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. Barto
    Apr 28, 2014
    10
    This game is meant to be played with a controller. If you don't have one or do not like this restriction, just don't buy it.

    That said, the game is amazing. It is an amazing sequence and has everything that makes the souls series great. Some may find it easier than the first one, but that does not make it much less of a challenge. The game is also not too demanding on hardware - I'm    This game is meant to be played with a controller. If you don't have one or do not like this restriction, just don't buy it.

    That said, the game is amazing. It is an amazing sequence and has everything that makes the souls series great. Some may find it easier than the first one, but that does not make it much less of a challenge.

    The game is also not too demanding on hardware - I'm able to play it well in low settings (but 1920x1080) in my laptop with a GeForce GT 525M. Those looking for beautiful graphics might not like it (although I do - in doubt check any video reviews or screenshots), but I'm in it for the game play, which is amazing.

    Those complaining about the slow movements are probably spoiled kids that do no have the patience to learn the game and cry whenever they die (which will happen a lot).    … Expand
  2. Denistzur
    Jul 30, 2014
    3
    This game is the most ANNOYING RPG game i ever played (and i'm a huge fan of Skyrim and WoW) Where in those games things went smooth and reasonable, here everything is crappy, EVERYTHING : respawn mechanics are bad, key binding are just terrible and after 3 days i sent a mail asking to money refound: i'm done with this crap
  3. deltaop007
    Aug 22, 2014
    0
    One of the worst ports in recent history, it even leaves the abysmal Watch Dogs behind. First of all the key bindings are all locked to the 360 controller. I had to mash every single key to open the door before those old ladies cut scene. Secondly, the game crashes inexplicably at various points. I have the machine to run it at the highest settings without a hitch yet it is agonizinglyOne of the worst ports in recent history, it even leaves the abysmal Watch Dogs behind. First of all the key bindings are all locked to the 360 controller. I had to mash every single key to open the door before those old ladies cut scene. Secondly, the game crashes inexplicably at various points. I have the machine to run it at the highest settings without a hitch yet it is agonizingly programmed for failure. I gave up on this game after around 40 minutes. Believe me, this game is crap.… Expand
  4. udmatador
    Apr 28, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls 2 is not for a casual gamer. I think half of the negative reviews are written without that in mind. The game is grueling at times and super rewarding at others. I recommend playing with a controller but the KB/M is much better than it was in DS1, but it still does not compare to using a controller. That's the only bad thing I have to say about this game so far and I'm 90Dark Souls 2 is not for a casual gamer. I think half of the negative reviews are written without that in mind. The game is grueling at times and super rewarding at others. I recommend playing with a controller but the KB/M is much better than it was in DS1, but it still does not compare to using a controller. That's the only bad thing I have to say about this game so far and I'm 90 hours in.

    This game is perfect for the gamer who doesn't need online games (though it's available and it's completely optional). This game reminded me how easy games have gotten these days. Dying can be extremely punishing in this game, so bring a helmet and nerves of steel. DS2 requires patience, persistence, and resolve. Don't buy this game if you're expecting some whimsical adventure through a dark world full of monsters and demons because you're not going to get that. The game play is good but requires timing and skill (though even with the most skilled hands you'll still get beat up and killed in the most unfair fashion even...so be prepared to deal with that lol).

    After everything is said and done I recommend this game for those who are not quitters or casuals. The gamer who likes to brutalize themselves and still pick themselves back up and complete the task at hand.

    this game get's a 9 because it's a well put together game and it's nice to see a title that really brings the skill back to the genre.    … Expand
  5. KingofNoobs
    Apr 29, 2014
    5
    50 euros? 3 years ago pc games had 30 euros.Now 50 for crap games and in 2 weeks steam will sell it at 20 30. So tiring that didnt even played more than 30 mins
  6. ReviewForDSII
    Apr 28, 2014
    8
    First, I'd like to start off by saying that this is a great game. However, I see that too many people are complaining about a bad PC port. I disagree with that. A friend of mine and I can both manage just fine with the keyboard controls. Also, the graphics are slightly better than console, which is a nice plus. It also runs at 60 FPS and 1080p no problem. My GPU runs so cool. It runs atFirst, I'd like to start off by saying that this is a great game. However, I see that too many people are complaining about a bad PC port. I disagree with that. A friend of mine and I can both manage just fine with the keyboard controls. Also, the graphics are slightly better than console, which is a nice plus. It also runs at 60 FPS and 1080p no problem. My GPU runs so cool. It runs at idle temperatures. That's a bonus for me.

    Game play is solid and feels like a Souls game should. Bosses are phenomenal and I feel like multiplayer works much better in this game than it has in the past. The only reason this game isn't getting a 10/10 from me is because they lied about the graphics and the controls in game still show the Xbox controller buttons. Still a great game to play with friends and by yourself. I definitely recommend it.    … Expand
  7. Makaveli
    Apr 26, 2014
    0
    I bought Dark Souls 2 for PS3 on release. I also bought it on PC because I heard that it was suppose to be even better than the console version... What a waste of money on buying this mess of a port... It hurts me to say anything against FROMSOFTWARE as they are my favorite dev but I can't let this slide..

    I have a pretty powerful gaming PC so how come I can't play Dark Souls 2... I    I bought Dark Souls 2 for PS3 on release. I also bought it on PC because I heard that it was suppose to be even better than the console version... What a waste of money on buying this mess of a port... It hurts me to say anything against FROMSOFTWARE as they are my favorite dev but I can't let this slide..

    I have a pretty powerful gaming PC so how come I can't play Dark Souls 2... I tried to start the game and I got this white screen... I retried.white screen... FINALLY, I got the game to "work" I get all the way to Majula and right when I sat at the bonfire the game crashed... I tried again...... got a white screen AGAIN.... This game is a POS and was suppose to be better than the console version.. I can see that the graphics are a little better but the controls are ASS on PC... Fromsoftware you lied to us and said that it will be possible to play your game with mouse and keyboard.... OK fine... But most of us are not psychic and know what keys are used for what because you use a xbox controller as a guide.. This game was suppose to be optimized for KB&M.. it's not...

    The console version is the better version albeit the graphics are not as good atleast you can PLAY THE GAME.... I know a lot of people will say " they will patch it".... well the game should be finished before release. I like to relax and play a game every now and then, so why the F do I have to F around with stuff just so I can play 5 mins? We pay 60 bucks for a game that is broken? This is not ok and I do not pay money to be a beta tester, you want me to test your game you give me money because the stress I went through trying to start this game and figure out how to control it is work... Fromsoftware... Stick to console games because you suck at PC and that hurts me to say it but ti's true.. I don't want you to become like most other devs and rush though things just for a quick buck... If you want to play this game, play it on PS3 or 360 don't play this garbage on PC......

    Very good game on consoles I must say...    … Expand
  8. 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.
  9. chr0nix
    Apr 28, 2014
    10
    I just got gang-banged by Three Little Pigs.

    The Good: · Rogue-like and addictive atmosphere. · Everything has improved over the old versions. · Hardcore. · Awesome story. The Bad: · Hardcore (for people that don't like it). · Need a controller since keyboard and mouse is impossible to play with. · You will die. Final verdict: · If you like a challenge, you'll love this    I just got gang-banged by Three Little Pigs.

    The Good:
    · Rogue-like and addictive atmosphere.
    · Everything has improved over the old versions.
    · Hardcore.
    · Awesome story.

    The Bad:
    · Hardcore (for people that don't like it).
    · Need a controller since keyboard and mouse is impossible to play with.
    · You will die.

    Final verdict:
    · If you like a challenge, you'll love this game. One of the most addictive games I have ever played.    … Expand
  10. 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
  11. AgonyEU
    Apr 26, 2014
    10
    A brilliant addition to the series. DaS 2 managed to stun me after playing 500+ hours in DaS 1. Most notably it was the tight gameplay feel, variety of bosses, paths and weapons and armour selection. Covenants (albeit in need of patchfix) are really well done. I was worried that this game might be too easy for me after so many hours in Dark Souls but it managed to up the difficulty andA brilliant addition to the series. DaS 2 managed to stun me after playing 500+ hours in DaS 1. Most notably it was the tight gameplay feel, variety of bosses, paths and weapons and armour selection. Covenants (albeit in need of patchfix) are really well done. I was worried that this game might be too easy for me after so many hours in Dark Souls but it managed to up the difficulty and provide a challenge. Bravo, From!… Expand
  12. lozzer22
    Apr 27, 2014
    3
    The hitboxes are completely screwed, meaning any feeling of accomplishment from skilfully dodging an enemy is quickly lost as they somehow hit you from meters to the side. The controls of your character are also very unresponsive, after attacking you'll have to hit the button five or so times and wait for the animation of your character taking a quick break mid-combat to finish before youThe hitboxes are completely screwed, meaning any feeling of accomplishment from skilfully dodging an enemy is quickly lost as they somehow hit you from meters to the side. The controls of your character are also very unresponsive, after attacking you'll have to hit the button five or so times and wait for the animation of your character taking a quick break mid-combat to finish before you can roll out of the way. For a game that required skill and precision timing this just isn't good enough.… Expand
  13. bjaz
    Nov 15, 2014
    3
    Understanding the story is most tough job while playing this game
    Will enjoy the game first time,but after sometime players will get board & go to sleep
    Also This game is not well optimized for pc but console
    It's a REAL disappointment for a RPG game
  14. rafanerd
    Apr 30, 2014
    10
    As you can see by the level of the negative "reviews" here, everyone complaining either:
    1) Refuses to use a joystick
    2) Have a crappy gpu Seriously, this game is a masterpiece on it's genre, just like it's predecessors (Demon Souls and Dark Souls). If you liked them, you can't go wrong with DS2, since it improve the previous installments in many ways. But if you don't, well, you    As you can see by the level of the negative "reviews" here, everyone complaining either:
    1) Refuses to use a joystick
    2) Have a crappy gpu

