and the companions alerted that to me. Also, I enjoy that my companion would be used by other players and rated accordingly, because I liked the response and feed back. Also, the fighting functions in the game were like no other, whether I was fighting bandit or griffins it was always a good fight. In most games I will roam about without any regard to be killed, not in this game. Going far from any city is practically suicide in this game, even with hp potions. I learned very quickly that this has been tuned to be challenging and I enjoyed the difficulty. All in all, I think this game was home run in many areas such as defeating the dragon which I thought the game was over, ruthless enemies and AI, the class system was fun and interesting, and the companions were of great assistance in my experience. For a game that is being mocked for looking like a variant of Skyrim I would say that is a ridiculous statement, this game is much different.… Expand
  23. aadms
    Aug 21, 2012
    8
    It seems that the only two games I have been playing this year are Skyrim and Dragon's Dogma. Both offer up a rich, gorgeous world to explore. Both have that "in game" experience of playing out the story. But neither will win any awards for storytelling, and that's okay because Capcom understood to make a fun gameplay rpg experience first before storyline. The lack of "fast travel" is aIt seems that the only two games I have been playing this year are Skyrim and Dragon's Dogma. Both offer up a rich, gorgeous world to explore. Both have that "in game" experience of playing out the story. But neither will win any awards for storytelling, and that's okay because Capcom understood to make a fun gameplay rpg experience first before storyline. The lack of "fast travel" is a little jarring at first, but then again, it takes me back to the original Final Fantasy games were you had to troupe up and down the world map with your character and getting attacked left and right. Ah, the good old days of gaming brought back with Dragon's Dogma. The draw back to this is that for every quest you do, it seems to take a couple of hours to complete due to the tedious traveling in between. The combat is intigrated nicely into the gameplay on the quality level of Fable and Witcher games and not like the horrible button mashing of Dragon Age 2. There is only one save option for this game, yet the game is so huge in gameplay that do you really need to have extra saved games sitting there while you spend 100+ hours on your first one? The animation is top notch and stunning to look at in a video game to date. I highly recommend this game for any age. But be prepared for a tedious adventure.… Expand
  24. battleTerror
    Aug 19, 2012
    9
    Highly recommended. This is Capcoms' best title for some time and one of the best games of 2012. There are some inspired touches and it delivers on action and atmosphere in equal measure. The ambition of it's design combined with it's fun factor far outweigh any technical flaws. Dragon's Dogmas' fighting mechanics really set the bar for an action RPG: Creative, spectacular and sometimesHighly recommended. This is Capcoms' best title for some time and one of the best games of 2012. There are some inspired touches and it delivers on action and atmosphere in equal measure. The ambition of it's design combined with it's fun factor far outweigh any technical flaws. Dragon's Dogmas' fighting mechanics really set the bar for an action RPG: Creative, spectacular and sometimes epic in size and scope. It's a massive game with tons of quests, equipment and skills to play with. This is essential for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy romp with extra hack 'n slash.… Expand
  25. SmileyFrank
    Aug 6, 2012
    10
    Great game, the lip sync is bad, but that doesn't bug me. The gameplay makes up for it. The monsters/bosses in this game are truly amazing. Better than any game I have ever played.
  26. Kelkil79
    Aug 2, 2012
    10
    This is a really great game, I'm so impressed with the graphics, game play, and innovative play style. Big budget game developers definitely could learn a thing or two from this game. I encourage people to buy a copy of this game and prepare to be wowed.
