Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 340 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 270 out of 340
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 340
  3. Negative: 36 out of 340
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  1. Penetratos
    Apr 29, 2013
    10
    Great Game!!! One of the best Games ever, and i played a lot! The combat, the feeling when you encounter an ENORMOUS monster, the voice acting, the AI, the pawns, the weapons etc. etc. I liked the game more then skyrim or Dark Souls. Its more challengig (espacially at hard mode) and more rewarding. You will love it, AS I DO The Addon give new weapons enemies, and about 30-40 HoursGreat Game!!! One of the best Games ever, and i played a lot! The combat, the feeling when you encounter an ENORMOUS monster, the voice acting, the AI, the pawns, the weapons etc. etc. I liked the game more then skyrim or Dark Souls. Its more challengig (espacially at hard mode) and more rewarding. You will love it, AS I DO The Addon give new weapons enemies, and about 30-40 Hours game Time Together with Dragons dogma you have Over 120 Hours for rough 30€… Expand
  2. Valar
    May 6, 2013
    10
    Actually registered to metacritic just to comment on this game. It is brilliant!! Spent just 10 hours in it admittedly but i know if will spend another 100 atleast over the next couple months. Never had so much fun with combat in an rpg. A warning though.. It is very very addictive. It will consume you (I received my copy 12 hours ago and already taken an off from work :shock:
  3. GrumpyReviewer
    Jun 3, 2013
    8
    An (almost) perfect game gets its expansion pack. That's pretty much it. Honestly? I just can't get enough out of Dragon's Dogma. When I picked it up, sometime ago, I was mesmerized with just how good it was. I have finished it twice, now, and for me it's one of the best open world medieval game to date. It's better than Kingdom of Amalur and I'll just say it Skyrim. I could not giveAn (almost) perfect game gets its expansion pack. That's pretty much it. Honestly? I just can't get enough out of Dragon's Dogma. When I picked it up, sometime ago, I was mesmerized with just how good it was. I have finished it twice, now, and for me it's one of the best open world medieval game to date. It's better than Kingdom of Amalur and I'll just say it Skyrim. I could not give Skyrim more than 2 hours, it just did not hook me. With Dragon's Dogma? Hooked from the first to the last minute. Now, regarding the actual expansion pack, the "Dark Arisen". A little sub par in my opinion. This game deserved a new map, yes, but not a new dungeon which Dark Arisen actually is. Nothing more than that. New dungeon, new enemies, new loot, new quests and more difficult. And that's it. I was hoping for a new city (hub), like Gran Soren, a new plot, new places to visit. But it's a great package, no question about it, especially for those who never picked the game up back when it was released. Great time filler. Or stealer.… Expand
  4. Half-lifeer
    Jan 20, 2014
    10
    My top RPG's (Counting hours i played):
    Darks Souls - 400 hours
    Skyrim - 300 hours Dragon's Dogma: DA - 270 hours They are all unique in their own way, great rpg's, but neither DS nor Skyrim has as Epic Boss battles as Dragon's Dogma, which should be a selling point for every rpg fan. There are some problems here and there, like annoying companions/Pawns repeating stupid **** over    My top RPG's (Counting hours i played):
    Darks Souls - 400 hours
    Skyrim - 300 hours
    Dragon's Dogma: DA - 270 hours

    They are all unique in their own way, great rpg's, but neither DS nor Skyrim has as Epic Boss battles as Dragon's Dogma, which should be a selling point for every rpg fan. There are some problems here and there, like annoying companions/Pawns repeating stupid **** over and over, but alot have been fixed in Dark Arisen, so i will recommend buying both game and DLC. Some complained it was to hard, well then you are too impatient and i wouldn't recommend you Dark Souls either, but if you like being challenged and have some awesome; boss battles, loot, magic, etc. give it a shoot! It's cheap to!    … Expand
  5. shenkman
    Sep 5, 2013
    10
    I think that Dragon's dogma is one of the best games that was ever created on consoles. There are only a tiny bunch of games on the market, that deliver an amazing feeling of adventure...and Dragon"s dogma is one of them. You dive into amazing world of Dragons, goblins, witches and other monstrous creatures. Fighting mechanics is amazing and I can assure you that i don't know any otherI think that Dragon's dogma is one of the best games that was ever created on consoles. There are only a tiny bunch of games on the market, that deliver an amazing feeling of adventure...and Dragon"s dogma is one of them. You dive into amazing world of Dragons, goblins, witches and other monstrous creatures. Fighting mechanics is amazing and I can assure you that i don't know any other R.P.G. game that can compete with Dragon's dogma beautiful combat. But it's not the combat that makes this game so beautiful...it's the unique feeling of adventure that you get each time when you start up a new quest or a side mission. If you like games like Fallout 3, Dark Souls etc, then I can assure you that you will fall in love with this great game.… Expand
  6. DutchDagger
    May 8, 2013
    10
    One of the best modern RPG's available. The combat for melee, ranged, and magic are all great and you actually feel like you're in a real, living world. While the world has a few problems that break the immersion, like respawning enemies and boulder traps that reset themselves, it is still quite magical. The graphics are good, but for some reasons the cutscenes look worse than theOne of the best modern RPG's available. The combat for melee, ranged, and magic are all great and you actually feel like you're in a real, living world. While the world has a few problems that break the immersion, like respawning enemies and boulder traps that reset themselves, it is still quite magical. The graphics are good, but for some reasons the cutscenes look worse than the gameplay. The sound is good for an RPG as well.

    Graphics: 9
    Gameplay: 10
    Sound: 10
    Setting: 10

    The only thing I would add to this game would be online multiplayer co-op. Playing this game with a friend would be one of the best gaming experiences ever.    … Expand
  7. RPGcritics
    May 16, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the best RPG of the last decade!

    Hell, I spent 400 hours in it so far and I am still not bored!

    This would be a blast to play with friends instead of the (really) dumb pawns :)

    Only negative would be the pawn-intelligence, a few monsters that can be exploit-killed (cyclopes out of corridors) and the really unfair second form of the dark arisen final boss!

    I NEED MORE OF THAT! :D    … Expand
  8. Armnexian
    Jun 5, 2013
    9
    Definitely in the top 10 games of this console generation.

    Pros: The combat is perfect for an RPG and arguably the best in any genre that doesn't limit itself to action or a hack 'n' slash The music comes in at the best of times, which are the most epic moments whether climbing on a Griffon and bringing it down to the ground or falling off of a cliff while holding onto the eyeball of a    Definitely in the top 10 games of this console generation.

    Pros: The combat is perfect for an RPG and arguably the best in any genre that doesn't limit itself to action or a hack 'n' slash
    The music comes in at the best of times, which are the most epic moments whether climbing on a Griffon and bringing it down to the ground or falling off of a cliff while holding onto the eyeball of a Cyclops. It definitely captures a portion of the grand feeling of taking down a colossus.
    The story is practically non-existent until you inevitably fight the Giant Dragon, that is where it becomes an accomplishment in videogame story history.

    Cons: The only cons of this game come from the performance on the platforms
    The frame rate will fluctuate between 30 frames per second to 15 frames per second
    The graphics are reached to their maximum potential without sacrificing even worse of a FPS drop (lag)
    The voice acting and motion capture are also lacking quality and look ridiculous (especially when someone gives you an item    … Expand
  9. Avantyr
    Dec 14, 2013
    10
    A must buy for any action RPG fans.
    The best game I have played on PS3. It is beautiful, fun and the combat and upgrade systems will keep you wanting for more. At times you can experience some slowdown, but that is more the PS3 barely handling the awesome that is this game. Best $40 i've spent on my PS3.
    You can't go wrong, the expansion made it better, specially the Eternal Ferrystone.
  10. aspentitan
    Jun 6, 2013
    9
    Fabulous game. There are some features that could be done better but overall this game is impressive. The thing that strikes me most about this game is some battles become absolutely epic, and in 6 years of gaming and owning over 300 games this is the first time I'm saying that about any game. Graphics seem both dull and spectacular at the same time, I believe this means that graphicsFabulous game. There are some features that could be done better but overall this game is impressive. The thing that strikes me most about this game is some battles become absolutely epic, and in 6 years of gaming and owning over 300 games this is the first time I'm saying that about any game. Graphics seem both dull and spectacular at the same time, I believe this means that graphics could be better but that at times you become so fully immersed in fantasy it becomes more than what you see on screen. One feature i really liked in this game was the crafting and upgrading pathways and how in this game weight and inventory seem believable relative to most other RPGs where you can carry sometimes more than 50 armors for example. The game can be tedious and repetitive but what matters to me is that the game can be played basically according to your wants and desires. Crafting different party types is fun and exploratory and dynamically I'm entertained. A lot of thought was given to allowing a ton of player choice in the build of characters and downstream play style. Overall the game is addictive and it is very easy to spend 30 hrs just getting going in this game. Its a part time job type of game but I see that as a good thing. It pulls you in repetition aside. I don't have much to complain about, the style of these games are always high maintenance but i judge these games more so on whether they are glitched with software bugs and overall this one is very clean. Given the price, the amount of hours the game will keep you busy and the replay value its very hard for me not to score this game as a must own game rated near perfect but not quite, a 9 seems a great score. My only possible complaint about the game is with respect to the characters having primary and secondary abilities and incongruencies with those. Many times I see characters utilizing a secondary ability ahead of their primary one. I do understand that the characters also have roles with primary and secondary decisions on actions but at times the battle stances of the characters just seems not to be according to the strategies you choose the characters to portray. I can't be too critical of this though, it is a complex system and the game is beyond fun still and does not lock you into keeping your party the entire game so lots of opportunity around this potential problem.… Expand
  11. Alanh
    Jun 14, 2013
    10
    Absolutely love this game, for me I enjoy is as a blend of dark/demon souls with a touch of skyrim and resident evil item blending. Attacking monsters reminds me a bit of The Witcher 1 on my pc, overall absolutely love this game. And for 30$ what a steal!!! Challenging at times (much easier than dark/demon souls), and addicting. Lots of items and decent amount of loot. Dont like noAbsolutely love this game, for me I enjoy is as a blend of dark/demon souls with a touch of skyrim and resident evil item blending. Attacking monsters reminds me a bit of The Witcher 1 on my pc, overall absolutely love this game. And for 30$ what a steal!!! Challenging at times (much easier than dark/demon souls), and addicting. Lots of items and decent amount of loot. Dont like no multiplier and PVP though...… Expand
  12. djwille88
    May 7, 2013
    8
    I have the original but lost my game save after my Ps 3 died. Started up a new game got about 10 hours in then purchased DA. The extra RC and infinite ferry stone has helped a ton on some of the annoying back tracking I had with the vanilla game. The combat is very good and the different class vocation's really keep the game fresh.

