Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1451 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,013 out of 1451
  2. Mixed: 281 out of 1451
  3. Negative: 157 out of 1451
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  1. Zero4747
    Jun 17, 2020
    6
    Dark Souls 2 is worse than Dark Souls 1 in many ways. Level design, lore, weapons, story, world design, controls, enemy design, hitboxes. Stamina recharges slowly even with rings and items that improve it. Pvp and pve is slower. The game throws hoardes of enemies at you. Many enemies have way more poise than they need to. Boss designs are worse. Most of them are regular giant knights withDark Souls 2 is worse than Dark Souls 1 in many ways. Level design, lore, weapons, story, world design, controls, enemy design, hitboxes. Stamina recharges slowly even with rings and items that improve it. Pvp and pve is slower. The game throws hoardes of enemies at you. Many enemies have way more poise than they need to. Boss designs are worse. Most of them are regular giant knights with weapons. The looking glass knight is by far the greatest boss in the game. However the game makes a few improvements graphically and i like the ability to replay bosses and reset areas.… Expand
  2. XxAlbertoBuzzxX
    Jun 2, 2020
    8
    Dark Souls II
    ............................................................
  3. DinoBeam
    May 5, 2020
    6
    This game has alot of cool aspects to it such as atmosphere and art design, but ends up feeling like a slog. This game feels incredibly long with much less interesting level design than the original Dark Souls. Also, half the time to try to sprint it doesn't register.
  4. thenoobbob
    Aug 5, 2019
    0
    I still dont get how people like this game. Its horrible. Get DS3, DSR or BB. DS2 is a dumpster fire.
  5. dangyosabyss
    Apr 11, 2020
    6
    A decent game but one that comes across as someone elses version of what a DS game should be. It feels like a secondary teams version of the first game. It has the worst level design in the whole series, the least imaginative bosses and the worst soundtrack (though it is still decent). Not a bad game but definitely the worst Dark Souls game. Some of the enemy layouts and areas are justA decent game but one that comes across as someone elses version of what a DS game should be. It feels like a secondary teams version of the first game. It has the worst level design in the whole series, the least imaginative bosses and the worst soundtrack (though it is still decent). Not a bad game but definitely the worst Dark Souls game. Some of the enemy layouts and areas are just trolling. Overall this is the Dark Souls you get after youve beaten the others and BB and Sekiro.… Expand
  6. Cafe_8bits
    Apr 5, 2020
    6
    Dark Souls 2 its a good game, and i had fun playing it single and multiplayer. But still its the worst Souls game in the franchise, its game design has many flaws that i think are sins to the souls formula, like artificial difficulty enhancement, and some changes in the enemies patterns to easy the experience for some players. (Like make enemies disappear if you kill them 12 times)
    The    Dark Souls 2 its a good game, and i had fun playing it single and multiplayer. But still its the worst Souls game in the franchise, its game design has many flaws that i think are sins to the souls formula, like artificial difficulty enhancement, and some changes in the enemies patterns to easy the experience for some players. (Like make enemies disappear if you kill them 12 times)
    The atmosphere and plot of this game are great, one of the best of the series for me, but in the end its design flaws took the best ot the experience for me.
    The multiplayer works very well, with few exceptions, and adds too much into the game.    … Expand
  7. kekseD
    Mar 13, 2020
    7
    Главные минусы игры это дебильные хитбоксы и скорость игры, она очень медленная
  8. marikbat
    Mar 12, 2020
    0
    "How to transfer a good game to a new generation console according to Bandai Namco"
    Step 1 - select game
    Step 2 - forget the plot and common sense
    Step 3 - mix opponents and items thoroughly
    Step 4 - add a pinch of NG + in different places of the game ... although it doesn’t matter throw as much as you want
    Done, enjoy and have a new unforgettable experience
  9. Cap-radar
    Feb 18, 2020
    5
    Top game melhor versao pena que o meu ps4 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
  10. danphie_
    Jan 29, 2020
    0
    Only because of shrine of amana stupid annoying **** mages **** cancer hate this area
  11. caiobruno007
    Jan 17, 2020
    9
    Por ser o mais odiado dentre os fãs de Souls, pensei que seria um game fraco, mas estava totalmente enganado.

    É o maior Dark Souls disparado, que possui a maior quantidade de conteúdo. Trouxe diversas mecânicas novas e melhorias. Essa versão Scholar corrigiu muito *o game comparado a versão padrão. É o Dark Souls mais bem otimizado pra consoles, o único defeito grave dele é ter mantido o    Por ser o mais odiado dentre os fãs de Souls, pensei que seria um game fraco, mas estava totalmente enganado.

    É o maior Dark Souls disparado, que possui a maior quantidade de conteúdo. Trouxe diversas mecânicas novas e melhorias. Essa versão Scholar corrigiu muito *o game comparado a versão padrão. É o Dark Souls mais bem otimizado pra consoles, o único defeito grave dele é ter mantido o sistema de Soul Memory, que acaba por limitar bastante o multiplayer.    … Expand
  12. MurphyBrandon
    Dec 7, 2019
    8
    Scholar of the First Sin changes a lot of enemy positions and item positions to make the experience feel fresh. The combat can be very rewarding when it's good, but the excessive amount of ambushes, traps, and unavoidable status effects really makes the game feel unfair and cheap. The variety of locations and enemies will keep it addictive enough to keep coming back, but by the end, mostScholar of the First Sin changes a lot of enemy positions and item positions to make the experience feel fresh. The combat can be very rewarding when it's good, but the excessive amount of ambushes, traps, and unavoidable status effects really makes the game feel unfair and cheap. The variety of locations and enemies will keep it addictive enough to keep coming back, but by the end, most players will need a break from the frustrating death screens before they even consider heading into "New Game Plus." It's not as legendary as the other "Soulsborne" games.… Expand
  13. SonyBroWhirrrr
    Nov 15, 2019
    1
    What happens when you take a beloved game, but take away the creative mastermind genius Miyazaki and instead let a **** B-team develop the sequel? You get Dark Souls II. This game was so bad, that they actually re-released it a year later, claiming to have fixed many issues. Except that they didn't fix anything and only made it worse. Ivory King is epic tho, so a bonus point for that.
  14. Springhi
    Nov 14, 2019
    9
    The first game I played in Souls' series. Before I started the game, I just want to have a try and kill time since I had never heard of FROM SOFTWARE and Mr. Miyazaki at that moment. This game was not directed by Mr. Miyazaki, as I knew later, but most of the systems were inherited from DS1 to DS2, which made the gameplay still full of excitement. The shortcomings of DS2 were obvious, ofThe first game I played in Souls' series. Before I started the game, I just want to have a try and kill time since I had never heard of FROM SOFTWARE and Mr. Miyazaki at that moment. This game was not directed by Mr. Miyazaki, as I knew later, but most of the systems were inherited from DS1 to DS2, which made the gameplay still full of excitement. The shortcomings of DS2 were obvious, of course. The lack in complexity of map design, the structure and logic of the story, and many many boss fights without polish. However, they could not prevent me from being a real fan of FS. It was the first time I could be myself in a game. The simultaneous growth between me and my character strengthened this feelinig over and over again. The sense of substitution is one of the best in the games I have ever played. To me, DS2 is the game opened the gate of an entire new world.… Expand
  15. robomartion
    Oct 22, 2019
    8
    This is a premium gaming experience to be sure. Expect hundreds of hours of varied content. It's not perfect, and suffers in some aspects compared to the original entry such as lack of shortcuts between areas but offers such a diverse, sprawling and well rounded experience and is good in its own right, so it would be a shame to count it out on that. Dark Souls II is like a mega saga of aThis is a premium gaming experience to be sure. Expect hundreds of hours of varied content. It's not perfect, and suffers in some aspects compared to the original entry such as lack of shortcuts between areas but offers such a diverse, sprawling and well rounded experience and is good in its own right, so it would be a shame to count it out on that. Dark Souls II is like a mega saga of a back to back fantasy epic and is one of the best if not the best in the series.… Expand
  16. HansJoerg1
    Oct 12, 2019
    2
    Boring Story, repetitive gameplay. Overall an extremely disappointing experience.
  17. Milidante
    Sep 25, 2019
    10
    Best dark souls game in my opinion! Awsome and endless contents and unforgetable hard dlcs
  18. DrDjango
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    for me the soulsborne games are the best in the gaming history for now. never had auch an perfekt gameplay again... all of them are masterpieces.
  19. oldboy
    Sep 7, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's breathtaking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! … Expand
  20. ZXSth
    Sep 4, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. *Note: I am reviewing SotFS as someone who did not play Vanilla DS2.

    In hindsight, when compared to its peers, Dark Souls 2 seems like the odd Souls game out. Where it lacks its predecessor's knack for interconnected locales and expansive environments, it has a level of depth when it comes to the mechanics of character customization that cannot be rivalled by any of its contemporaries. Even Dark Souls 3 lacks this game's power stance mechanic, allowing you to wield two weapons of your choosing and use them simultaneously. While power-stancing isn't always possible, it is probably the best implementation of dual-wielding I have ever seen in an action-RPG, hands down.

    The power-stance mechanic is the single greatest example of Dark Souls 2's greatest strength - the freedom to fight however you wish. With the right stats, you can wield two gigantic, oversized hammers simultaneously, then quickly switch over to firing off magical bolts with a staff. This offers an abundance of replay value that few other action role-playing games have offered, from my experience.

    Where this game seems to be a bit more middling in comparison to its contemporaries is in its boss fights. The common criticism I have heard is that there are too many "big armoured dudes." And while there are many knight-like bosses - the Looking Glass Knight, Ruin Sentinels and multiple fights with the Pursuer come to mind - the most offensive bosses, I find, are the ones that remind me of Dark Souls' poorly designed Bed of Chaos. For example, fighting the Executioner's Chariot requires you to pull a lever in order to end a horse-drawn carriage's destructive ride around a skeleton-infested arena. This fight, though not mandatory, was tedious and generally unrewarding in comparison to the rush of fighting the aforementioned Pursuer, a fair yet challenging adversary.

    While I believe the bosses overall seem satisfactory for the Souls series, some of the other mechanics in this game make dying all the more brutal, punishing and more frustrating simply for the sake of it. The fact that each death shrinks your health bar means that multiple deaths being even greater frustration than they usually would. Additionally, the placement of multiple enemies within a small area ensures frustration, and a difficulty that feels less 'fair' than in either Dark Souls or Dark Souls 3. It would not be unfair to suggest that the layout of this game's areas are utterly infuriating. Plodding through the Iron Keep, in particular, served as one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had while playing a video game.

