How Dragon’s Dogma 2 Channels Death Stranding’s Exploration

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Obaid Ur Rehman

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Dragon’s Dogma 2, Capcom’s biggest Steam launch, is arguably the most enjoyable game I have played in 2024. In fact, I consider it GOTY material despite the issues it had. After playing for several hours, you will also notice that its flaws are greatly exaggerated.

Capcom’s commitment to a solid experience resulted in 2.5 million sales in addition to positive reviews. The developer went the extra mile to ensure it provided the ultimate RPG experience, which led to fast travel being limited throughout the game.

After playing for over 30 hours, I noticed something interesting in Dragon’s Dogma 2. The game channels Death Stranding’s exploration on a larger scale. Having spent several hours in both games, I can’t help but compare the two in their approach to exploration.

Why it matters: Death Stranding is known as the walking simulator since you spend a large part of the game walking around the map to deliver goods and complete various missions.

Is Dragon’s Dogma 2 Also A Walking Simulator?

For a direct answer, I think yes. However, it is not that simple, as there are more things to do in the game. I am a big fan of Hideo Kojima’s work, and Death Stranding is no exception. Despite how much I love the exploration and opening of the game, there are moments some players might find it boring.

This is also the case with the Dragon’s Dogma’s sequel. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed the overall exploration a lot, but if the game featured mounts, it would have been more enjoyable.

For instance, I played Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora last year. While the game was not my cup of tea, its traversal was extremely enjoyable, encouraging me to play it slightly longer than I otherwise would have.

Meanwhile, you can ride the Griffith in Dragon’s Dogma 2, but is that even close to a mount? No, it isn’t convenient at all.

DD2 is a walking simulator and I'm forcing to enjoy my time
byu/IgorFrt inDragonsDogma

I do not consider this to be a flaw. Instead, I find it a deliberate design decision that could have been improved further. Capcom has packed so much into this world that you sometimes forget you even need a mount.

There are tons of monsters and bosses in the open world that make you want to fight them and keep on exploring. However, a permanent mount or a way to tame one on the spot would have made the exploration quite a bit better.

Are Mounts A Necessity? 

Death Stranding is known as THE walking simulator, and even this title introduced a mount eventually. When you reach order 23, you unlock a vehicle that adds to the traversal.

However, there is still more gameplay on foot, which is also true of Capcom’s latest release. Players can find an Ox Cart for fast travel, but this method isn’t too convenient. I have found myself being attacked by several monsters plenty of times, leading to the destruction of my Ox Cart.

Such encounters took me back to square one, giving me no choice but to walk back to the city.

Average 30 seconds after buying an ox cart experience
byu/Zanakii inDragonsDogma

Such moments were among the most frustrating walks I have ever experienced in a video game. However, the cart getting attacked by monsters is an interesting mechanic, in my opinion.

There’s even an element of levity to the experience. I have seen dozens of clips where people have enjoyed such moments and laughed about the bizarre encounters.

Ultimately, if you enjoyed Death Stranding, the Dragon’s Dogma sequel might be up your alley. I find Capcom’s exploration more enjoyable due to the unique vocations, combat arts, pawns, and scary encounters.

While both games aim for fundamentally different experiences, this unexpected similarity means that you might just end up liking the latter if you enjoyed Hideo Kojima’s 2019 release.

Otherwise, Death Stranding 2 is set for release in 2025, so it might be best to wait for the official sequel from Hideo Kojima.

Obaid Ur Rehman

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

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