Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin

 PC
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 751 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 487 out of 751
  2. Mixed: 164 out of 751
  3. Negative: 100 out of 751

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  1. OneEarth2
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    There are a few things that need to be cleared up.

    First, this game does not cost $50 to owners of Dark Souls 2, like some poorly informed people say. If you already own Dark Souls II, you can upgrade for $30 and then you also get the DLC included in that price. If you already have Dark Souls 2 plus all the DLC, then you can upgrade for just $20. This DOES include all the DLC. This is    There are a few things that need to be cleared up.

    First, this game does not cost $50 to owners of Dark Souls 2, like some poorly informed people say. If you already own Dark Souls II, you can upgrade for $30 and then you also get the DLC included in that price. If you already have Dark Souls 2 plus all the DLC, then you can upgrade for just $20. This DOES include all the DLC. This is actually a better deal than the console gamers are getting, oddly enough, probably because FromSoft knows how PC gamers tend to complain if they don't get special treatment. (Note: I'm a PC gamer and do not own a console)

    Second, the enemy placement is not random like some people say. The enemies are placed in lore-friendly locations, and the only time they're placed in new regions is when there's a sensible reason (like a couple Royal Swordsmen outside the Pursuer Arena, because the hawk carries people back and forth from the Lost Bastille.)

    Third, the game is not just brighter. It has more contrast than before. That means the dark areas are darker and the light areas are lighter. Additionally, the graphics improvement is very noticeable, and the only people dissatisfied with it seem to be complaining for the sake of complaining. No, it's not the best looking game in the world. However, it is one of the best optimized games in the world. It won't stress your GTX 970, but it will look beautiful and run great on your GTX 650 or equivalent, and it's not often that developers put in so much work to make their game run well on a variety of PCs, while still maintaining good graphics. For reference, this game runs flawlessly on ultra settings/1080p/45+ fps on my laptop with a GTX 860M. Yes, it's so well optimized that my mid-range laptop is matching Xbone/PS4 performance.

    Graphical changes I've noticed:
    -Improved sampling quality on ambient occlusion.
    -Light now acts upon textures based on the alpha channel (more realistic shading). This also means that the worst looking textures in normal Dark Souls II (the ones where the normal and diffuse are different) now react to lighting more realistically and look much better. This is probably how they intended the game to look to begin with.
    -More water reflections, including sky reflections.
    -More contrast (light areas can be truly white instead of light gray, and dark areas can be truly black instead of dark gray).
    -Certain areas of the game now have custom "pitch black" lighting templates, making torches actually necessary like the skull lantern from DKS1.
    -The antialiasing has been updated to FXAA3, so it now looks less blurry and does an even better job of reducing jaggies.
    -Object motion blur makes quick actions look more fluid, especially things like rolling.
    -Bokeh DoF is now used to make embers and other similar things look prettier.
    -Bloom has been increased around light sources like fires or the sun, adding that great "bright" look that light sources had in DKS1.
    -Large shadows have been added to the landscape, around things like pillars, mountains, etc. This gives the landscape more depth overall.
    -All spells now have light sources.
    -All light sources now actually cast light.
    -Texture filtering has been improved.

    General Gameplay Improvements that I've personally noticed.
    -A few hitboxes seem more precise, especially noticeable during dodges.
    -Enemies have been set up in places that complement their abilities (ie, turtle knights are now sometimes found in narrow spaces where their crushing attacks are most effective).
    -Skeletons like dark places.
    -Lore has been expanded in subtle ways, especially around boss fights which previously had little or no explanation.
    -Some sound effects that previously sounded muffled have been dramatically improved, making it easier to identify certain nearby objects and enemies, if you have decent ears and decent speakers/headphones.

    Overall, graphically and in terms of gameplay, this is a serious improvement over Dark Souls 2. I liked Dark Souls 2 at launch, but thought Dark Souls 1 was a little better. Scholar of the First Sin has made me decide that I like Dark Souls 2 more than Dark Souls 1.