    Overall, Dark Souls 2 lacks the same world-building as its predecessor or the refinement of its successor. It also feels unnecessarily challenging, especially if you choose not to raise your adaptability stat (which affects how long you are invincible for when rolling). But if you can manage to deal with its flaws, Dark Souls 2 will reward you with one of the richest action role-playing experiences (mechanically speaking) in any video game of its kind. Surely, the 2000+ hours I have put into it (possibly the most of any video game I have ever played) are clear evidence of this.    … Expand
  21. Ararat
    Sep 1, 2019
    10
    Невероятно атмосферная, интересная, бросающая какой не какой челлендж. Говорят, что сюжет плохой и лежит на поверхности, так вот, что в этом плохого. Игра для меня является лучшей в серии. И самая длинная часть в серии (с учётом всех ДЛС)Невероятно атмосферная, интересная, бросающая какой не какой челлендж. Говорят, что сюжет плохой и лежит на поверхности, так вот, что в этом плохого. Игра для меня является лучшей в серии. И самая длинная часть в серии (с учётом всех ДЛС)
  22. WilliamWesker
    Aug 2, 2019
    0
    DS 2 is not even a true "DARK" game, in order to have the title of DARK SOULS in it, the 2013 DEMO of the same is, but the final version is definitely not. It has texture with a very poor quality in all its versions, including the one of PC, especially considering that it is a game of 2014, & in 2015 there were already games like The Witcher 3, which makes DS 2 to look like a game of aDS 2 is not even a true "DARK" game, in order to have the title of DARK SOULS in it, the 2013 DEMO of the same is, but the final version is definitely not. It has texture with a very poor quality in all its versions, including the one of PC, especially considering that it is a game of 2014, & in 2015 there were already games like The Witcher 3, which makes DS 2 to look like a game of a half a decade before the 2014, because of the difference with regard to the quality of textures between the two, something that it is really pathetic & embarrassing for the DS 2 piece of work. It allows the player to warp between Bonfires from the beginning, which literally murder in cold blood a great deal of immersion & exploration in it. The enemies are very badly misplaced in the levels. The animation of the sequences in the attacks are just terrible with respect to the lack of inmercion that it causes, to a player. Its system focuses on punishing the player when the same dies, at resurrect it with less life, instead of encouraging it to self-overcome, which is one of the main philosophies of the DARK SOULS series, Hidetaka Miyazaki himself confirmed that philosophy for the series. The writing level of the game is very poor. The NPCs are extremely depressing, & constantly encourage the player to surrender during the dialogues, instead of encouraging the player not to become Hollow, as they generally should with indifference responses like on DS 3 & ESPECIALLY in DS 1!… Expand
  23. jiorl
    Jul 5, 2019
    8
    Despite the negative reception and reputation this game has garnered, it is a severely underrated Dark Souls game, and game in general (That said, DS1 is better in my opinion). Admittedly, it did take some time for the game to grow on me, as at the start i just felt that the environment. (forest of the fallen giants) was a bit bland and The Last Giant was an easy boss, but after theDespite the negative reception and reputation this game has garnered, it is a severely underrated Dark Souls game, and game in general (That said, DS1 is better in my opinion). Admittedly, it did take some time for the game to grow on me, as at the start i just felt that the environment. (forest of the fallen giants) was a bit bland and The Last Giant was an easy boss, but after the Pursuer boss i really started to like the game. For one, i really liked the gem system which went hand in hand with the flask system. I enjoyed the length of the game, and made the game feel like a massive adventure-more of an adventure than DS1 (sorry for the unpopular opinion), the DLC was superb, and the difficulty of the levels and the enemies in general was really challenging without being gamebreaking. There are some negatives though which irritated my though. One was the difficulty of the bosses. Most of the bosses in the base game were far too easy-in fact most of them were. The smelter demon, the darklurker, the pursuer and the ancient dragon are an exception to this rule. The enemy cpu's at times were sometimes broken, and didn't act how they should. There wasn't any memorable npc characters like the first game, and the level design at times wasn't very intuitive, and sometimes i got lost. Those faults still don't ruin the game for me in my eyes. and i think this game is definetly worth playing.… Expand
  24. LordOMO
    Jun 15, 2019
    6
    I have a love/hate relationship with this game. On the one hand i can appreciate it as a massive and atmospheric dark fantasy role playing game, on the other hand i can't overlook its shortcomings (some being imherent to the dark souls series and some affecting specifically this game in the series).
    At its best you get the pure Dark Souls experience: mystic medieval castles with hidden    I have a love/hate relationship with this game. On the one hand i can appreciate it as a massive and atmospheric dark fantasy role playing game, on the other hand i can't overlook its shortcomings (some being imherent to the dark souls series and some affecting specifically this game in the series).
    At its best you get the pure Dark Souls experience: mystic medieval castles with hidden paths, challenging enemies and a large set of tools to overcome the challenges on the way. But to get there you have to deal with clumsy controls and huge variances in quality which effects visuals sound and unfortunately also gameplay. I've put many hours into the game but always have to deal with frustration along the way to get to the good parts (especially the DLC areas are 10/10 high quality but its a chore to get there). Here are all my gripes with the game:
    - controls suck. Especially in the beginning of the game everything feels bad because you actually have to level up a stat that improves your dodges. But even later on there are issues with the targeting system and with inputs seemingly not being read. Also movement in general feels clunky
    - some of the level design and enemies are very questionable (e.g. enemies that can snipe you from the other side of the map, or levels with blocked paths that you can never open)
    - graphics and sound have some very bad moments. Sound design often feels fake as in "oh yeah this is a footstep soundeffect" rather than actually feeling real. And while the visuals can be stunning in some parts despite geometry and vegetation being on the lower end (especially the castles look great), other areas are just plain ugly, e.g everything looking flat and greyish without any interesting details.
    - there is an overabundance of items and weapons in this game with little differentiation between them. I'd much rather have less but more unique stuff than a lot of junk (e.g. 10 different healing items) cluttering my inventory
    - some enemies and bosses are very forgetable    … Expand
  25. Unicron35
    May 8, 2019
    10
    Dark Souls II for PS4 is a fun and addicting action RPG. The graphics are solid and the game performs flawlessly technically wise at 60 FPS. The story atmosphere and level design is excellent. The music soundtrack and voice acting is also excellent. The fighting mechanics are fluid and addictive.

    The character customization options are deep. The MP co-op is fun and will allow you to    Dark Souls II for PS4 is a fun and addicting action RPG. The graphics are solid and the game performs flawlessly technically wise at 60 FPS. The story atmosphere and level design is excellent. The music soundtrack and voice acting is also excellent. The fighting mechanics are fluid and addictive.

    The character customization options are deep. The MP co-op is fun and will allow you to progress through the game if you need help. Overall, Dark Souls II is my favorite of the series and I find the gameplay highly addictive. I definitely recommend it.    … Expand
  26. MadnessisRising
    Mar 13, 2019
    8
    It's not that great as Dark Souls 2 in my opinion. Uneccessarirly more difficult with just more enemys.
  27. Przemun1304
    Feb 15, 2019
    10
    This is the best part of Dark Souls for me. Game is so huge with all dlc. Have never being bored even 1 second.
    Strongly recommend to people who like chalanges !
  28. oknsnl
    Jan 29, 2019
    8
    Gameplay : 9 (Good combat mechanics)
    Bosses : 7 (Worst bosses of all soulsborne series)
    Gravity : 10 (Strongest enemy in the game)
  29. Rox22
    Dec 14, 2018
    8
    Continuing on the Dark Souls bender, I had to try the second instalment. I never played the original version so I can only comment on this version.

    In many ways DS2 is both better and worse than the Original. Visually most of the areas are so much more detailed. But on the other hand they are also allot more contained and almost claustrophobic at times. The action is allot of fun    Continuing on the Dark Souls bender, I had to try the second instalment. I never played the original version so I can only comment on this version.

    In many ways DS2 is both better and worse than the Original.

    Visually most of the areas are so much more detailed. But on the other hand they are also allot more contained and almost claustrophobic at times.

    The action is allot of fun and the combat mechanics were greatly improved upon making combat feel allot more fluid this time around. However, allot of areas are just saturated with hoards, which just artificially spikes the difficulty levels. Whereas DS1 had much better enemy placements making the areas tough. but fair. DS2 can be a bit unforgiving in places with steep difficulty spikes coming out of nowhere. However, even with the erratic difficulty curves, it still is quite fun and challenging.

    Overall:
    Dark Souls 2 was allot of fun, but I can see why it is often regarded as the weakest of the series. But even as the weakest link, it's still a very good worth game worth having a go.    … Expand
  30. SvenL1975
    Aug 19, 2018
    10
    I always avoided starting the Dark Souls games because I heard that they were so hard and I get frustrated easily. When the remastered version of the first game came I out, I decided to give in and give it a try. The last six weeks I played through all three games, all of the DLC, every optional boss - everything. Then I started Bloodborne and was surprised how bad it was, but that isI always avoided starting the Dark Souls games because I heard that they were so hard and I get frustrated easily. When the remastered version of the first game came I out, I decided to give in and give it a try. The last six weeks I played through all three games, all of the DLC, every optional boss - everything. Then I started Bloodborne and was surprised how bad it was, but that is another story.

    So give the game a try. It's not that hard, it's just not easy. Expect spending a few hours on the Internet, looking up the backstories of some of the character, or get some things explained that are not that clear. You will get one of the greatest gaming experiences of all time.    … Expand
  31. Trevor9000
    Aug 14, 2018
    10
    This gem gets a ten just for the sheer amount of content packed inside. A thrilling, varied world, and enough sets, spells, and weapons to keep you trying different classes and combos for months!

    And like all the others, Dark Souls 2: SOTFS finds that perfect balance of combat, exploration, and challenging gameplay to keep its fans hooked from start to finish and beyond!