  27. IamDeadly
    Jul 14, 2012
    10
    Expanding a genre that I thought Skyrim had covered - big world - long story and questline - plenty to do and see - and plenty to kill - One bad thing is camera used to take photos for sharing on facebook (on xbox it blurs screen and is not adjustable) - this does not affect game in any way - fighting works great - game is very hard at start after level 20 it works well - but when overExpanding a genre that I thought Skyrim had covered - big world - long story and questline - plenty to do and see - and plenty to kill - One bad thing is camera used to take photos for sharing on facebook (on xbox it blurs screen and is not adjustable) - this does not affect game in any way - fighting works great - game is very hard at start after level 20 it works well - but when over level 100 mini bosses become a tad easy - the add-ons so far have been aimed at low level/new chars - bar it in mind if you are purchasing them - I would say level 20 or below for 'from a different sky' DLC and prob below 50 for 'The chosen' - I bought them not knowing they where low level due to XBL wording (could have been better) but all in all easily the best RPG available - having spent nigh on 200 hours ingame on this and skyrim each I would pick this title as winner - just hoping the 'real' dlc (which includes achievements) will live up to the game - Nice to see a bug-free game released aswell - these days a rare thing :) well done capcom on breaking into fantasy RPG with this epic.… Expand
  28. Panneto
    Jul 12, 2012
    9
    As a big elder scrolls and fallout fan im always looking for RPG's able to compete with them. This game has certainly come closest on the 'open box' gameplay. You can pretty much go everywhere and climb up, unlike similar games that have recently come out where your restricted (witcher 2). Combat is fun and easy, you have 9 types of classes to chose from. Melee, Ranger and Mage. You canAs a big elder scrolls and fallout fan im always looking for RPG's able to compete with them. This game has certainly come closest on the 'open box' gameplay. You can pretty much go everywhere and climb up, unlike similar games that have recently come out where your restricted (witcher 2). Combat is fun and easy, you have 9 types of classes to chose from. Melee, Ranger and Mage. You can chose to further those 3 classes by becoming an even more powerful melee, ranger or mage. Or you can chose the 3 hybrid classes, mage/ranger. ranger/melee or melee/mage. Unlike most games you can change this during gameplay when you get to the main cities inn. There is alot of loot to pickup and crafting materials. But unfortunatly it seems pretty much all the crafted items are generally potions that you dont even need for the game and can just be sold. Graphics are beautiful and the draw distance is just as far as Skyrim. The one bonus this game has is monsters respawn so you dont get bored when walking the long distances between quests and locations as there is no 'fast travel' but there is a stone you can purchase for cheap that teleports you back to the main city. There are also many large boss monsters that just casual roam around the wilderness that literally can take an hour to kill which gives a very entertaining and rewarding feel to killing. Theres very little different armor types but there are a few rare and excellent weapons and armors to be found by scouring the huge locations. I dont think its a game that can be played over and over again but its definatly worth one playthrough which can yield at least 100 hours if you want to complete everything. A definate purchase for an RPG player.… Expand
  29. Riddick_116
    Jul 5, 2012
    8
    Dragon's Dogma is a great beginning for a new franchise, while still having a few flaws this game is a lot of fun. This action rpg is about going on adventures, collecting equipment and materials, slaying monsters and dragons, and finding out what it is to be an arisen. Story: The story tries to bring you in but soon kind of fades into the back ground due it not coming back in until aboutDragon's Dogma is a great beginning for a new franchise, while still having a few flaws this game is a lot of fun. This action rpg is about going on adventures, collecting equipment and materials, slaying monsters and dragons, and finding out what it is to be an arisen. Story: The story tries to bring you in but soon kind of fades into the back ground due it not coming back in until about 10 hours into the game and doesn't really climax until the end (there are some stand out missions on the way to the end though). It should be said there is a NG+ mode that works with the story and also the game does not end where you expect it to, the game continues on into the real story after the credits. The real story after the main credits is also a pretty big shock and done well. Gameplay: This is where the game will either draw you in and keep you playing for hours on hours or make you want to not pick the game up at all. The Combat is a button-masher/hack and slash that has good animations and a feel of impact when you hit your enemy, such as when fighting a armored cyclops when you hit its armor pieces you feel the impact of not piercing the armor or when you hit its eye you know your doing damage. Speaking of cyclops, this game has the best big boss enemy fights I've ever seen in a game. The fights with the big boss monsters are a bit far and few in between but when you seen one your in for a fun fight. Fighting each boss monster has its own strategy for taking them down such as hitting the cyclops in the eye by climbing up there or fighting a griffon by shooting it with fire to bring it down to the ground for your pawns to wail on it there. Pawns are also a vital part of the game, which they are the arisen's servants that help you fight. You make your on pawn, customizing it as much as your main character, and also hire 2 other pawns which can be other players pawns. The pawns are a bit strange since they have a system in place to make them learn organically, such as knowing what to do for a quest or how to kill a monster, but the system is a bit simplistic so they tend to repeat themselves a Lot.
