Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 222 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 176 out of 222
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 222
  3. Negative: 19 out of 222
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  1. TheUncannyOne
    Oct 4, 2017
    10
    600 hours on PS3, let's try for another 600, why not? The game is certainly worth it. Critic reviews be damned, 77 is an absolute crime against this legend of a game.
  2. djwille88
    Oct 5, 2017
    9
    Fantastic game! One of my favorite RPG's. The story kinda sucks but the combat is top notch. The addition of BB Island has been one of the best expansions ever in any game I've ever owned.
  3. Xantdee
    May 16, 2018
    10
    I was going to give this game an 8, but then I discovered the depths of Bitterblack Isle... And despite all the cons I'm giving it a 10.

    Pros: - Immersive atmosphere for exploring the world. - Pawn system is great. Almost like playing with other humans actually. - COMBAT IS AWESOME. I actually liked it more than Bloodborne/Dark Souls combat. - Dungeon-delving is awesome. - So many    I was going to give this game an 8, but then I discovered the depths of Bitterblack Isle... And despite all the cons I'm giving it a 10.

    Pros:
    - Immersive atmosphere for exploring the world.
    - Pawn system is great. Almost like playing with other humans actually.
    - COMBAT IS AWESOME. I actually liked it more than Bloodborne/Dark Souls combat.
    - Dungeon-delving is awesome.
    - So many different monsters requiring a unique approach. You can even CLIMB huge monsters like dragons or griffins and they try to shake you, and they try to FLY, while you are climbing them.
    - Skill system is unique and fun. Spellcasting is truly unique.
    - So many choices of gear feels like a dressing game sometimes.
    - You can make pretty much any character you like, total body-positivity.

    Cons:
    - The story. Well, it is there if you need it... Just don't expect it to be great.
    - Graphics feel kinda dated sometimes.
    - Some enemies are impossible to defeat at all until you level up and find better gear (elder ogres, I'm looking at you)
    - The open world feels huge at first, but it really could use more locations and dungeons skyrim-like. Or even random dungeon-generator bloodborne-like.
    - Lack of tutorials and somewhat complex system. I learned that I had to actually set my passive abilities after several days of playing.

    But for me all of the cons are negligible, I enjoyed the game.

    Please, Capcom, pretty please, can we have a sequel? Pretty please?    … Expand
  4. Steyraus
    Sep 29, 2020
    10
    I nearly passed on this game a second time when it was released on Ps4. So glad I didn't, what a masterpieces, with so much originality. People this is why you get games that all feel the same cause you don't support origin al games like this.
  5. pongkrit03
    Jul 11, 2018
    8
    I never had PS3 but I heard a lot of good things from this game. Now that it has PS4 remastered version, it is a good time for me to try it out. I spent 30+ hrs , finished both main game and DLC. I would say Dragon Dogma is a great game but with some flaws. Let's see why.

    Pro - Combat mechanic is awesome. It got the feeling of hack & slash. There are 9 classes. Each class has different    I never had PS3 but I heard a lot of good things from this game. Now that it has PS4 remastered version, it is a good time for me to try it out. I spent 30+ hrs , finished both main game and DLC. I would say Dragon Dogma is a great game but with some flaws. Let's see why.

    Pro
    - Combat mechanic is awesome. It got the feeling of hack & slash. There are 9 classes. Each class has different role. There is a grab mechanic that allows player to climb on big monster in order to attack its weakness. Very intuitive I must say.
    - Pawn system is creative and unique, though not perfect. Some pawns are much stronger than you and will make the game too easy.
    - Music is great.
    - Free DLC, Dark Arisen, adds a lot of fierce fights into the game. also replay abilities.

    Cons
    - **Graphic is very outdated**
    - Small scaled open world ( very small).
    - No quest givers showing on the map, so you probably miss many quests on your first playthrough if you don't read wiki. No quest waypoint, sometimes you will get confused about the route to go to the destination.
    - Limited fast travel system. Although with DLC, you have infinite teleporting item now, you still need port crystal setting up at the place you want to go and port crystals are very few and hard to obtain.
    - Inconsistent difficulty. The game starts hard at first but become easy from the middle to the end. Fortunately, the DLC adds up much challenging in this game.
    - One saved file. Even you want to make a new character, you are forced to delete the previous one. Why ?

    For story, I was disappointed at first because it started off very mediocre and continue to be mediocre. However, the ending and concept of the cycle in this world have amazed me. It was one of the greatest game endings to me. DLC story is also good, although I have to read online to understand what was going on. Side quests, however, only few are interesting, most are uninspired, normal fetch quests.

    In sum, I would give 7/10 to this game for main game alone, +1 for challenging DLC and the ending so 8/10 is solid score. I would love to play Dragon Dogma 2 if Capcom decide to make it. Sadly, it does not have COOP otherwise it would boost the score to 9. Anyway, If you love RPG fantasy open world and don't mind outdated graphic, Dragon Dogma is a game you should give a try.    … Expand
  6. Cherryleaf
    Oct 11, 2017
    10
    This is one of the best RPG's I have played. When this game was first released back in (2012, I think), I was bit sceptical to it, but I was happily suprised. The elements that you could climb up on the big monsters, and bash them while mounting them, or clinging on their back, felt fresh and new.

    The graphics might feel bit outdated, but there is so much in the gameplay and atmospheric    This is one of the best RPG's I have played. When this game was first released back in (2012, I think), I was bit sceptical to it, but I was happily suprised. The elements that you could climb up on the big monsters, and bash them while mounting them, or clinging on their back, felt fresh and new.

