What you need to know

  • As Dragon’s Dogma 2 launched on PC Thursday evening, a previously hidden suite of microtransactions became available for purchase.
  • Things you can buy for the single player ARPG include fast travel points, Rift Crystals for hiring Pawns and buying special items, appearance change and revival consumables, a special camping kit that weighs less than normal ones, and a few others.
  • In response to the microtransactions, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is being review bombed, with the game currently sitting at “Mostly Negative” on Steam.
  • @rtxn@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    369
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    Dragon’s Dogma 2 is being review bombed

    No, it’s not. Review bombing is a reaction caused by an extrinsic factor. DD2 is being reviewed negatively because of what’s built into the game.

    • @li10@feddit.uk
      link
      fedilink
      English
      1568 months ago

      Yeah, too many “journalists” chuck around the term review bombed to mean when a AAA game gets a load of (deserved) hate.

      • @wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        60
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        Good journalists go back, edit their original review to call out the bait and switch of hiding the microtransactions from reviewers, and adjust their score accordingly with microtransactions taken into accout.

        And release a follow up “article” just letting people know what happened and that they’ve updated the review, so it doesn’t fly under people’s radar.

        Seriously, reviewers need to stop softballing when this shit happens. It’s one thing for review copies to maybe be missing the final coat of polish. It’s something completely different to completely leave out a feature known to be contreversial in an attempt to pump up scores, then turn it on after the initial wave of buyers can no longer return their purchase. Not like they spontaneously developed this shit since review copies went out.

      • @Sylvartas@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        118 months ago

        It’s still a form of review bombing. If the game is good (I have not played it nor seen any review so I don’t actually know, but the article is making it sound like the only issues are the mtx) aside from the predatory mtx, does it deserve a mostly negative rating ?

        I wouldn’t necessarily disagree, but I can also see reasons to if one thinks that you are not getting a much worse experience by not paying for these micro transactions.

        Also, it’s fucking Capcom. They have good studios but they have always been greedy bastards. So I can’t say I’m surprised by any of this.

        • @jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
          link
          fedilink
          English
          188 months ago

          If the game is good (I have not played it nor seen any review so I don’t actually know, but the article is making it sound like the only issues are the mtx) aside from the predatory mtx, does it deserve a mostly negative rating ?

          Yes. Yes I think it does. Seems like many other people agree!

          • @Sylvartas@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            28 months ago

            Well I agree too but it’s not a fucking law of physics, the journalist is allowed to have a different opinion on that

        • @Doug7070@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          138 months ago

          The microtransactions are one issue among many. To be frank, putting microtransactions in a $70 USD title would still warrant negative reviews in and of itself, but the the game is also having catastrophic performance issues and crashing on PC for what seems to be the majority of players, to the point of many Youtube channels covering it that did not get press copies being all but unable to play at all.

          It doesn’t matter if a game has a lot of good elements, if it has bad ones and people cite those bad elements in negative reviews it’s not review bombing, it’s consumers giving an honest review of a product.

        • @rtxn@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          8
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Imagine that you’re having the best dinner of your life. Everything you like, jizz-in-your-pants delicious, served by beautiful people of your preferred sex. Then dessert comes, a massive cake, but while you’re enjoying it, you notice a different flavor. And a smell. You look and in the middle of the cake, there is a half-consumed turd.

          Would you still rate it “9/10 great except for the turd”? Or would you remember it as the restaurant that served you a turd?

          (I stole this hyperbole from the Angry Joe Show’s GOT review)

        • @Sylvartas@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          68 months ago

          Lmao, ok, downvote me for providing context. I’m not even disagreeing. Personally I don’t think this is review bombing. Y’all need to chill.

          • @squirrels@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            English
            98 months ago

            Personally I don’t think this is review bombing.

            You’re replying to a comment where you say

            It’s still a form of review bombing.

            Be better at lying.

            • @Sylvartas@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              38 months ago

              Sorry, it should have been “it can still be considered a form of review bombing. However I am on my smoke break and will not spend 15 minutes writing and proofreading a message when I know I will get piled on by internet strangers regardless of how obvious I make my own opinion while trying to explain what it sounds like the writer’s point of view is” but I was pressed for time

    • @Chailles@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      48 months ago

      The problem is that those two things look exactly the same without the added context that you can’t fit into an easy title and people won’t read the details anyways.

      • @rtxn@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        14
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches to “Mostly Negative” reviews criticising previously hidden microtransactions, and man, what a bummer

        did it for ya

    • Cethin
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      I’ve never heard of your definition before. It was “review bombing” when Payday 2 added MTX to the game, which I think was one of the early uses of the term even.

      Review bombing is when people organize and get other people to review a game poorly for something they’re opposed to, rather than the product actually being bad as a whole.

