Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 617 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 462 out of 617
  2. Mixed: 85 out of 617
  3. Negative: 70 out of 617
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  1. MFT
    Jan 16, 2016
    1
    I don't understand why this game gets all this praise.

    It reminds me Dynasty Warrior and Dark Souls ports on pc - poorly optimized, shoddy controls, weird voice-overs, awkward gameplay and story. Quarter of my screen gets cut-off with black bars because of the aspect ration issues. Half of the screen gets filled with subtitles of my "pawns" yelling some nonsense over and over and    I don't understand why this game gets all this praise.

    It reminds me Dynasty Warrior and Dark Souls ports on pc - poorly optimized, shoddy controls, weird voice-overs, awkward gameplay and story.

    Quarter of my screen gets cut-off with black bars because of the aspect ration issues. Half of the screen gets filled with subtitles of my "pawns" yelling some nonsense over and over and over and over and over again during battles or giving me same one-liners like "hurry up", or "come here" outside battle.

    The control scheme is plain awful on keyboard - backspace to confirm? What? Why?

    I mean - i don't doubt that underneath those issues and weird features there might be a decent game but i just don't want to deal with a shoddy pc port again.

    I get that people love this game and played it on consoles but as a pc player who's playing this for a first time - i just can't recommend it.    … Expand
  2. elitepredetor99
    Jan 29, 2018
    9
    Went from hating this game to loving it. I hated it in the beginning due to me starting the game on hard mode which was made for ng+, this meant my character was way too weak for the game, after lowing the difficulty the game became much more enjoyable. In the beginning this game may put people of due to how non generic this game is compared to any other RPG, this game does its own thingsWent from hating this game to loving it. I hated it in the beginning due to me starting the game on hard mode which was made for ng+, this meant my character was way too weak for the game, after lowing the difficulty the game became much more enjoyable. In the beginning this game may put people of due to how non generic this game is compared to any other RPG, this game does its own things and it takes time to understand it. Overall this game was great especially with the BBI dlc which IMO is the best part of the game with all the loot and additions onto the base game.… Expand
  3. Schism78
    Jul 23, 2018
    8
    Great game the action rpg, very underrated.
    A dynamic gameplay with many tipe of monsters, but once you finish it, falls short.
    The pawn system is interesting but could have exploited better.
    The weakest point is the story an the boring side missions.
  4. IamEVIL
    Jan 21, 2016
    8
    Dragon's Dogma is a great RPG, with a very fun, dynamical combat system, that reminds me a litle bit of Shadow Of Colossus, and i think that the combat system is the best thing in this game, the story is almost non-existent, the characters aren't even nearly close from a real thing in RPGs like The Witcher, or Mass Effect or Dragon Age. However, the fun time you have playing it, will beDragon's Dogma is a great RPG, with a very fun, dynamical combat system, that reminds me a litle bit of Shadow Of Colossus, and i think that the combat system is the best thing in this game, the story is almost non-existent, the characters aren't even nearly close from a real thing in RPGs like The Witcher, or Mass Effect or Dragon Age. However, the fun time you have playing it, will be worth your money, just keep in mind that this isn't a very easy game. Some battles take at least a hour of beating on a **** boss that seems to have countless HP boxes.… Expand
  5. Mindspawn
    May 21, 2019
    10
    No fanboy of this game, but if you're going to do reviews on here don't have a potato of a PC saying this game isn't optimized or give it a bad review based on the keyboard controls games like this should be played with a controller. I usually use a keyboard myself, but some of you nerds wont go out and buy a gamepad and then give the game a bad review? But yeah going back to optimizationNo fanboy of this game, but if you're going to do reviews on here don't have a potato of a PC saying this game isn't optimized or give it a bad review based on the keyboard controls games like this should be played with a controller. I usually use a keyboard myself, but some of you nerds wont go out and buy a gamepad and then give the game a bad review? But yeah going back to optimization I have no clue how this played on release, but it runs fine long at you have a I7 4790k or anything better. Also some of you need to play the game more yeah the Pawns at first have no personality at first but when they learn locations and you walk around more they'll talk more. Going by some of the bad reviews doesn't look like a lot of people took any effort in playing the game more than a few hours before judging it.… Expand
  6. 2amazing2much
    Sep 18, 2021
    10
    Not only is it the first strand type game, its the only game where I can down a griffon with a two ton slab of iron with the force of a guy named Kyle seeing drywall.
  7. TCR
    Jan 24, 2016
    10
    If climbing atop massive monster, questing, and becoming a god among men sounds like fun then this is the game for you.

    Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen does something right. It drags you down into a bottomless pit of entertainment and fun. It makes every battle epic from being a level 1 till level 200 it will always keep you on your toes. From start to finish the game feels amazing like    If climbing atop massive monster, questing, and becoming a god among men sounds like fun then this is the game for you.

    Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen does something right. It drags you down into a bottomless pit of entertainment and fun. It makes every battle epic from being a level 1 till level 200 it will always keep you on your toes. From start to finish the game feels amazing like you're living in this breathing world with creatures and monsters all around. If you liked LOTR, TES, or any RPG this is a game you must play.    … Expand
  8. AzzX
    Jan 17, 2016
    10
    A Japanese Developer nailing a western type Action RPG. It took a while but finally Dragons Dogma is home on the platform it always needed. Containing possibly the best combat in an action RPG game ever conceived, Dragons Dogma is probably one of my favourite RPG games ever made.

    The storyline appears very generic from the outset, but don't let that fool you. Whilst it may not be a    A Japanese Developer nailing a western type Action RPG. It took a while but finally Dragons Dogma is home on the platform it always needed. Containing possibly the best combat in an action RPG game ever conceived, Dragons Dogma is probably one of my favourite RPG games ever made.

    The storyline appears very generic from the outset, but don't let that fool you. Whilst it may not be a Masterwork of literary genius, it definately adds its own unique style to the genre.

    Now One of my top 5 games on Steam.    … Expand
  9. thatfool
    Jan 17, 2016
    10
    One of my favourite RPGs, or even games, on the last console generation. Literally one out of two games I played on PS3 always hoped would receive PC ports.

    A medieval fantasy world that actually looks medieval, a story with insane twists at the end, decisions and side quests that actually affect things down the road, and perhaps most importantly... a combat system that actually    One of my favourite RPGs, or even games, on the last console generation. Literally one out of two games I played on PS3 always hoped would receive PC ports.

    A medieval fantasy world that actually looks medieval, a story with insane twists at the end, decisions and side quests that actually affect things down the road, and perhaps most importantly... a combat system that actually justifies the term "action RPG" and makes battle so much more enjoyable than in most other ARPGs. Insane mobility as well, with some classes having access to dashes, double jumps, levitation, and so on, and a very climbable world.

    This game does have its flaws, and I don't just mean that it's a late console port that doesn't try to hide what era it is from. On the other hand, this PC port includes the original game, the expansion, and all the DLC that ever came out on consoles with exception of two armor sets that they don't have a license for anymore, and all that at a very friendly price point. And the age has its benefits; I can play this at a constant 60 FPS in 4K resolution on my (gaming) laptop.    … Expand
  10. markrogan
    Jan 17, 2016
    10
    I'm a veteran, almost 40y old RPG player and I must say it's been a while since an RPG game could grab me for about 12 hours straight. Once you get used to dealing with the pawns, it's a blast.

    Exploring is a pleasure (which is something amazing), melee combat (my major experience so far) is a blast and cooperating with your chosen allies is also very cool. The visuals really are    I'm a veteran, almost 40y old RPG player and I must say it's been a while since an RPG game could grab me for about 12 hours straight. Once you get used to dealing with the pawns, it's a blast.

    Exploring is a pleasure (which is something amazing), melee combat (my major experience so far) is a blast and cooperating with your chosen allies is also very cool. The visuals really are stunning and character building is complex and dense, which is very desirable to me. The difficult (you can choose Easy, Normal or Hard — I'm on Normal) is also very adequate, so far: I have trivial encounters that sometimes still surprise me a bit; and then I have the occasional damnit-hard fight that so far can be won through careful and skillful battling, which is so cool; A must buy for die-hard RPGers, specially people who like some action with their RPG.    … Expand
  11. psnhomer108
    Jan 16, 2016
    10
    Really? 10/10? Yes I Platinumed Bloodborne on PS4(also spent hundreds of hours doing the grinding stuff) and I still think this game brings me more fun (and BB is considered the best ARPG for 2015 ON PS4 which I admit and would give it a 9/10 so that's why I give this game a 10/10). Why? Freedom of choice! Specifically because of the character customization for my character and the combatReally? 10/10? Yes I Platinumed Bloodborne on PS4(also spent hundreds of hours doing the grinding stuff) and I still think this game brings me more fun (and BB is considered the best ARPG for 2015 ON PS4 which I admit and would give it a 9/10 so that's why I give this game a 10/10). Why? Freedom of choice! Specifically because of the character customization for my character and the combat system, and maybe also for the tune of DD's world setting. This game is not either Bloodborne or Skyrim, it is more of a hybrid of Monster Hunter and Devil May Cry. It looks similar to Bloodborne in some ways because they are both ARPGs, but Bloodborne gives you a sense of achievement by beating you to the ground then gives you some sugar, whereas in Dragon's Dogma you don't necessarily need to be punished but you could definitely get some sweet candies out of box. Meteor rain, magical tornado, master sword arts, shield counter attack, dark matter enchanted sword, yes you could do all of those. Every class and skill makes your gameplay tremendously different (Devil May Cry level combat design, need me to talk more?). For customization, it beats Souls/The Elder Scrolls majorly in two aspects: 1. You have two slots for bodywear and footwear instead of only one for each. This brings more freedom on fashion play. 2. You can choose your body form and the armors will correspond to you. Wanna play as a dwarf? Do it! Wanna play as a sexy sorcerer? Why not? Freedom is king. Sorry if I offended people who put Bloodborne better than this game, this is just my personal opinion. At the end, I gotta write down my list of masterpiece so you might find my score making sense to you if we have similar taste: The Last of US/PS4, Sakura Wars/SEGA Dreamcast, Pokemon/GBA-3DS, Xenoblade Chronicles X/Wiiu, Ninja Gaiden 2/Xbox360, Devil May Cry 3&4/PS2&3, Final Fantasy Core Crisis/PSP, A Tale of Sword and Fairy 4/PC. As for GTAV, Witcher, MGSV, Rise of Tomb Raider and Uncharted, I didn't have time to actually beat them(various reasons but I will when I have more time) so I wouldn't say they are not masterpieces. For Bloodborne, it's very close but I'm just not very motivated to play it again when basically I beat the game and its dungeon. And Dynasty Warriors? They are not on the same level, thanks.… Expand
  12. gloriouspotato
    Feb 17, 2017
    6
    If there's one thing to praise in this game, it's probably the combat mechanics and the variation in movesets allowed by being able to change vocations/classes. Aside from that, almost every other aspect of Dragon's Dogma is fairly average or mediocre.

