Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of the year’s most anticipated games, and by most accounts, the experience lives up to the hype. The game earned rave reviews from most critics, including a 9 out of 10 from us. But now that it’s out in the wild, Steam players have bombarded the RPG with negative reviews due to its problematic launch performance and day-one microtransactions.
Performance Issues Addressed
In terms of performance problems, Steam players have reported issues such as framerate drops, freezes, and crashes. Capcom has acknowledged these issues in a Steam blog post where it says, “To all those looking forward to this game, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience,” and adds, “We are investigating/fixing critical problems such as crashes and freezing. We will be addressing crashes and bug fixes starting from those with the highest priority in patches in the near future.”
Capcom further elaborated on the technical challenges, stating, “A large amount of CPU usage is allocated to each character and calculating the impact of their physical presence in various areas. In certain situations where numerous characters appear simultaneously, the CPU usage can be very high and may affect the frame rate. We are aware that in such situations, settings that reduce GPU load may currently have a limited effect; however, we are looking into ways to improve performance in the future.”
Microtransaction Concerns
The game’s microtransactions have also drawn criticism. In addition to selling Rift Crystals, the game’s currency, fans are upset about the sale of useful exploration gear such as Portcrystals and the Art of Metamorphosis book, which allows players to redesign their character and revive items. These items are available for purchase in bundles, raising concerns among players about the game’s monetization strategy.
Capcom addressed these complaints in the same blog post, pointing out that the mentioned items can be obtained through normal gameplay. However, players have expressed dissatisfaction with the inclusion of microtransactions in a full-priced game.
Player Backlash and Impact on Reviews
Combined with the aforementioned performance issues, disgruntled players have flooded the game with bad reviews, resulting in a “Mostly Negative” Steam rating just hours after launch. Despite this initial chilly reception, it doesn’t appear Capcom will be altering its monetization plans for now.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
By Andrej Kovacevic
Updated on 14th July 2024