Capcom’s Innovative Use of the RE Engine
Capcom introduced the RE Engine in 2017 with the release of Resident Evil 7, and since then, the engine has powered 16 games spanning three console generations. However, Dragon’s Dogma 2 pushed the boundaries of this versatile engine, showcasing a blend of physically based materials, photogrammetry textures, realistic human models and animations, and a fantastical world. This open-ended game design deviates from the linear focus of the RE Engine, placing greater demands on CPU, memory management, and overall performance.
Graphics, Technology, and Visual Enhancements in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2, like other games using the RE Engine, boasts impressive graphics with detailed textures, dynamic weather, and vast environments. The game marks a significant improvement over its predecessors, offering a larger scale of the RE Engine’s visual prowess. From the highest-end PCs to the Xbox Series S, players can enjoy a range of hardware specifications, although the game’s settings on different platforms are limited compared to the PC version, with most options offering a simple on/off toggle or basic settings.
All three console versions of the game closely resemble each other in base settings, with some variations in features like ray tracing and ambient occlusion. The PS5 stands out with sharper image quality compared to the Xbox Series X and Series S. Despite some differences in hardware capabilities, the visual fidelity of Dragon’s Dogma 2 remains a key aspect across all platforms.
Reviewer Insights on Dragon’s Dogma 2
According to our reviewer Jarrett Green, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a unique game that blends captivating elements from its predecessor with some notable drawbacks like AI issues, frame rate hiccups, and camera problems. Despite these issues, the game offers a richly rewarding experience with complex combat mechanics and an open-world design that sets it apart from other action RPGs.
Score: 8
The resolution output in Dragon’s Dogma 2 is optimized for different platforms, with console versions often struggling to maintain a stable frame rate due to bandwidth limitations and CPU demands. Performance issues are more pronounced in densely populated areas like towns, where frame rates can drop significantly, especially on the Series S console.
Technical Performance and Platform Comparison
On PC, Dragon’s Dogma 2 offers a range of visual enhancements like DLSS and FSR3 options, providing better image quality compared to consoles. While PC hardware can deliver smoother performance in GPU-heavy sections, all platforms face challenges with CPU and memory management issues, impacting frame rates and overall stability.
Players can expect loading times of around 15 seconds on all platforms, emphasizing the importance of CPU performance in managing data streaming and memory allocation. Choosing the right platform to play Dragon’s Dogma 2 depends on individual preferences, with PC offering the best visual quality but also facing performance challenges related to CPU and memory constraints.
Overall, performance optimizations and patches are expected to address some of the existing issues in Dragon’s Dogma 2 across all platforms. Players sensitive to frame rate fluctuations may benefit from waiting for these updates before embarking on their adventure in this visually stunning but technically demanding game.