    A must play!
  32. ViniciusBrito
    Aug 8, 2018
    8
    This version of the game doesn't have much additions in relation of the playstation 3 one, it isn't a remastered or a remake, but they did changed a few things here. The enemies are repositioned, so as some items, i could say that it is worthy if you liked the game in the first launching, this version contain all the DLC's, and the three one's that they launched are great, some even sayThis version of the game doesn't have much additions in relation of the playstation 3 one, it isn't a remastered or a remake, but they did changed a few things here. The enemies are repositioned, so as some items, i could say that it is worthy if you liked the game in the first launching, this version contain all the DLC's, and the three one's that they launched are great, some even say that the three combined are better than the game, i'm not sure about that, but surely it is great, the best bosses are there, the most memorable ones are there, so if you never played the dlc's before, go after this version because it is certainly worth.… Expand
  33. DanBenevenuto
    Jun 5, 2018
    8
    DARK SOULS II: SCHOLAR OF THE FIRST SIN is not as good as Dark Souls' series first game, but it is a great game that brings the same challenging difficulty of the first game, better graphics, the epic soundtrack of Souls' series and multiplayer online mode still good. The game is easy at my sight, it becames harder when you play the DLC content, then you will have some of epic boss battles !
  34. presider35
    Jun 5, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This review contains spoilers. The game very difficult according to other souls game.One dlc very very difficult it make game worse.But dlc graphics is good.Game atmosphere is awasome.Music good.But game combat little slow.yu should level up or you cant progress.Always need help because small boss is more difficult..… Expand
  35. XV_
    Apr 24, 2018
    8
    A great game, doesn't have the heart and the soul of the first one but is not by any means a bad game. Although I think this one is kind of unfair with the lesser enemies (attack animation resets almost instantly) and also you need to grind a lot or at least more than the original.

    The included DLC has the the most difficult battles, that said, they seemed they were designed to be    A great game, doesn't have the heart and the soul of the first one but is not by any means a bad game. Although I think this one is kind of unfair with the lesser enemies (attack animation resets almost instantly) and also you need to grind a lot or at least more than the original.

    The included DLC has the the most difficult battles, that said, they seemed they were designed to be completed by a party, otherwise it will take a long long time (I was at lvl 170+ and my damage was a joke compared to theirs), its important if you want to solo this game.    … Expand
  36. SasukeFuumetsu
    Mar 21, 2018
    5
    O pior Souls. O jogo mais parece off-topic do que um jogo que segue a cronologia de DS1 e DS3, a ambientação do jogo é boa, trilha sonora boa e uma boa vida útil, mas acaba perdendo feio em design de inimigos, milagres e magias de outros jogos da série, armas e várias outras coisas. O jogo é mediano, no geral.
  37. yahtzee301
    Feb 25, 2018
    3
    The Dark Souls project is in new hands, and the assessment is to determine if the new team can deliver, and expand on the dream of the original. We see much of the same elements of the first Dark Souls within this successor, and Dark Souls is one of my all-time favorite games. Then why did I give it such a low score? Well, it's because of one major flaw. One of the most well-documentedThe Dark Souls project is in new hands, and the assessment is to determine if the new team can deliver, and expand on the dream of the original. We see much of the same elements of the first Dark Souls within this successor, and Dark Souls is one of my all-time favorite games. Then why did I give it such a low score? Well, it's because of one major flaw. One of the most well-documented perks of Dark Souls is its crushing, yet fair difficulty. If I die, I know that it was because I screwed up and that I can improve next time. What Dark Souls II fails to realize is that difficulty is not what made Dark Souls so popular. The result is a game that is crushingly difficult, yes, but unfair and irritating to the player, and I don't play video games to feel irritated. Enemies are placed in groups so that ganking cannot be avoided, weapons feel like they're made of wet toilet paper, and that damned health-drain mechanic that lowers your maximum HP upon death. Everything is this game is a sloppy stand-in for difficulty, and it leaves me uninvested and unwilling to continue forward. Losing to a boss in Dark Souls made me want to start again as quickly as possible. Losing to a boss in Dark Souls II makes me want to turn off the game and switch to something else. In the long slogs between bosses, I'm so paralyzed with boredom from death after death, and that's nothing to take away from the horrendous hit-boxes. It surprises me that, even after three years of run-time, the hit-boxes haven't been fixed, because it's inexcusable. Looking at the game as a whole, it's not too bad, better than most games that came out of 2015. But we know FromSoftware can do better because Dark Souls is one of the most fully-realized games of all time. So if we look at the game as a successor to the original, it's so annoyingly bad that I wonder if the developers had any idea what they were doing. Its only redeeming qualities are the bosses that I found at least somewhat enjoyable and certain areas that reminded me of the original Dark Souls. And when your only redeeming quality as a sequel is what reminded me of your predecessor, you have some serious work to do… Expand
  38. theeDarkhorse
    Feb 23, 2018
    10
    Was hoping this elusive little game would show up at our local store. And despite the odds, a copy showed up. Couldn't get past one third of Dark Souls 1 or 2 or Bloodborne
    Just stopped playing because theres never a moment when youre on top of the game. It's a constant struggle and theres nothing driving you to continue. Unil i played Dark Souls 3 and my ten year old nephew put    Was hoping this elusive little game would show up at our local store. And despite the odds, a copy showed up. Couldn't get past one third of Dark Souls 1 or 2 or Bloodborne
    Just stopped playing because theres never a moment when youre on top of the game. It's a constant struggle and theres nothing driving you to continue. Unil i played Dark Souls 3 and my ten year old nephew put thousands of my first batch of souls into health whilst i implored him not to. I never had to level up my health again. And i managed to beat the game. I was taught how to play by a ten year old. With my newfound confidence i picked this up and am absolutely in love. I hadn't realised you could use boss souls to pick up boss weapons when i initially tried playing the ps3 version. But you can, just like in Dark Souls 3! And given this game has more bosses than all the other games, thats a lot of exotic weaponry. The graphics and lighting have improved with the jump from DX9 to DX11. But it's inconsistent. The lighting and shading on metallic armor in Majula for instance looks fantastic but elsewhere may not look so great. The 60fps feels fluid and the sense of wonderment is as strong as ever. I strongly recommend obeying the brightness setting rule because torches/sconces play a role. And yes, all the DLC is on the disc. No unlock codes.. Enjoy Top tip: Level up your health first!    … Expand
  39. Sunykamey
    Jan 11, 2018
    5
    I just have to give this game a bad rating due to high inconsistency with enemies and bosses. All enemies are deadly but some are just unfair with regards to their placement in the map which gives me the sense that they have only been placed between "normal" enemies to infuriate and frustrate the player. Armorer Dennis in the forest of fallen giants, do I need to say more?! This mischief II just have to give this game a bad rating due to high inconsistency with enemies and bosses. All enemies are deadly but some are just unfair with regards to their placement in the map which gives me the sense that they have only been placed between "normal" enemies to infuriate and frustrate the player. Armorer Dennis in the forest of fallen giants, do I need to say more?! This mischief I can't support.… Expand
  40. chr1so
    Dec 27, 2017
    10
    The first Dark Souls game was possibly my favourite game from the previous gen, and this one improves on it, mainly in terms of graphics and fluidity. A must play
  41. Rabensblut
    Sep 11, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. CONTAINS SPOILERS: Dark Souls II Scholars of the first sin is definitely a great journey... not only into the story, but into skills as well. It is important to use Your souls to 1, fortify Your weapon and gear, 2, update Your character, 3, learn from Your own mistakes with each death You die, 4, find the right gear and weapons and especially find and use the right rings (especially the ring that blocks hollowing on 75% is the most important thing in the game). Each time You die in a boss fight makes You crave to kill that bastard more and more until You beat him (hello smelter demon... ;) ). Some parts seem hard at first but when You choose the right approach You will really be surprised how the game is easy to play (take those buggers one by one ;) )… Expand
  42. pongkrit03
    Aug 11, 2017
    9
    Dark Souls 2 SOTFS is still an awesome game despite the fact that it was released long time ago. With SOTFS version, the game looks so good in PS4. It has high resolution and yet run 60 FPS. I would say graphic alone is better than Dark Souls 3 or Bloodborne, which only run 30 FPS, though the DS2 art style may a bit dull but that is ok. Combining all 3 dlcs together, Dark Souls 2 has anDark Souls 2 SOTFS is still an awesome game despite the fact that it was released long time ago. With SOTFS version, the game looks so good in PS4. It has high resolution and yet run 60 FPS. I would say graphic alone is better than Dark Souls 3 or Bloodborne, which only run 30 FPS, though the DS2 art style may a bit dull but that is ok. Combining all 3 dlcs together, Dark Souls 2 has an very long length to play. Map designs are the most DIVERSE in all soul series. The boss's difficulty may be lower than those new games but in DLC, they are still merciless. Enemies along the way are not as easy as their bosses. With the decreasing in max hp every time after death, Dark Souls 2 is surely not easy game at all. This game also has various weapons and enemies. (the best in Soul game). I had played Dark Souls 2 vanilla a lot on PC, yet I bought PS4 version and still felt satisfied with PVE.

    The main problem, however, is the multiplayer. At this moment, it will be hard to find someone to PVP or COOP with because most of people moved to DarkSouls 3 already. On top of that, it use Soul memory to match players, and that is the most negative thing in Dark Souls 2 (for pvpers). Although, the fighting mechanic is great, PVP in Dark Souls 2 is not good at this state. For Coop, there are many NPC that you can summon if you could not pass some boss so no worry about that

    In sum, right now Dark Souls 2 SOTFS has a great satisfiying PVE, I would say greater than Dark Souls 3. , and with the very low price right now I suggest everyone who like this kind of games to buy without hesitation. The game is brutal of course, so if you are casual, just don't. For those, PVP bloodlust, don't expect PVP in Dark Souls 2 since It has very few players nowadays.    … Expand
  43. Kamikazeshocki
    Aug 10, 2017
    7
    This is still a good game, yet I can't understand why it received those scores in comparison to all other Soulsborne games. I loved DS1, 3 and especially Bloodborne and their addons I have Platinum Trophy in the latter 2 of them and 200 hours in each title. Except for DS2.
    Reasons:
    - Level design is mediocre - Bosses are mediocre - When it came out it looked somehow worse than DS1 -    This is still a good game, yet I can't understand why it received those scores in comparison to all other Soulsborne games. I loved DS1, 3 and especially Bloodborne and their addons I have Platinum Trophy in the latter 2 of them and 200 hours in each title. Except for DS2.
    Reasons:
    - Level design is mediocre
    - Bosses are mediocre
    - When it came out it looked somehow worse than DS1
    - In summary it is often boring and tedious.

    You can really tell that Miyazaki did not direct this game. The core DS mechanics are there so it all "works pretty good" yet the DS flair is almost gone. I only completed this game for the sake of completing it. To my shame I did not even want to start the DLC allthough I heard it's way better than the main game. Some people think DS 2 is good because they focus on online PVP and are spending too much time dueling/doin builds. To me Dark Souls is not about that, that is just an extra feature. Though i consistently enjoy the seamless multiplayer invading stuff.