    The graphics might feel bit outdated, but there is so much in the gameplay and atmospheric feeling that outweigh this by far. And for me, the "post-game" (NOT the NG+) really handed me something to bite in, and gives it another twist (GL with online UR )+ that the (now included) DLC Bitterblack Isle also is well worth visiting (preferably not as a Lvl 1) puts your skills to a test. I'm just a simple lvl 80, nd might be a mediocre gamer, and still feel like Bitterblack is a challenge ( to my defense, I got only mediocre gear, and no "end-game" gear).

    This game delivers such a joyful gameplay, and felt well worth my money to re-invest in it to be able to play it on my PS4. I actually had more fun now, than I did back then (cant explain why). I still love the "PAWN-system" which is such a brilliant compliment... and if you have a high level (150-200) friend, you can borrow his Pawn and cheese through the early game. Even though none of my RL friends have picked this game up, there is a rich pick of Pawns that you can hire from other gamers - these Pawns wanders around in the Rift, the world and the city.

    If you dont mind a bit outdated GFX and is looking for a good RPG, well, I heartly recommend this as it is well worth the money (250 SEK or approx 30 USD)    … Expand
  7. destinyfan1
    Oct 4, 2017
    10
    Dragon's dogma was one of my favorite rpg's on the ps3 , and here is it again in all its glory ( but even better because you know, its on the ps4)
    Recommended because of the story , combat,perfect gameplay and DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Its only 25 euros , so you got literally no reason to not buy this game , even an fps fan will like this , FREAKING everyone will like this The only thing    Dragon's dogma was one of my favorite rpg's on the ps3 , and here is it again in all its glory ( but even better because you know, its on the ps4)
    Recommended because of the story , combat,perfect gameplay and DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Its only 25 euros , so you got literally no reason to not buy this game , even an fps fan will like this , FREAKING everyone will like this
    The only thing that could have been done better are the faces of humans , hey still look low budget
    But still a 10 worthy    … Expand
  8. Memsido
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    A gift that keeps on giving! This game gets just better and better. It took me about 6h to get into it, but it was all worth it.
  9. Kriss1988pl
    Feb 17, 2018
    9
    One of the best games I've ever played. Awesome combat system, deep customization and cool bosses to fignt. The game is pretty damn long so it's totally worth since it's cheap.
  10. Snyx
    May 23, 2018
    10
    The first time I played Dragon's Dogma it felt like the game I had always wanted to play without ever knowing it. There are so many layers to this game that make it a standout title, a few of the key ones:

    Combat in Dragon's Dogma is spot on and offers a lot of variety, thanks to the different classes and deep customization system. Each class can be further specialized and changed    The first time I played Dragon's Dogma it felt like the game I had always wanted to play without ever knowing it. There are so many layers to this game that make it a standout title, a few of the key ones:

    Combat in Dragon's Dogma is spot on and offers a lot of variety, thanks to the different classes and deep customization system. Each class can be further specialized and changed anytime at specific locations. Plus, there's a huge amount of weapons and gear that can be upgraded.

    Giant creatures make for epic battles, whether you're climbing up a cyclops's head to ram your dagger into his eye or you're shooting arrows at a beast with a body that is half lion, half goat and has a poison spitting snake as tail.

    Your party allows for three additional support NPCs, which in Dragon's Dogma are called pawns. The pawn system allows you to create and share your own companion as well as recruit other players creations to your party.

    In addition to the base game, the PS4 version includes the Dark Arisen expansion, which offers a huge amount of end/post game content in the form of Bitterblack Isle.

    The art design is great and the music might haunt you even long after you've finished the game.    … Expand
  11. x420Raptor
    Oct 4, 2017
    9
    I'm surprised the critic reviews are averaging out at around 77 right now.

    I feel like those people probably haven't played through the entire game, especially not the part that makes this game greater, the DLC end game runs. While the graphics look dated, and the draw distance is still ridiculous, DD:DA is still at it's core one of the best RPGs we've ever had. If you can make it    I'm surprised the critic reviews are averaging out at around 77 right now.

    I feel like those people probably haven't played through the entire game, especially not the part that makes this game greater, the DLC end game runs.

    While the graphics look dated, and the draw distance is still ridiculous, DD:DA is still at it's core one of the best RPGs we've ever had.

    If you can make it through the first 5-10 hours until you start getting familiar with more advanced moves for whatever class you decide to run at the time, then that's when the game really comes into it's own.

    The combat/gear system in DD:DA is what makes the game addictive, + the pawn system... and when you finally decide to go to Bitterblack isle, and start running that giant dungeon for loot, that's when you'll come across some of the most unique monster encounters and find some of the top level gear in the game, as well as really getting to grips with your characters abilities.

    Forget the story, and forget the graphics, DD:DA is worth the money just for the combat and BBI runs alone.

    It's damn sure more addictive and interesting than Destiny 2.

    The game is deserving of at least an 8, and probably 8.5 really... that extra 1.5 would more than likely only come from modern graphics and a better story, or more depth in the characters, but once you try the combat at end game level... you'll understand why this game is so addictive and so great,    … Expand
  12. Juras
    Oct 4, 2017
    10
    Probably best action-rpg game of last genre now even better. Awesome combat, mature story, bloody setting, dragons. And bolide or maelstrom, best ever animations for spells even created. Loot boxes are ingame on fields, for free. :)
  13. cas514
    Oct 3, 2017
    10
    This is my favorite RPG of the last generation. The gameplay is perfection and so much fun, you wont want to put it down. Fighting a dragon is finally as epic as it should be.
  14. Teela
    Oct 3, 2017
    9
    "If you haven’t played it yet, this is the best way to play one of the best action RPGs of the last generation in consoles. If you have, you won’t find anything particularly new or exciting here, although it still is very enjoyable."
    - Vandal
    This pretty much sums it up.
    For me this is just a good reason to play this great game again.
  15. Merfy
    Oct 4, 2017
    9
    My first time playing Dragons Dogma, its an outstanding game!

