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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  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
prev
Page:

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
See all critic reviews »