    I can't recommend this game for everyone or DS fans. You might wanna rent it first or get it cheap.    … Expand
  44. SimonD00
    May 23, 2017
    8
    Great environments and a huge amount of content makes exploring the world of dark souls II very fun and rewarding, but the combat is some what sluggish, kind of like your moving in water. Dark souls 3 and bloodborne are both superior in terms of combat and dark souls has the best level design so in this amazing series dark souls II is a mediocre game but in the grand scheme of things thisGreat environments and a huge amount of content makes exploring the world of dark souls II very fun and rewarding, but the combat is some what sluggish, kind of like your moving in water. Dark souls 3 and bloodborne are both superior in terms of combat and dark souls has the best level design so in this amazing series dark souls II is a mediocre game but in the grand scheme of things this is a great game that will challenge you more than pretty much any other game out there. Be sure to pick this up but play the other ones before this one. 8,5/10… Expand
  45. rAMZA
    Apr 25, 2017
    7
    Realy boring combat just hit and roll hit and roll, ill give it a 7 because it is still a good score, could have more difficulty options and a hc mode if character dies then its the end of it.
  46. Strelok_VSOP
    Mar 21, 2017
    9
    Крутая игра, провел в ней не одну сотню часов. Много боссов, правда самые крутые только в DLC.
    Хорошая и крепкая атмосфера, неплохой ЛОР. Рекомендую!
  47. WiskeyJack
    Mar 18, 2017
    9
    This has to be one of my favorite games of all time. It was my first time playing the Dark Souls series as I hadn't tried the first game.

    I am not a fan of how the weapons wear down over time, but it is manageable.
  48. Juras
    Mar 14, 2017
    8
    Good game but worst souls. Few things was nice like hex magic or visualization of breaking equipments. Others no, design was mostly boring, only few selected areas like Shrine of Amana has atmosphere, Too westernish in my opinion.
  49. Mistwalker_94
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    I Fukkin luv this game!!! Sure the first one is better but this remaster is awesome! It doesn't make the game look all that much better but it runs like silk it is so damn smooth! Bloodborne and dark Souls 3 wich I also love is not dat smooth.
  50. BotBearGaming
    Mar 9, 2017
    8
    The Souls games hold a very strong spot in my heart as they are now sitting towards the top of my favorite games of all time. So without further adieu my thoughts. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin is my third run through of Dark Souls 2 and it was just as fun as the first time. The game is different enough with enemy placements that I feel it isn't just another port though that isThe Souls games hold a very strong spot in my heart as they are now sitting towards the top of my favorite games of all time. So without further adieu my thoughts. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin is my third run through of Dark Souls 2 and it was just as fun as the first time. The game is different enough with enemy placements that I feel it isn't just another port though that is what it is. To me Dark Souls 2 is a little weaker than Dark Souls 1 and 3 but that doesn't mean it is a bad game. Many improvements were made with the mechanics and combat but the overall design of the world and enemies is a tad bit slacking compared to the others but if you are looking to jumping into the Souls series be sure not to skip over this one.… Expand
  51. BlakDak666
    Mar 9, 2017
    7
    Dark Souls 2: Scholar of The First Sin is a solid and good Souls game. As fan of Souls series and playing all but Demon Souls, this is easily the weakest Souls game. The remastered and updated version fixed only a bit of what went wrong with original version and had a few problems that still came through that desperately needed fixing more. Combat against players can result in poor laggingDark Souls 2: Scholar of The First Sin is a solid and good Souls game. As fan of Souls series and playing all but Demon Souls, this is easily the weakest Souls game. The remastered and updated version fixed only a bit of what went wrong with original version and had a few problems that still came through that desperately needed fixing more. Combat against players can result in poor lagging and poor hit boxes, resulting in frustrating situations that could put off most players. The boss roster is over saturated with generic bosses and while a few good ones exist, there are just a sheer size of bad or mediocre ones to blanket it almost entirely. The game's base was decent overall, but with the well done Crown DLCs added in it brings up the experience to not make it as generic. It's hard to give this score because I do like Dark Souls 2, but it soaked in plenty of problems that were only partially fixed by the SoTS version.… Expand
  52. estebambuco
    Mar 8, 2017
    8
    No es mejor que el Dark souls 1, ni el bloodbourne, pero que puto juegazo, jaja:
    -Me gustaron varios Bosses
    -Buena inteligencia artificial y enemigos variados e interesantes -Música muy buena -Mejoro el online del Dark Souls 1 mil veces -Muy interesantes los mapas, lo malo es que al interconectarlos no se entiende mucho pero la verdad ni le puse cuidado a eso -Un montón de ataques    No es mejor que el Dark souls 1, ni el bloodbourne, pero que puto juegazo, jaja:
    -Me gustaron varios Bosses
    -Buena inteligencia artificial y enemigos variados e interesantes
    -Música muy buena
    -Mejoro el online del Dark Souls 1 mil veces
    -Muy interesantes los mapas, lo malo es que al interconectarlos no se entiende mucho pero la verdad ni le puse cuidado a eso
    -Un montón de ataques variados como los que son a dos armas o las magias ya que agregaron algunas
    -Te invita a rejugarlo
    Contras: algunos mapas no tienen coherencia entre sí y falta de cuidado en algunas texturas del juego pero la verdad a quien le importa eso. La verdadera contra es que la historia no aporta nada, quedamos en las mismas, en eso parece que fuera un dark souls más y que lo único que le aporto a la saga fue un buen online y un nuevo sistema de armas.    … Expand
  53. MaxPayneIsGod
    Feb 27, 2017
    9
    I took my time to drink it in. The SoFS updates are a huge improvement over the original version. The narrative is as ambiguous as ever but like the first one, if you take the time you'll find it. Enemy design is suitably FROM with some seriously grotesque creatures. Bosses are not as good as DS, there just hasn't been as much thought put into them this time round.
    DS2 is a lot more    I took my time to drink it in. The SoFS updates are a huge improvement over the original version. The narrative is as ambiguous as ever but like the first one, if you take the time you'll find it. Enemy design is suitably FROM with some seriously grotesque creatures. Bosses are not as good as DS, there just hasn't been as much thought put into them this time round.
    DS2 is a lot more "accessible". The ability to teleport from the outset makes progression significantly easier, but at the same time DS2 seems a lot bigger and the world is more complex. The environments are breathtaking, well the ones they've put the effort into. Its the gothic architecture that really blows me away.
    NPC and player summons are a huge help and I really enjoy this aspect of the game, especially when you're stuck on a tricky boss.
    I grinded my way through all 3 Crown DLCs, they didn't really add anything to the over all experience. There were some very, very cool ideas, especially in Crown of Sunken King. The bosses are utter monstrosities, each Crown has one who ups the stakes and difficulty each time.
    DS2 is not quite as good as DS1, only because its a sequel. It'll be a long time before I tackle DS3, the sense of relief I feel when conquering a Souls game is strange, its almost a bad thing, but overall I enjoyed it, each hurdle I overcame, I enjoyed it.    … Expand
  54. bkeny2idie
    Feb 5, 2017
    4
    Does more wrong than right, so much so that it hurts the game on many levels. Waiting a year for a "better version" only split the dwindling community even further between three platforms and six games with three original and three scholar versions. Overall this is was a slap in the face to souls veterans and a cheap attempt to right a wrong.
  55. JRY69
    Aug 31, 2016
    8
    A lot of Dark Souls fans absolutely hate this entry into the franchise. And, to their merit, there are some things that are disappointing when compared to the first game. The game is over bloated with bosses (32 in the vanilla game, even more with the DLC), causing a lot of bosses to feel uninspired and drab. Areas aren't as visually impressive (for the most part) and some enemy placementA lot of Dark Souls fans absolutely hate this entry into the franchise. And, to their merit, there are some things that are disappointing when compared to the first game. The game is over bloated with bosses (32 in the vanilla game, even more with the DLC), causing a lot of bosses to feel uninspired and drab. Areas aren't as visually impressive (for the most part) and some enemy placement is questionable (even in this updated version). However, when looking at the game as a whole and not comparing it to its predecessors, it is still an extremely solid experience. While for the most part areas and bosses aren't as memorable, there is still a lot of great areas and epic bosses in both the vanilla game and the DLC thats included. Combat, at least in my opinion, is the best in the main line of Dark Souls games. Theres an amazing dual wielding system that opens up a world of possibilities for how you tackle enemies and bosses. The story may not be Dark Souls 1 levels of deep, epic, and tragic, but what is there is entertaining. Characters and NPCs are expertly voiced and each have their own stories and secrets. All in all, this is an extremely solid game and a proud entry in the Soulsborne franchise, no matter how much the Dark Souls oners complain.… Expand
  56. Durand1981
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    Dark Souls 2 was the best of all 3 in regard to combat, dark souls 1 was the best in regard to detail and story.
    Dark Souls 3 well that belongs in the dung pile, as its a crock of ****
  57. stamito
    Aug 1, 2016
    8
    I have to say this isn’t the master piece I was kind of expecting, BUT it is still a quite good game.
    Graphics are all right, which is fine considering the game wasn’t originally conceived in the next gen consoles. It is; however, very good and amazing on an artistic level, some locations are “wow”. The gameplay is also quite awesome in terms of mechanics. These are quite simple, but the    I have to say this isn’t the master piece I was kind of expecting, BUT it is still a quite good game.
    Graphics are all right, which is fine considering the game wasn’t originally conceived in the next gen consoles. It is; however, very good and amazing on an artistic level, some locations are “wow”. The gameplay is also quite awesome in terms of mechanics. These are quite simple, but the game itself is not very forgiving so you have to be careful or you’ll die. The difficulty is just right for me, although I understand it might be a little bit too much for some people. I, personally think is just the right difficulty and it achieves a lot more than just making the game “hard”. I think the fact that you have to be careful because you can die in any moment makes you think about how you approach enemies, which is nice for a change, as in most games you can basically just dive in the middle of a mob move a sword around a bit and be fine. I also think it adds to the atmosphere of the game; you are in a cursed, gloomy land. Hell! you should feel a bit tense about walking around in a place like that and the difficulty level achieves that, it gives you that tiny bit of extra tension you need, it makes you feel this cursed land is actually threatening and that you shouldn’t be there. The design of both dungeons and bosses is superb, it does not feel linear at all nor too overwhelming, and it is quite clever how they make you go back or retrace some times. Bosses are kind of easy compared to the dungeons itself which is funny and unexpected, but they all give you a decent challenge.