    Many of the people criticizing it haven't even played the game, but rather are simply upset because of the rumors surrounding the launch (like the incorrect rumor that people would have to pay $50 to upgrade). It's like Dark Souls 1 all over again, where **** and random elitist forums rallied to rate this game a 0 just because they didn't play it and didn't even properly research it, but just wanted a scapegoat to hate.

    Keep in mind, however, this is a bigger upgrade for the PS4 owners and Xbone owners than PC owners. Mostly this upgrade was aimed at them, we simply get it because it'd be stupid if we didn't.    … Expand
  2. PappyBakesCakes
    Jan 17, 2018
    8
    My favorite part of this game is the replayability that the other Souls games hold. Although this game does have some beautiful moments it fails a bit in the environmental storytelling and design. There is little evidence of an interconnecting world like in 1 and that follows suite for the enemies. Each area has its own little story which can be very interesting but this feels more like aMy favorite part of this game is the replayability that the other Souls games hold. Although this game does have some beautiful moments it fails a bit in the environmental storytelling and design. There is little evidence of an interconnecting world like in 1 and that follows suite for the enemies. Each area has its own little story which can be very interesting but this feels more like a well-designed AAA than a Souls game. The combat and diversity of spell, weapons and armor is very generous and interesting and this is what really keeps the game alive. The Souls combat style is still there, if not reigned in a bit in some areas that were a bit unpolished. All together a great game and a decent Souls game.

    Also, if for some reason it is still possible to get the original version of 2, don't even if this is more expensive as this has the DLC and Scholar came out with a recoordinated enemy layout, which was great btw, so this version is a lot less "artificially difficult". (and has some NG+ enemy changes too)    … Expand
  3. shootidodge
    Mar 14, 2016
    9
    For me this game takes you to places that everyone needs to discover, and i dont speak about how visually the game is great but emotionally it feels amaaaaazing, i had fun every nanosecond spent in a world full of fantasy, i got to the point that i wanted not to finish it.
    TBH i played it a bit late but it was worth it because i didnt encounter any problem on my PC ,    For me this game takes you to places that everyone needs to discover, and i dont speak about how visually the game is great but emotionally it feels amaaaaazing, i had fun every nanosecond spent in a world full of fantasy, i got to the point that i wanted not to finish it.
    TBH i played it a bit late but it was worth it because i didnt encounter any problem on my PC , raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarely the FPS dropped but it was not a big deal it didnt affect my immersion. i was a happy child the whole playthrough ( im not a child though).
    9/10    … Expand
  4. kcotten
    Apr 4, 2015
    8
    TLDR: Scholar of the First Sin is much closer to the mark than vanilla Dark Souls II, and worth the upgrade or the initial investment.

    Better than the base game in every way imaginable. However, it does have some issues that spark annoyance such as the unfixed item durability problem. Compared to Demon's Souls or Dark Souls the world still feels lifeless and barren, the story too up    TLDR: Scholar of the First Sin is much closer to the mark than vanilla Dark Souls II, and worth the upgrade or the initial investment.

    Better than the base game in every way imaginable. However, it does have some issues that spark annoyance such as the unfixed item durability problem.

    Compared to Demon's Souls or Dark Souls the world still feels lifeless and barren, the story too up front, spelling events out. The mystique inherent in it's predecessors is just plain missing.

    Twenty dollars is a pittance, and if that is a problem might I suggest a career change? It's far better than the four hundred and fifty dollars chumps shelled out to play Bloodborne. And I can't recall a recent game other than Europa Universalis IV or Skyrim that will provide the amount of content Scholar of the First Sin will.    … Expand
  5. NewMenace
    Apr 8, 2015
    9
    For sure the best version of the game out there. I have to mention i already have DS II on Steam but with no DLC, so for me i think its worth it. Its a shame tho' since they could have released this version right from the start for PC users, since the hardware allowed it in terms of graphics.
  6. Phoenixxl
    Mar 2, 2016
    10
    The weapon durability bug at 60fps has been fixed in a patch. It was indeed an issue for a while when the game came out but this is no longer the case.
    Enemies seeming to attack faster at 60 fps was a perception option.

