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. 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
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. Squeze
    Sep 18, 2014
    7
    I had great expectations on this game so I might be a little upset when writing this.
    Basically this game is the same as Dark Souls II, but someway worse.
    Why? It's a lot easier!! 1) Since the very beginning you can travel around bonfires you discovered and this is a MASSIVE help as I find myself dying a lot on the first one especially when travelling to reach a safe bonfire and spend    I had great expectations on this game so I might be a little upset when writing this.
    Basically this game is the same as Dark Souls II, but someway worse.
    Why? It's a lot easier!!
    1) Since the very beginning you can travel around bonfires you discovered and this is a MASSIVE help as I find myself dying a lot on the first one especially when travelling to reach a safe bonfire and spend my souls.
    2) You will farm thousands of items to heal you, I finished the game with more than 50 healing items that really makes the estus flask not that vital anymore.
    3) There are 30+ bosses but 80% of them are so easy that you can beat em by yourself without any help! Probably if you are good some of them wont even hit you once.
    Is true, you can choose the champions path and do all by yourself and solve part of this problem, but still some bosses are almost silly (and I played without any magic or fire stuff and without following any guide)

    Pvp is decent but finite to few areas, and what is really lacking is the old style random invasion by random guy that wants to steal your souls, I played almost 50 hrs in this game and I have not been invaded once!! Not a single time!!.

    Would I recommend it? Yes, still it's a very good game with a unique dark atmosphere and still is harder than most of the games around, but the first was better.

    Pros
    + Larger map and more areas
    + Nice atmosphere as usual
    + Many bosses
    Cons
    -...but most of them quite weak
    -Basically easier than dark souls I and the difficulty is the SOUL of this game :)

    77/100    … Expand
  5. nima1990
    May 20, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A lot of people criticize why this game shows Xbox controller buttons but that is merely an excuse for just being a hater. Dark Souls II was one of the best action adventure games I've ever played. I don't consider it an RPG but that doesn't make it any less fantastic. The story involves you from beginning to the end and the visuals and character modeling is stunning, specially on PC. Combat never gets dull and the enemies are never the same in two different areas. The ending makes you think about why you did all that, just to sit on a throne locked in a cave? Dark Souls II shows many hollow concepts of life and it has a deep and meaningful narrative. It was leagues above the original Dark Souls in every way specially story-wise.… Expand
  6. MageValerie
    Jun 8, 2014
    2
    This game is literally unplayable on PC. I wish I could actually review it based on I don't know, playing the game? The controls are a nightmare to figure out, and barely work once they do. I've experienced freezing and crashing beyond any other game I've ever played. How about next time a game doesn't work for PC, DON'T RELEASE IT ON PC. Serious waste of money.
  7. Windolicker
    Apr 21, 2020
    3
    I tried to love this game. I just can't. It also really drives me crazy that there are fanboys who get so bent out of shape if anypne doesn't like this game. Look at every other From Software game.....there is something missing in DS2. I think there is credibility to the "B team" speculation. I have a huge ptoblem with the lore in this game; put of everything I think that is my biggestI tried to love this game. I just can't. It also really drives me crazy that there are fanboys who get so bent out of shape if anypne doesn't like this game. Look at every other From Software game.....there is something missing in DS2. I think there is credibility to the "B team" speculation. I have a huge ptoblem with the lore in this game; put of everything I think that is my biggest problem. I fell in love with the characters from DS1 and all of the lore. DS2 just throws it out and keeps the same framework. I don't even consider this installment to be canonical. DS3 is the true sequel and the only reason it included a few things from DS2 was probably due to the fact that it wpuld be a hive controversy to not include anything from it. Everything about this game seems uninspired. Whereas DS3 and DS1 are masterpieces. Wtf happened?!… Expand
  8. leaveit
    May 22, 2014
    7
    Better port, worse game than Dark Souls 1. Performance is really quite incredible and the game can even run on my $200 laptop with integrated graphics. I have not yet failed a connection. Input seems fine. All the problems with the above seem to have been patched as of this review. As for the game itself, I'm displeased with some of the design choices. First and foremost, the weaponBetter port, worse game than Dark Souls 1. Performance is really quite incredible and the game can even run on my $200 laptop with integrated graphics. I have not yet failed a connection. Input seems fine. All the problems with the above seem to have been patched as of this review. As for the game itself, I'm displeased with some of the design choices. First and foremost, the weapon durability is absurd. If you slash a man armed with nothing more than cloth 60 times with a sharp knife, the knife will not break, yet this is exactly what happens in this game. Whereas item durability was more of a long-term problem in Dark Souls 1, you will find your items getting close to breaking after killing 10 or so enemies without returning to a bonfire. There are items that slow degradation, of course... But only by up to 50%. Secondly, the soul memory limit for coop is incredibly annoying and, halfway through the game when bosses start dropping 50,000+ souls (the limit), helping one or two of a party with a boss could boot the last person out of range in soul memory. This is effective for game balance, but what is the point of balancing a PvE experience? The fights are no more difficult than they were to begin with anyway. Quite annoying. Poise is awful in this game, and most weapons can easily attain poise break in a short chain or with a strong attack, so the modus operandi is rolling, and yet rolling is slower and with fewer invincibility frames than in DS 1. At the same time, shields with 100% physical resist have higher requirements and are found later in the game. In other words, they made it more likely that you're going to be hit and take damage. The defense values also make pretty little sense, as you can achieve outstandingly high damage reductions early on in the game by DS 1 standards, and yet you can still be killed in two or three hits.