    Exploring the world is very fun since the world does not scale to you, so you can easily run into enemies that are much more powerful than you. This is even more so at night because more stronger enemies come out at night and it is pitch black at night so bring a lantern. While exploring is fun, it can get old due to the lack of fast travel and repeatingly going to the same places over and over again. There is a fast travel system but it is limited and cost some coin to do so and really isnt used to its full extent until NG+, so keep in mind you will be doing a lot of walking on your adventures. Leveling takes a few notes from jrpgs since the game uses a job system instead of a class system, meaning you can swap at any time. The jobs are your standard classes you would expect in a western rpg with in addition to the base 3 there are 3 advance classes and 3 hybrid classes, with hybrids being the most unique and only being available to the arisen. The classes also have their own equipment they can equip so as warriors being the only ones that can equip 2-handed swords, so there is a lot of equipment in the game which makes the customization pretty high. On top of the equipment and jobs for customization options, this game has the best character customization in any game yet, want to play as a short fat guy or a tall skinny woman or anything in between? this game lets you do it. Sound: The music is pretty good including the cheesy j-pop song on the menu. Sounds from combat have weight and give a good sense of impact. Pawns talking on the other hand will either be charming and funny or just annoying. Mics:
    It should be noted you only get one save file per saving device, this is done because of the pawns system. I would recommend installing the game to the hdd to help improve the graphics since there is some screen tearing and a Lot of pop-ins. There is also On-disc dlc available, while I think it is a BS business tactic, the dlc is not in anyway needed, in fact its almost all worthless.

    So in conclusion, Dragon's Dogma is a fantastic game with a few flaws that keep it from standing head and shoulders above the other games. Its lack of a proper fast travel keeps the pace of this game slow but still having the feeling of adventure that will either draw players in or keep them out, which is a bit sad since i think they could have easily made the fast travel system more accessible by doing what they did in NG+ from the start. This game is great to easily jump into when you have time to play but it demands your time to see it through to the end..    … Expand
  30. Naglfar
    Jun 21, 2012
    9
    I was a little reluctant to get this game after seeing the video clips for it but after reading some positive reviews I went out and purchased it. DD is a compelling open world action RPG with some stunning graphics and some of the best modelled creatures from mythology and the AD&D monstrous compendium you'll ever see including the awesome Beholder. Even better is the free flowing natureI was a little reluctant to get this game after seeing the video clips for it but after reading some positive reviews I went out and purchased it. DD is a compelling open world action RPG with some stunning graphics and some of the best modelled creatures from mythology and the AD&D monstrous compendium you'll ever see including the awesome Beholder. Even better is the free flowing nature of the pan system. Recruiting someone else's off sider with quest and monster killing strategies that you have yet to encounter is awesome, and sending your own pawn out to adventure with other players and possibly pick up some extra knowledge and items for you is likewise addictive.
    The story is well told, the adventuring well paced, and the map to explore large and interesting. It really does tick all the boxes for a modern interesting RPG, and the amount of character and pawn customisation available is a plus too. DD even allows you to spend xp levelling as a fighter and save that stored knowledge then start levelling as a mage or hybrid class knowing you'll be able to switch back the next time your in town if the wizards life isn't for you still retaining all your former stats.
    Highly recommended.    … Expand
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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

Critic Reviews

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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
  1. Level7.nu
    Aug 3, 2012
    80
    A unique hybrid between japanese and western rpg's featuring extensive customisation options, fun fights and indirect but rewarding ways to help (and be helped by) other players.
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  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.
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  3. Hyper Magazine
    Jul 8, 2012
    80
    This is what Hercules must've felt like. [July 2012, p.58]
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