    Entered into Bitterblack Isle as a lvl 37 mage and    I have the original but lost my game save after my Ps 3 died. Started up a new game got about 10 hours in then purchased DA. The extra RC and infinite ferry stone has helped a ton on some of the annoying back tracking I had with the vanilla game. The combat is very good and the different class vocation's really keep the game fresh.

    Entered into Bitterblack Isle as a lvl 37 mage and I'm having a blast so far playing. There's some pretty tough areas but I've managed it so far with out dying. I think it's good purchase if you liked the original game.

    I'd have to rate Dragon's Dogma my 3rd favorite RPG behind the Demon's/Dark Souls series.    … Expand
  13. MrRPG
    Apr 29, 2013
    10
    I loved the original dragons dogma apart from all the DLC, and with Dark Arisen you receive the original game, all the dlc and the amazing expansion all for $40..
    Everything has been upgraded, graphics, sound, gameplay, it's one of the best value games out for Ps3 consoles..
    Dark arisen is very similar in difficulty to dark souls, but with a (my opinion) more enjoyable combat system..
  14. Caste
    May 20, 2013
    9
    It doesn't have top-notch graphics but the rest is outstanding.
    The game duration, classes, hundreds of missions and the vast world map are more than enough to make you want it.
  15. GMJohn
    Apr 30, 2013
    9
    Amazing game, for €30 you can't go wrong. A must buy for any rpg fan. Can get difficult at times but some level grinding does the trick. The monster encounters are amazing, some of which could last a solid 30 minutes. Great game with great combat, but the story is a little flat but that didn't tarnish the game for me at all.
  16. kairock
    Apr 26, 2013
    8
    Well worth the 40usd if u haven't played the original. this is a content packed game that will last hundreds of hours.

    but for those with the original game, it might not be worth it unless your're a big fan of the game.
  17. Samtheman53
    Feb 26, 2014
    10
    Brilliant game. The variety of monsters, quests, classes, weapons makes this game an absolute joy to play. Alot of re playability too.
    A definant buy for anyone who likes RPGs
  18. Cheif_30
    Dec 15, 2013
    10
    I bought this game a few months ago and have not stopped playing it. Graphics are incredible, the story line is decent, character/ monster designs are phenomenal and the gameplay is amazingly smooth, considering the action on your screen. To top it off there is an incredible community that plays this game and they (we) are responsive and helpful. No, it isn't 100% perfect, but if II bought this game a few months ago and have not stopped playing it. Graphics are incredible, the story line is decent, character/ monster designs are phenomenal and the gameplay is amazingly smooth, considering the action on your screen. To top it off there is an incredible community that plays this game and they (we) are responsive and helpful. No, it isn't 100% perfect, but if I could've made a game myself it would be a lot like Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen.… Expand
  19. SyrupForDragons
    Jun 13, 2014
    10
    This is the most underrated game ever made. It has the best combat in gaming, there is NO debate. It has a fun & creative pawn system & terrific loot. Its story, contrary to popular dissemination, is one of the most intricately woven stories you'll find in gaming -- you just have to find it, because this game isn't going to hold your hand.
  20. ADIL
    Jun 17, 2013
    9
    Game is very strong and beautiful
    The map is open and difficult tasks, especially killing monsters
    It was modified and a new option with the easy level update
    Shi best in this version of the game is complete with added at a good price
  21. diehard-gamer
    May 29, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragons dogma is one of the best games I have ever played. I have played it through, end to end, three times, Its hard to cover the specifics of my likes and dislikes without giving SPOILERS so I've ticked the spoiler box. You have been warned. I like the graphics, the controls, the story and the ending. The bit I dont like is the massive increase in difficulty once you defeat the initial dragon. Before defeating the initial dragon you can probably defeat 10 goblins quickly and single handedly. After defeating the dragon, even a single goblin will be a handful. In the walk from the village back to the city you will encounter (the usual) pack of goblins who will give you a surprise challenge. Then you encounter a pack of hellhound who will probably own you. My party was level 55 and the hell hounds flattened us without raising a sweat. It suddenly gets that difficult, that quickly, with no warning! The land is a bit limited in size. If your're used to skyrims open spaces, Dragons Dogma will feel a bit 'small'. Story wise, its a bit odd that all the outlying human outposts are still standing after the monsters get supertough its even more odd that the soldiers in the dukes castle try to kill you on sight, but all the other soldiers (even in the rest of the city) just treat you as if nothings happened. Also, if you happen to choose a femal character, as I did the third time, everyone (except the female bandits) still treat you and speak to you as if you were male. Grumbles aside its a brilliant game different to but easily as good as Skyrim in its own way.… Expand
  22. Wyrdmaven
    Jun 21, 2013
    9
    I gave a pass on Dragon's Dogma last year when it was released. I thought the name was off and pretentious (but they have to name it something other than Dungeons 'n' Dragons) and there was a little bit of buzz here and there and then many of the reviews were meh. There was the demo, which seemed overly short and didn't really give you a sense of the game. It hadn't been a but a fewI gave a pass on Dragon's Dogma last year when it was released. I thought the name was off and pretentious (but they have to name it something other than Dungeons 'n' Dragons) and there was a little bit of buzz here and there and then many of the reviews were meh. There was the demo, which seemed overly short and didn't really give you a sense of the game. It hadn't been a but a few months since Skyrim was out and while I think most conspiracy theories are hokum, it does appear that DD was in that game's shadow, back in the time when it was thought Skyrim would actually function on PS3. Of course if Skyrim was an automobile, it would have been recalled.

    Back to Dragon's Dogma, tho. Even now, there are some reviews out there that do not want DD to be as good a game as it really is. I can tell you, it's hard to play the game while kicking one's self in the rear, but that's what I'm doing now that I've picked up the (new, improved, cheaper) DD: Dark Arisen. Dang, this game is impressive. It is a deep, Dragons & Dungeons type RPG of the western genre. The attention to detail, from the voice acting, the depth of it, from NPCs to Pawns, monsters, etc. to the solidity of the world, the lighting effects, that it really is DARK at night in the woods and caves, etc. like it is supposed to be...this game was a labor of love. The combat is challenging, not at all a mindless hack-slash, lots of loot, item crafting, detail to weapons and clothing/armor, hidden chests...just make a list of what a fantasy RPG should have, and it's here.

    Your own character, the animations of the monsters, the pawns, has a realism and attention to detail to them that is uncanny. The little touches like putting away a lantern, how you move over the landscape, sliding down the sides of ravines, scrambling over rocks...to me, it beats Skyrim in these respects.

    But what has my mouth gaping open about this game is the pawns. The AI doesn't feel artificial at times...it's spooky. And smart. I mean the game tells you that they're immortal, but soulless/conscious-less slaves early on, which automatically excuses any AI traits like getting stuck behind a boulder they can walk around, or suddenly running like a rugby player...but when you are just standing around planning an attack on goblins, they're rummaging around gathering, filling their flasks with oil or water, telling you unbidden hints about quests they know something about. They're your minions and it's an awesome feeling. The system that you can get a pawn someone else has used in a quest and then you use it to help you with your quest...It just doesn't feel right, in a video game, for this to work so well.

    But yeah, there's some opportunities here that got missed. The NPC animations, the movements of the body and face are distracting in their ineptitude. Has EVERYbody in this fantasy world had a stroke
    ? It is also not clear what crates and barrels you can break to get loot. And it's not clear when you go in someone's home whether or not the flask on the table, right in front of a NPC is available for "stealing" without consequence. Also, it is often hard to notice loot as the glow is often quite subtle. While the night/day dynamic is interesting, I mean it's dangerous after dark, it means also you have to plan a long trip by going to an inn, etc. to sleep until morning and since it can take a while, along dangerous roads arbitrarily salted with periodic encounters with wolves, bandits, etc. you may wind up at the place where you'll really be tested with your max health diminished until you level up. The game sure doesn't hold your hand, but sometimes doing the basic RPG stuff of exploring can be a real chore. The pawns' hints help you find out which road to take, etc. and that's not what I mean as far as chore, but the "random" encounter stuff seems a hold over from older JRPGs where you can't go more than a short distance before you know you've got a fight to win. Also, during combat, while I know the pawns are trying to be helpful...all three carrying on at the same time means you're not really hearing much at all, and if you have their subtitles up, trying to read what they're saying means you're taking your eye off what you're fighting. That could be cleaned up...in general, the pawns talk way too much, the devs loved the voice acting and content too much and I would love an option to at least put duct tape over one or two of their gobs. Combat can be pretty chaotic, with multiple effects, voices, swift moving enemies, status effects, etc. which might explain why people in this world have strokes so often.

    But the negatives are just a few hairs in a really great stew of classic, western RPG goodness, along with a unique flavor to a world that feels genuine and well-made. You want to explore and are rewarded and it doesn't feel designed as much as discovered. Kudos to the makers. And raspberries to the naysayers.

