Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

This game holds up really well as a classic kind of dark fantasy rpg experience, and I'd happily recommend anyone to give it a shot!

The different classes have a lot of variety in their playstyle, and with the ability to summon not only your own Pawn but up to two others, the party composition and difficulty are very easy to control.

If you're more used to modern games, the UI may take some getting used to. In my experience, it's faster and more accurate to navigate the UI with the keyboard than with the mouse.

I haven't beaten the main plot yet, but I love the storyline and the side characters so far! there's a lot of intrigue to be had and Very Many Monsters to fight! I get distracted going to quest objectives by the thrill of monster ambushes and bandit raids. You really have to adjust your tactics for each fight, and learn your enemies!

All in all, a very fun game with a surprising range of character customization. The pawn summoning mechanic is a really unique kind of online experience, and i like getting to see the different companions create!

If you see my pawn, The Zand, feel free to take him on an adventure with you! Just, uh, be forewarned about the fireballs and earthquakes. He will make you fear for your life for a second.

Just finished my first playthrough and beginning NG+, this game is fun to play. It can get a little bit repetitive at times and the plot isn't very deep or the lore extensive, but it's definitely something that you can enjoy.

old but very worth playing still and mods help quality of life and imersion

It's a bit too grindy and repetitive for my taste but the gameplay is quite fun (eventually, after you level up) and the pawn system is very innovative.

Esse jogo é INCRÍVEL!!! Absurdo de bom. História excelente, combate excelente, várias classes pra escolher e cada uma com suas particularidades. Excelente jogo. Zerei a primeira vez e estou rejogando pra concluir as missões que perdi ou falhei (existe essa possibilidade e, caso tenha perdido/falhado, só consegue refazer na próxima gameplay) e pra jogar com as classes que ainda não usei. Mystic Knight e Magic Archer são classes muito interessantes e únicas. Ainda não tinha visto em outros jogos.
Enfim, JOGUEM!

One of my favorite games of all time. I originally played on a system, but it's much better on pc

Excellent game, the fact that it was not made by Western developers gives it its own special charm. I liked the idea of ​​Everfall. My warning, do not go to the DLC, it is more difficult than the last part of the game, approximately several times. Therefore, you can try to complete the DLC at the end of the game or even during the game +. What I did not like was the final boss. No, seriously, I was preparing for suffering and dying, leveling up, and you gave me such a final boss?

One of the most addictive games you can play.
Of course it's a shame that the game has an uninteresting romance and no way to participate in dialogues in any way but that doesn't mean that the game is bad, it's very good in terms of story and also props to composers for the soundtrack, it's excellent!

I had to mod in the original Into Free title screen song, but was re-elevated to a 10/10 video game upon doing so.

Very interesting take on the open world grim fantasy RPG genre, as the Japanese lens it was developed through makes for some really compelling and unique aesthetics and design philosophies.

The crown of jank and i love it to death. only thing ill never forgive is them changing the intro song.

PT:

RPG excelente, vale umas 200hrs de jogo.

EN:

Excelent rpg, worth about 200 hours of gameplay.

One of the most underrated games of all time. Never see it in any list of the best/most influential open world games ever which it definitely should be in consideration. Combat still hold up today and is very fun to master all the different vocations and mix and match your party with what you think is needed. Some downsides could be that it's a little tedious to traverse when you don't have any ferrystones/portcrystals during the first half of the game but I believe it adds to the very grounded experience this game has kind of similar to that of Death Stranding getting immersed in the environment while travelling. Another downsides are some of the quest design choices don't hold up very well; a lot of quests just have you go pick up an item from somewhere and turn it in to the quest giver and without portcrystals and ferrystones it is very tedious to do taking upwards to an hour to complete because you have to traverse the entire map. Overall this game is a masterclass in immersive gameplay and had me playing way longer than I thought I was just because I was so into the games world. 9.2/10

This is honestly such an amazing game. The story is dark but beautiful and main quests will have you going on epic adventures that you will remember for a long time. I enjoyed the second game as well but man this is just on such a whole another level and you can tell everything had so much passion put into it. Absolutely recommend!

People love this game, but if you are not prepared to suffer at least the first 20 hours, Id say do not get into it. They say the world is lively and full, yeah, with the exact same shit for miles. Not having fast travel may seem like a good idea, if the world wasn't so bland. Combat is clunky, unresponsive and repetitive imo. I absolutely believe it may get better, but I was not able to get through the start of the game. Do some research before you buy to see if this game is for you. I cant recommend the game because I was not having fun.

