Originally, I wanted to play Outer Wilds, but seeing my bank account in the red I had to search my steam library for a game to start.

That's how I unpretentiously launched Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, a game I'd obtained in the humble Capcom bundle a few years earlier.

I confess I'd never heard of DD:DA or Hideaki Itsuno's career (Devil May Cry excluded) before launching the game.

For me, Dragon's Dogma is a game filled with a passion for fantasy universes (mainly Dungeons & Dragons, but not knowing D&D in depth I'd rather not assume that kind of thing) and filled with universe rules and game design that engages the player in a routine and gives a solid structure to the player's progression within his adventure.

I was delighted to discover landscapes reminiscent of my travels along the Irish coast, embellished by the game's soundtrack.

Despite a few blemishes, notably on the AI of allies and the number of passage cuts that stand out, I thoroughly enjoyed my adventure in the lands of Gransys.

I highly recommend Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, especially for gamers familiar with the Dark Souls saga, as I find them intrinsically linked in terms of the themes they tackle, their bold staging and their pronounced game design decisions.

"Unbound by time, all-binding, grand design,

land and skies and seas yearn,

finish the Cycle of Eternal Return."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLAqgY48Ymw

Reviewed on Mar 18, 2024


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