Game Reviews
Game Gush: Dragon’s Dogma
Capcom. Ohhh Caaaapcom! Why are you hiding from me? I need you to make a sequel for an amazing video game known as Dragon’s Dogma! Now for anyone who hasn’t […]
Capcom. Ohhh Caaaapcom! Why are you hiding from me? I need you to make a sequel for an amazing video game known as Dragon’s Dogma! Now for anyone who hasn’t played Dragon’s Dogma, let me provide some story background.
Dragon’s Dogma Prologue
The introduction tutorial to Dragon’s Dogma starts with a group of knights in a dark dungeon. Citizens in the kingdom have witnessed a dragon, which is an omen to signal the end of the world. Due to people’s fear, the hunting party is being led by a man named Savan. Banded together, the group is on the hunt to slay a dragon hiding deep within the dark depths.
Fast forward to the present and the main protagonist is barely introduced when a new dragon, Grigori, arrives in his hometown of Cassardis. By bravery or stupidity, the main character charges at the dragon with a sword lifted from the sand. The dragon admires the courage of the warrior and instead of killing him, steals his heart. He is now marked as the Arisen—a heroic figure guided by Pawns to slay the dragon before it destroys the world.
Dragon’s Dogma Main Synopsis
Guided by his faithful Pawns, the Arisen sets out on his quest. He manages to cut off one head of a hydra and then escorts the head to Duke Edmun Dragonsbane at Gran Soren. The Arisen later finds a former Arisen known as the Dragonforged who provides more knowledge of the dragon and past events. A man named Elysion leads a villainous cult to worship the dragon and to wish the dragon success in cleansing the world. A lot of stuff happens, but Grigori ends up killing Elysion. He tells the Arisen to confront him and slay him to stop the coming apocalypse. When approached, the dragon offers to fight and die or to sacrifice their beloved and live.
Once the Arisen defeats Grigori, the Everfall underneath Gran Soren starts to eat at the city. The Arisen and his Pawns are swallowed by the Everfall when returning to the city. After walking into a portal through the Everfall, the Arisen meets the Seneschal, basically playing God. The Seneschal offers the Arisen two choices like Grigori did: fight and die, or return to Gransys and live happily ever after. If you fight and die against the Seneschal, the Arisen is literally reborn as the next dragon. Winning against the Seneschal binds the Arisen to sit at his new throne, unable to interact with the world of Gransys. Now what?
The player can roam aimlessly in “heaven” but you’ll soon notice Godsbane in your inventory. Consuming the Godsbane will kill the Arisen, thus breaking the endless cycle of Arisens and dragons. The main protagonist lands back in Gransys with his trusty Pawn and beloved.
Additional Game Gush Games on Game Gush Gamer
Dragon’s Dogma Gameplay Elements
I watched the Netflix adaptation and it just makes me want to play this masterpiece again. It’s been so long since I first had my heart ripped out of my chest by dear old dragon daddy, Grigori. I can only imagine the lunch table of heroes where they explain their origin stories. “Yep, a fire-breathing red dragon burned my village, slaughtered my wife, and stole my heart. That’s what started it all.”
Having a game mechanic that only Shadows of the Colossus and Dragon’s Dogma have pulled off, players could pin down small enemies like goblins or climb onto larger creatures like a griffin and hold on tight while stabbing them in their backside.
Dragon’s dogma also had tons of lore and quests which kept you grounded into the world of the Arisen and your Pawns. I would even dare to say it’s the closest comparison to a free-reign Dungeons and Dragons campaign set in a video game landscape.
Dark Arisen’s Bitterblack Isle
If exploring the massive map of Gransys and West Gransys wasn’t enough in vanilla Dragon’s Dogma, Capcom released an extended DLC only a year later which featured Bitterblack Isle. Bitterblack Isle’s map and story content are honestly large enough that I would consider it as a standalone game too. And good lord, I fought probably one of the hardest bosses I have ever faced on the Xbox 360. I was at the max level of 200 and still had trouble winning a bout against the Dark Arisen entity, Daimon. Daimon is a former Arisen who chose the dragon to kill his beloved, and in his despair, transformed into the dark creature you witness in the game.
Dragon’s Dogma Remake Central
I am not able to recall exactly how much time I spent playing Dragon’s Dogma… But I played enough to get all the achievements for Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, so definitely a lot. Yeah, I played the living daylights out of Dragon’s Dogma. Capcom, I hope you’ve been secretly whipping up a huge second game in the background between Devil May Cry 5 and the Monster Hunters. I’d like to climb on more cyclops and poke their eyeballs. I want to feel my hair in the wind when flying on top of a griffin, and then accidentally letting go and falling to my screaming respite. Ah, and those lizards that live in the lower sewers of Cassardis can just disappear from the next entry. I hated those things (in a good way). Capcom, please, just take my money for Dragon’s Dogma 2! $$$
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Dragon’s Dogma – Available on Amazon
What About You?
How much fun did you have on Dragon’s Dogma?
What sword and sorcery video games do you enjoy playing?
Let me know in the comments!
