Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

It is hard to believe that Dragon’s Dogma originally launched in 2012 as it feels current and fresh seven years later. The deep combat system still feels seamless and fluid, the Pawn system is still as innovative as ever - it works so well, and yet no other developer has decided to crib it for their own games.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is an excellent RPG that is now back on Nintendo Switch. Its incredible technical section, soundtrack, story and gameplay make it an essential purchase for every fan of the genre.

The idea of enjoying Dragon’s Dogma wherever I go makes me really happy, but if you have already played it you won’t find anything else to justify a new purchase.

Even though the spectacular combat in Dragon’s Dogma makes it seem like a successor to other Capcom fantasy beat-em-ups, the depth of its world design and surprising story twists make it one of the more fascinating games of its era. With a fantastic port for the Switch audience, it’s as if Capcom made a deal with a dragon and somehow came out the winner.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen has already been released a handful of times on different consoles, and this port doesn’t add anything new. The ability to play in handheld mode is great, but this version also comes with some pop-in and framerate drops not present in other releases. Still, it’s worth it just to experience one of the most overlooked games of the decade again, or for the first time. If Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen’s stellar combat, unique class system, and treacherous world hook you, its technical flaws are extremely easy to overlook.

While it doesn’t quite capture that game’s same sense of world and adventure, it does offer a more in-depth combat system along with more complex systems overall. This could be a double-edged sword, of course, as the micromanagement will almost certainly annoy those looking for a more streamlined adventure. Regardless of those issues, as well as the handful of visual drawbacks, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen undoubtedly stands out as a compelling adventure with a lot of original ideas in terms of its systems. So, for any hardcore RPG fan, it’s pretty darn close to a must play.

Dragon’s Dogma still is a fantastic game. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you like ARPGs, you cannot miss this one. Being able to play Dark Arisen everywhere is fantastic, particularly when the adventure still holds up pretty well.

If you liked the game in one of its previous releases, you’ll like it here as well. If you didn’t, well, the portability of the Switch might help, but if not, there’s no reason to look at the Switch version any closer. Many would agree that this is one of the best open world RPGs in the last several years, so if you haven’t played it yet, this at least gives you another reminder to consider moving it to the top of your backlog.

Dragon’s Dogma is one of Capcom’s most ambitious RPGs and it’s Switch version also impresses. It’s a great title to be played on the go, especially because the whole adventure can take up to dozens of hours.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is not a new game. It’s not even a new re-release or a new remaster. It is, however, a fantastic addition to the Nintendo Switch library, one that can provide players with an experience that rivals even the most current RPGs. Old players and new are to be treated with a wonderful port and an even greater experience, despite minor problems due to the nature of the console and some others that should have been fixed years ago.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen still looks and feels just as good as it did way back in 2012 and I love it just as much now as I did then. It's a solid RPG that offers you that little bit extra and you will easily get hundreds of hours out of it if you're willing to put it the graft, which you can do a hell of a lot easier now you can take it on the go.

Fortunately, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen on Nintendo Switch is the same, great fantasy action-RPG released in 2012 and in 2017.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen was never a looker on the same level as other RPGs, and it has legions of devoted fans thanks to its unique mechanics, combat, story and not-quite-mainstream vibe. All those come across just as clearly on the Switch. This might not be the ultimate way to play the game, but everything that made Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen stand apart from cookie-cutter RPGs is still there and still a lot of fun.

Even after all these years, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is still an incredible game. The amount of content provided, and the freedom offered to the player remains unrivaled. The Switch has been graced with a lot of quality releases in 2019 and Capcom’s latest can join the ranks of the best of them. If you are looking to take an epic adventure on your Switch, then look no further than Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen. It has legendary battles against mythical beasts, an amazing combat system, loads of content, and is available at a budget price.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is an impressive feat on the Nintendo Switch. Perhaps I aught not be surprised at what developers are able to squeeze onto the Switch these days, but I was certain Dragon’s Dogma’s huge open world and gigantic enemies would cause my Switch to burn up in my hands when I tried to run it. Distracting NPC pop-in and muddy textures are a small price to pay to be able to experience this fun and unique RPG classic on the go. Definitely worth checking out if you’re after a lengthy RPG adventure that’s not quite like anything else around.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is fun. The combat is enjoyable, the exploration is entertaining, and the story is amusing in a ridiculous sort of way. It's just a great game. It has flaws, including inconsistent difficulty and repetitive content, but on the Switch, these aren't serious enough issues to drag down the excellent gameplay. It's an aging game that you've probably had the chance to play on another system, but it's still incredibly enjoyable, and the Switch's portability arguably makes it the definitive version.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen plays extremely well both docked and undocked, with no frames dropping at any instance.