    This is a fantastic game with a steep learning curve that levels out quite fast too. Some people just want a "press A to win" game.
  7. Ireland914
    Apr 7, 2015
    9
    Scholar improves upon the original game in nearly every way. And the original was a great game. The changes in enemy and item placement provide a new experience for those who have already played through Dark Souls 2. The challenge and learning curve is relatively the same if you're used to the style of gameplay already. The graphics have been improved noticeably. All around solid game,Scholar improves upon the original game in nearly every way. And the original was a great game. The changes in enemy and item placement provide a new experience for those who have already played through Dark Souls 2. The challenge and learning curve is relatively the same if you're used to the style of gameplay already. The graphics have been improved noticeably. All around solid game, though making owners of the complete DS2 collection pay for this re-release is lame. I only spent the money on it because I loved the original version and knew I would put the time into this one as well.… Expand
  8. adamacuo
    Apr 6, 2015
    10
    This remastered version is a masterpiece of gameplay design and story building. More than reskinned for the next generation, From added significant game play elements, incorporated all of the DLC that was released previously into the game systems, revamped the multiplayer elements and give tuned the event placements. This is a must pay for videogame enthusiasts, and represents From at their peak.
  9. Jackitus
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    Giving this game a 10/10 because of obviously incorrect hyper low (0-3) reviews. I enjoyed the base Dark Souls 2, but found it somewhat inferior to previous Souls games (not by as much as many did). I'm also a very experienced souls vet, so not going to offer much for those considering buying this game as an entry.

    If you enjoyed the base game, pretty much every addition/change they've    Giving this game a 10/10 because of obviously incorrect hyper low (0-3) reviews. I enjoyed the base Dark Souls 2, but found it somewhat inferior to previous Souls games (not by as much as many did). I'm also a very experienced souls vet, so not going to offer much for those considering buying this game as an entry.

    If you enjoyed the base game, pretty much every addition/change they've made is going to be positive and it'll be a fairly fresh experience (some new enemies, mostly enemy placement moved around, creating a few jump scares on my first playthrough). The community at launch for the moment is also very large/healthy, reminding me of playing the game back at launch. It seems very plausible the community for the other versions could die out to some degree, and so if you ever want to play dark souls 2 again, getting this edition will basically be a must.

    My overall thoughts: It's a fun mixing up of things for old veterans to return to and enjoy for another set of playthroughs. Ultimately, not all the changes make sense, nor are all of them good in the long run, but overall a large positive change for the game. For new players will be far more challenging than any previous Souls game.    … Expand
  10. Amfibios
    Apr 19, 2015
    8
    It's a great game that improves in many aspects over dark souls 1 but falls short when it comes to story, meaningful bosses, enemy placements etc. even though the gameplay is great, compared to dks1, it feels like it doesn't have a soul, if u know what i mean.
    I enjoyed scholar of the first sin more than the original and you're getting your money's worth since it includes all of the dlc    It's a great game that improves in many aspects over dark souls 1 but falls short when it comes to story, meaningful bosses, enemy placements etc. even though the gameplay is great, compared to dks1, it feels like it doesn't have a soul, if u know what i mean.
    I enjoyed scholar of the first sin more than the original and you're getting your money's worth since it includes all of the dlc content for a decent price. if u've played the original & dlcs though it's still the same game even after the enemy remix which is refreshing but it's not worth buying all over again.
    the dark areas are fixed and now the torch is actually useful!!!
    if u've never played a souls game before, this is the game you should begin with    … Expand
  11. CntrlAltDel101
    Sep 29, 2015
    10
    My favourite game of all time. An amazing campaign, rounded of nicely by the perfect DLC.

    The game is fun on its own but is complemented beautifuly by the multi player.

