Players were ready to turn on their PCs and binge-play Dragon’s Dogma 2. However, the plan did not work out that way due to several issues. The launch of Dragon’s Dogma 2 was more of a disappointment than a show-stopper. While people praised the game for its core gameplay and combat system, the launch was tarnished for two significant reasons. Firstly, many gamers complained about poor performance on the PC, and secondly, there was a hefty list of microtransactions.
Performance Issue: A PC Port in Need of Polish
Most players’ experience was turned upside down due to severe performance issues while playing Dragon’s Dogma 2. Most layers reported frame drops, crashes, and stuttering. These issues made the gaming experience as bad as driving through a road of potholes. Surprisingly, it wasn’t just the PC players complaining about the inconsistency in frame rates that were also complained by console players. However, PC players are the most deprived of having a smooth sailing experience.
The first impression always matters. So, this launch did not work on the Dragon’s Dogma 2 game. Although people genuinely praise the core gameplay, there is no point if they can’t truly immerse themselves in the game. This resulted in several negative reviews on Steam, making the game have “Mixed” reviews. Paying almost $70 for the base game and not getting up to standard performance frustrated many players.
Capcom addressed the performance issues and reassured them that they would fix it sooner than expected. This is a silver lining, but it can’t fully reverse the negative impact that the initial launch caused. Capcom will need some time to recover from this. However, we expect the bugs to be fixed soon, and we will all go back to playing this awaited sequel.
What is the Main Root of Performance Issue?
Capcom adequately explained why gamers are facing a significant drop in frame rates. The NPCs are individually generated and stimulated by your CPU, which makes the game quite CPU-hungry. The game heavily depends on your CPU, and you will notice that clearly after playing it for a while.
People with the top build with the latest CPU and the best RAM still face the frame drop issue. Hence, it is a shame that this beautiful action RPG is getting overshaded by these issues. According to Steam, Capcom’s response regarding this problem was:
“A large amount of CPU usage is allocated to each character and calculating the impact of their physical presence in various areas. In certain situations where numerous characters appear simultaneously, the CPU usage can be very high and may affect the frame rate. We are aware that in such situations, settings that reduce GPU load may currently have a limited effect; however, we are looking into ways to improve performance in the future.”
So, there is a chance that Capcom is now aggressively working on optimizing the game as soon as possible. A lousy launch will always haunt the developers one way or another. So, Capcom needs to fix these also. Capcom addressed the crashing issue as well by saying:
“We are investigating/fixing critical problems such as crashes and freezing. We will be addressing crashes and bug fixes starting from those with the highest priority in patches in the near future.”
Microtransactions: A Controversial Monetization Strategy
One of the greatest annoyances in the gaming community is microtransactions. It is becoming heavily common for developers to add microtransactions. However, it is quite frustrating to add several microtransactions for a game like Dragon’s Dogma 2, where you are already paying a large sum of money.
The game offers an abundance of microtransactions, even on consumables, equipment, and customizable items. The main issue was that some items were available just by playing the core game. Hence, players felt like Capcom was just trying to find a lazy way to capitalize and exploit players. Capcom says the items below can be obtained through gameplay instead of purchasing.
All the items listed below can be obtained in-game or as paid DLC items.
- Art of Metamorphosis – Character Editor
- Ambivalent Rift Incense – Change Pawn Inclinations
- Portcrystal – Warp Location Marker
- Wakestone – Restore the dead to life!
- 500 Rift Crystals / 1500 Rift Crystals / 2500 Rift Crystals – Points to Spend Beyond the Rift
- Makeshift Gaol Key – Escape from gaol!
- Harpysnare Smoke Beacons – Harpy Lure Item
If you want these items in an extra amount, you can pay for the price or just grind for the items. So, it is primarily an optional convenience skip, according to Capcom.
Looking Forward: Can Dragon’s Dogma 2 Recover?
The core gameplay, combat system, and plot are still highly praiseworthy. Dragon’s Dogma 2 will still be salvageable if Capcom fulfills its promise as soon as possible. So, if you are disappointed, have some patience because you will soon immerse yourself in the game.