    Fiat lux    … Expand
  23. bosconian87
    Apr 27, 2013
    9
    I have already written a review for this, in which I had issues, but I praised the fact that Capcom had tried to do something that has been lost in many RPG's these days that is, they have taken an arcade factor into the game (the combat), and something inherent in all paper RPG's (no fast travel, you'll have to travel there first!!), and made something truly gripping. And here, they'veI have already written a review for this, in which I had issues, but I praised the fact that Capcom had tried to do something that has been lost in many RPG's these days that is, they have taken an arcade factor into the game (the combat), and something inherent in all paper RPG's (no fast travel, you'll have to travel there first!!), and made something truly gripping. And here, they've taken a step of releasing a great add-on package that's unforgivably tough, whilst enclosing the original game, and taking a few steps to update it (but not too much, for good or bad). And there it is, one rather brilliant unbeatable deal. I'm not giving this a 9 because of its price (although an average of £20 cost is really rather good!!), but because a year-on, despite all its quirks, its highpoints and lowpoints, its still a damned playable game, and one that RPG fanatics and haters can like in equal measure, but only if they try. Get over the starting steps, learn a little, and be prepared to lose some of your life!!… Expand
  24. lpsyco
    May 6, 2013
    9
    this game in total
    game is the most undervalued of all time in reviews

    great gameplay.you have hard dificult to choice....if you want
    great atmosphere
    great boss battle
    coll story
    perfect rpg...etc....
    graphic engine in ps3 is perfect...
    the graphics not amazing but very good....
  25. Juras
    Mar 21, 2017
    9
    One of my favourite PS3 gen games. The only inadequacy was really poor framerate and some textures. The other things was at least good or excelent. Its like mix of Monster Hunter, Devil May Cry, Shadow of the Colossus, Berserk and Lord of the Rings made into open world rpg. Combat is one of the best, while Sorcerer class and their spells outclased everything was made. Story was fine, musisOne of my favourite PS3 gen games. The only inadequacy was really poor framerate and some textures. The other things was at least good or excelent. Its like mix of Monster Hunter, Devil May Cry, Shadow of the Colossus, Berserk and Lord of the Rings made into open world rpg. Combat is one of the best, while Sorcerer class and their spells outclased everything was made. Story was fine, musis memorable, graphics very nice overall (except thing i mentioned eariel). Game has very intresting mechanics rare or lack in other games like weight and height of character affect gameplay (fat characters cannot be raised by harpies, tall characters cannot enter goblins holes etc), roottening food in inventory if keept outside special cointainers, lantern required oil and drains by water fall and many others. Very detailed character creator also need some patience.
    Dark Arisen expansion make it even better. Dark/Berserk inspired Bitterblack Isle with serious difficulty and awesome atmosphere with new enemies, including bosses, equipment, skills and story.    … Expand
  26. Dexer
    Dec 22, 2014
    10
    Its one of the best games i played. It have some very specific mechanics which take some time to get used to. For example, you have to read description of every single new item you acquire. This way you can see how its used in crafting or otherwise useable and decide, should you take this type of items in future ar not. Or maybe you shall take it for sale. If you take everything, you willIts one of the best games i played. It have some very specific mechanics which take some time to get used to. For example, you have to read description of every single new item you acquire. This way you can see how its used in crafting or otherwise useable and decide, should you take this type of items in future ar not. Or maybe you shall take it for sale. If you take everything, you will be over encumbered very fast. If you take nothing, you will lack many cool possibilities and will be underpowered. Apart from items game is truly brilliant. Its much more fun than Skyrim. Assimetric multiplayer (pawns system) makes it even better. You never had so fun and intelligent ai-driven companions. This game is underrated. I made metacritic account especially to rate this game 10. Capcom should make sequel.… Expand
  27. JuniorPear
    Nov 9, 2013
    7
    Solid game play, great polish, but frustrating design decisions plague every facet of game.

    First off, I have to say that the game play and production value shown really is stellar. Controls feel solid and button mapping is as intuitive as it can be for a console RPG. Graphically, there is great draw distance and pop-ins are few and far between. The game can hit some lagging if a lot is    Solid game play, great polish, but frustrating design decisions plague every facet of game.

    First off, I have to say that the game play and production value shown really is stellar. Controls feel solid and button mapping is as intuitive as it can be for a console RPG. Graphically, there is great draw distance and pop-ins are few and far between. The game can hit some lagging if a lot is going on during a fight with many enemies or if you try to pull up the pause screen while the game is auto-saving, but it's not game-breaking in the least. Plenty of equipment to customize your character, though most of the good stuff isn't until later in the game.

    As a longtime fan of RPGs, I've seen my share of 1st person and 3rd person RPGs make its way to the console world. DD:DR has certainly done a fine job of creating an atmosphere and feel that immerses you into the medieval, dragon-filled universe. The world you are able to explore is massive. So massive, in fact, that it takes you a good 15-20 minutes of traversing just to make it from your starting town to the next one, shorter if you choose to run past possible packs of enemies. But this is where a few design decisions affect your experience. With a world so vast, you would think fast traveling would be a given, something free and simple to go back and forth between your towns and other places you've discovered. Instead, you're left with having to use ferrystones (for towns) and portcrystals (for dungeons). Though ferrystones aren't too expensive, it still becomes something you are required to track in your inventory. Getting them from one man hidden away in a remote section of a large town is a journey that becomes frustratingly repetitive. I know the developers chose to weave in night-time gameplay to make users think and plan their journeys between towns and dungeons, but after a while, you get sick of trying to find your way through seemingly endless paths through forests and canyons. And with fast travel not being a viable option at times, you would think the map design would be more detailed and easier to use. Not the case. The zoom function is a joke, and there's little detail in the map except when you get into a town. It shows little in terms of items, enemies, or treasures. Your map seems to be only a tool for getting from one town to the next, and even that becomes frustrating at times.

    Which brings me to my next point about questing. You would think with all the manual traveling you'd have to do, the quest interface would be well sorted and planned out. There seems to be none of either. All the quests are jumbled together, unsorted main quests from side quests. Waypoints for quests are ambiguous and leave you scratching your head to figure out where you're supposed to go. This combined with the traveling made me think twice a few times about moving forward and investing another hour or two. Something so critical as quest sorting should not be left this unfinished. There have been plenty of RPGs in recent history who have done this well, so there's no excuse not to at least copy a layout from another game.

    When you're not a vagabond, scouring the lands for items, you're fighting enemies. But one crucial element is missing from battles, in my opinion. Target lock would be most helpful. It's certainly not broken without it, but it sure made it look like my character was swinging blindly to complete the move set while the goblin in front of me before, is now behind me. I played mainly as a magic archer from the first chance I had so my arrows had a natural homing ability. I can't imagine how it must be to play as a regular archer without this skill. Manual aiming fine for one or two foes, but when hordes come at you, dispatching them quickly becomes difficult.

    All in all, a great game with only minor quibbles. But the world traveling really made me just as mentally exhausted as it was physically for my character (stamina depletes quickly; no sprinting for you).    … Expand
  28. 2ksnipefest
    Jun 22, 2013
    10
    This game some of the most fun I've ever had playing an rpg. This version adds port crystals that allow fast travel. Buying this game gives exclusive armor, weapons and a infinite ferrystone.
  29. kbl1983
    Sep 17, 2014
    9
    THE GOOD! and Bad
    -Starting out can be a challenge even on easy difficulty but will get easy at high levels when you gain better equipment.
    -Love this game reply value is up there to where if you create another account and friend your other account you can hire your other accounts pawn 2 total for free even if its decked out. -The combat system for the rogue class(Strider) which I    THE GOOD! and Bad
    -Starting out can be a challenge even on easy difficulty but will get easy at high levels when you gain better equipment.

    -Love this game reply value is up there to where if you create another account and friend your other account you can hire your other accounts pawn 2 total for free even if its decked out.

    -The combat system for the rogue class(Strider) which I started off with, the abilities pretty much fit the class with cool abilities you can use like doing quick dash attacks up to 5, a flurry of dagger strikes, dagger and kick combinations. Also archery for the class which is probably highly used for boss fights when you can't take much damage.

    -The warrior either be Sword/Shield or 2 handed weapons. Seemingly everyone goes for the rogue or mage for the range but the warrior class has its good qualities. Using either Sword and Shield(Fighter) combos to damage or knock down foes or Slow high damage 2 handed weapons(Warrior). One ability I like from the Warrior is where you can deal massive damage in one blow but the downside is that you have to charge it which is 10 seconds and its almost uninterpretable unless fighting a big monster. Another down side of the warrior class is they are the only class that have 3 abilities to use while the rest have six.

    -The Mage/Sorcerer can either be support which is a must have for healing or offensive which at higher levels they can do alot of damage.

    -Also they have mix classes combining Warrior, Rogue and Mage classes into one. Mystic Knight Fight/Mage, Assassin Warrior/Rogue, and Magick Archer Rogue/Mage.

    -Another aspect of the game is the monsters encounters where you will fight mythology creatures such as the Cyclops, Chimera, Hydras, and Gryphons. First fight with a Chimera was pretty epic as I wasn't high enough level to actually get in and kill it quick but just the fight itself took a while and survival keeping my group alive and myself was pretty awesome.

    -Player character, Creation... character creation is a highly must for any RPG type game. You can also re-edit your character when you acquire a in-game item. The player character needs one or more things added as your character is a total mute during conversations can pick any dialog for them to reply with.