    In terms of the PC port - it's adequate but more needed to be done. Good framerates are easy to attain, though we are talking about a    If there's one thing to praise in this game, it's probably the combat mechanics and the variation in movesets allowed by being able to change vocations/classes. Aside from that, almost every other aspect of Dragon's Dogma is fairly average or mediocre.

    In terms of the PC port - it's adequate but more needed to be done. Good framerates are easy to attain, though we are talking about a game that originally came out in 2012 and certainly looks the part. The UI is very obviously controller centric in its layout and there is no mouse wheel support in most menus. It's also just a cumbersome interface to trawl through in general. For example, the inventory and equipment screens are separate for no reason, no quick keybinds for quests or map screens, unrebindable "insert" and "page up" buttons for changing tabs (seriously, whose idea was that?!), no proper quicksaving or quickloading (you have to exit to the menu to reload a manual save), and only having one save game file (hope your save game doesn't get corrupted). Overall, there are just a lot of UI design flaws that needed to be addressed and a good deal of QoL improvements needed as well.

    While I did praise the combat mechanics, it's a shame that a lot of its potential is wasted on repetitive encounters with "trash" enemies like goblins or harpies that make up 90% of the fights in this game. Fighting hydras, chimeras, dragons and all the other "big guys", that's all well and good, but most other encounters weren't nearly as engaging.

    The pawns system is a mechanic unique to Dragon's Dogma, and while I kinda liked the idea behind it, I wish there was a more straight forward method behind adjusting pawn inclinations (which by the way is something the game tells you nearly nothing about). As of right now, there are a whole lot of hoops to jump through for what should've just been something I could easily adjust in a separate menu. Instead, I have to use inclination potions (which the game doesn't tell you about either), act a certain way in combat, or sit in a knowledge chair and get a randomised set of questions directed towards your main pawn that may or may not impact your pawn in the way you wanted. All this pointless busywork just so I can get my pawns to hopefully not act like an idiot and die when facing a dragon. Ultimately, even with the most suitable inclinations, pawn AI is quite underwhelming, as demonstrated by their complete inability to defend themselves or evade attacks.

    Moving on to the overarching narrative, lore and worldbuilding of the game, I was also fairly disappointed in this aspect. The setting is fairly generic fantasy stuff, littered with uninspired kill 'x' amount of 'y' quests, escort 'x' to 'y' location or collect 'x' amount of 'y' item quests. Sure, there are a few quests centered around certain characters that go beyond this boring formula, but even those are lacking in character development and narrative punch compared to other RPGs. The rather mediocre cutscenes with poor writing, lack of lip syncing and just generally low production values certainly don't help. The whole Arisen arch of the story is only really touched on in the beginning and end of the game, while the middle section of the game is essentially you being an errand boy for the Duke. The big revelations that come towards the end of the game were difficult to take seriously due to the aforementioned poor writing with characters uttering supposedly deep platitudes about free will, endless cycles and destiny.

