Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen manages to live in the same vein as the Souls, sporting the darkness and challenges so many players have come to desire, yet forges an identity all its own.

85%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

89% User Score Based on 18,237 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 46 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $3.80

Buy NowGet on Steam $29.99 Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store Buy NowGet on PS Store $29.99

About Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a single player and multiplayer open world hack and slash game with fantasy and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by Capcom and was released on January 15, 2016. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

Set forth in a timeless adventure to reclaim your heart from the mighty Dragon.

+16

Skip Games Like Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Looking for games like Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen? Here are top open world hack and slash recommendations with a fantasy and dark fantasy focus, selected from player-similarity data — start with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Divinity: Original Sin or Outward.

84%8.7kreviews

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

2012

Hack and Slash

88%19.6kreviews

Divinity: Original Sin

2014

Open World Role Playing

+11

70%27.6kreviews

Outward

2022

Open World Role Playing

84%4.1kreviews

Risen

2009

Open World Hack and Slash

75%1.5kreviews

Divinity II: Ego Draconis

2009

Open World Role Playing

87%13.2kreviews

Salt and Sanctuary

2016

Role Playing

+13

81%2.1kreviews

Divinity II: Developer's Cut

2012

Open World Role Playing

88%28.8kreviews

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

2012

Open World Role Playing

84%4.8kreviews

Drova: Forsaken Kin

2024

Open World Role Playing

+15

75%2.6kreviews

Two Worlds Epic Edition

2009

Open World Hack and Slash

More games like Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Skip User Reviews