    If you enjoyed games like Dark Souls or Skyrim you will love this, heck I'm even getting the same vibes I got playing Ocarina of Time all those years ago. DD is excellent and for 24.99 is well worth the purchase, plenty of content here and the combat is great. Gotta love a good RPG
  16. Solid2312
    Oct 7, 2017
    10
    Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen is an excelent game. With a beautiful open world, very good mechanics and too much fun gameplay. Everyone who loves action RPG should give this one a try.
  17. kaitgamer
    Jan 21, 2018
    9
    Wow..I found this game recently and Im just blown away. The fighting mechanics, the flexibility, the pawns that come from other folks go from hilarious to useful. The pawn mechanic itself is a reason to play this game. The grinding is fun and satisfying, and the big battles are tough but ultimately fair. One of the cool things about battle is that opponents are pretty smart...theyWow..I found this game recently and Im just blown away. The fighting mechanics, the flexibility, the pawns that come from other folks go from hilarious to useful. The pawn mechanic itself is a reason to play this game. The grinding is fun and satisfying, and the big battles are tough but ultimately fair. One of the cool things about battle is that opponents are pretty smart...they blind you they slow you they burn you...it feels like a real fight...Even the story is not a cliche, its a really interesting story. The only downside i can find is that sometimes there is alot going on in a battle and it can be hard to see what's happening around you.… Expand
  18. GamerZero
    Nov 12, 2017
    10
    Is Dragon's Dogma perfect? No but it is awesome!

    Awesome character creation? Yes! Awesome melee combat? Yes! Awesome magic system? Yes! Tons of awesome armor and weapons? Yes! Is it challenging? Yes! Should I buy it? YES YES YES!!! They story isn't fleshed out nearly as well as it could be, the concept for a great story however is there as a skeleton though. That being said whatever    Is Dragon's Dogma perfect? No but it is awesome!

    Awesome character creation? Yes! Awesome melee combat? Yes! Awesome magic system? Yes!
    Tons of awesome armor and weapons? Yes! Is it challenging? Yes! Should I buy it? YES YES YES!!!

    They story isn't fleshed out nearly as well as it could be, the concept for a great story however is there as a skeleton though. That being said whatever this game lacks it makes up for in it's combat and being ridiculously replayable.    … Expand
  19. nksquall
    Jan 18, 2022
    1
    Absolutely boring game that is not worth invested time. Combat is inconsistent, some fights are boringly easy and then all of the sudden a foe that looks exactly the same oneshots you. Quest design is quite tedious, you can spend up to couple hours collecting herbs or 45 wolf tails. The way of telling the story is not immersive at all.
    Better play something else.
  20. Zeratex
    Dec 30, 2019
    3
    Dragon's Dogma gets a lot of praise for its Combat, however despite that praise I find the game to still be below average in terms of overall quality, the Combat is good sure, but its not very impressive and doesnt help push through a very generic and dull writing.

    Visuals wise the game is dull looking and boring, most of the landscape more of the same and its bland, the animations are    Dragon's Dogma gets a lot of praise for its Combat, however despite that praise I find the game to still be below average in terms of overall quality, the Combat is good sure, but its not very impressive and doesnt help push through a very generic and dull writing.

    Visuals wise the game is dull looking and boring, most of the landscape more of the same and its bland, the animations are fine but they get repititve quickly.
    Sounds wise, the pawns keep repeating the same lines which makes playing the game more annoying. Soundtracks are minimal and they are mediocre.
    The game has the major flaws in its writing, its Quests are fetch quests generic, Characters are bland one dimensional and uninteresting. Worldbuilding is shallow and lacks a lot of aspects.
    Another major flaw is the Pawn A.I how it behaves how it keeps saying the same lines.
    One more major flaw is no fast travel and you have to WALK all the time with stamina bar which makes traveling more boring.
    One last major flaw is that enemies keep respawning quickly and they are damage spoonges which makes a good combat boring, so overall even the strongest point about this game still manages to become boring

    As an RPG it needs some quality writing to keep me playing, it does not.