    -In the first game before the expansion theres a online boss that everyone can fight. Also your record can be recorded for kills in the top 10.    … Expand
  30. foulis67
    Aug 29, 2013
    9
    Dragon's dogma is an RPG game that i always wanted.It has monsters to defeat,dragons to defeat and much more.I will start with the advantages.First of all it has a variety of monsters in your way to cities.It has a variety of moves,weapons and mates to get.You can also make your own mate.Unfortunately it has a big disadvantage:the world is to big without fast travels and in your way toDragon's dogma is an RPG game that i always wanted.It has monsters to defeat,dragons to defeat and much more.I will start with the advantages.First of all it has a variety of monsters in your way to cities.It has a variety of moves,weapons and mates to get.You can also make your own mate.Unfortunately it has a big disadvantage:the world is to big without fast travels and in your way to many places there is a variety of monsters that many times you cannot defeat them and if you die it will respawn you to the place where the last save was done.Generally i believe that this game was a good try for capcom to so its value.… Expand
  31. GazetteSDF
    Feb 26, 2014
    9
    This game is quite unique, he mixes Monster Hunter and Skyrim with connotations of Berserk manga (fan).
    I have not put 10 because of the DLC policy Capcom can quite irritate, otherwise I loved, especially with the DLC Dark Arisen, a stone portal endless is obtained which allows you to go much faster in the adventure. We can put a certain number and we can have quick access map.
    From a    This game is quite unique, he mixes Monster Hunter and Skyrim with connotations of Berserk manga (fan).
    I have not put 10 because of the DLC policy Capcom can quite irritate, otherwise I loved, especially with the DLC Dark Arisen, a stone portal endless is obtained which allows you to go much faster in the adventure. We can put a certain number and we can have quick access map.
    From a game point of view, this is a very action game with fighting giant, magic is not frustrating. Pawns that loan to other players, it's nice. A default single backup / advantage: you can easily change class.
    In short, he hooked me a lot of time and can not do it all!    … Expand
  32. karaduje
    Apr 13, 2014
    10
    I love this game, all of my life i've been playing rol games but this game is awesome, it has everything, the best combat system (you can climb at boss amazing) the history its some confusse but its good and the best its the world is not bigger that skyrim but most beautiful i love this game.
  33. Crewdroog
    May 5, 2014
    8
    Hours in game: a ton. like a lot, a lot.
    TL;DR: don't play for story. Play for challenging monsters, pawn system and online community.
    Story: Ok. Dragon's taken your heart, go kill dragon, save the people, etc. Warning: the first few hours is confusing and I almost put the game away. Plug through it, it is worth it. The use of the word "aught" will drive you crazy.    Hours in game: a ton. like a lot, a lot.
    TL;DR: don't play for story. Play for challenging monsters, pawn system and online community.

    Story: Ok. Dragon's taken your heart, go kill dragon, save the people, etc. Warning: the first few hours is confusing and I almost put the game away. Plug through it, it is worth it. The use of the word "aught" will drive you crazy.

    Monsters: range from easy to very challenging, even at end game. Be warned, the beginning couple hours is gonna kick your butt a bit until you figure out what kills what. This is not for those who don't like a bit of a challenge (thought not dark souls challenge).

    Pawns: best part of this game. Yes, their dialogue can get a bit annoying at early levels, but it becomes extremely fun when you join Capcom's pawn community, post pics and get to know fellow players and hire their pawns. This is how their "co-op" works. Further, the customization for your pawn is endless. I made mine look like He-man, others have made Shrek, Guts, Wonder-woman, etc, etc.

    Loot: I like games for loot. I'm a loot, um, lady of the night? any-who, it's not insane like Diablo but enough variation that you can get a look you want. Weapon/Armor upgrading can be challenging.

    Replay value: High. after beating the game you can start game +1 and on and on to infinity. There are different ways the game can end, depending on how you play. Each enemy, area, quest has three levels of knowledge you only learn by doing and exploring. Getting three can be a challenge. Online-Ur Dragon is very challenging and has great loot drops.

    Community: I would not still be playing this game if it weren't for the online community. To really get the full effect of this game, I highly suggest doing this. Not doing so would be like solo-ing an MMORPG. It's fun, but you're missing the point.

    Happy Hunting!    … Expand
  34. MrDavidBen
    Sep 15, 2014
    8
    A follow up to a very enjoyable action RPG in Dragon's Dogma, Dark Arisen was a curious release which boasted a stand alone expansion of the first game.

    Firstly I can say that the action, the combat and the interactions are much the same as before which of course is a very good thing. One of the best things about this game is the combat, you transition from small enemies to larger foes    A follow up to a very enjoyable action RPG in Dragon's Dogma, Dark Arisen was a curious release which boasted a stand alone expansion of the first game.

    Firstly I can say that the action, the combat and the interactions are much the same as before which of course is a very good thing. One of the best things about this game is the combat, you transition from small enemies to larger foes with a collection different moves and the ability to climb (akin to Shadow of the Colossus).

    The only real negatives I can offer personally are that the world lacks the vibrance of a game such as Skyrim as well as variety. Do note that there is only two settlements with one of them being a city, this is all well and good but occasionally you do get some rather dull spots of landscape they could have perhaps done a lot more with.

    The game's difficulty curve is kind if you know where you are going, it's untrue that enemies kill you in one hit, that is only the case if you decide to wander off to an area containing stronger foes. The combat requires you to also not stand around and get hit like some easier action games... so evasion and defence is your best friend in this game.

    The game has a good selection of armor and weapons with additions added in the expansion though you only gain these in the expansion area. Also it is worthwhile noting the whilst the expansion opens up at a stage in the main game, it is worth finishing the game before attempting the expansion as the monsters are rather advanced compared to those in the early stages of the main plot and will most certainly kill your character with ease.

    Another part of this game which has been done very well is the character creation, it probably has one of the most flexible creation sets you'll find on a console rpg by some distance, many combinations where most faces are easily made through thorough creation.

    To put it into perspective this game does Dragon fights better than Skyrim and can offer a great challenge on harder difficulties than games like Dark Souls, definitely an unsung gem on the this past gen of console.    … Expand
  35. CHEESEDBEEF
    Apr 27, 2015
    10
    Dragon's Dogma is a fantastic game, even without the Dark Arisen Add-On.
    Combat is fluid and feels very good, its as though you can feel the force being put behind the swing of a blade or the impact of an arrow. Movement is the same, traversing the wilderness or climbing places is always fun and rewarding. Enemy's stand out well and there is a good variety such as, Dragons (obv), Chimera,    Dragon's Dogma is a fantastic game, even without the Dark Arisen Add-On.
    Combat is fluid and feels very good, its as though you can feel the force being put behind the swing of a blade or the impact of an arrow. Movement is the same, traversing the wilderness or climbing places is always fun and rewarding. Enemy's stand out well and there is a good variety such as, Dragons (obv), Chimera, Griffins, Cyclops etc. and even more appear as you progress. when fighting a large enemy such as all those just mentioned, you have the ability to grab on and climb the beast to attack weak points which is such an awesome idea I've only ever seen in 'Shadow of Colossus'. The Pawn system is worth mentioning, you create a main pawn to begin with, which acts as your right hand man/woman. you can also search and hire up to 2 pawns from other players by searching for a pawn that suits you.

    The game is overall a pleasure to play, many hours of gameplay, lots of quests, the best loot system I have seen, pawns actually help out ALOT which is not always the case for followers in other games, the map is large and and different areas contrast well.
    If I had to change one thing... well I wouldn't change anything. A few more populated towns or cities would be nice but not needed.
    Everyone should give this game a go, I bought Dark Arisen for £3. hours of play for the price of a pint. cant complain.    … Expand
  36. SirAegon
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    What A Great Game! And totally unappreciated to say the least! I really dont get how such a game with such positive User feedback doesnt make it to the 87-90 score range... It has old school qualities (and i dont mean the frustrating difficulty-reward fad...if you want extreme difficulty and reward 1.you have borderline masochistic tendencies 2. try becoming a Brain Surgeon instead ofWhat A Great Game! And totally unappreciated to say the least! I really dont get how such a game with such positive User feedback doesnt make it to the 87-90 score range... It has old school qualities (and i dont mean the frustrating difficulty-reward fad...if you want extreme difficulty and reward 1.you have borderline masochistic tendencies 2. try becoming a Brain Surgeon instead of playing a game), dark atmosphere, amazing enemies and BIG monsters (freaking DRAGON SPECIES!) which you can climb ala Shadow of the Colossus, customizable allies (pawns) and the list goes on and on...I really dont get the whining about the story and how it could have been better on some details. OH my god WHO CARES ?! Just buy the damn thing and play your heart out. ITS A PS3 DIAMOND!!!… Expand
  37. GORGMOARGORG
    Oct 17, 2015
    8
    Just came back to it after a few years away. It was was awesome then as it its still awesome now. I hope there is a proper sequel released state side(not and online MMO). this is one i can randomly come back to every 12 months.
  38. Remall69
    Apr 24, 2013
    9
    All new monsters, equipment, area, and quests what's there to not like? One of the best monster slaying game since Monster Hunter. You play this for the monster slaying and equipment collection not its RPG elements.
  39. umafeo23
    Jun 25, 2013
    9
    Man, I literally own 212 games for PS3 and 86 games for the Xbox 360 and I have never played an RPG game like this one. Seriously, I have spent 713 hours on this game and I am not bored yet! I am impressed by the replay value on this game. If you're into RPG games, get this one.
  40. necroguy
    Apr 29, 2013
    8
    Great game, very challenging and addicting with it's new add-on.Only problem i had was that the pawn AI hasn't really change at all.Nevertheless, still worth buying if you liked the original or the monster hunter series.
  41. RinEvangel
    Dec 4, 2013
    6
    Ok first off this game gets minus points cause of its lack of multiple save slots. I had an issue where my save file got corrupted because apperently just because the auto save icon goes away it doesn't mean its done saving and you shouldn't turn off your console the second it is goes away. had to restart the game from the begining when i was about 7 hours in very frusterating.

    now onto    Ok first off this game gets minus points cause of its lack of multiple save slots. I had an issue where my save file got corrupted because apperently just because the auto save icon goes away it doesn't mean its done saving and you shouldn't turn off your console the second it is goes away. had to restart the game from the begining when i was about 7 hours in very frusterating.

    now onto the real review. This is a very good game, but also a very bad one. Some of the things i love about this game is the combat system, and fighting boss monsters feel great. also the taveling the world feels nice and gives a good sense of journey. I found all the Classes very fun to play, my favorite being the magic archer and the vanilla strider.

