Dark Souls II

 PC
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3117 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,992 out of 3117
  2. Mixed: 521 out of 3117
  3. Negative: 604 out of 3117
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  1. wildemu
    May 17, 2014
    9
    Stop being bad,

    mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmkayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?
  2. kcotten
    May 17, 2014
    10
    Absolutely amazing game. Bought it on both the PC and bought a Playstation to play it on the the PS3 while I waited. Only gripe was the low level of difficulty, but then again it's said your first souls game is the hardest.

    Never had a single issue being reported in the negative reviews. One very important item of note...this is a SOULS game, a controller is a must. Make sure you    Absolutely amazing game. Bought it on both the PC and bought a Playstation to play it on the the PS3 while I waited. Only gripe was the low level of difficulty, but then again it's said your first souls game is the hardest.

    Never had a single issue being reported in the negative reviews.

    One very important item of note...this is a SOULS game, a controller is a must. Make sure you grab a controller when picking this title up on PC, otherwise you'll be cheating yourself out of a large portion of the experience.    … Expand
  3. duffeknol
    May 17, 2014
    0
    Screw this game. I'm dying not because it's hard, but because of terrible controls.
    Oh wow you want to just edge a little to the left? Let's fall off this cliff.
    Also it's never a good sign when you have to spend the first 20 minutes of the game actually configuring your controls. I think 'jump' was something like shift+click+click mousewheel. The hell is this, a flight sim?
    0/10. Unplayable.
  4. Malathion
    May 17, 2014
    1
    I've never played a Souls game before, but I like challenges so I tried this .... thing:

    Graphics: are an absolute catastrophy. As others have pointed out here, it's about worthy of 2010. And yes, I did max out the settings. Gameplay: This game was never designed to be played on a PC. All the key-bindings, the menus structure and their behaviour, the HUD layout, everything is about    I've never played a Souls game before, but I like challenges so I tried this .... thing:

    Graphics: are an absolute catastrophy. As others have pointed out here, it's about worthy of 2010. And yes, I did max out the settings.

    Gameplay: This game was never designed to be played on a PC. All the key-bindings, the menus structure and their behaviour, the HUD layout, everything is about as bad as it can get. The mouse is laggy, controllers aren't recognized, it crashes A LOT. Nothing in this gameplay is intuitive. Maybe they developed the port using just a gamepad.

    Audio: I think they just bought "Disney's best of' sound effect 1994"

    Story: Seems to be pretty cool, but it's impossible to enjoy considering all the gameplay faults and the weak graphics. This is where I give one point to the game.

    Pro-Reviewers: Were all invited by Namco to spend some luxurious holidays on some exotic island.

    Time to delete this "thing"...because it's not a game.    … Expand
  5. Lancious
    May 17, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing! The graphics are amazing on a high setting. The controls are easy to learn and very effective. The game mechanics are amazing; if you role into the weapon you get hit (unlike darksouls1). Everyone hates hit because they are bad at it! It is supposed to be hard; if you dont like hard, your not a real gamer. All of you haters need to stop hating on what an amazing gameThis game is amazing! The graphics are amazing on a high setting. The controls are easy to learn and very effective. The game mechanics are amazing; if you role into the weapon you get hit (unlike darksouls1). Everyone hates hit because they are bad at it! It is supposed to be hard; if you dont like hard, your not a real gamer. All of you haters need to stop hating on what an amazing game this is. Dont hate because your bad!… Expand
  6. Lyther
    May 17, 2014
    7
    Dark Souls 2 is a good game, but it's disappointing in comparison to the first Dark Souls. This game had a different director than the previous Souls games and it really shows. Some comparisons:

    - The writing in the first game was intriguing. The first game had you start at an asylum for the undead at the "end of the world," and next you're told to ring the bells of awakening. The    Dark Souls 2 is a good game, but it's disappointing in comparison to the first Dark Souls. This game had a different director than the previous Souls games and it really shows. Some comparisons:

    - The writing in the first game was intriguing. The first game had you start at an asylum for the undead at the "end of the world," and next you're told to ring the bells of awakening. The writing for the second game isn't just bad in comparison, it's flat out bad. The second game starts with you being laughed at by old ladies, and then a NPC tells you to collect souls to break your curse. As souls are currency dropped by enemies, the plot amounts to "go kill things." The writing doesn't get much better. On a related note, there are no memorable NPCs this time around.

    - Level design has also taken a step backwards. Levels are no longer interconnected like in the first game. It often feels as though the game has levels stitched end-to-end without regard for theme or geometry. This is probably why you can fast-travel from the start.. Given this, it's not a surprise that floor plans have also been simplified. To its credit, the game is still loaded with secret areas to be found.

    - Combat is probably a bit worse. Hitboxes are definitely worse, combos and ripostes are less satisfying, and enemies now spin and attack in ways that violate physical intuition. On the plus side, there are a lot of new weapons, more equipment slots, and a new type of magic.

    - Leveling up now requires you to sit through two bonfire warps and some awful dialogue.

    Dark Souls 2 is saved by the fact that the previous Souls games provided a very solid foundation. The combat system, combined with the bonfire system and tough enemies creates an engaging and addictive experience. And Dark Souls 2 does provide a lot of new, difficult content. Unfortunately, uninspired writing, subpar world design, and some questionable game mechanics make for a game that's almost entirely devoid of the "magic" the first game had.    … Expand
  7. DominusKaiser
    May 17, 2014
    10
    A really good game,enjoyed it better than DS1,people giving it a bad score is because they can't outsmart the AI and die quite often or rage at the game,a score shouldn't be based on how much you suck at the game,now entering NG+ after 100 hours of exploring and getting items using Asctetics I can say I haven't found any game breaking bug or anything that made my experience less,as a portA really good game,enjoyed it better than DS1,people giving it a bad score is because they can't outsmart the AI and die quite often or rage at the game,a score shouldn't be based on how much you suck at the game,now entering NG+ after 100 hours of exploring and getting items using Asctetics I can say I haven't found any game breaking bug or anything that made my experience less,as a port is better than the last one DS1 had a Fps cap of 30 and it lagged around at the worst places expected,this one runs for me at a smooth 60 fps without any issue,people complaining their stuff run less needs to check their pc,friend of mine using a quad-core is getting better fps than the ones mentioned here and that should say something,only one point I didn't enjoy of the game was that the AI has homming attacks even with heavy weapons it's nothing that you can't dodge but sometimes it becomes annoying and cheap but it doesn't become anything that handicaps you from playing or becoming better at reading the patterns,as for the online play I enjoy it far more as it becomes more of an annonymous experience with PC on steam and not a hate mail war with under aged users or trolls which often could lead to frustration and could make the game annoying instead of enjoyable as it is now,and as far as I can tell we got a better game than the console counterparts running at better Fps and higher textures,as for the controlls I have seen too many people complaining about them,this game is a port it wasn't suppossed to be a full optimized PC game when the company said already they don't make PC games,we are even lucky that we got it,get a controlller,learn the keybindings and learn to play,I have seen far too many people on YT complaining that they can't "jump" when they don't even know the mechanic of the game or how jump is suppossed to work.… Expand
  8. macishiryu
    May 16, 2014
    0
    I played for over 70 hours because I was on vacation, but were the most wasted hours in my games. The game has no natural difficulty, but it's programmed to annoy you. The jump system is ridiculous (and you need it), the enemie blows cross the walls, their arrows are guided like a rocket, some enemies seem to have unlimited stamina. The game forces you to take full rounds by scenariosI played for over 70 hours because I was on vacation, but were the most wasted hours in my games. The game has no natural difficulty, but it's programmed to annoy you. The jump system is ridiculous (and you need it), the enemie blows cross the walls, their arrows are guided like a rocket, some enemies seem to have unlimited stamina. The game forces you to take full rounds by scenarios because the character does not climb one rung at 10 cm. Anyway, there are so many absurdities that people confuse with difficulty. But it is not. It is an artificial difficulty, programmed to kill you compulsively, with a annoying and unfair manner. Technically, same the others. Almost no music, no character voice and personality, minimum story, outdate graphics, and believe: NO HDMI/TV SUPPORT!!!… Expand
  9. Wedgeta
    May 16, 2014
    9
    Great game! Graphics: 8/10 Gameplay: 9/10 Story: ?/10 (No coherent story lol) Challenge 10/10

    If there is one thing I should criticize, it would be K&M support, although its already a huge improvement from the last Dark Souls. Highly recommended
  10. Stalker2033
    May 15, 2014
    10
    like most of people i was bit disappointed when they downgrade the graphic and atmosphere in the actual game .
    i played demon souls and dark soul 1 and i can safely say that dark souls 2 is great successor to DS1 .
    -even when graphic is downgrade it alot .it still look pretty decent and better than DS1 .animation and mechanics have been improved . -added tons of new wapons and armors    like most of people i was bit disappointed when they downgrade the graphic and atmosphere in the actual game .
    i played demon souls and dark soul 1 and i can safely say that dark souls 2 is great successor to DS1 .
    -even when graphic is downgrade it alot .it still look pretty decent and better than DS1 .animation and mechanics have been improved .
    -added tons of new wapons and armors and still keeping alot of familiar weapons and armors from DS1 like elite knight set or the moonlight blade
    -the combat system is fun ...well (fun) is not the most accurate word .i guess you can say intense ..the moment miss an attack or failed to parry .you are probably died .specially in the pvp.
    -amazing bosses ost just like DS1.
    the game is really beautiful and hardcore .as you can see most low ratings here are from people who sucks at playing or people who cant run the game .if you loved demon souls and dark souls then you will diffidently love this one .    … Expand
  11. Damazig
    May 15, 2014
    3
    Again, same crappy port, and the game itself isn't my style, why?:

    -Same boring encounters -Confusing / boring story/ bad voice acting. Dark Souls 2 does not even try to do a decent job in telling you any kind of a decent story, nor does it have character interaction and the Voice Acting is a lot worse than anything out there recently. -Repetitive gameplay - Dark Souls gameplay is    Again, same crappy port, and the game itself isn't my style, why?:

    -Same boring encounters

    -Confusing / boring story/ bad voice acting. Dark Souls 2 does not even try to do a decent job in telling you any kind of a decent story, nor does it have character interaction and the Voice Acting is a lot worse than anything out there recently.

    -Repetitive gameplay - Dark Souls gameplay is punishing, repetitive and mainly about timing with the use of the action bar.

    -We all know how crappy Dark Souls 2 graphics are, and how EVERYONE complained about being missled with demos and graphical FX which never entered the game.    … Expand
  12. DaveTheJackal
    May 15, 2014
    2
    Forget what others are saying about the console port re controls, that's the least of this game's issues.

    What it does right: better usability in some ways, with improvements to game-play BUT: Not only is an xbox controller mandatory and there are xbox prompts on the screen AND the graphics are way worse than in previews but the fact that this is the barest of bones port is revealed    Forget what others are saying about the console port re controls, that's the least of this game's issues.

    What it does right: better usability in some ways, with improvements to game-play BUT:

    Not only is an xbox controller mandatory and there are xbox prompts on the screen AND the graphics are way worse than in previews but the fact that this is the barest of bones port is revealed in terms of how spell durations, invulnerabilities, even some actions are timed in the game.

    They do it by using counters decremented each time a frame is drawn on the screen. Not this is a dubious method of programming anyway (haven't these people heard of timer interrupts?) but at least on the consoles, which are locked to 30fps, there's not much of a problem. On the PC however, where frame rates can vary immensely and you have a massive problem. Especially in PVP. It means the way spell effects, melee moves etc work depend on how fast your PC is. Appalling.

    Also: the game world is trash. Unlike the original dark souls none of it fits together, you can't see most areas from most others, even when you clearly should have. They even have the inside of a volcano you go upwards to get to from a tower above which is open sky! So many rough edges I can only think they rushed things and needed more time to finish but instead decided to release what they had.

    So, it isn't just a poor port but the whole game smacks of a quick cash in too.