    The DLC does make the main game feel like a walk in the park, but it is perfect for any gaming masochist out there.
  12. digga123
    Oct 19, 2016
    9
    I didn't play the original game as it first came out, so I rate scholar of the first sin as what it is and not as what I expected it to be compared to the original version. After nearly 30 hours I can say that I like it a lot! In comparison to DS1 it seems more self-contained and accessible without losing all of its complexity, what I think is a good thing.
  13. HSuke
    Oct 16, 2019
    10
    I played this in 2019 after playing DS1 and DS3. I enjoyed it more than the other 2. It's much more polished than DS1 and more welcoming than DS3. I think it has the best hub and the most beautiful world among all 3 games. The only issues are that boss fights are a bit too generic, and it's a bit easier than the other 2 titles (or I finally got gud).

    This is a DS game for players who    I played this in 2019 after playing DS1 and DS3. I enjoyed it more than the other 2. It's much more polished than DS1 and more welcoming than DS3. I think it has the best hub and the most beautiful world among all 3 games. The only issues are that boss fights are a bit too generic, and it's a bit easier than the other 2 titles (or I finally got gud).

    This is a DS game for players who want to explore the world more than fight bosses.    … Expand
  14. R3NCZ
    Apr 26, 2015
    9
    I know, i know everyone can say that this game is only copy of Dark Souls 2 original, YES maybe thats true, but the game gives you as much as it can, as an old version Dark Souls 2, i like the new item places and Scholar's fire design, awesome graphics and a stunning optimalization increases the ammount of gameplay hours, that you want to play it again and again, all that i say is, thatI know, i know everyone can say that this game is only copy of Dark Souls 2 original, YES maybe thats true, but the game gives you as much as it can, as an old version Dark Souls 2, i like the new item places and Scholar's fire design, awesome graphics and a stunning optimalization increases the ammount of gameplay hours, that you want to play it again and again, all that i say is, that it's a diamond of RPG games! Support for 6 players is great and it's All in One, for whom that played this game before and bought it its bad, because you need to spend next 25€ for upgrade, thats the biggest dissapointment, but FromSoftware shows all that they are **** **** and want to leave boys and girls into the hospital 9/10… Expand
  15. Steeldude
    May 1, 2017
    8
    + Longer
    + More bosses
    + Bigger variety in areas + Harder + You have to find Estus Shards to get Flasks - Still a bad port showing xbox buttons - The **** delay between pressing a button and blocking/attacking (this warrants at LEAST -2 points) - Similarily to DS1, target switch is horrible - there is none - Sometimes the difficulty is plain insane, definitely the hardest game    + Longer
    + More bosses
    + Bigger variety in areas
    + Harder
    + You have to find Estus Shards to get Flasks

    - Still a bad port showing xbox buttons
    - The **** delay between pressing a button and blocking/attacking (this warrants at LEAST -2 points)
    - Similarily to DS1, target switch is horrible - there is none
    - Sometimes the difficulty is plain insane, definitely the hardest game I've played yet
    - gave up, way too difficult...

    This would have been a 10/10 game for me if it wasn't for the **** DELAY that makes some parts downright stupid, unfair, impossible and makes the game million times harder.
    Situations that XBOX players would be able to deal with without serious problems will murder you because you have to wait 2 seconds for your character to block or attack. You'll get
    used to the crappiness after some time, but that does not mean that you will not die because of it. You will die because of it, you will die lots.
    It's better than DS1 in practically everything, but the stupid delay makes this game fall to the same level as DS1. There is no official fix for that, unfortunately. 8/10
    A 10/10 game ruined by stupid delay and artificial difficulty in many places.    … Expand
  16. saxo27
    Jan 5, 2016
    9
    I just finished Dark Souls 1 and moved onto Dark Souls 2. One--this game is easier than the first one. The reason is not because it is an easy game, but because Dark Souls 1 was hard because it was artificially hard (cheap deaths, cheap bosses, cheap level design, etc.). DS2 is a challenging and fun game--not hard, as gamers make it sound. I have yet to experience any cheap deaths (peopleI just finished Dark Souls 1 and moved onto Dark Souls 2. One--this game is easier than the first one. The reason is not because it is an easy game, but because Dark Souls 1 was hard because it was artificially hard (cheap deaths, cheap bosses, cheap level design, etc.). DS2 is a challenging and fun game--not hard, as gamers make it sound. I have yet to experience any cheap deaths (people complain about mobs--"pull them," play slower and more methodical). In short, DK2 is better--no doubt. Better enviornments, quick travel, extra slots for items and weapons, smoother animations and quite a lot more over DK1.

