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. hector_bcn98
    Nov 17, 2022
    8
    Buen remasterización. No está al nivel del primero, pero el que diga que no es altamente disfrutable, miente.
  2. CFMCritic
    May 15, 2021
    8
    While this version carries some of the problems from the original Dark Souls II, it's the definitive way to experience the critically Acclaimed sequel to Dark Souls. SOTFS still suffers from the unbalanced difficulty of the original, bad level design and useless boss fights.
  3. ylnylmn
    Jan 12, 2022
    9
    What a long game. I did everything to do in the game. It took 68 hours. It was good, nothing bothered me except the DLC bosses.
    If I had to compare it with Dark Souls 1;
    First of all, Dark Souls 1 was a shorter and more concise game. The story and characters were very good. The atmosphere and level design were better. But on the DS2 these are not well done. There are huge differences in    What a long game. I did everything to do in the game. It took 68 hours. It was good, nothing bothered me except the DLC bosses.
    If I had to compare it with Dark Souls 1;
    First of all, Dark Souls 1 was a shorter and more concise game. The story and characters were very good. The atmosphere and level design were better. But on the DS2 these are not well done.
    There are huge differences in difficulty level on DS2. The bosses in the normal game are very easy, but the bosses in the DLC are extremely difficult. It is very difficult to avoid damage by rolling in DLC bosses. You need to give the ADP skill to roll better, but the game doesn't tell you that. You have to give a lot of Vitality to wear a strong armor. Weapon durability is very little, it can be broken immediately. Estus Flask takes a long time to drink.
    DLCs ​​were good overall. But in some levels, the way to the bosses can be torture. Although some bad decisions were made, I enjoyed playing it. But it didn't fascinate me as much as dark souls 1.    … Expand
  4. Marsbarista
    Dec 20, 2020
    5
    Dark Souls II is definitely the worst of the Soulsborne series, without reservation. It has nice environments and ultimately it is still a From Software experience, however it tries a few different things that don't work especially well. The feel of the game is slightly off as well and it is quite janky. There are lots of people who will defend the combat system to the ends of the earth,Dark Souls II is definitely the worst of the Soulsborne series, without reservation. It has nice environments and ultimately it is still a From Software experience, however it tries a few different things that don't work especially well. The feel of the game is slightly off as well and it is quite janky. There are lots of people who will defend the combat system to the ends of the earth, but for me, I just don't see it. It doesn't work well, it doesn't feel good, and it's not exactly enjoyable. I am willing to give a game a lot of time and forgiveness for that stuff if other things work, but DS II just doesn't pull through enough in the areas where it does work to really win me over. It's not a bad game, but comparing it to the others, it definitely rests at the bottom for me. Worst of all, the bosses are really underwhelming and repetitive. Repetitive bosses are a common complaint for DS II, and in this case I think it is warranted. Maybe, and this is a big maybe, if you can divorce DS II, as an experience, away from the others in the series it could be judged more on its own merits. Maybe. I personally find that difficult to do. Lots of people do seem to love it though, so power to them.… Expand
  5. Daemon20
    Jan 25, 2021
    3
    A failure on all fronts that tries to capture the first game's charm while not understanding what made it great at all. It manages to make the first game's combat unsatisfying and inconsistent, the great level design into big areas filled to the brim with enemies that feel like a slog to get through, the creative memorable clashes with the bosses into little speed-bumps that at best are aA failure on all fronts that tries to capture the first game's charm while not understanding what made it great at all. It manages to make the first game's combat unsatisfying and inconsistent, the great level design into big areas filled to the brim with enemies that feel like a slog to get through, the creative memorable clashes with the bosses into little speed-bumps that at best are a quick little fight and at worse are downright annoying and unfun. There is no semblance of enjoyment or fun up until the DLC, which in itself is very flawed but is drastically better in quality than the rest of the game. This is a sequel to one of the greatest games ever by people who didn't understand how to do it. And the result is catastrophic.… Expand
  6. agapokolo
    Feb 14, 2021
    8
    DS2 has many issues, but overall this is a fine experience, especially for Souls fans. Although, compared to all other souls games, almost everything is downgraded, I enjoy this game's variety and replayability.