      This isn’t to say it isn’t deserved for DD2. I have seen tons of reviews of bad performance and things like that. Also one where someone got stuck in the floor and had to delete their save to be able to play the game again. The MTX stuff mostly sounds overblown from my experience with DD:DA, but it does suck it’s there are all. I can’t tell you if it deserves mostly negative or not because I haven’t played it.

  • SufniDroid
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1948 months ago

    Imagine putting microtransactions, paid character edit vouchers, Denuvo, and anti-cheat into a $70 single player only game. They know what’s happening, they’re just trying to shift blame onto the community.

    • Coelacanth
      link
      fedilink
      English
      858 months ago

      …putting microtransactions, paid character edit vouchers, Denuvo, and anti-cheat into a $70 single player only game

      This reads like satire wtf

      • @lath@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        258 months ago

        Think of it as their very shitty solution to mods and cheats that so many dumbasses pay for. “Hey, why let those cheat makers profit off of our games? Let’s make the cheats ourselves! But you know, for better profit, let’s chop off parts of the game and call them cheats instead.”

    • HuddaBudda
      link
      fedilink
      388 months ago
      • Kernel level anti-cheat

      • Micro-transactions

      • Paid character edit vouchers

      Ouch, I’d be pissed too if my $70 was still not enough to buy all the character models, let alone that I would have to pay to re-customize my character. They 100% deserve this negative criticism.

      • SufniDroid
        link
        fedilink
        English
        308 months ago

        It has Denuvo Anti-tamper and Denuvo anti-cheat. If they didn’t include the latter, you could just bypass the microtransactions entirely.

        • @Chailles@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          14
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          There’s a mod right now that adds the item you need to change appearances to a vendor for like 10 gold, so I’m not really sure what cheats it’s preventing exactly.

          • @Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip
            link
            fedilink
            English
            128 months ago

            part of the reason im always pro mod option, there will be a fan who offers an optional “fix” for a game.

  • @Gabu@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1458 months ago

    The very fact it’s called a “review bomb” is an attempt at controlling the narrative. Fuck game “journalism”.

  • @RealFknNito@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1328 months ago

    $70 price point for entry, microtransactions for stupid shit, and launches with severe technical issues.

    I’m so sick of your shit Capcom.

    • @Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      41
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      When a game releases with multiple purchases along side it, it just means you chopped up my full price game and are charging me extra for what I should have already gotten

      WWE 2k24 in infuriating like this. If you want the full game on release, it’s actually like $150.

      • @Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        88 months ago

        Supposedly a lot if not all of these micro transactions are simply faster unlocks to the content/feature, still though not a good look.

        • @Xanis@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          11
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          This is what I’ve pieced together as well. Everything can be fairly easily found and used (or hoarded) in game. However, this in no way excuses the other issues.

          That said, I don’t blame the devs. Someone light the C-Suite bonfire.

            • Ricky Rigatoni
              link
              fedilink
              English
              138 months ago

              Peoole can’t just quit their jobs because they don’t like a few decisions by the suits. If that were feasible for everyone then the world would be a better place.

            • @Xanis@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              138 months ago

              Following this thread of logic the thousands of devs laid off in recent weeks must be heroes. After all, if they don’t have a job, according to you they can do no harm, and that’s a good thing.

              Unless you think someone who refuses to do the work they’re assigned are likely to retain their position?

      • @Gabu@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        68 months ago

        Exception to this is actual extras, like the game’s soundtrack or access to concept art.

  • This is fine🔥🐶☕🔥
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1098 months ago

    Thanks for letting us know. Removed from my wishlist.

    Things you can buy for the single player ARPG include fast travel points

    What in the fuck.

    • @grrgyle@slrpnk.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      338 months ago

      Wowwwww that is noxious. Maybe I’ll check it out in 5 years, but for now this is a hard pass.

      I was so hyped for this game too. The original had something special if a little underdeveloped. I was excited to see if they could make it bloom.

      Guess not anyway

      • @Taako_Tuesday@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        198 months ago

        “Pay us more money to spend less time in the game we made” Yeah I think I’ll just pass on the whole game actually

    • CALIGVLA
      link
      fedilink
      English
      138 months ago

      LOL THEY MANAGED TO MAKE THE FAST TRAVEL WORSE THAN IN THE FIRST GAME?! HOW?!

      • @Schaedelbach@feddit.de
        link
        fedilink
        English
        108 months ago

        Not defending the mx in Dragons Dogma 2 but at least in the first one I think the way fast travel works was kinda good. It’s cumbersome and not very flexible but it fits the kind of game it is and you have to actually think about where you want to go instead of zipping around the map. Imo

        • AceCephalon
          link
          fedilink
          English
          4
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Besides the unlimited use ferrystone, which doesn’t work in bitterblack isle, that was added to the first game later, the fast traveling works pretty much the exact same.