    I played (am still playing) on a laptop intel hd 4000 with an xbox360 controller. Game looks great and plays great. I am very pleased with DK2 over DSK1. Enjoy!    … Expand
  17. moonlight_shado
    Mar 9, 2017
    10
    Waaay better than slashy Dark Borne 3. I didn't enjoy original DkS2 that much, but SotFS improves the gameplay on every level. The dlc areas are so good... They are incredibly difficult too. Honestly can recommend this game to any Souls fan. Way better than DkS3 (in my opinion), the amount of weapons and detailed setting makes this game as good as DkS1.
  18. KeyMon
    May 12, 2015
    9
    Well, original DS 2 game was very good and this is even slightly better than that. Somewhere easier than before somewhere harder. Places that were like a walk through hell are still like that. Enemy placement is more logical. You should forgot placements from the original. There are some feelings after 60 hours of my travelling through newly ordered Drangleic.

    You can choose the "safe    Well, original DS 2 game was very good and this is even slightly better than that. Somewhere easier than before somewhere harder. Places that were like a walk through hell are still like that. Enemy placement is more logical. You should forgot placements from the original. There are some feelings after 60 hours of my travelling through newly ordered Drangleic.

    You can choose the "safe coward way" (shield + heavy armor + some light weapon) or you can be a "crazy naked flexible something" with huge heavy weapons or you can be anything you can dig up from your inventory (some fancy magics and miracles included ofc). First location is barely challenging for experienced players but there are worse, much worse. Sometimes a single mistake could cost you your souls. The game wouldn't tell you what to do or where to go. It is only up to you. You WILL rage and die at least in your first walk-through. But the feeling after killing a hard boss is awesome and addictive and you simply have to continue to other bosses and you die over and over again...

    Giving it 9/10 because too many Dragonriders and Pursuers and because first Dark souls was slightly better

