Dragon’s Dogma Online – MMORPG or MORPG?

The Japanese closed beta of the online role-playing game Dragon’s Dogma Online has ended, and the first reactions are coming in about the game. This is a reason for us to introduce the MMO in more detail.

Dragon’s Dogma Online is a quasi-sequel to the RPG Dragon’s Dogma for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. While it was a single-player RPG back then, publisher Capcom now wants to appeal to multiplayer fans. However, one should not expect a classic MMORPG, as Dragon’s Dogma Online is more comparable to action online RPGs like Vindictus.

This means that while there are hubs where you meet other players, form groups, engage in crafting, trade, and switch jobs, in the adventure areas themselves, you only roam in small groups. A party consists of up to four players. If you can’t find enough teammates or prefer to go alone, you can hire NPC mercenaries.

Exciting Boss Fights

You explore the large areas together from a third-person perspective. There, you encounter many monsters that you defeat in active, action-packed real-time battles. You will frequently encounter enormous boss monsters. You can only defeat these as a group by climbing on the bosses and attacking their weak points. Teamwork and strategy are essential in these battles. If you are on a boss enemy, you must maintain your balance and prove your endurance. A symbol indicates whether you are being thrown off. You should avoid this at all costs, as being thrown off causes severe damage.

By defeating special monsters, you earn Blood-Oath points. These can be used in the Blood-Oath skill trees to unlock new abilities. These skills are always somewhat special, which is why you should think carefully about how you spend the points. Four skills can always be used simultaneously.

One unique feature is the job system, as long as you carry a weapon from another job, you can switch to that other job and even take your passive skills with you – but not the active ones. Those must be learned anew for the new job.

It is thus possible to level up in multiple jobs. However, equipping passive skills always costs points. The more powerful the skill, the more points it costs. But a maximum of only 15 points may be used. Therefore, one should consider carefully which skills to equip. Only by leveling up can you increase the cap of 15 points.

Quests but no PvP

Of course, you also pursue quests that belong to a storyline. However, testers were not allowed to reveal anything about these. Instead, they discussed the Free2Play payment system, which many may find off-putting in its current form. Because you can purchase very powerful weapons with real money in the item shop, which renders the Dungeons-and-Dragons-Online-like crafting system absurd.

However, it should be said that there is no PvP in the game at all, making it less dramatic if you do not own the strongest weapon in the game. An optional premium membership brings various advantages, such as more gold and more experience points. Additionally, you can “die” more often in the areas, which is only allowed three times for free-to-play players before they must return to the city.

Particularly interesting is the possibility for players of different platforms to embark on adventures together. Genre veterans will already know this from Final Fantasy XIV Online. If a friend uses a Playstation 4, you use a PC, and another plays on the PS3, they can still all play together. Also, the “Pawn” system, where you create your own NPC mercenary to take on adventures, is said to be motivating, according to testers.

Good for a quick break

Testers are enthusiastic about the fast-paced battles. Especially the boss fights, in which you must climb on the massive creatures, were received very well. Teamplay is said to function very well, and the hunt for monsters is motivating. However, testers also express skepticism, especially due to the Free2Play system, which resembles pay-to-win, and considering that the game currently feels more like an MMO that you play casually, rather than one that you sink into for weeks.

Asia expert Steparu also criticizes that the graphics do not look nearly as good as portrayed in some videos and screenshots by Funcom. These assessments should be taken with caution: Because not all content was available in the closed beta, and it remains open whether powerful shop items can also be purchased in the endgame.

The official launch of Dragon’s Dogma Online is scheduled for August 31 in Japan. When the game will also be released in our country remains uncertain.