Oops, I almost beat Dragon’s Dogma 2 by accident

I was about 40 hours into my first playthrough of Dragon’s Dogma 2 when a sinking feeling started to settle in. “Wait, am I about to beat the game? Is this the final boss fight?” I thought. Turns out I was, and about 10 minutes into that final confrontation, I pulled the in-game equivalent of the ejection seat lever and quit.

There was still so much to do, so much of the map I’d not yet uncovered. I’d heard stories about a Sphinx and an elven enclave, and I hadn’t discovered those yet. Hell, I had five active quests that had been simmering (e.g., “The Phantom Oxcart”), and I wasn’t ready to head into Dragon’s Dogma 2’s post-game or new game plus. I’m not a completionist, nor did I attempt to save scum my way past tough choices or failed quests, but I knew I wasn’t mentally prepared to see any kind of ending.

Fortunately, Dragon’s Dogma 2’s weird save system helped me out. Before venturing into what later turned out to be a point of no return — or the closest thing this game has to it — I took the advice of an NPC who suggested I rest at an inn before venturing further. I saved, giving me an important back-up to reload from.

The game had previously hinted that the endgame was imminent, but I’ve been tricked by Dragon’s Dogma 2 before. Earlier in my journey, the NPC quest-giver Captain Brant had sufficiently warned me about progressing the quest “The Stolen Throne,” warning that I’d better have checked all tasks off my list before attending a masquerade ball that would have game-changing revelations. I took that warning seriously, only to walk away from that questline’s completion thinking, “Oh, that’s it?” I expected something similar of the “A New Godsway” quest, and thought it would be a stepping stone.

But here I was, face to face with the giant dragon who’d stolen my heart earlier in the game. A new quest named “Legacy” had started, and I realized that my pawns and I were about to wrap things up. Unfinished quests disappeared, and what followed was a battle loaded with the implications of my major story-altering choices. However, it felt like it arrived without the build up one expects from a final boss fight.

For players looking to avoid triggering the endgame sequence of events (or players looking to speedrun the ending), completing the “A New Godsway” quest by giving the right number of Wyrmslife Crystals to Ambrosius at the Forbidden Magick Lab will start the ball rolling. You’ll then have the option to battle the Gigantus — but be warned, you could easily miss out on it if you dawdle. Leaving Bakbatthal and heading south is where things come to their somewhat surprising end.

Dragon’s Dogma 2’s approach to these kinds of missable quests and moments of no return are all part of what makes the game special — and occasionally frustrating. But the final battle against a big dragon (what else would it be?) is by no means the game’s actual end. Depending on the player’s choices, there is a ton of content to explore even after you’ve bested the final boss. Just make sure you’re prepared to deal with the consequences.