Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Genre: Action-RPG

Players: 1, Online Content Sharing

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Review:

Dragon’s Dogma is an Action-RPG that has garnered a fair number of comparisons to Skyrim, and I want to just say at the outset that this game is nothing like Skyrim, so quell those expectations right now. The only thing it really shares in common with that game is that it’s a Western-style Action-RPG with an epic scope and a story where a dragon plays a central role as the antagonist.

This game is not an open-world sandbox, isn’t first-person, and is not an immersive world in the way Skyrim is, so if that’s what you’re looking for, maybe check out The Witcher III or, you know, just go back to playing Skyrim. Usually I don’t start a review with what a game isn’t, but I’ve heard enough comparisons and claims that this game is Capcom’s answer to Skyrim to feel a need to put that to rest right here.

now as for what this game is, this is a pretty decent action-RPG, with a large map and a good amount of exploration (though, again, not an open world), a decent combat system, and an interesting story that invites players to better understand the mysteries behind the dragon that becomes your nemesis at the story’s outset, as well as the world this dragon has terrorized.

One of the interesting things this game does is its pawn system, which allows you to enlist loyal helper characters, even creating one yourself much the same way that you create your own character. And while this game doesn’t have any sort of traditional multiplayer play, players can loan their pawns out to other players online to share the rewards of those efforts. It’s an interesting system that’s well-incorporated into the lore of the game world.

The graphics here are passable, and at times even have moments of brilliance, but don’t fool yourself – this is a game that was originally released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and it very much looks like a PS3/360 game. Muddy textures, and while this game does improve on the visuals of the original release by upping the resolution from 720p to 900p (576p in portable mode), it falls short of the 1080p resolution of the PS4 release.

There are places with ugly pop-up, and characters’ mouths flap in ways that seem entirely disconnected from what they’re saying. Still, occasionally you’ll catch a beautiful vista or a nice sunset that gives a hint of the majesty this game was aiming for, and the character designs in this game look excellent… at least, when their jaws aren’t flapping.

On the other side of things, this game does a great job in the sound department, with a quality soundtrack and those voices characters doing a great job of building up the dark medieval fantasy world you find yourself in. Even when the game’s visuals don’t quite deliver on the ideas this story presents, the sound generally fills in the gaps to give you a good feeling of an epic quest in a dark and dangerous world.

On the topic of that danger, this is not an easy game, and your character is a few quick attacks away from death, even from the earliest encounters. Fans of Dark Souls looking for something similar may find this challenge in an Action-RPG like this to be a delightful surprise, but many players might be turned off by the challenge. In the game’s defense, the combat system here is very good, so I never got the feeling the game was putting me in impossible situations, though I definitely felt that it stacked the odds against me at points where I was swarmed with enemies or fighting off a beast that could overpower me with two swipes.

Oh, I should mention that this version of Dragon’s Dogma includes the game’s titular expansion, Dark Arisen, making this a full package of all of the content released for the game previously.

In the end, Dragon’s Dogma is a welcome addition to the Switch’s library of epic action-RPGs. While not as open as games like Skyrim, it nevertheless offers some interesting ideas and a solid combat system, as well as an intriguing story. Players who can overlook graphics that are a generation out of date, and who don’t mind a high challenge level, should find this to be a very good addition to their game library.

tl;dr – Dragon’s Dogma is an Action-RPG with a large (but not open) world to explore, a good combat system, and an interesting story. It’s a solid port of the game from the Xbox 360 and PS3, although it very much still looks like a game from the previous generation, and the game’s high challenge level may push away some players. Still, if that doesn’t scare you off, you’ll find this to be an epic and enjoyable quest well worth undertaking.

Grade: B

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