    I've been pretty critical in this review, though I feel I should mention that despite all its flaws, there is a rough charm about Dragon's Dogma that ultimately led me to finish it. There is a good combat system here, and it was fun, but I just wasn't a fan of pretty much everything else.    … Expand
  13. DannyAcme
    Jan 21, 2016
    9
    I'm a Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen veteran. I played this game to death on my PS3, it is my favorite RPG of that generation along with Dark Souls. Knowing where I'm coming from, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt: this game ROCKS on Steam. It's an excellent port with great performance, and playing the game with a revitalized community thanks to the new platform makes it new for meI'm a Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen veteran. I played this game to death on my PS3, it is my favorite RPG of that generation along with Dark Souls. Knowing where I'm coming from, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt: this game ROCKS on Steam. It's an excellent port with great performance, and playing the game with a revitalized community thanks to the new platform makes it new for me again. It also benefits from the Steam architecture for online features, like making screenshots become a snap (no pun intended) to take and share. Also, there are already a few mods popping up which are making the game prettier and more stable, so I'm looking forward to see how the game evolves at the hands of the community with time (I currently have E3FX ENB and Don't Blind Me installed, and the difference is noticeable and very appealing).

    But most important of all, this game is just plain fun. It has hours of combat-heavy gameplay with loads of items to acquire and modify, the pawn system makes AI party members unique and interactive to your actions and adjustments, and it has THE MOST AWESOME boss battles in RPG history. As much as I love Dark Souls, slinging magic and slashing enemies time and again pales in comparison to fighting a cyclops and commanding your pawns to buff you and rain lightning on it while you CLIMB up to the cyclops's face and stab it in the goddamn eye. Every battle with a large monster is an epic affair, accentuated by bombastic battle music that changes as you are beating the monster and it becomes scared and desperate (YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT, MONSTERS GET SCARED WHEN YOU'RE KICKING THEIR ASS).

    Now, I have to include a few caveats: the game wasn't perfect originally and it isn't now. The graphics were average when it came out, and now they are pretty dated, the dialogue is a little laugh-inducing and it can be a confusing and daunting game to get into starting out. But at $30, this game is an absolute gem of a bargain for the amount and quality of gameplay you're getting. I recommend it wholeheartedly for anyone who wants a new RPG experience distinct in flavor from games like Skyrim or The Witcher, and if you are a fan of the game from back when it was only on consoles, the PC port will make you fall in love with the game all over again. My highest recommendation. Also, PLEASE get the game, guys, to encourage Capcom to bring Dragon's Dogma Online stateside!    … Expand
  14. HitIerDidNuffin
    Jan 17, 2016
    10
    Amazing game, truly one deserving a PC port after the death of the PS3.

    Truly sad how "gaming journalism" is giving this masterpiece something below 90, with the metacrit at 81, while they've been giving Gone Home and Undertale 100. The dead of the gaming community is here.
  15. TwoEars
    Jan 17, 2016
    8
    It's an action-rpg. Spelled A-C-T-I-O-N-rpg. It's not a bad game, it may even be a great game. Just be aware of what you're buying and that it may not be for you.

    If you want a deep main story that makes sense you will not find that here. If you want meaningful interaction with other NPCs you will not find that here. If you want dialogue choices that leave you awake at night pondering    It's an action-rpg. Spelled A-C-T-I-O-N-rpg. It's not a bad game, it may even be a great game. Just be aware of what you're buying and that it may not be for you.

    If you want a deep main story that makes sense you will not find that here. If you want meaningful interaction with other NPCs you will not find that here. If you want dialogue choices that leave you awake at night pondering their consequences you will not find that here.

    If on the other hand you have no problems playing a mute main character and want nothing more than to bash giant monsters over the head this might be your game. Because there are a lot giant ancient monsters and there certainly is a lot of bashing.

    This game is a little bit like the strange love-child of Diablo 3 and Dark Souls, and if that sounds like your thing then by all means go ahead. But if on the other hand you want a story driven RPG with lots of dialogue and character interaction this isn't the game for you.    … Expand
  16. TheLewdOne
    Aug 4, 2016
    9
    Oh hey, it's one the best and most original (in ways) role playing games in years. I'm sure that this will eventually spawn into an amazing series with each new game improving on the formula of the last. I sure am looking forward to more action RPG inspired by Shadow of the freakin' Colossus.

    *Capcom announces Dragon's Dogma Online for Japan only* *Capcom seems to have zero interest in    Oh hey, it's one the best and most original (in ways) role playing games in years. I'm sure that this will eventually spawn into an amazing series with each new game improving on the formula of the last. I sure am looking forward to more action RPG inspired by Shadow of the freakin' Colossus.

    *Capcom announces Dragon's Dogma Online for Japan only*
    *Capcom seems to have zero interest in making a sequel for Dragon's Dogma*

    Why does Capcom hate it's fans.    … Expand
  17. PeregrineOmega
    Apr 27, 2016
    10
    This game is fantastic, front to back. Every negative review I've read is from someone who clearly didn't give the game more than an hour. Anyone who's played an in-depth RPG knows an hour is barely enough time to get past the character creation screen... and this game is no exception.

