Dragons Dogma 2: New Death System and How to Save NPC's from Perma-Death
Dragons Dogma 2 isn't simply your normal sequel. Capcom has gone on record saying they want it to be a full-blown fantasy simulator. As such, there is no better way to accomplish this feat than to fully involve the lives of NPC's. That is exactly what Capcom has done.
If you haven't played the first Dragons Dogma, you may not be familiar with the Affinity system. This was the game's reputation system with NPC's and dictated how they interacted with you based on your actions. Dragons Dogma 2 has upped its game even more. Now, NPC's will approach you without being sought after. This means you as a player will not have to always initiate conversation. Instead, NPC's walk up to you and ask for your help based upon your reputation in game.
When NPC's die in Dragons Dogma 2, they are gone. They will be transported to the Morgue with a limited amount of time available to bring them back to life with a Wakestone. If they are not resurrected, then it's-a-bye-bye for them and all the quests they would have provided. There are a lot of repercussions that come with this sort of setup, though, as interesting as it is. First, completionists may miss out on a vital quest or item needed for an achievement/trophy if an NPC dies. Forced into another playthrough of a game for a trophy is never a happily accepted outcome. In addition, there's also the fact of what happens when someone (and you know it's going to happen) goes rogue and decides to wipe out every NPC for fun intentionally just because? How's that game ending going to look?
In an interview with Automaton, the developers spoke about the NPC and death setup. "However, there are Wakestones (resurrection items), so even if an NPC dies, all is not lost. It’s just that for a simulator, it’s unnatural to have beings that are completely invincible. When there is death, we take it seriously, and it affects how we act. In a world without death, I think people would be irresponsible and apathetic to their own actions. "
They also go on to describe how NPC's can become afflicted with contagious diseases that, in turn, affect other NPC's. Dragon's Dogma 2 is set to be an absolute beast of a game, especially with a map 4 times the size of the original game. It will be released on March 22, and is available to pre-order on Xbox Series, PS5 and PC now.