    Weak game.
    3.5/10    … Expand
  21. shiftyman
    Feb 8, 2018
    5
    With next to no story and dialogue, plus the woeful pathetic weapon upgrade system from BBI ruins what could’ve been an exceptional game.
  22. Killer_Freeze00
    Oct 9, 2017
    8
    Dragon's Dogma is an amazing game to pass the time with. If you like Skyrim you will love this game no doubt about it. I'm giving the review an 8, only because their is a few mechanics that should have changed for the remaster. Fast travel- You will be doing a lot of running from point A to B constantly. In a world the size of Skyrim that gets quite annoying after awhile. Ferry stonesDragon's Dogma is an amazing game to pass the time with. If you like Skyrim you will love this game no doubt about it. I'm giving the review an 8, only because their is a few mechanics that should have changed for the remaster. Fast travel- You will be doing a lot of running from point A to B constantly. In a world the size of Skyrim that gets quite annoying after awhile. Ferry stones are way to expensive to purchase because you will want to buy new weapons and gear for you and your main pawn. The game is quite hard, it will not hold your hand while you play. Especially at lower levels you will die constantly if you are not expecting a battle. Boss battle are amazing with the grab mechanic letting you climb all over dragons, cyclops's, hydra, etc. Great game if you got the extra 30$ USD to spend.… Expand
  23. Belial2Spooku
    Oct 15, 2017
    7
    It´s almost the same game of the ps3.
    More Dragon dogma, if someone like the first one in the past generation it´s the same, same Flawls same Good things.
  24. ty92
    Dec 29, 2019
    8
    Amazing game even now in almost 2020. Graphics are dated but the gameplay is amazing. It's a mix between Skyrim, Monster Hunter World, Final Fantasy and ESO. This game need's to be remastered or just make a Dragon's Dogma 2. The pawns make this game feel like you're playing a online game at times with other people. I like that you can use other players pawns. The entire pawn system reallyAmazing game even now in almost 2020. Graphics are dated but the gameplay is amazing. It's a mix between Skyrim, Monster Hunter World, Final Fantasy and ESO. This game need's to be remastered or just make a Dragon's Dogma 2. The pawns make this game feel like you're playing a online game at times with other people. I like that you can use other players pawns. The entire pawn system really elevates this game. I also like the day and night cycle. It makes the game more immersive since more enemies come out at night.… Expand
  25. Ryskim
    Oct 9, 2018
    8
    It's great game. The spellcasting animations are really impressive, the world, the people, the story, the lore, it's all so good and immersive. It needed more variety, maybe mounts and more classes. But other than that this game is really good. It will not disappoint you. It's a game from the previous generation, but with the graphics update for the PS4 it really stands on its own. Enjoy it!
  26. itchipod
    Dec 27, 2018
    10
    10/10 for the gameplay and combat alone, which makes up for the bland narrative.
  27. CraigEchols
    Jun 15, 2018
    8
    A hidden gem that is absolutely worth your time. If you are a person who is into Lord of the Rings or even Elder Scrolls type games, then you should give it a try. While not the perfect game, it is still a diamond in the rough that is criminally under played and unnoticed. I happened to pick up this Gamefly when it was on sale for 14.99 and it was worth every penny.

    Pros: -The game is    A hidden gem that is absolutely worth your time. If you are a person who is into Lord of the Rings or even Elder Scrolls type games, then you should give it a try. While not the perfect game, it is still a diamond in the rough that is criminally under played and unnoticed. I happened to pick up this Gamefly when it was on sale for 14.99 and it was worth every penny.

    Pros:
    -The game is massive. You can easily lose yourself in the world as it is wide and beautiful at a distance. Plenty of side quests and a nice challenge to any veteran gamer.
    -The combat system makes small battles fun and big battles a heart pounding thrill. A clandestine feature is the grappling feature that I don't understand why many other games have not included because Capcom uses it perfectly here. With smaller enemies, you can grapple and hold up enemies for your comrades to attack, and with bigger enemies you can do a Shadow of the Colossus like scaling to move around them and attack certain points and it adds a new form a strategy for your team.
    -Speaking of team, the game features a pawn system that lets you select 3 other members (one of them specific to you) for the battle. As a person who likes teamwork games, but struggles with delving into online communities, this worked out well for me because you can command your pawns the way you see fit and they are actually very helpful (and essential) in battle.
    -The item/weapon system is basic to what you would expect in any pick up and carry action-RPG game (like all of them), but its done especially well here since you can give items to your pawns allowing them to heal themselves and lighten your load since there is a lot to pick up in this world
    -The number of quests you can uptake is very high, but not overwhelming since a number of them cross over to each other.
    -This game isn't Dark Souls hard (or even Nioh), but its not a cakewalk and personally I like that challenge. You can't fight every battle, you can't just hack and slash every battle. Having to do the right things in battle really makes you think and strategize about what your next move is. Do you heal or attack? Do you swipe at the legs or climb on the back and attack? Do you knock the weapon out of the hand or do you go for the head?
    -If you buy the game now, it comes with all the DLC and everything ready to go. So you can easily put in over 500 hours with this game.

    Cons:
    -This game is very opaque. I don't like my games to hand hold, however, it is very easy to get lost in this game (and not in a good way) and not know where to go. The missions sort of tell you what to do, but its very vague at best. I try not to use online guides, but I had to on a couple missions or else I would have never known what to do.
    -While the game is pretty, there are some pretty funny (and unfunny) glitches in this game. I got the game late so I don't know how many patches came out after the first day, but it needs a bit more. None of them are game-breaking, however, you may catch allies or enemies running in a corner for about 45 seconds to a minute as well as being caught between a rock and a hard place (quite literally).
    -There is no fast travel (at least that I have noticed in the game thus far) so it can take 15-20 minutes to get to a certain mission through trekking. While its good when you wanna take in the landscape, it gets old fast given the myriad of enemies you can face and how many battles you have to run from after trekking for so long.
    -The story isn't bad, but its not amazing. It starts out fast, but then explains very little. Luckily gameplay makes up for it, but doesn't leave much to the imagination. This missions are in depth and long, but some of them can feel like elongated fetch/filler quests.