    Imagine Elder Scrolls and Dragon Age had a baby, and that baby was raised by Dark Souls and Shadow of    This game is fantastic, front to back. Every negative review I've read is from someone who clearly didn't give the game more than an hour. Anyone who's played an in-depth RPG knows an hour is barely enough time to get past the character creation screen... and this game is no exception.

    Imagine Elder Scrolls and Dragon Age had a baby, and that baby was raised by Dark Souls and Shadow of the Collossus in the same house as The Witcher. Yet, somehow it still maintains its identity as its own thing. While it doesn't have a particularly strong story, it's well made up for with a sprawling, beautiful landscape with clever level design and monsters galore.

    Lastly... You see that big cyclops? You can climb it, and poke it in the eye. Can't find what you're looking for? Veer off the path. There are many elements that are not immediately obvious, but are quite rewarding when you learn how to use them.

    It's no surprise this gem from 2012 is once again a hit in 2016.    … Expand
  18. bahamut22
    Jan 15, 2016
    10
    The game is glorious. This franchise deserves more praying. Like a dream come true. We PC gamers have been asking for this since 2012. This is going to have a great reception on PC, I can feel it. The wind is pushing me. In modders we trust!
    Now we want Dragon's Dogma 2! I hope Capcom will take note.
  19. nima1990
    Jan 24, 2016
    8
    Did I enjoy his game? Yes
    Was it Good and flawless? No
    the story isn't really special and the graphics feel really dated. They could have been more polished and updated. However, the combat and gameplay mechanics are really satisfying and I don't exaggerate if I say it was the best I've ever seen in a Western type RPG.
  20. MikeZillaGames
    Jan 26, 2016
    8
    Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a re-release of the old 2012 title out now on PC. It's been a while, but in all honesty I would say that I probably would have given the game a 7 if not for great performance and lots of new content.

    Dragon's Dogma is sort of like a mash-up between Monster Hunter and Dark souls, putting you in a dangerous dark fantasy world as the 'Arisen', an incarnation    Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a re-release of the old 2012 title out now on PC. It's been a while, but in all honesty I would say that I probably would have given the game a 7 if not for great performance and lots of new content.

    Dragon's Dogma is sort of like a mash-up between Monster Hunter and Dark souls, putting you in a dangerous dark fantasy world as the 'Arisen', an incarnation of an ancient hero who will kill an evil dragon...It's essentially the same plot as 50% of other RPGs out there. But, what it lacks in deep story and character depth, it makes up with gameplay...most of the time, at least.

    The game's biggest strength is certainly it's combat system. Big monster boss fights feel epic, and climbing onto big creatures to kill them is loads of fun. Smaller skirmishes work just as well, with a great skill system combat always feels fresh.

    Atmosphere and the sense of exploration are other things that will keep you coming back. The game knows how to rack up the tension, as well, and the day-and-night cycle will having you take meticulous care of time management. Trust me, you don't wanna be out in the dark in this game.

    Game's got it's fair share of problems...some of them quite annoying. Whereas a game like Dark Souls might be hard, the game seems fair...yet I can't say all that is true in the case of Dragon's Dogma. This is the kind of game where you'll be dumbfounded as to HOW THE HELL you and your party just murdered a huge cyclops boss, only for you to be killed by a single wolf's bite a little later. The answer to the problem is to go get stronger, but you may frequently find problems with combat...especially if you like to explore.

    Other problems include a pain in the butt interface, some annoying and constant NPC banter (can turn it off, thank god) and poor inventory management. But, if you can forgive that stuff and you're up for a challenge, I will recommend it.    … Expand
  21. yosa1
    Feb 3, 2016
    7
    I have both liked and swore vehemently at the game, the fact that I swore at it so much is the reason I bother to write about it.

    This is a good game and here is why; exploring areas is always a good thing and this game lets me explore right until I find the Drake which soundly killed me. Fighting epic monsters , there overpowered and cheap with there moves, but I spent some time just    I have both liked and swore vehemently at the game, the fact that I swore at it so much is the reason I bother to write about it.

    This is a good game and here is why; exploring areas is always a good thing and this game lets me explore right until I find the Drake which soundly killed me.
    Fighting epic monsters , there overpowered and cheap with there moves, but I spent some time just hunting them down, that dam drake come to mind, I like the idea of high level monsters making you think twice.
    Class crossover , this creates a persistence that makes me want to play an archer then go back to another class.

    This is an RPG ,just as addictive as many RPGs I have played : it plays well, the PC version suffers no large bugs I can see(ui mouse cant cant complain)

    these 10/10 rating just need to go, as this game is not one of those; it is a good game.    … Expand
  22. Trogdur
    Jan 16, 2016
    9
    tl;dr If you like action RPGs and also enjoy a challenge then there is no reason you should skip this game. Do yourself a favor and play this game, it might possibly be your favorite game of all time.

