Dragon's Dogma 2 is set to receive its Dark Arisen expansion, which introduces a new frigid region called Norgan, a unique loot appraisal system, and formidable new enemies, including a dragon capable of vomiting zombies. The expansion aims to build upon the base game's open-world design by adding a challenging new area and gameplay loops that encourage exploration and strategic adaptation.
Norgan, the "Forsaken Dominion," is located in the north of the game's map and is designed for characters around level 40, though it can be accessed earlier in the campaign. The region's icy conditions and blizzards present distinct environmental hazards. Players will need to equip thermal gear to survive, as indicated by early quests that provide warmer armor. While the exact mechanics of how cold affects characters were not fully detailed, the demo suggested that the climate poses dangers beyond visual effects. For instance, players can be frozen by enemies' arctic breath, and environmental events like avalanches can disrupt combat. Director Kenta Kinoshita stated that the intention was for the cold environment to provide "friction that's really interesting to strategize how to overcome."
Environmental interactions are expanded upon in Norgan. The wind can be used to a player's advantage for longer jumps or to gain an edge when scaling large enemies. Enemies may pursue players across frozen lakes, creating opportunities to break the ice and plunge them into the water, where they can be consumed by "The Brine." The cold theme extends to tracking mechanics, with footprints in the snow allowing players to follow fleeing enemies who might have stolen items.
Dark Arisen also revamps the loot system with "relics." These are mystery items found throughout Norgan that are initially useless in the inventory. Players must bring these relics back to a local wise woman, Jiera, and pay her rift crystals to appraise them, revealing their true nature as potentially powerful gear with unique stat modifiers or abilities. This system encourages a gameplay loop of exploration, collection, and appraisal, drawing parallels to looter-shooter mechanics. Producer Naoto Oyama confirmed that the goal was to integrate a similar exploration and appraisal cycle as seen in the original Dark Arisen's Bitterblack Isle dungeon, but expanded across a new, wide region.
While the relic acquisition and appraisal are confined to Norgan to maintain the area's distinctiveness, the gear obtained can be used in the base game's existing areas and the 12 new "Lost Rites" dungeons. These new dungeons are described as ramping up in challenge and offering rare equipment. Players can engage with Norgan's relic system to prepare for more difficult dungeons, creating an interplay between the expansion's new content and existing challenges. The expansion also features a new foe in the form of a dragon that vomits zombies, serving as a challenging encounter in the new region.
Director Kinoshita elaborated on the design philosophy, emphasizing that while quests exist, the relic system primarily serves as a reason for players to explore diverse areas. This focus on organic discovery aligns with Dragon's Dogma 2's strengths in encouraging players to venture off the beaten path. The Dark Arisen expansion aims to enhance these elements for fans of the series by introducing both familiar and novel ideas into the open-world RPG experience.