    All in all, I do not regret picking up this game and its gonna stay in my library for awhile. For the price, it was one of the best games I ever bought and was exactly what I was looking for when I bought it. I can look by some of the miscues of the game being for the fact that the game is just so damn fun. I would recommend to anyone who likes adventure RPG games. If you are a person who likes taking their time with their RPGs then add this one to your list and get ready for a fun time!    … Expand
  28. Empyrea
    Aug 28, 2022
    8
    I beat this game 3 times: first time 60 hours searching almost everywhere; second time 30 hours (it would have been 20 but I went deep into the Bitterblack Isle until I found what's laying there. Yes, you'll see but be really prepared with as many items as you can). I played a third time because at the end of the game you'll see a couple of scenes with your "beloved" but to my surprise, inI beat this game 3 times: first time 60 hours searching almost everywhere; second time 30 hours (it would have been 20 but I went deep into the Bitterblack Isle until I found what's laying there. Yes, you'll see but be really prepared with as many items as you can). I played a third time because at the end of the game you'll see a couple of scenes with your "beloved" but to my surprise, in the second scene in my second game I found the beard man blaksmith (make sure to speak and give things to your beloved before going to the final ending) so I decided to play a third time very fast (15 hours) to watch the proper scene and also to try different kinds of gameplay. I also started a 4th game for 4 hours just to raise my character one more level and achieve the level 100 and get a trophy. This time I created a female main character and a twin for the pawn but yeah, it suits better a male character. What to say about this game? Let's say it's not perfect but because there are difficult enemies and there are many kinds of vocations to try it's the game with much replayability that I've ever played and I'm not really into replay games, but this game got me. I mean, it's been made with love and care, all the npc speak with voices, soundtrack is quite good (there are better songs than others but overall are quite good really) especially some epic songs at the end of the game. But remember, there are like two games: Dragon's dogma (the main) and Dark arisen (Bitterblack isle). The only thing I can say is that the more I played the more I enjoyed it. I really recommend a second playthrough because it'll be easier and also you'll have the chance to do important sidequests (mainly regarding Aelinor and Selene). You can use a guide so you don't miss this sidequests. I also enjoyed creating the looks of my characters and pawns. P.S: remember that you can jump up to your enemies (jump and push R2). I didn't know that till the end of my playthrough but probably because I didn't need it because of the vocations I used. I can't wait to play the second part!… Expand
  29. SOLIDSNAKEN64
    Aug 30, 2018
    8
    DD is a fun, deep action rpg that does many things right! There is tons of content in dark arisen, even after you finish the main story. Speaking of story, it seems to be one of the weaker points of the game. That being said gameplay alone will keep you interested. Even though its not exactly a open world game you have to back track about which makes it seem bigger then it really is.DD is a fun, deep action rpg that does many things right! There is tons of content in dark arisen, even after you finish the main story. Speaking of story, it seems to be one of the weaker points of the game. That being said gameplay alone will keep you interested. Even though its not exactly a open world game you have to back track about which makes it seem bigger then it really is. There is lots of fun boso fights and plenty of loot to find along the way. Leveling up is fun and changing vocations when you want to try a different style of playing is easy and rewarding. The pawn system is different and enjoyable because you can really customize your party to your liking. I really enjoyed my time with DD and hopefully capcom decides to give it a sequel.… Expand
  30. frederik1478
    Nov 2, 2022
    7
    Dragon's Dogma is a really interesting game, but sadly it doesn't have the enemy variety to keep it interesting all the way through.

    The gameplay is fun if a bit shallow, it doesn't compare to Dark Souls but it does have its own player in creating your own pond and character style is fun in the Quest funny some of them and interesting. My biggest problem is there is a lot of walking    Dragon's Dogma is a really interesting game, but sadly it doesn't have the enemy variety to keep it interesting all the way through.

    The gameplay is fun if a bit shallow, it doesn't compare to Dark Souls but it does have its own player in creating your own pond and character style is fun in the Quest funny some of them and interesting.

    My biggest problem is there is a lot of walking about and there's not really so many interesting things to see in the way the world feels MC and it is fun to fight but after wild it is gonna become too repetitive. I enjoyed it. I have completed this game 2 times before but now I'm playing it for a third time and it does not stick to me.    … Expand
  31. oknsnl
    Jan 29, 2019
    9
    Gameplay : 9 (I like classes, pawns and combat.)
    Story : 8 (Classical fantasy game with chosen one)
    Enemies : 10 ( I really like to slay dragons :))
  32. CoreGamer1408
    Jan 28, 2019
    6
    The generic swords and sorcery story, plot and characters are so undeveloped I don't even care what is going on. Visually this was bad on the 360 back in the day. Now it looks like it is from the ark of gaming on the PS4. So all that is left is the gameplay to fall back on, right? The exploration is underwhelming. Trash mobs A.I. is basic to awful. Well when they fail to even reactThe generic swords and sorcery story, plot and characters are so undeveloped I don't even care what is going on. Visually this was bad on the 360 back in the day. Now it looks like it is from the ark of gaming on the PS4. So all that is left is the gameplay to fall back on, right? The exploration is underwhelming. Trash mobs A.I. is basic to awful. Well when they fail to even react comrades getting attacked. Boss fights I will get into that later.

    Problem with this game it is a party combat system that needs actual really human players (or a ME1 style combat system). Not three pointless A.I. morons that you are stuck with all the time. The pawn system is a gimmick and not a good one at that.

    Bosses are so boringly predictable. Get the Boss on the last health bar and unless the player health is at Max the Boss will try to one shot/hit with a rage/jump attack. Sometimes I just stood back and let the Pawns do all the work on the last Boss health bar round. Well the pawns can't die outright like the player and can be only KO. They just wait on slow death timer until recovery by the player. Nice in game exploit for sure stand back and not even play. Wow great game design developers the game plays itself.

    Travelling is annoying until I found enough of the limited port crystals aka the fast travel system to place strategically around the map. Lots of cookie cutter MMO style side quest missions to pad out game. Wasting many a time back travelling to the quest boards dotted around the land was annoying. As in coming back from another quest and/or free roaming to see that the quest board now wanted so many creatures dead I just killed in that other quest/area cleared I just finished, argh!