    If you are any fan of action RPGs then this game is definitely for you. Honestly there isn't much choice for this genre outside the Souls games. However this game was directed by Hideaki    tl;dr If you like action RPGs and also enjoy a challenge then there is no reason you should skip this game. Do yourself a favor and play this game, it might possibly be your favorite game of all time.

    If you are any fan of action RPGs then this game is definitely for you. Honestly there isn't much choice for this genre outside the Souls games. However this game was directed by Hideaki Itsuno who also directed the Devil May Cry series so this game's combat and mechanics are hands down second to none. The combat is better than any souls game and the variety in play styles will keep you entertained for dozens of hours. The combat is also very challenging and Hard Mode is only recommended for veteran players, you WILL be one shot by large monsters even with decent gear. You've been warned.

    The only thing that keeps this game from me giving it a 10/10 is the game's story presentation. This game is all about the action and lacks polish in that department. It's not bad at all, but comparatively it could be much better. But that doesn't mean this game lacks in content, with Bitter Black Isle and the main game content you can easily spend over 100 hours before seeing everything. This game was made on a budget and considering what they did with how much money they had it is insanely impressive. If Dragon's Dogma had even close to the budget that Skyrim had then this game would be heralded as the best game of all time by nearly anyone. Such a shame.    … Expand
  23. marc5477
    Jul 26, 2017
    4
    Very generic game. It has some interesting combat aspects when you run into a "boss" but otherwise it is a dreadful bore. You can only have up to 6 attacks at one time which makes combat monotonous and insanely repetitive. You can switch in new moves but in due time they get boring too. It reminds me a lot of old action adventure games on the NES except that those did a better job ofVery generic game. It has some interesting combat aspects when you run into a "boss" but otherwise it is a dreadful bore. You can only have up to 6 attacks at one time which makes combat monotonous and insanely repetitive. You can switch in new moves but in due time they get boring too. It reminds me a lot of old action adventure games on the NES except that those did a better job of progressing story and action. The amount of repetition in this game is unbelievable. I played about 15 hours into the game and I think I have seen a total of about 10 enemy types... You go back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and its just the same thing over and over. Kill x number of these and collect x number of those. The quests are like a boring MMO but the game itself plays a lot like a aRPG like diablo 3. I wish it had something more unique or interesting to offer but I didnt see it. The story is also completely uninteresting and not engaging in the least. The "pawn" system (aka party system) is doorknob dumb as well. You can only customize one other party member and though you can have two others, they are just randomly generated tools that you throw away whenever you level (because they themselves do not level).

    I think the game tried to be too many things and in the end was not good at anything. It is very similar to Dragon Age Inquisition which suffered from basically the same thing though I think DAI was slightly better than this. The aRPG elements are too repetitive and boring and given the way the party elements work, its practically impossible to die unless you take a cheap hit from a cheesy enemy. Tactics? What tactics lol? Traditional RPG elements like character building are meaningless since the game is heavily item based and since you can switch back and forth whenever you want rendering RPG system irrelevant. Quests are copy and past from the most generic MMO you can find. The open world aspects tried to mimic the Elder Scrolls but instead everything is a narrow corridor and the game felt extremely closed. Exploration is meaningless in this game.

    Lastly, and I didnt grade it down for this though I should have, this is clearly a console port. The UI and controls on this game are atrocious and completely unacceptable for modern PC game. No wheel scroll. Backspace to save an option? You cant target anything directly, they just need to be in the vicinity and when there is more than one, you cant specify which to hit easily (insanely annoying). Cant aim range attacks unless you have a target locked (fireballs will just fly off into space). Cant hotkey attacks, instead you can only use 3 buttons and combine them with control or alt. Etc.

    Last, and again I didnt knock it down for this but... the graphics are horrendous even at the highest settings.    … Expand
  24. Jedah-66
    Jan 15, 2016
    10
    I gave this game a 10. Now that might seem like a fan boy review but it isn't. I see a lot of flaws with this game, but when it shines it shines brighter than anything else. Yes, the graphics are dated. Yes, the story is sparse. But the game play... holy hell. It offers such variety that you can go through this game multiple times and have it feel fresh each and every play-through.I gave this game a 10. Now that might seem like a fan boy review but it isn't. I see a lot of flaws with this game, but when it shines it shines brighter than anything else. Yes, the graphics are dated. Yes, the story is sparse. But the game play... holy hell. It offers such variety that you can go through this game multiple times and have it feel fresh each and every play-through.