    Seriously, this game is a masterpiece on it's genre, just like it's predecessors (Demon Souls and Dark Souls). If you liked them, you can't go wrong with DS2, since it improve the previous installments in many ways. But if you don't, well, you won't like it cause it's basically more of the same.    … Expand
  15. Cloud981
    Apr 28, 2014
    10
    Once again a masterpiece!!! Souls games are not about graphics or flashy effects,but about gameplay, which is again brilliant and best in class. Difficult and frustrating as always,it push you constantly to learn something new about your opponents,but it's that satisfaction and reward after the fight what makes this experience one of a kind. With graphics greatly upgraded over itsOnce again a masterpiece!!! Souls games are not about graphics or flashy effects,but about gameplay, which is again brilliant and best in class. Difficult and frustrating as always,it push you constantly to learn something new about your opponents,but it's that satisfaction and reward after the fight what makes this experience one of a kind. With graphics greatly upgraded over its predecessor (runs smoothly 60 fps on my average gaming PC on high settings),and other minor tweaks regarding gameplay is what makes it a worthy successor to one of the best games ever made!!! >>>TheGame is meant to be played with controller!!!… Expand
  16. badjim
    Apr 27, 2014
    1
    I think the fact that the game "Goat Simulator" has a higher user score (much higher in fact) pretty much says it all. Dark Souls II is certainly the worst game release of 2014 so far. The graphics are bad - really quite bad, the character design would have been fresh 20 years ago, and the controls feel like you are operating a marionette while wearing boxing gloves. The designers of thisI think the fact that the game "Goat Simulator" has a higher user score (much higher in fact) pretty much says it all. Dark Souls II is certainly the worst game release of 2014 so far. The graphics are bad - really quite bad, the character design would have been fresh 20 years ago, and the controls feel like you are operating a marionette while wearing boxing gloves. The designers of this game have taken a great concept and have failed absolutely in the execution. I can't blame it all on the port of this game (as bad as it is); mechanically, this game is obnoxious. Here we have yet another fine example of an industry that has too many wins in marketing and too many losses in actual game making.… Expand
  17. ozorxoron
    Apr 29, 2014
    1
    Such an unworthy sequel, worse in every possible way than the first game. One person leaves the development team and the whole thing falls to ruin. Good job, Fromsoft.
  18. IE33
    Apr 26, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls 1 was complete catastrophe on PC, game was lagging in some places for completely no reason, sad controls for mouse/keyboard users... So what about Dark Souls II ?

    It's totally different from previous DS port, game works flawlessly in full 60 FPS without any lags. Mouse/Keyboard controls? - They are fine but you will have to adjust them a little bit to your liking otherwise    Dark Souls 1 was complete catastrophe on PC, game was lagging in some places for completely no reason, sad controls for mouse/keyboard users... So what about Dark Souls II ?

    It's totally different from previous DS port, game works flawlessly in full 60 FPS without any lags.

    Mouse/Keyboard controls? - They are fine but you will have to adjust them a little bit to your liking otherwise everything is OK with controls and I'm really happy about that!
    There's also few graphical bugs that happen very rarely, personally I have encountered only one during my 8 hours of playtime in certain place.

    To sum up,
    I highly recommend Dark Souls 2 as it's a solid game with excellent port from console which is rare to see nowadays.    … Expand
  19. ehmkec
    Apr 27, 2014
    1
    I read a review of DSII before I bought the game. I specifically paid attention to the mouse/keyboard references from the reviewer. He said they were much improved over the original. I am really disappointed. I am 65 and I love playing PC games. I have 177 Steam games. But my hands and a controller do not get along very well. I always play with M/K or I have pain. And man, what aI read a review of DSII before I bought the game. I specifically paid attention to the mouse/keyboard references from the reviewer. He said they were much improved over the original. I am really disappointed. I am 65 and I love playing PC games. I have 177 Steam games. But my hands and a controller do not get along very well. I always play with M/K or I have pain. And man, what a pain this game is. I even tried it with a controller and it takes 3 controller actions to jump. !!3!!! Lazy porting.… Expand
  20. iansarmy1
    Jul 8, 2014
    3
    Bare bones fantasy role playing/fighting game, with ugly graphics and no story or characters worth mentioning. Some people like it purely for the very challenging combat and character creation elements, but there is absolutely nothing else going on in this game to make me want to come back to it after dying a few times. Most negative reviews focus on the poor quality of the work done toBare bones fantasy role playing/fighting game, with ugly graphics and no story or characters worth mentioning. Some people like it purely for the very challenging combat and character creation elements, but there is absolutely nothing else going on in this game to make me want to come back to it after dying a few times. Most negative reviews focus on the poor quality of the work done to optimize this game for the PC, but its not worth buying on any system unless you just want to grind through some gratuitous fantasy combat.… Expand
  21. 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.
  22. jafarx
    Jun 3, 2014
    0
    bad game no fun at all. i play 1 hour and take it back to store. this game just no fun you cant do anything in it without falling victim to cheating bs
  23. 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!
  24. toddzy
    Nov 26, 2014
    0
    This is ported to the PC. I found it impossible to learn as I played because the on-screen tips (that tell you which keys to press) were applicable to the console it was meant for. While I could look up the key bindings in the menu, the game doesn't pause and the key bindings were bizarre e.g. Left Alt + Left Shift + C, instead of just a single letter. I've never felt so confused playing aThis is ported to the PC. I found it impossible to learn as I played because the on-screen tips (that tell you which keys to press) were applicable to the console it was meant for. While I could look up the key bindings in the menu, the game doesn't pause and the key bindings were bizarre e.g. Left Alt + Left Shift + C, instead of just a single letter. I've never felt so confused playing a game. I tried getting used to it and adapting for 30mins, then I gave up. Waste of money. Very disheartening. 0… Expand
  25. CrazyAntoha
    Apr 28, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls II великолепен и невероятно крут,пожалуй одна из лучших игр выходивших когда-либо.Обалденный дизайн локаций,невероятно увлекательный геймплей и божественная музыка не дадут вам заскучать.На этот раз еще и хороший порт смастерили,60 фпс+1080 p это то чего не хватало прошлой части.Ну а те кто не доволен управлением с клавиатурой,просто глупцы,эта игра заточена под геймпад иDark Souls II великолепен и невероятно крут,пожалуй одна из лучших игр выходивших когда-либо.Обалденный дизайн локаций,невероятно увлекательный геймплей и божественная музыка не дадут вам заскучать.На этот раз еще и хороший порт смастерили,60 фпс+1080 p это то чего не хватало прошлой части.Ну а те кто не доволен управлением с клавиатурой,просто глупцы,эта игра заточена под геймпад и соотвественно играть в нее нужно на геймпаде.… Expand
  26. waltari
    Oct 5, 2014
    0
    Poor port of a game that has nothing to offer except the usual "being undead" thing story cliché.
    First thing that scared me was the x-box bar and interaction panel with A, X, Y, B and such stuff, so i was like, well nothing it perfect, lets go further.
    After spending about 45mins in settings trying to tweak the game so its graphics doesnt look like 2004 i gave up on that. Well some    Poor port of a game that has nothing to offer except the usual "being undead" thing story cliché.
    First thing that scared me was the x-box bar and interaction panel with A, X, Y, B and such stuff, so i was like, well nothing it perfect, lets go further.
    After spending about 45mins in settings trying to tweak the game so its graphics doesnt look like 2004 i gave up on that.
    Well some games dont need the pimp graphics since they have good story and are well playable, isnt it? Not in this case. Even after remaping the keyboard controls from scratch, i was basically unable to control even the basic movements like jumping, dashing, weapon switching. After first 2 hours of the game i was so desperate that i called a friend of mine and borrowed x-box 360 controller.
    Now i was actually able to play.
    To play the most boring RPG i ever bought, literaly.
    So this game is basically something that doesnt offer anything new. All one gets is a usual, unplayable w/o console controller, RPG parody that looks like ass even on max details with story soo boring that you'll fall asleep after like 4 hours of playing if you somehow manage to survive that long.    … Expand
  27. 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
  28. WryMouth
    Jul 7, 2014
    5
    Nothing like the Original. The changes to riposte or back stabs are just junk. Mobs don't even re-spawn after you try to farm them for an item. Story is not that great or even the Lore. Kinda sad but still playable.
  29. 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
  30. Shaggydogpoo
    May 19, 2014
    10
    An excellent streamlined (a.k.a. not filled with **** like Skyrim) Japanese RPG. Whereas the world may not be as well realized and some of the Miyazaki magic missing that was in the first game, the gameplay is functionally more solid and versatile and balanced than the first, with a PVP which works massively better than the first. All those saying the game is unfair: git gud. All thoseAn excellent streamlined (a.k.a. not filled with **** like Skyrim) Japanese RPG. Whereas the world may not be as well realized and some of the Miyazaki magic missing that was in the first game, the gameplay is functionally more solid and versatile and balanced than the first, with a PVP which works massively better than the first. All those saying the game is unfair: git gud. All those saying keyboard and mouse, is broken, I can tell you as a person who has beaten the game 12 times with keyboard and mouse in multiple styles of run and challenge runs: its not that hard. Quit your **** and git gud.… Expand
  31. JetLagg
    Oct 4, 2014
    1
    There's not much to say that the other PC gamers haven't already said. The port is unbelievably bad. 2 second delays for mouse attacks, tutorials that give you the console controller instructions rather than the keyboard and mouse. It took me two hours just to get the game functional. Long story short, don't buy this for the PC.

