Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Expansion Impresses in PS5 Review
Push Square's review of Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen praises director Kento Kinoshita for delivering an expansion that revitalizes the game. The add-on introduces the northern region of Norgan, with snowy environments and cold-weather survival elements. The reviewer says it took about 50 hours to complete the main story and side quests, and describes it as feeling like a sequel rather than a simple DLC.
Push Square's PS5 review credits director Kento Kinoshita, who previously reshaped the first Dragon's Dogma with its Dark Arisen add-on, with similarly refreshing the sequel. The expansion adds Norgan, a northern open map moving from plains to icy passes and snowstorms. Cold drains stamina, encouraging thermal gear and Heatstones. The reviewer spent roughly 50 hours on story and side quests before an endgame.
It also introduces randomized spoils appraised at a southern hub, with rarer gear unlocked as quests advance. New northern camps and recurring secondary characters support a journey-focused structure, and the review says the storytelling feels tighter and grander than the base game's.
The expansion's release could affect existing Dragon's Dogma players, newcomers drawn by strong reviews, and Capcom's broader RPG audience. A lengthy, sequel-sized add-on may encourage lapsed owners to return and could shape expectations for downloadable content value. It may also influence how developers approach expansions that add distinct regions and survival systems, while reviewers and players use it to discuss whether such add-ons justify their time commitments.