    Overall, the game design is much more slack, and it is superior from a technical standpoint compared to DS 1.    … Expand
  9. 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
  10. paul_
    Sep 26, 2014
    9
    Great game! But not without fails. Controls are awful, graphics are not so good at all but overall strong 9 from me. If you fan of hardcore RPG + hack and slash - grab it !
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. ItsFrootLoops
    May 27, 2014
    7
    Yes, this game was more brutal than the first and while I almost threw my pad out of the window I still had fun. The games graphics seem a lot better on the PC version and it is a very nice looking game, the world and combat seems a lot more improved since the first and I had a good time playing this game
  18. 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
  19. masterkiser
    May 27, 2014
    8
    When I went into this game i had doubts and in all honesty I hated it at first. but after i beat the last giant (first boss) I was Rewarded greatly and i started to enjoy myself. One of my only complaints are the Hit boxes I've Dodged attacks from enemies and still took damage luckily It didn't happen as much as I was afraid it would. Overall this is an awesome game and its worth everyWhen I went into this game i had doubts and in all honesty I hated it at first. but after i beat the last giant (first boss) I was Rewarded greatly and i started to enjoy myself. One of my only complaints are the Hit boxes I've Dodged attacks from enemies and still took damage luckily It didn't happen as much as I was afraid it would. Overall this is an awesome game and its worth every penny if you don't have it go out and buy it now! you won't regret it!… Expand
  20. maximilianschme
    Jun 24, 2014
    9
    The best Action/RPG/HacknSlay i have played the last years.
    But i have to say, it is a shame, that you can't play the game with a keyboard and mouse very well, you really have to use a controller, like the 360 controller.
    I purchased a xbox 360 controller just for this game and i still not regret it, besides the great quality of that controller, the game really went up from 5 to 9 with a    The best Action/RPG/HacknSlay i have played the last years.
    But i have to say, it is a shame, that you can't play the game with a keyboard and mouse very well, you really have to use a controller, like the 360 controller.
    I purchased a xbox 360 controller just for this game and i still not regret it, besides the great quality of that controller, the game really went up from 5 to 9 with a gamepad.

