Can you lock-on in Dragon’s Dogma 2 combat?

❘ Published: 2024-03-22T15:32:23

Capcom

Dragon’s Dogma 2 features some deep and rich combat mechanics, that can take a long time to master, but can you lock-on to enemies in battle?

The original Dragon’s Dogma didn’t feature any lock-on features in combat, forcing players of the game to manually aim and strike at enemies. Some players felt like this system helped them become better warriors, while others were not fans of it and felt all modern games of this genre should feature a lock-on mechanic.

This was mostly down to Capcom’s Monster Hunter games not using a lock-on system, as Dragon’s Dogma shared a lot of similarities with that franchise and reused some assets. However, the Monster Hunter series would eventually add a lock-on feature in MH: World, leading many to expect this system would be added to Dragon’s Dogma 2.

A screenshot from the game Dragon's Dogma 2

Bows can target enemies, but it’s not quite the traditional lock-on players are used to.

Does Dragon’s Dogma 2 have a lock-on system?

No, Dragon’s Dogma 2 does not feature a lock-on function when in combat.

Much like the first game, Dragon’s Dogma 2 requires players to aim manually when swinging their swords, axes, or others. However, ranged weapons and spells do have a targeting system to make life easier, but it’s not the traditional lock-on you’d find in other games.

This may be disappointing to players who hoped that Capcom would take some further steps to modernize combat in Dragon’s Dogma 2 – as they did in Monster Hunter World, but this was not added to the game.

It’s likely to be a deliberate decision by Capcom to ensure players can’t rely on the system and will improve their fighting abilities naturally. However, with games like Elden Ring featuring lock-on systems in their difficult battles, we can see why some players may be frustrated by this decision.