    Now on to the bad stuff. the first thing i have to address is how crappy the pawns can be. i know some people would argue that they're great and amazing A.I. additions to your party, and i would like them to define their definition of great and amazing. throughout my experience with the game i have consistantly been giving the pawns i recruit a dissapointed face and a shake of the head. at many times they seem like they are just there to troll me inside and outside of combat. Case #1: they are programed to say the say lines in the same locations in the world and against the same enemies. so very quickly you'll hear most of what they have to say and not long after that you'll get tired of hearing them say the same crap over and over again. i ended up muting my tv while i played after about 4 hours in only unmuting it during npc dialog and cutscenes. Case #2: I went to the edge of a mountain cliff to pick up some gathering materials that happend to be next to an exploding barrel. the pawns heeding to their overwhelming desire to break everything thing possible in sight broke the barrel causing it to explode and sending me off the edge of the mountain to my death. oh the joy. Case 3-4: i encountered some undead enemies at night, and while combating them my mage pawn informed me that they are week to fire. i awaited him to give me a fire augment for my daggers which has done before in the past, only to recieve a ice weapon and him informing me yet again that they are week to fire. also another time is when we are fighting one of the "Dark Chimerea" i believe they're are called and all my pawns are telling me to kill the goat first, it makes the fight easier they said, but i would be much more inclined to believe them if they weren't all targeting and trying to kill the snake instead.

    I believe that my main point is that the Pawn A.I isn't the brightest or the most sensible, and leaves much to desire, i believe this could easily have been avoided if i could directly control of influence their actions in some way. like the tactics system in dragon age origins. but aside from the pawns being crappy other problems of this game is the lip syncing that makes Robotech(1985) look good, that along with a story with greatly wasted potential and a unbelieveably boring set of side quests.

    However going back to the good this game is overall fun to play and enjoy. The main quest will take you to interesting locals in the world along with bringing you very interesting fights along the way. My 20min encounter with the sort of final boss is one i will not soon forget. also believe it or not this game actually has more meaningful choices to make than Mass Effect three. I would say I've seen about 4 different ending already, be it they aren't the true ending but it still adds great variety to the story. lastly i wan to point out that as bad as they are as a whole there are moments where the pawns truely shine. thank the developers for giving them times they can't completely screw up.

    I believe this game justly earned my 6 out of 10    … Expand
  42. kingofkoopas
    Apr 12, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Throw Dragon Age and Dark Souls into a mix and out comes Dragon's Dogma! This game is as good as Dragon Age, so if you liked that one, you will certainly like this one. They are very similar in a lot of ways. Now for the Dark Souls comparison, is this as good as Dark Souls? Absolutely not! I like to call this game; a poor mans Dark Souls, I am not saying Dogma is bad, it's just that it really is that, a poor mans Dark Souls. And to be fair, stacking up to Dark Souls is a pretty tall order. So before you think I am bashing this game, think again. As I am writing this review, I am also loading my Dogma file which has 70hrs in it. Yeah it's a very meaty game with tons of things to do. One can easily sink 140hrs into this one, it's a blast. The graphics are nice for the most part. The story is just there, not bad, but nothing great either. The difficulty sometimes can be brutal but the game is so fun, you will keep trying and eventually succeed. The only thing this game does that annoys me is the friggin constant slow mo during battles, it really is annoying,very annoying, it'd only for like 2-3 seconds but it's still very annoying. The game is now only 30 dollars new, a total steal for this very good game.… Expand
  43. sloniu
    Apr 27, 2013
    10
    Great game, epic and challenging. New content is awesome and game got few tweaks (gameplay.graphics). You will surely enjoy what game offers and considering low price it's a must have.
  44. AlienSpaceBats
    Jul 29, 2014
    9
    For one of my favourite games of 2012, the prospect of more Dragon's Dogma was too big an opportunity to pass up, with the enticing additions for players with existing save files, Japanese audio (always a plus) and new areas, I was really eager to get back into the game, being halfway through a 3rd vanilla playthrough when my copy arrived. Slowly but surely, a sense of disappointment beganFor one of my favourite games of 2012, the prospect of more Dragon's Dogma was too big an opportunity to pass up, with the enticing additions for players with existing save files, Japanese audio (always a plus) and new areas, I was really eager to get back into the game, being halfway through a 3rd vanilla playthrough when my copy arrived. Slowly but surely, a sense of disappointment began to creep in; the wonderfully extrinsic (yet catchy) B'z intro song ("Into Free -Dangan-") has been removed, and the new area(s) essentially consist of a deep, dark dungeon of masochistic proportions that makes the original's post-game boss Everfall seem like a picnic, in fact there are enemies here that make bosses like Evil Eyes, Drakes etc. seem laughably easy (which they are, for characters of level 60+), but coupled with the close-quarters nature of the environment, certain problems come to light: 1. The enemy behaviour can be unbalanced and a little on the ridiculous side, even if you're level 150+, particularly post-Daimon and they will constantly bum-rush, spam knockdown attacks and some are capable of one-shotting two quarters of the entire party regardless of level. 2. in close quarters, the pawns can be incredibly dumb, annoying, and difficult to command. 3. close quarters combat does not work in the games favour, especially when combat takes place in a room the size of my kitchen with three large enemies, all doing massive damage and knocking player and pawns over constantly. The final boss was a little let-down too, even though you get to fight him twice, in fact he's easier than a Condemned Gorecyclops and Death; two semi-regular enemies that appear numerous times in the dungeon itself. My biggest problem though: I had to buy the entire game twice in order to access additional content, making my initial purchase redundant all for the sake of DLC. Still, Dragon's Dogma (expansion or no) is a truly excellent game that deserves all the praise it gets. I look forward to seeing this IP grow.… Expand
  45. ZackKarpel
    Aug 6, 2013
    9
    good wrpg though i prefer jrpgs i played this a good 72 hours and loved every second of it! I cant say im not a fan of climbing on massive creatures monsters and slowly tearing them apart....
  46. ShadowNotSeen
    Jun 15, 2013
    5
    Unable to explain high rankings for this game. Combat is not challenging I've played a fighter/warrior and I never need to use the special abilities the character possesses simply mash the square button and monster dies. The enemy AI is non-existent, often it appears they actually are simply random. Worst of all the pawn management process is tedious constantly having to change outUnable to explain high rankings for this game. Combat is not challenging I've played a fighter/warrior and I never need to use the special abilities the character possesses simply mash the square button and monster dies. The enemy AI is non-existent, often it appears they actually are simply random. Worst of all the pawn management process is tedious constantly having to change out your allies since they don't level when you do and you're completely unable to direct their actions. The world is not very engaging, I never really cared about the main character's problems and the rest of the world seems oddly disjointed the dragon has come but never appears and the land seems simply lawless not particularly afflicted by some awful evil influence. It has some interesting constructs true darkness at night or in dungeons without light but that's easy to overcome and the forced overland travel (at least at times) can be boring but lends a certain credibility to the process. The crafting and equipment upgrading system are mildly interesting but more something you do because you can than because you have to or you gain a critical advantage in the game you can easily get by on the basic healing herbs you find when you travel. Like all FRPG's the economic system is simply broken I have 800,000 gold and nothing to spend it on I'm not dinging it for this just observing. The graphics are fine and even hold up during combat but the game randomly jumps into slo-mo focus on one character or another I suppose for dramatic affect but I generally found it annoying or distracting not enhancing. Overall there is the skeleton of a FRPG here but not much meat. If you're desperate for some single-player FRPG action (and Lord knows there aren't that many good ones out there) you might give it a try. But if you're gaming budget is tight, I'd suggest: Pass.… Expand
  47. RuedR5566
    May 17, 2013
    6
    i played this game about 3 week and i complain with it every time i played.

    when u start the game, u fell wandering around, and the quest guide is like then at about lv40 u well fell ur equip is ****ty, until u kill the big red dragon u got a new weapon with much more higher DMG then before. and every new monster after this they got extra high DMG and HP, CAPCOM always like player    i played this game about 3 week and i complain with it every time i played.

    when u start the game, u fell wandering around, and the quest guide is like then at about lv40 u well fell
    ur equip is ****ty, until u kill the big red dragon u got a new weapon with much more higher DMG then before.
    and every new monster after this they got extra high DMG and HP, CAPCOM always like player in this idiot way, the monster are the same and it's wast time to fight with this new guy
    and the DLC island is the same way, very high DMG and HP, they haven't think about what if player's haven't play DD before, or they are not LV200 to go to this new area.

    and the chest monster is totally a junk design, it make you need build your character a min-max DMG to rash it before it runaway, WTF is this for?

    it u want play a ARPG with challenge I suggest u can try dark soul.

