Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Release Date: April 23, 2013
RPG, TPP, fantasy, hack'and'slash, sandbox, action RPG, singleplayer
Steam
An expanded version of the third-person action RPG, initially released in 2012, developed exclusively for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 by Capcom. The action takes place in a vast fantasy world filled with a myriad of mythical creatures. The protagonist is a chosen one who comes back to life, after having been killed by a dragon, to slay his murdered and uncover the truth about his own identity.
August 2, 2021
Single-Player Games Worth Playing After End Credits
Reaching the end credits doesn't always mean the end of your adventure with a game – some games still have plenty of attractions beyond the main storyline.
Videos and Screens
[1:03] Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen PS4 & ONE Version Launch Trailer
[1:55] Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen PS3 vs PS4
The main pros of the game
- Engaging Combat Mechanics: Players appreciate the fast-paced, action-oriented combat system, which includes a variety of classes and allows for unique playstyles. The ability to climb large monsters adds a thrilling dynamic to battles.
- Rich Exploration: The game features a vast open world filled with dungeons and diverse environments, encouraging exploration and discovery.
- Unique Pawn System: The ability to create and customize AI companions (pawns) that learn from the player and can be shared with others adds a unique social element to gameplay.
- High Replay Value: Many players find themselves returning to the game for its depth, character customization, and multiple playthrough possibilities.
- Strong Atmosphere and Music: The game is praised for its atmospheric world and compelling soundtrack, contributing to an immersive experience.
The main cons of the game
- Dated Graphics and UI: Many users note that the graphics feel outdated and the user interface can be cumbersome and confusing.
- Limited Fast Travel Options: The lack of convenient fast travel and the stamina system for running can make exploration feel tedious and grindy.
- Repetitive Quest Design: A significant number of quests are seen as generic and repetitive, often involving fetch tasks or enemy slaying without much narrative depth.
- AI Companion Issues: While the pawn system is unique, some players feel that the AI behavior of companions can be lackluster and they often do not perform effectively in combat.
- Single Save File: The game only allows one save file, making it difficult for players to experiment with different character builds or recover from mistakes.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Improved Story and Character Development: Many reviews express disappointment in the lack of a compelling narrative and character depth, suggesting that the story feels generic and lacks engaging dialogue.
- Enhanced Inventory Management: Players desire a more streamlined inventory and crafting system, as the current setup is often cited as tedious and unengaging.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Users suggest that the game could benefit from various quality-of-life features, such as better quest tracking, more intuitive menus, and options for save management.
- Multiplayer Elements: Some players wish for a multiplayer mode, believing it would enhance the experience of exploring the world and tackling challenges together.
Summary
- Overall, while Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen has garnered a dedicated fanbase for its unique mechanics and engaging combat, it also faces criticism for its dated design choices and repetitive quest structure.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 1201 votes. 170 players anticipated the game.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen Description
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen for PC, PS4 and etc. is a third-person fantasy action RPG and an enhanced version of Dragon’s Dogma, which initially came out in the spring of 2012, exclusively for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It was developed by a Capcom team led by Hideaki Itsuna and Hiroyuki Kobayashi, two legends of the industry, who have previously worked on such titles as Devil May Cry 4, Resident Evil 4 or Dino Crisis.
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen was originally released in April 2013 for the very same platforms. The PC, PS4 and etc. version was announced in September 2015, over a year and a half after the console release, and boasts improved graphics, among other things.
Story
The action takes place in an open fantasy world filled with various kinds of mythical creatures, such as dragons, griffons, hydras, and harpies. The main storyline starts with an attack of a powerful dragon on the town the protagonist lives in. It turns out that the hero, called “the chosen one” by the aforementioned beast, was the reason for the incursion. The reptile tears out his heart, but the Chosen One comes back to life, and it becomes his task to uncover the truth about his identity and to slay the dragon.