    Also: They have now removed VAC secured multi-player support so good luck tackling cheaters.    … Expand
  13. ignore78
    May 15, 2014
    10
    This game is amazingly good. it has everything i ever dreamed of in a game. i always loved from softwares games. from kings field to demons souls to dark souls. the dark feel and mysterious over them, its so beautifuly made. Dark souls 2 is the best game of them all, smooth gameplay, great controls. i dont know why all the people talking about, that the xbox 360 controller is notThis game is amazingly good. it has everything i ever dreamed of in a game. i always loved from softwares games. from kings field to demons souls to dark souls. the dark feel and mysterious over them, its so beautifuly made. Dark souls 2 is the best game of them all, smooth gameplay, great controls. i dont know why all the people talking about, that the xbox 360 controller is not working?. mine is working great. just plug it in , and then start the game. the different between dark souls and dark souls 2, i first thought that making the enemies disapear would be a problem. but that is just making the game a little more easy. but then there is harder bosses i think, and harder to level up because of the enemies disapearing. and when you die , your life is lowering. but that is not a problem, because of the ring. i never thought i love any game this much.… Expand
  14. SanySuny
    May 15, 2014
    9
    I can't believe how so many people give 0/10 ratings without even having played the game and say that this game is unplayable because they have some technical problems.
    Just look how many people are enjoying the Dark Souls II, so what do you think is the problem? The game or you?
    DSII surely could use some polish in terms of Menu interface, it can be especially confusing for players who    I can't believe how so many people give 0/10 ratings without even having played the game and say that this game is unplayable because they have some technical problems.
    Just look how many people are enjoying the Dark Souls II, so what do you think is the problem? The game or you?
    DSII surely could use some polish in terms of Menu interface, it can be especially confusing for players who have not played the other games, but the PC port is already greatly improved and absolutely playable. I find it even a bit easier than the first one.
    What I do not like is the soul memory mechanic which limits the PvP and Co-op.
    Also to increase your rank in the covenant of blood is quite problematic since you have to win 500 PvP battles without loosing basically, which is ridiculous if you just want to rank up in order to get the rewards or achievments.
    The bonfire warping kinda kills the idea of traveling imo.
    But other than that it is a very good game, one of my favorites (could be a bit more depressing and dark though, in terms of inveroment^^)    … Expand
  15. D347H
    May 15, 2014
    0
    I tried so hard to actually play this game. I got pretty far, but what bugs me in this game is the poor graphics, the lack of fighting controls, the slow movement of fighting. The game play is like trying to teach a down syndrome math. I wish this had a negative score rating, because this game would be the top -100. If you have a hard time sleeping, play this game, it will put you right toI tried so hard to actually play this game. I got pretty far, but what bugs me in this game is the poor graphics, the lack of fighting controls, the slow movement of fighting. The game play is like trying to teach a down syndrome math. I wish this had a negative score rating, because this game would be the top -100. If you have a hard time sleeping, play this game, it will put you right to sleep very quick. I gave it a zero mainly because it helped me sleep.… Expand
  16. JEK
    May 14, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls 2 is a very good game. It might be frustrating at first but as you increase your Level it becomes good and easy to play. The port is good (unlike the dark souls 1) 10/10 to this game and this is to compensate to those who scored 0 to this game.
  17. SenshudoTV
    May 13, 2014
    8
    This game took me around 2 1/2 weeks to finish. Off and on. It is definitely worth the money just for the amount of replayability after you beat it, the time it takes to beat it and the amount of depth, artwork and beauty they added into the game. I just beat it as of 5/11/14 and I hope you guys enjoy the game as much as I did!
  18. TFORPULLONE
    May 13, 2014
    8
    I'm not in to these games but Dark Souls II is just different. The movement is the best. Everything feel so smooth but not so easy. The difficulty is a class of its own. Bosses what you have to fight are interesting and they there own weaknesses. The game is cool.
  19. Jost
    May 13, 2014
    10
    After the Fix for VAC the Games freaky **** awesome! I hope there will come some more games like this game from Bandai Namco Games. Realy good, good.... good jop!
  20. Sjalka
    May 13, 2014
    3
    3/10 - but in that case i do not claim to be very objective at all, because i knew from the start that this was not "my kind of game"

    so why did i test it? - well to see what all the hype is about. - but more to the point... presentation is a mixed bag. setting and atmosphere is decent, graphical fidelity is average but does look outdated in parts. the player character model is    3/10 - but in that case i do not claim to be very objective at all, because i knew from the start that this was not "my kind of game"

    so why did i test it? - well to see what all the hype is about. - but more to the point...

    presentation is a mixed bag. setting and atmosphere is decent, graphical fidelity is average but does look outdated in parts. the player character model is horribly aweful despite plenty customization options. however enemy models range from average to excellent.

    the idea and difficulty is nothing that really influenced my rating, because i reckon people only pick that title up when they expect a gruesomely hard game and would be disappointed if it did not deliver that nearly frustrating degree of difficulty.

    what i did not like ( PC version )

    - a horrible UI - character management is aweful. UI and management is geared towards consoles and there has not been a single efford ( or so it seems ) to streamline it for PC

    - bad controls - and by that i mean controlling the character felt unintuitive. for a game that punishes every mistake you make, i d expect having a character that reacted instantly to any player input.

    - bad camera ( sometimes ) - again, for a game where precission and timing is vital, i felt like i d need a much better overview of the situation.

    so i cannot subscribe to the mantra "hard but fair" - because it was ( for me ) riddled with controlling and UI problems. i am quite certain that players who play on consoles or are used to a controller ( i am not, i never got the hang of it, i use mouse+keyboard ) have a greatly different experience.

    i can see the great potential of challenge and achievement there though, but it is not for everyone, that is for certain.

    postscript:

    if they fixed the UI for PC keyboard players to actually do the PC justice, it would be a 5/10 - if the controls and reaction time was improved, certainly a 8/10 - even for a more casual gamer.    … Expand
  21. TommyTanker
    May 13, 2014
    10
    Thinking of buying Dark Souls 2 for PC? Buy it. Simple as that. I never played DS1 so I waited anxiously for the game to be released on Steam on the 24th April. Since then I have logged 160 hours of game play. I will say that again so its clear. I have logged 160 hours of game play since the 24th April. Thats how immense it is. It has what we gamers want - REPLAYABILITY and DIFFICULTY. ItsThinking of buying Dark Souls 2 for PC? Buy it. Simple as that. I never played DS1 so I waited anxiously for the game to be released on Steam on the 24th April. Since then I have logged 160 hours of game play. I will say that again so its clear. I have logged 160 hours of game play since the 24th April. Thats how immense it is. It has what we gamers want - REPLAYABILITY and DIFFICULTY. Its not made for dumbed-down audiences or kiddies. Its a great combination of online and offline play too. The storyline is epic. To think you would pay the same price for Dark Souls 2 and Dragon Age 2 - you cant even begin to compare. Dark Souls 2, has loads of content, hundreds of hours of re-playablity and its challenging.

    The majority of 0 scores here are Assassin Creed mouse click spammers who are upset about the Keyboard / Mouse porting. I went onto Steam community and downloaded a simple keyboard mapping script - problem solved. Dont let these kids put you off. I felt a thousand times more ripped off buying BF4, Dragon Age 2 or Hitman Revolutions than this piece of Art. Well done Software - great game.    … Expand
  22. doombman
    May 12, 2014
    8
    There's a few flaws with this game that I can point out comparing to the first dark souls game, (not demon's souls). DS2 on it's own is a very solid game though. Personally I think it deserves a 10/10, but when I actually think about the game itself and compile everything; it's high-80's-low 90's. Before I get bum-rushed by a bunch of people crying on how the K&M controls are bad, I'm justThere's a few flaws with this game that I can point out comparing to the first dark souls game, (not demon's souls). DS2 on it's own is a very solid game though. Personally I think it deserves a 10/10, but when I actually think about the game itself and compile everything; it's high-80's-low 90's. Before I get bum-rushed by a bunch of people crying on how the K&M controls are bad, I'm just going to call you an idiot and tell you to learn to set your own bindings yourself. Unlike DS1, DS2 offers a VAST set of keybindings; and most of you have not even bothered to touch them. When FromSoftware promised you a solid port, they promised you it; you just need to adjust things to your own preference. (Cough, you did it with the modding community in DS1, ect. DSMfix.)
    Anyways. The game overall is absolutely great. Lots of playtime can be invested into it, and like every souls game, there's a certain point where the game is a cakewalk because you adjust to its unique learning curve, but the game still becomes absolutely rewarding after every enemy. Of course, the bosses seem a little rushed; they have easy to learn movesets and such, but they still have a very high challenge. The gameplay is smooth with a solid 60 FPS, even when I run an ENB on it. Visuals are nice and gameplay is fun. Only pet peeve I have is the Demon's Souls styled PVP. Story progression is also vast and great, lore is perfect. About 30-40 good hours should be spent before you'd even bother to beat the final boss, ect.
    TL;DR: Good game, K&M complainers need to shut up and learn how to check the options, solid game progression, PVP is very different and 'off-setting' compared to DS1.    … Expand
  23. afex
    May 12, 2014
    10
    DS II is much better port than first one.Lightening can be fixed with mods.This game is total different than other ARPG, and here no light ways only hard.Everytime you dyie you learn something from your mistake and next time you behave more cautiously.

    P.s. dont listen crying babies who crying that game is to hard.Casuals must stay in facebook games and dont take hand on real players games.
  24. TheBank
    May 12, 2014
    9
    This game is exactly as advertised. A unapologetic game that only get's harder as it does along. A lot of people here are asking for an easy mode. Guess what, it is on easy mode when you first start playing, this is dark souls, if you wanted something casual get hello kitty island adventure.

    Next a warning. DS2 is a controller based game. A lot of people complain about having to use    This game is exactly as advertised. A unapologetic game that only get's harder as it does along. A lot of people here are asking for an easy mode. Guess what, it is on easy mode when you first start playing, this is dark souls, if you wanted something casual get hello kitty island adventure.

    Next a warning. DS2 is a controller based game. A lot of people complain about having to use one. Get over it, get an xbox controller. Some might argue that a pc game should have better keyboard and mouse controls. I have to ask why? Since when has PC gaming been strictly done using a keyboard and mouse? Have you ever played a flight simulator before? Are you saying controller based games have no place on PC's? (like fighting games, or platformers?) The developers crafted a game based around using a controller, they ported it much better than the first game (which in all honesty wasn't that bad, especially when tweaked).

    Dark Souls 2 is more inviting to casual gamers than the previous games, but they didn't leave out the difficulty that the series is renowned for, it just unlocks later. To be honest, if anything, they added more content than ever before to achieve this.

    If you are looking for a hard hack and slash controller based game look no farther, this defines it.    … Expand
  25. mselene
    May 11, 2014
    4
    I really do not understand the praise this game gets. Don't kid yourself: this isn't a PC game, it's a console game that's been ported to PC, and not particularly well. While most people talk about how difficult and "hardcore" the game is, I found most of the difficulty to come from the awful controls, not the gameplay. Let me repeat that because I can't stress it enough: the controls areI really do not understand the praise this game gets. Don't kid yourself: this isn't a PC game, it's a console game that's been ported to PC, and not particularly well. While most people talk about how difficult and "hardcore" the game is, I found most of the difficulty to come from the awful controls, not the gameplay. Let me repeat that because I can't stress it enough: the controls are -awful-. Awful. Ranged combat is a joke - their idea of making it "difficult" is that you aim without a reticle and unless you get the game to "click" and recognize the target you are trying to aim at - which is difficult and random, and has no visual queue to let you know you've done it - you miss wildly, wasting ammunition/spells that are rather precious in a game like this.

    If you can get past all that, you'll probably enjoy the game. And if you are a sadist, you may even praise the terrible controls and aiming as somehow making the game "hardcore". As for me, I just wish I could get my money back.    … Expand
  26. FirStie
    May 11, 2014
    4
    This is the most overrated phenomena in video game industry to this day. Don't get me wrong: I prefer to play games on high difficulty, I appreciate the challenge, but only when the game is decent, fair and rewarding. This game is neither of that: terrible controls, off-key hit detection, clumsy combat system, lack of any balance, and, of course, the infamous "hardcore difficulty" set byThis is the most overrated phenomena in video game industry to this day. Don't get me wrong: I prefer to play games on high difficulty, I appreciate the challenge, but only when the game is decent, fair and rewarding. This game is neither of that: terrible controls, off-key hit detection, clumsy combat system, lack of any balance, and, of course, the infamous "hardcore difficulty" set by default, rendering any newcomers helpless and confused - even if you'd like to learn to play better, it just doesn't let you.
    It is an unpopular opinion, but I've got to spill it out: this game is awful. It's not worth it. The cult created around it is just hipster kids trying to go hardcore. I'm afraid you are doing it wrong.    … Expand
  27. CharcoalBurst
    May 11, 2014
    3
    This game has great reviews, it's the hype of the moment. It has ugly graphics for a 2014 PC game. Even Bound By Flame that just came out and is developped by a small studio looks way better. We won't even talk about the interface that is ugly as well. The physics engine is a disaster like the other game I mentioned and brings us back to Morrowind. It just doesn't feel right, polished.This game has great reviews, it's the hype of the moment. It has ugly graphics for a 2014 PC game. Even Bound By Flame that just came out and is developped by a small studio looks way better. We won't even talk about the interface that is ugly as well. The physics engine is a disaster like the other game I mentioned and brings us back to Morrowind. It just doesn't feel right, polished. Looks like the only good thing this game has is its high difficulty, allowing it to last for hours and hours. Pretty sure that you'll die a ton of times due to the horrible physics of the game and not to the monsters' skills.

    There is a 150 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content.    … Expand
  28. Mugumaster
    May 11, 2014
    10
    Best game ever!
    I've enjoed it more than Demon Souls and Dark Souls 1.
    Hope they continue on this path and deliver us a Dark Souls 3.
    Every dollar well spent!
  29. lm324
    May 11, 2014
    1
    I've given this game 5 days, but I give up it blows. The pc port is terrible, controls are the main problem tooltips do not update to the keybinds you select they always reference xbox360 controls. It should not take an hour to figure out how to use a damn torch either. It is not fun, it is not and rpg, it has a lousy tutorial and horrible help system . If u bought it read the wiki forI've given this game 5 days, but I give up it blows. The pc port is terrible, controls are the main problem tooltips do not update to the keybinds you select they always reference xbox360 controls. It should not take an hour to figure out how to use a damn torch either. It is not fun, it is not and rpg, it has a lousy tutorial and horrible help system . If u bought it read the wiki for a few hours if you haven't don't bother.… Expand
  30. deviantdizzy
    May 11, 2014
    5
    Game is pretty, I'll give it that much (excluding clunky characters)-- this is a TERRIBLE port- they couldn't even bother to change the onscreen prompts from console control commands, the keyboard bindings are nigh impossible to get a good config on (shift+click?! to use actions unless it's a left or right click- which we all know is attack, etc?!-- why must it have 2 motions to useGame is pretty, I'll give it that much (excluding clunky characters)-- this is a TERRIBLE port- they couldn't even bother to change the onscreen prompts from console control commands, the keyboard bindings are nigh impossible to get a good config on (shift+click?! to use actions unless it's a left or right click- which we all know is attack, etc?!-- why must it have 2 motions to use something?!) Disappointed, don't like the dying penalty- I'm here to have fun, not drive myself nuts over dying..… Expand
  31. Adamemnon
    May 10, 2014
    9
    The PC version of Dark Souls 2 is so much better than the console version that I honestly feel sorry for the fans that play that version, AS LONG AS YOU USE A CONTROLLER, as was intended.