Reviews

89%Audience ScoreBased on 18,237 reviews

story1.6k positive mentions

grinding553 negative mentions

story
7,500 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21% positive mentions, 68% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions
The story of "Dragon's Dogma" is often described as generic and lacking depth, primarily revolving around the classic "chosen one" trope where the protagonist seeks to reclaim their heart from a dragon. While some players appreciate the overarching themes and twists that emerge later in the game, many criticize the quest design for being tedious, with a heavy reliance on fetch and escort missions that detract from the narrative experience. Overall, the game is more celebrated for its engaging combat and gameplay mechanics than for its storytelling, which can feel disjointed and underdeveloped.
- “The story starts with your fishing village getting attacked by an ancient dragon.”
- “It takes time to get going, but once it does, the story is far deeper than you may initially expect.”
- “The story is entertaining for me up until a particular point where it becomes very philosophical and begins tackling a lot in a short amount of time.”
- “The story is painfully generic.”
- “The overarching story lacks cohesion, offering an unending list of barely connected tasks until, near the end, a plot is somewhat revealed and abruptly concluded.”
- “The quests are incredibly boring: these are the fetchiest of fetch quests to ever exist.”
gameplay
3,244 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39% positive mentions, 56% neutral mentions, 5% negative mentions
The gameplay of *Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen* is widely praised for its engaging combat mechanics, particularly the unique ability to climb large enemies and target their weak points, reminiscent of *Shadow of the Colossus*. Players appreciate the depth of the class system, allowing for diverse playstyles and character customization, while the pawn system adds a layer of strategy by enabling players to create and share AI companions. Despite some criticisms regarding the story and certain mechanics, the overall gameplay experience is considered rewarding and immersive, making it a standout title in the action RPG genre.
- “The pawn system is an incredibly unique approach to party-based gameplay and can bring a ton of added benefit to a playthrough.”
- “The gameplay is fantastic, with engaging combat mechanics that allow you to climb on large enemies to attack their weak points.”
- “Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen delivers a thrilling fantasy adventure with captivating gameplay and a rich, immersive world.”
- “If I had to repeat the storyline because of this, it would be okay, but because of game mechanics like sprinting using up stamina and having to go to locations to change power moves, it's not worth the time.”
- “The gameplay loop is a lot like Monster Hunter, of course, but as I keep playing, I felt less compelled to go looking for things to kill and just wanted to finish the game.”
- “The gameplay is fairly limited, and your AI companions are either completely useless or actively griefing you.”
graphics
1,590 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions
The graphics of "Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen" are often described as dated, reflecting its origins as a console game from 2012. While many players acknowledge that the visuals do not compete with modern AAA titles, they appreciate the game's art style and atmospheric design, which still hold up reasonably well, especially with the enhancements available on PC. Overall, the graphics are considered functional and enjoyable, particularly when complemented by mods that improve texture quality and visual fidelity.
- “The visuals are amazing, both in-game and in cutscenes.”
- “Graphics still hold up to this day!”
- “The graphics are a bit dated but it is so well done I honestly don't think they could have done anything better for when it was originally made.”
- “Additionally, while the game's art direction is commendable, the graphics show signs of aging.”
- “The graphics are definitely dated.”
- “The art style fails to alleviate the drab aesthetic, with everything and everyone (except for a few well-designed monsters) appearing awkward, as if stuck in an uncanny valley state—surprised-looking and robotic in their movements.”
music
732 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52% positive mentions, 44% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The music in "Dragon's Dogma" is widely praised for its epic orchestral compositions and fitting themes that enhance the game's atmosphere, particularly during combat and boss battles. Many players express nostalgia for the original title theme "Into Free," which was replaced in the "Dark Arisen" version, leading to mixed feelings about the soundtrack changes. Overall, while some tracks may feel repetitive or generic, the majority of the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack is a symphony that complements the epic battles and moments of solitude alike.”
- “The music is absolutely stunning and masterful, so much so it is a joy to listen to.”
- “The music fits the theme of the game very well, the music during combat is exciting and leaves you feeling triumphant with every boss fight.”
- “I think the music and sound are probably the weakest part of this game, with an (imo) obnoxious main menu theme, generic fantasy music in-game, and a lot of repetitive audio cues.”
- “Looks awful, gameplay is shit, controls are garbage, music is annoying.”
- “The soundtrack gets very repetitive in a lot of areas.”
grinding
576 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1% positive mentions, 3% neutral mentions, 96% negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in the late game and post-game content. While some enjoy the grind for gear and levels, appreciating the combat mechanics, others criticize the lack of fast travel and cumbersome inventory management, which exacerbate the feeling of monotony. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy grinding, but it can be a significant turn-off for players seeking a more streamlined experience.
- “Not too overpowered, not too tedious.”
- “This game is not grindy.”
- “No grinding required for the main game though, it's only for completionists.”
- “The narrative at points also lacked focus, leaving me wandering around not sure what to do except grinding and blind exploration.”
- “You will enjoy the combat/magic system that is on offer here, but as far as story and extracurricular activities go, be prepared for mystery and a lot of grinding in order to access the game's most difficult challenges.”
- “The game becomes tedious rather than challenging.”
replayability