I wouldn’t call the Switch port of Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen the most definitive version, but it’s definitely a very good one.

I’d even go so far as to say that it feels like the definitive version. It doesn’t add anything to the base game besides the expansions and DLC elements that were already there on other consoles, but it’s still worth picking up if you’ve never hunted a Cockatrice in Gransys before.

Six years later, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is still an exceptional adventure game - the only difference on Switch is that you can now take the fun on the road with you.

One of the most underrated action-RPG ever made is back and now there are no more excuses... you have to play it, wherever you want.

Like any game on Switch its portability is a great boon, and while the visuals are clearly compromised when playing in handheld mode they don’t detract from Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen‘s brilliantly absorbing gameplay. For action RPG fans that are on the go, it’s an absolute must.

Before playing it on Switch, I always understood Dragon’s Dogma as one of the most underrated RPGs around. Having played it now, I really hope it doesn’t get overshadowed by the big RPGs, whether ports or original content, that are coming out around it. Dark Arisen has some of the most unique systems in modern RPGs, and great combat to go along with it. It’s a great adventure, and if they can improve the loads after the inns it’ll be essential.

Dragon's Dogma on Nintendo Switch is a good conversion for one of the best action RPG of recent years.

Graphics-wise this may not be the best version of Dragon's Dogma out there, but seeing the game running on the Switch (in portable mode) is a thing of beauty. So the thing is simple: if you've never played it or the idea of doing it on the go attracts you, don't hesitate and go for it.

It demonstrates that an actual sequel is long overdue as the core gameplay is still compelling in 2019 and no other game has quite filled that same niche. Either way, Capcom’s underrated gem is worth playing in one of its various ways and is well worth the time investment due to its fantastic ending.

There’s no denying that it is rough in parts and really could have done with a full remaster rather than a straight re-release, but Dragon’s Dogma nonetheless remains a fantastically gripping role-playing experience t hat manages to straddle the divide between exhilarating real-time action and stat-based adventuring.

The age of Capcom’s dragon tale is too visible. But overall you will still get a decent fantasy roleplaying experience.

Dragon’s Dogma stands the test of time and is excellently recreated on Switch.

This Switch version of Dragon’s Dogma : Dark Arisen has no reason to be ashamed at how it compares to the Xbox One / PlayStation 4 versions. More enjoyable when the Switch is in TV mode, it’s an old but still a very good game.

Though lacking the polish you see in AAA open-world RPGs, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen boasts an incredibly deep class and a battle system that makes for potentially dozens of hours of fun.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen has its rough spots, but it dreamed big. It has much better action in it than most others of its kind, and it won't push players into becoming a murder-hobo. This is Hideaki Itsuno's big Dungeons & Dragon's campaign, and he is the DM. Gransys is a sizeable world with a lot to see and do, and that can now be on the go.

Despite borrowing so much from so many different games Capcom’s Western style role-player remains very much its own game – with plenty of interesting ideas of its own.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen arrives on Nintendo's portable console, warts and all. It's more than worth playing, if only for the combat alone, and it's one of the best mediocre games ever made. If you long for the feelings of adventure that often only come when imagining a good Dungeons and Dragons campaign, this should be up your alley.

The purchase of the Switch version is recommended despite these reservations, especially given the good list price and the prospect of playing it in a portable format. And then, who knows: to relive this adventure could prepare us, sooner or later, on the return of the Arisen ...

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen on Nintendo Switch is not perfect at all but it still has its own charm.

Overall, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a good RPG even if it has its share of technical defects. Its universe is coherent and offers a lot of freedom, thanks to an effective combat system: pawns that are one of the best ideas of the game and a huge lifetime. Capcom has been able to pick the right ideas from the Western RPG recipe even if some of J-RPG's mechanics do not work well, especially in the interface or in secondary quests. The Switch port is good, even if some hitches are felt in handheld mode.