Damn. Just now seeing about this game. Is it anything like Dark Souls and/or Skyrim?
It shares some things in common with them (the fantasy bent, the large connected worlds), but the comparisons really end there.
Dragon's Dogma's combat stands in a class of its own. The grabbing system alone elevates it above any other action RPG on the market - it's really the first RPG that really nails the feeling of downing big huge monsters when you're a puny little human.
As far as the world goes, it's fairly generic western medieval fantasy but is fairly well-executed, with its own odd sort of identity (almost all the monsters are variations of popular mythological creatures, very little in the way of originality here). The nights in particular are unlike anything else, as they're pretty much pitch-black and require you to navigate by lantern light. Can be pretty harrowing at times, especially at lower levels when you just don't have the strength to contend with the stronger creatures out there.
The character creation is
excellent, easily on par with the best out there. You of course can adjust your character's facial features, but it goes well beyond that, with the game letting you change your character's body proportions and such in absurd detail (I made a female character with an androgynous face, ambiguous figure and high muscle definition, something I never really see in video games even as an option).
You have tons of options for customizing your character's playstyle, with the ability to choose between 9 classes, a fairly large movelist for every one, and passives that you can mix and match between classes. It goes well beyond Dark Souls and
especially beyond Skyrim in that regard, especially thanks to the ability to switch classes freely. You're never locked down in one role.
The pawn system is also unique among RPGs. You create your own pawn (with the same ridiculously robust character creation as your main character) and then hire two other pawns made by other players who will aide you in your quest with knowledge and combat experience. It's quite a compelling system, especially when you see other players have rented your pawn and have rated them in terms of appearance, combat effectiveness, and helpfulness.
Damn, excuse me for the wall of text. Can't help it. I love this game to death and really wish more people would get into it.
I should note that there are some annoyances. Little-to-no fast-travel, so expect a lot of walking. Static spawns, so eventually you learn all there is to know about the landscape (though Dark Souls has this same issue). Carry weight is a factor, requiring lots of inventory management if you happen to pick stuff up on impulse. The crafting system can be a bit convoluted (LOTS of ingredients and potential products). There are technical issues (frame rate dips, terrible shadows, low resolution textures, some screen tearing on the 360 version). Your pawns will
never shut up. The game gets easy towards the end due to how high the stat gains get. The story stays in the background until the end.
If these things don't bother you, you're set for one of the greatest action RPGs to ever grace this console generation. There really is nothing else out there that can sell the experience of fighting big monsters like this one can.