    The atmosphere and visuals are awesome. The challenge    There's not much to say that the other PC gamers haven't already said. The port is unbelievably bad. 2 second delays for mouse attacks, tutorials that give you the console controller instructions rather than the keyboard and mouse. It took me two hours just to get the game functional. Long story short, don't buy this for the PC.

    The atmosphere and visuals are awesome. The challenge really makes the scope of the game seem incredible. In that sense, I'd compare it to Zelda II (one of my favorite games of all time). However, Zelda II is the far superior game. While I can appreciate a challenge, far too often this game felt more tedious than challenging.    … Expand
  32. KannedFarU
    Jul 1, 2014
    10
    I consider myself a casual gamer and I absolutely hate super difficult games. I don't have the time or patience for such things. And then I played Dark Souls...this game...even better than the first one.

    Piece of advice. Don't play this game. It will consume your life.
  33. coldasStone
    Sep 9, 2014
    10
    Very GOOD! i like Dark Souls Difficulty
    so i hope more hard difficulty to melee Character on next Dark Souls III or somthing
    just one problem is online Hack users.
  34. 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!
  35. JLK88
    Aug 21, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls II has a fantastic visual art style with great atmosphere. The graphics have a unique touch that was familiar in Dark Souls 1. Music and sounds are spot on. The gameplay stays true to the first Dark Souls while optimizing it further. There needs to be more games like this.
  36. SunSparc
    Jul 27, 2014
    5
    About once or twice a year I will pay full price for a game instead of waiting for it to be on sale or discount a year later. I did that with this game and it was a huge mistake. Great graphics, great story, terrible game play and setup. Lots of dying and repeating which is a huge waste of time. It didn't need to be like this and would have been a great game.
  37. 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
  38. 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.
  39. 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
  40. Ingrod
    May 18, 2014
    8
    I didnt enjoy Dark Souls 2 as much as I did enjoy Dark Souls 1, nontheless this game is worth its price. What I believe the worst downside was the downgrade from the graphics that was shown to us from the ones that were released, lightning completely downgraded, the one they showed was superb, I believe a lot of textures were changed too.
    Combat is as fluid and as good as you would    I didnt enjoy Dark Souls 2 as much as I did enjoy Dark Souls 1, nontheless this game is worth its price. What I believe the worst downside was the downgrade from the graphics that was shown to us from the ones that were released, lightning completely downgraded, the one they showed was superb, I believe a lot of textures were changed too.
    Combat is as fluid and as good as you would expect. Multiplayer was finally fixed, the one from Dark Souls 1 was unbearable although I didn't really like the use of Memory Soul when summoning friends, I had some trouble to play coop with a friend because of this. Keyboard + mouse controls were somewhat fixed from what I've heard although I would still recommend using a controller.    … Expand
  41. knarr
    Apr 26, 2014
    9
    I can't believe so many people are so negative about this release, while we live in an era in which so few decent games are released. I have 200+ hours in DS1 and I believe the developers really stayed true to the previous titles. In all ways this game is like a rough gem. You have to do some effort before you can enjoy it. As a new player you need to get used to the difficulty and lack ofI can't believe so many people are so negative about this release, while we live in an era in which so few decent games are released. I have 200+ hours in DS1 and I believe the developers really stayed true to the previous titles. In all ways this game is like a rough gem. You have to do some effort before you can enjoy it. As a new player you need to get used to the difficulty and lack of guiding and as a experienced DaS or DeS player you need to get used to the new feel of the controls. If you dont take the effort, you won't enjoy the game. I'd like to make a few points.

    First of all, Don't use key/mouse, use a controller. If you don't have any, buy one, this game is worth it. It might be ridiculous to buy a controller just to be able to play a game, but it's not. Buying a controller + this game is a way better investment than almost all games released past years in this price range.

    The second point I want to make is that if you're an experienced DS fan, don't expect that you can just jump into this game and play it like DS1 or Demon Souls. The controls are different, which doesn't mean they are bad. You just need to get used them again, like you always have to when you play a new game. I also had to get used and after a few hours a was starting to love the new controls.

    Third point. Don't use the pre order weapons. They break quickly (no, repair mechanism isn't broken, it's just the po weapons that break quickly), are ugly and are something that shouldn't be in Dark Souls. Dark Souls is about getting rewarded for overcoming seemingly impossible challenges and not about getting rewarded for buying the game early.

    Also, dont grind because of the difficulty, it'll ruin the experience. Just keep trying and trying and trying. You'll eventually get good enough to get to the next bonfire, even while having no more healing items and only half a health bar a the start.

    Surely the developers made some poor decisions, but a majority of these decisions only have a minor impact if you, as a gamer, make the right decisions. To the people with crash issues I would like to say: don't be so damn impatient. Just wait a few days like you waited years for this release. It will probably be solved quickly.

    The game has some issues but none of them are gamebreaking to me. To me, the game compensates with great content and gameplay. The only real complaint I have so far is the lighting downgrade which makes the use of torches unnecessary. Someone will probably release a mod sometime that fixes this problem so I don't really mind.    … Expand
  42. Ruzi
    Apr 26, 2014
    9
    I have not played any of the previous souls games, and I went into this game blind. I bought this game more or less due to the hype, and cause I've always been a rpg-fan.
    So did it it live up the hype? Yes, it did.
    I play with x-box pad on the pc, so I can't comment on the mouse keyboard controlls which seems to be an issue with most of the negative reviews. The graphics are not very    I have not played any of the previous souls games, and I went into this game blind. I bought this game more or less due to the hype, and cause I've always been a rpg-fan.
    So did it it live up the hype? Yes, it did.
    I play with x-box pad on the pc, so I can't comment on the mouse keyboard controlls which seems to be an issue with most of the negative reviews.
    The graphics are not very impresive, but but the art design is. The game is hard, really hard and it's frustrating. Whatever you do it feels like the game punishes you. But the gameplay is great. Combat is tense and lot of fun.
    I'm enjoying this game a lot.    … Expand
  43. Scritty
    May 31, 2014
    6
    As a player of PC games but the owner of every console released in the UK for the past 25 years, this is the reason some AAA manufacturers should leave the PC alone. With this muddy unfocused conversion, the recent terrible PC version of Watchdog I almost feel as sorry for the designers as for the buyers "Do we really HAVE TO release this for PC as well? all the different configurations,As a player of PC games but the owner of every console released in the UK for the past 25 years, this is the reason some AAA manufacturers should leave the PC alone. With this muddy unfocused conversion, the recent terrible PC version of Watchdog I almost feel as sorry for the designers as for the buyers "Do we really HAVE TO release this for PC as well? all the different configurations, the bugs, the lag, the moaning"
    And DS2 is the latest result of games that should never have come out for the PC.
    A decent game, but un-optimized, graphically muddy and with gameplay that is pretty basic. The difficulty level is high, but not insurmountable - but the better versions are on console.
    Given that they will sell more units on console and that certain AAA developers struggle to get action/arcade games optimized for various PC specs - maybe it's time they left the PC to indie developers and strategy games.
    Quite happy to buy this for console in the future, but the lacklustre PC version.
    What is strange is how some seemingly graphically intense games rock from day one on PC (Far Cry 3, The recent Tomb Raider re-boot among quite a few others)
    While others are terrible and this is below average.
    A good game, a poor PC conversion that still leaves it as "decent" on PC, but certainly nothing to compare with the far superior console versions. Maybe they should never have made it.    … Expand
  44. Squerol
    Aug 24, 2014
    0
    Most dissapointing game ever made, quality loss like in Gothic 3 vs Gothic 1/2... Bad game mechanics, combat is godly awful (unintuitive, slow and buggy), bad level design and world, bad game background (where the atmosphere and characters gone?), general world, art, bosses and enemies design (its like From Software didnt make that game, which is some true), bad composed music (that bad,Most dissapointing game ever made, quality loss like in Gothic 3 vs Gothic 1/2... Bad game mechanics, combat is godly awful (unintuitive, slow and buggy), bad level design and world, bad game background (where the atmosphere and characters gone?), general world, art, bosses and enemies design (its like From Software didnt make that game, which is some true), bad composed music (that bad, that I even dont remember any track), broken PvP and overall, game is made just for "commercial". And about difficulty... It cant be hard not because "its hard", but because the game mechanics are broken... Not like intuitive first DS. I dont reccommend playing this, fans of Dark Souls 1 cause You will just destroy and erase that game from Your memories... 0/10, developers didnt putted any effort here...… Expand
  45. bmairlot
    Aug 24, 2014
    0
    This game is real crap and junk ! I should have read these reviews before wasting money. It is simply unplayable. Graphisms are ugly, key bindings are nonsense for PC, ... What a disappointment.
  46. enut_butter
    Apr 29, 2014
    9
    Ignore the negative reviews. This game, is great, and a fitting sequel to Dark Souls.

    First off, the performance, WOW. I've got a mediocre gaming rig, FX-6300, 8 GBS RAM, GTX 760, and even with everything maxed out I can't even begin to get the game to dip below 60 fps. Secondly, while the game has a few new mechanics that don't really play out like I wish they would have (namely    Ignore the negative reviews. This game, is great, and a fitting sequel to Dark Souls.