There are many professions to choose from, the combat is great, and you can customise your favourite skill sets to fight.

a decent arpg with good quality. you can only save one character / play-through at a time, so research your class before hand. compare with "devil may cry 4 special edition".

This game runs smoothly on my old-gen laptop (AMD Ryzen 3 2002U). The storyline and the battle system is impressive for me. 5 stars

Challenging and fun to explore

Absolute cinema 11/10 buy this game.

Played this game after I put a few dozen hours into the second title and I must say that it still holds up.
Somtimes the Pawn AI is absolutely dumb as sh*t but nonetheless this game is still such a fantastic journey. From being a simple nobody to becoming a badass hero that can cut down huge monsters in mere seconds.

I love the story and getting the end feels so satisfying when you see the credits rolling you kinda just sit there to process the absolute curveball that the game threw at you.

no game provide a better sense of adventuring than ddda
a one of a kind game, shame dd2 was such a disappointment
please capcom don't kill this series

7/10 Game. The story is pretty weak, the characters and the quests are so unremarkable. The game-play is pretty janky but enjoyably. Liked the pawn system, good variation in party system with interesting build combinations, just wish ai was smarter. Overall there are plenty of things to like but the game is a product of its time. The new game def improves a lot on og game besides the end game content. Still a good game especially for 5 bucks its worth it.

I played this mainly offline which is kind of a disappointment seeing as you can use people companions if you're online.

But needless to say this game is pretty fun, good combat, huge varities of combat and gear, story is ok. I admit I did the most popular builds online and used it, which made the game less challenging, so you don't have to do that, you can play whatever character you want and struggle and still have fun with it. I played this later then most and looking forward to DD2. It's not a perfect game, but they did everything at least good to better. So not much to complain about, I believe I had zero crashes as well.

Genuinely one of the greatest feeling combat systems in any game ever. This game gets a lot of gripes for its story but I feel it's quite misunderstood, I love this game through and through, absolute masterpiece.

booting up Dragons Dogma feels like hugging someone you love. i feel attachment anxiety if i dont have this game installed on every platform i use

Incredibly unique and addicting rpg. Combat system is very addicting. Also runs super well, way better than most games. I get 120+fps here where I would normally get 80 fps in other games.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is an outstanding action RPG that has only grown better with time. From the very first moments, the game hooks you with its dark, epic atmosphere and thrilling sense of adventure. The open world of Gransys feels alive and dangerous, filled with towering beasts, hidden secrets, and endless opportunities for exploration.
The combat system stands out as one of the best in the genre — fast, responsive, and deeply satisfying. Whether you're scaling a cyclops to strike at its eye or coordinating with your pawn companions to bring down a chimera, every battle feels intense and rewarding. The Pawn system, where you create a customizable AI companion, is one of the most unique and enjoyable features, making both solo play and strategy feel incredibly dynamic.
The Dark Arisen expansion enriches the experience even further, introducing the chilling and challenging Bitterblack Isle. It’s a masterclass in dungeon design, packed with brutal enemies and incredible loot that keep you coming back for more.
Despite some occasional rough edges, like dated graphics or clunky menus, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen remains a masterpiece of ambition, creativity, and pure gameplay joy. It’s a must-play for any RPG fan looking for something bold and unforgettable.

If I had to describe what it feels like to play this game, I would say that it's the closest game I have played that imitates what it is it like to go adventuring in an Isekai anime.

The world feels massive and alive, traveling at night is immersive and dangerous, and add to that a beautiful soundtrack and flowed and satisfying combat.

The biggest things that annoyed me and lessened my enjoyment is how bad the quest system is, sometimes the game gives no hint as to where you are supposed to go and multiable quests can fail if you progress another quest, but the game doesn't tell you that, and without a guide it can be infuriating, travelling can also get tiresome after a while because of the limited fast travel.

I DON'T RECOMMEND playing "Bitterblack Isle" if you get easily infuriated like me, It can get too hard, janky and unfair sometimes, and without grinding New game Plus to at least around level 80 you will stand no chance past The Cursed Dragon, I gave up on finishing it.

I highly recommend giving this game 4–5 hours to get used to the jank before giving up on it, because beneath all that, is a gem of a game.

