This RPG heavyweight is now under $5 instead of $30 on Steam

Alongside franchises like Gothic and Baldur's Gate, Dragon's Dogma is undoubtedly one of the most popular RPG series around. The franchise takes place in a dark fantasy world filled with magic, epic battles and – as the name suggests – plenty of dragons. Dark Arisen, the expanded version of the first game, is currently available on Steam at an 84% discount for just $4.79 instead of $29.99 – its lowest price to date, according to SteamDB.

In Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, players venture into the open fantasy world of Gransys, where a massive dragon promptly rips the heart right out of their character's chest. Instead of dying, however, they become the so-called Arisen and set out to track down the dragon. Along the way, Dark Arisen delivers a classic RPG experience, with plenty of quests, dungeons and monsters to fight. Combat takes place in real time using swords, bows and magic. Players are supported by up to three AI companions known as Pawns. Dark Arisen also expands the base game with new content, including Bitterblack Isle, an area filled with particularly challenging enemies.

Dragon's Dogma is known for its excellent combat system, varied character classes and enormous amount of content. According to HowLongToBeat, completionists can expect to spend more than 100 hours with the game. However, it suffers from a rather shallow story and some quality-of-life issues, including long travel distances and inconvenient save points. As a result, it has a Metascore of "only" 81. The nearly 50,000 Steam reviews, meanwhile, are 88% positive – and the game is also Steam Deck Verified. Anyone unfamiliar with the game who has a few dozen hours to spare might find this an excellent opportunity to jump in.

For a look at the gameplay, the trailer is worth checking out:

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.

As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.