    First off, the performance, WOW. I've got a mediocre gaming rig, FX-6300, 8 GBS RAM, GTX 760, and even with everything maxed out I can't even begin to get the game to dip below 60 fps.

    Secondly, while the game has a few new mechanics that don't really play out like I wish they would have (namely the need for torches, I've only found one real area where I needed them so far and was hoping for more), they don't detract from the game at all. The game is fantastic, hard, rewarding, full of secret areas to explore and covenants to join.

    I haven't been this satisfied with a game since the original Dark Souls.    … Expand
  47. DrLlama
    Apr 26, 2014
    10
    While it's unfortunate to see that some players have experienced problems with this game, my experience has been purely positive. The game looks good and runs really smoothly maxed out, and a good few hours in I really have nothing to complain about.

    The game itself is incredible and just as good (if not better) than dark souls 1. Maybe wait for patches (in the works) if you're    While it's unfortunate to see that some players have experienced problems with this game, my experience has been purely positive. The game looks good and runs really smoothly maxed out, and a good few hours in I really have nothing to complain about.

    The game itself is incredible and just as good (if not better) than dark souls 1. Maybe wait for patches (in the works) if you're concerned, but for me this is a winner.    … Expand
  48. 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
  49. KoosKing
    Apr 27, 2014
    1
    Terrible port is terrible and doesn't even run. Do not waste your money on this until after it's been patched. Seriously, don't do it - even if you think that maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones. Don't do it. It's not worth your money.
  50. pvthoch
    Apr 25, 2014
    10
    amazing game for the hardcore action rpg gamer no hand holding here questlog or quest marker controller its a must like all soul games
    gameplay > graphics allday
  51. 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
  52. giacomobertoni
    Jun 3, 2014
    0
    this game is not made to be difficult. just made to make ppl deal with an oldgame style bugged game. its just bugs on bugs and u just have to deal with them to like the game.. we are not talking about difficulty.. seriously the saga and the story are great.. the gameplay tho is really trashy bugs everywhere no translations on some points and glitches to be done in order to get an easy waythis game is not made to be difficult. just made to make ppl deal with an oldgame style bugged game. its just bugs on bugs and u just have to deal with them to like the game.. we are not talking about difficulty.. seriously the saga and the story are great.. the gameplay tho is really trashy bugs everywhere no translations on some points and glitches to be done in order to get an easy way out.. GG this came is really bad imo :S… Expand
  53. 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
  54. Marc269
    May 21, 2014
    2
    what a rip-off. i have never felt so cheated by professional opinion. metascore of 91? close to skyrim?
    next time i will check the user score before buying. the graphics are 2005, the handling via mouse and keyboard feels like solving rubik's cube on a bull ride. maybe a good buy for frenetic fans.
  55. Nathonas
    May 1, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls 2, in my opinion, is one of the best games of this decade and all time. I didn't get a chance to play the first one due to the problems of the PC port, but I assume it's much of the same. You could tell that the developers put SO MUCH work into this game, it is wonderfully complex, and not in a stupid way.

    I love that everything is about learning and getting better, and not    Dark Souls 2, in my opinion, is one of the best games of this decade and all time. I didn't get a chance to play the first one due to the problems of the PC port, but I assume it's much of the same. You could tell that the developers put SO MUCH work into this game, it is wonderfully complex, and not in a stupid way.

    I love that everything is about learning and getting better, and not about getting better gear as it is in every other RPG game. You have to be smart and always careful. Also, I love the level of little details like being able to use weapons in 1 or 2 hands, different weapons having VASTLY different playstyles and uses, the effects of gear on your roll speed, the effects of gear weight, etc. There is just so many little variables for you to play with and learn and customize in the way that you want.

    The leveling system is also unique in that you level through souls rather than experience, and gives you a great amount of customization. And of course the best feeling about a game is when you fail over and over (but knowing that it is your fault) and then finally succeeding.

    The atmosphere and the style of game is also incredibly unique. I love the dreary, dark and desolate atmosphere of the game. The fact that there are so few NPCs really adds to the atmosphere, and the NPCs add to the story really effectively. They don't feel like the stereotypical characters you see in every game. The whole premise of the souls is also incredibly unique and brilliant - you use souls for everything and it is a nice twist on the typical, overused ideas in other games - like the idea of Undeath.

    I would close by saying that DS2 is the first time in about a decade that I felt truly passionate about gaming again. Sure there were good games along the way like Mass Effect and The Witcher, but DS2 is on another level - it's like how I felt playing games like Diablo 2 or World of Warcraft for the first time. I put in 13 hours in the first day, despite dying probably 50 times just on the beginning part, because the game is that good.    … Expand
  56. JamesTheThird
    Apr 29, 2014
    0
    I'm a huge fan of RPGs, but this one is a misunderstanding. Forget about technicalities such as controls, graphics and so on. These are minor issues. The main thing is that this is 2014 and the main character is mute. Did you like brilliant dialogues in Mass Effect series or Dragon Age? Well, you won't find them here. There are no such options like choosing an answer, because theI'm a huge fan of RPGs, but this one is a misunderstanding. Forget about technicalities such as controls, graphics and so on. These are minor issues. The main thing is that this is 2014 and the main character is mute. Did you like brilliant dialogues in Mass Effect series or Dragon Age? Well, you won't find them here. There are no such options like choosing an answer, because the protagonist just doesn't speak at all! This is a total killjoy for me. R.I.P. Souls.… Expand
  57. Laloiken
    Apr 27, 2014
    1
    Извините, но это просто не уважение к пользователям.
    Выпустили игру под PC, но управление не додумались нормально сделать.
    Примеры: 1) При запуске игры, предлагают нажать на какую-то неведомую кнопку старт. Спасибо, хоть, что можно нажать esc, enter или ЛКМ. http://itmages.ru/image/view/1637245/1e728a7b 2) Выбор настроек происходит при помощи клавиш "A" и "B" нажимаю на них и ни    Извините, но это просто не уважение к пользователям.
    Выпустили игру под PC, но управление не додумались нормально сделать.
    Примеры:
    1) При запуске игры, предлагают нажать на какую-то неведомую кнопку старт. Спасибо, хоть, что можно нажать esc, enter или ЛКМ.
    http://itmages.ru/image/view/1637245/1e728a7b
    2) Выбор настроек происходит при помощи клавиш "A" и "B" нажимаю на них и ни черта. Какого хрена спрашивается? Спасибо, что хоть ESC и Enter работают.
    http://itmages.ru/image/view/1637249/6905f13e
    3) Что бы выполнить в игре жесты нужно нажимать "A","B","Y" или "X", которые, опять, не работают
    http://itmages.ru/image/view/1637254/8103a2dd
    4) При нажатии на esc навигацию по меню предлагают делать при помощи хоткеев LB и RB. Кто-нить может ткнуть пальцем, где на клаве находятся эти клавиши? Я в упор их не вижу.
    http://itmages.ru/image/view/1637258/db8f87f8
    5) Если там можно еще хоть мышкой елозить, хотя напрашивается вопрос, нафига тогда было делать хоткеи для навигации, но вот когда подходишь к дому и тебя просят нажать на "А", а она нихрена не работает. Вот тут уж извините. Я всю клавиатуру поперетыкал, что бы открыть чертову дверь, но так и не смог.
    Не знаю как Вы, но меня такое отношение бесит. И если после игры в ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥у, я бы купил бы ее, то теперь точно нет.
    Игра для меня ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥о, хотя может там и супер-пупер эпичный сюжет.    … Expand
  58. 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
  59. Ivan665
    Jul 26, 2014
    0
    The PC port of Dark Souls II is just bad. The interface and controls are not prone to any customisation, and the interface is unintuitive. This is not and RPG game!!! Period. There are 28 GREAT RPGs released in the last 15 years, not counting any expansions and the MMOs, if you want an RPG, play some of those. This game doesnt have the essentials like a map, journal, party, real towns withThe PC port of Dark Souls II is just bad. The interface and controls are not prone to any customisation, and the interface is unintuitive. This is not and RPG game!!! Period. There are 28 GREAT RPGs released in the last 15 years, not counting any expansions and the MMOs, if you want an RPG, play some of those. This game doesnt have the essentials like a map, journal, party, real towns with merchants and quests. The item pool is really small. A couple of NPCs here and there and thats pretty much it - a big effing desert with lots of textures and little substance!!! This game is unengaging. The story is bland. The world is dead, theres nothing to do really, except exploring boring levels that look spectacular from afar, battling patches of tough enemies here and there, and killing bosses. Thats the whoe game - adventure with action and RPG elements. Theres more action than RPG. The game is not hard!!! Its simple. Mechanics are simple and easily abusable. The challenge comes from that, that there is very little info in the game on mechanics, no real map, no journal, lore or quests, and the player needs to figure what to do on his own, which is not going to happen because he has internet. Its just stupid to think otherwise because we are not living in 1998. Once you learn the drill, you are guaranteed success. All the challenges that the supposed "pros" are blabbermouthing about boil down to this - slow down your pace, dodge and have patience!!! You will see some people talk about depth and nonsense like that, when the game is really just mutilating the player of a map and a journal, to distract him from its simple mechanics, boring world devoid of meaning and towns, lack of content, items, and poor story. And the game is truly ugly, it looks like a late PS2 game, art direction should go back to graffiti sketching.… Expand
  60. 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
  61. llamayarmybar
    Aug 26, 2014
    6
    Unbelievable. I'm fifteen minutes in and just had to put down the controller. What is this supposed to be? Dark Souls had a specific flow to it, it had a way of pointing you in the direction you needed to go, but here? The first area of the game before you even REACH the main hub is so poorly laid out that I got lost near the introduction of the game. The controls and gameplay areUnbelievable. I'm fifteen minutes in and just had to put down the controller. What is this supposed to be? Dark Souls had a specific flow to it, it had a way of pointing you in the direction you needed to go, but here? The first area of the game before you even REACH the main hub is so poorly laid out that I got lost near the introduction of the game. The controls and gameplay are more or less intact, but their is some kind of a clunky nature to it now that just doesn't feel right. The visuals are atrocious as well and it was hard to take it all in. In the PC release it seems this time they fixed half of what they forget to even add in the last Dark Souls game, but visually it fairs far worse. I think this Dark Souls fad is finally dying out. I remember having very mixed feelings after finishing the first game, but with Dark Souls 2 for me at least their is just no motivation to play these types of games any longer.… Expand
  62. Molec_man
    Jul 9, 2014
    10
    Wow... I've been hooked again! Dark Souls 2 is a great game. Yes... the soul memory system is a bit of a negative, but it was implemented to keep gankers from twinking low level toons (It still happens... but less). I recommend using an Xbox 360 controller. It makes the game so much easier to play and a much more enjoyable experience overall. I give this game a 10 because it doesn't giveWow... I've been hooked again! Dark Souls 2 is a great game. Yes... the soul memory system is a bit of a negative, but it was implemented to keep gankers from twinking low level toons (It still happens... but less). I recommend using an Xbox 360 controller. It makes the game so much easier to play and a much more enjoyable experience overall. I give this game a 10 because it doesn't give in to making things easy on the gamer. Is it as hard as Dark Souls 1? No. But, it still is not easy. And only the true hardcore go solo on every boss fight. Solo boss fights make this game frustrating but rewarding. The only thing I wish it had was more achieves for doing things the hard way instead of using summons.