    Passable, but dated ARPG which is more focused on cookie cutter quests and flashy combat. No real interesting exploration or depth of story narrative. No New game+, no free roam. Only one auto save for one character only. While the ending feels like a slap in the face if you do things right.    … Expand
  33. Pookytookybaby
    Nov 4, 2017
    10
    Thanks for the remake. Runs very smooth on PS4. Looks great. I like how they have updated everything it seems. Also the matchmaking for pawns is very quick and smooth. I love this game and am glad I can enjoy it on my PS4 now.
  34. Septimus132
    Dec 30, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is Dragon's Dogma with more variety of dragons and other more sinister deities and less room to maneuver. Think of Dark Arisen as the giant pit that swallow Grand Soren time 5 and should get a rough estimate on how challenging the location of Dark Arisen could be, of course there is the endgame loots from Bitterblack Isle (that's the setting) and its inhabitants which offer some of, if not, the best possible gears in term of stats and cosmetic value throughout the entire Dragon's Dogma game but getting them though.

    If you're someone new to the world of Dragon's Dogma think of it similar to D&D but without most of the sunshine. Also note that this is not a triple A game so it won't have top of the line graphic but beyond that the game is overall enjoyable.

    There are still some error that I'm running into so not a 10, would go with 9.5 but don't know if there is an option for that.    … Expand
  35. kingdomgeekdom
    Mar 7, 2018
    5
    this is a decent action RPG with a cool premise of creating a pawn and allowing others to use it while you use others in your quest. It is a large open-world with a good amount of things to do, even if those are quest that just ask you to kill x number of such and such monster. Where it really fails for me is that there is no fast travel. Well there is, but it is expensive and doesn'tthis is a decent action RPG with a cool premise of creating a pawn and allowing others to use it while you use others in your quest. It is a large open-world with a good amount of things to do, even if those are quest that just ask you to kill x number of such and such monster. Where it really fails for me is that there is no fast travel. Well there is, but it is expensive and doesn't unlock until later in the game. That means a lot of running around across a large open world which can get quite boring and takes you out of the game when you run back and forth across the same section you explored a multitude of times.… Expand
  36. SplitMind
    Aug 2, 2023
    5
    The Hipsters' Skyrim. So many baffling and bad game design choices. The save file issue alone is laughable.
  37. Nidd
    Aug 3, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. TL;DR: Dragon's Dogma is an absolutely amazing game that has some serious, obvious flaws, but it doesn't try to hide them. Instead, it embraces them as part of its unique identity and charm and asks players to dive into the game on its terms and then gives them all the freedom in the world once they accept them. If you love games like Dark Souls, Dragon Age, The Witcher, Skyrim, and even Shadow of the Colossus, then you should try this game. The amount of content for the price and the quality of the gameplay is something you just shouldn't pass up.

    Is Dragon's Dogma perfect? No. But it is a perfect example of taking a number of unoriginal and less-than-perfect elements and putting them together into something unique and wonderful. The story is pretty threadbare, but it has some fantastic lore and ideas and it will really pull the rug out from under the standard ideas about fantasy heroes slaying dragons and challenging the order of the world. The characters are much weaker than the story in my opinion, but there are still some standouts in my opinion, with the Dragon being one of them. The voice acting is quite good, though you will get sick of hearing some lines over and over.

    Where the game truly shines is in its gameplay and the design and execution of the enemies. The combat is simply fantastic and is the best of any action RPG I've ever played. Every class feels unique, fun, and very powerful, and the fact that you can change classes pretty much any time you want is perfect and keeps the game from ever getting stale. Melee combat is hard-hitting and visceral, and it really benefits from the Shadow of the Colossus-like ability to climb atop large enemies to attack their weak points. Archery and magic feel great at range supporting your melee party members, and magic especially feels alive and powerful and punchy like few other games have ever been able to capture. Item and resource management is very important and skews towards the hardcore end of the RPG spectrum for those that like that; remember to always bring your lantern, oil, and some ways to heal and cure status ailments and you'll have a much better time. Another way the game skews towards the hardcore is in its questing mechanics: while the main questline can more or less be done at your leisure, ala Skyrim, many if not most of the sidequests can be missed entirely if you don't check the noticeboards in various cities before progressing too far, talking to the right people when they're in a certain place, or even just waiting too long. And quests often have unwritten time limits that expire if you have them active but take too much time to do them. It's never unfair, as your pawns (AI companions) and other in-game methods will always let you know that you must make haste, but unlike other games that only give lip service to time limits while really letting you take all the time in the world, this one does not.

    And finally, the enemies. This is what made me rate the game a 10. Every single enemy from the weakest goblin to the biggest dragon is just perfect. They all have unique behavior, great AI, tons of abilities and situational differences, and each one is almost always the best designed and especially best-animated version of that type of monster I've ever seen. Watching a hydra slither around and attack your whole party at once with all of its heads moving constantly in a seamless, beautiful writhing, or watching a massive cyclops giant lumber across the room flailing its arms at its face because one of your companions is clinging to it and stabbing in the eye so you can charge a devastating spell to cast, or holding on to a furious direwolf as it tears across the landscape in an effort to separate you from your party before throwing you off are amazing experiences that I've never had replicated in any other games. Combat is tough, too. Even on easy you have to take every encounter seriously and use strategy and team tactics to overcome, because until you greatly out-level your foes even a small pack of wolves can easily party wipe you if aren't careful.

