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. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. GOAT52
    Sep 16, 2020
    9
    Best depiction of a dragon in any game. This is a must play for any anime or fantasy lover.
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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.
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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.
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  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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