Tried to like it two separate times. The shallow story and characters, plus the fact that you spend half the time running from point A to point B in a sparse open world caused me to stop playing out of boredom both times. Didn't feel much motivation to do quests - probably because of this. Combat is fun, but not enough to overcome everything else. Maybe it's just not my type of RPG.

It's fine. It is certainly showing its age. If Skyrim didn't exist, this game would have been everything I wanted when it came out.

It suffers most from having the lovely browns of the era. If you have nothing else to play, it will scratch an itch, but I felt the desire to move on to other backlogs games pretty quick.

This game scratches an itch that was only ever reached by monster hunter. I like climbing the cyclops and stabbing his eye out.

I do not understand why people like this game. I played it once, and then I continued into the extra stuff that people always say "the game starts here" for. Still didn't get the hype. Found the open world to be a bit boring and underwhelming. Much of the story takes place walking between like 3 settlements. Combat is the best part. I'm open to trying the sequel though!

You HAVE TO play this game for at least 7-10 hours before it will grip you. Yes, it's a lot and games aren't supposed to work like that, but it is what it is and it will become one of your favorite games if you're patient.

Meh, Im on the fence. I agave a negative review as this game is just not engaging. I may give it another chance, but that my first impression.

Really great game, with Bitterback Isle this game has hours and hours of entertainment left for you after you beat the story. If you've played DD2 but not this, I highly recommend playing as it is easily the superior experience. I would suggest installing a few mods (like unlimited ferry stones, unlimited out-of-combat sprinting, and increased inventory weight) as traversal on-foot in this game can really feel like a pain after a few dozen hours, and there is a lot of doubling back for sidequests and material grinding late-game.

This is one of the best ARPG games I have ever played. While it has many flaws, it also takes many risks and imo it worked out for the better. Huge open world map, big monsters like, Hydra, Chimera, Griffin and Cyclops to name a few. Combat that allows you to scale said foes and target weak spots. The story was good to me. But the reason to play DD is the freedom of choice and its monster combat system. Will be playing the second game hopefully soon.

Bought this game on sale, didn't read a review, didn't research the game, didn't know anything about it. Just saw a ridiculously cheap game and thought, oh what the hell I'll just buy it... I waited 3 months then played it...

OH MY GOD THE FIGHTS ARE AMAZING! IMAGINE BUYING SOMETHING ON A WHIM AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE EPIC! so far id give this game a 9/10

Though not for everyone, this is a great title for anyone that's interested in deep RPG gameplay and faced-paced action.

A one in a lifetime game, aged terribly, terrible quest missing mechanics, but the combat was so unique for the time. You'll need a guide and a lot of patience to play this in today's age, but if you get locked in this game is a unique experience. Also Capcom sucks.

played the second game first and came back to this one. they're both very good and equally unforgiving.

The game now seems unplayable. I cannot go 15 minutes before the program freezes

I really like it because I'm really bad at this game. It's Fable meets Skyrim with a higher learning curve. Put it this way, I'm level thirty and I still die in noob areas. Also it's great to live in the darkness, even with screen brightness +20 and lantern being outside at night is scary. Not because of mob difficulty, but you might accidentally jump off a cliff and lose your loot. Live for the night, and don't live long at all xD Basically the overall difficulty rating is: online casino but your winnings are branches and rocks and you have to carry them all with you home. One time I thought I was winning then a snow harpy put me to sleep and dropped me off the top of a mountain. I fell so far it was like flying and I even bounced off a tree and managed to grab onto the cliff and pull myself back up but then I wandered into a bandit camp on mushrooms and five guys held me down while someone decapitated me with an axe. 10/10 Will die again.

Imperfect perfection. One of the best games of all time, if not the best game of all time.

kinda broken on my pc cause it doesnt really work on my ultrawide monitor which im sure can be fixed with a mod or something, but it runs pretty well on steam deck

You can climb on giant beasts and punch them in the face with your longsword until you run out of stamina and fall on the ground like peace of shit. Good game!

A bit of a rant. May change it someday.
And ok, I get it. Many of you love the game and that's great but can we also be real and admit it's not perfect?

I really tried to like Dragon's Dogma, but after giving it three honest attempts, I have to admit it's not for me. As someone who loves dark fantasy, RPGs, and exploration, I saw potential in this game. Unfortunately, it's wide as an ocean but deep as a puddle. An underdeveloped, unpolished experience that just doesn't stick.