    With its higher resolution, more detailed textures and 60fps frame-rate it's undeniable that it's the superior version this time around and it also appears to be very well optimised, since it runs    The PC version of Dark Souls 2 is so much better than the console version that I honestly feel sorry for the fans that play that version, AS LONG AS YOU USE A CONTROLLER, as was intended.

    With its higher resolution, more detailed textures and 60fps frame-rate it's undeniable that it's the superior version this time around and it also appears to be very well optimised, since it runs perfectly smooth on max settings on my 4 year old PC and on medium for my girlfriends old gaming laptop.

    The only technical issue is the crashing upon start up, which still happens sometimes for me. But what Souls fan cares about that when the game itself is beautiful and fun to play.    … Expand
  32. Maslocho1488
    May 10, 2014
    10
    10 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 10
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    10 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 1010 IZ 10, GOD 10 iz 10    … Expand
  33. expellite
    May 10, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Worst RPG of my life, definitely. Maybe this title has impressed Kevin VanOrd, but I hate it. The most important thing that pains me is that there's no friend or companion and there are some silly cat-like merchants! I didn't like the concept of the game. Enemies walk like zombies and in the first look you think you're playing Resident Evil. The is difficult insanely, and it's not a merit. You will die and die and die til you drive crazy and for what? You die for nothing cuz this game doesn't deserved to be played hours and hours. Gameplay is not that good. Voice acting is terrible and there's no lipsync in game (except cutscenes which are terrible too). At least Skyrim (The Great RPG) with that buggy visuals looked great and entertaining but this one ... I don't know what to say. To be frank the game didn't make me pleased. I felt all alone in its dark world. Enemies don't look alive, they're like puppeteers. Boss fights are insanely hard and you'll die before than it has withdrawn its weapon. Every critic pans Bound by Flame but I found it far better than this Sick Souls. Don't squander your time. Play Child of Light for a second time instead of this. I can't believe I bought this game.… Expand
  34. torongo
    May 10, 2014
    4
    To begin with, the first Dark Souls was a great game, and I liked it very much. I was hyped for the sequel, but after playing it a hour or so I've changed my mind about it. I've spent about 30 minutes to figure out where to go in the first place. In the first game, there was only 2 ways where you can go - up and down.
    Combat system from Dark Souls? Excellent. Combat system from Dark Souls    To begin with, the first Dark Souls was a great game, and I liked it very much. I was hyped for the sequel, but after playing it a hour or so I've changed my mind about it. I've spent about 30 minutes to figure out where to go in the first place. In the first game, there was only 2 ways where you can go - up and down.
    Combat system from Dark Souls? Excellent. Combat system from Dark Souls 2? Freaking garbage. Now you **** if you ran out of stamina in mid-fight, and if there is more than one enemy -- then you are **** twice. Only one life flask, level up only from that girl, decreasing health when you die too much and so on. If you call that "more difficult" - you're wrong.    … Expand
  35. Jethro177
    May 10, 2014
    0
    Just to reiterate many other peoples views, this is the worst game I've played in a long time. If you ignore the fact it looks over 10 years old the game is still terrible.
    There is no real customization over the unbearable control system, you can swap a bad key binding for a worse one, in fact no effort has been made what so ever to port this to PC, all the on screen control hints have    Just to reiterate many other peoples views, this is the worst game I've played in a long time. If you ignore the fact it looks over 10 years old the game is still terrible.
    There is no real customization over the unbearable control system, you can swap a bad key binding for a worse one, in fact no effort has been made what so ever to port this to PC, all the on screen control hints have xbox symbols.
    The voice acting is OK but the terrible graphics make it hard to watch.
    I feel lucky I had a chance to try this before buying. What a heap of s**t.    … Expand
  36. suneater
    May 9, 2014
    7
    There's a lot to say about this game so I broke it down into three catagories: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Skip to the bottom for a synopsis.

    The Good: +DaS2 is still huge. There is a lot to explore and there's plenty of hidden areas with tough bosses. +A larger, more open game world. +More character interaction. Much of the lore is fleshed out via NPCs as you journey through    There's a lot to say about this game so I broke it down into three catagories: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Skip to the bottom for a synopsis.

    The Good:
    +DaS2 is still huge. There is a lot to explore and there's plenty of hidden areas with tough bosses.
    +A larger, more open game world.
    +More character interaction. Much of the lore is fleshed out via NPCs as you journey through the game, with characters having more to say (and more to sell).
    +Better networking and better co-op. A new ring essentially makes your summon sign only visible to your friends.
    +More accessible covenants. While most covenants in DaS you had to jump through hoops just to find, overall DaS2's covenants are easy to join and more enjoyable to level.
    +Dual wielding is greatly improved. Power stancing lets you swing both your weapons in new combos.
    +Magic is greatly expanded and includes a new catagory for Hexes.
    +Greatly improved NG+ experience. Bosses drop new items, new enemies spawn in special areas, and some bosses gain new mechanics.

    The Bad (huge problems that will [probably] never change):
    -Terrible map design. Most levels are very simplistic, with some even being a straight corridor from beginning to the token boss.
    -Heavily unbalanced covenant rank-up requirements. Heirs of the Sun's 30 sunlight medals can be achieved in a few hours for max rank, while BoB & Blue Sentinel's 500 kills requires NG+ or nonstop victories in the arena (losses count as -1 rank points... why?).
    -Overabundance of forgettable, humanoid bosses. Some are recycled later in the game (or later playthroughs) as normal mobs or bosses. Many bosses have similar attack patterns and fall apart when you circle strafe and roll.
    -Swarms of enemies everywhere. While DaS focused on intense 1v1 fights, there were occasional cannon fodder slaughterfests. DaS 2 will regularly throw multiple heavily armored & long-reaching (polearms, ultra greatswords) enemies at you.
    -Parrying and riposting are harder to perform and less rewarding. Even if you manage to riposte, you can now be damaged while riposting by the swarms of enemies in DaS 2.
    -Overabundance of healing items and consumables. There's no reason to start as a Cleric because of 3 different purchasable lifegems (HoT consumable), 12 Estus Flask+5s (easily attained on first playthrough), and 8 other consumables that restore spells or cure statuses on top of healing you.
    -Terrible plot and story telling. The last few levels (and especially the ending cutscene) make no sense and it feels like the devs just wanted to add "cool" stuff to pad the game.

    The Ugly (nitpicking and balance problems):
    *Iframes have been removed from backstabs, ripostes, using fog gates, doors, and other environmental actions.
    *Roll iframes & estus flask drinking speed are tied to a stat.
    *No pyromancer starting class. You have to get roughly through one-quarter of the game to find your first flame and pyromancy and its very easy to miss.
    *Tons of balance issues with both PvE & PvP. Near the end of the first playthrough magic becomes very powerful, even in PvE. In PvP most spells worth using in PvP will kill you in 1 or 2 hits even with strong magic defense.
    *No un-cracked Red/Blue Eye Orbs and cracked orbs aren't sold by NPCs until NG+.
    *Changes to equip load mean everyone is some kind of hybrid class, doing normal rolls while wearing full Havels with a cloud of Persuers- err, i mean Affinity over them while waving a flaming katana around.
    *Cheaters are currently a huge issue on the PC version. You can now be invaded while Hollow and not being human is a big HP handicap, meaning you will run into cheaters much more often than in DaS.

    Dark Souls 2 isn't much of an honest sequel to Dark Souls; Being more akin to a numbered Final Fantasy sequel, with the only connection between the two being some equipment & spell names as far as I can tell. While it will win tons of GOTY awards, it also has a ton of issues that need to be addressed before it will be remembered as fondly as its predecessor. DaS 2 is definitely worth playing, but it feels like a rushed cash-in made by a B-Team who were told how a Souls game should be made (and then went and did their own thing anyway). Hopefully FromSoft's next Souls game has some actual soul to it... Otherwise we might just end up with another Armored Core situation with a new half-assed sequel being pooped out every few years.    … Expand
  37. Snadiwchhhh
    May 9, 2014
    8
    I am writing second review after beating game.In the first review I gave ds2 9/10(played that time only 5-10 hours), certainly I must say that in 55 hour long playthrproough (with almost all bosses (except Vendrick )) I had no freezes, no lags, 0 problems with game. I should start with s of this game. It is dark souls, it has beautiful lore, awesome gameplay, magnificent views (myI am writing second review after beating game.In the first review I gave ds2 9/10(played that time only 5-10 hours), certainly I must say that in 55 hour long playthrproough (with almost all bosses (except Vendrick )) I had no freezes, no lags, 0 problems with game. I should start with s of this game. It is dark souls, it has beautiful lore, awesome gameplay, magnificent views (my favourite location is Dragon Aerie), hardness and my favourite... you kill bosses and progress not with level or high damage sword, but with skill. Some bosses are unique and interesting. PVP or Jolly co-op is just awesome (after I defeat boss on my own, I like to help others). There are added tons of items and mechanics what make game better. And the ending is quite good.
    Now about cons. and I found only one big flaw what made me sad, it is bosses. The problem is, that there is too much knight bosses, and sometimes they even repeat. Few bosses are just copy/pasted from ds1(like scorpion lady(ds2) and spider lady(ds1)). Well I must admit that ornstein is copied for lore and his attack are different, so I wouldn't count him as flaw, but sometimes you just feel thet it's too familiar, in a bad way. Another con for bosses is hardness, you meat Persuer (just a knight) and this is your nightmare(and yes, only after I defeated him, I received an info of 90% easy damage, but the way I defeated him as knight was even better) . Then you meet an awesome dragon in cage and he dies from 10 hits or you meet Lord of Giants( who should be hard as hell and awesome in this way)... I killed him on 2nd try. And final boss wasn't **** but he/she was disappointing
    In sum-up I can say, that this is great sequel, not perfect, but great one. If you just compare with what came out in 2013/2014 (bugged and not finished bf4, simcity, Rome:TW2 and others) DS2 is best right now you can get in 2014(for me). DS2 receive from me 8.5/10. Great game and great sequel. I would add one more plus point if they add steamworkshop (new gear, funny mods, fantasy of fans). Right now I'm replaying game with same character I did before and I receive many new enemies and test my skill. Praise... well, you know what to do.    … Expand
  38. lanman61
    May 9, 2014
    0
    This is crappy console port from a lazy developer. I'm a PC gamer with keyboard/mouse and the controls are clunky. They can't even bother to change the controller pad prompts onscreen. with the game working against you prepare to get frustrated as you will die often. The graphics, even at ultra high settings, are nothing special. Terribly disappointed. Erased it off my hard driveThis is crappy console port from a lazy developer. I'm a PC gamer with keyboard/mouse and the controls are clunky. They can't even bother to change the controller pad prompts onscreen. with the game working against you prepare to get frustrated as you will die often. The graphics, even at ultra high settings, are nothing special. Terribly disappointed. Erased it off my hard drive after a few hours.… Expand
  39. Procsan
    May 9, 2014
    10
    TOP Game, every single Euro worth it, good and interesting multiplayer method and no problems on the PC version, but I think its unplayable without a controller
  40. DeusXCom
    May 9, 2014
    10
    Detailed review elaborating on the game itself is already written for the PS3 version, to which I've poured hundreds of hours into, so now I will just focus on the PC release, which is, without any sign of doubt the best version of this game.

    In short, Dark Souls 2 isn't nearly as good and breathtaking as the original DS, especially the PVE, but it still contains so many qualities and    Detailed review elaborating on the game itself is already written for the PS3 version, to which I've poured hundreds of hours into, so now I will just focus on the PC release, which is, without any sign of doubt the best version of this game.

    In short, Dark Souls 2 isn't nearly as good and breathtaking as the original DS, especially the PVE, but it still contains so many qualities and it's still so much better than anything out there right now, that it doesn't deserve anything less that a full score. While being the weakest chapter in the souls series story-wise and PVE, DS2 has by far the best multiplayer aspect, especially Covenants and PVP, I haven't had so much fun with PVP in Souls games ever before and PVP gaming in DS2 can very easily consume hundreds of your hours full of combat fun.

    PC release is way more visually pleasing and beautifully crisp thanks to the hi-res textures. Those armors are just gorgeous and as much as the Souls games have never been about the graphics, after getting used to this hi-res beauty I couldn't go back to the smudged and muddy PS3 version. It's also much more fluid thanks to the doubled FPS from 30 to 60 and on top of that the loading times are at least 3 times faster as warping between worlds or connecting to the worlds of other players takes just about 3 seconds. PC is definitely the best way to experience this game and it makes a great game even better. All the hate on keyboard and mouse control is nonsense, just the opposite, they did a great job with options and incorporating these elements into DS2. Yes, it feels better to play all Souls games on a good controller because it was designed that way, but I have finished DS and DS2 on KB+mouse on all 7 difficulties without any problem and if you're good at it, the controls can be actually much more responsive and faster (doesn't change the fact that I prefer the controller for the "feels good" aspect :)

    The only problem with the PC version that I have is the community. In about 300 hours on PS3 and hundreds of PVP matches, I don't think I have ever run into a hacker. On PC however, just on the first NG playthrough 2 invasions into my world = both hackers with infinite health. Now it could be actually fun as I dealt with both of them by pushing them off the cliff, but this should be dealt with somehow as the Online aspects of this game are it's strongest part and this definitely damages the experience. Also the sense of co-op seems weaker, summoned phantoms are returning to their worlds all the time, running around like crazy and so on. The problem is the sense of no responsibility whatsoever coming from the lack of communication options directly in the game, so you cannot enlighten the noobs, or write to each other during co-op sessions. As much as I hated GFWL on the first DS, it provided the functional communicating option with other players you've played with, something you can't or very hardly can do on Steam, so some kind of internal private message option directly in the game would be really beneficial.