    My final piece of advice: play the game at least twice, and when you fight the final boss, do it with the internet connection off. It's definitely worth it.    … Expand
  38. HugeyBear
    Feb 16, 2019
    10
    If this game had online multiplayer or coop, It would be my favourite PS4 game I imagine. The combat is fantastic and the exploration and character models are superb. A great game. Looking for an action adventure to sink your teeth into? Look no further. Controversial but I enjoyed this more than The Witcher.
  39. brachypelma44
    Jul 4, 2019
    10
    This is one of my absolute favorite games of all time, going back to the late 1970s. I have purchased it 4 times: PS3, PS3 (Dark Arisen,) PC, and now on the PS4. The PC version is the best of them all, running at a silky smooth 60fps, but the PS4 version is still good. The original game ran like mud on the PS3, at 30 fps with some dips, and with black bars around the edges (I think theThis is one of my absolute favorite games of all time, going back to the late 1970s. I have purchased it 4 times: PS3, PS3 (Dark Arisen,) PC, and now on the PS4. The PC version is the best of them all, running at a silky smooth 60fps, but the PS4 version is still good. The original game ran like mud on the PS3, at 30 fps with some dips, and with black bars around the edges (I think the actual resolution was like 600p or something.) On the PS4, you get 1080p locked at 30 fps, which is very playable.

    The combat is damn good, regardless of which class you play. The pawn system really keeps the game feeling fresh and it's fun to see other player's creations. I really like the music as well. The Bitterblack Isle expansion is a huge interconnected dungeon that adds a lot of challenge after you finish the main game. The level cap is 200, so you can play this a really long time if you enjoy it, and make your character very powerful. I give this my highest recommendation if you want an ARPG to sink your teeth into.    … Expand
  40. JFalcon
    Nov 4, 2019
    9
    This game has one of the best fighting mechanism or the best it is difficult to decide.
    Physics, setting, and environment are spectacular. I wish story depth was more than we have since the story is amazing, and interaction with other character had more option.s
  41. Persona5GOAT
    Apr 9, 2020
    7
    I love the controls and combat but I would have like a more in-depth story, and the side quests are basically fetch, escort, or kill x amount of this type of monster. Not really great in that department. If there's a sequel I'd snatch it up and I hope it will be more polished. Some people have complained about the limited fast travel options but only in the very beginning did it kind ofI love the controls and combat but I would have like a more in-depth story, and the side quests are basically fetch, escort, or kill x amount of this type of monster. Not really great in that department. If there's a sequel I'd snatch it up and I hope it will be more polished. Some people have complained about the limited fast travel options but only in the very beginning did it kind of irk me. the map isn't as big as other open world games so it's not too hard to put up with footing it everywhere for a little bit. I like being able to customize Pawns' AI but at the same time it was not explained very well and is also "dynamic" meaning you can set their AI and find out a few hours later that it's changed somehow. Thankfully some old dude sells potions to rectify this, but again it's not really explained. Overall good, enjoyable, but feels like it falls short of what could have been.… Expand
  42. GOAT52
    Sep 16, 2020
    9
    Best depiction of a dragon in any game. This is game is must play for any anime or fantasy lover.
  43. tadnid
    Jun 9, 2022
    10
    One of the best games I played on PS4. Had to delete it in the end to make sure I stop playing and check other games. I probably passed the 200 hours mark. You always have 1-3 companions helping you in your journey, and this is the best game to accomplish this, the companions really turn the table. The endgame dungeon Bitterblack Isle is absolutely huge. Difficulty is just right. Buy this,One of the best games I played on PS4. Had to delete it in the end to make sure I stop playing and check other games. I probably passed the 200 hours mark. You always have 1-3 companions helping you in your journey, and this is the best game to accomplish this, the companions really turn the table. The endgame dungeon Bitterblack Isle is absolutely huge. Difficulty is just right. Buy this, you won't regret it.… Expand
  44. orig_frostbyt
    Jun 19, 2020
    10
    My fav RPG of all time. Played on PS3 and never finished...picked up on PS4 and played through the whole story. Such a great game and love the idea of the pawns.
  45. DevilSurvivor
    Nov 19, 2021
    10
    A masterpiece. All that it leaves me thinking is what could have been if they had had more time and a bigger budget. No game comes close to this one in having so many good mechanics all at once yet making them all work. And the class system is by far the best one I've ever seen in a video game. A must-buy, must play, full of charm and you'll never forget it, and the story only gets betterA masterpiece. All that it leaves me thinking is what could have been if they had had more time and a bigger budget. No game comes close to this one in having so many good mechanics all at once yet making them all work. And the class system is by far the best one I've ever seen in a video game. A must-buy, must play, full of charm and you'll never forget it, and the story only gets better the more you go.… Expand
  46. Xvatch
    Oct 16, 2021
    6
    Amazing concept, RPG, and replayablity ideas, but the AI let's the pawn system down so hard while it is such a key part of the game. I've spent a lot of time looking into how the AI works through Reddit etc and you are either always the last person standing in an important fight or the AI team just takes a run and jump off cliffs a lot of the time glitchily.. Dragon's Dogma 2 needs to beAmazing concept, RPG, and replayablity ideas, but the AI let's the pawn system down so hard while it is such a key part of the game. I've spent a lot of time looking into how the AI works through Reddit etc and you are either always the last person standing in an important fight or the AI team just takes a run and jump off cliffs a lot of the time glitchily.. Dragon's Dogma 2 needs to be much improved in this or the audience is going to be so nieche that it hardly presents itself. Only 2-4 knowledge chair inclinations actually have working AI, there is nothing really acceptable about that… Expand
  47. Bulwai
    Aug 26, 2022
    8
    Dragon's Dogma shines with an addicting combat system and gameplay overall. It's fun and complex enough to earn a title in the RPG genre. It's snappy, responsive and tight af!
    Besides that, DD has a convincing artstyle that's not too japanese for fans of the genre to enjoy it as a medieval fantasy rpg. Soundtrack is great as well.
    What makes DD great are the little things, that really    Dragon's Dogma shines with an addicting combat system and gameplay overall. It's fun and complex enough to earn a title in the RPG genre. It's snappy, responsive and tight af!
    Besides that, DD has a convincing artstyle that's not too japanese for fans of the genre to enjoy it as a medieval fantasy rpg. Soundtrack is great as well.
    What makes DD great are the little things, that really tighten the immersion like great lighting in dark and night, many details to quests and NPCs and so much more.
    The Pawn system allows for a feel of community if you're willing to reach out to a few people and could lead to a proper coop feature in the announced sequel.
    The open world is a bit complex. Since enemies become stronger at night and you barely come accross anything/anyone friendly, the world really feels like a place you have to survive in and care for preparation. As well as the limit of what your character and pawns can carry.
    Still, i think a FEW more interesting encounters could've helped the game to get the recognition it deserved.
    Only the DLC "Dark Arisen" tried to be something Dragon's Dogma never was and although i liked many of the ideas and designs in the DLC, i still think it tried way too hard to be Dark Souls.