- Story
The game kicks off with an interesting cutscene, but after that, it loses all momentum. There's no direction, no narrative, and no reason to stay engaged. It feels like the developers threw you into the world with no real guidance, and everything falls apart fast into nonsense.

- Graphics/atmosphere
Even by 2013 standards, the visuals are disappointing. The washed out graphics have 0 personality and charm, making the world feel lifeless. I recently played Fable Anniversary, which despite being an older gamehas far more identity, vibrancy, and charm than this. While Dragon's Dogma attempts a dark fantasy aesthetic, it fails to deliver anything truly dark or fantastical.

+ / - This Pawn/Companion system:
On paper, the pawn system is intriguing, but in practice, it's immersion breaking. Their constant, repetitive dialogue makes the experience unbearable unless you mute their voices. Listening to them state the obvious every 10 seconds like you're a kid who needs their hand held. This quickly grows tiresome. Instead of enhancing gameplay, pawns end up being a nuisance.

+ / - Combat
The combat is slow, repetitive, and unbalanced. Even on Easy mode, enemies feel like damage sponges, turning every encounter into a tedious grind. There's little tactical depth beyond dodging, blocking, and attacking in the same predictable pattern. The grab enemies mechanic adds little value, and the pawns don't contribute much either. Worse still, you can't even revive them if they die.

- Exploration
Another major frustration is the lack of fast travel. You're forced to move back to town to replenish your health, and you can't sleep in the wild, which feels nonsensical for a game like this. The slow paced exploration completely undermines the sense of adventure, making traversal a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.

- Interface:
The cluttered screen and janky mechanics worsen the experience. Pawns and abilities crowd half the UI with unnecessary details, making the visuals chaotic and messy. The "tutorials" are equally frustrating, with multiple characters talking over one another, adding to the confusion....just what the heck...

- Other stuff:
Night time gameplay is relentless, with wolves and bandits attacking nonstop. Escort missions are infuriating because the NPCs ignore commands, get themselves killed, and make the whole process pointless. All these design flaws combined with repetitive combat, poor voice acting, mediocre animation, and a lack of polish make for a game that feels rushed and disconnected.

This clearly needed another year in the oven.

My opinion:
Dragon's Dogma looks appealing at face value but quickly falls apart when you dive into the gameplay. It feels like there were multiple teams working on this project without communicating, resulting in a disjointed, underdeveloped product. While I see why some people might enjoy its quirks, I found the combat boring, the story meaningless, and the overall experience frustrating.

Since I haven't beaten the game, I can't rate it and I won't, but I'll probably come back to it someday and give it a fourth try.

The biggest problem in this game is your companions (or pawns). They are very stupid and do not seem to understand how they should behave in the battlefield according to their vocations. They don't want to aid other companions and you are constantly running front and back to aid your companions when they are down since the AI doesn't want to do it. This becomes very problematic, when you are fighter or a warrior for example. This aspect totally ruins the fun for me. Sometimes when you give them orders, they don't want to listen to you. For example many times in my 10 hours of playing this game I gave orders to follow me. They start to follow, but will soon engage the enemy, putting my whole party in danger. I don't feel "in control" of my party at all when playing this game. This is a horrible game design in a RPG like this.

I'm also not a big fan of the pawn system, since it requires you to be connected to the internet all the time. This gives you the ability to use pawns which are made by other players. So making full custom party is impossible in this game. You can create only 1, yes 1 custom pawn character in this game. 2 other pawns need to be either online or offline pawns. Offline pawns are simply bad and will make your life harder when playing.

Also, no level indicators on enemies and on quests. This means that you just simply need to "try" the quest and see if you can actually beat the enemies you are facing. This wastes a huge amount of time and is simply bad game design. Map is also very difficult to use. Story is decent, but noting special really.

It's like Skyrim but if the Japanese made it.





8.9/10, incredibly good game, way ahead of it's time.

Great combat system, story is boring, rpg non-existant

Different than most RPGs but that it what makes it great. If you want nice new mechanics and a mix of the witcher and dragon age with the party elements. This game is for you.

If you played Dragon's Dogma 2, I'm very sorry. Here's the real game. It's fun, the map is big, and they way you can change skills and classes is awesome. Truly, one of the best games of the PS3 / 360 era.