    Great game... Great gameplay... Looking forward to replaying it several more times!    … Expand
  63. 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
  64. 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
  65. pristiq
    May 22, 2014
    10
    This game is so good, so well made, the lore is incredible, the customization endless. this game is the game ive been waiting for. no matter how bad the keyboard/mouse controls are, just play with a joypad.. its perfect.. love it.
  66. 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
  67. 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
  68. soulhunter
    May 27, 2014
    1
    game looks promising but the control is crappy. why dont they design it for pc user? just like a bad copy paste work from console. its a waste of money
  69. Raven25
    Sep 20, 2014
    10
    I am an RPG fan. This is by FAR the best RPG that I have ever played. I will never pick up Diablo, Skyrim, Neverwinter or any other simplistic hack 'n' slash again. This game is not for the faint hearted. It is HARD but very gratifying when you win.
  70. Amiga1200
    Nov 6, 2014
    3
    I tried to play this game on PC but was unable to do so. First of all there is an issue of resolution that I do not have while playing any other game. To make the game resolution acceptable I had to zoom the screen with my monitor settings because the game did not allow me to do so. So I spent about 30 minutes adjusting the screen. Then came the graphics which looked like it was made 5I tried to play this game on PC but was unable to do so. First of all there is an issue of resolution that I do not have while playing any other game. To make the game resolution acceptable I had to zoom the screen with my monitor settings because the game did not allow me to do so. So I spent about 30 minutes adjusting the screen. Then came the graphics which looked like it was made 5 years ago. But the hell with it - let's see the actual gameplay. Well ... and it came to controlling the hero. I really tried to play this game but the control system felt utterly choppy and tiresome. If the difficulty of the game is determined by simply bad control system then I am out. I also tried to play FIFA 2013 on PC and I also dropped this **** out for the same reason.

    If companies can't port games from consoles to PC then they should not see it for full price. Do not try to sell garbage or unfinished products to customers. I do not understand the positive comments on this piece of crap - I really can't. There are some many games that are not buggy and have acceptable flowing control system. Why support this unfinished crap ?

    The game challenge is based on choppy and broken control system - that's the was I see it.    … Expand
  71. CriticoDubioso
    Apr 26, 2014
    10
    This review serves to address one simple question, is this a good console port? Yes, absolutely. Apparently, developers have taken the lesson from Dark Soul I launch. Perfect optimization, responsive controls, cutomziable control, excellent graphic qaulity taking advantage of modern PC enviornment. Running at 1000+ fps without any issue. Everyone, let's join me to praise the great successThis review serves to address one simple question, is this a good console port? Yes, absolutely. Apparently, developers have taken the lesson from Dark Soul I launch. Perfect optimization, responsive controls, cutomziable control, excellent graphic qaulity taking advantage of modern PC enviornment. Running at 1000+ fps without any issue. Everyone, let's join me to praise the great success of port to PC. Welcome to the dark soul community!… Expand
  72. sonarctica
    Aug 26, 2014
    6
    After revisiting this game and putting around 150 hours into this (I know how the **** did I manage to waste my life with this game) including both DLC's.

    I gotta say, go play Dark Souls 1. This game is just **** broken, half-arsed level design, non-memorable bosses (they are absolutely garbage). You shouldn't even consider PvP, it is filled with hackers and people who use tools to    After revisiting this game and putting around 150 hours into this (I know how the **** did I manage to waste my life with this game) including both DLC's.

    I gotta say, go play Dark Souls 1. This game is just **** broken, half-arsed level design, non-memorable bosses (they are absolutely garbage). You shouldn't even consider PvP, it is filled with hackers and people who use tools to modify their stats and give themselves late game items even when they are low lvl. If you do manage to get someone who isn't hacking, the combat is very unbalanced as well as the fact that the lag is unbearable even though you have a good connection, they don't even need to be famous lag-switchers for this to happen (backstabbing from the front, instantly killed without knowing what hit you).

    I've played both DLC's they've pulled out of their asses so far, first one Crown of The Sunken King wasn't very good, bosses and enemies were just unoriginal and boring. Second DLC Crown of the Old Iron King, I played it a few hours so far and I got to say... it's been painfully crap, not because it was hard, because it was way too easy. Their idea of making the difficulty harder was by adding just more enemies to gank you, even then it wasn't exactly hard.    … Expand
  73. JIord222
    Apr 25, 2014
    10
    Хм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруляХм ну ничё так игруля
  74. TemplarGR
    Sep 9, 2016
    2
    Well, to get this out of the way first, the port is good. it is playable, but you need a controller. This game is hell with keyboard and mouse. But i won't focus on that, because the main game is trash anyway. Just know that i have played it properly with a gamepad, and my criticism is not about the port.

    If you try to be objective for a moment, and look at this as a piece of software,    Well, to get this out of the way first, the port is good. it is playable, but you need a controller. This game is hell with keyboard and mouse. But i won't focus on that, because the main game is trash anyway. Just know that i have played it properly with a gamepad, and my criticism is not about the port.

    If you try to be objective for a moment, and look at this as a piece of software, comparing it with the competition, you can't help but wonder how can this compare to other AAA games of its era. Graphics are bad, animations and hitboxes are archaic, controls are literally trash. Sound is nothing special, music, what is music? Dialogs are few. The character system is bad and not explained, you can't design a good character without a guide. Enemy AI is non-existant, enemies just stand on their place and just hit you with swords/arrows/whatever. They are just hit point sponges. There are bugs. This game could have been created with 4-5 interns at best. This is no AAA.

    Then we have the supposed "difficulty". Make no mistake, this game is not difficult, it is cheap. Let no blinded fanboy and "hardcore gamer" tell you otherwise. There is nothing difficult with Dark Souls. If it had a proper save system and allowed proper difficulty settings (easy/medium/hard), it would have been much, much easier than other games, because there is literally no enemy AI on this game. If you play Skyrim on the hardest setting, enemies can become HP sponges too, and hit you harder. Same thing, on a far better video game.

    You don't have to be a good gamer to complete this game. I am all for a challenge, but i am 33 years old, and my time is limited. I don't have the time to die 500x times, lose all progress and have to travel all the way again, or grind endlessly in order to beat a boss. That sh1t should have died in the 80s/90s. This is not difficulty, this is tedium. Difficulty is trying to beat a hard AI in chess. Having to grind to win a boss or die repeatedly to learn its patterns, is just a way to waste hours of your life for no reason. It is just BAD DESIGN. A proper human being, that means not a basement dweller, has no time for this sh1t.

    Last but not least, there is no reward for suffering to complete this game. The story is trash, the lore is trash. You have nothing to gain by completing this, other than "bragging rights". For me, if anyone, and i mean, anyone, comes to me and tells me that "he is a hardcore gamer because he wasted hours of his life dying cheap deaths in order to finish a non AAA console port", it is a litmus test for being an idiot. "sure bra, you completed this abomination, what a life accomplishment you made!" All the while normal people play real games to relax for fun. They accomplish things were it really matters, in real life, not in a trashy video game made to torment them and waste their time. Time is precious and short on this planet.