    Nothing, not even Dark Souls/Bloodborne can compare to the gameplay offered here. It is fluid and easy to learn, but has depth and requires strategy. Many enemies have weaknesses and discovering them is half the fun. Don't want the griffin to fly away? Set his wings on fire. It is thoughtful strategies like this, which the game is compacted with, that make it such an amazing experience.

    The score is mostly beautiful, with adrenaline punctuated themes and hauntingly somber melodies played as called for. Your first encounter with a massive enemy is all the more exciting when the song "End of the Struggle" plays and you seethe in the victory.

    My favorite part of the game is how each major task feels like a real journey you may not come back from. If you go ill prepared you will have a very hard time. So don't be afraid to stock up on recovery items.

    And I can't end this review without speaking a little about the dragon. For me a little philosophy is necessary to completely enjoy a game and be immersed with it, and the dragon is the focal point of the games philosophy. People complain about the thinness of the story and it is true that it is somewhat slow, but when you learn of the reason why the game has the title it has it becomes a very compelling and thought provoking tale.

    In short, this is a great game and in spite of flaws it excels on so many levels that I could not get enough, so I give it a 10. It's a masterwork all that you can't go wrong with purchasing. Now go buy it!    … Expand
  25. Thothistox
    Feb 19, 2016
    5
    I really don't know why people rave about the combat in this game. This is a typical experience playing as a mage: you have fireballs and lightning bolts and a staff that can throw projectiles... but your character won't aim any of this stuff until you get within close range of your enemies. Worse still, your spells take time to cast. When you have enough time that can mean that you'llI really don't know why people rave about the combat in this game. This is a typical experience playing as a mage: you have fireballs and lightning bolts and a staff that can throw projectiles... but your character won't aim any of this stuff until you get within close range of your enemies. Worse still, your spells take time to cast. When you have enough time that can mean that you'll blast your enemies without taking a hit, but if you don't then you'll repeatedly take hits, get stunned, and die. Most fights are all or nothing in this bizarre way, and what you do in them feels like it isn't very strategic or even really under your control. It's a bit like playing dragon age inquisition without the tactical pause, except you could at least execute ranged attacks there.

    The talents are a bit imbalanced. Basic elemental skills are there, along with stuff no one tested and no one would ever use such as the ability to silence or blind your enemies. Or how about the ability to enchant your allies' weapons? This enchanting takes so long and is so cumbersome to aim and has so little effect that I can't imagine a non-NPC ever using it. It's essentially a supporting character's talent only. Long story short: most talents are useless.

    Levelling also feels unsatisfying somehow. You have to go to the innkeeper to "buy" talents? I've never seen something so off key in an RPG.

    The difficulty curve also feels imbalanced. Since enemies respawn (which really takes a lot away from any game), you'll fight and pop the weaker goons very easily, only to be quickly annihilated by similar ones further away from your starting area. This sort of thing was acceptable a decade ago when Gothic did it, but I don't think a modern game can get a free pass here.

    The game contains montages and story telling that sometimes does actually engage a little, but it lacks characters. I consider characters to be one of the central facets of the genre, but the overt blandness of DD borders on the surreal. It seems like half the characters you encounter are "pawns" -- lobotomized cannon fodder with lines of dialogue that are triggered by location on the map or sometimes combat situations. It's nice for others to comment on what happens in a game, but sometimes they get it wrong and they do it so much it gets annoying quickly. (This is especially true when they tell you to block or counter--which you can't do as a mage.) It's like playing a Dragon Age game except half the characters are Tranquil. The other half may as well be Tranquil too, as there's very little to differentiate them from pawns.

    On the up side, at least some of the scenery is nice. Mountains feel big in this game, and so do castles. The graphics are ugly, but the design of the scenery is occasionally worth some exploration time, even if you must do it while fighting the same respawning mobs over and over.

    As some have pointed out, the UI is terrible. I don't usually complain about UIs, but this one is the most shameless console port I've ever seen. Inventory management takes up a third of my time. Exiting the game takes around 20 seconds to do.

    I'll admit that I didn't finish the game... which is a rarity for me. I actually stuck it out with Two World II or Gothic 3 for instance, but I don't know if I'll have the patience for this. If I play it anymore I'll probably turn into a pawn myself.    … Expand
  26. SchladenFlaten
    Jan 18, 2016
    8
    I love this game, quirks and all. Never played it on console (I'm glad so it's an all new experience for me!)

    This game tried to do so many things, for better or worse. Little mechanics and game situations people who dismiss this as generic fantasy, will miss out on. Like wolves attempting to roll on the ground if on fire. In an almost Metal Gear style it can be full of hidden mechanics    I love this game, quirks and all. Never played it on console (I'm glad so it's an all new experience for me!)

    This game tried to do so many things, for better or worse. Little mechanics and game situations people who dismiss this as generic fantasy, will miss out on. Like wolves attempting to roll on the ground if on fire. In an almost Metal Gear style it can be full of hidden mechanics and details, just hidden under it's generic tropes.