    The main criticism I have for this game is that I feel, being the game infamous (or famous) for being hard, the developers have tried too hard to make everything hard. I don’t have a problem with the enemies being hard, as a matter of fact I like it, but some design decisions seem just annoying to me. An example of this is the fact that the game throws you in the middle of nowhere giving you absolutely no clue about how the skills and stats work. Some people say it is part of the “dark souls experience”, I just think it is annoying and does not contribute to anything good. I respect those who like that, but me, personally, I don’t want to spend hours trying to guess what giving points to a specific stat does, potentially realising after X hours of game that I’ve been giving points to the wrong stat (yes, you can reset them I know, but still…). Finally, I feel there is an awesome lore behind this game but again, the way it is given to the player, although smart it is not very well designed in my opinion. Basically, this lore is very very very scattered and normally is given in very small chunks of info. I don’t dislike the fact that it lets a bit of room for interpretation, for example just by looking at the environment in a significant room you can theorise about how something happened. However, I think the basic lore could be given to the player a bit more digested, e.g. finding a kind of long document explaining something and, maybe, make the document hard to find rather than splitting it into 20 pieces of which you may find only 13. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea to give the lore like that, I just feel it could be better managed to find some kind of middle ground; the way it is at the moment made me feel a terrible lack of context at some points which is a shame because the deps obviously made a fantastic work with this universe.

    Anyway, this is a really good game and it is excellent, but for it is not masterpiece because of some of the stuff I mention above. For those complaining/worried about the difficulty, I’d like to say that if you play it with a friend (being one of you a tank) the game will be like 1000 times easier, more even if you summon npcs (which you can do in almost all the bosses). This makes the game a lot more accessible to those who don’t want to die that much.    … Expand
  58. P100
    Aug 1, 2016
    6
    I have played all the soul series games including demon souls and Bloodborne. Dark souls 2 is by far the worst off the series (in my opinion). It lacks a cirtain atmosfeer and i don't like most of the worlds enviorment. Some of the enviorments i found to be misplaced. Also the magnetic enemys feel out of place for most parts. The bosses i found te be less memorable then in the otherI have played all the soul series games including demon souls and Bloodborne. Dark souls 2 is by far the worst off the series (in my opinion). It lacks a cirtain atmosfeer and i don't like most of the worlds enviorment. Some of the enviorments i found to be misplaced. Also the magnetic enemys feel out of place for most parts. The bosses i found te be less memorable then in the other games. The combat have been improved (it's quicker/faster) same goes for the dodggeing system. Also some.items/machenics (like branch of yore) i found to be most irritating and pointless. I personaly had more fun with all other from software games.… Expand
  59. SemenTheGreat
    Jul 29, 2016
    7
    I don't really know where I stand on this game. While I think it's good, it has quite a few obvious flaws. While Dark Souls 2 offers the best pvp in the series, and good dual-wielding mechanics, it fall short everywhere else compared to other games in the series. The combat feels clunky and unresponsive, dodging is an absolute pain due to the games questionable hit boxes, level design isI don't really know where I stand on this game. While I think it's good, it has quite a few obvious flaws. While Dark Souls 2 offers the best pvp in the series, and good dual-wielding mechanics, it fall short everywhere else compared to other games in the series. The combat feels clunky and unresponsive, dodging is an absolute pain due to the games questionable hit boxes, level design is very straight forward. There are some bosses in the game that really stands out, like the looking glass knight and fume knight, but the game relies too heavily on ganks to simulate some kind of boss difficulty. A part from that, I can't really dislike the game. I had a blast playing it.… Expand
  60. Turbodowg
    Jul 24, 2016
    9
    I originally rated this game a 3 because it was broken and after playing BB it felt like a step back. They have since fixed the 'weapon brake' issue/bug and I decided to buy it again in a PSN sale. And finally I have got to enjoy the game it was supposed to be played and it is fantastic. Not my favorite in the Souls/BB series but still highly enjoyable, addictive and challenging.

    I'm    I originally rated this game a 3 because it was broken and after playing BB it felt like a step back. They have since fixed the 'weapon brake' issue/bug and I decided to buy it again in a PSN sale. And finally I have got to enjoy the game it was supposed to be played and it is fantastic. Not my favorite in the Souls/BB series but still highly enjoyable, addictive and challenging.

    I'm really glad they patched the game and I can now enjoy it properly. I'm having a lot of fun with the game. Some great locations, beasts and bosses. Another success in the DS series.    … Expand
  61. Jellybean15
    Jun 26, 2016
    8
    Remasters are the thing this generation, and Dark Souls is yet another franchise looking to bank off that cash cow before the market dries up. However, unlike other remasters, Scholar of the First Sin more than justifies its existent by being more than just a graphical upgrade, going so far as to include the three DLC expansions released, as well as redesigning the enemy placements toRemasters are the thing this generation, and Dark Souls is yet another franchise looking to bank off that cash cow before the market dries up. However, unlike other remasters, Scholar of the First Sin more than justifies its existent by being more than just a graphical upgrade, going so far as to include the three DLC expansions released, as well as redesigning the enemy placements to deliver a much more challenging experience than the original Dark Souls II, probably in order to shut up the critics saying Dark Souls II was easier. In essence, it's accomplishes this feat, but not in all of the right places.

    In terms of gameplay, the combat and exploration is absolutely no different from any other Dark Souls game. Challenging, slow combat with great distances between checkpoints and enemies that respawn upon death. Very par for the course. If you enjoyed the other Dark Souls games, there’s no reason you won’t like this one.

    However, Dark Souls II had its own variations from the first Dark Souls, and they’re still present in Scholar of the First Sin. Enemies eventually do go away after killing them enough times. Fast travel is now an essential mechanic because the world is no longer this intertwining web, but is instead a lot of linear levels going in different directions.

    The main thing Scholar of the First Sin claimed was to be a more challenging experience than Dark Souls II, and in this chase, it does accomplish just that. However, I can’t help but disagree with the way From Software went about this change. In some cases, the enemy layout has been changed and harder enemies have been put in places they weren’t before. However, there are also cases where the difficulty is artificially lengthened simply because the game simply throws more enemies at you, rather than increasing the difficulty smartly. The game is harder because of the increased enemy count, but I can’t help but feel it could’ve been done a little more creatively.

    As for the DLCs, I have nothing but praise for the Ivory King DLC. Awesome level design, fantastic bosses from beginning to end, an awesome conclusion and ending level, the Ivory King DLC does nothing but deliver. The same cannot be said for the other two.

    The Iron King is still a very enjoyable experience, but it also has some very frustrating level designs, mainly pertaining of lining up enemies on unreachable levels who fire pot shots at you the whole time you fight enemies below. While the two ending bosses Sir Alone and the Fume Knight are highlights, the Smelter Demon is little more than just a rehash of a boss previously used in Dark Souls II with higher defense and attack.

    It’s the Sunken King DLC that really falls flat. Uncreative bosses, tedious level designs, drab environments, frustrating enemies, and only one real boss as a highlight make the Sunken King DLC more of a chore to get through. I probably could’ve done without this one being thrown in to the package.

    Overall, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin accomplishes what it sets out to do, which is upgrade the graphical fidelity, include the DLC, and deliver a more challenging experience. While the game is harder, it’s not always because of smart ideas or even fairness, since cheap ranged enemies are a constant threat throughout the entire game. All too often, ranged shots from enemies I didn’t even know were in the area caused my death. Plus, while Ivory King and Iron King are fun additions, the Sunken King only brings the package down.

    It’s great for fans who love Dark Souls. If you haven’t played Dark Souls II, but liked Dark Souls, you should definitely play this game. For those who’ve played Dark Souls II but haven’t purchased the DLC, this remaster is enough of an excuse to replay it. If you’ve never been a Dark Souls fan, this game won’t change your mind, but it’s still a great package as far as remasters go.    … Expand
  62. starburns
    May 26, 2016
    9
    Although it may not look like dark souls, I assure you, it is. brutal difficulty, myriad of weapons and armor, and a strong cult following all still maintain in this sequal to the dark souls masterpiece. As far as how it handles and combat, it still keeps the same hack-n-slash play-style that its always had. The emphasis on blocking over dodging is still there, and a similar structure isAlthough it may not look like dark souls, I assure you, it is. brutal difficulty, myriad of weapons and armor, and a strong cult following all still maintain in this sequal to the dark souls masterpiece. As far as how it handles and combat, it still keeps the same hack-n-slash play-style that its always had. The emphasis on blocking over dodging is still there, and a similar structure is upheld. Dark souls takes place in a different world with different and unique enemies and npc's, and the world design is as fantastic as ever. One thing that limits the exploratory foundation of the game, and something that was increased in this game that was not so prevalent in the original is fast travel. Fast travel is allowed right out of the gates in dark souls 2, and also allows you to teleport to any and all bonfires that you have discovered. I feel that this somewhat lessens the difficulty and fragments the incredible world design. Speaking of difficulty, dark souls 2 has plenty of it, but one feature in particular seems to push the difficulty to a level that seems almost unfair instead of just plain hard. Every time you die, your overall health bar goes down. Meaning that every time you die, you have less health than you did the life before. This feature will continue to affect you until it has drained your health bar down to half. That's, admittedly too far. The only way to counter this is to use a human effigy, which is like a humanity in the original DS. The problem with that is that, until much later in the game, human effigies a frickin hard to come by. Nonetheless, The early game bosses are significantly easier than in the original dark souls, so you should be able to make out of the first area with relative ease.

