Don't want to press the point but as the days roll past after completing DD2 I'm quite struck by how little impression it's left in me. Not that that's the most measurable or valuable metric by any means I'm a very busy and depressed person and Media isn't nourishing like it used to be lately lol,.. There's certainly something to be said about the subjectivity of the 'thrill of adventure' and other platitudes like that w/rt open world games, but what motivates me to press the charge isn't Loot, nor wiping the fog of war off of the world map to reveal new underground and overground bandit camps, which is all DD2 appears to really offer. It's so noticeable how the pawns no longer seem to have any dialogue relating to the environment, just generic prattle about inventory management, enemies and interactables. What would they even comment on if they did?

Yesterday I remembered you got a wakestone shard when you walked to the heart of the giant Hillfigure drawing in Dragon's Dogma 1 and am trying to think of an equivalent in DD2. Just a small, singular point where the game presents a small unique piece of geometry or visual stimuli that either hints at broader history with the world and also begs to be prodded at in good wit. I looked at both games' world maps and was struck by how few points of interest there were in DD1, but how I can point to each and trace them to a memory of a mechanic introduction or a key moment in the story. "This is where the direwolves get introduced, this is where you can find a sprawling dungeon god remember that weird side objective within? Quina goes to this weird cultic abbey here, chimeras roam here, and this area is protected by a drake, this area has an annoying poison gimmick". I attempt this with DD2 and get precious little from pouring over the landmass even with icons spelling the contents out. The moment to moment combat is undoubtedly very good but it rings so hollow to me when it's ALL in favour of walking around and attacking ogres. I do wish I could be a normal person and come out of this game like "gameing,,, redefined. every battle, unique!! a world where u can do anything and go anywhere" but I'm not there, sorry for being boring. DD1 felt like a game brimming with ideas, shooting for the stars that If This Is Our Last RPG, So Be It, At Least We Tried energy. DD2 feels as though it accomplishes all it sets out to do, which is a whole lot less than it could have.