  7. RTCWFAN
    Jun 21, 2023
    9
    Was my first Dark Souls game on the Xbox 360 and replayed it on PS4. Great edition of an epic game. Overall rating: 8.8.
  8. 7t7
    May 13, 2021
    8
    İ loved this game,I think everybody can play this game.Graphics are not good but mechanics are good.
  9. Superbolonio
    May 20, 2021
    8
    Este juego lo empecé a jugar con 0 hype por las malas críticas que tenía y me sorprendió gratamente hasta el punto que me gustó más que DS3. Nunca jugué a la versión original del DS2 pero, por lo que he podido ver, este juego tiene más sentido en la localización de enemigos y objetos, unos gráficos mejorados y los DLC que para mí son lo mejor del juego. Sí es cierto que depende mucho de laEste juego lo empecé a jugar con 0 hype por las malas críticas que tenía y me sorprendió gratamente hasta el punto que me gustó más que DS3. Nunca jugué a la versión original del DS2 pero, por lo que he podido ver, este juego tiene más sentido en la localización de enemigos y objetos, unos gráficos mejorados y los DLC que para mí son lo mejor del juego. Sí es cierto que depende mucho de la adaptabilidad y la dificultad artificial, además de contar con un diseño de niveles bastante estúpido, pero para nada es el mal juego que muchos decían.… Expand
  10. LeonKn
    May 26, 2021
    6
    This game is okay but nothing like the groundbreaking first entry. One of the things I liked the most in DS1 was the architecture and world building. Everything was connected and it felt really good exploring and finding shortcuts back to areas you had been before. The world building in Dark Souls 2 is a complete mess.. Nothing makes sense, in one area you even take an elevator a long wayThis game is okay but nothing like the groundbreaking first entry. One of the things I liked the most in DS1 was the architecture and world building. Everything was connected and it felt really good exploring and finding shortcuts back to areas you had been before. The world building in Dark Souls 2 is a complete mess.. Nothing makes sense, in one area you even take an elevator a long way down from sea level and end up at another shore at sea level. World building aside, the gameplay and levelling system is fun and challenging as expected in a souls game, but the bosses are a lot easier than ds1 and very forgettable, there is also way too many of them in my opinion. They chose quantity over quality with the bosses in this game and that's a shame.
    I think overall they should have made this game shorter. Don't let this be your first souls game but if you're already a fan of the series you should check it out and you will probably enjoy it for what it is.    … Expand
  11. punipuno
    May 28, 2021
    9
    great game, memorable bosses, silky smooth 60fps,feels infinitely replayable,soul memory sucks though
  12. QilBoy
    Mar 13, 2022
    6
    The fanbase has been really harsh on the second chapter of the Dark Souls series, and although the hatred might have been warranted for the original release, the Scholar of the first Sin edition offers an experience that is of undeniably good quality, much more than most videogames out today.
    First off, the game introduces a new healing method: lifegems. Lifegems can be purchased, unlike    The fanbase has been really harsh on the second chapter of the Dark Souls series, and although the hatred might have been warranted for the original release, the Scholar of the first Sin edition offers an experience that is of undeniably good quality, much more than most videogames out today.
    First off, the game introduces a new healing method: lifegems. Lifegems can be purchased, unlike Estus Flasks, and can be utilized while moving, unlike Flasks, but they replenish HP in a much slower fashion. So, by spending souls the player acquires a new interesting alternative, which doesnt break the balance of the game since they cost an appropriate amount of money. This adds a welcome element of resource management to the experience: do I spend souls on useful Lifegems right now or do I keep these souls for a level up later?
    Another addition is the possibility to fast-travel between bonfires since the very beginning of the game. This has its pros and cons. On the positive side, this is an obvious quality of life improvement: the player doesnt need to walk long stretches of land to reach a certain place, ever. On the negative side this removes the feeling of a grounded, harduous journey that the first game successfully delivered. In the first game the absence of a fast-travel made going back and forth from certain places a little tedious, but it added to the feel of journey and wasnt that big of a deal since the world was so masterfully interconnected that it didnt take THAT long to traverse it.