          If anything, there’s more fast travel options in Dragon’s Dogma 2 thanks to the ox carts which let you skip time until you arrive, or get ambushed, which lets you continue once you clear the ambush. And that’s just from well under a few hours of my time in game.

          Also in the significantly less than 24 hours I’ve had, rift crystals, the currency they’re selling for “convenience”, are quite easy to get, and you absolutely never need to spend them on pawns, just drop the max pawn level to your own level or under and they’re free to use.

          I’ve already gotten enough to do a full appearance change, another thing they’re selling for “convenience”, without specifically trying to get them, just having fun playing the game, exploring, and completing quests.

          And the tents? They aren’t consumable unless maybe they get broken from ambushes, which I have yet to have occur after over 5 uses of the cheapest tent, likely because I clear the area around me first. All that’s affected is weight, which becomes less of a problem the more you play regardless.

          Wakestones? If you’re dying, you’re not prepared or ready enough, come back later, it’s really that simple. I’ve already gotten a wakestone shard randomly, which you combine a few to get a full wakestone, which seems way faster than the first game given the much larger scale of this one. Not to mention that the ones you can buy as DLC are limited in that you can only buy 5 total, ever, but likely you can get endless amounts later in the game.

          The rift incense? The one offered is the actual worst one available, it’s random, as opposed to the pre-set ones you can get in game.

          Even the rift crystals you can only buy a limited amount for “convenience” when you can get unlimited just for playing the game.

          I’m sorry if I went off topic and on an extended reply, just a bit frustrated that I’ve been seeing tons of people spreading outright wrong and incorrect information about basic parts of the game. I’ve played both games now and gladly will clear up a ton of stuff like that. It’s one thing to criticize the microtransactions themselves accurately for what they are, and another thing entirely to lie out of ignorance just to have more to complain about.

          • @Schaedelbach@feddit.de
            link
            fedilink
            English
            28 months ago

            I totally agree with you on the fact that people act like Capcom murdered their grandma or something. There is no need to make stuff up when the facts are bad enough on their own. I guess one reason people are so upset is the fact that microtransactions can be an actual and dangerous addiction to some people and are usually only found in multi-player games or straight up casino type stuff. Dragons Dogma is a beloved game and cult hit for a reason and this whole thing absolutely taints it’s “reputation”.

            Anyway, I think it’s great you seem to still enjoy the game and that’s what matters at the end of the day. Cheers!

          • @Summzashi
            link
            English
            18 months ago

            Besides the unlimited use ferrystone, which doesn’t work in bitterblack isle, that was added to the first game later, the fast traveling works pretty much the exact same.

            Adding to that; the first game had mtx for rift bucks too. That was removed when dark arisen came out.

    • @BleatingZombie@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      88 months ago

      I don’t know exactly how true this is, but I read in another thread that you can’t even delete your save and start over

      • @Restaldt@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        198 months ago

        I’ve read that you can start over. But not in any kind of sensible in game way.

        You have to completely delete all of the game’s files off your computer and steam cloud

        You have to start from a fresh install every time

        • @jkrtn@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          98 months ago

          Maybe they’ll sell a microtransaction that allows people to start over.

          • @jkrtn@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            English
            78 months ago

            I was joking around but I just read that is literally true, what the hell?

            • Cethin
              link
              fedilink
              English
              5
              edit-2
              8 months ago

              No, it’s not literally true. There’s an MTX to re-customize your character (not start a new game), which seems to be an option in-game too but maybe later or maybe it’s expensive.

              I hate having to “defend” these MTX but everyone is misrepresenting what’s going on…

      • @kandoh@reddthat.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        188 months ago

        I get that, but they’re really exploiting their customers with impulse control issues. This is all designed to fleece whales and I think it’s a pretty disgusting practice that’s becoming too normalized

        • @johannesvanderwhales@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          68 months ago

          I don’t disagree, but some of the articles / reactions I’ve seen are like “you have to pay for fast travel points!” which isn’t accurate.

          I’m thinking back to deus ex: mankind divided, which had a strongly negative reaction due to the fact that you could buy praxis kits. But if you played through those games…there was absolutely no reason you needed to buy praxis kits. The game was definitely not one where you would find yourself grinding out praxis kits, and in fact buying them would’ve probably spoiled the experience.

          Then there’s about a million jrpgs like the Tales of series, or falcom’s trails series, where you can buy high potency healing item kits as DLC. Again these are absolutely not needed to finish those games. But they’ll make certain achievements a lot easier. And again this has been going on for a long time.