346 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49% positive mentions, 49% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its diverse vocation system, new game plus (NG+), and the unique pawn mechanic that allows for varied gameplay experiences. Players appreciate the ability to experiment with different character builds, explore multiple endings, and tackle challenging post-game content, making it a title that encourages repeated playthroughs. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in the main story, the overall consensus highlights the game's vast content and engaging mechanics as key factors in its high replay value.
- “The pawn system additionally adds depth to the entire experience as you can experiment with different combinations of classes and skills, which honestly becomes a highlight of each playthrough, also contributing to the gameplay's replay value.”
- “The sheer amount of content and replay value is a testament to the game's depth and ability to keep players engaged for countless hours.”
- “This game has incredible replayability value, and I've committed to dozens of new game plus runs that allow you to carry over your progress into the world as the adventure begins again, allowing you to try and find and complete those side missions you may have failed or looked over before.”
- “Despite its open world nature, there really is not much replayability due to the order of main missions.”
- “My only negative to this game is the grind mechanics that take over for much of the game - a shame really that developers feel the need to pad out their game, instead of focusing on replayability.”
- “So the story doesn't offer much replayability (just a few decisions), but there were some minor changes in the next playthrough I liked.”
atmosphere
223 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49% positive mentions, 47% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and gritty medieval fantasy setting, enhanced by a haunting soundtrack and effective use of lighting, particularly in darker environments. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of mystery and dread, reminiscent of titles like Dark Souls, while also appreciating the unique blend of exploration and combat mechanics. However, some critiques mention that certain areas can feel dull or lacking in detail, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “The dimly lit lantern gives off a fantastic atmosphere.”
- “The game successfully creates a mythical and immersive atmosphere with its rich lore, fantastical creatures, and atmospheric design.”
- “The atmosphere, combat, soundtrack, and implementation of RPG elements create a vivid experience, making it addicting to build your character and encounter beautifully designed bosses.”
- “It lacks atmosphere and immersion.”
- “I understand it's supposed to be some sort of dark fantasy atmosphere, which is fine, but the environments look so utterly boring that I struggled to remember where anything was.”
- “No humor, no real story or lore to get into, atmosphere is as generic as it gets, dumb companions are forced on you and gameplay is a really meh-quality attack button masher.”
optimization
212 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26% positive mentions, 56% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions
The optimization of Capcom's older titles has faced significant criticism due to the retroactive implementation of DRM, specifically the Enigma DRM, which has led to performance degradation, including frame rate drops of 10-15 fps and increased stuttering. This addition has not only hindered modding capabilities but also caused compatibility issues on platforms like the Steam Deck, frustrating long-time fans. While some newer titles have been praised for their optimization, the overall sentiment reflects a growing discontent with Capcom's approach to performance and user experience.
- “The game runs incredibly smoothly, and plays so much better for the higher performance.”
- “The pc port is a huge step up in terms of quality and performance.”
- “Now this pc port is incredible with how well optimized it is.”
- “Capcom retroactively adds obscure DRM to their older titles, breaking modding, support on Steam Deck, and causing performance issues/crashes.”
- “The addition of the Enigma 'DRM' malware tanks performance on even slightly older machines and is aggressively anti-mod, including performance mods.”
- “This negative review is purely due to the actions of Capcom implementing DRM into old games, reducing their performance and angering customers that have been fans of various Capcom franchises for years.”
humor
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of intentional and unintentional comedy, often stemming from the quirky AI of the pawns, their amusing dialogue, and the absurd situations that arise during gameplay. Players find joy in the hilarious interactions, such as throwing enemies off cliffs or witnessing the pawns' clumsy antics, which add a unique charm to the experience. While some aspects, like voice acting and story presentation, can be awkward, they often contribute to the overall humor, making the game a delightfully entertaining ride.
- “The game's voice acting is a combination of unique, very medieval, bad, and hilarious, and I wouldn't have it any other way.”
- “Overall combat is a lot of fun and there are some aspects of it - like the ability to climb up larger monsters and the ability to pick up enemies and hurl them off a cliff - that can make the game laugh-out-loud funny at times.”
- “The companions you get from other people are questionable, sure, but what they lack in immersive names they make up for in funny hats.”
- “This game's difficulty can be so random it is not funny.”
- “The story is boring, the NPCs are forgettable, the weapon/armor selection is extremely limited (by your class too), there are too many bad cutscenes that take away your control (and some end up glitching the game), the quest markers are sometimes useless, the enemies get repetitive very quickly, there are hundreds of quests that are useless or extremely boring, and there are some weird Japanese customs like people flailing their arms for anything or making those ridiculous not funny at all jokes and expressions Japanese people love.”
- “Then you slap me with 'limited weight'... not funny!”
stability
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 76% negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, quest-related glitches, and performance issues such as frame rate drops and crashes that can disrupt gameplay. While some users noted that the game runs well on platforms like the Steam Deck, others experienced frustrating freezes and unplayable conditions, particularly during character creation and quest progression. Overall, the game is described as having a charming experience marred by numerous technical faults, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.
- “I haven't had any stability issues; it runs great, is really challenging, and overall pretty good to play.”
- “The game feels Japanese, as in that it runs great without any bugs and performance issues; it's really well optimized and has a great soundtrack.”