    last...don't ever trust CAPCOM well bring any sincerity on game design    … Expand
  48. LatentPotential
    Aug 8, 2013
    3
    This game is horrible. Finally broke down and bought it because I was RPG hungry.. I couldn't finish Oblivion or Skyrim (eventually got bored of the repetition), but at least I can say those are quality games. I played this for eight hours. I'm selling it tomorrow. Got stuck on where to go in the beginning (no main quest markers/direction/log....). The interface is terrible with the worstThis game is horrible. Finally broke down and bought it because I was RPG hungry.. I couldn't finish Oblivion or Skyrim (eventually got bored of the repetition), but at least I can say those are quality games. I played this for eight hours. I'm selling it tomorrow. Got stuck on where to go in the beginning (no main quest markers/direction/log....). The interface is terrible with the worst mini map system I have ever seen in a game. Eight hours in and no quick travel. Enemies in the start zone can kill you in three hits (lizard men in the sewer), an over complicated saving system, a very dull world filled with very dull characers/zones. Don't get sucked into the hype. The demo was awesome. Don't be fooled. I gave it a three for an attempt at an open world RPG with more satisfying combat. For an ACTION RPG, I was bored out of my mind.… Expand
  49. Angeledge
    Oct 14, 2013
    0
    Worse game and DLC ever. The storyline is boring and doesn't make sense. Not only one hour played that every single creature kill you in a hit and this, even at easy mode. Bitterblack isle is completely out of the storyline, out of context. You play hundreds of hours to find out that at the end, it's only impossible to get through. This game is only about giving something impossible to theWorse game and DLC ever. The storyline is boring and doesn't make sense. Not only one hour played that every single creature kill you in a hit and this, even at easy mode. Bitterblack isle is completely out of the storyline, out of context. You play hundreds of hours to find out that at the end, it's only impossible to get through. This game is only about giving something impossible to the customers instead of focusing on a good and rich content. Capcom literally fail in RPG games. They should get back to what they can do as this game is a complete failure.… Expand
  50. MentalVortex
    Apr 18, 2014
    5
    Pretty satisfying combat mechanics, but the story is lackluster, and the ending was especially terrible. It's a large open world game, but there are really no interesting people to meet and interact with; you will mostly just be walking from place to place killing random bandits and creatures. It won't bother you at first, but it eventually gets tiresome. You create followers or "pawns" toPretty satisfying combat mechanics, but the story is lackluster, and the ending was especially terrible. It's a large open world game, but there are really no interesting people to meet and interact with; you will mostly just be walking from place to place killing random bandits and creatures. It won't bother you at first, but it eventually gets tiresome. You create followers or "pawns" to follow and aid you in battle, but it's hard to get them to do what you want them to do and when you want them to do it, and they continually say the same phrases over and over. Definitely an average game.… Expand
  51. MrBla
    Oct 15, 2013
    0
    Wow this is probably the worst rpg i have ever played. I love rpg's, but this one is soooo bad that it;s hard to find words for it. Firstly the graphics are horrible, everything looks the same, same houses, empty cities, everything is the same color. No armor and weapon costumization, characters look really bad. Combat system is very generic, just mash one button and that's all. EnemiesWow this is probably the worst rpg i have ever played. I love rpg's, but this one is soooo bad that it;s hard to find words for it. Firstly the graphics are horrible, everything looks the same, same houses, empty cities, everything is the same color. No armor and weapon costumization, characters look really bad. Combat system is very generic, just mash one button and that's all. Enemies take forever to kill. You spend most of your time running around, because there's no fast travel, the world is bland and empty. Seriously how it could be? This is the dumbest thing which could exist in an rpg game. Oh i forgot about story. Wait there's no story.… Expand
  52. CapnCrunch
    Nov 9, 2013
    5
    My gf is an avid rpg fan.She didn't make it through the opening "tutorial" b4 quitting in disgust.I have gone a lil further and let me just say I don't get the criticism of graphics by the other negative reviews.They're great.It's a richly vibrant and realistic world.And it's the only reason I havn't quit yet.Here are the MAJOR flaws.
    Mini world map quest finder interface is goddam    My gf is an avid rpg fan.She didn't make it through the opening "tutorial" b4 quitting in disgust.I have gone a lil further and let me just say I don't get the criticism of graphics by the other negative reviews.They're great.It's a richly vibrant and realistic world.And it's the only reason I havn't quit yet.Here are the MAJOR flaws.
    Mini world map quest finder interface is goddam awful.you wont find where you're going with it.period.
    Even on easy mode the combat is extremely difficult.Maybe there are places for noobs to train but I havnt found them.I havn't found ANYTHING I was looking for yet because,again,the quest mapping system may as well not exist at all.Mini map is a waste of screen space.It conveys exactly ZERO information.
    Pawns are annoying companions.They are tireless in repeating the same phrases.WOLVES HUNT IN PACKS WOLVES HUNT IN PACKS WOLVES HUNT IN PACKS...etc...whatever stfu and stop taking ALL the loot.
    Loot....good luck finding it.Oh,it's there..somewhere...you just wont be able to see it on the ground.
    The single biggest reason,I think, this game was free from PS Plus is that you can only save one game.
    I mean,you can't try all the class builds without deleting the others. why?...wtf?....for REAL? only one game,one save,one player,one toon......ridiculous.
    But yeah...the game looks reeeeeallllyyyy great.    … Expand
  53. DarthFronz85
    Sep 15, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Don't let the trolls fool you with negative reviews, this game is amazing. I admit that I almost stopped playing when I was getting one shotted in the opening areas, but you have to press on. This game does not hold your hand. You are not told where stores are or what they do until you take the time to find them yourself. I started as a fighter class and soon found that ot using your shield intelligently would lead to certain death. Once I figured out how to block and use skills effectively, I was standing on even footing with monsters that were slaughtering me just minutes before. The combat is brutal and larger creatures have weak spots you can exploit for more damage. The Pawns that follow you are helpful at pointing things out, but their constant advice can grate after a while. The world encourages exploration with little caves and hidden rock outcrops that contain treasure. The fast travel system is initially annoyingly limited, but becomes easier as you find more Port Crystals. There is also a New Game+ mode. I'm on my third playthrough and the game seems to add more quests as you level up. Bitterblack Isle is essentially a giant Dungeon Crawl with epic loot and incredibly difficult monsters (Fighting and defeating a massive cyclops and an undead dragon while gargoyles and skeleton mages harassed me was one of my finest triumphs). I haven't yet completed Bitterblack Isle, but I'm 99% certain the weird demon thing I can't yet defeat is the final boss. I'll break it down like this:
    Graphics: Lovely graphics, nicely realized western style RPG aesthitic.
    Sound: The sound effects are good, adding a sense of weight to weapon strikes. The barely there background music adds an air of creepiness to dungeons
    Gameplay: Difficult, but incredibly rewarding. Expect to die a lot until you get the hang of it.
    Story: A little ridiculous and hard to follow, but interesting nonetheless
    Replay Value: Incredibly High. You can power through the main game again with all your equipment and skills (Just don't forget to re-equip them!) and Bitterblack beckons...    … Expand
  54. JasonJ
    Jul 11, 2014
    10
    This game is as immersing as Skyrim and the graphics are a bit better. Been playing RPGs since LOZ on the NES. This is one of the better games you'll play, period, if you give it that typical first 20 hrs that is required for games of this magnitude.
  55. FacetiousEnnui
    May 5, 2015
    9
    Dragon's Dogma is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. While it does have its flaws, story loopholes and ambiguity being one of the major ones, I found the gameplay extremely enjoyable and the characters very likeable.

    The game draws on mechanics from Dragon Age, Monster Hunter, Shadow of the Colossus, and the Souls series. Combat is fast-paced and team-based, like Dragon    Dragon's Dogma is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. While it does have its flaws, story loopholes and ambiguity being one of the major ones, I found the gameplay extremely enjoyable and the characters very likeable.

    The game draws on mechanics from Dragon Age, Monster Hunter, Shadow of the Colossus, and the Souls series. Combat is fast-paced and team-based, like Dragon Age on the consoles; larger enemies can be climbed on and attacked at weak spots, like Shadow of the Colossus; there are a variety of mystical creatures that drop special crafting items, like Monster Hunter; and there is a very dark, tragic feel at times, similar to the Souls series.

    Unfortunately, dialogue is a bit lacking, as the NPCs have a relatively small set of lines and the main character does not speak. That said, I still found the characters interesting and the general environment incredibly immersive.