    Overall, Dark Souls 2 is a fantastic game and a worthy chapter in Souls series that excels especially in PVP and that's the reason I will play this for hundreds hours more, or until the just announced "Project Beast" is released :) 10/10    … Expand
  41. DiamondDD
    May 9, 2014
    8
    I wont be a complete fanboy and ooze all over this game, but it still an excellent entry into the franchise. I also should be disqualified as i havent finished it yet, but am at least 20+ hours into it (i take my time). Graphically not mind blowing but still very stylish and good looking. Game play still solid as the previous entries. Story still deep if you look for it. My one complaintI wont be a complete fanboy and ooze all over this game, but it still an excellent entry into the franchise. I also should be disqualified as i havent finished it yet, but am at least 20+ hours into it (i take my time). Graphically not mind blowing but still very stylish and good looking. Game play still solid as the previous entries. Story still deep if you look for it. My one complaint is the 4 boss souls ive killed so far really didnt feel that epic and certainly didnt feel as hard as Dark Souls or Demons Souls bosses did. But perhaps thats just experience.
    Any fan of the series will like this. An RPG fan that wants a challenge will like this. I dont think its as good as the first two, but its still excellent (and that feeling might just be since its not as fresh and new as the first two).

    Well worth your money regardless! PRAISE THE SUN!    … Expand
  42. halberdman
    May 9, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls 2(DkS2) is an Action Game/RPG that relies on an extreme difficulty curve and respawn mechanic to provide the action with a special spice that you don't see in many games. Is it harder than Demon's Souls(DS) or Dark Souls(DkS)? I say, 'who cares?' A lot of arguments devolve into comparisons, but I found Dark Souls 2 to be a unique beast when compared to its predecessors.

    I    Dark Souls 2(DkS2) is an Action Game/RPG that relies on an extreme difficulty curve and respawn mechanic to provide the action with a special spice that you don't see in many games. Is it harder than Demon's Souls(DS) or Dark Souls(DkS)? I say, 'who cares?' A lot of arguments devolve into comparisons, but I found Dark Souls 2 to be a unique beast when compared to its predecessors.

    I could write a novel on Dark Souls, and a sequel on Dark Souls 2, but in the interest of brevity I will keep this short.

    New weapon movesets, new death system, new interactive scenery, new stats system, new damage system, it's hard to find a part of DkS2 that hasn't been taken down to scratch and reworked since DkS. This is both good and bad, as many new problems surface (estus healing power, weapon durability drop) and some old ones return completely unaddressed (Lag-stabs, curving arrows, enemy weapons phase through walls) to menace the intrepid soul who dares play this game. The fixed problems are possibly outnumbered by the new ones, but the game still manages to feel highly polished and playable almost all the time.

    Even with that, and the occasional facepalm over dated textures or stupid AI, DkS2 is a gem and you should play it right now. You will not find another game like it anywhere in the market (except DS and DkS obviously) and it gets so many things just right that you will find yourself sucked in for hours on end. The innovative multiplayer system simultaneously makes you hate, love, envy, and pity every other player in the game, and you will often end up seeing the same person multiple times as they advance in tandem with you. Some of the most rewarding multiplayer experiences I've ever had have came as a result of summoning some random person four or five times and the two of us getting to trust and know each other without ever talking(the game has no voice or text chat).

    Many negative reviews are citing terrible controls, bad console port, etc. And yes, this is a console port and yes, it does pretty much require a controller to play. The controller is so much more intuitive for the combat system that mouse and keyboard really doesn't have an opportunity to shine. If you are a PC purist who can't stand the idea of a console game on your shiny rig or can't pick up a 360 controller without going into apoplectic rage, you will not be able to get the most out of DkS2 and should probably go play Starcraft 2 or something.

    Pros:
    -death by lava, spider, fall, fire, poison, giant club, sickle, spear, sword, rocks, tree, ladder, teeth, water, chariot, etc.
    -unique, engrossing gameplay
    -clever presence/absence of music makes the soundtrack stand out when it is present
    -great voice acting makes the NPCs come to life (until you kill them)
    -beautiful graphics most of the time
    -fantastic multiplayer
    -New game+ adds extensive replayability

    Cons:
    -death by lava, spider, fall, fire, poison, giant club, sickle, spear, sword, rocks, tree, ladder, teeth, water, chariot, etc.
    -occasional graphics snafus
    -AI is dumb as a post stuck in another post stuck in a lobotomized hamster
    -lag in multiplayer, therefore tears ahead
    -message system combined with invasions allows trolls and griefers free reign
    -boss fights are a letdown compared to previous entries, with a few exceptions    … Expand
  43. Mister_Facepalm
    May 9, 2014
    9
    Another fantastic game by From Software, I must say!
    While the game's Mouse & Keyboard controls are still dreadful, the game plays perfectly with a game-pad (and I'd play it with a game-pad even if the keyboard controls were fine).
    The graphics are suitable and set the game world's atmosphere perfectly. Even though the graphics could have been somewhat better, especially on PC, the game    Another fantastic game by From Software, I must say!
    While the game's Mouse & Keyboard controls are still dreadful, the game plays perfectly with a game-pad (and I'd play it with a game-pad even if the keyboard controls were fine).
    The graphics are suitable and set the game world's atmosphere perfectly. Even though the graphics could have been somewhat better, especially on PC, the game runs as smooth as butter; I haven't crashed or frozen or even stuttered once on my 60 hour (so far) trek throughout Drangleic.
    Dark Souls II, like it's predecessor, has a wealth of content, in areas to explore; enemies to conquer; equipment to find and use, and play styles to suit your preferences. It also stays true to it's punishing nature, where it seems to try to put the player and enemies on a more level playing field, instead of the player being a walking army, taking on thousands without breaking a sweat, like many other games.
    In my experience, in comparison to Dark Souls I, bosses do seem to be somewhat easier, at least in the early areas; but this does not mean they are not challenging! Oh no, they still pose a challenge to the unprepared, but even if they end up being easier than you'd expect, From Software still makes a great effort to make the bosses (or even normal enemies) look intimidating!
    The game is designed to kill you, everything wants to kill you, and you will die, a lot. Much of the game is trial and error, so once you get used to how enemies fight, their attack patterns or spell uses, things become more manageable... but not easy!
    Online play and interactions are a huge part of Dark Souls. Other players, as well as you, can leave helpful, pointless, or potentially dangerous messages all around the world, designed to help or hinder a player's progress. You can also leave a 'summon sign' on the ground around the world, allowing you to be summoned into another player's world as a Phantom to help them in their travels, or with a difficult boss... or both! For the more sinister players, there is the option to 'invade' another player's world, allowing you to enter their game as a Dark Spirit and try to kill them. Each of these features are supported by in-game-world 'Covenants' (somewhat like guilds, but not really). These provide certain bonuses for completing tasks appropriate for each Covenant. For example: One of the covenants is focused on Co-op, so for each successful summon, and defeat of a boss, in another player's world, earns you an item which you can use to further your Rank in that Covenant, and be rewarded with items!
    The New Game+ feature adds even more to Dark Souls II (also just like Dark Souls I), with new items appearing throughout your second play-through, as well as certain enemies appearing in new places, and of course, increased difficulty. The NG+ feature (from what I've heard) can increase up to TEN times (the difficulty goes up each time too)! So if you really are some kind of crazy masochist, this game has it all!
    Stop reading this, and buy it now!!    … Expand
  44. KywPT
    May 9, 2014
    10
    Great game, in terms of game, is without a doubt the best souls game made, builds are richer, new stats make new game styles possible and dual wielding seems a lot more rewarding now, also shield nerfs just made the game a lot more then a block and attack game like dark souls was.

    In terms of graphics, You will have a blast, I really like the new zones and havent felt the not whole map    Great game, in terms of game, is without a doubt the best souls game made, builds are richer, new stats make new game styles possible and dual wielding seems a lot more rewarding now, also shield nerfs just made the game a lot more then a block and attack game like dark souls was.

    In terms of graphics, You will have a blast, I really like the new zones and havent felt the not whole map thing people have been talking about, and still think that the maps are great and you can still spend some time looking at all the beautiful details on the map.

    The online is just Ridiculously good now, if you played souls games you know you had to wait 3 hours to get a phantom after 200 trys and 50 summoned failed. Now if it fails it lets you know right of the bat, but it rarely does. THANK GOD FOR THAT!

    In terms of port it is way better, but the non availability of gamepad configuration and the the the usage of xbox keys on subtitles makes it feel like a port, but all the rest is just there    … Expand
  45. Kraks
    May 9, 2014
    3
    Everyone seems to be talking about the controls and other technical issues on the PC, so I will instead talk about the actual game.

    The game itself is bad enough to deserve poor reviews. As others have mentioned, the open, interconnected, beautifully woven story and world from the original is gone. Instead, you get a very closed in, maze like, and contraption filled mess that barely    Everyone seems to be talking about the controls and other technical issues on the PC, so I will instead talk about the actual game.

    The game itself is bad enough to deserve poor reviews. As others have mentioned, the open, interconnected, beautifully woven story and world from the original is gone. Instead, you get a very closed in, maze like, and contraption filled mess that barely stitches together a world.

    The "quests" are just a mess, because there is almost no required order for anything. While I enjoy the open world and found that the ambiguity of the first one really helped pull me in, that isn't the case with Dark Souls 2. Ambiguity is replaced with obfuscation and plot holes. This means that even pouring enough into the game to play through it multiple times (100+ hours, easily) will still not lead to the results one might expect for some of the quest lines. I hate using spoiler sites, but when you have a game that hinges every bit of story progression with the NPCs on minutiae, you can't help but go looking for a friendly helper to make sure you're not having to start another new game because you didn't talk to the dwarf at X first instead of at Y....seriously? He doesn't even tell you where he's going at any point, just a "see ya around".

    As for difficulty, there really is none. The bosses in DS2 do not show nearly the same level of challenge as Artorious, Kalameet, Furtive Pigmy or even 4 Kings. They are all much slower fights. They can all be easily beaten by anyone choosing to play a caster spec. Melee players may have a little harder time, but definitely nothing on par with even Ornstein and Smough from DS 1.

    I could go on, but I will end this with my complaints about the online aspects of this game. First, the PVP isn't PVP. It is mostly griefing. Getting jumped by some random guy who comes in completely healed, completely geared for PVP, and has many other advantages, every 5 minutes while you're trying to progress the story line is just not fun. Disconnect so you can save yourself from possibly losing all your souls and the game will punish you. FromSoft relies on their famous ambiguity here as well, not telling you jack about this punishment until it is too late. Hey FromSoft...I paid for your game, let me play it how I want. If the PVP is so amazing and so desirable to such a huge amount of your fan base, you should have no issues finding enough people to voluntarily join in without also forcing those of us that enjoy the coop to participate in said farcical PVP (read: griefing).

    So another option is to play offline, right? Not really. You play offline at all during a play through and you can kiss achievements for that play through good bye. Start over time, again. And again, FromSoft does a horrible job of notifying people about this.

    I loved Dark Souls 1, even on the PC, and even with GFWL. At least with GFWL I could chat with people I played with without being required to use creepy and invasive voice chat. I'm not letting some random stranger 12 year old into my home, FromSoft. Are you out of your mind? The best thing about GFWL summoning not working all of the time was that I actually got to enjoy the game. Being invaded once an hour or two wasn't a big deal. Being invaded literally every other group of mobs in NG+ is just harassment, and quite frankly shows the maturity level of those developing this series.    … Expand
  46. BXCharizard
    May 8, 2014
    10
    Wonderful game!
    If you like to be challenged, this game is for you!
    Compared to the first, is much more beautiful and well crafted, portability is fantastic and the gam play is a bit more fluid. The technical part I would say flawless! (No problem for me). The difficulty is a bit lower than that found in Dark Souls 1, but you can change this by entering in a specific covenant or    Wonderful game!
    If you like to be challenged, this game is for you!

    Compared to the first, is much more beautiful and well crafted, portability is fantastic and the gam play is a bit more fluid. The technical part I would say flawless! (No problem for me).

    The difficulty is a bit lower than that found in Dark Souls 1, but you can change this by entering in a specific covenant or burning an item at the bonfire, which is essential for more experienced players = D

    It's prettier and better .. but still Dark Souls = D    … Expand
  47. MrPeters
    May 8, 2014
    9
    An excellent game.
    Huge improvements in both performance and appearance from Dark Souls.
    The gameplay is still great. Controls could be better when it comes to M&KB but I plugged in my controller and it worked perfectly. Hopefully they'll patch it a bit more and fix the issues other people are having but I'm a bit disappointed in that people keep screaming "Game crash, u suck,    An excellent game.
    Huge improvements in both performance and appearance from Dark Souls.
    The gameplay is still great.
    Controls could be better when it comes to M&KB but I plugged in my controller and it worked perfectly.
    Hopefully they'll patch it a bit more and fix the issues other people are having but I'm a bit disappointed in that people keep screaming "Game crash, u suck, everything is your fault no matter!" when it can usually be fixed on the user side.
    I highly recommend this game to pretty much everyone but I also suggest that you use a controller if you're going to play it, it's sadly the better way to play it so.    … Expand
  48. gabber01
    May 8, 2014
    9
    Seriously! Why do retarded, totally incompetent, fools allowed to even make a rating and comment in the first place??? You don't belittle and make a crap out of an almost flawless game because of your inability to control the game. Yes, the PC version still has its drawbacks, but with 5min of investigation you can make the game work exactly the same as the console versions, only with moreSeriously! Why do retarded, totally incompetent, fools allowed to even make a rating and comment in the first place??? You don't belittle and make a crap out of an almost flawless game because of your inability to control the game. Yes, the PC version still has its drawbacks, but with 5min of investigation you can make the game work exactly the same as the console versions, only with more sophisticated graphics and muuuch better frame rates! Shockers...! There should be an IQ test or something here.