          I don’t know, while I think this stuff crosses a line (and the fact that they deliberately hide it from reviewers shows they’re well aware), the line has been steadily moving for a long time. Personally I have never once in my life bought one of these dlcs (I actually hate when they make them free in complete editions! Don’t break game balance as a “bonus”!) but obviously people do cause they keep selling them. I have no idea how gamers reset this. But at the same time, review bombs are just…kind of lame. People will be looking at steam reviews 5 years from now and not even remember what the controversy was.

          • @yamanii@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            108 months ago

            No review bombs are really good actually, they are the only reason why Square patched the steam version of nier automata years later, people reviewed bomb the steam release after they released a much better port on the windows store.

            • @johannesvanderwhales@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              28 months ago

              Right because when I’m browsing game reviews long after whatever kerfuffle is forgotten, it’s really helpful to have to guess whether it’s a legitimate problem that was long since fixed, a controversy that had to do with a dev’s actions completely external to the game, some Andrew Tate loving incels upset because WOKE, or if it’s actually a bad game. Review bombs are childish and people have a hair trigger for them. And I don’t think they’re terribly effective. I’m also pretty sure Nier Automata only got patched due to microsoft’s gamepass requirements.

              • @yamanii@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                78 months ago

                Nope, it’s another version entirely. The steam version received no patch for 4 years until the review bomb started.

  • RachelRodent
    link
    fedilink
    English
    758 months ago

    lol. First it had denuvo and now microtransacrions? pathetic

    • BruceTwarzen
      link
      fedilink
      128 months ago

      There is a pidcast that i like and they both praised the game and got sponsored by Capcom. I think i have to sit out the next episode, because i kinda don’t want to hear them vwing apologetic towards capcom.

      • body_by_make
        link
        fedilink
        English
        238 months ago

        Nobody knew about the micro transactions until right before launch, to be fair

        • @Jivebunny@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          28 months ago

          Agree, but I also read that it was in the review guide they provided for reviewers that apparently everyone missed.

    • Cethin
      link
      fedilink
      English
      19
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      They do have fast travel for free. It’s the same as the first game. You can get the fast travel crystals in game and the consumable to teleport to them in game. The MTX is just a different option for them. There’s also carts that let you travel in some form, I assume between cities.

      I haven’t played the game yet, but I wish people would stop lying about the MTX. They’re bad enough that we don’t need to make things up like the only way to fast travel being the MTX.

      Edit: Yeah, sure. Downvote my comment without actually saying how it’s wrong (because I only stated factually correct things). I don’t understand you people. You’d rather be lied to so you can hate a thing more than have the truth and dislike it for the real reasons.

      • @Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        298 months ago

        You are being downvoted for defending this shit. Fact is you can buy fast travel options with real money. I dont care if you can unlock it for free too. The fact that a single player rpg has mtx is terrible and completely destroys all immersion when you csn open a shop to pay with real money.

        • Cethin
          link
          fedilink
          English
          11
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Am I defending it? I’m correcting a factually incorrect statement. It sucks it’s for sale, but the fact of the matter is it is available in the game. The first game it wasn’t for sale and worked the same way.

          I don’t think it breaks immersion though. I don’t get that. Do you think about how much you paid for the game while playing it? It can feel bad, but immersion breaking? It shouldn’t be for sale though regardless.

      • AWildMimicAppears
        link
        fedilink
        English
        288 months ago

        The article states that in a complete playthrough, he found exactly 2 fast travel crystals; in the second, he got one. those are definitely artificially limited to make sure someone drops some cash. if you read the article, you wouldn’t get downvoted man.

        • Cethin
          link
          fedilink
          English
          6
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          I’m certain there are more than two. I’ve played the first game and they’re rare, and you actually have to find them, but I think there’s about five or so. You may not find all of them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. The fact that the first game functions like this without the ability to purchase them screams intent, and that intent was not for it to be sold. That was something forced on them by the business side.

          If you want to argue the limitation is only about selling them, you must explain the existence of the same mechanic in the first game.

          Edit: It looks like both games have a hard limit of 10 at any time. Once you hit that cap there’s no need for more. With this consideration, it really doesn’t seem like a great way to try to force MTX to happen. If they really wanted to do that it would be a different item without a limit. The fact there’s a limit means once you reach 10 any extra are wasted, and it appears that they may be purchasable in game in 2, and I’m confident you can find many as well.

          Since when do we trust game journalists to get things right all of a sudden? Then saying they found 2 shouldn’t be an indication of anything, other than them finding 2 and certainly missing more.

          • AWildMimicAppears
            link
            fedilink
            English
            128 months ago

            That doesn’t change the fact that you might just have a game where you get shafted and have to pay to get meaningful fast travel going. i’m pretty sure that wasn’t the case in dd1, and that they hid the MTX in the review copys they sent out and activated their garbage when they started selling it shows that they know that it’s not acceptable and that their reviews would have suffered quite a bit.

            also, delivering a single player game as always online, Denuvo Antitamper AND Anti-Cheat (so you can’t circumvent the MTX-crap) simply doesn’t fly in a post-Baldurs Gate 3 Era.

