Dragon's Dogma 2 team reveals secrets of huge map creation

The highly anticipated 'Dragon's Dogma 2' is set to offer players an expansive new world that is four times the size of its predecessor. Hideaki Itsuno, the game's series creator, divulged insights into the ambitious scale and the design philosophy behind the sequel's map creation. The intention was to create a world that doesn't feel tedious, packed with elements that guide the player's vision and interest, ensuring constant engagement. This dynamic world is a result of improved development tools allowing for a larger, content-rich map with strategically placed 'blinders' to maintain discovery and prevent landmark fatigue.

Itsuno emphasized the addition of realistic danger through environmental design influenced by his team's experience with actual mountain climbing and visiting towering landmarks such as the Osaka Castle. This was to convey the perilousness of high places and the decisions climbers make when choosing paths, which in turn informs the game’s paths that challenge players with realistic terrain.

The game boasts new features such as enhanced 'pawns', intricate character creation, and the addition of the Trickster vocation. 'Dragon's Dogma 2' will be available across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms starting March 22, 2024.

Players can look forward to a far more expansive world, enhanced NPCs known as 'pawns', a deeper character creation system, and the introduction of new vocations like the Trickster, among other improvements.

'Dragon's Dogma 2' follows up on the original 'Dragon's Dogma' game, which was a unique action RPG with an innovative 'pawn' system, where players could recruit and train secondary characters created by other players. Its innovative real-time combat system, involving climbing and attacking large monsters, was one of its most praised features. Set in a high fantasy world, 'Dragon's Dogma' captivated players with its mixture of impressive mythical creatures, quests, and open-world exploration.