    Anyways, the game is amazing! Personally I like DS1 more, but this sequel is still very, very good, even better in many aspects, but Iiii don't know, it's a subjective thing I guess :). Anyhow, it's a must for RPG/Dark Souls fans and a worth trying for anyone else with more than 70 IQ.    … Expand
  49. HunterKiller945
    May 8, 2014
    0
    this game is a slap in the face of pc gamers! they didn't even replace the button icons with keys! and the landscape graphics look really bad. 2004 bad.

    this port is just lazy! i don't recommend this game be bought on pc at all.
  50. Retro-Sapien
    May 7, 2014
    7
    While a good, solid game in its own right, "Dark Souls II" is ultimately somewhat of a step backward from its predecessor.

    The change in directors is evident in the form of a weaker plot, inconsistent world-building, lack of variety in enemies, and aggravating changes in combat mechanics (such as increased enemy tracking) which come off more as difficulty for difficulty's sake rather    While a good, solid game in its own right, "Dark Souls II" is ultimately somewhat of a step backward from its predecessor.

    The change in directors is evident in the form of a weaker plot, inconsistent world-building, lack of variety in enemies, and aggravating changes in combat mechanics (such as increased enemy tracking) which come off more as difficulty for difficulty's sake rather than to offer a rewarding challenge to players. In addition, while not necessarily a problem the apparent downgrade in graphics and lighting may come as a slight disappointment to fans.

    Overall, "Dark Souls II" is a flawed, yet serviceable entry in the "Souls" series, and the aforementioned issues are possibly just growing pains from the change in direction that will hopefully be ironed out in future installments.    … Expand
  51. niinq
    May 7, 2014
    10
    I really don't see why this game has gotten any bad reviews. This game has been extremely fun for the hours and hours that I have put into it, plus the graphics are not bad, even though some may say they are because they're not as good as games such as Battlefield or Crysis. The plot is fantastic and gripping, just like the original Dark Souls. If you are concerned about it not living upI really don't see why this game has gotten any bad reviews. This game has been extremely fun for the hours and hours that I have put into it, plus the graphics are not bad, even though some may say they are because they're not as good as games such as Battlefield or Crysis. The plot is fantastic and gripping, just like the original Dark Souls. If you are concerned about it not living up to the expectations, then do not worry. You will not be disappointed with this game.… Expand
  52. mastershakez
    May 7, 2014
    8
    It's not as good as it's predecessors , but if you're hungry for that Souls experience you got from the last two games, this will at least hold you over until Beast Souls.
  53. MadJaples
    May 7, 2014
    4
    What do you mean it's only worth FOUR!? HEATHEN!!

    Well it's only worth four, simply because these bastard devs keep producing (and I *do* notice it is distinctly from the Japanese end of the market and it's **** annoying as HELL) these games that look so damn good, sound great, have godawful long FMV sequences so it's as good as renting a friggin movie, only to discover....the controls    What do you mean it's only worth FOUR!? HEATHEN!!

    Well it's only worth four, simply because these bastard devs keep producing (and I *do* notice it is distinctly from the Japanese end of the market and it's **** annoying as HELL) these games that look so damn good, sound great, have godawful long FMV sequences so it's as good as renting a friggin movie, only to discover....the controls on the keyboard **** really.
    No really they are, and worse still, when you pull up the controls list, it's all displayed in the most un-user friendly manner possible, with a mixture of colour co-ordinated key press on gamepad you don't have, with letter press on keyboard you DO have, and that simply has to be probably THE most annoying thing about **** ports. And that's why it's a **** port.
    If you have a controller, all power to you, because you'll probably actually be used to twiddling yer thumbs on two sticks and pressing all of 8 or 9 buttons on a controller, but once again, this friggin annoying annoyance destroys any credibility of those who produce these games without much in the way of thought as to what sort of people are going to play their game. This is not a singular issue, it is becoming far too commonplace now, and it has to stop.

    It's people that produce games like these that are probably some of the reason people choose to obtain their games illegally instead of paying for them!

    "THINK! MCFLY! THINK!"    … Expand
  54. GenericCritic
    May 6, 2014
    9
    this game is a masterpiece, you people put a much biger score to that failure of a game called castlevania LoS 2, and that game came with worse controls and worst key binding that this one. i hope people just ignore you guys because in the future games like this wont even be on pc, and i will need to buy a console again just for nerds who cant even launch the game because of his sucky PCthis game is a masterpiece, you people put a much biger score to that failure of a game called castlevania LoS 2, and that game came with worse controls and worst key binding that this one. i hope people just ignore you guys because in the future games like this wont even be on pc, and i will need to buy a console again just for nerds who cant even launch the game because of his sucky PC and pirated OS, i never had any issue with the game (and i have windows 8,1), i played it on a hdmi port, on my gtx 770 sli and with my xbox 360 controller and everithing went fine, you people are the only who cant get a decent PC, i hope you all burn in hell, prayse the sun!.
    PD. and i can enhance the graphics thanks to enb and GeDoSaTo mod wothout getting vac banned    … Expand
  55. tallem
    May 6, 2014
    1
    So first off, I played a total of 15 minutes and probably killed 4 enemies, this review has NOTHING to do with gameplay.

    I just could not get myself to play this game, everything about this screams of port. First off, the menus, they almost made me quit the game within a minute of launching it, they are probably the worst I've encountered in a game to date, nothing more to it. The    So first off, I played a total of 15 minutes and probably killed 4 enemies, this review has NOTHING to do with gameplay.

    I just could not get myself to play this game, everything about this screams of port. First off, the menus, they almost made me quit the game within a minute of launching it, they are probably the worst I've encountered in a game to date, nothing more to it. The options are for some reason even worse, to get to half of them you need to load up a save or in the case that you don't have one, start a new game. The UI has the buttons of a 360 controller yet the game does not work with mine for some unknown reason (yes it works in Steam big picture mode and in other games).

    The graphics are overall also quite "meh", lighting effects and some textures look good but a lot of animations are horrid and as I got to the character creation menu I was seriously doubting that I was playing a game released in 2014.

    Overall this just feels like an unfinished product and I am legitimately sad that I spent my money on it.    … Expand
  56. abowman
    May 6, 2014
    10
    Sucks a lot of people are having issues with this game... but i've had none. that being said I do own a PC gaming pad for games such as these as I know they're not worth playing without one. This is easily one of the best RPG experiences i've had. Solid game.
  57. cwilder06
    May 6, 2014
    10
    I can't speak to any problems with Steam as I've had none but am keenly aware so many of the negative reviews here are specifically related to people who had issues with getting the client to run after downloading through Steam.

    That being said, the game itself is everything a Dark Souls fan has come to know and love. At times there are very clear attempts to recreate certain areas of    I can't speak to any problems with Steam as I've had none but am keenly aware so many of the negative reviews here are specifically related to people who had issues with getting the client to run after downloading through Steam.

    That being said, the game itself is everything a Dark Souls fan has come to know and love. At times there are very clear attempts to recreate certain areas of the original. You will pointedly play the game and say "Oh, this is Blighttown Part 2, this is Undead Burg Part 2, this is Anor Londo Part 2, etc." Ordinarily I'd penalize a game for some obviously trying to reprise it's predecessor, but given just how great the original was "more of the same" is more than welcome. I don't think the game makes any leaps ahead of what the original provided, it just provides another hundred hours of a very similar experience. Generally speaking, your feelings about the original will be mirrored with this sequel. Sure, there may not be quite as many iconic bosses, though I think some of that is simply a function of the formula and tone is not as fresh as it once was - much like many things in life, something can only be "new" once. This is an absolute must play for any Dark Souls fan.

    For people who are unsure whether they would enjoy the series, I tend to think so long as you are willing to commit to it and put some time in on the admittedly steep learning curve you'll find a lot to love. While the first half dozen hours of this game are more approachable than the original they still aren't exactly welcoming. But that is part of what makes the longer journey that much more rewarding. Any individual disillusioned with the trivially easy games of this generation will find this a much needed breath of fresh air.    … Expand
  58. actualwave
    May 6, 2014
    10
    lol @ loosers who spent $70 on the game and cannot get a $10 controller.
    lol @ loosers who pirated the game to try and rage because it does not work.
    lol @ ppl who bought the game not even trying to understand it and whining "why its so rude to me raping my char aroung every corner" Before trying first game I knew it will be hardcore and it must be played with controller, so I've    lol @ loosers who spent $70 on the game and cannot get a $10 controller.
    lol @ loosers who pirated the game to try and rage because it does not work.
    lol @ ppl who bought the game not even trying to understand it and whining "why its so rude to me raping my char aroung every corner"

    Before trying first game I knew it will be hardcore and it must be played with controller, so I've spent $10 to buy Speedlink XEOX controller and 2 minutes of my time to make it playable with X360ce. Never played with controller before and never had a console -- I enjoyed every moment of the game. For Dark Souls 2 I already had a controller, same controller, and bought game first day it was available on Steam. Its enjoyable and beautiful and I experienced no problems at all.

    Thanks goes to From Software.    … Expand
  59. LaserMoose
    May 6, 2014
    9
    Dark souls 2 is a great sequel, although it has some flaws. Playing this game with keyboard & mouse is incredibly hard. From Software clearly meant this game to be played with a xbox/ps controller. In the "tutorial area" the game never explains how to play with keyboard & mouse and figuring out all the bindings is a challenge of its own.

    The game looks great compared to its prequel, but    Dark souls 2 is a great sequel, although it has some flaws. Playing this game with keyboard & mouse is incredibly hard. From Software clearly meant this game to be played with a xbox/ps controller. In the "tutorial area" the game never explains how to play with keyboard & mouse and figuring out all the bindings is a challenge of its own.

    The game looks great compared to its prequel, but its certainly not next gen graphics, but this fact did not stop From Software to provide this game with some awesome and beautiful scenery. The level design feels as natural as the first Dark Souls where you're not exploring different levels, you're exploring a world. Fast traveling is something that unfortunately removes some of the depth of exploring and adventuring, but it makes Dark Souls 2 harsh punishments more tolerable. Fast traveling also lets you easily jump back in to where you left of so you can continue progressing.

    Thankfully the combat system we Dark Souls veterans loves has not changed to much. It has only improved. Now dual wielding is a valid way of playing the game, and you can parry with two-handed weapons. Jumping is much easier this time around as well, as you can choose to bind the jumping button to the "Left Control Stick Button". If you preferred the old way, you can still jump with the same button you run with.

    The online features is a big step up. You can now very easily and quickly summon or be summoned by players. The waiting time for engaging in jolly co-operation has shortened greatly. I've spent about 50 hours on this game and only been invaded by a real player about four times which is disappointing. The reason for this seem to be their new online matching system, which not only takes your characters level in consideration, but also your soul memory. I am still very unfamiliar with how it works so i will leave it at that.

    The game is hard but fair. Something new players will have to learn is that you will die many times. It's trial and error. The game punishes you for dying, so there's an actual fear from dying. Dark souls 2 throws you off the birds nest without teaching you how to fly first. But once you get the hang of it, this game will give you some amazing and memorable moments.    … Expand
  60. Rogyapa
    May 5, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's Demon Souls 1.5 |(which isn't necessarily a bad thing). For people who didn't get to play Demon Souls but played Dark Souls you're probably in for some nasty bumps. Losing health each time you die (with the effect only being reversed by using a human effigy/ being summoned and helping another player defeat a boss) is the biggest change from Dark Souls. The level design is more like Demon Souls in that there's a main hub world and all the other worlds are connected to the hub.

    Pros: +Excellent enemy designs
    +The game has some standout environments (Majula, Forest of the Fallen Giants, Iron Keep, No-Man's Wharf)
    +Tons to explore
    +Retains the ambiance/atmosphere of previous games

    Cons: -Some areas are just plain cheap. There are a few bonfires where enemies are directly positioned outside (Straid's Cell, The Sinner's Keep bonfire, one of the Earthen Peak bonfires).
    -The game sometimes relies on overwhelming you with enemies to increase the difficulty (which limits certain playstyles like dual wielding at times).
    -Keyboard and mouse controls are doable but not great. I'd recommend a controller.
    -The guard break is changed from a kick to a swipe with your weapon (which is much slower and way shorter range). This sucks for regular gameplay but makes PVP less of a kicking match :P
    -Still basically a console port :(    … Expand
  61. DandyManInSpace
    May 5, 2014
    10
    I'm seriously facepalming at the negative reviews. Half of them don't even offer any valid reasons as to why they rated it so low, they're just trendy hipsters that like to be the minority. The game is beautiful, has nice graphics and the K&M controls ARE comfortable once you get familiar with them. The other half of the reviews fail to see the positives in this game and focus purely onI'm seriously facepalming at the negative reviews. Half of them don't even offer any valid reasons as to why they rated it so low, they're just trendy hipsters that like to be the minority. The game is beautiful, has nice graphics and the K&M controls ARE comfortable once you get familiar with them. The other half of the reviews fail to see the positives in this game and focus purely on the negatives. Don't listen to them and give this beast of a game a shot, see the epicness for yourself.… Expand
  62. CodeX96
    May 5, 2014
    10
    Do not believe the people whining about the controls, graphics, or it not working. They are simply not intelligent enough to look at the key bindings, change the resolution in the games video setup section, or bother actually playing the game. This game is just as good as Dark Souls and improves on nearly every aspect of the first game. Devoted servers make the online much easier toDo not believe the people whining about the controls, graphics, or it not working. They are simply not intelligent enough to look at the key bindings, change the resolution in the games video setup section, or bother actually playing the game. This game is just as good as Dark Souls and improves on nearly every aspect of the first game. Devoted servers make the online much easier to handle. The graphics as compared to the Xbox version (I own both) are insanely better. PC: 4k/1080p (As high as your screen allows) at 60fps, and yes, with an AMD video card. Did I mention seamless controls, environment, and no frame skips? Not even lag. The best part is quick loading. Instead of a whole minute on Xbox, it is about a second on PC. Xbox: 720p, 30fps, lag and long load times, with some occasional frame drops.