            • Cethin
              link
              fedilink
              English
              1
              edit-2
              8 months ago

              That doesn’t change the fact that you might just have a game where you get shafted and have to pay to get meaningful fast travel going. i’m pretty sure that wasn’t the case in dd1

              No, it was so much worse in 1. There was no cart system to travel to cities. I think there was a static port crystal in the main city and that’s it. The consumable to use it was also too bad to make good use of the system. It’s so bad that enhanced edition (Dragons Dogma: Dark Arizen) , which I think is the only version available today, added an additional static port crystal and gave the players an unlimited use teleport consumable. Players were absolutely “shafted”, but it was a design decision, not a business one. The fact it still works the same to me says it’s still a design decision, but the business side wanted to sell players a way to subvert the designed intent.

              and that they hid the MTX in the review copys they sent out and activated their garbage when they started selling it shows that they know that it’s not acceptable and that their reviews would have suffered quite a bit.

              Yep, this is super fucked up. This is one of the huge things that should be being critiqued. People critiquing made up issues ensure people just think it’s all made up when they discover the reality of the situation.

              also, delivering a single player game as always online,

              I believe I’ve read you can play offline. The people talking about saves being backed up are confusing it with Steam Cloud, not something the game is doing. Steam Cloud can be enabled or disabled regardless of it you’re online in game. I’m not sure about this, because I haven’t played the game and probably won’t for a while, but I’m relaying what I’ve read.

              Edit:

              Denuvo Antitamper AND Anti-Cheat (so you can’t circumvent the MTX-crap) simply doesn’t fly in a post-Baldurs Gate 3 Era.

              It “didn’t fly” long before BG3. It still happens anyway, because the suits don’t get it. They see it as ensuring sales, not harming sales.

        • @Ilflish@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          48 months ago

          It was the same in the first game where there were no micro transactions. 1-3 sounds correct from my memory. So in this case, it still feels like an additive.

      • DrQuickbeam
        link
        fedilink
        English
        178 months ago

        I don’t understand how letting players pay money to avoid grinding for items isn’t a douchy move. It either means they think you will have less fun if you pay less (otherwise people wouldn’t be motivated to buy shortcuts) or that they are making you pay extra for an easy mode.

        • @Summzashi
          link
          English
          5
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          deleted by creator

        • Cethin
          link
          fedilink
          English
          48 months ago

          I didn’t say it wasn’t douchy. I said it’s available in the game. The first game it wasn’t an option to purchase them and it still worked the same way. It clearly isn’t a business decision first. It still sucks they’re selling it.

  • @Renacles@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    708 months ago

    Something was off with the way fast travel worked but I didn’t expect they’d try to fucking sell it.

    • Cethin
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      From my understanding, it works exactly like the first game (though prior to Dark Arizen which gave an infinite teleport item). You can get teleport crystals you can place and spend a consumable to teleport to them, just in 2 you can pay real money to get more. 1 also didn’t have the carts that 2 has to travel to different places. I’m not sure how those work, but I assume it’s cheaper than teleporting, and you don’t need a crystal there.

      • @Renacles@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        18 months ago

        Kind of, yeah.

        The difference is that the first game has a reusable ferrystone that you are given for free (patched in post launch) and you couldn’t buy them with real money.

        DD2 has a much bigger map but you are still only allowed to teleport to the 2 big cities by default, fast travel is a lot more important than in the first game.

        It looks like it was done on purpose to sell MTX rather than to make the game better, they knew ferrystones were a problem in the first game since they fixed it and still went ahead with this.

        • @Summzashi
          link
          English
          28 months ago

          That permanent stone was only added in dark arisen after they removed the micro transactions. This system is exactly the same as the first game in launch.

        • Cethin
          link
          fedilink
          English
          18 months ago

          they knew ferrystones were a problem in the first game since they fixed it and still went ahead with this.

          This is the big one for me. I don’t know how affordable they are in 2, but the fact DD:DA made them free in 1 shows there was some kind of issue. Was that just a design issue that’s been fixed in 2 or something more fundamental though? I can’t say without experience. Fast travel is absolutely in the game for free though, despite what some people are saying. It’s a lot more limited than most games, but this isn’t most games. It’s about as limited as the original at launch, a little less actually.

  • @Quentinp@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    708 months ago

    They almost got me with preorder last night, but I was like nah I’ll just wait and see in the morning. I love how i’ve been reading for weeks that “it’s good they made fast travel hard”, like preparing us for a fast travel MTX. Or it’s the greatest character creator of all time, but to edit after you have to spend more money - the game is basically $100 canadian. Absurd.