    I can't explain the high scores of this game by reviewers. Typically, the metacritic scores it has achieved are reserved for classics and masterpieces, and this trash is not. Also, typically, Japanese games have become garbage in the PS3 generation and afterwards. Repetitive trash with low production values. From software was a small japanese developer never known for any good game prior to this. So how come they made it? I believe it is a combination of "marketing" (read:bribes), younger gamers' inexperience and vanity, and Stockholm syndrome. Sony and Japanese gamers/media, have every reason to attempt to push this cheap trash as a "masterpiece" in order to make a comeback in the industry. They don't have the budgets/expertise to compete with western AAA, with a few exceptions, so they get "creative" promoting obsolete design as a virtue. Professional reviewers don't want to score it lower to not be called "n00bs" and told to "git gud". They typically never finish their games, they almost always play on easy, but somehow they adore Dark Souls... Yeah right... Kids with no accomplishments in their real life, are eager to show off by finishing this turd, and then go online and tell everyone and their dog about it. And they call anyone who won't suffer this garbage "a casual". Most of those kids have completed this game by sheer repetition and grinding, or with guides and cheats. Yet they want to keep the appearence of having fun with it, because admitting this is trash, will make them having to admit they wasted their time and what they accomplished is nothing special. Or maybe they are kids, so they don't value their time. Probably the reason for the whole popularity.

    I have even seen a best game ever list on us gamer, putting Dark Souls on No1 spot. That is after the release of Witcher 3... Calling it a master piece and work of genius. My God, the emperor has no clothes. Are these clowns getting paid to write this?

    Waste no time with this series of games. Next time someone calls you a "casual" for it, just laugh at his face. This fad will be over soon.    … Expand
  75. TennesseW
    Apr 29, 2014
    8
    Compared to the first game, this is major improvement, performance wise. My low end laptop could run it perfectly, with high settings (I turn off the shadow). This game does not have a good graphic at all, so if you're a graphic whore stay away from this game. The game play, in my opinion, is an improvement compared to the first game. No longer you could grind enemies for levelling up. ItCompared to the first game, this is major improvement, performance wise. My low end laptop could run it perfectly, with high settings (I turn off the shadow). This game does not have a good graphic at all, so if you're a graphic whore stay away from this game. The game play, in my opinion, is an improvement compared to the first game. No longer you could grind enemies for levelling up. It forces you to move forward, which is good in my opinion.… Expand
  76. Cyliann
    Jun 15, 2014
    0
    A gem of a game. Dark Souls has the most deepest and mysterious story&plot that exists, far exceeding ones told in books by having so much needing to be borderline decrypted by devouted fans of the title while also accompanied by the most extreme difficulty I have ever seen in video-games. Yes, far much more harder than Ninja Gaiden.

    But is it the right kind of hard? Unfortunately for    A gem of a game. Dark Souls has the most deepest and mysterious story&plot that exists, far exceeding ones told in books by having so much needing to be borderline decrypted by devouted fans of the title while also accompanied by the most extreme difficulty I have ever seen in video-games. Yes, far much more harder than Ninja Gaiden.

    But is it the right kind of hard? Unfortunately for many, many cases, It's not. The game either insists on changing the most basic rules one can get accustomed to with random elements (For example, certain foes will stagger, stopping whatever they're doing when they get hit can vary If you get in a critical/weak hit or If they skip into an animation lock, gaining immunity to stun) and when It's not throwing odd-balls, It is instead introducing you to the horrible physics. Got close to a corner with your characters foot? Have fun sliding down a pit at the speed of light. Nudged an oddly-shaped rock? Have fun warping around wildly and uncontrollably as you're trying to fight monsters. Playing the game with the mandatory FPSfix? Have fun falling through the ground whenever going down ladders or evidently getting your account banned by GFWL for daring to play the game at an acceptable 60 FPS.

    And when It's not fundamental engine problems, It's instead the basis of the design decisions on how they decided to make cladding yourself in any kind of remotely heavy & sturdy armor turn insanely useless real fast by utterly dropping the ball when balancing the three character factors which are Offense, Defense and Mobility. You can completely drop Offense and Mobility in favor of defense (AKA taking less damage) by cladding yourself in the most heaviest, upgraded protective gear available in the entire game... And you will still have situations where monsters will utterly slam you for 1500-2000 damage instantly (75-90% hp). Especially If they are using magic, leaving the only reliable way to take any significant reduced damage in shields... Which anyone can wear given that they have enough strength.

    And even then, specializing seriously in shields is impossible since they do the minimal amount of damage possible in the game while still taking a good 30-90% chunk from magic. So what's the best mean of defense you ask? Rolling. Yup. And the lighter you are, the better your rolls are. Which means the one with the most mobility is the one with the best defense in Dark Souls. It's a disgusting, inexusable design neglect and the developers have at the very least admitted to this being the case since they are completely changing it in the upcoming Dark Souls 2.

    The best advice I can give you is to buy this to a console (although the game also lags on there in form of bad optimization) or mod the hell out of it on the PC and get into it with little of the form of expecting genuine, good difficulty.    … Expand
  77. 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
  78. 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.
  79. EmpireNO
    Sep 28, 2014
    4
    I was a huge fan of Demon's Souls, I even loved Dark Souls despite the abysmal port. Now several years later I had higher hopes for DS2, it is better but these guys really don't know anything about PC and how a game should work on PC. My niggles are too many with this game.
  80. 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
  81. captainkane
    Jun 28, 2014
    7
    I love Dark Souls. I sorta like Dark Souls 2. See the difference? Dark Souls 2 is redundant-a shameless copycat of its predecessors. But if it's not broke don't fix it. Right? Wrong. In many ways, DS2 is a step backwards. It lacks Demon Souls' originality and Dark Souls' exceptional mechanics. This series has become Bandai Namco's new cash cow. I firmly believe the series would've beenI love Dark Souls. I sorta like Dark Souls 2. See the difference? Dark Souls 2 is redundant-a shameless copycat of its predecessors. But if it's not broke don't fix it. Right? Wrong. In many ways, DS2 is a step backwards. It lacks Demon Souls' originality and Dark Souls' exceptional mechanics. This series has become Bandai Namco's new cash cow. I firmly believe the series would've been better off as a cult hit. Unfortunately, the things that made it so great will diminish as the developer strives to appeal to a larger audience.

    In Dark Souls, death was the player's fault. The mechanics were too tight and the hit boxes too precise for people to blame anything else. Enemies and bosses scaled appropriately as the game progressed. Players know after a few brutalizing deaths they aren't ready for an area or opponent. Some bosses were remarkedly difficult, but players will vanquish them after preparation. This isn't the case with DS2. It's difficult for the wrong reasons. According to some avid gamers I know, the game is full of "cheap deaths" with its "janky hit boxes" and stupid, over-the-top bosses.

    A few of the bosses were ripped directly from Dark Souls. They look similar. Players fight them in the same environments. Heck, those bosses even have identical move sets. It's lazy and disappointing. But I find something even more irritating. Many boss fights require players to engage multiple foes. So players must fight 2 or more huge bosses or a boss surrounded by hordes of trash mobs simultaneously.
    And it gets worse. Enemies kill players in 3 or less hits. Even at level 120 with heavy armor, my character feels incredibly weak. And bosses one 1 hit kill her easily. A single hit to a shield can drain all stamina. Such low survivability makes it difficult to learn boss animations. This design screams co-op, which is unfortunate. I never felt compelled to summon allies in Dark Souls, but in DS2 I'm constantly summoning. There are tons of bosses too. An epic fight is around every corner. It's frustrating an. The odds are so stacked against the players, the designers apparently forgot the difference between challenging and unreasonable. It reminds of me of NInja Gaiden 2, and I hated that game.

    Janky hit boxes is an understatement. I've dropped greatswords on lesser foes with perfect precision. No damage. I've rolled well beyond the reach of enemy. Lost 80% of my health. My character has been killed by enemies AFTER they've died. Yes. Enemies in the death animations will still kill players. My character has even been pulled into enemy swords from 5 feet away-like a tractor beam. DS2 lacks the mechanic proficiency of its older siblings. I've resorted to ranged combat and greatswords as a result. Both these weapons keep enemies well out of reach. Pure melee builds can have an especially difficult time in this game. There are myriad of other combat related problems. So to sum it up: Dark Souls 2 feels unbalanced.

    Graphically, DS2 is OK. Other than 1080p and 60 frames, I don't see improvement over the original. In fact, some environments look downright awful. Nothing feels as ominous as the previous DS. I LOVE the level design in Dark Souls. It's gritty and desolate. All the areas were connected somehow. So exploration was key. Not in DS2. The ability to warp between bonfires from the start takes away the exploration that DS fans adore so much. When players are stuck in a challenging area, they must fight it out. Emerging victorious is the award. Not in DS2. Area too difficult? Just warp away... Also, there are dozens of bonfires. Kill 6 enemies, bonfire. Kill 4 more, bonfire.

    So what's good? The co-op is great. I absolutely love teaming up with players to clear an area. It's a fun way to learn new strategies. This doesn't mean the game gets easier. Even in co-op, death is frequent. Unfortunately, in some areas, co-op is not allowed. There are several bosses that players must face solo. And yes, there are multiple opponents to fight. And yes, one hit deaths still apply. And yes, some are recycled bosses from the original DS.

    However, PVP has been unplayable. Lag. Lag. Laaaaaaaaag. Enough said.

    The leveling system is roughly the same, although the roles of some stats are still unclear. Plenty of weapons. Plenty of stuff to kill. Enemies are smarter. At least that hasn't changed for the worst.