    The game has changed a lot compared to Dark Souls 1, but i loved all the changes.
    For example your stuff and health will be repaired if you rest at a bonefire, so you are not forced to repair all the time.
    Also the World isn't anymore designed that you have to run hours just to get to the next smith.
    In Dark Souls 2, you have a Mainplace, like in dark souls 1, but this time it is diffrent and i will not spoil anything.
    I finished Dark Souls 2, i don't finished Dark Souls 1, why? because i was to low skilled to beat all the bosses and you are forced to kill all the enemys on the way to a boss in Dark Souls 1.
    this was changed in Dark Souls 2 (thank you!), now you have mostly a bonfire next to a boss or at least, you have to clear the area 15(or was it 12?) times, after that, the enemys will not spawn anymore, but you have to kill each enemy 15 times.
    You can reset this, but i will not spoil this (google it, if you want to know!).
    So this is the first big change, more Bonefires, but also you can teleport to each Bonefire at start, but only to one you found and activate.
    The menus are changed to you get used to them pretty fast, also the player has a little delay now, putting up the shield could take you a second but same here, you get used to it very fast.
    I like the enemy design, but the only problem i see with Dark Souls 2 compared to Dark Souls 1, is the world/story.
    You have a lot of Enemys/Npcs/items you really don't know and never will know about, i finished the game with 3 diffrent characters + one with N(ew)G(ame)+ but i still don't know what some npcs do, there just there and do nothing more in the game.
    But beside this, i love the game, you can summon help, you can help other people...and you still can get invaded, but more on specific parts of the map.
    I don't get invaded on many parts of the map, but on some parts i get invaded each 10 minutes.
    So in my opinion, i loved from software for removing the "try &error", also the boenfire(teleportation) and fair bosses, to be honest, some of the bosses in Dark Souls 1 are very unfair (damn you capra demon!).
    Now with Dark Souls 2, i had a lot of fun, the changes are understandable and clever.
    But i think for the pro-gamers who finished DS1 like 3 times, are a bit disapointed, but for that you can still use one item, which makes the game even harder!

    The only disapointment was the last boss, after i killed the boss i was like "thats it?" even for me, it was way to easy.    … Expand
  21. maxim1996
    Jul 10, 2014
    7
    Dark souls 2 at the bottom line was an over-hyped game that doesn't deserve all the high scores that many reviewers gave it, but in the same time the game doesn't deserve all the extremely low scores that some users gave it. Dark souls 2 is an improvement over the disaster port that was dark souls 1 that was literally unplayable on PC. One of the first issues that bothered me with thisDark souls 2 at the bottom line was an over-hyped game that doesn't deserve all the high scores that many reviewers gave it, but in the same time the game doesn't deserve all the extremely low scores that some users gave it. Dark souls 2 is an improvement over the disaster port that was dark souls 1 that was literally unplayable on PC. One of the first issues that bothered me with this game is the promise of the developers to make an original PC game and then port it to the consoles. During the first dark souls game play videos we saw a much more impressive graphical game that had a beautiful lightning engine, but unfortunately all we got in the final product is a slightly improved graphical version dark souls 1. Dark souls 2 in its core is all about over coming challenges and getting rewarded for it. Dark souls 2 is a game that is challenging, but can be easily exploited in many ways to make it easier. For example when you die in dark souls 2 your are revived as a hollowed undead that looses a part of his total health bar. The more you die the more health you loose until you drop to 50% of your total health. To reverse this process you must use a rare item that is called human effigy, but you can easily avoid all of this by wearing the ring of life protection that not only protects you from turning hollowed, but also saves all of your souls that you will loose when dying. And to use the ring again you just need to pay 3000 souls to repair it(not a large amount of souls). Dark souls 2 pvp in the bottom line is just broken. The poor connection causes awkward situations in which you might do a direct hit only to see how your enemy ignores your attack and back stabs you from behind. On the other hand their is a large variety of pvp engagements. There is a large verity of pvp covenants that you can join to experience your pvp from a different perspective. Dark souls 2 doesn't treat you like a child, you can kill who ever you want to kill and bear the consequences. Dark souls 2 lacks 1 huge key element that the previous 2 games did, interesting bosses. Most of the bosses in dark souls 2 are your typical RPG bosses. For the most part the only way the game manages to make the boss battles more difficult is by adding a couple of more enemies on your screen that you cant follow because of the poor lock on system in the game like the Ruin sentinels or the twin dragon riders. In those fights you always find yourself fighting the camera more than the actual bosses. The other way dark souls 2 makes difficult bosses is by adding just annoying abilities or raising the boss health stats to ridiculous levels like old king Vendrick that is just boring to fight with or the Royal Rat authority that can break your armor instantly with its toxic liquid. On the other hand there are a couple of fun bosses like the Smelter Demon or the Pursuer that can give you a fun and a challenging fight . The plot of the game sadly falls apart. The amount of unknown mystery and the amount of unanswered questions in the game give you the impression that the developers were just too lazy to write a proper story for the game and just decided to cover everything with "mystery". When you reach the end of the game and face Nashandra that we know very little about her true story and reasons for her hostility to you (honestly we know almost nothing about who she even is). After a very boring and a slow fight in which if you are a ranged character you might find this the easiest boss in the game while every melee character will probably get cursed by her curse fog that is around her. After you finish her off you go to the throne room to sit on the throne because? And then you pretty much hear the following message that tells you that no matter what you choose it will result in the same cycle that was in dark souls 1 or in other words the whole game was pointless from the start to finish. For me this killed dark souls. From that very moment I stopped taking a game seriously and just continued to play to finish my build to find myself quitting the moment I finished building it. I wont even bother to discuss the rest of the characters of the game because they became pointless the moment I reached the end of the game. In conclusion dark souls 2 might be a challenging game that you might find fun if you like challenges, but you cant take it seriously because of the almost none existing story(lore does not count if your actual plot does not exist). I believe that dark souls game is still a pretty good game despite all the flaws in the game because when dark souls 2 does it right. IT does it perfectly right and it leaves you with a satisfaction that will stay with you for a long time.… Expand
  22. Stilloffside
    Jul 11, 2014
    9
    I give this a 9.5 but there are no .5's here...

