Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

A kick-ass second chance at one of the best action RPGs released in the past decade. [June 2013, p77]

Dragon’s Dogma isn't for everyone. It’s a time consuming and often brutal title, and its original flaws still remain – but the inclusion of Dark Arisen is just enough to push Capcom’s grand RPG up there with the best that the genre has to offer. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more rewarding, dynamic, and atmospheric adventure on the PS3.

This expansion continues to exude the of strange charm of the original, in spite of retaining all of its awkwardness. But, again, this Dragon's Dogma manages to grow in parallel to the engagement you display. You're going to sweat, you're going to get really, really mad – all of which makes your hard earned triumphs all the sweeter. You'll gaze in amazement at some of the sights the well designed Bitterblack dungeon has to offer, an island you'll just as much struggle to comprehend as Gransys before it. Maybe that is why in total I'm 200 hours into this and the original, and I still can't get enough of it.

Dark Arisen improves on the already excellent original game. The Bitterblack Isle is an interesting addition for a mid to high level characters. [May 2013]

The same game as the original, but with all DLC included and a new area to explore. A bit weird, but the extra content is worth the money. There aren't exactly any improvements though, so if you had any complaints about the original, they will still be present here.

If you missed out on Dragon’s Dogma the first time around, Dark Arisen is a must-play. Arisen’s content is different from the original game, but in a way that’s additive when combined with the experience. On the other end of the spectrum, dedicated Dogma fans will get their money’s worth thanks to the increased level cap, scads of new items, and new end-game boss encounters.

The real winner here ends up being folk who never experienced the original Dragon’s Dogma. With this release you have an opportunity to experience one of the most refreshing, exciting and different Japanese RPGs of the last decade in its most complete form, and at a bargain basement price.

Dark Arisen is a great expansion for a game that was already loaded with content.

Dark Arisen offers far more than the average DLC. There are more than twenty new demonic types of monsters, a ton of new skills and loads of new gear to wear. Dark Arisen feels more like a half finished sequel than a DLC package. [May 2013, p.90]

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen still has a few of the problems the original release had, but the sheer amount of adventuring and new sadistic areas to traverse more than makes up for the occasionally annoying pawns. In terms of gameplay, it's still a magnificent game, well balanced and an exciting game world to explore with plenty of loot to collect and enemies to slay.

Dark Arisen is definite a play to Dragon's Dogma's strengths and it turns out well for it. There is still work to be done for the series, particularly in bulking up the story and world, but there's lots of highly addictive fun to be had from exploring Bitterblack Isle's depths.

It is highly recommended for anyone who loves RPG's and a great opportunity for those who have not bought it yet.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is an expansion with no great aspirations, but that sports all the necessary elements to be desirable by all who played the original game. New weapons, enemies and environments will renew our interest in this classic-gameplay title.

Quotation forthcoming.

With Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, Capcom has done a great job offering a refined experience to both new players and hardcore fans of this fantasy game. If you've never played Dragon's Dogma this is a must buy, hands down.

The Dark Arisen expansion content pushes the boundaries of fairness towards the end and saves its best rewards for the most dedicated, but in terms of design and ambience it’s an encouraging indication of what this talented team might come up with next.

If you like old school RPGs, but never played the original release, buying Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen may be the best fifty dollars you’ll spend all year. If you bought the original, and all the downloadable missions, sorry people, prepared to get gouged.

An interesting RPG, just like the original Dragon's Dogma. The new content and gameplay tweaks add to the experience, but the underlying faults of the game still stand. It's a beautiful idea and a very promising universe: we definitely look forward to a proper sequel.

Technical issues aside and unfair difficulty in some quests don’t stop Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen from being an enjoyable and exciting RPG. While fans of the original may feel ripped off with the lack of any game changing enhancements, a lowered retail price suggests that Capcom is reaching out to newcomers who will get the most out of this release. To those newcomers I strongly suggest giving it a go.

It’s not an add-on but rather a Game of the Year edition of Dragon’s Dogma. Exploring the Bitterblack Isle (new content intended for veteran players with a high level party) is basically a dungeon crawler and this face of the game I enjoyed much more than the open world of Gransys. [CD-Action 06/2013, p.76]

Bitterback isle is a wonderful dungeon and a pleasure to explore, but as a package Dark Arisen is let down by Capcom's cynical attempt to squeeze more cash out of dedicated fans. [June 2013, p.74]

Available with an attractive price, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen will please lovers of this kind of game. This extension still offers a variety of new stuff which is primarily about the content. For the gameplay or graphics rendering, no change was found. What has been the strength and vitality of the game was preserved, but not only, because AI defects are once again present. Rather annoying for a game already released a year earlier. Finally, fans who have Dragon's Dogma, 2012 version, can still feel a little aggrieved because pay € 30 for this extension is a bit excessive. The output of a PSN shift have covered some interest.

It’s the price that makes this a tricky one to recommend, rather than the content. For first-time buyers this £20 bundle (which includes the original game) is a bargain, but for the hardcore player it’s designed for, that same price is a big ask when you already own the main course. Veterans should knock a point off, but curious bystanders have the perfect excuse to enjoy an offbeat gem.