    The verdict? Dark Souls 2 is still a better game than most new releases. Actually, it's a great game. However, the series is meant to be challenging, and too often, DS2 is just annoying. Dying feels cheap because the penalties for small missteps are extraordinarily harsh, unlike its predecessor. The janky mechanics coupled with bland level design equate to an average experience. Additionally, DS2 is focused more on boss battles than exploration. And bosses like the Executioner's Chariot are just absurd. The game is still worth owning. But for people new to the series, start with the original Dark Souls.    … Expand
  82. sliderh2o
    May 28, 2014
    4
    I normally go with the critic ratings when it comes to reviews. That was a mistake bigtime ! The players have it right on this game! 9.2 critics rating is completely wrong. This game looks pretty, but if it's game play you like this isn't your cup of tea. You know why this game is hard? Because the controls are a joke, that's how they made it hard. I don't mind hard, if the controls wereI normally go with the critic ratings when it comes to reviews. That was a mistake bigtime ! The players have it right on this game! 9.2 critics rating is completely wrong. This game looks pretty, but if it's game play you like this isn't your cup of tea. You know why this game is hard? Because the controls are a joke, that's how they made it hard. I don't mind hard, if the controls were responsive but there not. I give this game a 4 because it is pretty, but shame on the critics for getting this one wrong! I wasted $50 listening to them, should have listened to the players.… Expand
  83. Syndrome
    May 1, 2014
    9
    Game is great, using a pc-con so i don't have the flaws of controls. For those who sayed graphics are bad probrably have a PC value of under 800 or don't have any graphics card. might also be possible that they just have there settings on low and were to lazy to verify if you could put it up. 1080p resolution with 60 fps is pretty good compared to the consol 720p and 30 fps. loadingsGame is great, using a pc-con so i don't have the flaws of controls. For those who sayed graphics are bad probrably have a PC value of under 800 or don't have any graphics card. might also be possible that they just have there settings on low and were to lazy to verify if you could put it up. 1080p resolution with 60 fps is pretty good compared to the consol 720p and 30 fps. loadings screen are alot shorther then the console game. graphics are good, gameplay is good, storyline is good. Only problem is for people who are new to gaming, they might have alot of issues, but for people looking for a challenge. this is it. find the story to easy (ya wont)? then do player vs player. do not base your rating base on hearing reviews and being a sheep about it. buy it and play it. trust me it is worth it 100%. a problem for it not being 10/10 is the direction you are given, sometimes you may feel lost. and they have xbox controller buttons even if you are using a pc. but all and all a solid 9/10. sorry if bad english :) it is not my native language :) and my auto correct is not set for english :).… Expand
  84. Praesi
    Oct 14, 2014
    3
    PS "Gamer" who gave the PC Version a 10 are pathetic.
    Dont trust any Score above 5.
    The PC Version of this Game is a horrible Mess. Ugly Grafics, pathetic Controlls. On top, FROM Software showed us "Ingame Footage" that doesn´t exist, the Final Version dont look even close to that. FROM are Liars, nothing else. Every PC Gamer with Demands should make a huge bow around this technical    PS "Gamer" who gave the PC Version a 10 are pathetic.
    Dont trust any Score above 5.

    The PC Version of this Game is a horrible Mess. Ugly Grafics, pathetic Controlls. On top, FROM Software showed us "Ingame Footage" that doesn´t exist, the Final Version dont look even close to that. FROM are Liars, nothing else. Every PC Gamer with Demands should make a huge bow around this technical nightmare.    … Expand
  85. Rendomg
    May 1, 2014
    9
    So, as a big fan of Dark Souls, and Dark Souls 2, I'll give more extensive review that I can reply to anything I can if someone has a question.

    Short Review: Despite some of the more negative reviews, this really is an amazing game, this coming from someone who put over 350+ hours in Dark Souls (Steam + Xbox 360), and a great addition to the Soul series. It is still somewhat of a    So, as a big fan of Dark Souls, and Dark Souls 2, I'll give more extensive review that I can reply to anything I can if someone has a question.

    Short Review:
    Despite some of the more negative reviews, this really is an amazing game, this coming from someone who put over 350+ hours in Dark Souls (Steam + Xbox 360), and a great addition to the Soul series. It is still somewhat of a console port, yes, the controls for PC aren't that amazing. But you can easily pick up a controller off Amazon or your local Gamestop (or something similar) for ~25 USD. The story is fantastic even the side stories are great , the graphics are fantastic, the gameplay is amazing, and I've already dropped 50+ hours into the game and I'm well into my way in NG+.

    Long Review:
    I'll review this game on some key points I think are fair when it comes to a game like this, you can agree or disagree, whatevers fine.

    Controls:
    Again, I will give some of the naysayers credit, it is a console port. The Key Bindings aren't amazing for PC, I have a friend who can use them, but they were hard to get used to, but if you played Dark Souls then this should be no surprise. There might be more support coming out later for PC key bindings, but I personally view this as a minor detail, seeing as you can buy a controller for the PC for ~25 USD.

    Graphics:
    Simply put, it's a beautiful game and is top notch in graphics, it doesn't look amazing like ARMA 3 (google screen shots of that game, it's glorious) but the graphics are still very good and a big step up from it's console versions as well as Dark Souls for PC. There's little details they have in the game that really just put it above many others for me, and what really makes me love this games graphics.

    Sound:
    The game sound, like the other Soul games, is great. The swords clanking, the WOOSH you hear when you parry someone, and the feeling you get when you hear that death sound from your enemies (or yourself, it is Dark Souls anyway) is unique and satisfying. The music is very fitting for every scene that there is music, and there's even some parts in the game where the ambiance goes above and beyond, and just immerses you.

    Story:
    I won't give away any spoilers, but the story is very good and you actually have a lot more direction in the game then you did in Dark Souls, at the beginning you might be a little lost but after you talk to some people, and you start to figure out how the game is supposed to be going it gets awesome and you start to really get into the game and can lose track of time easily. You'll find that the story keeps you driven to see what happens next and wanting to progress.

    Gameplay:
    The gameplay is, as you might think, very similar to a lot of monster fighting games of this nature. Obviously it's going to be dang near the exact same as Dark Souls, with honestly, only one or two changes coming to mind. Going from Dark Souls to Dark Souls 2, (for you Dark Souls players), the parrying is a little different, it's a little harder to parry, you don't get as many infinity frames, but you can get more with a stat (hint!), and Guard Break is now a little harder to get as it has another use, which you'll find out eventually.
    PvE:
    The boss fights are all unique in their own way, some of the fights share similar traits that I've had my friends call "Lazy Design" but I personally don't see it too much, and just adds that much more challenge and I respect that in games. Each stat you might go with (Strength, Dexterity, Intellect, or Faith) is equal in their own way, though, I've been told that currently Dexterity is lacking at the moment, but there will probably some sort of fix in the near future.
    PvP:
    I exclude PvP from this review, strictly because it's across all of the platforms that it pertains to. In short, as someone who has been a tank, caster, ranged, and melee (str, haven't done much with Dex), I can say that PvP is somewhat broken at the moment. You can search on YouTube for Dark Souls 2 PvP videos, some of the things that you encounter in this game can drive you crazy and really make you saying "HOW DID I DIE TO THAT???" (if you're like me anyway) With more skill with the game, comes better survivability through which any Dark Souls player knows that, so if you get killed by an invader, don't get discouraged, it happens and know that you can probably kill them when you've played a little more.
    In short, again for PvP:
    Dark Magic is OP, and can 1 shot people
    Rolling counters Dark Magic as well as staggering the caster.
    Strength does a lot of damage.
    Backstab "fishing" is harder to do in Dark Souls 2 then it was in Dark Souls, so don't worry about that too much. Just gotta watch out for parries and guard breaks.

    Overall:
    This is an amazing game, and well worth the price tag, especially if you have a controller already. I strongly do recommend you use a controller for this game. If you don't have the money for a controller, than maybe hold off until you can get both.    … Expand
  86. metalic-surface
    Sep 19, 2014
    10
    incredible, awesome and a lot of great words about this shinny game. DS2 changed my game vision to another direction. Now the most games aren't interesting, so easy, so stupid by design. DS it's unique world

    don't read this negative **** DS2 is awesome
  87. SmartAlec775
    Aug 27, 2021
    6
    I didn't enjoy Darks Souls 2 nearly as much as 1 and 3. Feels very lackluster compared to the other souls games.
  88. gustvatems
    Apr 27, 2014
    7
    Sigh. These people CLEARLY don't know how to make reviews. The port is bad and it's an instant zero out of ten. I agree that the port is pretty bad and it has some issues like crashing sometimes, so I wouldn't recommend buying the game yet if you don't want to risk it. But the level design is in my opinion better than the original Dark Souls, the graphics are better, the mechanics areSigh. These people CLEARLY don't know how to make reviews. The port is bad and it's an instant zero out of ten. I agree that the port is pretty bad and it has some issues like crashing sometimes, so I wouldn't recommend buying the game yet if you don't want to risk it. But the level design is in my opinion better than the original Dark Souls, the graphics are better, the mechanics are pretty much the same, the bosses and enemy design are awesome. That is enough to give it at least a 6/10, the gameplay stays pretty much the same as in Dark Souls, and it's still as hard as ever, a bit cheap some times but that doesn't happen often. The dialogue is great and so is the voice acting, and the lore is there like in the prequels. I would give this game a 7/10 right now, if they fix their port a solid 9/10.… Expand
  89. 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
  90. EhhRicky
    Jun 19, 2014
    10
    Anyone giving this a negative review is playing it on the wrong system, this is a console game, not a computer game. on the ps3, it was awwwweeeeessssooommmmeee. So much fun.
  91. Dunge
    Jun 24, 2014
    8
    Pro: Gameplay plays very differently than any other RPG games. Tons of different monsters and items. Level design is awesome with tons of secret areas and small events at every corners. Game is very very long.