    The souls games are arguably the best RPG games on the market (in my opinion). Neither title apologize from start to finish...They both have their technical short comings and can be cause for frustration but the core of each title, the depth, the literal...OK GO aspect to the games mentality separates them from other RPG's period. I am    I give this a 9.5 but there are no .5's here...

    The souls games are arguably the best RPG games on the market (in my opinion). Neither title apologize from start to finish...They both have their technical short comings and can be cause for frustration but the core of each title, the depth, the literal...OK GO aspect to the games mentality separates them from other RPG's period.

    I am so mentally exhausted over RPGs highlighting the path...making *the thing to pickup glow...Dark Souls series games literally show a lovely cut scene and then like I said basically boot you in the ass and tell you to go like you would a teenager who needed to find a job.

    Dark souls II made up for a lot of the PVP short comings and connection issues that Prepare to Die had (on PC). The PVE felt very similar and was only made *easier due to the face that most people sort of knew what a souls game was. Dark Souls perpare to die was vicious... almost like a Great White Shark swimming in chum. Dark Souls II however was still vicious but a lot more fun...like a Great White Shark wearing a Party hat..

    I have over a 115 hours into this title...two level 130 + characters and almost every day I still get the urge to start again...try a different build and really just be in that Dark Souls world. The atmosphere created especially with a could ENB tweaks (PC again) literally make me "Praise the sun!" around almost every corner.

    The sound...the voice acting...the depth are all second to none. Sure the NPC characters mouths dont move but the pure voice acting is spot on...The complexity you can find in this world if your patience is high is unmatched.

    Some people moan about having to use a controller on a PC game...(insert cricket noises here). I have had a controller in my hand since my first DX 4-100 that I built in the late 80's...they are for gaming and PC's are the master race of gaming...so no big issue for me there.

    I can only hope for more souls games...at a minimum DLC content soon.

    I have heard that Demon Souls may get a part II which would be epic considering I never got the chance to play (never came to PC)

    Dont miss this game if your a true hardcore RPG fan...    … Expand
  23. Jannus
    Jul 30, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls, can there be any argument this is the most innovative entry to the RPG genre in a very long time? It may be low on direct narrative and high on twitch gaming skill demand, but It also requires grasping the games solid character stats basis, and a continual piecing together of the deep, subtly hidden narrative (e.g. in NPC backstory & item provenance), requirements immediatelyDark Souls, can there be any argument this is the most innovative entry to the RPG genre in a very long time? It may be low on direct narrative and high on twitch gaming skill demand, but It also requires grasping the games solid character stats basis, and a continual piecing together of the deep, subtly hidden narrative (e.g. in NPC backstory & item provenance), requirements immediately reminiscent of 'oldskool' and implemented faithfully here, even though the gameplay is very much a new beast.

