Capcom released *Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen* today, October 9, for PC (Steam), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Another apocalyptic tale set in the frozen wasteland of “Norgan,” where players excavate relics
This title is an open-world action game that adds a new story and gameplay experience to *Dragon’s Dogma 2*, which was released in 2024. While it is available as DLC for existing players, it is also sold as a bundle with the main game.
The stage for this new adventure is “Norgan,” a far-northern land sealed off by blizzards. Once the territory of a kingdom that reached the height of its glory, it now lies in ruins, abandoned to the harsh elements.
In the story-driven content set in this region, “The King’s Ruined Realm,” players can now enjoy hack-and-slash gameplay by appraising “Relics” obtained through defeating enemies and exploring, and carefully selecting powerful weapons and armor.
Early play reports indicate that even characters who have already cleared the main story may struggle against groups of the “Belkan” barbarians. On the other hand, the weapons and armor available seem incredibly powerful—so much so that after just a few hours of exploration, players found that most of the gear they’d honed for the main story had been replaced by loot from the battlefield.
Relics can have up to four special properties, and some may even be imbued with “EX Skills” that enhance custom skills. The play report recommends changing your job to match the relics you’ve picked up.
Throughout the main game map, “Forgotten Trials” have appeared, challenging players to tackle 12 types of dungeons with varying layouts. Rare equipment lies at the deepest depths of these dungeons, and the “Offering of Grace” reward earned upon clearing them is required to learn new custom skills for each job at the “Tower of Grace” in Norgan.
“Hairstyling and Tattoos,” which adds new hairstyles and tattoos to character creation, has also been added.
Hard Mode Implemented in Main Game Update
The latest update is now available. It includes the long-awaited Hard Mode, new Pawn specialties, official support for “Enhanced PSSR” on PS5 Pro, implementation of “FSR 3 Frame Generation” for the PC version, and support for “DLSS FRAME GENERATION” multi-frame generation.
The goals behind this series of updates and *Dark Arizon* are discussed in a developer interview on Game*Spark, so be sure to check that out as well.
Official Pawns Added and a “Home Economics Dragon” Collaboration Too
To coincide with the release, characters from the “Capcom Collectibles” video series have been added as “Official Pawns.”
Additionally, a collaboration with “Home Economics Dragon” is underway, and a social media campaign offering a chance to win original merchandise is running until 1:00 PM on October 21.
Overseas Reviews Are Strong Too! Metascore for the PC Version Is 86
As of this writing, the PC version has a Metacritic Metacritic score of 86 (based on 15 reviews), the Nintendo Switch 2 version has 88 (7 reviews), and the PS5 version has 84 (21 reviews). The Xbox Series X|S version has not yet met the minimum number of reviews required for a Metacritic rating.
Game*Spark also features a roundup of international reviews, reviews of the main game *Dragon’s Dogma 2*, and guide articles for new players, so those looking to start the game or returning players should be sure to check those out as well.
*Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen* is now available for PC (Steam), PS5, XBOX Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The price is 5,990 yen for both the digital and physical editions; the physical edition is available only for PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
For those who already own the main game, the expansion DLC *Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Expansion* (2,990 yen) is also available for PC (Steam), PS5, and XBOX Series X|S.
