Dark Souls II

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1317 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 976 out of 1317
  2. Mixed: 153 out of 1317
  3. Negative: 188 out of 1317
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Robo11
    Dec 26, 2014
    7
    Let me start with a disclaimer - It is very hard to review any sequel without comparing it to the original. So with that said let me say that Dark Souls 2 is a good game and it makes some mechanical improvements on the previous game. Just know that for the most part the combat system remains excellent and still has the same weight to it as the previous games in the series. However, itLet me start with a disclaimer - It is very hard to review any sequel without comparing it to the original. So with that said let me say that Dark Souls 2 is a good game and it makes some mechanical improvements on the previous game. Just know that for the most part the combat system remains excellent and still has the same weight to it as the previous games in the series. However, it certainly has flaws and takes several steps back in other areas when compared to Dark Souls 1.

    Story - I really don't know what to say about the story, the souls games have never been big on exposition but have always managed to deliver a simple, effective narrative which is enriched by scraps of lore you encounter through item descriptions. I get the impression that the narrative here was outsourced to a 15 year old goth. It seems to relish in being mysterious and dark for the sake of being mysterious and dark. Just know that you will have no idea what is going on until the late game, and once you do sort of know what is going on, the story introduces time travel before it's pantomime "it was me!" final boss and ambiguous ending. Regarding the lore (item descriptions) - all you will get is more ambiguous crap like "could this have been that?" or "perhaps that was this?" or "some people say that.....". Why craft a story when you can just plaster everything in meaningless ambiguity? or is it?

    World/Levels -unlike Dark Souls 1, this is not an open world game though it does a decent job of masquerading as one. This is highlighted by some of the ludicrous transitions from one area to the next (Earthen Peak to iron Keep). It's essentially a series of linear levels, each of which ends in a boss fight. Environments for the most part are good, though some are fairly drab looking, while others are a bit too video game-y (Iron Keep).

    Enemies/Bosses - Severe lack of variety in this department. Most enemies and bosses in this game are basically just some iteration of 'dude in armor' with few exceptions. This actually is reflective of a big problem with the game and perhaps it's biggest failing - there is a severe lack of creativity in this game in general.

    All that said, it is still a good game and worth buying if you're up for a challenge.    … Expand
  2. Desw1sh
    Dec 2, 2014
    0
    Игра без сюжета с тупым ссаным управлением. Полная срань. Игра для школьников-садомазохистов, которым нравится запах жареного пукана и сектантов, которые любят искать сюжет там где его нет. 0 из 10.
  3. Retank
    Nov 30, 2014
    9
    This was not only a fun game and worthwhile playing, but it was also one of the most changing games I've ever played. This game will not only frustrate you but it will also make you wish you never bought it. But after your mixed emotions you will realize you want to play more. So all in all you will find it a life accomplishment to beat this game but it will make you a better gamer.
  4. Big_Bear
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    Don't believe any of the moronic reviews with 0/10 etc this is an outstanding, 9/10 game.

    Good - Its Dark Souls but much, much bigger, more armour, more weapons, more bosses more options, same great core gameplay. PvP is not as much of an unplayable lag-stab fest as it was in Dark Souls and this time can actually be fun. Some truly memorable areas and bosses as we expected. Bad - Not    Don't believe any of the moronic reviews with 0/10 etc this is an outstanding, 9/10 game.

    Good - Its Dark Souls but much, much bigger, more armour, more weapons, more bosses more options, same great core gameplay. PvP is not as much of an unplayable lag-stab fest as it was in Dark Souls and this time can actually be fun. Some truly memorable areas and bosses as we expected.

    Bad - Not quite as well put together area/level wise as Dark Souls. The larger scale has caused the graphics to suffer a little.