    PLAY IT - FEEL THE PAIN - DIE - RAGEQUIT - PLAY AGAIN    … Expand
  19. McSpaceyGaming
    Aug 25, 2015
    10
    I, along with my brothers, fully completed Dark Souls 2 along with the DLCs. Then when Scholar of the First Sin came out and we found out we could receive it for free due to us already owning the original we were pretty excited. An actual story line, even though we didn't really need it now that we already knew where to go, was implemented, slightly. But the best part was the increase inI, along with my brothers, fully completed Dark Souls 2 along with the DLCs. Then when Scholar of the First Sin came out and we found out we could receive it for free due to us already owning the original we were pretty excited. An actual story line, even though we didn't really need it now that we already knew where to go, was implemented, slightly. But the best part was the increase in monsters. And with only 128 deaths on it and way too many trolls I can fully say I enjoyed duel wielding great swords and bashing my way through groups of people. If you want a game that involves 1v1 like one of the user reviews said on here, then this is NOT your game. It's you versus, pretty much, the world. Except way too many enemies and multiple bosses versus just you. And if you use YouTube or common sense from DS1 and DS (Dark Souls 1 and Demon Souls) you can find the signs for summoning for help. I didn't need any though. I killed all the help as I went along.You will die a lot for that is the main purpose of the game. But if you're like me you will survive New Game +++ with only 2 deaths. And that is a HUGE accomplishment. You just have to time your blocks, attacks, and dodges perfectly and make sure you know EXACTLY what you want to upgrade and DON'T mess up. Extremely fun game though. Hours of content that will make you want more! Make sure to play Demon Souls, Dark Souls 1 (Demon was harder than DS1 and DS2 is harder than DS1.) and Bloodborne which is the hardest out of all of them.… Expand
  20. jsizzle
    Dec 10, 2016
    8
    Newly found appreciation for Dark Souls II has been acquired with this re-work called 'Scholar of the First Sin'. Approximately two years having not played Dark Souls II and after I had moved on to Bloodborne and Dark Souls III - finally, I decided to go back to see how it has changed and hopefully improved. I have come to realise the new placement of items and enemies works way betterNewly found appreciation for Dark Souls II has been acquired with this re-work called 'Scholar of the First Sin'. Approximately two years having not played Dark Souls II and after I had moved on to Bloodborne and Dark Souls III - finally, I decided to go back to see how it has changed and hopefully improved. I have come to realise the new placement of items and enemies works way better than how it originally did. For example, I really loved the new placements for the Suspicious Shadow enemies. They were only featured in New Game+(almost certain) and that, in my opinion, was a waste. They are really fun to fight and obtaining their gear was pretty satisfying. Also, the addition of the Forlorn Dark Spirit is a good one - he has an interesting background albeit not much is known. I've been invaded five times and received his gear and scythe. I think he is fun to fight but Drangleic Castle is by far his toughest encounter; try to move to a more open room. As for The Pursuer haters, are they not meant to pursue you? It is silly to think they only have a small handful. They aren't that tough, anyway.
    The new NPC antagonist is really cool, won't spoil too much but it raises just as many questions as it gives answers. Well, maybe not even so. PvP is still pretty great besides the ridiculous lag backstabs but I don't get that so often. I am pretty surprised that I still get summoned a lot - getting the Sun Sword was easy! The DLC still remains to be the best part of this package but I'll admit that I really started enjoying this game after the halfway point - just before Drangleic Castle and onwards.

    I will keep my gripes with this game such gripes being the 'Agility' attribute - I need to phase through every attack nonsense. Not smart design. Also, 'Soul Memory' still continues to just be horrible. All in all, this is a great game and I think all Souls fans should get this and doubly so if you've still yet to play Dark Souls II in general. I bought this as a $12 upgrade from the original a while back - I don't think that's so bad. $50 is fair for full price if you've yet to play, in my opinion. However, it has been significantly discounted many times throughout the past year and a half. I would just wait a few months.    … Expand
  21. GuiFzord
    Dec 24, 2016
    10
    Funny, Nice and much better than buy all the DLCs.
    DS2 SoFTS its a nice idea i hope the Fromsoftware do something looks like this for DS3.
    the only problem its the servers leg.
  22. SolidCenturio
    Jan 27, 2017
    8
    Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is a difficult game and I appreciate the new challenges that FromSoftware presented before me but the overall experience from someone who played the previous title can only be described as lacking. Don't get me wrong, this game is good but bearing the Souls name and its status as a follow-up to a very phenomenal video game probably didn't help withDark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is a difficult game and I appreciate the new challenges that FromSoftware presented before me but the overall experience from someone who played the previous title can only be described as lacking. Don't get me wrong, this game is good but bearing the Souls name and its status as a follow-up to a very phenomenal video game probably didn't help with the overall reception. There's just too many retreads which may make the game a bit too familiar with longtime players and a change in design philosophy believing that "more is harder" instead of "less is more" like in the first game. The changes that they've introduced gave me a polarizing reaction especially on how they handled poise and some RPG elements. If you've adored the first game's consistency and how FromSoftware made Lordran's crumbling and desolated locales look lived in, prepare to be disappointed because the kingdom of Drangleic is a hodgepodge of geography and terrain locations. I know that suspension of disbelief is a necessity when playing video games but you've got to admit that placing an iron castle surrounded by a sea of lava above a windmill is kind of silly. Simply put, Dark Souls II is a game made to punish its players and will do anything to achieve that goal instead of inviting them to a land of strafe that's inhabited by seasoned warriors and brutal monsters.