    • Altima NEO
      link
      fedilink
      English
      298 months ago

      Don’t forget the performance. One review was saying it’s so bad that a dragon was speaking before his animation started playing.

    • @Zahille7@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      238 months ago

      Fuck, really? I mean, I’m not like a die-hard fan of the game(s) or anything, but the first one is still pretty enjoyable. And it’s $5 on steam.

      And it’s a totally complete game, with an in-game barber/character customizer. You can’t change your character’s body type though, only the hair and skin colors/styles.

      • @Weazel@feddit.de
        link
        fedilink
        English
        38 months ago

        You can buy the MTX items InGame at the vendors. Still shitty to have the MTX but yea…

        • @Zahille7@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          38 months ago

          If you can do it with in-game earnable currency that’s a bit different.

          Tbh I haven’t heard that that’s the case, but I also haven’t gone looking.

          • @yamanii@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            38 months ago

            They already said you could, but at least in the first one it was an end game/post game item to edit your character. You can check the news tab for the game on steam.

      • @Scubus@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        28 months ago

        totally complete

        Nah m8, they had circumstances that forced them to release it before they wanted to. There is a bunch of cut content and other not fully realized features. People just don’t notice them much because the game is phenomenal as is.

        • @Zahille7@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          38 months ago

          I mean literally every video game has some cut content somewhere. Whether it still feels complete afterward is a different story.

    • @Igloojoe@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      228 months ago

      Never pre-order. Learned that long ago. Even games I have waited on for a long time, i’ll still wait. Starfield was most recent example of that.

      I think I will break the rule though for the factorio DLC, if they do a preorder.

      • @DrSteveBrule@mander.xyz
        link
        fedilink
        English
        28 months ago

        Just curious on what you think the benefit of pre-ordering a factorio dlc would be instead of buying after release?

        • @Igloojoe@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          28 months ago

          No real benefit. Guess I was trying to say that i trust factorio devs.

          Damn game has devoured years of my life…

    • @Affidavit@aussie.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      68 months ago

      I learnt my lesson from Starfield; the most expensive video game I ever purchased… I pre-ordered that tripe and suffered the consequences. Never again.

      I am so glad I learnt my lesson and decided to wait for the reviews for Dragon’s Dogma 2. Pretty sad that this is the outcome, but I am glad that I decided to wait and see.

      • DontMakeMoreBabies
        link
        fedilink
        48 months ago

        Starfield got me and I should know better by now than to pre-order. I just figured it’d be the usual ‘Bethesda puts out crap that modders quickly sort’ but the it ended up being ‘fast travel, the game’ which seems hard to fix.

        Thank god for BG3, though - rock solid game.

    • Cethin
      link
      fedilink
      English
      18 months ago

      Fast travel worked almost identically in 1 with no MTX. This isnt why it’s like that, but it was an opportunity they say that they could sell.

    • @yesman@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      248 months ago

      They won’t stop doing it. Think of how many live service games have failed. Are the investors going to stop drooling over that Fortnight $$? AAA game are made to please investors, not players.

      Boiling everything down to econ101 serves to absolve the bad behavior or games companies as “rational actors” while placing the blame for shitty games practices on “stupid” gamers.

      • @misterundercoat@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        88 months ago

        If enough people are buying it, they’ll keep doing it whether you like it or not. So why waste your energy getting mad about it?

        You already lost the fight when you start talking about “bad behavior” and “blame.” Just accept the fact that you’re not the target audience for shitty modern AAA games, and move on.

        It’s OK. I’m not the target audience either. I’m not the target audience for Taylor Swift concerts, either. Does that make it “bad behavior” if I don’t like her ticket prices?

        Stop getting mad about companies making money. That’s literally their purpose. There are plenty of other products out there to buy.

        • @greenskye@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          88 months ago

          Regulation. Bad behavior that can’t be policed by econ 101, gets regulation. Stuff like recognizing the predatory nature of these micro transactions and limiting their exposure to kids and warning labels like we slap on actual gambling. Even higher taxes on profits derived from these sorts games. Maybe they aren’t so profitable when we actually protect the vulnerable and they have to truly rely on just the ‘stupid whales’ and not kids.

          • @misterundercoat@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            48 months ago

            Is it predatory, though? Or are people just upset because they fell for pre-order hype, despite it being 2024 and they should know better.

            Let’s not muddy the waters by comparing it to gambling. Pay-to-win (or pay-for-convenience, which, in my opinion, is the same as pay-to-win) is not gambling. It’s just shit. You’re not paying for a randomized chance at a reward. You know exactly what you’re getting.