    Cons: Most rooms are just plain square rooms with a single brick texture tiled everywhere and a wood floor. Barely no story. Not enough information available in-game (REQUIRE an    Pro: Gameplay plays very differently than any other RPG games. Tons of different monsters and items. Level design is awesome with tons of secret areas and small events at every corners. Game is very very long.

    Cons: Most rooms are just plain square rooms with a single brick texture tiled everywhere and a wood floor. Barely no story. Not enough information available in-game (REQUIRE an online guide to play and to make any decision on items to use and path to follow)    … Expand
  92. 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
  93. 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
  94. 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!
  95. Rolento
    Jun 25, 2014
    6
    A kind of good game in itself, with the irredeemable flaw of being contextually horrible since it carries the burden of a high-expectations title such as Dark Souls but doesn't retain the original genius of the director (which I found out later in my playthrough was not involved with development, much to no one's surprise). The story is being vague for the sake of being vague as opposed toA kind of good game in itself, with the irredeemable flaw of being contextually horrible since it carries the burden of a high-expectations title such as Dark Souls but doesn't retain the original genius of the director (which I found out later in my playthrough was not involved with development, much to no one's surprise). The story is being vague for the sake of being vague as opposed to a good story with missing pieces on purpose, made even worse by cheesy lines ("You will die over and over again" "Without really knowing why") that don't seem to be self aware. The atmosphere of the game and the direction the player is given tried to do something different and weren't too bad, but unfortunately all the other flaws make me see even such passable things for what they actually are. Speaking of the direction, I kinda disagree on the common complaint that the direction of the character is random (although I get that you are being misled by the also cheesy lines of the Emerald Herald) at least. I really liked the new weapons, their movesets, and how they tried and "fix" stats, but ultimately stats are still broken (poise) and the Soul Memory feature has killed variety and complex interaction of the stats as they were introduced. They also improved physics and FPS on the pc porting I guess, which was hardly a challenge. Long story short: they tried to improve the things that weren't exactly hard to fix from the first title and barely succeeded, the metagame just shifted what's OP and what's not without much change, the story is just a wannabe Dark Soul-ish story, the online interaction is rendered stale by Soul Memory, the game desperately tries to pander to those who seek for "lol so difficult" in Dark Souls without realizing it was just part of what made Dark Souls great and they do it badly too because this game continuously alternates hordes of artificially difficult enemies and incredibly easy segments, bosses that fight you in hordes and incredibly easy bosses, all over and over and over again. Much like the bosses, also, the character are desperately trying to be what the old ones were and you can notice that from the first seconds of the game. It was a breath of fresh air whenever a character with a different motive than usual would show up (such as Pate and that other one, which was an interesting thing). Not to mention all of these female characters in the game for the waifu addicts. This game bothers me on so many levels that I just finished it once and felt no need to go further, I'm better off with the first one which isn't perfect but at least has standards and it's way better in almost every way than this one.… Expand
  96. alexil
    Oct 17, 2014
    10
    Though PC controls part is problematic, I like this game very much. This is not exactly my type of game, but I gave it a try and I'm not disappointed. It has exact amount of challenge that I needed. Victories are greately satisfying. Tremendous replayability level. This game has a soul. Great game.
  97. 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
  98. Alsmir
    Aug 25, 2014
    7
    Short version: decent, fun game, has a lot to offer but it also has some major flaws.

    I haven't really spend that much time with DS 1, since I got quite disappointed that RPG elements were marginal and it was mostly action game. I've got convinced by one of my friends to try out DS 2. He claimed that DS 2 got vastly improved compared to DS 1 and I should give it a shot. This time I was    Short version: decent, fun game, has a lot to offer but it also has some major flaws.

    I haven't really spend that much time with DS 1, since I got quite disappointed that RPG elements were marginal and it was mostly action game.
    I've got convinced by one of my friends to try out DS 2. He claimed that DS 2 got vastly improved compared to DS 1 and I should give it a shot. This time I was well aware that I'm going after action title and my expectations were lowered so in theory nothing should go wrong.

    Unfortunately the beginnings were far from great. Any PC user that tried playing DS knows how badly ported it was. I honestly couldn't believe that in that area not much have changed. You don't need mouse fix anymore and the game is playable on keyboard+mouse combo, BUT you better think about binding your regular and strong attacks to keys. Some special attacks (guard break, jumping attack) just refuse to work if you use LMB/RMB + forward. They do work for forward + (insert some binding, like "R" key).

    Rough start, eh? All the in-game cues point you to controller bindings, so you better get ready to memorize what binding is "X", "Y", "RT" etc.
    On top of that tutorial once again only covers most basic elements of the game. If you want to learn anything more complex - get ready to spend hours reading guides and DS 2 wiki.

    This time I just got over it and started enjoying the game. The game can be challenging and bring a lot of fun. I'm enjoyin it but I want to mention some of the issues I've had with this game so far. Don't get me wrong: I'm not trying to discourage players from buying it, but rather warn them what problems they might encounter. If those problems won't bother them then by all means get the game and enjoy it.

    Lets get to the issues that piss me off the most:
    1. PvP
    I love PvP, but to be precise, balanced and fair PvP. DS 2 has a potential to offer that if lag could be fixed or matchmaker reworked.
    But what if you're not in the mood for PvP? What if you're a complete newbie that just wants to complete PvE content?
    Suck it. No other way of avoiding PvP unless you go offline and give up your ability to summon players for co-op. In your first playthrough you will get clubbed over and over again by players with PvP focused characters. Expect to get invaded in the middle of a fight, when you're low on hp and/or spell uses just to be 1 hit and loose humanity. Expect to get invaded by more than one player if you visit ceratain areas.

    Matchmaker itself is designed in a way that will mostly punish new players. Your power level is decided by how many souls have you spent so far. Basically if you buy a new spell/armor/weapon just to test it, even if it turns out that it sucks and you'll never use it again, game decides that your character just got stronger.
    PvPers that only get the essential items for their build will get even more advantage over you.

    Anyway, you just have to live with it, so what else might ruin your day? Lets see:

    - Level design. I've never encountered in any other game so many moments where I felt the game developers added some elements just to troll me. I get it - you need to be carefull all the time to survive, but a sudden hole filled with poison, all the lava pits, cliffs etc. Too many times I had to discover that blocking some attack will still knock me back far enough to fall into water and die. And of course there's also a lovely bridge with a hole in the middle of it and all those ledges where you are almost sure that you can make the jump only to die.

    Moreover I fell like most of the areas are quite boring and there are hardly any memorable boss fights but that's just my opinion.

    Another issue I've discovered when I decided to play evenly on two characters: pure caster and pure melee. Well, the balance sucks, sucks really bad. There are maybe a couple of areas where I was feeling more comfortable on my melee character rather than on my caster. It gets even more obvious if you use co-op for fighting bosses. On a caster you just stand back and nuke with hard hitting spells, while melee blocks, dodges, rolls only to get 2s window for hitting the enemy and repeat.
    Face it, in PvE caster has easier life.

    Oh, the story is almost non-existant, but I really don't mind it.

    To be honest, I've expected more. We deserve the proper support for mouse+keyboard and some aspects of the game require serious polishing. On the other hand, if you can live with all the problems I mentioned above, you're up for a great experience and many, many hours of fun.    … Expand
  99. Potitoman
    Jun 21, 2014
    8
    Dark Souls 2 is one of those sequels that while it improves on aspects of the original, it loses some of the magic in the process.

    The art direction seems less inspired than DS1. The monsters and bosses don't stick in your mind and the NPC's are, for the most part, fairly forgettable. DS2 does have a couple of notable bosses like the Demon of Song but for the most part they are just a    Dark Souls 2 is one of those sequels that while it improves on aspects of the original, it loses some of the magic in the process.

    The art direction seems less inspired than DS1. The monsters and bosses don't stick in your mind and the NPC's are, for the most part, fairly forgettable.
    DS2 does have a couple of notable bosses like the Demon of Song but for the most part they are just a variation of a knight in armour.

    The levels also fail to inspire. There are too many caves/castle settings, and for me at least, did not inspire a sense of wonder like DS1 did, and there seems to be a lot of repetition in themes from DS1 to DS2.

    Perhaps the biggest failing is the combat. It's not as fun as it used to be. Hit detection is a bit iffy and parrying is just unusable. No longer will you be parrying for laughs like in DS1.

    Boss fights are a mix bag of super-easy and borderline cheap. Don't expect unforgettable battles like the Capra Demon or Smough and Ornstein. A lot of them, specially humanoids, can be killed by sticking close to them, rolling on attacks and attacking while they recover from the attack. And then there is the Smelter Demon that hurts you with fire damage if you get close to attack him, then one shots you with his fire sword.

    I am a bit disappointed with this sequel, but DS1 was such a masterpiece and it left so much unspoken and up to interpretation that this game had little chance of duplicating the magic.
    The difficulty still there but this time it doesn't feel as balanced as it used to be. It's not there as an obstacle to master and overcome. Now it feels like it's there because that's what was expected of it. It feels synthetic and forced.

    I am being harsh. In itself, it is a very good game, just don't expect DS1 again.    … Expand
  100. Jonathan117
    Jun 5, 2014
    7
    As a hardcore follower of the series (Played & Completed Demon's Souls & Dark Souls numerous times; I can say that I am far from dissapointed with the latest installment in the series. BUY THE GAME. It is the definition of happiness :)
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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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