Dragon's Dogma 2 is coming. We give you an introduction to the Dragon's Dogma universe - from the comic, to the first game, to the anime, to the upcoming second game.
The Dragon's Dogma franchise includes a lot more than just the first game from 2012 and the upcoming Dragon's Dogma 2. There is much more lore out there to enjoy - and we'll show you.
Overview
- The Digital Comic Prologue (2012)
- The first Dragon's Dogma Game (2012)
- Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (2013)
- The Dragon's Dogma Online Multiplayer (2015)
- The Netflix Series (2020)
- Welcome to Dragon's Dogma 2 - Story Trailer (2024)
- Dragon's Dogma 2 (2024)
The Digital Comic Prologue (April 2012)
Yes, there is a prologue, and yes, it is a digital comic. How cool is that?
The prologue describes the events that took place before the first main game. In the four-chapter story, Savan, a young man seeking revenge for the death of his father, becomes the chosen Arisen after a fateful encounter with a dragon.
In Dragon's Dogma, Arisen are chosen individuals who set out to challenge the Dragon after losing their hearts to it. The connection between the Arisen and the Dragon is marked by a scar on the Arisen's chest, through which the Dragon can communicate. Arisen do not age or become ill, but they can die in battle; their vitality is tied to their heart, which is held by the dragon. When the dragon dies, Arisen who haven't regained their heart begin to age and eventually face mortality.
With Morgana, an old woman, as his guide, Savan embarks on a perilous quest, forming a team of pawns along the way. Together, they navigate through trials and tribulations, including battles with creatures like a Griffin and an army of Saurians.
Despite daunting challenges, they persevere, driven by Savan's determination to confront the dragon and avenge his father. At the climax of their journey, they confront the dragon, knowing that the fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance.
The story concludes with an invitation for readers to immerse themselves in the adventure by playing the Dragon's Dogma video game.
The First Dragon's Dogma Game (May 2012)
Dragon's Dogma, an open-world action RPG developed by the team behind Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry 4, was released in May 2012. Players could create their own character from three classes - Fighter, Mage, or Strider - each with unique abilities. They are aided by three AI-controlled teammates called Pawns, who provide assistance and information about enemies.
Pawns in Dragon's Dogma are created by the Arisen and serve them loyally. They bear a glowing scar on their hand that matches the Arisen's chest scar. Physically human in appearance, Pawns do not age or die, and lack true emotions and willpower.
The game features a novel mechanic that allows players to grab enemies for a variety of attacks. Set in the land of Gransys, the game features a vast open world with numerous quests and over 200 fully voiced NPCs. Players can expect between 30 and 100 hours of gameplay depending on their play style.
The First Game's Story:
In Dragon's Dogma, the story begins with the Arisen's village of Cassardis in Gransys being attacked by a dragon named Grigori, who steals the Arisen's heart. But instead of killing the Arisen, this curse gives them supernatural abilities and a mission to find and kill Grigori.
While the main game offers various quests, the narrative primarily revolves around the game's multiple endings. These endings are not all revealed until just before the credits roll, providing twists and memorable moments throughout the fairly straightforward story.
Gransys, the main setting of Dragon's Dogma, is a duchy or kingdom located on a relatively small island. Its capital is Gran Soren, ruled by Duke Edmun Dragonsbane. Gransys is characterized by varying climates, from cold in the north to temperate in the south, with mountains in the west and fortresses guarding the routes through them.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (April 2013)
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is an expanded version of the original game, featuring all of its content along with new additions such as the Bitterblack Isle region, additional quests, monsters, weapons and armor. Originally released on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, the game was later released on PC in January 2016, followed by ports to Xbox One and PS4 in October 2017. A Nintendo Switch version was released in April 2019.
The Story:
In Dark Arisen, players venture to the cursed island of Bitterblack Isle outside Gransys. Here they encounter new quests, formidable enemies, and valuable treasures. All-new high-level skills, augments, weapons, and armor sets allow players to further develop their characters. The expansion offers an increased challenge for both newcomers and seasoned veterans.
Bitterblack Isle has a deadly atmosphere, with slain monsters leaving behind rotting corpses that attract more creatures as they decay. It is home to the game's most formidable enemies, including demons and dragons, and rumors of death itself lurk within. Only experienced warriors should venture into its depths.