    I came away from the game wanting more - more character interactions, more dungeons to explore, more insight into the lore of the game world. I haven't felt so involved in a game or its story and characters for as long as I can remember. I think this series has real potential and I can only hope Capcome does not completely destroy the wonderful creation they have brought into a stale gaming market (such as by making its sequel an annoying MMO, sigh). Anyway, regardless of what happens with the Dragon's Dogma IP in the future, I highly, highly suggest playing this game. It really doesn't compare to anything else out there.    … Expand
  56. stitchmouth
    May 9, 2013
    8
    Reluctant, but rewarded. I completed Dragon's Dogma knowing it was a slightly flawed, but very fun game, and was somewhat reluctant to pick up this version. Fortunately for me, I feel adequately rewarded for my investment. The new dungeon, while some will lambast it for being repetitive (Looking at you, Dragon Age 2!), the game leads you not only through the new dungeon, but across theReluctant, but rewarded. I completed Dragon's Dogma knowing it was a slightly flawed, but very fun game, and was somewhat reluctant to pick up this version. Fortunately for me, I feel adequately rewarded for my investment. The new dungeon, while some will lambast it for being repetitive (Looking at you, Dragon Age 2!), the game leads you not only through the new dungeon, but across the post-game landscape for various quests to accomplish in pursuit of your end-game best. If you love a challenge, and really pushing your abilities and levels to the max, this may be for you.… Expand
  57. DevilHunterX23
    May 5, 2013
    10
    Really fun & great expansion. Lots of new monsters, armors, weapons & a much more thrilling area to explore. Much harder than the main quest. This expansion also offers Hard Mode, much tougher monsters, you get more gold & exp though. Speed run mode, which is just beating the game fast. The Japanese dub, which I don't find anything special & you can transfer your save from the vanilla gameReally fun & great expansion. Lots of new monsters, armors, weapons & a much more thrilling area to explore. Much harder than the main quest. This expansion also offers Hard Mode, much tougher monsters, you get more gold & exp though. Speed run mode, which is just beating the game fast. The Japanese dub, which I don't find anything special & you can transfer your save from the vanilla game to this, with the bonus of Rift Crystals & A Never-ending Ferrystone. Also, you get all the old games DLC in the Dark Arisen expansion. If you liked the vanilla game, you'll most likely like this as well.… Expand
  58. CreedFaction
    Jul 2, 2013
    8
    no improvement from the last game
    but still fun to play even though the pawns are still annoying
    great story great gameplay
    if you're a fan of RPG's you should play
    DRAGONS DOGMA dark arisen
  59. ShunOugarden
    Jan 9, 2019
    9
    Good game, i'm level 31 with 50 hours of game. It's like the force unleashed but in medieval open word.
    On : Maneuvrability (character acts perferctly), Fight (great fluidity), Graphism (good, animation very good), Difficulty is perfect (don't rush among sauriens or you will be exterminated but attract them one by one with bow and so...) and what a fantastic opening with the dragon !    Good game, i'm level 31 with 50 hours of game. It's like the force unleashed but in medieval open word.
    On : Maneuvrability (character acts perferctly), Fight (great fluidity), Graphism (good, animation very good), Difficulty is perfect (don't rush among sauriens or you will be exterminated but attract them one by one with bow and so...) and what a fantastic opening with the dragon !
    Possibility changing class but you can change again to your previous class without losses. You can choose very different class just to test it. Massive monster, troll, cyclops, hydre (with this one it's funny meeting the hydre early in the scenario while you have a 6 level's character)
    Off : Map is more little than it seems, big mountains (in center, or in the north) are unreachable, 50% of the map's square is playable and you have excactly the same monsters/ennemies in the same strict place (Skyrim for instance as monsters in a area of presence). It's just weird having the same characters waiting you, near the same block in a canyon.
    On or Off ? : IA average for me but not so bad. For instance wolf leaps back when you approching, or if you attack one other come too. Sometimes one ennemy among 4 just walks around you, or monster makes the same path, or big creatures are ennoyed by a column... but sometimes this little inconvenient able you to retrieve some health. Hard to the begining : ennemies are really deadly.
    Upgrading equipment : only 3 level (at the begining 3 more later), but you have lot of differents equipments.
    No quick travel like Skyrim (at the begining), this just forced you to well prepare your travel (food, potion, path,...).
    If you love it, buy it on PSN, because the ps3 reads lot of thing all the time on the disc...on hdd it's the sound of silence !    … Expand
  60. masterlobo
    Jun 30, 2023
    7
    Game is solid, but I feel I need more story/lore in order to feel more involved. Or perhaps it's the presentation of the story/lore. I really want to like it but some of it ends up feeling a bit derivative of the genre. Still, worth your time, money.
  61. janic
    Feb 28, 2014
    7
    Plus:
    * Combat: It feels very satisfying to smash your giant weapon down and watch enemies fly, fire your bow or go crazy on an enemy with a pair of daggers
    * Progression system: There are 3 main classes and another 3 subclasses (called vocations). You can change vocations easily and you will want to to get the best stats & passives (which can be carried over to different vocations)    Plus:
    * Combat: It feels very satisfying to smash your giant weapon down and watch enemies fly, fire your bow or go crazy on an enemy with a pair of daggers
    * Progression system: There are 3 main classes and another 3 subclasses (called vocations). You can change vocations easily and you will want to to get the best stats & passives (which can be carried over to different vocations) possible. The game 'remembers' your old vocation status, so it's no problem to switch back and forth. I liked this b/c I got my money's worth (usually I play through an RPG with one character and therefore only see one class) and it kept the game interesting during one playthrough. The blacksmith always has a new set of gear and weapons available for you to work towards (unless you find something better ofc, which didn't happen too often for me). Gear can be upgraded in 3 stages.
    * Character customization: There's a lot of options here, you can really come up with some unique looking characters

    Neutral:
    * Pawns: They can get annoying quickly with their chatter but it's a great system overall: 1 main pawn (which can be customized just like your character) and 3 other pawns which are other player's main pawns. You're encouraged to switch these out a lot since they don't level. It's a great indirect multiplayer component reminiscing of the message system in Dark Souls.

    Minus:
    * Lack of interaction, most NPCs have the same canned lines which get old fast
    * Eventhough there are plenty of sidequests & seemingly random events in the world, the game feels a bit empty. I didn't quite get the same adventerous feeling like with Dragon's Age:Origons for instance
    * Only a few truly interesting characters like Madeleine and Mercedes. Most characters feel very bland. More interesting characters and sidestories would 've helped with making the world feel more alive.
    * You encounter a lot of the same trash mobs (harpies, wolves and goblins) on your travels which gets annoying after a while
    * There is a fasttravel system but it'll be a while until you saturated the map with portcrystals. Before that, it's a lot of running. Mounts / horses would 've been a nice addition here.

