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Have it Your Way in Dragon’s Dogma

May 10, 2012 // GregaMan

Time for another dev blog from Dragon’s Dogma Director Hideaki Itsuno. Enjoy!

There was never any intent for DD to be Monster Hunter for the West. This game was made with a completely different approach. The most prominent similarity is the ability for up to 4 characters to cooperate together, but the way it is played and the world it takes place in are completely different.

Also, this game is an RPG through and through. It’s a single-player action RPG played in parties that are obtained online.

This game has been made by staff with a long list of action games to their credit, but we’ve put our blood, sweat and tears and have challenged ourselves over and over in order to make this a solid RPG.

It also includes a deep story that the player has lots of freedom in building on their own. The player can solve the problems and quests in front of them according to what best interests them. And the story moves forward based on that. So there is this large story arc, but it doesn’t only play out one way. So we look forward to having the players enjoy how they choose to end the quests that they have chosen, what choices they’ve made and what characters they’ve chosen to get involved with. The decisions that you make have a large impact on changing the history of the world. And your own history within the world massively changes as well.

There’s no need for you to play the game making sure to talk to and hear the same conversation from every single character in the town. If it’s vital information, pawns and the occupants of the town will come tell you of their own volition. You are free to talk about whatever you want to whoever you want according to your interests.

Even if your interest in talking to someone is motivated by love the participants of this world will respond to that.

Quests all start and end in various ways. Sometimes they’ll begin when you talk to a resident, sometimes they’ll start without you having to do anything. There are quests posted up on the notice board of the local pub , just as there are quests that you are entrusted with by the duke. You might even end up going on a date with one of the residents you have grown close to.

For battles you can fight the monsters you want to fight and run from those you don’t. If you’re scared to move at night you can sleep at the inn until morning and then proceed. DD’s world has the ability to accept whatever choices you make. If there’s a monster you can’t defeat then you could train your character until he/she is strong enough for it, or you could talk to a pawn that seems like it might have the right information or skills needed to take the monster down and make him/her your ally. Meeting with as many different pawns as possible will enrich and make your adventure more enjoyable.

Are you playing any games where movement through the world such as running or walking is just a chore? Do you feel that the actual adventure, delivering various events and interesting interactions with your allies and people you have come across is much more enjoyable? Do you feel that moving while having to be on the look out for monsters and thieves that could spring up at a moment’s notice is more enjoyable? DD has not skimped out on preparing those realistic and fun aspects of an adventure. Even walking and running from place to place is one of the exciting aspects of this adventure. We designed this game with that in mind. And of course, there are other ways to get around, too. 

“What if I was lost in a real fantasy world?” DD takes that situation and reimagines it from zero. Only physical ability is replaced by your action game skills. And even if you’re not good enough at the action aspects you can clear that same difficulty by using your brain, biding your time or with the help of friends. It’s that aspect in particular that sets this game leagues apart from Capcom’s past action titles.

Being able to climb up monsters may be similar to “Shadow of the Colossus”, but we didn’t just take inspiration from that game– that was just one idea that sprung up when we were brainstorming the question, “If there was a real gigantic monster right in front of you, how would you choose to behave?” In “Shadow of the Colossus” you have to climb up those monsters in a fixed sequence in order to defeat them, but in DD this is just one of many possible behaviors that you can select. There is also no specific timing, no specific part of the monster that you have to climb up. You can decide on how to battle based on your knowledge, skill and gut instincts. All of the monsters have been made to be able to react to all of the different challenges and ideas that you choose to employ, in addition to climbing on top of them. We look forward to having you utilize all of the customizeable skills, actions and spells that haven’t been announced yet in any combination you can think up as you battle these monsters. There is more than one way to take them down.