    The final verdict of dark souls 2 for me is that it doesn't necessarily capture the look or feel of dark souls souls, but it does capture the essence. That means that everything you loved from the original, as far as mechanics is concerned, returns in DS2. That being said, new features are also added like teleporting and loss of health on death. Some new mechanics are debatably good and others are arguably too much. As far as PvP is concerned, it's still the same laggy mess that it was in DS, but that didn't effect my grade of the game because it's not something I've ever cared for.    … Expand
  63. alexaxa
    May 22, 2016
    7
    Only "Souls" game i did not finished. Something was missing but i can't find exactly why... Bosses seemed less epic, level design was not as good as DS/DeS/BB...
  64. Myrkur
    Apr 18, 2016
    8
    Dark souls 2 took me a long time of thinking to decide if I should buy it or not. As a huge fan of DS1 and after that, an avid Bloodborne player, I chose to give a chance to From Software and get this game. I've never felt so mixed about a game. I had to play it for over 10 hours to start liking it, so, I almost hated it before I could really enjoy. The combat mechanics are clumsy and theDark souls 2 took me a long time of thinking to decide if I should buy it or not. As a huge fan of DS1 and after that, an avid Bloodborne player, I chose to give a chance to From Software and get this game. I've never felt so mixed about a game. I had to play it for over 10 hours to start liking it, so, I almost hated it before I could really enjoy. The combat mechanics are clumsy and the detection is the worst part of it. Sometimes you just wanna throw the game away, but then, the reward... God this game feels so good when you you are able to forgive about the poor developed mechanics. The history is immersive, as every game of the series. You get addicted to the early hated mechanics and you start to enjoy the game. I regret nothing.… Expand
  65. jtassassins
    Apr 4, 2016
    10
    Played Bloodborne, beat it several times, Thought i'd try DS2 before i moved on to Darksouls 3, I Havnt beat it yet but so far, I am not disappointed to say the least, 30+ hours into it so far. Amazing game overall, can't wait for DS3! :D
  66. HMolinet
    Mar 24, 2016
    10
    Epic battles, longer content than predecesors, new and original game attributes. Story full of going and comings, places and hidden paths. To be a Fan a of Dark Souls is to be insanely in love with this game. One of the best games ever for all elements and difficulty and online experience.
  67. fijiboy
    Mar 22, 2016
    8
    great game. dark souls 2 makes a bunch of changes to the souls series, but still stays true to what makes the original great. gameplay is still challenging and rewarding and you will die ALOT. there are some things that were improved, but overall I feel that this was not quite as memorable as the original. the ability to warp to other bonfires is great, but not being able to level up atgreat game. dark souls 2 makes a bunch of changes to the souls series, but still stays true to what makes the original great. gameplay is still challenging and rewarding and you will die ALOT. there are some things that were improved, but overall I feel that this was not quite as memorable as the original. the ability to warp to other bonfires is great, but not being able to level up at any bonfire is kind of annoying, but I wouldn't say it effects the game that much, what does effect the game though, is how the world doesn't really intertwine with itself and doesn't feel cohesive like the first game. the world it a bunch of branching paths that just end instead of weaving into each other like the first and that was a bit disappointing. another thing that was disappointing was the bosses. dark souls 2 went with a quantity over quality approach this time with the bosses and is probably the biggest flaw about this game. You get the feeling that the developers really ran out of ideas when it came to the boss designs and fights in this one, many of the fights are simple mob fights, knights in armor, and actual 100% rehashes from the first game, with that being said there are some stand out bosses that were awesome, but with about 30 bosses in the game, half felt too easy and uninspired. other wise the rest of the game is great, the added death penalty of maximum health depletion feels a bit to harsh at first, but you simply get used to it. this game definitely is a worthy sequel but is not quite as good.… Expand
  68. mrpeanut332
    Mar 9, 2016
    8
    i would buy this game if you love a challenge and you love a good fun adventure i wouldn't say the graphics are great but they aren't terrible. If you buy this game yo will definitely get your moneys worth great game
  69. GodHades100
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Dark Souls 2 is an amazing game. Awesome gameplay. Huge open world. Every Ps4 gamer should have this game. Although it can be VERY CHALLENGING you will surely LOVE IT.
    Only drawback : 100% Addictive
  70. BBQnaoplox111
    Mar 1, 2016
    8
    If you were to look at this as a conan the barbarian game with ds1 elements then itd be a 10 but because its a sequel to a masterpiece it suffers due to the standard it has set. Having said this the DLC content is 10/10 masterpiece status
  71. Termin8ter
    Feb 29, 2016
    8
    Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin is a remastered improved version of DS2 for PS4 and Xbox One. The graphics have been given a fresh coat of paint, looking amazing. The gameplay is just as unforgiving as before, and this re-release adds all the DLC from DS2 and gives it to us here. Buy this game if you loved Bloodborne, or are looking for a challenging game.
  72. Steven105
    Feb 13, 2016
    5
    Im a huge fan of the souls series i got a platinum trophy on dark souls and bloodborne but i was disapointed with dark souls 2 so i bough scholar of the first sin for the ps4 and the game still has the same problem as the ps3 version .....SOUL MEMORY . It is the biggest bone head mistake that from has ever done and their " solution " is to give you a ring to stop you from receiving souls ,Im a huge fan of the souls series i got a platinum trophy on dark souls and bloodborne but i was disapointed with dark souls 2 so i bough scholar of the first sin for the ps4 and the game still has the same problem as the ps3 version .....SOUL MEMORY . It is the biggest bone head mistake that from has ever done and their " solution " is to give you a ring to stop you from receiving souls , rather than just removing soul memory completley . For me there were summon signs every where at the beginning of the game and now my soul memory is currently over 9 million and im on new game +4 there are ZERO summon signs because my soul memory is too high or to low , it just ruins the entire game… Expand
  73. trevor1981
    Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Incredible breathtaking game you’ll become addicted to. I can’t express how much I loved it. You have to see it to believe. It’s a shame they are not restoring the first Dark Souls for PS4, hopefully someday. I’d love to play it. Souls games are now among my top favorites. This game is huge, and I mean really huge, with plenty of places to explore, plenty of bosses to fight andIncredible breathtaking game you’ll become addicted to. I can’t express how much I loved it. You have to see it to believe. It’s a shame they are not restoring the first Dark Souls for PS4, hopefully someday. I’d love to play it. Souls games are now among my top favorites. This game is huge, and I mean really huge, with plenty of places to explore, plenty of bosses to fight and breathtaking design you will just want to stop and admire.
    Very challenging and will certainly affect your expectations from games you are to further play.
    The phenomenal Bloodborne was my first experience in souls’ games, and after finishing its’ Old Hunters DLC I realized I must get Dark Souls 2. Even with minor graphics flaws which could be improved, this game is still a masterpiece and one of the best games ever created.
    Good luck with your journey!    … Expand
  74. mestriner1
    Jan 29, 2016
    10
    Um dos melhores jogos ja feitos até hoje, sem dúvida nenhuma. Estou no NG+ e apesar de toda dificuldade como todos dark souls voce não tem vontade de parar de jogar. Um jogo completo, onde vai encontrar ação, aventura, estratégia, terror e aquela dificuldade que faz voce voltar e querer jogar tudo de novo aprendendo com cada morte! Sensacional, que venha logo o Dark souls 3!
  75. praisethesun11
    Jan 27, 2016
    9
    TLDR Pros and Cons to follow.
    This game is fantastic in every way. It's not better Dark Souls (1) but I will do my best to keep that aside. Dark Souls 2: SotFS is a challenging game where you level up a character from nothing to achieve greatness. It's incredible to think about the journey that your level 82 Swordsman has been on since he/she first set foot in Majula. The story is    TLDR Pros and Cons to follow.
    This game is fantastic in every way. It's not better Dark Souls (1) but I will do my best to keep that aside. Dark Souls 2: SotFS is a challenging game where you level up a character from nothing to achieve greatness. It's incredible to think about the journey that your level 82 Swordsman has been on since he/she first set foot in Majula. The story is excellent and I once again applaud FromSoft for intelligently hiding it in environmental clues, item descriptions, and short lines of dialogue. The combat is tough but always fair, and the boss battles are exhilarating. In my opinion, the sense of accomplishment you feel after taking down a tough boss and tagging the next bonfire is unmatched. With a few exceptions, the bosses are imaginative and varied, and each fog gate makes your stomach drop. Speaking of fog gates and fear, PvP is back and better than ever. While there are still some obvious balance issues, there is infinitely more PvP build variety than in previous FromSoft games, however lag is still present and is a major hindrance to the appeal of PvP. On the other side of things you have co-op. In SotFS it seems slightly easier to find people to play with, but I cannot recommend doing so. Dark Souls: SotFS is meant to be played solo. For you first play-through do yourself a huge favor and unplug your internet connection, don't look up anything, and just explore. Do the same for Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Thank me later.

    Pros
    +Graphics, music, and overall atmosphere
    +Excellent story
    +Fantastic combat, progression, and build variety
    +Large selection of weapons, unique armor traits, and spells/sorceries/hexes
    +Imaginative bosses
    +PvP improvements
    +Skill point respec items

    Cons
    -blank (I can't really think of anything big that I disliked about the game)
    -Sorcery is overpowered in PvE
    -PvP lag
    -Frozen reindeer (you'll see what I mean)    … Expand
  76. zamapa
    Jan 24, 2016
    5
    Even though I dislike comparing games to others, this felt like a step down from the first Dark Souls to me. This has solid level design, cool bosses and enemies but added extremely frustrating mechanics. In the beginning of the game they give you lifegems and very little estus flasks, so if you take a lot of damage while playing the game, you have to grind or give up souls which couldEven though I dislike comparing games to others, this felt like a step down from the first Dark Souls to me. This has solid level design, cool bosses and enemies but added extremely frustrating mechanics. In the beginning of the game they give you lifegems and very little estus flasks, so if you take a lot of damage while playing the game, you have to grind or give up souls which could have brought you a level to stock up on lifegems. Adding this finite resource made me feel bad whenever I healed, because I knew I would later have to grind to buy more. And I despise the permanent loss of health upon death. It's meant to be another incentive against dying, but making your players weaker lowers their confidence in their ability to do well in the game. You can undo the life loss with a human effigy, but they're hard to find so you don't want to use them immediately when you die. In the first Dark Souls if you died to a boss you would only have to walk back to them again, and this was a great incentive not to die. It didn't make the player weaker but punished them all the same. These unforgiving mechanics made me frustrated with the game and myself, and caused me to enjoy it less. I still think it's a solid game in it's other aspects (not textures), such as enemies, bosses, weapons. But the addition of these mechanics which punish players for death, something which the game is based on frustrates me beyond belief.… Expand
  77. CreepyB4by
    Jan 20, 2016
    3
    Having invested over 150 hours and having beaten the entire game and all 3 DLCs in NG+, I have to say that this game is pretty bad. The main issues come from the controls and the core mechanics. They're terrible. First off, the jump button shouldn't be default bound to the movement stick. That's stupid. There's isn't any button remapping in this game other than assigning jump to theHaving invested over 150 hours and having beaten the entire game and all 3 DLCs in NG+, I have to say that this game is pretty bad. The main issues come from the controls and the core mechanics. They're terrible. First off, the jump button shouldn't be default bound to the movement stick. That's stupid. There's isn't any button remapping in this game other than assigning jump to the circle button. That's also retarded.