The Dragon's Dogma Online Multiplayer (August 2015)
Dragon's Dogma Online was an online adaptation of Dragon's Dogma, featuring a free-to-play model with microtransactions. It included multiplayer elements such as user-created clans, Grand Missions, and a player-to-player bazaar. Cross-platform play between PS4, PC and PS3 was supported. Pawns remained an important aspect, and additional content was introduced through seasons. Unfortunately, the game's servers were shut down in December 2019.
The Multiplayer Game's Story:
In Dragon's Dogma Online, the White Dragon Shrine served as the central hub from which players explored the rest of Lestania after completing the opening quest. Progression was achieved by completing quests offered by non-playable characters, which were divided into main quests tied to the central storyline, world quests for multiplayer cooperation with up to eight players, and solo quests for individual completion. Lestania was originally comparable in size to the original Dragon's Dogma. The plot and background of the game are unrelated to the story of the original game.
In Dragon's Dogma, the main antagonists are dragons, also known as dragonkin or wyrms. They are created from fallen Arisen and can speak an ancient language called Wyrmspeak. Defeating dragons can result in dragon-forged weapons and equipment. Great dragons are created when an Arisen kills one but is then defeated by the Seneschal. Dragons communicate in both common language and Wyrmspeak, which is represented in the game by an unknown language.
The Netflix Series (September 2020)
In March 2019, Netflix announced that it will be showing an anime based on Capcom's Dragon's Dogma, which is produced by Sublimation Inc. However, the series was not a great success - both the story and the textures of the anime were heavily criticized.
The Anime's Story:
Preparing for fatherhood, Ethan embarks on a perilous journey with an orphan named Louis. Their journey is filled with challenges, including a wolf attack and encounters with goblins and a griffin. Along with a companion named Hannah, they uncover a drug operation and face a Hydra. Joined by royal guards, they battle a lich and his undead army.
Ethan is haunted by visions of his wife, leading to introspection. Climbing Tainted Mountain, he confronts a dragon to reclaim his heart or face his fate.
Welcome to Dragon's Dogma 2 - Story Trailer (March 15, 2024)
A week before the game's release, Capcom released an 8-minute story trailer that tells new (and old) players more about the Dragon's Dogma 2 universe.
Dragon's Dogma 2 (March 22, 2024)
Dragon's Dogma II, the upcoming sequel to the franchise, was announced in June 2022 during the 10th anniversary celebration of the original game. The game was first shown as a playable demo at Tokyo Game Show 2023. In a later showcase in November 2023, plot details were expanded and the game's release date was announced as March 22, 2024.
The Second Game's Story:
Dragon's Dogma 2 takes place in the realms of Vermund and Battahl, which exist in a parallel universe to the original game's setting. The narrative revolves around an Arisen and his pawns, who are caught up in the politics and events of this new world. While set in the same universe, Vermund and Battahl present unfamiliar landscapes and political dynamics.
The Kingdom of Vermund is larger than Gransys, but has the familiar green fields and European architecture. There is also a new kingdom to visit: Battahl, home of the Beasts. This land is located in a more arid environment, with desert landscapes and canyons.
Familiar elements from the original game return, including Arisen, Pawns, dragons, and recognizable monsters and magic. New features include additional professions, monsters, and the introduction of the Beasts, a humanoid race. The presence of elves adds another layer to the story, as they reside in their homeland known as the Sacred Arbor and speak a language understood only by knowledgeable peasants.
Vocations are the character classes of Dragon's Dogma. In Dragon's Dogma 2, the vocations have been revamped. Returning classes include Fighter, Mage, Warrior, Sorcerer, and a daggerless Magic Archer. Strider and Ranger are replaced by Archer and Thief. Archer uses bows and inherits Ranger skills, while Thief introduces a new green class. Three new hybrid professions are Mystic Spearhand, Trickster, and Warfarer, each offering unique abilities. Hybrid professions are exclusive to the Arisen.
But don't worry, you don't need to know everything before playing Dragons Dogma 2, even the game director said that you don't need to play the first Part to understand Dragon's Dogma 2. But if you want to learn more, take a look at the Dragon's Dogma Wiki, where we got a lot of our information for this article.