    It's bloody brilliant, that's all I will say. The story, very disjointed - this one is more about the gameplay but it's got everything where it counts. It may look it's age but the sound design is phenomenal!

    I gave it a 10/10 only because I own several 2015, 2016 AAA games and this is what I'm choosing and wanting to play.

    On it's own, forgiving it's outdated look I'd say an 8.5 or 9/10.    … Expand
  27. Ivan
    Jan 25, 2016
    9
    One of the best RPG. I look forward to a new dragon 's dogma with modern graphics and a good plot...
    Combat System 20
    Environment 9
    Graphics 6
    Story 4
  28. kingofkoopas
    Jan 15, 2016
    8
    I reviewd this game for PS3 some time ago, coming to PC will enhance things im sure of it. I think i did the game justice with my review, go check it out.
  29. zerovolume
    Jan 22, 2016
    9
    A tremendously fun, addictive and rewarding game. Imagine the Witcher 3 with less story but MUCH better combat and exploration, or Dark Souls with more fluidity and less one-note brutality, or Skyrim with better everything. A near perfect RPG experience.
  30. Nyarulathotep
    Mar 12, 2016
    9
    Originally played the Dark Arisen version on the PS3. Now in 2016 bought it again, this time for PC.
    This is probably my favorite Ps3 game, and with good reason.
    Have you ever read the manga Berserk? Or any fiction based in medieval times? If you like that era, you most probably will like Dragon's Dogma. The game's world is open ended, so you are free to explore it as you see fit. But    Originally played the Dark Arisen version on the PS3. Now in 2016 bought it again, this time for PC.
    This is probably my favorite Ps3 game, and with good reason.

    Have you ever read the manga Berserk? Or any fiction based in medieval times? If you like that era, you most probably will like Dragon's Dogma.
    The game's world is open ended, so you are free to explore it as you see fit. But do it carefully, as you will find all the typical monsters found in medieval stories.
    Goblins, big ogres, minotaurs, dragons, harpies...its all there.

    The battle system is real-time action. You choose a class (fighter, ranger and mage), you equip a weapon and armor of choice, equip skills and spells, level up, etc just like a normal rpg. Whats different here is that you can climb the big enemies. And it feels great. You will never forget the first time you jump on a griffin, grab it by the neck, and slash it with your sword while the monster takes off flying with you on its back.

    The plot is about your main character becoming the "Arisen", that is pretty much the hero fated to slay the dragon. But that's not all. The Arisen also has his followers called "Pawns", human-like dolls who only purpose in life is to serve you.
    At first you get only one Pawn, that you yourself create and choose the appearance to your liking. But later you will be able to invite other player's Pawns to your game to help you on your journey.
    When I played it the first time I had this group of friends, and we all played Dragon's Dogma, and we would invite each others Pawn to our games, gift items and equipments, take each other Pawn on quests and places to teach them about it, etc.
    Even though the game doesnt have an actual multiplayer mode, I believe having friends to change Pawns with is the best way to fully experience the game.
    But of course, the game is also very much enjoyable playing by yourself, as you can also pick offline Pawns if you want.
    You can also search for random Pawns on the nexus made by random players too.
    A total of two pawns can be invited to your game, and including your own pawn you can go explore with a party of four members, with the Arisen as leader.
    Orders can be issued to your Pawns, and each has a class and can equip weapons and armors just like the player.

    The only reason I don't give this game a 10 is because a lot of content was cut from the final product.
    No, that doesn't mean that Dragon's Dogma feels unfinished.
    It means that it was THIS close to being a perfect game.
    For more info on that just use google and you will know what I mean.
    Besides that, I really can't think of one thing to complain about this game.
    Maybe just the plot that is a bit weak at times and fails to make much sense, but tis all part of the cut content situation I already mentioned.

    Another important thing to note is that the expansion "Dark Arisen" is one of the best expansions ever made for a game, in my honest opinion. Be sure to play through it to the end, no matter how hard it gets.
    It will all be worth it, I promise.0    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best PC Game of 2016
36
#36 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
68
#68 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 62 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 62
  3. Negative: 0 out of 62
  1. IGN Denmark
    Apr 6, 2016
    90
    An underdog of the role-playing scene in 2010, now available in an even prettier version.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Mar 30, 2016
    90
    All Dragon’s Dogma’s drawbacks (i.e. repetitive quests, occasional boring backtracking, poor checkpoint system) become irrelevant when you focus on what this game does well (i.e. truly impressive combat), because it does it better than any other action RPG. [03/2016, p.36]
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Mar 24, 2016
    80
    The story is trite but the action, Pawn system and inclusion of DLC made Dragon's Dogma: DA a very compelling purchase. [Issue#248, p.64]
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