    The target switching button shouldn't be bound to the camera stick. That's unfathomably stupid. There are problems with the hitboxes in this game, especially on bosses. You can get hit with a stomp for example, by most bosses even if it's clear that the boss's character model completely missed your character. There was no intersection at all, but still, the hit registered. Speaking of enemies, they mostly can kill you in 1-3 hits the entire game, they have unlimited stamina and they barely ever wobble and they can't have their swings blocked by things like walls, but the player can. That's unfair.

    Every jump is a horizontal jump, not a vertical one and it must end with a roll. I'm not even joking, unfortunately. There is no canceling animations. If you're on the ground and you hit the drink button, then see the boss running at you, there is nothing you can do, you must watch your character finish standing and then he will drink. That's insanely stupid. Dodge should always dodge immediately, regardless of what action it might interrupt.

    This is a Japanese game about medieval European fantasy. It looks like Skyrim meets Turbo Mecha Samurai. It's really stupid. The hollowing is a poor concept and this game has a backwards curve, which is bull crap no matter what game you play. Basically, these guys were so interested in making the game hard that they broke the mechanics and then centered the game around the poor combat. It's essentially a timing game where every enemy is stronger than you are. If your animation is too late, you're dead, if it's too early, you're dead. It reminds me of making a car racing game where you only drive on ice with flat tires. Sure, it's a bad game, but it's so HARD, so that makes it GOOD, right? WRONG. This game sucks    … Expand
  78. Joker92
    Jan 15, 2016
    10
    I was late to the party, so I only have this on PS4. That needs to be said, because the poor reviews mostly came from people that had it on the previous gen, and then ignorantly got it on the new gen too expecting a vastly different product. Myself, having experienced the PS4 version for what it is and not having that saltiness can honestly say this game is fantastic. Played Demon and DarkI was late to the party, so I only have this on PS4. That needs to be said, because the poor reviews mostly came from people that had it on the previous gen, and then ignorantly got it on the new gen too expecting a vastly different product. Myself, having experienced the PS4 version for what it is and not having that saltiness can honestly say this game is fantastic. Played Demon and Dark Souls, and can say without a doubt that the series is doing good at improving in each instalment. The graphics comments do confuse me, and lead me to believe that those people probably do not have a 1080p display. The jump in fps from the other instalments is good stuff too, especially in pvp.… Expand
  79. dubloon7
    Jan 14, 2016
    7
    Dark Souls 2: SOTFS is a decent, and not great attempt at Souls gaming. The vanilla version on the PS3 is MUCH better, than this slightly modified attempt.

    The added DLC areas were a nice addition to the vanilla but MUCH more difficult than the remainder of the initial game: bosses were a joke, forcing the single-player to rely on MP, which is a total let down on the PS4 as you HAVE to    Dark Souls 2: SOTFS is a decent, and not great attempt at Souls gaming. The vanilla version on the PS3 is MUCH better, than this slightly modified attempt.

    The added DLC areas were a nice addition to the vanilla but MUCH more difficult than the remainder of the initial game: bosses were a joke, forcing the single-player to rely on MP, which is a total let down on the PS4 as you HAVE to pay for PS+ to play online to do this alone. Don't get me worong here, in my single playthru (NG) i tackled these areas around SL 150+ and still way too difficult. It was nice but fighting bosses became tiring and I was eager just to get the playing over with.

    Visuals: on my 32" LED HDTV i saw NO DIFFERENCE b/w the PS3 and PS4 version.
    Audio: Same as the vanilla PS3 version
    Controls: SAME
    Qualtiy: 7/10 for being a souls attempt game, but not enough *UMPF to keep me going.

    If you enjoy Demons Souls and Dark Souls 1, AVOID this game as it's the worst of the 3, and the entirety of it loses its steam halfway thru.    … Expand
  80. seburo
    Jan 13, 2016
    10
    I just write to compensate for the f*ckheads that punctuate with 0s games that haven't even played. Regarding the game, I've just played for 20 hours but I'm already in love. Awesome exploration, great designs and fun combat. It's also true that characters are shallow and the cutscenes awkward but it's really a great RPG. Truly unique and gorgeous! :)
  81. Zdzislaw32
    Jan 11, 2016
    4
    Even after the SOTFS update game is still broken and dull as F. Cheap locations (Iron Keep), boring story, clunky and unfun pve, and the graphic is just... pathetic. All that goes for this game is to make it as "hard" as possible (still most of the bosses are a joke, too easy compare to locations before the boss area) and when in DS1 that was a normal thing, now it feels like a cheapEven after the SOTFS update game is still broken and dull as F. Cheap locations (Iron Keep), boring story, clunky and unfun pve, and the graphic is just... pathetic. All that goes for this game is to make it as "hard" as possible (still most of the bosses are a joke, too easy compare to locations before the boss area) and when in DS1 that was a normal thing, now it feels like a cheap cash-grab strategy to get some money from kids, who treat this game as a new prank-challenge kinda thing (since the hardest game they ever had was Call of Duty on Medium... Try Ninja Gaiden or Megaman on NES casuals.) In the end: not a bad game, but man - im so bored after 3/4 of the game-play that i might just never end this "thing"...… Expand
  82. Freaxuk
    Jan 2, 2016
    10
    Why people saying this game is bad or not Bloodborne , ofc its not same game different play style, first off all this game is for people who like challenge and specific type of gameplay , for years i was avoiding dark souls series , but after i try Dark souls 1 , i just LOVE IT :) Dark souls 2 its amazing especial Scholar of the first sin , more enemys , more challenging and DLC all inWhy people saying this game is bad or not Bloodborne , ofc its not same game different play style, first off all this game is for people who like challenge and specific type of gameplay , for years i was avoiding dark souls series , but after i try Dark souls 1 , i just LOVE IT :) Dark souls 2 its amazing especial Scholar of the first sin , more enemys , more challenging and DLC all in one box :) Try and then LOVE it or LEAVE it :)
    if people say this game is not fair then remember one thing "its DARK SOULS" whole beauty of this game coz its not fair :D    … Expand
  83. SicknessInc
    Dec 14, 2015
    10
    This game is great! It's a real challenge.
    If you played the first Dark Souls (I never played Demon Souls) then you'll absolutely love this. The DLCs are quite a bit tougher though. Alone the Fume Knight butchered me about 50 times.
    The games is just plain fun.

    BUT BE WARNED: IT IS TOUGH AS NAILS!

    I can really recommend this. Just prepare to die. :D
  84. Sheep_198
    Nov 21, 2015
    5
    After finishing bloodborne, thought to conquer DS2 on PS4, but sadly sold the game after one try. Being a souls series fan, DS2 is just not one of the masterpiece. Beat DS2 on PS3, and never replayed again, it's just not enjoyable, cheap deaths, ugly world, boring boss, no creativity, not art to treasure of, just pure death punishment, that's not Souls series's design. Thought it wouldAfter finishing bloodborne, thought to conquer DS2 on PS4, but sadly sold the game after one try. Being a souls series fan, DS2 is just not one of the masterpiece. Beat DS2 on PS3, and never replayed again, it's just not enjoyable, cheap deaths, ugly world, boring boss, no creativity, not art to treasure of, just pure death punishment, that's not Souls series's design. Thought it would be changed on PS4, turns out it's still the same or even worse, same ugly graphics as PS3, boring world, no much co-op opportunity as not much people playing. Just a dreadful experience, poor game.… Expand
  85. anonymity
    Nov 13, 2015
    9
    It ain't Dark souls 1 but dang is it good.........................................................................................................................
  86. epistm87
    Nov 11, 2015
    0
    The graphics are improved but still butt ugly The new enemy placement is just stupid. terribly generic hack-n-slash very, very poor cash grab that adds very little to the game
  87. reviewer2015lol
    Nov 7, 2015
    9
    A good game . It's hard but fair. Great gameplay. Good progression and a lot of content. Improved graphics, all the dlc with amazing bosses and good area. Try it and you will be not sad of your purchase .
  88. LuckyShot
    Oct 31, 2015
    0
    After promises of an epic role-playing game, and excellent combat, i gave DS2 a try. My first foray into DS games, and apparently a bad way to start,

    This is such a terribly generic hack-n-slash. Looks bad, plays even worse, the controls are so clumsy and unresponsive, I took the game out after 10 minutes. Some might say that isn't long enough, but with graphics, environments and    After promises of an epic role-playing game, and excellent combat, i gave DS2 a try. My first foray into DS games, and apparently a bad way to start,

    This is such a terribly generic hack-n-slash. Looks bad, plays even worse, the controls are so clumsy and unresponsive, I took the game out after 10 minutes. Some might say that isn't long enough, but with graphics, environments and controls in the first 10 minutes being so clumsy and uninspired, when the first 10 minutes should grip a player, this could hold nothing more for me.

    Avoid at all costs.    … Expand
  89. Jollukka1
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    This game is good, but very frustrating at start.
    Bosses aren't so impressive and you charterer feels clumsy.
    When you play it more, it's addictive. DS II was one of the best remaster on PS4.
    Don't miss it, because if you aren't played Dark Souls (original) you'll gonna be hard times with Dark Souls III.
  90. fallouts
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    I could go on and on about this game. I got it AFTER my first From Software experience playing Bloodborne and this game is even more impressive in scope and substance. The graphics are not as fantastic as Bloodborne as it is a port, however they are still gorgeous and the framerate makes things all the more impressive. Also, the multiplayer system in this game is MUCH better than inI could go on and on about this game. I got it AFTER my first From Software experience playing Bloodborne and this game is even more impressive in scope and substance. The graphics are not as fantastic as Bloodborne as it is a port, however they are still gorgeous and the framerate makes things all the more impressive. Also, the multiplayer system in this game is MUCH better than in Bloodborne (although still not perfect). I won't go into detail, but bottom line is that if you are looking for a challenging and fun experience that is filled to the brim with content, then this is the game for you!!!… Expand
  91. axaxaxaKURWA
    Oct 6, 2015
    10
    I love dis game famz ther is a clear reson for it to beh called Dank Souls too ssuch quality game i would 100/10 recommend dis amazin gmea you ahould don8 and r8 8/8 m8 dont h8 appreci8
  92. SlyguyTheCritic
    Sep 17, 2015
    4
    An utterly disappointing, featureless remake of a game which disappointed so many die-hard Souls fans, myself included were severely disappointed by, for reasons ranging from uncreative bosses to sloppy design, lore and technical issues. Note, though, that even if you did like Dark Souls 2 for some of its more robust weapons, or the extra variety in character creation, (and there's nothingAn utterly disappointing, featureless remake of a game which disappointed so many die-hard Souls fans, myself included were severely disappointed by, for reasons ranging from uncreative bosses to sloppy design, lore and technical issues. Note, though, that even if you did like Dark Souls 2 for some of its more robust weapons, or the extra variety in character creation, (and there's nothing wrong with that! you are entitled to your own opinion), Scholar of the First Sin just feels wrong. Firstly, if you're a new player, the level design is even more idiotic and unfair than vanilla Dark Souls 2; with such ingenious design decisions as placing a boss as a regular enemy, in knee-deep water which restricts movement, at a point where many players may not have even encountered said boss in the shallow water that makes him an easy fight yet! Scholar of the First Sin's enemy placement also, may I add, breaks the immersion of the game even further! Desert Sorceresses, Nightmares, Gargoyles and Old Heide Knights in a Castle which NONE of them should be in.