    This game is the pinnacle version of Dark Souls II. It is easily playable even on low end computers, and works like a charm even with keyboard and mouse. Ignore the low scores, this game is a true gem.

    Xbox/PS3 Version
    9/10
    30fps at 720p, occasional framedrops
    Long load times, annoying when you teleport a lot between areas.
    Online play can be a little messy on Xbox servers, no word for PS3 as I don't have it.
    Ideal controller for gameplay

    PC Version
    10/10
    60fps at 1080p / 4k resolution
    Seamless loading and no lag anywhere
    Great online play if you have decent internet
    No real complaints, it is by no means a bad game

    The game is perfect for anyone desiring a true challenge, but not an impossible one. The game will push you and punish your mistakes, but not agonize you. It just doesn't hand hold you like most modern games. Skyrim is great, and it is an example of a game where a map and guidelines are necessary. But Dark Souls is not one of those games. It requires skill, patience, and intelligence to truly enjoy, but it will be an experience you will not regret.

    If you really wish to experience whether or not this game will work, then torrent the game and play it. If you enjoy it, please buy the game and support this small company. Besides, you won't have any online play if you don't buy it.    … Expand
  63. avil172
    May 5, 2014
    0
    terrible like the first one, ...except for the good weapons and armors....user score is the real score and thats a little overrated because the critic reviews affected this one.........problems could be minor, but lets not ignore the crap combat.....and dodging 4 times to attack one time is called a challenge?? thats skyrim a.k.a dark souls 1 crap!
  64. morpj
    May 5, 2014
    10
    I have to add my positive review to help counter the 197 (!) negative reviews. I bought the game about a week after launch and I had none of the initial issues people have reported. I have played maybe 35 or so hours. For me, this is my game of the year so far! Here are some of the reasons why:

    1) Gameplay. This is the most “kinetic” swords and shields game I’ve ever played. Every    I have to add my positive review to help counter the 197 (!) negative reviews. I bought the game about a week after launch and I had none of the initial issues people have reported. I have played maybe 35 or so hours. For me, this is my game of the year so far! Here are some of the reasons why:

    1) Gameplay. This is the most “kinetic” swords and shields game I’ve ever played. Every weapon is modelled not just in appearance but also performance. It gives the game an ultra-realistic feel that I just love. The difficulty level is hard but honestly it makes the game special. I took me hours to beat some of the bosses but the feeling of accomplishment was unmatched.

    2) Design. This game is lovely. Many locations are breathtaking and truly original. The storyline is awesome and the attention to detail amazing.

    3) Performance. I'm running this game on a Razer Blade connected to a TV, and it runs perfectly at high detail with no stuttering and high frame rates. No CTDs, no slow-downs, just excellent performance.

    4) Control scheme. I recommend playing this game with an XBox controller – this is how it's meant to be played! I usually play games on my PC with keyboard and mouse but it just feels so kinetic and natural playing with a controller. I understand the keyboard controls are tough, but this is the perfect game to take that leap and try a controller. A new XBox controller + receiver is about $55 on Amazon.

    5) Community. It’s like a single-player MMO. The messages, the bloodstains, the invasions all come together to deliver a truly immersive experience.

    Overall this is a game that I can see myself spending hundred+ hours playing, moving very slowly through all the levels and experiencing every aspect. I really respect the developers and encourage everyone to buy and play this game!    … Expand
  65. Betvinga
    May 5, 2014
    10
    The controls for the keyboard are not perfect, but definitely improved considering how poor was the Dark Souls 1 port for PC (in the DS2 options menu, controls, graphics settings and so on are perfectly optimized for the PC version). The gameplay is gorgeous, the environments are detailed and very different between each others. Not too hard, the difficulty is a bit above average and itThe controls for the keyboard are not perfect, but definitely improved considering how poor was the Dark Souls 1 port for PC (in the DS2 options menu, controls, graphics settings and so on are perfectly optimized for the PC version). The gameplay is gorgeous, the environments are detailed and very different between each others. Not too hard, the difficulty is a bit above average and it will keep you busy for hours and hours.
    For sure one of the best games of the year.    … Expand
  66. adrianccc
    May 5, 2014
    5
    I really enjoyed the Dark Souls I , and was expecting to do the same for Dark Souls II, but Dark Souls II feels lacking in atmosphere, consistency and depth compared to its predecessor. Its likely a combination of factors led to this disparity. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of the first game, was not present for Dark Souls II, and the difference in quality is noticeable - from pacing,I really enjoyed the Dark Souls I , and was expecting to do the same for Dark Souls II, but Dark Souls II feels lacking in atmosphere, consistency and depth compared to its predecessor. Its likely a combination of factors led to this disparity. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of the first game, was not present for Dark Souls II, and the difference in quality is noticeable - from pacing, to level design, to the design of boss encounters. The game also received a graphical downgrade before release, resulting in far less atmospheric lightning and visuals.

    The hub system, with fast travel from the very start of game makes the world seems disconnected and shallow, and accommodates far less thoughtful level design than the first game. Furthermore, having to return to a central hub and skip through irrelevant NPC speech every time you wish to level up is also a chore, and kills the momentum and pervading loneliness that was present in first game.

    In summary, Dark Souls II feels just a little soulless.    … Expand
  67. Mirgil
    May 4, 2014
    9
    The majority of this review is focusing on other complaints, especially on the controls of the game. However for the sake of an actual review, I have to say Dark Souls II is almost all around the perfect sequel to Dark Souls I. It falls short in World-Structure and boss variety, but largely makes up for this by creating a beautiful atmosphere and perfect combat system. In response to manyThe majority of this review is focusing on other complaints, especially on the controls of the game. However for the sake of an actual review, I have to say Dark Souls II is almost all around the perfect sequel to Dark Souls I. It falls short in World-Structure and boss variety, but largely makes up for this by creating a beautiful atmosphere and perfect combat system. In response to many complaints, it really makes me upset that people are willing to give a game a "0-3" rating based on a single thing. Yes, I'll admit it is quite ridiculous that the prompts in game are not in keyboard/mouse layout. However this does not excuse as low of a rating as I'm seeing it get. I've had 0 issues playing with the keyboard and mouse, and changing button layouts is such a straight-forward concept you would have to play the game for 5 minutes and then give up to complain. I would expect it to take less than an hour to optimize the controls for your preference and then get used to those controls. One hour so you can enjoy a game that would probably take you 50+ hours to beat through once, and then replay an endless amount. It's simply childish and honestly laughable that people are so closed-minded that they can't figure out how to fix something that is right there in the options.

    Just to summarize, the game exceeds its self as a sequel. People are simply dense and arrogant to fix a single problem they're having and base their first few moments of gameplay without really getting anywhere. Don't sit there and complain because you didn't take the time to fix a single problem. Almost every negative review I've seen has only complained about one problem. That would be the same as saying, the game is great overall but I don't think the graphics are very good: 2/10. Take a few moments to locate the source of the problem, and then fix it. I'll guess that 8 out of 10 of your problems can be fixed without any headache or effort. It is extremely childish to cry and whine about something that you on your own can fix if you would only put in the minuscule effort to address the problem at hand.    … Expand
  68. dragoltor
    May 4, 2014
    10
    Many of the negative reviews given are poorly thought-out and from people who obviously don't know much about souls games. The K/M controls ARE awful, but that is because it would literally be impossible to get the same amount of accuracy with the mechanics of rolling and such without using a controller. A CONTROLLER IS NECESSARY TO PLAY THIS GAME, and that isn't a bad thing. The gameMany of the negative reviews given are poorly thought-out and from people who obviously don't know much about souls games. The K/M controls ARE awful, but that is because it would literally be impossible to get the same amount of accuracy with the mechanics of rolling and such without using a controller. A CONTROLLER IS NECESSARY TO PLAY THIS GAME, and that isn't a bad thing. The game doesn't look bad at all, in fact it looks beautiful, and all of the lighting "problems" are done on purpose for the areas of the game that are MEANT TO BE DARK. this game is amazing, and the pc version is great.… Expand
  69. yogibbear
    May 4, 2014
    9
    I'm only 30 hrs in, and ~30% of the way through my first playthrough. The game is an extension on the previous concepts of Dark Souls & Demon Souls. Probably the most obvious "negative" is that the world is no longer as interconnected as Dark Souls was. This is both due to having the ability to warp between bonfires from the get go, and the increased world size making theI'm only 30 hrs in, and ~30% of the way through my first playthrough. The game is an extension on the previous concepts of Dark Souls & Demon Souls. Probably the most obvious "negative" is that the world is no longer as interconnected as Dark Souls was. This is both due to having the ability to warp between bonfires from the get go, and the increased world size making the interconnect-Dark-Souls level design an impracticality. Ignoring the "world layout", the actual levels themselves, enemies, and atmosphere are spot on. Always something interesting to do and always having multiple paths open for progression. The combat & levelling mechanics have been given an overhaul and they are now super sweet. The changes to agility, poise, adaptability & two attribute required progression for certain stats means the early builds can vary greatly, and the impact on your ability to dodge, hit, and sustain in combat is noticeable as you level up. The PVE & PVP are now both balanced beautifully to encourage both players that enjoy PVE and Co-op, as well as those that want to do PVP. But no longer do you need separate characters for PVE and PVP, and can play the same character through to NG+++ due to the implementation of soul memory.
    TLDR: If you enjoyed any aspect of Demon Souls or Dark Souls then you will love this game. Run flawlessly on my PC, I use the 360 gamepad (because you need to with this game). Yeah the PVP can suffer from lag issues, but that doesn't reduce the game from being at the very least a 9/10. Get it and love it. All builds are viable. All playstyles are viable. Basically the game is exceptional and probably the best game that will come out in 2014.    … Expand
  70. Srjbutcher
    May 4, 2014
    10
    A beautiful challenging game that will push you to your limits. It's a difficult game, but nothing worth doing is ever easy.

    It's actually much easier than the first, but with graphical improvements, a very active multiplayer community, and the same great gameplay, this game at least matches its predecessor. Some people are having trouble with keybindings and such, which i don't    A beautiful challenging game that will push you to your limits. It's a difficult game, but nothing worth doing is ever easy.

    It's actually much easier than the first, but with graphical improvements, a very active multiplayer community, and the same great gameplay, this game at least matches its predecessor.

    Some people are having trouble with keybindings and such, which i don't understand. If you can't figure out how to change bindings or plug in a controller that works, maybe you shouldn't be playing computer games.    … Expand
  71. Cioby
    May 4, 2014
    0
    The game is not as hard as fanboys would like you to think. It's just total crap, with "high" difficulty that "punishes" you when you die. The graphics is almost the same as the first game of the series. The sounds are crap also. You don't even have to play much to notice it, from the first interaction with the world, you can hear how **** the grass sounds like. This isn't a scary gameThe game is not as hard as fanboys would like you to think. It's just total crap, with "high" difficulty that "punishes" you when you die. The graphics is almost the same as the first game of the series. The sounds are crap also. You don't even have to play much to notice it, from the first interaction with the world, you can hear how **** the grass sounds like. This isn't a scary game either. Encounters are crap. This is a 2009 game, made for console players, those are the ones probably kissing their asses & the paid people who post "critic" reviews. The combat is slow and dull, the controls are bad considering a PC user can use a lot of keys to do whatever he wants without complaining of the assignments.
    Oh yea, let's not forget the "hentai" look that characters have, my harvester of souls, my warrior, my murderer looked like a f***** Japanese kid from FF or Lineage. I'm sure most people consider those awesome, I don't. It's not even an appropriate look for someone who is taking his victim's soul.
    My advice, if you're not a console fanboy, used to bad/old games, stay away from this game.    … Expand
  72. ninja666
    May 4, 2014
    5
    I'd reviewed the game once, but since then I've managed to play it a bit more and managed to get further. I didn't beat it, but I played for 12 hours total before quitting. I'm still disappointed by how the game turned out and only gets one point more this time, but I want to review it once more from scratch because I want to make the review better, more comprehensible and I want to expandI'd reviewed the game once, but since then I've managed to play it a bit more and managed to get further. I didn't beat it, but I played for 12 hours total before quitting. I'm still disappointed by how the game turned out and only gets one point more this time, but I want to review it once more from scratch because I want to make the review better, more comprehensible and I want to expand it a little.

    The game, as a sequel to Dark Souls, feels disappointing. It was stripped down of everything that made Dark Souls 1 good and went through major changes that, for the most part, are changes for the worse. But, let's start with the pros first.

    Some of the mechanics are executed far better than in the former game. I really liked the presence of Human Effigies as a cure to hollowing instead of "liquid" and "soft" humanity that could be acquired pretty quickly, but also could be lost by one fatal mistake. In Dark Souls 2, when you die you lose your human form, but you can reverse the hollowing with ease - you don't even have to go back to the bonfire; you can do it immediately.

    Another thing is that the locations are far larger than they were in Dark Souls 1 so there's a lot more to explore. They are branched too, so very often you can get to the boss by many ways. Plus, some of the locations are truly breathtaking and atmospheric. I'm especially talking about No-man's Wharf and Harvest Valley with astonishing view on the humongous and abstract windmill. This is, unfortunately, too little to make me enjoy the game and give it a higher score, as numerous flaws overshadowed every good aspect the game had.

    Now for the flaws.

    Let's start with the key element and core of every Souls game - the combat system. In Dark Souls 1, the combat was very precise. The slow pace of battles and well-made-but-not-perfect animations made you "feel" the weight of the equipment, making it a major part of making up tactics against an enemy and your playstyle in general. When you wanted to be a knight armed to the teeth, fighting with a sword bigger than yourself, it was obvious that you had to sacrifice mobility for it, while choosing a leather armor and a scimitar was the exact opposite. In Dark Souls 2 it doesn't matter - every piece of the equipment feels super-light and the only thing indicating you actually travel heavy is the rolling speed - and it feels very forced.