    This leads us to realize a slightly depressing fact: DS2 NEEDS immediate fast-travel also because of that very same principle: it doesnt have a world that is as carefully interconnected as the world of the first game. Drangleic, the world where DS2 takes place, is much more structurally linear and bland than Lordran was, and generally has less care put into its worldbuilding, both narratively (a lot less character sidequests) and geographically (the location of some areas straight up does not make sense in relation to the environment). The same can sadly be said for the Level Design itself: areas are a little less fun and satisfying to explore than they were in DS1. The first game presented the player with so many different caves, maze-like labyrinths and sprawling open areas, whereas DS2 offers mostly linear halls, somewhat barren villages and bland dungeons. There ARE pleasant exceptions, mostly in the DLC areas, where the quality rises suddenly, but they are the minority.
    The real problem with DS2's level design isnt the structure of levels themselves, though, since they still provide an appreciable amount of variety and creativity. The real issue lies in the enemy placements. DS1 presented the player with challenging but almost always fair scenarios and fights, where even if outnumbered, with enough adaptability and reflexes the player could come out of it unscathed. This game frequently forgets the importance of keeping these fights, where the player is outnumbered, fair and balanced, and often throws at the player an insane amount of foes to face all at the same time. The only way to safely deal with these ambushes is by tediously exploiting ranged attacks, or exploiting the enemies' aggro, abruptly breaking the flow of battle and immersion. These unfair ambushes happen a little too often, leaving an annoying mark on the experience.
    The Bosses are quite a letdown too: the overwhelming majority of them are disappointingly simple, mediocre fights, with very predictable movesets and little strategy required. A few of them are great duels, but not as great as the best Bosses of DS1, which are still unparalleled. More than a few of them are exceptionally boring or unfair at times (mostly due to unprecise hitboxes), but never as bad as the worst Bosses of DS1, LUCKILY still unparalleled. So, both for good and bad, DS2 cant replicate the DS1 Bosses experience, settling for a functional but mediocre array of fights.
    And yet, even after all these flaws and shortcomings, DS2 still offers an exciting, addicting adventure. This is a testament of the quality of the Souls series' core formula: still capable of hooking the player with a deeply satisfying mesh of exploration and fighting, even after these imperfections and worsenings in game design, when compared to the first game.
    Or, in other words: Dark Souls 2 still retains that exciting sense of adventure and still conveys the dreadful atomsphere of exploring an old ruined land, still provides that rush when overcoming a challenging encounter with a group of enemies or a tough boss and still offers the relief of reaching a bonfire after getting lost in a dangerous maze full of monsters, all in an exciting heterogeneous quest into the unknown. But for the most part it simply lacks the ingenious, expertly crafted level design and thrilling boss design of the first game, resulting in a noticeably worse package overall.    … Expand
  13. CnPx98
    Apr 13, 2023
    4
    Dark Souls 2 is easily the worst release that From Software has made. Everything in this game feels so forced. Other titles have been more about a fun game that happens to be hard as Ds2 is more hard for the sake of being hard. Like every action you do there is always an ambush. Every boss mechanic feels so over the top and ridiculous. The hole game can be cheesed with Life stones andDark Souls 2 is easily the worst release that From Software has made. Everything in this game feels so forced. Other titles have been more about a fun game that happens to be hard as Ds2 is more hard for the sake of being hard. Like every action you do there is always an ambush. Every boss mechanic feels so over the top and ridiculous. The hole game can be cheesed with Life stones and Agility. The combat feels clunky and horrible compared to every other From Software game. For example if you swing your sword you are stuck in place for half a second before you can roll. Why? You can tell this wasn't the made team that created this game because it plays more like a cheap imitation. Also the game is actually harder if you use lock on. Honestly if you go against your brain telling you to always use lock on you'll find the game way easier. Which is funny cos that's the opposite of every other from soft game. I can imagine Ds2 being really bad for less experienced souls players as right at the start your fighting ambushes of 10 + enemies. And this is when you likely have a bottom tear weapon. Scholar of the 1st sin should have been a proper reword not just a couple minor improvements and random enemy placements. Apperantly the enemy placements are worse but I've not played the original.… Expand
  14. guillerulezzz
    Dec 2, 2021
    8
    Sinceramente es un titulo que me gusta mucho, el problema es que la correlación entre mapas es realmente mala, como cuando tomamos el elevador en el pico terrenal y asciendes al torreón de hierro,
    muchos jefes son muy olvidables, algunos escenarios no están bien cuidados, pero a pesar de eso he disfrutado de este titulo, la IA no esta tan pulida como esperaba, mas bien pusieron mas    Sinceramente es un titulo que me gusta mucho, el problema es que la correlación entre mapas es realmente mala, como cuando tomamos el elevador en el pico terrenal y asciendes al torreón de hierro,
    muchos jefes son muy olvidables, algunos escenarios no están bien cuidados, pero a pesar de eso he disfrutado de este titulo, la IA no esta tan pulida como esperaba, mas bien pusieron mas enemigos en vez de hacerlos mas difíciles.
    Lo que mas disfruté sin duda fueron los DLC, muy buenos y le sumaron una experiencia muy buena.
    Lo malo son todos estos errores o descuidos que no fueron pulidos    … Expand
  15. UrbanEelf
    Jan 17, 2022
    5
    nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnno0ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
  16. Ginger_Avenger
    Jan 5, 2023
    7
    (Note: this is the only version I tried - I don't have the earlier PS3 version and I didn't do any of the DLC.) Tried DS 1 and 2 concurrently; beat this one, still have yet to finish DS1. It seems hard to speak of one without mentioning the other. Still, DS1 had a flawless first half, then dipped massively for me. DS2, on the other hand had flaws all over, but I found the controls, combat,(Note: this is the only version I tried - I don't have the earlier PS3 version and I didn't do any of the DLC.) Tried DS 1 and 2 concurrently; beat this one, still have yet to finish DS1. It seems hard to speak of one without mentioning the other. Still, DS1 had a flawless first half, then dipped massively for me. DS2, on the other hand had flaws all over, but I found the controls, combat, and levels to be more enjoyable overall. Everyone has their preferences, right? Both DS 1 and 2 have jank and gank, but, for whatever reason, I enjoyed this one enough to keep playing, whereas I have no desire to pick up DS1 again and try and finish the last few areas (after Anor Londo).… Expand
  17. chernandez31
    Feb 22, 2022
    7
    Nope, don’t listen to those who think it’s cool saying this is the best one in the series. It’s pretty damn good, but not great. Too inferior in many aspects to the other entries in the Fromsoftware games.
  18. Taulf
    Feb 24, 2022
    7
    Eu gosto bastante de todos os jogos da from , dark souls 2 sofreu bastante criticas dos fans mas pra mim ele está no mesmo nivel que os outros jogos da from ele é muito divertido , mas ele é um jogo muito bom também e o multiplayer dele pra mim é um dos melhores que tivemos na saga souls!!
  19. NotMinhLe
    May 23, 2022
    9
    Fantastic game with extremely well crafted areas and challenging obstacles. The same goes for SOTFS as it does with "Dark Souls : Remastered", which is that it is NOT a must play for returning players that have already completed the PS3 version however this version does change up enemy placements and item locations for a subtle yet noticeable change. Personally, this game did notFantastic game with extremely well crafted areas and challenging obstacles. The same goes for SOTFS as it does with "Dark Souls : Remastered", which is that it is NOT a must play for returning players that have already completed the PS3 version however this version does change up enemy placements and item locations for a subtle yet noticeable change. Personally, this game did not disappoint me at all.… Expand
  20. myilmazbm2
    Mar 21, 2022
    1
    I just finished the game and feel like I wasted my time proving myself to myself. just it. and do not like the game.
  21. BumPump
    Apr 12, 2022
    10
    I will never not recommend this game to anyone looking to get into the series. A significant portion of players were overwhelmed by the difficulty, but it's nothing short of the biggest and most expansive of the Dark Souls trilogy.
  22. Dewom
    Apr 5, 2022
    6
    No puedo darle más. Sus positivos se ven muy eclipsados con los negativos. La mejor manera en la que lo puedo describir, es que es un juego que he intentado rejugar multiples veces (aparte de las 2 runs iniciales que realicé) y nunca he podido. El movimiento del personaje se siente fatal, el juego está muy poco balanceado y creo que es el souls con peor diseño de personajes y enemigos conNo puedo darle más. Sus positivos se ven muy eclipsados con los negativos. La mejor manera en la que lo puedo describir, es que es un juego que he intentado rejugar multiples veces (aparte de las 2 runs iniciales que realicé) y nunca he podido. El movimiento del personaje se siente fatal, el juego está muy poco balanceado y creo que es el souls con peor diseño de personajes y enemigos con diferencia.… Expand
  23. 323
    May 3, 2022
    10
    Ds2 played an outstanding role between 1&3, If you want to make a trilogy and don't know how to design the second one. Whether you obsessed with worldview shaping, map design, or combat system upgrade. Ds2 is one of the best answer.
  24. GeckoMaBoi
    Jan 11, 2023
    4
    I have completed this game twice and I still don't like it. For some reason every now and then i crave to play it though, only to remember how bad it is.
  25. Mangough
    Aug 2, 2022
    8
    It gets too much of a bad rep for no reason. Just level adp and you'll be grand!
  26. Reydriar
    Nov 12, 2022
    10
    Best main hub atmosphere out of all fromsoft games. Also I wish they would bring powerstance from DS2 back.
  27. m3ny0
    Oct 14, 2022
    7
    Eu comecei Dark Souls 2 com muita expectativa. Lembro que já sabia da fama dele ser o pior da trilogia, e até já estava com o 3 na prateleira, mas, ainda assim, era algo que eu tinha que testar por mim mesmo.
    Bem, não foi lá essas coisas, mas não foi de completo ruim também.
    A atmosfera e história confusa do primeiro jogo continuam, mas algumas coisas chatas foram adicionadas. A primeira    Eu comecei Dark Souls 2 com muita expectativa. Lembro que já sabia da fama dele ser o pior da trilogia, e até já estava com o 3 na prateleira, mas, ainda assim, era algo que eu tinha que testar por mim mesmo.
    Bem, não foi lá essas coisas, mas não foi de completo ruim também.
    A atmosfera e história confusa do primeiro jogo continuam, mas algumas coisas chatas foram adicionadas. A primeira delas é o estado de decaimento (ou hollow) em que você perde uma parte da sua vida depois que morre (e continua perdendo se continuar morrendo). Não é nem preciso dizer o quão ruim isso é, mas, além da clara desvantagem que você irá ter por ter menos vida, isso também bloqueia o uso das funções online que o jogo disponibiliza. Então, não basta dificultar, você ainda precisa lidar com os problemas sozinho.
    Outra questão é seu elixir de cura (estus flask), que tem o maior tempo de uso em toda franquia. Inclusive é uma piada recorrente como seu personagem leva todo o tempo do mundo para apreciar o drink. Certas mecânicas como as tochas, que agora são limitadas por tempo, podem parecer horríveis no começo, mas logo não fazem tanta diferença. Para comparação, no final do jogo eu tinha mais de doze horas de uso da tocha livres.
    O jogo é bonito, os inimigos são meio chatos na maioria, e eu particularmente não gostei de nenhum além dos outros, mas é algo aceitável. Os personagens não jogáveis são interessantes, em sua maioria. Tem gente muito chata no meio, mas nada que um pequeno homicídio culposo sem a intenção de matar não resolva.
    No geral eu gostei da aventura, salvo um ponto específico que eu iriei comentar mais abaixo, e acho que foi tempo bem gasto.
    Lembro de começar o jogo e ficar horas chateado por não ter uma arma descente. Acontece que o meu personagem começou com uma espada quebrada, e você não ganha uma espada até muito depois da cidade principal, e isso me deixou muito preocupado por muito tempo, especificamente por conta da fama de sempre ter um inimigo na próxima esquina. Eventualmente eu comprei um machado que usei a maior parte do jogo, até trocar por um espadão e, logo depois de eu descobrir da sua existência, uma PICARETA.
    Sim, minha arma principal era uma picareta. Reforçada sem temperos.
    Minha roupa era uma bonita da qual eu gostei da combinação de atributos: torso e calças do Looking Glass Knight, máscara do Lost Sinner e braçadeiras que me davam uma pequena chance de acerto crítico. Fashion Souls o possível.
    Tudo muito bem, muito bom, até chegar ao ponto que prolongou o tempo de término desse jogo em quase um ano: para efetivamente zerar o jogo você precisar jogar ele inteiramente TRÊS VEZES.
    Não uma, não duas, três vezes. Inteiro.
    Além disso, também há umas certas magias que requerem você interagir online cerca de cinquenta vezes.
    Eu só interagi efetivamente online uma vez. Um cara apareceu no meu mundo enquanto eu havia deixado o jogo aberto para jantar, quando eu voltei havia um monte de brilhos de moeda ao meu redor e uma arma legal. Muito obrigado, estranho.
    Para ir contra essa interação excessiva, que inclui tanto ajudar pessoas quanto matar as pessoas invadindo seus mundos, você pode simplesmente matar certos inimigos um quintilhão de vezes e esperar que eles tenham o item necessário para trocar pela tal magia.
    Sinceramente, zerar Dark Souls não é difícil, é chato e demorado.    … Expand
  28. liorrubin1388
    Sep 6, 2023
    10
    This is one of my top 10 favorite games of all times.
    This is one of my top 10 favorite games of all times.
  29. Gabsiervoo
    Nov 28, 2022
    6
    Despite how much I want to enjoy this game, I just can't bring myself to truly favor DS2 to any of the other From Soft games, as to me, it is genuinely the weakest overall, and lacks in what a lot of the other games shine in.
    Firstly the combat. This is usually the main factor that really makes souls games fun for me, and here it just feels lacking. DS2's combat feels significantly slower    Despite how much I want to enjoy this game, I just can't bring myself to truly favor DS2 to any of the other From Soft games, as to me, it is genuinely the weakest overall, and lacks in what a lot of the other games shine in.
    Firstly the combat. This is usually the main factor that really makes souls games fun for me, and here it just feels lacking. DS2's combat feels significantly slower and clunkier than in any of the other souls games. Animations often look rigid and stiff, and your attacks (even the fast ones) can sometimes feel too slow. This is emphasized even more so when you run a strength build like I did with a greatsword, with which I often felt overpowered and lacking in skill, since the weapon crushed every enemy nearly instantly, but still couldn't save me from getting hit nearly constantly.
    To compliment my earlier criticism of feeling overpowered, this game has no real sense of order, as I often struggled to find out the order that I should go in, since some areas always felt too easy, and others too difficult, so I usually just gave up on trying and just checked wikis to see what areas fit my level.
    However, this isn't to say that the game is terrible. It isn't. DS2 has a massive world to explore and a crap ton of bosses and enemies to discover, many of which are very well hidden, which is something I can always applaud a company for doing, prioritizing the more dedicated players.
    In conclusion though, this is a half decent game, but a pretty bad souls game, even more so if this is your first entry in the series. Other entries usually bring similar difficulty with a lot less of the frustrations of DS2. Plus, FromSoft has such a huge catalogue these days that it's hard to really consider playing this game over any of the others.    … Expand
  30. uncleblazer
    Mar 12, 2023
    8
    I really like this game. i understand it has flaws but it also has cool lore and dark fantasy vibes and the world is just as cool as ds1 even though its not connected in the same way. the music in majula is constantly stuck in my head. the weapons and variety is amazing so many different builds. the bosses are not the best in the series, few memorable ones. dlc as always is top notch.
  31. aaronnmp96
    Jan 31, 2023
    6
    It doesn't get to be called Dark Souls and surely it would have more note, it shows that Miyazaki was not there.
  32. JesseDillinger
    Jul 31, 2023
    2
    Worst Souls game and it's not even close. Holy **** they just loved putting a billion enemies in tiny locations just to piss you off. This game's whole purpose is made to piss you off. No other Souls game feels that way. They feel like actual good challenging games. This game is awful and hard for the dumbest reasons ever.
  33. HIBBITY
    Mar 1, 2023
    2
    Till this day after many many tries I have yet to feel that spark I felt with every other souls game, I have played and 100% (atleast trophy wise) multiple fromsoft games but till this day this remains the only one I have yet to beat let alone just get through a decent portion. It feels like if you got a fan made dark souls game by people who think the only reason souls games are loved isTill this day after many many tries I have yet to feel that spark I felt with every other souls game, I have played and 100% (atleast trophy wise) multiple fromsoft games but till this day this remains the only one I have yet to beat let alone just get through a decent portion. It feels like if you got a fan made dark souls game by people who think the only reason souls games are loved is because they are difficult. It lacks a true place umong the souls games getting 2 points purely for powerstancing the 1 it deserves.… Expand
  34. Peli_Grosso
    Feb 12, 2023
    8
    As a Souls game, it is mediocre; however, as a game overall, it is by far above the average.

    DS2 lacks the incredible map design of the first game, but its atmosphere is almost intact. The battle system was slightly slowed and the Adaptability feature is definetly an error, but it was compensated with the addition of dual wielding and the quality of the DS combat system itself, that    As a Souls game, it is mediocre; however, as a game overall, it is by far above the average.

    DS2 lacks the incredible map design of the first game, but its atmosphere is almost intact. The battle system was slightly slowed and the Adaptability feature is definetly an error, but it was compensated with the addition of dual wielding and the quality of the DS combat system itself, that remains fun and exciting to play.

    Although more plain and less interconeted than in DS, areas are still fun to explore and offer an even better variety of enemies. The big issue here is that creators couldn't find an appropiate way to implement difficulty and opted for throwing dozens of enemies at the face of the player, which leads to frustration and weariness in more than one situation.

    Story telling style doesn't evolve, but NPC's are fairly more interesting and better created than in DS, which makes its lore be as interesting as always. Sadly, many of the new mechanics they tried to implement, like torches in dark areas, feel incomplete and barely exploited.

    DS2 doesn't improve in the overall over its predecessor, being worse in most of the aspects and better in just a few, but this series is so good that despite all its mistakes, it remains as a much better game than the typical product you can find at the store.

    Pros:
    - Dual wielding is fun and adds depth to the already deep combat system.
    - Areas are beautiful and inmersive, offering a great variety of engaging enemies that keep the player focused and entertained in every moment.
    - NPC's are interesting and make you want more about their stories.
    - The game is long and full of secrets, with a NG+ that is considered the best in the series.

    Cons:
    - Plain and poorly conected map that feels like a collection of independent areas sloppily glued together. Still, each one of them more than good.
    - Too many bosses with only a few offering the quality expected from a Souls game. Luckily, the regular enemies and mini bosses compensate this issue.
    - Rough fights until adaptability skill is maxed enough. This problem is accentuated by disgusting hitboxes and slow animations when healing.
    - Still bad menus and poorly explained stats.

    I give it a 8.1/10 as a game, but a 6/10 as a Souls game.    … Expand
  35. AnderzinhoLoko
    Feb 12, 2023
    10
    Parabéns Yui Tanimura, Você Fez Milagre meu Fih!! Arrumou a Bagaça toda zoada e fez o jogo ser muito divertido, apesar das controvérsias Recomendo!
  36. AdoMobA
    Mar 18, 2023
    7
    Pros
    - solid weapon variety
    - robust build variety - most interesting NG+ changes the series ever had - one of the clearer overall stories within the series Cons - clunky if you don´t know about the DEX stat (seriously read up on it if you are about to play this game) - even knowing about DEX some of the hitboxes are outright bad - the worst overall boss design within the series    Pros
    - solid weapon variety
    - robust build variety
    - most interesting NG+ changes the series ever had
    - one of the clearer overall stories within the series

    Cons
    - clunky if you don´t know about the DEX stat (seriously read up on it if you are about to play this game)
    - even knowing about DEX some of the hitboxes are outright bad
    - the worst overall boss design within the series (over reliance on ganks)
    - map design is less inspired than its predecessor

    As hated as Dark Souls II seems to be in the community, the game is a fine example of an underrated entry within a fantastic franchise. Bunch of the design choices are quite polarizing (the DEX stat, every attribute giving health, the healing system) or outright bad (some of the boss design, hitboxes, overall gankiness of the entire game). However, I genuinely feel like I was undersold on the game which delivers an experience worth it´s asking price. Funny how all the horror stories I heard before playing it made me expect a complete mess, but in the end I got an all right experience. Not as good as the first or third entry but decent by my account. Funny how being underhyped can make you enjoy seemingly mediocre games.    … Expand
  37. SoldierOfGod
    Feb 28, 2023
    7
    I played this game right after playing Dark Souls I Remastered, Demon's Souls and Bloodborne. I prefer to start with the pros:

    PROS Clunky combat (everybody hates it but I like it, it is more realistic) More complex abilities and stats system CONS -The game feels very sober. In dark souls 1 every scenario makes the player feel what the game want the player to feel. Every scenario    I played this game right after playing Dark Souls I Remastered, Demon's Souls and Bloodborne. I prefer to start with the pros:

    PROS
    Clunky combat (everybody hates it but I like it, it is more realistic)
    More complex abilities and stats system

    CONS
    -The game feels very sober. In dark souls 1 every scenario makes the player feel what the game want the player to feel. Every scenario is a form of art and you can "read" the lore in it. On the other hand, in Dark Souls 2 the scenarios are very generic and makes you feel that they are premodeled.
    -The bosses are very similar to each other. About 40% of the bosses are a big man with a shield and a sword. Also, they got no essence and most of times are very easy.
    -Although the bosses use to be easy, the path to the bosses are unfair sometimes. Sometimes the game just set A LOT of enemies and the agro irange is very very big.

    As a game is a 7/10, as a dark souls 4/10    … Expand
  38. Nevbear1206
    Apr 10, 2023
    9
    As someone who has defeated every boss and completed every aspect of this game, I can ensure that it is still an amazing title, even if it doesn't hold up to other FromSoft titles as far as consistent levels of balance and quality. Controls take some getting used to, several bosses are mediocre or flat-out bad, and the main story isn't as engaging as those of Dark Souls or Bloodborne. YetAs someone who has defeated every boss and completed every aspect of this game, I can ensure that it is still an amazing title, even if it doesn't hold up to other FromSoft titles as far as consistent levels of balance and quality. Controls take some getting used to, several bosses are mediocre or flat-out bad, and the main story isn't as engaging as those of Dark Souls or Bloodborne. Yet the world of Drangleic is huge and sprawling with an incredible hub in Majula. NPCs and covenants are also the best in the series, and there are some great weapons and spells to make for an incredible RPG experience with tons of content.… Expand
  39. DarkAngel-_-Q8
    Jun 26, 2023
    0
    do not waste your time with this piece of crap. it has many bugs and the weirdest hitboxes I have ever seen.
  40. TheSatanist
    Aug 17, 2023
    10
    After going for all the platinums on Console and also 100% all available Soulsbornekiro-Games on PC I was actually shocked that I spent most playtime in Dark Souls 2 and had to evaluate on this unforseen outcome :D While the game clearly strays from the path of DS1, DS3 and Demon's Souls it actually has an intruiging way of telling its story and a really nice pacing. Are there some boringAfter going for all the platinums on Console and also 100% all available Soulsbornekiro-Games on PC I was actually shocked that I spent most playtime in Dark Souls 2 and had to evaluate on this unforseen outcome :D While the game clearly strays from the path of DS1, DS3 and Demon's Souls it actually has an intruiging way of telling its story and a really nice pacing. Are there some boring bosses? Hell yeah! Are the graphics a bit cartoony? Yes they are! But the atmosphere delivered is just amazing, the gameplay is a bit different from the other FS-Games but also super fun. While the vanilla game would only deserve an 8/10 the by now complete game including the 3 DLCs is a straight up 10 of enjoyment.… Expand
  41. Gefamao
    Sep 7, 2023
    8
    this is the only 8 from Fromsoftware but I still respect the game and its incredible vision
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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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
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