    The technical triumph of Dark Souls is its melee combat, each weapon type (~20 in all) has its own moveset enabling wildly differing combat depending primarily on what the player chooses, although being comfortable swinging them all pays off as adapting beyond your comfort zone will be required and weapon set knowledge transfers an advantage (logically) against the many devious enemies on your path. No other game has accomplished such a consistent portrayal of hand to hand combat, it has a high learning curve, but once peaked it becomes intensely satisfying.

    And for me personally thats where the real triumph of Dark Souls resides, utterly regardless of normal narrative techniques to involve the player emotionally, this games combat (incorporating the whole death-hallowed-life cycle) has managed to make me identify closer with my nameless & voiceless avatar than the vast majority of all the great cRPGs of the past.

    It's a Masterpiece, get it & don't give up !

    DS2 (vanilla) is moderately better than DS1 (fully patched & modded) in PC responsiveness, DS1 remains the more difficult game, arguably slightly better on that score, and a more interesting hallowing mechanic, but I imagine some of the "streamlining" for 2 is probably a good thing designed to ease new people into the world better.

    Make no mistake, these games will challenge & disturb you !    … Expand
  24. Dzoki
    Aug 13, 2014
    10
    I like this rpg so much. From start it take you on battlefield, you need to survive, equip, loot and even dont died. Sooo like.. From 1, second version looks more advanced and pretty, graphic isnt best, but who cares about graphic ? For me its black horse for 2014, even DLC content looks nice for that money. So guys buy it, buy milk, cacao go to pc and start the best rpg journey right now ;)
  25. Ateb
    Oct 20, 2014
    10
    Great game!
    Finally a game for adults, and geeks. You need to know the mechanics before it become fun!

    So give it a try and don't get up before you've slain your first boss! which is a awesome feeling!
    After you defeated the single player game, jump in to multiplayer! Best multiplayer game I know!
  26. Deroni76
    Oct 21, 2014
    10
    Gift this game to someone you hate, they'll probably kill themselves after having played 10 minutes of this, without you having to do anything with it. 10/10
  27. BrilloMcSporran
    Feb 12, 2015
    9
    Might have come from the consoles, but this was in my opinion one of the better games I've played recently.
    Sure it's had some problems, but they've been sorted out by and large.
  28. JabberwocksBane
    Mar 11, 2016
    9
    PC controls are in no stretch of the word awful. They are stif and not very keen for changes.

    That's why you absolutely HAVE to play it with a controler. When you have a controler the PC version is undeniably the best one. Everything runs at smooth 60FPS and the textures looks gorgeous. I tell you buy it on steam pick up an xbox controler and you are set for one hell of a ride (or    PC controls are in no stretch of the word awful. They are stif and not very keen for changes.

    That's why you absolutely HAVE to play it with a controler. When you have a controler the PC version is undeniably the best one. Everything runs at smooth 60FPS and the textures looks gorgeous.

    I tell you buy it on steam pick up an xbox controler and you are set for one hell of a ride (or ride of hell - this is dark souls after all)    … Expand
  29. perric
    Oct 21, 2015
    7
    So don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy this game, but after playing it first on ps3 and beating it, then playing and beating it on PC I have some real problems. Most of my issues are similar to everyone else's, how the whole experience just feels kinda phoned in by the team. The bizarre way the world is connected, the nonsensical story that is just weird for the sake of it instead ofSo don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy this game, but after playing it first on ps3 and beating it, then playing and beating it on PC I have some real problems. Most of my issues are similar to everyone else's, how the whole experience just feels kinda phoned in by the team. The bizarre way the world is connected, the nonsensical story that is just weird for the sake of it instead of having any actual depth, the shoddy hit detection, etc.

    Game **** runs AMAZINGLY good though and looks great. Shame they never fixed the durability bug    … Expand
  30. Wiebe
    Feb 27, 2020
    4
    Not a pc game, don't play it if you are a pc gamer, if you like consoles this might be for you, it just wasn't for me
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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.
    Read full review
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