Dragon's Dogma

May 21 – May 27

Section: 

I'm still deep in the toils of last week's offerings, but this week has a couple bright spots too.

Dragon's Dogma from Capcom came to my attention this last PAXEast because of their choice in swag — a full-sized cardboard shield that showed up every place. Intrigued, I looked into the game itself and then I was hooked. It calls itself an action game, and I don't see where else it could fit in the genre lexicon. At first glance it looks like an artful Western RPG, but there's a duality to the design. The overarching structure draws heavily from the high fantasy/RPG tradition, but the Japanese pedigree shows in the art and in the gameplay. That's right up my alley, so they get my pick for Game of the Week.

Men in Black III hits theaters this week, and we have Men In Black: Alien Crisis from Activision to go with it. While I would pay full price to watch Tommy Lee Jones read his grocery list, this is a new character. I don't know if I can get too excited about yet another smart-alec newbie punk being introduced to our shadowy but well-dressed organization. Judging by the gameplay videos, it looks like a competent cover-based shooter with some interesting weapon ideas, if nothing else.

If you missed Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain when it first came out for the PS2, you could take a look at it. The first game in the series, Syphon Filter for the PSOne, was one of the best games of its generation, and, while this sequel to the third game wasn't as good in my opinion, it was a solid addition to the series. I wonder if I should mortify Jeff Gerstmann by linking to his review of the original from 1999?

And a thank you to THQ for not gilding the lily on the Purr Pals title with the obvious groaner of a pun that many other purr-veyors of saccharine schtick would not have been able to resist.

PC
- Alan Wake's American Nightmare (download - $15)
- Iron Front - Liberation 1944

Xbox 360
- Dragon's Dogma
- Joy Ride Turbo (XBLA - $10)
- Men In Black: Alien Crisis
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

PlayStation 3
- Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare (PSone Classic)
- Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock (PSN)
- Dragon's Dogma
- Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale (PSN)
- Men In Black: Alien Crisis
- Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PS2 Classic)
- Sorcery
- Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain (PS2 Classic)
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

Wii
- Men In Black: Alien Crisis

Vita
- Table Top Tanks (PSN)

Nintendo 3DS
- Deer Drive: Legends
- Purr Pals: Perfection

Nintendo DS
- Snakenoid Deluxe (DSiWare - $5)

Comments

I'll be honest, I only just noticed that momgamer was doing these...

Go me!

I will probably pick up Alan Wake - American Nightmare on steam... Not that I've actually played the first one yet.

Definitely picking up Dragon's Dogma this week. I'm super intrigued by it.

PAX Prime 2010: Inflatable Dragon Age II sword
PAX Prime 2011: Felt Skyrim helmet
PAX East 2012: Cardboard Dragon's Dogma shield

One of you has the complete set. I want to see a picture.

I'll be curious to see how Dragon's Dogma plays out. I loved the demo, but I definitely felt like the combat was easy button-mashing. Hopefully those rumors about the demo party being a bit over-powered are true.

Did I say curious? I meant eager. I love love love the look of this game, and hanging onto giant critters trying to stab 'em while they flail around is just...neat. Particularly when everything's happening so durn fast. Can't wait for Tuesday!

Dragon's Dogma will be the first disc-based game I've picked up on release since Kingdoms of Amalur. I'm hoping to be similarly surprised.

All I want is the Dr Who PSN game. Bet it's rubbish! That won't stop me.

Yay! A game I'm buying is actually game of the week!

ianunderhill wrote:

I'll be curious to see how Dragon's Dogma plays out. I loved the demo, but I definitely felt like the combat was easy button-mashing. Hopefully those rumors about the demo party being a bit over-powered are true.

Did I say curious? I meant eager. I love love love the look of this game, and hanging onto giant critters trying to stab 'em while they flail around is just...neat. Particularly when everything's happening so durn fast. Can't wait for Tuesday!

As I said in the game's thread, I've been wanting boss combat like that for a while now, and it's about time we got it. If it weren't for the fact that I know I won't want to go to work tomorrow if I do so, I'm tempted to go and grab the game at midnight tonight (assuming the text GameStop sent me wasn't lying).

AP Erebus wrote:

I'll be honest, I only just noticed that momgamer was doing these...

Go me!

I will probably pick up Alan Wake - American Nightmare on steam... Not that I've actually played the first one yet.

Positively speaking about a Japanese game gave it away, eh?

I kid, I kid...or do I?

*click* *click* *click* *click*

Oh, it's a new week?

*click* *click* *click* *click*

ccesarano wrote:
AP Erebus wrote:

I'll be honest, I only just noticed that momgamer was doing these...

Go me!

I will probably pick up Alan Wake - American Nightmare on steam... Not that I've actually played the first one yet.

Positively speaking about a Japanese game gave it away, eh?

I kid, I kid...or do I?

This isn't the first week this month that Mom's written positively about a Japanese game for TWA.

I just read the Joystiq review for Dragon's Dogma. I wasn't in the market for another big open RPG right now, but I think I'll stay away from that one next time I'm in the market. (unless GWJers tell me otherwise, of course!)

spider_j wrote:

I just read the Joystiq review for Dragon's Dogma. I wasn't in the market for another big open RPG right now, but I think I'll stay away from that one next time I'm in the market. (unless GWJers tell me otherwise, of course!)

Let me actually get the game and see. As has been pointed out by others in that comment thread, the very things he hates are all through Skyrim in spades, and that one got five stars from IGN (though to be fair that was a different reviewer).

I don't know what this guy normally plays, but with this game it's going to matter a lot. Last time I saw this sort of divide it was with Lord of the Rings: Third Age, which has a similar dichotomy of design and on top of that was laboring under the LOTR burden. I thought it was an awesome game, but it managed to piss pretty much everyone else off.

So where's Elysium?

I wish Dragon's Dogma was available for PC.

this sequel to the third game

Wouldn't that be the fourth game? Or is this an Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood sort of situation where it's a sub-sequel to a sequel?

The others aren't necessarily sequels to each other, so I thought to make it clear this one truly is. Plus they didn't "number" them so looking back at them it's hard to tell which order they came in. I was tired and in a hurry.

Still on the fence about Dragons Dogma. I'm still working on Kingdoms of Amalur, so it's been ages since I've started a new game.

momgamer, have you gotten to play Dragon's Dogma yet? I'm curious about your thoughts on it.