Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Reviews

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is ranked in the 91st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
95 / 100
Oct 13, 2026

Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is to Dragon’s Dogma 2 what Dark Arisen was to the original Dragon’s Dogma. Wow, they really should’ve gone with a simpler name. Something like Dark Arisen 2, perhaps? Anyhow, beneath the baffling naming convention lies a substantial expansion that builds on the base game’s strengths and softens its rough edges. An essential purchase for all owners of Dragon’s Dogma.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 12, 2026

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen was the final piece needed to bring this sequel to its peak; however, I believe the quality of the narrative and side quests could have been handled better. On the other hand, the expansion delivers a beautiful, challenging new realm, offering an exploration experience that truly captivates thanks to its distinct atmosphere.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 9, 2026

The Dark Arisen expansion is enjoyable; it introduced a beautiful new region packed with locations well worth exploring, alongside enemies and bosses that offered an engaging challenge and added more variety to the gameplay experience. Furthermore, the technical improvements, loot system, and new crafting additions added solid value to the overall experience. However, certain aspects of the experience needed greater variety (particularly the weapons and armor). Overall, Dark Arisen is an excellent expansion for fans of the game and is well worth playing.

Review in Arabic | Read full review

Silvia Mannu
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is an expansion that’s heading in the right direction. It addresses the limitations of the original game with systems that have a tangible impact on gameplay. The new equipment, enhanced abilities, and six available slots enrich the action, while Norgan seems to have all the necessary qualities to reignite the joy of discovery. Some questions remain regarding balance and enemy behavior, but the direction seems promising. Furthermore, performance is finally excellent. But above all, we always want to keep exploring. And there’s nothing better for an expansion that focuses on the endgame.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 12, 2026

Dark Arisen is a adventure we know already, but it's been upgraded in almost every aspect. This is how Dragon's Dogma 2 should look on release day — a real Definitive Edition and an awesome game.

Review in Polish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Oct 12, 2026

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen delivers a substantial and rewarding expansion, with a beautifully crafted new region, memorable monsters and excellent exploration. Some overly convenient changes dilute the original game's unique sense of adventure, but Norgan remains a compelling reason to return.

Review in Italian | Read full review

9.3 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2026

Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen makes its comeback, and it does so in the best way possible. This definitive edition addresses all the shortcomings of its initial launch by introducing a massive new region, fresh dungeons, and a brand-new relic system. It is a absolute treat for anyone who thrives on adventure games and longs to get lost for hours in a magical, sprawling world.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2026

Dragon Dogma 2: Dark Arisen gives you a good reason to jump back in, with Norgan’s snowy landscape, dangerous enemies and new gear keeping me busy beyond the main storyline. Climbing massive monsters whilst attempting to keep myself and my Pawns alive made for some hectic fights.

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9.2 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is such a rich and well-crafted expansion that it could have been sold as a standalone title, and any fan would have been extremely satisfied with it. Not only does it add a new region with an exclusive storyline, introduce a brand-new looting system, and further refine the combat system, but it also goes back to the drawing board to improve certain aspects of the base game that had previously received quite a bit of criticism. It’s the expansion Dragon’s Dogma 2 has been waiting for, finally realizing a potential that, until now, had only been partially realized.

Review in Italian | Read full review

16 / 20
Oct 8, 2026

With Dark Arisen, Capcom has released a particularly strong expansion that adds a whole new dimension to Dragon’s Dogma 2.

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Jesse Norris
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is an excellent expansion. It adds a massive new landmass packed with fun content that makes an already great game even better.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2026

Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is a fantastic new expansion that improves the base game in many ways. While some of the base game’s worst parts impact the overall experience, the negatives aren’t enough to overshadow its amazing elements.

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9.6 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2026

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is a masterpiece expansion that masterfully corrects the launch stumbles and raises the bar for the franchise. With a challenging new frozen map, the acclaimed randomized loot loop, 6 skill slots, and flawless performance on the PS5 Pro at 60 fps, the content shines in every detail. The dark plot, the 12 new dungeons, and the mechanical depth reward veterans and newcomers alike. Indispensable for action RPG fans. She only thinks about revenge, without looking aside. It wasn't just the Six of Yotei that got to her in this quest!

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Oct 8, 2026

Dark Arisen is the expansion Dragon's Dogma 2 always deserved, wrapping a genuinely gripping story and a rewarding new relic-hunting loop around Norgan's brutal frozen wilds, even if the combat's old rough edges never fully thaw.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen sharpens the base game’s strengths with fresh enemies, new challenges, and engaging locales that elevate the adventure in a way that makes it essential for fans.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dark Arisen improves many aspects that originally held Dragon's Dogma 2 back. The new region is delightful to explore, the story has more depth, progression feels meaningful, and the game performs better overall. This is the version of Dragon's Dogma 2 that should have been released from the start.

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10 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dark Arisen is not just a simple expansion for Dragon’s Dogma 2; it’s the piece that fills in many of the base experience gaps. A package that stands alongside the main game and elevates it into one of the most valuable and complete RPGs of its generation in an adventure that, if you seek a vast, challenging fantasy journey full of exploration, is simply too good to pass up.

Review in Persian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen توسعة تقدم مغامرة جديدة وأكثر تحديا، من خلال منطقة Norgen الثلجية، مع أعداء جدد، نظام تطوير أعمق، ومحتوى إضافي متنوع. ورغم احتفاظها ببعض مشاكل اللعبة الأصلية، إلا أنها تقدم تجربة محسنة، أكثر صعوبة وتكاملا، تجعلها إضافة ممتازة لمحبي Dragon’s Dogma 2

Review in Arabic | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2026

Dragon’s Dogma 2 delivers one of the best role-playing game experiences, featuring a unique perspective on companions known as Pawns. It is characterized by a one-of-a-kind combat system, with a vast variety of playstyles and vocations to choose from, along with a world filled with a spirit of adventure that captivates players for hours. As for the Dark Arisen expansion, it brought a new story, diverse areas, and new challenges while addressing most of the original version's issues—ranging from enemy variety to challenging dungeons, which incentivizes players to return to it—along with the relic system and a heavy emphasis on end-game content that encourages continued play after finishing the story. However, it is not without flaws, such as the lack of enemy variety in the base game, weak storytelling in both the base game and its add-ons, alongside a few difficulty scaling issues that may cause significant frustration for the player.

Review in Arabic | Read full review

RPGamer
Imani Jones
3.5 / 5.0
Oct 7, 2026

Fans of Dragon’s Dogma 2 will find plenty to enjoy here, but those who struggled to connect with the original game may not find enough to change their minds. For RPGamers looking for a strong sense of adventure and an absolutely beautiful world to get lost in, Dark Arisen is worth considering.

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