    Conclusion: Not a lot of innovation here but if you're looking for a very solid fantasy action-RPG, go for it.    … Expand
  62. supercitrusfrui
    Dec 1, 2013
    8
    Enemies difficult to kill, but does add to the challenging element of the game. At the beginning items are very hard to acquire as well, had to look like a homeless hobo for the first 20 or so levels. Overall, a good game
  63. Kai82
    Sep 18, 2021
    10
    A great expansion that includes the main game and all DLCs. It is a challenge even for high level characters that can beat the main game with ease. You explore a new region called Bitterblack Isle with new monsters, skills, weapons and equipment. There you will solve a secret of the past. Let start with a summary of the main game before I get to the additions: It is an action RPG that IA great expansion that includes the main game and all DLCs. It is a challenge even for high level characters that can beat the main game with ease. You explore a new region called Bitterblack Isle with new monsters, skills, weapons and equipment. There you will solve a secret of the past. Let start with a summary of the main game before I get to the additions: It is an action RPG that I would describe as a mixture of Dark Souls, Elder Scrolls, Monster Hunter and a bit of Shadow of the Colossus. Story: After a flashback you will only get context to far later in the game your protagonist starts in his home fishing town of Cassardis. This is the day that will change his / her life as the town is attacked by a Dragon. As your childhood friend is in grave danger you attack the dragon knowing you have no chance but can save her at least. However it ends not the way you expected and you are now an Arisen and have to make sense of this. With this the adventure starts. The story is excellent but seems a bit generic at first but there will be surprises and twists. I like what they did here and especially the mayor twist work well. Gameplay: There is a lot to learn. Even the characters gender, high and weight are important. You have access to the 3 basic classes fighter, strider and mage. Those have a second tier job class that specializes a bit different and there are mixed or better said hybrid classes. Each class has access to unique abilities and some are cross class for hybrid specializations. You gain experience by defeating enemies and finishing quests. All classes have different level up bonuses. A mage of cause is better for magic damage and fighter for physical damage while strider is a middle ground. You have also helpers in your party. You have a main pawn that levels with you and 2 pawns you can recruit but wont level up (Same level as you at recruiting so you will replace them from time to time). This helps a lot and you can test various combinations. The battles are in real time and you need to do them carefully if you are not overpowered. This helps a lot and you can test various combinations. The battles are in real time and you need to do them carefully if you are not overpowered. Small warning: Much of the open world is explore able from the beginning or just shortly in the game. You can run into enemies above your power level but with some good tactics you can manage them (or cheap tricks) but there are limits to this at least for average players. There are various tactics for the different enemies and your pawns will become more proficient when you fight those (Also there are some well hidden scrolls). For example a pawn can grapple a smaller enemy and give you a free hit and vice versa (Or you can grapple an enemy and throw him of a cliff if one is nearby). The main appeal are the bigger enemies like Cyclops, Golems, Griffin, Hydras and Dragons. You can climb on them to reach vulnerable spots or safe spots but this is not always the best approach. Also elemental weaknesses and certain abilities work wonders. It was always entertaining to fight those and try new tactics. The battle system and character development won me over (like many others). Then there is a crafting system for you to explore but more important is that you can improve your weapons, clothes and armor. Advice: maybe something good happen with an improved item when you defeat a dragon. There are tons of items and you will always find new equipment. It was satisfying to get stronger and stronger with better and better equipment. There are also endless sidequests to unlock but most are fetch quest with some notable exceptions and some with different outcomes depending on you. Remark: Some quest have a time limit or are only available during a certain progress of the story. The new area of Bitterblack Isle is challenging. There are new powerful enemies and the bosses will give you a challenge. The final boss took me hours to beat while I did not die once and was over-prepared. All other bosses are challenging too and on top if you kill enemies there is always the chance of luring in scavenger monsters. Some of the stronger rgular monsters are stronger than all in the main game too except maybe one optional boss. The structure on the Isle s amazing and I see it as a Dark Souls experience with a better told story. It is a lot to explore and find. Each new area has new challenges, monsters, traps and items. The new items are plenty and of cause you can level them up further. It rounds up the main game and I give a 10 /10 here despite some flaws like your pawns never shutting up. A truly great experience and it is a shame that the franchise is dormant. Hope they continue the franchise in the future.… Expand
  64. ForevAloneGamer
    Sep 10, 2014
    10
    Dragon’s Dogma amiguinhos! Esse foi um daqueles jogos que me chamou a atenção e tenho esperado desde o primeiro video que vi. Pra começo de conversa é o primeiro game depois de Shadow of the Colossus a implementar uma jogabilidade de “escale o monstro para mata-lo”. E destaque para o termo jogabilidade, pois você realmente joga essas partes, diferente de jogos onde escalar o monstroDragon’s Dogma amiguinhos! Esse foi um daqueles jogos que me chamou a atenção e tenho esperado desde o primeiro video que vi. Pra começo de conversa é o primeiro game depois de Shadow of the Colossus a implementar uma jogabilidade de “escale o monstro para mata-lo”. E destaque para o termo jogabilidade, pois você realmente joga essas partes, diferente de jogos onde escalar o monstro gigante se resume a QTEs como Godo of War e Castlevania Lords of Shadows. O jogo vai além de escalar monstro com uma jogabilidade complexa para toda a parte do combate, algo nunca visto antes em um RPG de mundo aberto.
    E esse é o grande destaque do jogo, a jogabilidade. Como sabem é o que mais prezo em um jogo. Quando peguei o controle pela primeira vez pra jogar o demo me senti compreendido! Foi paixão a primeira vista. Pois pra mim todo jogo decente tem que ter um mínimo de ações como pulo, esquiva, correr, agarrar e normalmente quando você joga um jogo o jogo opta por certas ações e te restringe não tendo outras. Como jogador a tanto tempo já até acostumei com isso. Mas Dragon’s Dogma não é assim. Nele você tem todas essas ações. O jogo já começa com muitas opções de ações e o mapeamento dos botões é perfeito, extremamente instintivo. E o combate, digno realmente dos desenvolvedores de Devil May Cry. Testei algo que experimentei pela primeira vez com DMC, apertar os botões de bater dando um intervalo, e isso resulta em um combo diferente. A profundidade e complexidade do combate é impressionante. O mapeamento das skills, perfeito. Sem falar que cada skill não tem apenas um efeito, elas tem cada uma sua física programada. quantos jogos você já jogou onde um arqueiro pode paralisar um inimigo com uma flecha? Agora quantos jogos você já jogou onde você precisa que o inimigo esteja perto de uma parede para finca-lo nela e assim paralisa-lo? Esse é Dragon’s Dogma. Toda skill, aliás todo o combate, todo o jogo tem uma física muito bem trabalhada nele. No modo como conecta os golpes, corre, pula, se agarra, escala, agarra os inimigos e por ai vai.
    Dentro do combate outro destaque é o agarrar. Você pode agarrar qualquer objeto pra arremessar e pode agarrar seus inimigos. A muito tempo penso nessa dinâmica de agarramento do Dragon’s Dogma e fico feliz que FINALMENTE algum jogo fez isso. O lance de você agarrar um inimigo se ele for pequeno e se agarrar a um inimigo para escala-lo se ele for grande. É uma ideia simples porém só agora realizada por um jogo.
    Dragon’s Dogma foi ousado. Além de ser um RPG, com quests, NPCs, em um mundo aberto, com um gameplay tão “de ação”, o jogo ainda dá direito a todas as dinâmicas encontradas em RPGs tradicionais, como: um complexo sistema de gethering e crafting para itens e armas, diversas classes de personagem e ainda outro sistema de companheiros de party.
    Agora entramos no que tem de ruim no jogo. Os Pawns, que são seus companheiros de party, eles tem uma AI péssima e você é muito limitado no modo de comanda-los. Eles são realmente limitados, por tanto eu pretendia jogar sem eles, porém é impossível! Pelo menos na dificuldade normal. O jogo não é difícil, é cruel!.. e difícil! Desnecessariamente. Inimigos medíocres logo no começo exigem uma quantidade imensa de golpes para morrer. E isso não vai melhorando muito com o tempo. É triste ver suas táticas de combate irem por água a baixo porque você tem que ficar dando 2 ou 3 combos num inimigo caído no chão pra ele morrer ao invés de já poder estar indo pra cima de outro.
    O grande problema para mim são os HPs muito altos, e esse problema se acentua se você estiver jogando com classes de arco e faca. E em situações onde surgem grupos de inimigos em mais de dez cabeças, isso fica ridículo. E o jogo é cruel por te enviar para lugares inóspitos cheios de inimigos de level mais alto que o seu, logo de começo! Se você não quer abaixar o nível de dificuldade do jogo, (o que estou começando a considerar em pró da diversão. Se jogar no easy se resumir a inimigos com menos HP.) ande com cautela por aí. Sempre atento. Morrer e ser mandado lá pra traz é frustrante, mas com o tempo você aprende a salvar com frequência.
    Por ser um RPG o jogo também exige que você perca muito tempo no micromenegement dos equipamentos itens, crafting e venda. Isso é meio chato pra mim, ainda mais se sua vida depender disso, de equipamentos melhores e itens de cura melhores. Outro ponto fraco é que o mundo aberto é um vasto mundo por onde você ANDA. São distâncias muito longas e os itens de fast travel só ficam acessíveis bem mais a frente. Então infelizmente você passará grande parte do jogo apenas andando e correndo. A história de Dragon’s Dogma a princípio também é bem fraquinha.
    Mas nada disso consegue estragar a experiência única do gameplay perfeito de Dragon’s Dogma. Na minha humilde opinião ele deixa Skyrim e Demon Souls no chinelo fácil! Pois são dois jogos com jogabilidades MERDAS! Pronto falei!    … Expand
  65. Renzy_Wenzy
    Nov 11, 2014
    7
    Ok guys. Keep in mind that I'm not only reviewing the Dark Arisen expansion pack but also the original game itself. First, I want to get the negatives out of the way. The story is uninteresting but he intro is definitely cool. A dragon eats your heart but somehow you're still alive and the dragon is communicating with you telling you to find him if you want your heart back. That's aboutOk guys. Keep in mind that I'm not only reviewing the Dark Arisen expansion pack but also the original game itself. First, I want to get the negatives out of the way. The story is uninteresting but he intro is definitely cool. A dragon eats your heart but somehow you're still alive and the dragon is communicating with you telling you to find him if you want your heart back. That's about the most unique thing about the story. Everything else feels uninspired. Second, there is no reliable fast travel system. I know about the ferryports but these aren't enough. This map is huge and villages are so far apart. Plus, the roads or paths you have to take to get to Point B from Point A feels dead. Enemies spawn at the exact places as before. Civilians have nothing interesting to say and you're character gets tired quickly before he can reach the destinations. Third, your pawns never shut up. They say the same damn things over and over and over and over and over again. It gets annoying. Fourth, the jail system is ridiculous. Once you commit a crime, you are AUTOMATICALLY thrown into jail. You don't get to fight back. And once you're in jail, there are only a few ways to get out: A) Bribe the guard with 5000 gold B) Use a skeleton key which you most likely will not have since they're not common or C) WAIT FOR 48 **** MINUTES IN REAL TIME. Why can't I just go to sleep to while serving my sentence. Speaking of sleeping. You can not I repeat can not sleep in any random bed. Even the one in your OWN HOME which defeats the purpose of having a house.

    Ok. now that the negatives are out of the way. Let's look at positives. Combat in the game is excellent. It's fast and fluid and there is so much variation in the moves that it never feels old. There's deep customization here. AT the beginning of the game, you get to choose among 3 classes or "variations" Fighter, Strider or Mage. Once you pick a class, the more experienced you are in that class, the more variations you unlock. You can be a hybrid of a Strider and a fighter or a fighter and a mage etc etc. it's so damn satisfying whenever I mix up these variations to unlock new moves and use new weapons. The pawns are very helpful in the game. They seem to know what to do depending on what situation you're in. For example, if your health is low and an enemy is attacking you, your pawn will try to provoke said enemy so that you have a chance to pull back. If you have mage pawns, they will heal you when your health is low and they can even enchant your weapons with elements such as fire, ice, electricity. There are even times when my pawn would hold down enemies so I can unleash some combos and that just adds to the dynamic feeling of the combat in this game. Finally, the boss battles. These are the best boss battles I have ever played in an RPG. Gone are the days where you just hack away at the feet of giants such as ogres, cyclops or dragons. Now, you get to grab on to these epic creatures, climb around them and just slice and dice their head or arm or neck or whichever part you choose. This reminded me of Shadow the Colossus and that was a damn great feeling.

    Overall, this was a good game. If your are willing to look past all its flaws, from the uninteresting story to the tedious backtracking, then you're gonna have some fun with this game. In terms of content, you will definitely get your money's worth as it will take somewhere between 50 to 70 hours to complete the game with its side quests. There's even a new game plus if you want to restart the game's story but this time, with all the skills and attributes you've acquired from your first play through.

    I really feel like this could be the next big RPG. If Capcom has plans for a sequel then they should do their best to address these issues. If they do that, this series could easily be a contender for best RPG of our generation. Until then, in my opinion, TES franchise is still the RPG king. Good luck, Capcom and Dragon's Dogma.    … Expand
  66. Goran_M
    May 13, 2016
    9
    One of the best games I played ever! Story wise it is not brilliant, but it is OK. Where it shines is it's atmosphere and what's more important - combat. Pawn system was a nice idea and it was executed well. I'm on my 4th playthrough, enough said.
  67. notmichael
    Jan 31, 2015
    8
    If you enjoy RPGs but, like me you aren't very good at them, then this is a good choice. The combat is quite simple (a little too simple) so the items are a little useless but it remains fun throughout it's length (~70 hours). Not having to commit to a single class for the entire game is a plus. Repetitive at times; definite room for improvement.
  68. Agahnim
    Dec 7, 2016
    1
    Absolute trash. Pawns are worthless. No AI. Terrible fighting styles. Horrid camera. Ridiculously terrible jump and cling ability. Arisen never grabs what you aim for. Monsters can hurt you without touching you. Complete misses, even with their spells, yet you get hurt. Cut scenes make Arisen look like he/she isn't even smart enough to put his boots on. All in all, not worth a moment ofAbsolute trash. Pawns are worthless. No AI. Terrible fighting styles. Horrid camera. Ridiculously terrible jump and cling ability. Arisen never grabs what you aim for. Monsters can hurt you without touching you. Complete misses, even with their spells, yet you get hurt. Cut scenes make Arisen look like he/she isn't even smart enough to put his boots on. All in all, not worth a moment of anyone's time.… Expand
  69. GOAT52
    Sep 16, 2020
    9
    Best depiction of a dragon in any game. This is a must play for any anime or fantasy lover.
  70. Navimaximoff7
    Nov 13, 2021
    8
    The game have some problems, for example the main missions are really boring and the distances you have to travel are just too long and you will be fighting the same monsters over and over until the end of the mission, but a good point is that the vocations system is pretty funny and if you are tired playing as warrior you can easily change it to another one.

Awards & Rankings

39
#39 Best PS3 Game of 2013
27
#27 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
29
#29 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Aug 25, 2013
    80
    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]
  2. PlaySense
    May 24, 2013
    85
    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.
    Read full review
  3. Impulsegamer
    May 22, 2013
    73
    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.
    Read full review
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