    The situation's a lot different for newcomers though. If you're looking to get into the Souls series, this is a good entry point because it's more accessible than its two older brothers. A cleaner and better UI than the previous game, a more straightforward progression system, and an easier time to connect and cooperate with stronger people should get the going a lot more tolerable.

    Overall, I recommend this game because I enjoyed it and the difficulty is as good as ever. A lot of things didn't bode well with me but the prospect of finding new discoveries kept me playing for hours. Veterans of the Souls series might not get the same satisying experience as with the last two games, but it's still worth a try if you're meaning to test your wits once more against a cast of larger and more powerful enemies.

    And there you have it.    … Expand
  23. xRabia
    Apr 18, 2020
    8
    Metacritic forces me to write a seventy-five character review so that I can have my notes listed without searching game by game.
  24. JonsGone
    May 4, 2020
    10
    My favorite game out of the dark souls trilogy.
    Not to say this is the best game of the three, it's just my favorite.
    If i had to pick one to replay, i'd probably pick DS3 but DS2 is still my favorite. Bosses are ok, if anything, there's more variance than just guy in armor #24 like in DS3. Probably the game i've struggled the most on, yet it still kept my interest to the end. Several    My favorite game out of the dark souls trilogy.
    Not to say this is the best game of the three, it's just my favorite.
    If i had to pick one to replay, i'd probably pick DS3 but DS2 is still my favorite.
    Bosses are ok, if anything, there's more variance than just guy in armor #24 like in DS3.
    Probably the game i've struggled the most on, yet it still kept my interest to the end.
    Several QoL improvements from DS1, like Bonfire warping, respeccing or non-restrictive dodgeroll while locked on.
    Worst part of the game is most likely hollowing, mechanic that was kept in DS3 through embering.
    Is very obtuse when it comes to progression but this an issue the franchise's had for a while and built its identity on.
    PvP is still a nightmare and should never have existed as invasions.
    DS1 > DS2 > DS3    … Expand
  25. ChosenUndead99
    Apr 29, 2018
    8
    The developers have focused completely on difficulty, with a lot of group battles against strong enemies. However it is still a great game with lots of content. Controller required.
  26. S3XU4LH34L1NG
    Jan 30, 2022
    9
    This is a **** masterpiece, yeah you can see the not 100 % perfect polish in some corners but imo this a more then fitting worthy succesor to DS1. Its a really chucky game. Depending on your speed and skill a 30-40h is realistic. Worth playing in 2021.
  27. smahlt
    Jan 20, 2023
    8
    Pretty solid game, nice follow up to the first though not quite as polished.
  28. pavvlad
    Feb 20, 2022
    9
    one of the best ds games - game atmosphere characters lore its like 10/10 but dark souls prepare to die edition forever in my heart so ii chapter 9/10
  29. TharosTheDragon
    Apr 24, 2018
    8
    I enjoyed it for a while but eventually it was just a grind. Progress became too slow so I quit.

    Maybe my experience was skewed because I made it too hard by choosing "deprived."
  30. Amsheagar
    Mar 19, 2021
    10
    Very hard, but very atmospheric game. Strange, but i always calm down when i play dark souls 2. The fight is so much fun.
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Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Best PC Game of 2015
29
#29 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
87
#87 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. RPG Fan
    Feb 20, 2017
    72
    Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin offers only minor tweaks to serious gameplay issues of the original game. Nonetheless, it still remains a wholly enjoyable online experience, just don't expect much from the singleplayer experience.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Jun 29, 2015
    95
    It’s a freaking masterpiece! Do yourself a favor and experience it if you haven’t done it yet. [06/2015, p.68]
  3. Games.cz
    May 4, 2015
    80
    A pleasant combination of revised version of Dark Souls II with excellent DLCs offers a brutal difficulty and a fantastic atmosphere - even more intense than ever. Although the Scholar of the First Sin is not a purchase for everyone, if you try you will not be disappointed.
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