Summary
Capcom shared an important detail regardingDragon’s Dogma 2’s NPCs, stating that any deaths that happen to them in-game will be permanent.Dragon’s Dogma 2will be released on March 22, and it is one of the most anticipated games to release in 2024. Ahead of the long-awaited sequel’s launch, the game’s developers have been providing fans with information about what to expect for the upcoming RPG. This includes its expected playthrough length, early access to the character creation tool, and providing insight about how the NPCs will work.
The NPC Pawn system from the first game makes a return inDragon’s Dogma 2, giving the player access to their own NPC assistant to take them on their adventures.Pawn NPCs have also been upgraded inDragon’s Dogma 2.
In an interview withAutomaton, director Hideki Itsuno was asked about the ways the sequel builds upon the groundwork previously laid in the first game. Itsuno previously shared that there are overa thousand NPCs that inhabit the world ofDragon’s Dogma 2, who all have their own motivations and stories, making for a lot of characters to keep track of. He also shares that NPCs dying will be a normal occurrence, so players if players have a special NPC in mind, they should protect them. “Our basic premise since the start of the series has been ‘creating a fantasy world simulator,’ so NPCs dying is a normal occurrence. If there’s an NPC you care for in a town, you will need to protect them as you fight, or hold them and run,” says Itsuno.
Why does Dragon’s Dogma 2 have Permadeath for NPCs?
Producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi states that the Wakestone item can be used to resurrect a dead NPC, which was also in the originalDragon’s Dogma. If an NPC a player liked ends up dying, they can be brought back to life, though they have a short window of opportunity to do so. The decision toinclude a permadeath systeminDragon’s Dogma 2was based on making players treat death seriously, as the developers felt it would be unnatural to have invincible NPCs that would lead players to be apathetic to what they were doing.
Our basic premise since the start of the series has been “creating a fantasy world simulator,” so NPCs dying is a normal occurrence. If there’s an NPC you care for in a town, you will need to protect them as you fight, or hold them and run.
Itsuno then states that he believes death to be an irreversible event, placing heavy emphasis on the possibility of a player dying in the middle of action combat. He notes that simply starting over after dying would compromisethe feeling of adventureDragon’s Dogma 2is supposed to provide, which is heightened by the threat of death in battle. Itsuno says the idea of putting in effort in order not to die is the core of the game’s trial and error gameplay. A lot of players might find enjoyment in the idea of permanent consequences and having greater efforts to keep their favorite characters alive.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen!Dragon’s Dogma is a single player, narrative driven action-RPG series that challenges the players to choose their own experience – from the appearance of their Arisen, their vocation, their party, how to approach different situations and more. Now, in this long-awaited sequel, the deep, explorable fantasy world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 awaits.On your journey, you’ll be joined by Pawns, mysterious otherworldly beings, in an adventure so unique you will feel as if accompanied by other players while on your own adventure.All of these elements are elevated further through physics technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and the latest in graphics, to create a truly immersive fantasy world in Dragon’s Dogma 2.