    The difficulty - another key element of the Souls series, and something it is always proud of. Dark Souls 1 was really unique in this aspect - it was hard and punishing, but very fair at the same time; you always knew what you did wrong and could learn from your mistakes. Dark Souls 2 is nothing like that. After a few deaths you start to notice that most of them weren't your fault, but the game's. The difficulty was amped up just for the sake of being hard, while forgetting to add fairness along the way. You often die from being outnumbered by groups enemies that "aggro" all at the same and stunlock you to death or cheap tricks, like mummies in Lost Bastille that can explode and get back on their feet as many times as they want. There's also tracking of your moves present in the enemy AI - they spin around following you during every second of their attack animation, giving you next to no chance to dodge. And to make things even more "exciting", your character's movements are now clunky and awkward - he gets tired really quickly and can't dodge properly.

    Now, the atmosphere. Dark Souls 2 lacks certain peculiarity Demon's Souls and Dark Souls 1 had, giving you generic Dark Fantasy stuff in the veins of Gothic series. Now, it wouldn't be too bad if it had any soul (pun not intended) - despite what I've stated above, almost all locations feel bland and uninspired. Most of the them are either a forest, a castle or something trying too hard to mimic a location from the first game. Literally, none of these made any impression on me, aside from boredom. Another thing is - why are you even in Drangleic. You don't have any purpose of being there, aside from looking for alleged cure for the curse, which you are told right at the beginning, doesn't exist.

    The level design in this game is absolutely terrible. Aside from the blandness, the locations' arrangement in the world map makes no sense or logic whatsoever. The creators went for Demon Souls-esque hub world with the central point being Majula. It's not a bad thing, if executed properly, but in this game, the locations feel very disconnected. They are always preceeded either a tunnel or a cave and there's no smooth transition between them.

    Concluding - Dark Souls II is a pretty average game with many technical difficulties and quirky, badly executed mechanics, that may be good for die-hard fans of the series, but for an average gamer, who likes challenging games, it's too unbalanced and badly-made to be enjoyed. Hence only a 5/10.    … Expand
  73. Ozeaku
    May 4, 2014
    5
    It's a diffcult game. But I think this game is too simple because you really only can be two skills, dodge an attack and attack with your weapon or magic.
  74. ompor
    May 4, 2014
    10
    Awesome game , better pc port (still not great) . You will die and learn ,this games makes winning or passing a difficult place an amazing feeling that everybody should feel. If you get angry at call of duty or anything at all this is not a game for you (Btw call of duty sucks) .
  75. SimpleReviewz
    May 4, 2014
    9
    Well, here we are with my first game review! Dark Souls 2. Man, is there alot to say about this massive game. Even the main story by itself will take you about 50 to 60 hours to beat, and even more if you explore hours for items, covenants, and etc. Does it sound like TOO much? Guess what? It's not! DKS2 is an amazing, unforgettable experience with only a few flaws holding it back fromWell, here we are with my first game review! Dark Souls 2. Man, is there alot to say about this massive game. Even the main story by itself will take you about 50 to 60 hours to beat, and even more if you explore hours for items, covenants, and etc. Does it sound like TOO much? Guess what? It's not! DKS2 is an amazing, unforgettable experience with only a few flaws holding it back from being one of the best games on the PS3 and X360. The difficulty of this series is the main eye-opener. It presents tough but fair combat and punishes you for every tiny mistake. Yet still, DKS2 remains a fun game. You have to time every block and dodge correctly, otherwise you may pay with your life. And that sounds brutal. Believe when I say it though, you can overcome any challenge the game throws at you, it just takes time and patience. One new addition of the game is that every time you die, you lose a little bit of your health. However, it can be prevented by using a Human Effigy. It is still a hardcore feature, though. There are 2 ways to approach the combat in this game: Ranged (ex: sorceries, hexes, pyromancies, etc) and Melee (ex: blades, axes, spear, etc). I highly recommend starting out with melee if this is your first Souls game. I've played both, and each class is overall pretty balanced because you still have to block or dodge the enemies' moves. I love how the Souls games utilize multiplayer so differently. You can't just invite people to a game, but you can summon people with the signs. You can also leave messages and bloodstains with give other players great hints. And then there's the evil part: people can invade and kill you. Don't worry, though. You won't encounter many of them this time around. Have I forgot to talk about the graphics? They are amazing, too! It perfectly fits the atmosphere of the game. In Dark Souls 1, the bosses were a constant highlight. Here, there are alot. Most of them aren't extremely hard, though. I remember a few that only took me under 5 tries to beat. Their designs are psychotic and awesome to add. Now we come to the part when we talk about the flaws. At times, you won't always be able to trust the mechanics. There's gonna be many attacks that really shouldn't have connected, and sometimes if you want to raise your shield up, it's not exactly going to. Because of this, I felt like FromSoftware was too focused on making it hard in some points rather than truly accurate. Another disappointment is that the whole world isn't actually connected like in Dark Souls 1. It was so unique finding shortcuts to other areas previously, and it's sad that it's not here. However, Dark Souls 2 is worth every penny if your a fan. It's possible to sink so many hours here. It perfectly combines quantity and quality. If you're a newcomer, there's no better place to start than here. It is worth $60.… Expand
  76. Dethstar
    May 4, 2014
    2
    PS - To Bandai and the paid for marketeers flooding this site with reviews. You might want to pay for native English speakers first. If your going to do it then at least make a proper effort. Then again, at least your consistent with your scam of a game as this probably took about the same amount of effort to create as some of the pidgeon English reviews they have been posting here andPS - To Bandai and the paid for marketeers flooding this site with reviews. You might want to pay for native English speakers first. If your going to do it then at least make a proper effort. Then again, at least your consistent with your scam of a game as this probably took about the same amount of effort to create as some of the pidgeon English reviews they have been posting here and elsewhere on the net.

    The first portion of the game is a long intro in which your mean to create your character. Unfortunately being an utterly **** console port (one of the worst I have seen) it is unplayable for me as try as I might the game will not recognise the letters on my keyboard so I cant create a character. Simply gives character unrecognised errors for everything. This in itself is not so bad if I had not been ripped off, spending 50 Euros on this terrible example of just why console games will never be as good as something designed for PC specifically. The field of view and aspect ratio during play is absolutely awful making it look like your watching everything through a small slot like a postbox.

    So I sent a message to Steam where I brought it. Despite UK and EU statutory law concerning sale of goods they sent me to Bandai. Bandai just do not respond at all. So not only did this game cause me to drop it, it cost a long term relationship with steam as well as they treated my with utter contempt for asking me for my money back ignoring the fact that the contractual relationship for sale of goods is between us. Passed it to the consumer protection agency and they are dealing with it. Also passed the story on to UK independence party campaigners to use if they see fit to indicate how corporations ignore EU law.

    There are claims that the game is beautiful etc.. Well, while your looking through that little slot it is a bit hard to tell as your characters arse takes up quite a lot of the screen real estate and there is little room to gauge how nice it might look. The quality of the art work reminded me of the witcher 2 but the field of view here was unplayable if your not limited by playing on a console.

    Perhaps some PC gamer modders will make this playable someday but it is not worth paying for as it is.

    So, this game was actually so bad, and the company behind it's support so poor that it cost me a 6 year relationship with a vendor I used to like.

    Sorry to digress but the outcome indicates how poor the game actually is.    … Expand
  77. BrecMadak
    May 4, 2014
    0
    Do you wanna witness how we were lied with your own eyes, then check this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOmWf4oSav8
    This is the biggest scam in pc world gaming of our time, you fooled millions but not me 'Fom Software' ! No buck from me !!
  78. MatrixDev
    May 4, 2014
    0
    I really want to play this game but it's just a total garbage on PC. I don't know how first one worked (as far as I know it was nearly unplayable) but the second one is really bad. I don't care so much for graphics (yet it could be something more than a decade old looking and without shadows from beta trailers) but interface is just total crap!!! nearly no support for mouse, noI really want to play this game but it's just a total garbage on PC. I don't know how first one worked (as far as I know it was nearly unplayable) but the second one is really bad. I don't care so much for graphics (yet it could be something more than a decade old looking and without shadows from beta trailers) but interface is just total crap!!! nearly no support for mouse, no auto-tooltips, even ESC key works like ♥♥♥♥ - most of the time it doesn't move you to previous screen. But even this is not so critical. Constant lag from when I click mouse button and I see action on screen.
    In shot words - game is probably good but is extremely crappy port. Maybe after tons of patches it will became better.    … Expand
  79. James26
    May 4, 2014
    10
    The game is great and if you liked the first one there is a good chance you will like the sequel. A few changes to the overall game but nothing that really alters it too much.
    They changed humanity to "Human Effigies" and I don't believe being human effects your drop rates or anything anymore since there are no ways to stack human effigies.
    Becoming hollow now decreases your HP and you    The game is great and if you liked the first one there is a good chance you will like the sequel. A few changes to the overall game but nothing that really alters it too much.
    They changed humanity to "Human Effigies" and I don't believe being human effects your drop rates or anything anymore since there are no ways to stack human effigies.
    Becoming hollow now decreases your HP and you can be invaded while hollow.
    Co-op is great and improved greatly over the old GFWL crap from the first game. It is much easier to play with friends once you acquire a certain ring.
    The world seems larger but I'm not sure if it actually is, I think the number of areas is similar to the first game. Instead of being all linked together, DS2 has a much more linear progression following different paths from the main hub in Majula.
    Most of the complaints I've seen here have to do with the keyboard and mouse control configurations. Unless you have a condition where your brain has turned into glue this shouldn't take any more than 10-20 minutes. Funny enough that is about how long the tutorial area lasts.
    Also most of the bugs I've heard about have been fixed since launch. I personally pre-loaded the game and played it on launch day without any issues, so there is a good chance if you aren't playing on some outdated paperweight that you won't have any problems.    … Expand
  80. jdotjdot7
    May 3, 2014
    10
    Bought this game for $40 from GMG, have to say, highly impressed. Had high expectations and this game met them. The controls? Well they are pretty bad, but spend 5 minutes toying around with them and you can make it almost entirely like Dark Souls 1 controls on PC (Which I am used to and prefer, even over a controller). The MAIN issue I had was if you unbind double left/right click, theBought this game for $40 from GMG, have to say, highly impressed. Had high expectations and this game met them. The controls? Well they are pretty bad, but spend 5 minutes toying around with them and you can make it almost entirely like Dark Souls 1 controls on PC (Which I am used to and prefer, even over a controller). The MAIN issue I had was if you unbind double left/right click, the game still counts them as inputs and so once unbound, your character will stand still if you double left click, just took a bit of time to get used to it and now it's fine.

    Overall, the game got a bit harder in some areas, easier in others. There are a few bosses that are simple and easy, and then some that will have you screaming at the screen. There's a new system that stops respawning enemies after they die 15 times which means technically the game has limited resources (without the use of Bonfire ascetics). Now, when you die, you lose max hp that can only be regained by becoming human again, this debuff stacks until you have 50% hp (or 80% with a certain ring). This can make the game much more difficult as you'll likely have a lower hp at all times.

    Overall, combat is awesome, pvp is alive, and the game's atmosphere is breathtaking. Some people say Skyrim looks beautiful but it has never made me admire it's scenery, whereas Dark Souls has a unique atmosphere that's pretty creative and makes great use of both light and darkness, the story, like before is something you piece together on your own, and it's riddled with mysteries waiting to be solved.

    Great game and I can gladly say I was among the first 2000 to beat it on PC.    … Expand
  81. mattyo620
    May 3, 2014
    0
    Ridiculously bad hit detection, no way play with friends (white soap stone + name engraved ring is a JOKE), random pauses and glitchy attacks/blocks/movement. Terrible controls (you have to press space+shift+middle mouse to jump WTF?). The game suffers from consolitis (TERRIBLE porting on this game) no time was spent polishing this into a PC game. Dont waste your time and money.
  82. Sunrunner37
    May 3, 2014
    0
    This game was so horrible that it made me create a meta critic account to share.

    * Graphics - mediocre at best * User interface - HORRIBLE... tooltips for consoles everywhere and it took be 10 minutes just to figure out how to save the video settings. * Movement/Keybindings - Terrible... no thought into porting to the PC. You can't execute all actions flawlessly with the mouse and    This game was so horrible that it made me create a meta critic account to share.

    * Graphics - mediocre at best
    * User interface - HORRIBLE... tooltips for consoles everywhere and it took be 10 minutes just to figure out how to save the video settings.
    * Movement/Keybindings - Terrible... no thought into porting to the PC. You can't execute all actions flawlessly with the mouse and keyboard. The camera was clearly not meant for the keyboard as it gave me slight motion sickness(something I've never had a PC game do.)