            I don’t have first-hand knowledge of the game, but from what I have seen, there are no predatory IU elements to lure vulnerable kids into stealing their mom’s credit card.

            Don’t get me wrong. I think the MTX is shit. I was mildly interested in the game, but now I won’t consider it even on 75% Steam sale. Capcom won’t be getting my money, that’s my choice.

            We don’t need the government involved in regulating shitty entertainment. It’s not water or electricity or healthcare. You can just not buy the thing. If you start calling for regulation of everything you don’t like, that’s how you get geriatric politicians who never played a game in their life and still call it “the Nintendo” deciding what you can and can’t have in your game.

            • @greenskye@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              English
              38 months ago

              I was responding in general to the concept, not specifically this implementation, which as you say is not the worst implementation for sure.

              We’ll have agree to disagree on pay2win not being predatory. Again, this specific implementation may not be as bad, but the market as a whole absolutely has examples just as dangerous as slot machines. They’re built on the same psychology.

              As for regulation, it doesn’t strictly have to come from the government. Both movies and games have rating boards specifically to avoid government intervention and I think they are failing consumers here. The threat of government intervention might see the ESRB and the various gaming marketplaces adopt more strict rules and warnings. Things like preventing the sale of games with specific, predatory mtx dark patterns and mechanics from sale to minors, stronger warning labels on games containing these sorts of practices and penalizing companies from adding MTX in a deceitful manner (such as after launch). A game would be heavily penalized for adding adult content this way and perhaps MTX should be treated in a similar manner.

    • @yamanii@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      18 months ago

      You not buying the game is 1 vote, someone that pays for micro transactions get multiple votes everytime they buy, you lost, they paid for your copy.

  • @bionicjoey@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    368 months ago

    Damn… I was really close to pre-ordering this one and I held off basically just because I wanted to wait for information about the Steam Deck compatibility. So glad I didn’t pre-order. I figured all of the glowing reviews that came out earlier this week would have mentioned secret microtransactions, but it seems like this was a very nefarious bait and switch. I like to give the benefit of the doubt and apply Hanlon’s Razor, but it really feels like this was a deliberate and sinister act.

    • @jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
      link
      fedilink
      English
      158 months ago

      There’s rarely any reason to preorder a digital thing. They don’t run out of stock.

      The preorder “bonuses” are rarely worth it.

      You made the right choice.

    • @Patches@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      118 months ago

      Reviewers often get a free copy of the game, the DLC and unlimited consumables so most pre release reviews are far from honest.

      • @yamanii@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        38 months ago

        Not really, they just hide the micro transactions during the review period, Activision did the same with CTR.

    • @Aceticon@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      38 months ago

      Never, ever pre-order.

      The only “advantage” is that you can play the game a few hours, maybe a day earlier, which makes no difference whatsoever in terms of the fun you get from the game, and to get that “benefit” you run a huge risk of not only wasting your money but also of getting to experience the actual feeling of having been scammed.

      I can understand that most people lack the impulse control to wait 6 months or more (by then getting it cheaper and with most bugs fixed) and just “have to have it right now”, but in the digital download era pre-ordering might at best get the game in your hands a few hours earlier than just buying it when it comes out.

  • @Restaldt@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    32
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    Cant wait to play the next Monster Hunter and buy hunting permits at $2.99 for each hunt.

    • Gristle
      link
      fedilink
      English
      5
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      I’ve been a fan of Monster Hunter since the PSP and somehow completely forgot that it was made by Capcom. I was already a bit peeved that they moved G-rank behind a paywall and a year of waiting but now I’m nervous that you may not be super far off. People already think that the game has a desire senser and with AI being what it is today it wouldn’t be very hard to sell a ‘premium carving knife’ with charges on it to get that Gem or Plate you need to finish your set.

          • @Restaldt@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            2
            edit-2
            8 months ago

            You can earn minimum wage in premium hunt credits by working the grill with the felyne chefs (up to 20 hours of work youre not getting free insurance by working full time you freeloader)

            • Gristle
              link
              fedilink
              English
              28 months ago

              Gonna have to pay to skip cutscenes too. And SOS flares aren’t free but aren’t expensive either. Oof, we should be execs somewhere.

      • @yamanii@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        18 months ago

        G-rank was always dlc, but physical on another version called 3U, 4U or XX, or frontier united.

        • Gristle
          link
          fedilink
          English
          18 months ago

          I didn’t have to pay for G-rank until Iceborne and Sunbreak. I’d like to go back to those days.

            • Gristle
              link
              fedilink
              English
              18 months ago

              I’m not sure what you’re getting at. I bought every version of every game since the first one and pirated the Japanese versions before they were localized. G rank wasn’t something you had to pay for until the games I mentioned. It was either in the game or it wasn’t. I’m not interested in having an argument though so I’ll just see myself out of this weird pseudo-argument.