- “Great game - a surprisingly smooth and bug-free console port, and it's great value for money too, with all the previously released console DLCs and its expansion built in.”
- “Beyond the thrill of combat, the quest-related glitches such as objectives failing to trigger or complete can significantly hinder progress.”
- “Moreover, the occasional performance hiccups, like frame rate drops, occasional freezes, or even crashes, can disrupt the otherwise immersive experience.”
- “This becomes a freaking bad issue when the game freezes during a save and the current save ends up corrupted, then you are just out of luck for today's play session; there is no backup of current progress.”
character development
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 19% negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the extensive customization options and the unique pawn system, while others criticize the lack of depth and meaningful storytelling. Many players appreciate the variety of classes and skills available, but feel that the overall character development is shallow and often overshadowed by the game's focus on combat and gameplay mechanics. Overall, while there are standout elements in character design and customization, the narrative and character interactions leave much to be desired.
- “Character development is fantastic, and the use of the pawns is an exciting bonus the likes of which I have not seen in any other game.”
- “The game also excels in character development, offering a wide array of classes and skills.”
- “I wholeheartedly recommend this game if you enjoy fast-paced, visceral combat with a long-term and in-depth character development RPG aspect.”
- “I play mainly for the story and character development, and this game has very little of either.”
- “The game's assumption that players would willingly endure elements such as minimal save points, inconsistent level scaling, and lackluster character development is, to put it plainly, laughable.”
- “This game's core plot is badly handled, with no character development or in-depth storytelling.”
emotional
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79% positive mentions, 1% neutral mentions, 20% negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly polarized among players, with some expressing deep emotional connections and impactful moments, particularly during climactic scenes and character interactions. However, many reviewers criticize the overall story as boring and poorly executed, which detracts from emotional investment and immersion. While some players found moments of joy and nostalgia, others felt disconnected due to lackluster character development and uninspired narratives.
- “I cried tears of joy and sadness, as it's the closest way I get to play games with him again.”
- “Loved the story, made me cry from sadness and joy.”
- “This game made me feel like I have friends.”
- “One of my favorite games, with the most boring story, and confusing quests and storylines, but some of the best gameplay of this genre.”
- “My favorite part was when I went through all of the combat and long quests and horribly generic and badly written, boring story just to have my one choice in the whole game. What even are RPGs anymore?”
- “Extremely tedious, boring story and combat that is either far too easy or just the longest slugfest.”
monetization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13% positive mentions, 29% neutral mentions, 58% negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received positive feedback for its lack of microtransactions, loot boxes, and other predatory practices, which contrasts sharply with the current trends in the gaming industry. Players appreciate that all downloadable content (DLC) is included from the start, indicating a shift towards a more consumer-friendly approach. Overall, the absence of aggressive monetization strategies has contributed to a more enjoyable gaming experience.
- “Adding to the package is the removal of microtransactions, meaning every bit of DLC including retail-specific content will be available day one.”
- “There are no microtransactions, no loot boxes, no 'surprise mechanics,' no casino.”
- “Oh, and all of the DLC is included in the game, and all of the microtransactions are removed.”
- “Capcom is a terrible company that engages in monetization methods that I disagree with, and now they are adding a DRM software called Enigma Protection to their games, not just their new games either... as a Linux user, this apparently potentially breaks compatibility, and I can no longer play games that used to work perfectly fine.”
- “In a world where the most popular games are full of microtransactions, freemium predatory models of monetization, and lack of love for the product itself, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a hidden gem that deserves to be played, replayed, and replayed again.”
- “This is a good example of devs trying to get back in touch with their community, even if it is mainly for a cash grab.”

Skip Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

80%Critics’ scoreBased on 46 critic reviews

Skip Game Offers

Buy Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Some of these are affiliate links — if you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Play Times

39h Median play time

226h Average play time

229h Main story

105h Completionist

10-130h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 141 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a open world hack and slash game with fantasy and dark fantasy themes. Common tags for Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen include dragons, trading, magic, exploration, third person and others.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck, Windows and others.

The main story can be completed in around 229 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 105 hours to finish. On average players spend around 226 hours playing Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen was released on January 15, 2016.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen was developed by Capcom.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen has received positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Divinity: Original Sin, Outward, Risen, Divinity II: Ego Draconis and others.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Platforms

About Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Games Like Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Divinity: Original Sin

Outward

Risen

Divinity II: Ego Draconis

Salt and Sanctuary

Divinity II: Developer's Cut

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

Drova: Forsaken Kin

Two Worlds Epic Edition

Reviews

story

gameplay

graphics

music

grinding

replayability

atmosphere

optimization

humor

stability

character development

emotional

monetization

Critic Reviews

Buy Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen