Dragon’s Dogma 2 producer says its Dark Arisen DLC will be more than 25 hours long

The director and producer of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s upcoming Dark Arisen DLC have discussed its length and strategies for approaching it.

The new Dark Arisen content will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on October 9, alongside a Nintendo Switch 2 port of the game (which will also include the Dark Arisen expansion).

In a new interview with Automaton, the game’s producer Naoto Oyama was asked about the overall scope of the DLC, and how long it would take to complete.

“The new story takes place in a new region called Norgan,” Oyama replied. “We expect players to spend around 15 to 20 hours completing that scenario.

“In addition, twelve unique dungeons will be added to the base game. Each dungeon is designed to take roughly 30 minutes to an hour to clear. With twelve of them in total, we believe players will be able to enjoy more than 25 hours of additional content with this expansion.

“The base game itself offers around 30 to 40 hours of gameplay, so players who purchase both titles for the first time will get a substantial experience.”

In the same interview, the DLC’s director Kento Kinoshita explained that the 12 new dungeons will be available from Level 20, but players are recommended to be at around Level 40 before they take on the new Norgan region.

“Hearing that, players who are just starting Dragon’s Dogma 2 might feel overwhelmed by the prospect of having to reach level 40. However, by the time they arrive at the first capital city after starting the game, they should already be around level 8 to 10.

“Completing a few quests there will quickly bring them to level 20, making them strong enough to tackle the opening sections of the twelve new dungeons, known as the Lost Rites.

“Those dungeons also allow players to level up quickly and obtain weapons and armor that are stronger than usual. So, for players eager to experience the new content as quickly as possible, one option is to reach level 20 and use the twelve dungeons as a means of character progression.

“On the other hand, players who have already spent a great deal of time with Dragon’s Dogma 2’s main story may be well beyond level 40 already. Those players will be able to enter Norgan and begin its adventure immediately.

“Even in such cases, the gameplay loop revolves around gathering randomized weapons and armor called Relics, so we’ve designed it to provide a satisfying challenge.”

Dragon’s Dogma 2 received a strong critical reception from reviewers when it released in March 2024, though it didn’t resonate with every player. The game has a Metacritic score of 86 from critics, compared to a user score of 6.5.

Last year, VGC asked the main game’s director, Hideaki Itsuno, about the reception to Dragon’s Dogma 2. Itsuno said he was proud of the game but not surprised to see a mixed reaction from some players, since he designed it that way.