Apart from the campaign featured in the original, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen offers an additional set of adventures in a completely new location, the cursed island of Bitterblack. It allows us to travel the vast underworld, inhabited by 25 new kinds of enemies. Beside a number of original quests, the game also introduces a third character skill level as well as a myriad of new equipment and inventory enhancement methods. The enhanced edition is complemented by all the minor DLCs that came out after the launch of the basic version.
Gameplay
As far as mechanics are concerned, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen for PC, PS4 and etc. does not deviate significantly from its predecessor. It is still a dynamic action RPG that offers an incredibly complex arcade combat system with diverse weapon arsenal and spectacular magic. One of its characteristic features is the ability to climb the backs of our biggest enemies and target individual body parts. Starting out, we can create our very own hero, selecting gender and one of the available classes that will determine our play style to a large extent. In the game, we are accompanied by other player-created characters who provide valuable knowledge on some of the story quests.
Compared to the 2012’s vanilla game, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen for PC, PS4 and etc. introduces a number of minor changes in the gameplay. The developers enhanced the game's mechanics in general, including user interface and fast travel system, and introduced a myriad of improvements that influence the overall gaming experience. What is important, these apply to both the new adventure and the original story campaign.
Game modes
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen was created with single player in mind and does not offer a typical multiplayer mode. However, the players can participate in special asynchronous online challenges.
Technology
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen for PC, PS4 and etc. is powered by the MT Framework v2 engine, previously used in such productions as Lost Planet 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Resident Evil 6. The console version of the game utilizes the platforms’ capabilities to the maximum, resulting in attractive visuals. However, the title can only unleash its full potential on PCs, where it offers higher-quality textures, supports higher screen resolutions and removes the FPS limitations that were introduced to the console editions to prevent performance drops.
Additional information
Owners of Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 can import their saved games from Dragon’s Dogma and continue to play with their old character. Moreover, the veterans of the original are awarded a large number of additional bonuses, such as one hundred thousand Rift Crystals (the in-game currency), limitless teleportation stones as well as six unique clothing sets.
Last updated on January 19, 2016
5
GAMES
in Dragon's Dogma Game Series
Game Series
Dragon's Dogma Series
A series of sandbox action RPGs with slasher elements, developed by Japanese company Capcom. The series Dragon's Dogma was created by an experienced development team, responsible for such series as Resident Evil, Devil May Cry or Breath of Fire, which included director Hideaki Itsuno, producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi and designer Makoto Ikehara. The creators' goal was to create a new brand that would combine the open world characteristic of Western RPGs with the arcade combat system typical of Japanese studio productions.
5 video games
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows January 15, 2016
Switch April 23, 2019
PlayStation 4 October 3, 2017
Xbox One October 3, 2017
PlayStation 3 April 23, 2013
Xbox 360 April 23, 2013
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5 660 3.3 GHz, 4 GB RAM, card grafik 1 GB Radeon HD 5870 or better, 20 GB HDD, Windows Vista/7/8/10
Recommended: Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 760 or better, 20 GB HDD, Windows Vista/7/8
Dragon's Dogma Discounted on Sequel Announcement
The announcement of Dragon's Dogma 2 and a big discount for the first part on Steam led to Dark Arisen enoying a record number of players in six years.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
June 20, 2022
Dragon's Dogma 2 in the Pipeline; Popular RPG Gets an Overdue Sequel
Dragon's Dogma 2, the sequel to Capcom's popular action RPG, has been announced.
video games
Adrian Werner
June 17, 2022
Rumor: Dragon's Dogma 2 to be Powered by Resident Evil Village Engine
A well-known insider informed that Dragon's Dogma 2 is being developed on the RE Engine, used in Resident Evil Village. Capcom hasn't officially announced the game, although its launch is expected at the latest next year.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
May 24, 2021
Xbox One X bundled with Metro Series, release date of Battlefield 5, second chapter, and other news
In the news: Xbox One X bundled with all of Metro's games (including Exodus), Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen on Nintendo Switch and the debut of the second chapter of Battlefeld V War Theaters.
video games
Milosz Szubert
January 9, 2019