Trailer Analysis | Dragon's Dogma 2 - PlayStation Showcase 2023

 

0:01 - Honoré de Balzac quote: In full:

"La conviction est la volonté humaine arrivée à sa plus grande puissance. Tout à la fois effet et cause, elle impressionne les âmes les plus froides, elle est une sorte d'éloquence muette qui saisit les masses."

Translated:

"Conviction is the human will brought to its greatest power. Simultaneously effect and cause, it impresses the coldest souls, it is a sort of mute eloquence which grips the masses."

0:08 - Beast riding: A griffin with what seems to be two human riders. Is this something quest related or possibly the new fast travel system?

0:018 - the ruins of Bluemoon Tower are visible: The sea, unfamiliar red cliffs in the distance and bridges indicate this location is likley opposite of Gransys.

0:028 - Quina 2.0: An NPC (Ulrika, according to subtitles) indicates the protagonist does not remember saving her from the dragon, which is very reminiscent of DD1's Arisen and their start with Quina. The memory loss is also mentioned on the Dragon's Dogma website: "The Dragon's voice echoes in the fog of lost memories." and "A hero must fulfill their forgotten destiny."

0:029 - Gran Soren heraldry?: The emblem on the warrior's shield is not the heraldry of Gran Soren, but looks very similar. Both share the white saltire and red, blue color scheme with a dragon pierced by a sword. Gran Soren's imagery has an intact dragon pointing downward, while the one in the trailer is pointing up and has been decapitated. It is also much simpler in its design, as if it were an earlier version or a cheap knock off of Gran Sorens.

0:030 - Heart is on the menu: Like in the first game, someone has their heart ripped out and eaten by a red dragon, making them Arisen. The DD1 Arisen broke the cycle, so DD2 likley occurs long before DD1 or takes place in one of the alternate worlds the pawns speak of. It is also possible the "The Great Hereafter / Closure" ending is not canon. The "Solitude", "Servitude", and "Peace" endings could all produce the world state seen in the DD2 trailer.

0:031 - Pawns return: These pawns have a different pawn-mark to those from Gransys, which resembled the scar on the Arisen's chest. Palm readers use lines on the hand to divine someones future, so in this sense the pawns are bound to the Arisen.

0:031 - New races added: The first game cut beastmen, elves and dwarves as races, but left some traces of their existence behind in the form of pointed ears and the option to be very short or tall during character creation.

0:032 - Elysion 2.0?: A hooded man (Pathfinder, according to subtitles) with bright eyes encourages the Arisen to find their destiny as he watches a griffin fly away.

0:038 - A fraud on the throne?: A dark haired woman (Wilhelmina, according to subtitles) describes someone as a mummer (actor / fraud) and questions where the real Arisen might be. Could this be something similar to the Duke from the first game, who lied about killing the dragon?

0:040 to 1:19 - New and old beasts: Golems, goblins, cyclops, harpies, and an ogre are seen alongside new monsters that look to be a minotaur, medusa and sphinx.

0:045 - Aelinore 2.0?: Someone called Menella (according to subtitles) says the empresses life is in the Arisen's hands. Hopefully not another Aelinore situation, but at this point there are so many similarities to DD1 and its characters that I can't help but wonder if DD2 is going to be a retelling or reboot of DD1.

0:047 - Praise the Duke: A man called Brant (according to subtitles) mentions a "Sovran" (or sovereign) leading Vermund. This confirms a location different from DD1's Gransys.

0:050 and 1:10 - New tricks: A magic wielder or new class creates a bridge and destroys one.

0:057 - New city?: A statue of (presumably) the Duke decapitating a dragon is at the center of the city.

0:058 - Tavern or Guild?: Does the Pawn Guild return?

1:01 - A red dragon: Could it be Grigori? This one looks and acts far more menacing than Grigori. Could it be Ethan from the Dragon's Dogma anime?

1:14 - Rift stones: They're back.

1:21 - Heart Crystal: The dragon mentions not releasing someone from their fate as the scene transitions to what appears to be the ruler of Vermund with three pawns at his side. The flower-like purple crystal in his chest is very peculiar and beats like a heart. DD1 did not have anything like it. Could this sinister looking man on the throne have wronged the DD2 Arisen in some way? According to the Dragon's Dogma website: "The story begins in an underground gaol[...]" and "‘Tis a tale of one who shall slay the Dragon and claim the throne."

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