Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen Reviews

We have rounded up our first batch of reviews for the expanded re-release of Dragon’s Dogma, Dark Arisen, and while it’s too early for it to paint a clear picture yet, the reception seems to be similar to the original, with mixed opinions on the new content and the choice to release it only in a bundle with the original game.

GameSpot, 7.0/10.

The dungeon’s nonsensical plunge into unfairness comes as a shock, even in a game built on vague rules and fluctuations of challenge. And yet even this new region is so eerily beautiful, its hallways and courtyards so intricately constructed, that you might overcome the irritations and grind to the conclusion (or, heaven forbid, drop the difficulty level), if just to greet the ghoulish final boss and see an end to the ethereal story. There’s a pervading sadness to Bitterblack Isle that makes its best battles feel all the more ferocious. If you’re a newcomer, however, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen has plenty of beasts for you to conquer before you need worry about the demons wandering the isle’s halls. If that’s you, you should stop the reading and get to the slaying.

Eurogamer, 8/10.

Dark Arisen is indisputably in Dark Souls’ thrall. But this tribute is both thoughtful and creative, building upon Miyazaki’s work with some individuality rather than merely mimicking its – arguably unrepeatable – wonders. Dragon’s Dogma is yet to find its true identity, but this expansion is evidence of one of Capcom’s more capable remaining internal teams – as well as of a series that clearly has long-term ambitions which seem likely to blossom in time.

Joystiq, scoreless.

Dark Arisen is rife with plenty of new areas to explore, noticeable improvements to the interface and overall aesthetic, pawn augmentations and ways to beat Death, quite literally. You could simply classify it as a very large add-on, but you’d be better served calling it a souped-up re-release. It’s an intriguing love letter to fans of the genre that should, with any luck, reach a greater audience this time around. If you didn’t bite before, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is easily the best introduction to the land of Gransys.

Kotaku is negative in tone and recommends avoiding it:

It’s a shame because Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen still does things that I adore. In a world full of safe games that hand-hold you all the way through the experience, it doesn’t. When it all works, when everything clicks, felling giant monsters feels empowering and liberating. The main problem is that it doesn’t it feels watered down and frustrating when it should feel robust and challenging.

GameInformer, 8.50/10.

Dark Arisen is a great expansion for a game that was already loaded with content. If you’ve beaten the game and moved on, there’s enough new stuff to explore that it warrants another playthrough. And for those who are looking for a quirky RPG with epic moments (and pig-throwing hijinks), here it is in one neat bundle.

Official PlayStation Magazine UK, 7/10.

It’s the price that makes this a tricky one to recommend, rather than the content. For first-time buyers this £20 bundle (which includes the original game) is a bargain, but for the hardcore player it’s designed for, that same price is a big ask when you already own the main course. Veterans should knock a point off, but curious bystanders have the perfect excuse to enjoy an offbeat gem.

NZGamer, 7.8/10.

If you like old school RPGs, but never played the original release, buying Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen may be the best fifty dollars you’ll spend all year. If you bought the original, and all the downloadable missions, sorry people, prepared to get gouged. And not in the good way, by mythical creatures and packs of hungry wolves. In the bad way, by people who should treat fans of their game better.

Metro, 7/10.

Like almost any expansion Dark Arisen doesn’t entirely fix the flaws of the original. The combat still lacks weight and the visuals remain highly uneven genuinely impressive one moment and horribly amateurish the next. As far as the expansion side of things go though Dark Arisen is impressively weighty and although the increased Dark Souls influence may wind some up the wrong way it does at least help to distinguish things from the original Dragon’s Dogma.

Given the increased value for money we feel a lot more confident recommending this version of Dragon’s Dogma to the uncertain, and we’re certainly looking forwards to what Capcom will do with the already confirmed sequel.

Polygon, 5/10 (they note that this is specifically for the new content, with the original review awarding the title a 7).

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen could have reached new fans and old alike. It was a chance for Capcom to lock in an audience for this burgeoning franchise. But poor balance and careless design limit its appeal to a tiny group of the most hardcore. The original Dragon’s Dogma didn’t completely succeed in its attempt to emulate Western, open-world RPGs. Dark Arisen makes a much greater mistake: It fails to recognize or capitalize on its own strengths.