It’s been less than a day since the official release of Capcom’s action-RPG, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and already it’s getting mostly negative reviews over on Steam. Most of these reviews aren’t so much criticizing the quality of the game itself, but rather the fact that Capcom has chosen to implement anti-cheat software and some microtransactions.
The game does suffer from some performance issues on PC, such as frame stutters and crashes, but really, what players are upset about are the microtransactions themselves. Individual in-game items are being sold on storefronts, such as one-use Makeshift Gaol Keys, Wakestones, and the Art of Metamorphosis, which lets you edit your character’s appearance. That last one is important, especially since the only way to change your character’s appearance is to buy the Art of Metamorphosis, which is a rare item in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Aside from that, you may decide to start a completely fresh save file instead, which can be a tedious process in and of itself, considering the game doesn’t support multiple save files.
It’s also worth noting that Wakestones and Makeshift Gaol Keys are also considered rare items in the game, and getting them is difficult. Despite this being a single-player RPG with no pay-to-win elements, the implementation of these pay-for-convenience microtransactions can be rather off-putting.
It seems unlikely that Capcom will remove these items from the storefront, and the damage has already been done. It remains to be seen whether the quality of the game — which is really high; this is a good game — will carry it and gradually lead to people forgetting about the microtransactions.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is now available on PC and consoles.