    Worst console port I've ever seen... don't waste your money.    … Expand
  83. moneer
    May 3, 2014
    0
    Crap port for PC. To open door press "Green X Button". Don't have a green, red, yellow, or blue buttons on my keyboard. Hate games that exhibit this kind of laziness. User interface is confusing and settings don't take (sometimes).
  84. yY2
    May 3, 2014
    9
    If you liked Dark Souls you will also like Dark Souls 2. Problems with PC version/game are:

    1. You will have to spend some time learning controls because everything in tutorial is explained in gamepad buttons. (if you have gamepad this won't be an issue) 2. Not much of PvP available before NG+ (coop mechanics are really awesome, and work well) 3. Many levels and bosses are recycled    If you liked Dark Souls you will also like Dark Souls 2. Problems with PC version/game are:

    1. You will have to spend some time learning controls because everything in tutorial is explained in gamepad buttons. (if you have gamepad this won't be an issue)
    2. Not much of PvP available before NG+ (coop mechanics are really awesome, and work well)
    3. Many levels and bosses are recycled from Dark Souls

    and things noobs complain about:

    1. game is too hard
    2. graphics sucks

    Can't wait for Dark Souls 3.    … Expand
  85. Bortx
    May 3, 2014
    0
    Crap port for PC. To open door press "Green X Button". Don't have a green, red, yellow, or blue buttons on my keyboard. Hate games that exhibit this kind of laziness. User interface is confusing and settings don't take (sometimes). You have to do some mouse gymnastics to get them to take. Graphics are poor and dated. For console standards this might pass but for PC this is 5-7 year oldCrap port for PC. To open door press "Green X Button". Don't have a green, red, yellow, or blue buttons on my keyboard. Hate games that exhibit this kind of laziness. User interface is confusing and settings don't take (sometimes). You have to do some mouse gymnastics to get them to take. Graphics are poor and dated. For console standards this might pass but for PC this is 5-7 year old tech. Story is confusing and nonsensical and expect to die all the time. This game is nothing but frustration. I don't see how anyone can enjoy this unless you have hours of time to waste and like to inflict pain on yourself.… Expand
  86. samuelmason900
    May 3, 2014
    9
    fighting with heids tower of flames boss dragon rider for 2 days and Forest of Fallen Giants boss The Pursuer for 3 days till haven't anyone this game getting more and more challenging.
    and good port nice polished visuals.
    Ill definitely defeat the bosses today
  87. Boogz
    May 3, 2014
    10
    After finally being able to start the game after the first patch it turned out to be just as good as Demons Souls and Dark Souls, its a truly fantastic game.
  88. Genova84
    May 3, 2014
    9
    Loving this game so far. Got it for the PC launch on 4/24 and I'm about 30 hours in.

    Initial hiccups with launching aside, the game runs great. I have not experienced any frame rate issues and I'm running it at 1080p with the highest settings available. That said, you need a controller. I suggest using an Xbox 360 or PS3 controller emulating an Xbox 360 controller. And then, well,    Loving this game so far. Got it for the PC launch on 4/24 and I'm about 30 hours in.

    Initial hiccups with launching aside, the game runs great. I have not experienced any frame rate issues and I'm running it at 1080p with the highest settings available.

    That said, you need a controller. I suggest using an Xbox 360 or PS3 controller emulating an Xbox 360 controller. And then, well, get over the fact that the prompts are for an Xbox controller. This game should not, under any circumstances, be played with a mouse and keyboard, very much like other console ports (the darksiders series comes to mind) should not be played with a mouse and keyboard.

    I will say that it's not as challenging as the Demon's or Dark Souls mainly due to the 3 player co-op. I soloed both Demon's and Dark a number of times, but this game has a different feel to it. Can't quite put my finger on it.

    To those complaining about running out of souls due to over-farming, I say this ... Boss Runs! After you beat a boss, use your white soap stones to join others and kill the boss again, and again, and again! This replay-ability is really nice and will easily get you all the souls you need. Also, assisting in defeating a boss will give you back your estus flasks, restore you humanity and repair any equipment, so you can run until your little old heart is content!

    I will mention a few drawbacks:

    1. The addition of being able to carry 6 weapons at once, all of which impact your equip load, was a dumb decision. I find myself only equipping the one weapon I want, so I can wear better armor and during a boss fight, running to corner to quickly swap out my weapons. Very annoying.

    2. The beginning of the game has been the hardest part for me. This was due to my only weapon breaking early on and not having the blacksmith unlocked to repair it. That was really, really dumb!

    3. Boss running, though rewarding, gets tedious when the master keeps dying ... I soloed the majority of the bosses first, and the assisted others and it's crazy how bad some people are at avoiding some of the more basic boss attacks.

    4. PvP - I suck at it. Where PvE is great, I feel that PvP is an unnecessary part of this game. I do like that there are areas for those who enjoy to tear it up, but it's simply not for me.

    If you liked the first two, or are looking for a challenge, buy a controller and get this game!    … Expand
  89. cmoyano
    May 2, 2014
    10
    This game is awesome. I like it more than DS1, specially the second part of it. Using the mods such as ENB makes the game look amazing. Worried about that TGS trailer lighting not being there? its ok, find the desaturated mod on dark souls nexus and get it all back just the wa you saw it that day.

    I have been enjoying every second of the game for the past 60 hours and stil not even    This game is awesome. I like it more than DS1, specially the second part of it. Using the mods such as ENB makes the game look amazing. Worried about that TGS trailer lighting not being there? its ok, find the desaturated mod on dark souls nexus and get it all back just the wa you saw it that day.

    I have been enjoying every second of the game for the past 60 hours and stil not even half way done. been savoring every second.    … Expand
  90. Zaker
    May 2, 2014
    10
    I can't stop playing this game, open full of exploration, engaging combat incomparable to anything out there and dark fantasy atmosphere at its best, bit different than dark souls 1 but still the same...forget all the boys that can't setup mouse controls or are annoyed by the early bugs, you don't give this jewel of the a game a bad review because of couple bugs, there is just nothing onI can't stop playing this game, open full of exploration, engaging combat incomparable to anything out there and dark fantasy atmosphere at its best, bit different than dark souls 1 but still the same...forget all the boys that can't setup mouse controls or are annoyed by the early bugs, you don't give this jewel of the a game a bad review because of couple bugs, there is just nothing on the market similar to this experience… Expand
  91. Diume
    May 2, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do want to give a fair view on the dark souls 2. Some people say it is hard so it is bad, and some say it is hard so it is great.
    It is important to point out no game is suitable for everyone, so do not trust other but trust yourself. I think Dark Souls II is great when compare to other BAD games like Ride to He__. Dark Souls sound track, environment, map design, ambush, attack move, level balance, shows what BAD game can not make it. The fun of Dark Souls is that you die so many times to beat a FKing boss but when you finally did it, it feels fking good. What improves form Dark souls 1 is the muti online and the half health thing. I know some of you think it makes the game soooo much easier BUT it is the point of Dark Souls. You can choose to be bad (invade other player), or play good (help other player beat boss). The game help finds you true self, be bad or be good?
    Overall, the level design is the best base on all other game(not include Dark Souls 1). I have not seen a single game would put so much effort to build a old-classic world while now people want to play Call of D__ or Battle Fie__ or Titan Fa__ these based-advanced-world setting. Namco Games is brave that to make Dark Souls 2. So my support of this game is not only for Namco but the entire game society, I do want more game that not like Counter Str___, Left _ Dead...

    IF YOU JUST PLAY THIS GAME FOR ONLY FEW HOURS, AND SAY IT IS BAD, DO NOT PLAY DARK SOULS 1, 2 and even 3.    … Expand
  92. maximusgi
    May 2, 2014
    10
    It seems like every other user review mentions something about crappy keyboard controls and the rest mention being disappointed with the graphics or the game is too hard for them. CRYBABIES! Waaah.

    Seriously, if you aren't done breast feeding yet, you don't need to be playing this game. This game has console roots, so the fact that you are trying to play it with inferior kb and mouse    It seems like every other user review mentions something about crappy keyboard controls and the rest mention being disappointed with the graphics or the game is too hard for them. CRYBABIES! Waaah.

    Seriously, if you aren't done breast feeding yet, you don't need to be playing this game. This game has console roots, so the fact that you are trying to play it with inferior kb and mouse is ridiculous. Many steam games play better with an xbox 360 pc controller so why not take the time to invest in one.. This is NOT a first person shooter so stop treating it like one. Stop dogging the game over stupid things like kb and mouse controls.

    If you don't like the graphics, fine - I get that - it's not the best in the world and maybe it is a far cry from what was demo'd, but the graphics ARE better than the first game and I've not experienced any game bugs yet after hours of gameplay. Levels, enemies, and bosses are still very interesting and carry a lot of surprises which keep the gameplay fresh.

    And stop whining about the friggin difficulty for crying out loud. If you have played and beaten a Souls game before, you should feel right at home, but if you haven't, try going back and playing Dark Souls or Demon Souls and find they are just as difficult.

    This game is about doing things right the first time and paying close attention to every battle and every thing you do. If you play carefully, you will avoid a lot of the deaths and won't have as much issue with the declining life bar. If you play carelessly you WILL be punished. That is by design - if you don't like it go back to your Call of Duty garbage or your brainless, spineless shooter games that let you save the game every step or heal automatically back to full health every few seconds. Don't throw a game under the bus that is tailored to the hardcore gamers out there that enjoy a good challenge and don't expect to have the game completed for them on a silver platter. It's not your cup of tea - I get it. But it is BY DESIGN to be difficult.

    The controls are fine, graphics are more than serviceable, there is a lot of depth to the game, and a much more in depth character creation system than the previous game. If you don't like the 4 preset faces, then customize one of your own for crying out loud! The game DOES let you do that. And if you are trying to decide to buy the game based on the user reviews, keep in mind that if you filter out the nonsense 0 score reviews due to stupid stuff like convoluted kb and mouse controls and gamers that whine about the difficulty, the game would receive much higher scores.

    The critics got it right this time. Read some of those reviews, they much more closely represent what this game is about and are more thought out than so many of these user reviews are (I'm talking to you 0 review whiners - what I like to call the dumb masses). If you don't like one element of the game don't condemn the entire game, take off a point or two, but not 10.

    How can people take your review seriously when it is OBVIOUS you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. If you dislike the game and want to give it a negative review - fine - just intelligently explain your case and don't over criticize the game for adhering to its roots. And please do the rest of us a favor: grow up, wise up, man up (except for you lady gamers out there), or shut up.    … Expand
  93. Indik47
    May 2, 2014
    10
    What a great game! Gorgeous world for exploration, tons of secrets, items and bosses to defeat. I can`t beleive From S did the same game third time - and it still plays fresh and crispy. Top job for sure!
  94. awais142
    May 2, 2014
    9
    You know what.. i made a mistake this game is actually damn fun, ive stated mechanical problems and graphical problems but there so much rewarding experiences in the game that make you forget all that stuff. Hell even the controls on mouse and keyboard took me 2-3 hours to get used to, i cant imagine using a controller now. This game is damn exciting and i have to admit i did exaggerate,You know what.. i made a mistake this game is actually damn fun, ive stated mechanical problems and graphical problems but there so much rewarding experiences in the game that make you forget all that stuff. Hell even the controls on mouse and keyboard took me 2-3 hours to get used to, i cant imagine using a controller now. This game is damn exciting and i have to admit i did exaggerate, but the games endless loot rewards and coop is so damn fun. Wielding a giant cloud strife style buster sword has never felt like an actual greatsword. Great game, forget my negative past posts they are irrelevant now. Ignore the haters, i know i was one but this game has truly got me hooked after playing few bosses.… Expand
  95. TBAAGamer
    May 2, 2014
    0
    This gaem is to hard.
    It's really, really hard, I can't enjoy a game this hard
    this is liek, japan levels of hard.
    Nope, this gaem is to hard, it's bad because it's hard.
  96. kinom
    May 2, 2014
    7
    Not a bad game. It can be a little...er, wonky, on PC, but still an enjoyable game. I'm not sure how many play through's I'll do (it can be an unforgiving brute of a game) but but certainly more than one.
  97. Commodent
    May 2, 2014
    10
    This game is fantastic. I did not play the first game, as it was so horribly optimalized PC, but with this time the studio has done a magnificent job. Yes, it does have Xbox icons, but this is no problem as all the keybindings are listed up in the settings. The controls feels very natural, too, although some people seem to disagree. It does have minor issues, but the atmosphere,This game is fantastic. I did not play the first game, as it was so horribly optimalized PC, but with this time the studio has done a magnificent job. Yes, it does have Xbox icons, but this is no problem as all the keybindings are listed up in the settings. The controls feels very natural, too, although some people seem to disagree. It does have minor issues, but the atmosphere, performance, the challenging gameplay and sense of achievement makes this one of my biggest favorites of all time. 10/10 - no doubt!… Expand
  98. PixelCheese
    May 2, 2014
    0
    Lies, lies everywhere. this was gonna be a good port they said.... what a load of crap. Dont believe those critics that score this game 10/10. You've got to be blind to score this game 10/10 or time traveled from 1990s.
  99. Cattington
    May 2, 2014
    10
    The game content is amazing. I've had no problem running the game, even on very low performance machine. While some people are having critical issues that are a shame, this is a great PC port in terms of graphical options and higher performance.

    A big issue that people need to be aware of is that this game does not control well without some kind of controller. When buying this game    The game content is amazing. I've had no problem running the game, even on very low performance machine. While some people are having critical issues that are a shame, this is a great PC port in terms of graphical options and higher performance.

    A big issue that people need to be aware of is that this game does not control well without some kind of controller. When buying this game make sure to keep that in mind. We all know this is a PC port, but the game was designed with a controller in mind, so use a controller, or be prepared for an uphill battle.    … Expand
  100. Hobbit
    May 1, 2014
    1
    I've played a lot of video games, and I'm okay with a degree of difficulty but after four days of trying a melee character and just dying over and over and over with no progress this just wasn't any fun. No easy mode to get to learn the game the first time thru, no way to sell gear gathered during repeated deaths to get some better basic gear. No real way to warm up to this game,I've played a lot of video games, and I'm okay with a degree of difficulty but after four days of trying a melee character and just dying over and over and over with no progress this just wasn't any fun. No easy mode to get to learn the game the first time thru, no way to sell gear gathered during repeated deaths to get some better basic gear. No real way to warm up to this game, disappointing waste of money for me. Can see how hard core gamers might enjoy the challenge but would think some form of difficulty scaling so others who buy the game and just want of play in offline mode could get something out of it would be a nice feature.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 2014
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
12
#12 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. CD-Action
    Jul 23, 2014
    95
    This game’s playability puts to shame everything that’s been released for the new generation of consoles. [06/2014, p.54]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Jun 6, 2014
    90
    The definitive Dark Souls II experience, the latest entry to The Souls series shines on the PC. [June 2014, p.50]
  3. Riot Pixels
    Jun 5, 2014
    80
    If you’re a fan of hardcore games, try Dark Souls 2. It is not as memorable as its predecessor, and yet it is still a phenomenal experience.
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