Dragon's Dogma 2 launched to some seriously good reviews back in March 2024. The original ended up becoming a bit of a cult hit and was one of my favorite RPGs from the Xbox 360 era. So, as a certified fantasy and role-playing game obsessive, I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into another sprawling adventure.
Unfortunately, Dragon's Dogma 2 came out at the time I was still deeply addicted to Helldivers 2. Plus, we've had tons of great releases to play in the months since, meaning I've not yet found the time to dive in. But thanks to a limited-time free trial, Capcom just gave me the perfect opportunity to try it out.
Across all major platforms where it's available, Capcom has launched a two-hour free trial campaign that runs from June 28 through to July 18, meaning you can get a taste of life as the Arisen without spending a penny.
The best part? If two hours is enough time to draw you into Dragon's Dogma 2, you can pick the full release up for a great price. Along with offering the Dragon's Dogma 2 free trial, Capcom's fantasy epic has also been put on sale for the first time.
Right now, Dragon's Dogma 2 is on sale for $55 on the PlayStation Store, the Xbox Store and on Steam. Normally it goes for $69, making for a decent $14 saving.
Why should you play Dragon's Dogma 2?
Although I sunk tons of hours into the original, I've only really taken my first few steps in Vermund. From what I have played thus far, Dragon's Dogma 2 feels just like a better, bolder version of the RPG I fell in love with over a decade ago.
Thankfully, I'm not alone. The game currently holds an 86 rating on Metacritic (based on a total of 91 reviews), a score that includes a number of perfect verdicts.
In our 4-star Dragon's Dogma 2 review, we said: "Dragon's Dogma 2 is a unique RPG that succeeds in making you feel like a fantasy hero on an epic adventure. The overarching story is disappointingly flimsy, but the memorable moments you'll create along the way stay with you".
Although our reviewer felt the quest writing lacked originality, they heaped praise on the game's immersive qualities. Dragon's Dogma 2's hostile, unforgiving world is a fantastic creation and one that is a joy to explore. Even the simplest of trips between settlements can take a turn for the worse, forcing you to always stay prepared for danger.
With so many monsters around, you'll naturally do a ton of sword-swinging and spell-slinging, so it helps that the dynamic class system ("Vocations", as they're called here) offers players the flexibility to switch between martial and magical classes on the fly. This means you can always adopt a different strategy if a fight is not going your way, and prevents combat from feeling tiresome. Grown tired of the old sword-and-board style? Equip some daggers and dash across the battlefield, or augment your allies as a mage.
Plus, the unique Pawn system brings an added layer of personality to proceedings. They'll drop useful hints or offer up vital strategies during monster encounters out in the field which help forge some of the (many) memories you'll make during play. If you're willing to work with the game's more rigid systems, you're in for a true treat.
One final note: if you want to maximize your free playtime, you can pre-make your player character and main Pawn in the free Character Creator & Storage tool so you won't waste a single second of the trial.