    • @NOPper@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      18 months ago

      They did so well with World and Rise… I’m cautiously hoping they learn from the backlash here.

    • Fushuan [he/him]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      58 months ago

      Or you can also play the game and buy the item ingame for 500RC, it’s not that big of a deal.

          • @howrar@lemmy.ca
            link
            fedilink
            English
            18 months ago

            I think a more apt comparison is if you’re renting out a place where every light switch is three-way with one switch near the light it controls and another in a closet with all the other light switches. You can control the ones in the closet for free, but the ones in a reasonable location are pay-per-use. The problem isn’t that the features aren’t available for free. It’s that they poured resources into deliberately making things worse, then they charge you to undo that. Literally creating negative value.

            • @Jax@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              English
              28 months ago

              Except I’m playing the game right now and these “deliberately made worse” elements have not once inconvenienced me in 20 hours.

              You are all crying about nothing.

              • @howrar@lemmy.ca
                link
                fedilink
                English
                18 months ago

                I have no interest in this game, so I wouldn’t know how it actually affects gameplay. But do you not agree that this is shitty business practice? You have a game. Sell the game. If you want microtransactions, then produce extra art or something and sell that. You can even make the case that separating out parts of the game into various DLCs on launch is acceptable. You’re at least charging for something of value that you created.

                Implementing anti-cheat costs resources and makes the end result strictly worse. Now you want people to pay you to undo that? That’s creating negative value. We want the economy to run on people creating positive value.

            • @Jax@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              English
              28 months ago

              This is the exact same monetization that Devil May Cry 5 had in that it is practically non-existent. You can earn everything in game, you do not have to spend money.

              • @pelicans_plight@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                38 months ago

                I’m glad you’re not bothered by microtransactions. I personally don’t like them, and I never buy games with anything more then cosmetic microtramsactions. But we all have that line in the sand we won’t cross, this is one of mine.

            • @Jax@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              English
              28 months ago

              I’m playing the game right now moron, you don’t have to spend a single dime for any of the things you spend money on. It is pay to play faster, cry more about it. Your experience isn’t tarnished because someone else spent more money on the game than you.

              • @LinyosT@sopuli.xyz
                link
                fedilink
                English
                28 months ago

                The fact that the MTX exists in the first place is just predatory. It doesn’t matter if it’s optional.

                Don’t forget that things got this bad to begin with because everyone kept defending early MTX with the same excuse. These companies are always trying to push shit. Give them an excuse and they’ll run with it.

                • @Jax@sh.itjust.works
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  18 months ago

                  The problem that everyone seems to be missing with this “slippery slope” bullshit is that you all acknowledge that there are MTX systems worse than this one. That worse one likely being P2W MTX, because that is undeniably the worst form.

                  The RE4 remake literally had P2W. You could buy the weapon upgrade items for real money. DD2s MTX are in no way P2W.

                  So to organize the factors I’ve presented as they pertain to the discussion, plainly:

                  1. Everyone wants to avoid P2W because it’s a bad sign for games. P2W is the reason why gatcha is the way that it is.

                  2. The Resident Evil 4 remake (oh you know, Capcoms biggest franchise) had a P2W system (that thing we just established as being the worst form of MTX).

                  3. DD2 has an MTX system so functionally worthless that I’m about to beat the game and the only reason I’ve even considered spending money is because I’m lazy. You actually get more out of spending your money on gatcha games (on literal fucking P2W scams).

                  4. We reach this conversation, where you’re suggesting that “It’S a SlIpPeRy SlOpE”.

                  I cannot fully express through words how genuinely stupid it is to be picking this game to cry about how bad microtransactions are. Genuinely, this is some of the dumbest shit I’ve seen from gamers. In your analogy, we already reached the bottom of the slope and the people fucking cheered for it.

        • Fushuan [he/him]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          2
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          You really are comparing a basic necessity with a game? Talk about a false equivalency geez.

          Also, since when is electricity free? This is such a weird comparison.

      • @Chailles@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        78 months ago

        The availability of the item in-game doesn’t matter. If anything it’s availability in-game being “not that big of a deal” just showcases further the scumminess of it all being that purchasable item exists only to scam people by tricking them into thinking any modicum of money is worth a one use item.

        And even then, if nobody complains about it, then they’ll still continue on as they will. They’ll do so regardless, of course, but at least you can say that there was pushback of some kind.

        • Fushuan [he/him]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          48 months ago

          Having a pushback is fair, saying that the game is trash and review bombing the game for it far exceeds what I would consider fair pushback.

          The game captures really well the first’s feel, it’s just an improvement in almost all aspects, which is great! It’s a really good game, those unnecessary MTXs giving the game a negative review score is kinda crazy.