The following contains minor side quest spoilers forDragon’s Dogma 2.
Side quests, especially those in the open-world RPG genre, are notorious for being bland and uninteresting, as they typically follow a certain formula — namely, “fetch this, kill that.” While side quests aren’t inherently bad and can be executed rather well, asThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s side questshave proven, they are frequently used for little more than giving a game extra content and essentially making it feel larger as a result. However, inDragon’s Dogma 2, the sequel to Capcom’s 2012 cult hit, side quests prove their worth in more ways than one, as they often contribute to a much larger whole than the smaller substories they tell.
Dragon’s Dogma’s side quests weren’t anything to write home about. They were generally noted for being repetitive, lacking depth, and having little impact on the world. While its gameplay certainly made up for this shortcoming, more interesting side quests were still sorely missed. Thankfully,Dragon’s Dogma 2improves upon its predecessor by offering side quests that are not only more rewarding but also contribute to the development of the world. In fact, if players choose to skipDragon’s Dogma 2’s side quests and instead prioritize the story, they will find themselves in a much shallower world than they would have otherwise.
What Makes Dragon’s Dogma’s 2’s Side Quests Worthwhile
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Side Quests Often Directly Impact Its World
The most notable way in whichDragon’s Dogma 2makes its side quests worth it is by heightening the impact they have on the world. The rewards for completing side quests inDragon’s Dogma 2extend beyond the items and experience players earn and into the world itself, where cities are rebuilt, and small governments are shaken up.Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Passage of Time mechaniccan often come into play as well, where certain side quests are given a time limit and will progress with or without the player’s involvement.
For example, one ofDragon’s Dogma 2’s time-limited questssees players venturing out in search of a boy whose life is being threatened by wolves. If players take too long to reach the boy, the wolves will take his life, and he will be absent from the game forever after that. Many ofDragon’s Dogma 2’s time-limited quests function in this way, where the lives of certain NPCs are threatened and, should they be killed, they are permanently removed from the game unless players use a Wakestone on them. Other side quests inDragon’s Dogma 2see players involved in the political aspects of the game and can determine the leadership of some of its smaller cities, so they often prove to be more than worth the time and effort.
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Side Quests Can Raise Affinity With Certain Characters
Affinity is one ofDragon’s Dogma 2’s more hidden mechanics, and players can raise affinity with other characters both by giving gifts and completing quests for them. When a character’s affinity is maxed out, they may provide players with special rewards, so fulfilling any requests they may have is almost always worth it. Players can raise their affinity with Ulrika, for example, by completing her “Readvent of Calamity” quest and potentially even spark a romance. Other important characters like Commander Brant and Wilhelmina also have quests available for players to raise their affinity with them.
Side quests don’t have the best reputation inopen-world RPGs, butDragon’s Dogma 2does its best to make them worth the effort. While some ofDragon’s Dogma 2’s side quests are still nothing more than fetch quests, the impact that many others have on the game’s world and the opportunities they offer players to raise affinity with certain characters can make them a worthwhile investment.