    Overall one of the best rpgs i've ever played and you have to dig into it to understand the greatness behind it.    … Expand
  48. Uncl3s4mbr
    May 24, 2023
    10
    Mandatory game for the ones like Fantasy RPG. This game has one of the best combat systems I ever seen and became one of my favorite games of all time.
  49. Fridg3
    May 8, 2021
    10
    Did you ever play Skyrim and think "why can't I ride any dragon?" Well now you can give it a shot. Really though this game is huge, the gameplay a blast and climbing on large monsters just makes my day. Admittedly the story is confusing at 1st but the twists really pay off if you're able to catch the foreshadowing. Otherwise it makes for an eye opening 2nd playthrough.
  50. Regnierbrik
    Sep 3, 2021
    10
    para mí Dragon's Dogma es un muy buen juego tal ves sus gráficos no sean los mejores ni dada de eso pero no están mal la verdad no creo que sea una copia de dark souls yo que e jugados los dos juegos no noto nada de uno a otro los dos son grades juegos pero me divertí mas con Dragon's Dogma es un juego muy bueno talvez sus controles estén a veces torpes pero no como los de dark souls 1 talpara mí Dragon's Dogma es un muy buen juego tal ves sus gráficos no sean los mejores ni dada de eso pero no están mal la verdad no creo que sea una copia de dark souls yo que e jugados los dos juegos no noto nada de uno a otro los dos son grades juegos pero me divertí mas con Dragon's Dogma es un juego muy bueno talvez sus controles estén a veces torpes pero no como los de dark souls 1 tal ves la historia de Dragon's Dogma no este muy elaborada pero algunos jugadores solo vienen a jugar un juego divertido y yo como jugador reconozco qué Dragon's Dogma es un gran juego la verdad es de que a ti lector jugador te puede dar igual una reseña tu decides si un juego te gusta mas que otro te puede gustar un juego de 5 de calificación o uno de 9 de calificación pero la verdad Dragon's Dogma es un gran juego si digo lo que me parece si tiene sus cosas como los grafico o los controles pero tiene buenas mecánicas su historia tal ves no sea la mejor pero da igual pero tu que si llegas a ver mi crítica te digo que lo juegues es muy bueno y supo envejecer paso inadvertido por los jugadores pero es un gran juego pero que bien te puede gustar o no eso es tu decisión yo solo doy la mia pero la verdad e leído otrs reseñas de éste juego y pienso que quiénes las escriben so lo jugaron 20 o 30 minutos la verdad yo e jugado por más de 60 horas y si tal ves al principio da poco de hueva si le das tiempo veras que es un buen juego gracias por leer mi opinión
    yo solo soy un jugador mas asi que te lo recomendó mucho que le des una oportunidad a este juego :)    … Expand
  51. DiegoCP
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    O melhor RPG de todos os tempos é lamentável não ter uma sequência (╯︵╰,)
  52. ThiefBrRj
    May 30, 2023
    10
    This game really catch me! I started playing this game without faith because I never heard anything about it before, but this game is surprisingly complex and "alive". I've done dumb things like throwing a rock at an ally and the ally caught it in the air and threw it back like a game!!! This is just one example, but the variety of details in this game is astonishing. I attest that this isThis game really catch me! I started playing this game without faith because I never heard anything about it before, but this game is surprisingly complex and "alive". I've done dumb things like throwing a rock at an ally and the ally caught it in the air and threw it back like a game!!! This is just one example, but the variety of details in this game is astonishing. I attest that this is a must play game for anyone who likes any type of RPG.… Expand
  53. Filip1992
    Aug 17, 2023
    8
    This game is fun combat is so fun ...you can customize armor or how you want to look...I have blast with this game ...definitely underated

Awards & Rankings

87
#87 Best PS4 Game of 2017
64
#64 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Worth Playing
    Jan 2, 2018
    85
    All in all, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is one of the best action-RPG titles out there, even though it's an upgraded port from the prior console generation.
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  2. ZTGD
    Nov 6, 2017
    70
    Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is a game about moments. Encountering a brand new monster, obtaining a powerful weapon or when a Drake crashes your goblin slaying party with a storm of hellfire- all moments that are memorable and fun to experience. The issue is that getting to those moments are oftentimes an absolute slog of tedious stamina and weight management, battling the same group of wolves and bandits for the thirtieth time.
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  3. 4P.de
    Oct 18, 2017
    78
    Despite all the visual enhancements you can still see that the original is five years old. With that in mind, this is still a good and at times positively rough action role-playing game that is worth exploring.
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