The PS5 early access preview for Dragon's Dogma 2's major expansion, The Dark Arisen, showcased two new adventure lines: traveling to the new region of Nogen, and challenging twelve "Forgotten Trials" dungeon labyrinths in the base game map. Foreign media previews noted that combat difficulty in Nogen is significantly higher than standard progression in the base game, while each trial dungeon features unique mechanics.
Both adventure lines can be unlocked by speaking with the NPC Berent at the Vernworth Tavern. However, the preview author warns that if your game progress is too far along, you may no longer be able to obtain these quests through this method, requiring you to handle them in a New Game+ playthrough where levels and equipment are carried over.
During the Nogen preview, even when using characters who had completed the main story and were well-developed, the author still encountered resistance in combat. In comparison, the author felt that the "Forgotten Trials" were better suited for gradually strengthening combat power. Different dungeons feature structures such as combat rooms, blocked retreats, or paths opened by finding chests, and also impose restrictions based on vocation or the number of trials completed.
The preview author also observed that some trial rewards aid subsequent exploration of Nogen, concluding that pursuing both content lines in parallel is more effective.