    If there's anything that Scholar of the First Sin proves to me, it's that fanbases will gladly accept **** be it **** level design, or **** business practices, like repeating the EXACT SAME ENEMY in several locations, with no changes in moveset or weapon, or rereleasing your game with a free season pass and bloom lighting for FULL PRICE, solely because it's part of their beloved franchise.

    Well, while Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is a game made by a sweetheart developer, in a sweetheart franchise, it's a game that makes no attempt to cover the flaws of the previous title; other than a hastily added, poorly thought-out NPC and ending, and a game that by all means, shouldn't exist.    … Expand
  93. me5ut
    Sep 15, 2015
    8
    I have not played Dark souls 1, and played dark souls 2 on PS4 after reading reviews on other games that everybody compare RPG games with souls series, and decided to buy the game.

    At the beginning I was so disappointed with the graphs on PS4 as it looks so bad the environment quality etc. Although the game play is solid, difficult, makes you addicted and too many different places,    I have not played Dark souls 1, and played dark souls 2 on PS4 after reading reviews on other games that everybody compare RPG games with souls series, and decided to buy the game.

    At the beginning I was so disappointed with the graphs on PS4 as it looks so bad the environment quality etc. Although the game play is solid, difficult, makes you addicted and too many different places, monsters,bosses. I definitely recommend if you like games like bloodborne, or lords of fallen and if you have not experienced this game yet. I think dark souls 3 with new generation graphichs will be the best game ever. I score 10/8    … Expand
  94. jint3i
    Sep 12, 2015
    3
    I haven't been this disappointed in a sequel since picking up Soulcalibur 4. Dark Souls 2 isn't a legitimate successor to Dark Souls. I don't know what the press and other users played, but what I played was a clumsy, mildly interesting excuse for a From Software game. The enemies are uninspired and poorly scripted often relying on numbers to overwhelm the player rather than posing aI haven't been this disappointed in a sequel since picking up Soulcalibur 4. Dark Souls 2 isn't a legitimate successor to Dark Souls. I don't know what the press and other users played, but what I played was a clumsy, mildly interesting excuse for a From Software game. The enemies are uninspired and poorly scripted often relying on numbers to overwhelm the player rather than posing a legitimate challenge. Level design ranges from too heavily saturated with color to drab. There's really no excuse for the state of this entry in the series. Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne each made successive progress. This isn't even a step backwards. It's on a completely different scale from the other games (and that's not a compliment)… Expand
  95. fabriciodestro
    Sep 10, 2015
    9
    Excellent remaster. For people like me, who never got into DS before, it's the chance to get the game and the additional content in the same package. The 60 fps certainly helps the dynamic. For people who already played this on the previous generation, it may not be worth the price.
    The location of some enemies and items were changed purposefully, to appeal to old players, but I think    Excellent remaster. For people like me, who never got into DS before, it's the chance to get the game and the additional content in the same package. The 60 fps certainly helps the dynamic. For people who already played this on the previous generation, it may not be worth the price.
    The location of some enemies and items were changed purposefully, to appeal to old players, but I think this is not enough for a new purchase.
    If you never got this for 360 or PS3, it is a must-have, however.    … Expand
  96. heatonx23
    Sep 9, 2015
    8
    I never played a previous release of this game (i.e. PS3 version), but if I had played this a year ago, I would probably give it a 9 or 10. Unfortunately, given the timing of my playthrough, I don't have much of a choice but to compare this game to Bloodborne. Maybe that's not entirely fair given that DS2 was designed for last-gen consoles, but even if I handicap DS2 to account for that,I never played a previous release of this game (i.e. PS3 version), but if I had played this a year ago, I would probably give it a 9 or 10. Unfortunately, given the timing of my playthrough, I don't have much of a choice but to compare this game to Bloodborne. Maybe that's not entirely fair given that DS2 was designed for last-gen consoles, but even if I handicap DS2 to account for that, it still doesn't come close to the experience Bloodborne provides.

    Let me be clear from the start though: I do love this game. I was extremely addicted to it and can't wait to see what DS3 has in store. However, I think the slower gameplay and wealth ranged attacks made DS2 significantly easier than Bloodborne, and I felt a much smaller sense of accomplishment beating it. I will also say the different areas and bosses didn't seem very connected to one another. I know From Software's games tend to have intentionally ambiguous story lines, but DS2 areas and objectives just felt very random.

    Overall, I really enjoyed this game. For the price, you get a ton of hours' worth of content, and like I said, had I played this a year ago my rating would probably be much higher. But to me, Bloodborne is a perfect 10, and I just can't put DS2 in the same league.    … Expand
  97. DrakeGarrison
    Aug 26, 2015
    9
    Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin includes the 3 previously released DLC packs - Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the ivory King - along with additional features. All versions of the game include the following features (Existing Dark Souls II owners will receive a patch to implement these elements): Additional NPCs added for an enhanced storyDark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin includes the 3 previously released DLC packs - Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the ivory King - along with additional features. All versions of the game include the following features (Existing Dark Souls II owners will receive a patch to implement these elements): Additional NPCs added for an enhanced story experience. Parameter adjustments for improved game balance. Augmented item descriptions. Improved online matchmaking functionality. [Bandai Namco]… Expand
  98. SileSixEcho
    Aug 16, 2015
    10
    The best game from 2014 is even better now. There are still some locations that are not designed that well but the really beautiful places like heides tower of flame or majula make up for those few let downs. The gameplay is even more amazing in full hd with 60 fps and I like that they changed the enemy placement and added some challenge. Great atmosphere, rewarding gameplay and tons ofThe best game from 2014 is even better now. There are still some locations that are not designed that well but the really beautiful places like heides tower of flame or majula make up for those few let downs. The gameplay is even more amazing in full hd with 60 fps and I like that they changed the enemy placement and added some challenge. Great atmosphere, rewarding gameplay and tons of things to do. This is not a game for everyone, but everyone should try it out and give it a chance. Some will burn in anguish, some will praise the sun!… Expand
  99. Birdie
    Jul 24, 2015
    10
    I spent around 400 hours with Dark Souls 2 PvP on the PS3.
    I bought this for the better frame rate and sharper graphics and 1080p HD, just to recreate my favourite character and continue doing PvP.
    I was surprised by a lot of changes. New areas for example and some rearranged or expanded ones. Some new loot. Enemies are exchanged for new ones and some tougher ones can be found    I spent around 400 hours with Dark Souls 2 PvP on the PS3.
    I bought this for the better frame rate and sharper graphics and 1080p HD, just to recreate my favourite character and continue doing PvP.

    I was surprised by a lot of changes.
    New areas for example and some rearranged or expanded ones.
    Some new loot.
    Enemies are exchanged for new ones and some tougher ones can be found earlier.

    But the best thing with this version is that the time it takes to load between places is drastically faster.
    It used to take 30 seconds to enter a PvP fight on the PS3 for example, now I can count to 8.
    It's the same with travelling between bonfires.

    PvP is as fun as ever and fight clubs is even more awesome now when you can be like 7-8 people at the same time. Less waiting time.

    The only things I can complain about so far is that they put like 20 dragon bros that attack you at the same time in the Dragon Shrine. It's possible to just run through but if you don't want to run it's quite hard.
    Secondly, they have removed a third of the enemies that have a rare drop of my favourite weapon. So I haven't been able to get it yet. Oh well. :)    … Expand
  100. Zimbardo
    Jul 22, 2015
    0
    I bought and loved Dark Souls 2 when it first came out for PS3. After beating and loving Bloodborne I decided to get Scholar of the First Sin to continue feeding my souls cravings.

    That was a complete mistake. 1) The graphics are improved but still butt ugly. Despite releasing DS2 on a more powerful console From decided to withhold the graphic quality they were advertising in the    I bought and loved Dark Souls 2 when it first came out for PS3. After beating and loving Bloodborne I decided to get Scholar of the First Sin to continue feeding my souls cravings.

    That was a complete mistake.

    1) The graphics are improved but still butt ugly. Despite releasing DS2 on a more powerful console From decided to withhold the graphic quality they were advertising in the original PS3 trailers.
    2) The controls are sloppy and the game-play is dated. Bloodborne moved the bar. Fanboys will say that DS gameplay is "tactical"... that just means they like to strafe-block-punish.
    3) The new enemy placement is just stupid. Dark Souls 1 is challenging in a good way... most of the time. The Anor Londo archers were challenging in a bad frustrating way. Dark Souls 2 vanilla was the right amount of good challenge. Scholar of the First Sin is a lot more Anor Londo archer nonsense.
    4) The creation of a different DS2 client splits the player baser even further, hampering online play.

    5) DIRTY BUSINESS PRACTICES. Fromsoft initially announced they they weren't going to release DLCs from DS2. They released a game with lose ends and then sold 3 DLCs to tie them up. Then after you bought the game and the 3 DLCs they sell the completed version of the game not as a patch or DLC BUT AS AN ENTIRELY OTHER GAME 1 YEAR AFTER THE INITIAL RELEASE.

    You're Dirty From. You're so dirty. You took a near perfect PS3 game and made a steaming turd for PS4.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best PS4 Game of 2015
24
#24 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
36
#36 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Gaming Nexus
    Jun 23, 2015
    90
    Whether you're new to Dark Souls II or played it on older consoles, Scholar of the First Sin is worth revisiting. This PlayStation 4 collection features the original game, along with the three expansion packs.
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  2. The Digital Fix
    Jun 5, 2015
    90
    Going backwards from Bloodborne feels almost archaic, and it takes some time to settle into that once familiar gameplay. However Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin offers the chance to revisit that still fantastic and familiar world with a slight twist to proceedings and a respectable face lift.
    Read full review
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jun 2, 2015
    100
    The changes have made this edition slightly more difficult, but the core of the game remains true to the superb game design of the original.
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