    Verdict - More of what was good in Dark Souls, an awsome game that provide thousands of hours of gameplay. Lol at 'gamers' who say its rubbish.    … Expand
  5. eenie
    Nov 17, 2014
    10
    BEST GAME OF ALL TIME!
    Pvp is a but unbalanced but man the game has some incredible bosses and locations!! ................................................................................
  6. tofusoup
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    Despite all the changes from previous games I still enjoyed the game. It took some getting used to with how some of the mechanics work, but overall good experience. It is much more forgiving then previous soul games. PVP is always a blast.
  7. swargo109
    Nov 5, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls II is one of the best games that I have ever played. It takes most of the things wrong with Dark Souls and fixes them. The graphics are drastically improved from the last title. The combat system feels more deep, with more weapons and more strategy needed to defeat enemies. I feel as though this entry is slightly easier than the previous game, yet not by much. As for the recentDark Souls II is one of the best games that I have ever played. It takes most of the things wrong with Dark Souls and fixes them. The graphics are drastically improved from the last title. The combat system feels more deep, with more weapons and more strategy needed to defeat enemies. I feel as though this entry is slightly easier than the previous game, yet not by much. As for the recent DLC that was released, the difficulty is increased to the level of Dark Souls. So if you like the difficulty of the first game, then do not hesitate to purchase all the DLC, especially Crown of the Ivory King. All in all, this game is a near masterpiece, with some small problems that can be very easily overlooked.… Expand
  8. skyrimftwmofos
    Nov 3, 2014
    0
    by far the worst game I have ever played. it fails in every respect. don't know who thought it was a good idea to make a game like this
    First off the graphics are last gen. have never played a 360 game with such poor textures. so much more could have bee put in in terms of making the game pretty, but in the end it just reflects a lazy design team that didn't try.
    secondly, the gameplay    by far the worst game I have ever played. it fails in every respect. don't know who thought it was a good idea to make a game like this
    First off the graphics are last gen. have never played a 360 game with such poor textures. so much more could have bee put in in terms of making the game pretty, but in the end it just reflects a lazy design team that didn't try.
    secondly, the gameplay is generic and pointless. It is 100 hour of unrewarding leveling, overpowered enemies and poor lighting every where, with linear enviroments that don't offer much in the way of alternate routes or decision making a open world game is suppose to. The enviromental design is just as poor. It is defined by generic rubble, underwhelming sceneries in which are boring and lacking of details that should give the game life and character. The combat is a generic, slow roll and hack mess that gets old fast. The enemies are usually just copy and paste variants of one another, where they pointlessly advance, hack and repeat, not using any advanced tactics or balancing mechanics. gameplay often dissolves into pressing b for 10 minutes, hacking, repeating. every boss looks different, but ultimately is just a new skin upon a lackluster, overpowered, stupid AI. There is no point why everything is OP and then you are punished for dying by losing all your souls, and permanent health, even though the game is defined by dying. It makes the game fustrating, dull, and unplayable as you fall into a pointless of dying over and over without getting anything back for the $60 you spent.
    The story could have been the saving for this game, but sadly it suffers just as many vital flaws. The quests are boring fetch quests often, or otherwise completely vague and ambiguous to the point where you think you are playing the mad ravings of a chronic mental masturbater. The storyline is pretty much nonexistent, and when you do get scraps of it, you find a morbid, depressing world, and pretty much no motivation on continuing other than just to try and prove to yourself you didn't just waste $60.
    overall, this is an overrated, poor, lazy and otherwise wasteful game that gives no emotional reward, and instead resigns to drive the player to insanity, and broken controllers. Should never be played by anyone.    … Expand
  9. javaleno
    Oct 29, 2014
    10
    Quite possibly one of the best games I have every played in my life. I beat the game 8 times on my main file, and 2 times on my alternate file (made this file to play with my friend, who beat the game twice as well). But yeah, this game is just so damn unique. I love how challenging this game is, and I love the setting as well. If you love games with difficulties that are similar to theQuite possibly one of the best games I have every played in my life. I beat the game 8 times on my main file, and 2 times on my alternate file (made this file to play with my friend, who beat the game twice as well). But yeah, this game is just so damn unique. I love how challenging this game is, and I love the setting as well. If you love games with difficulties that are similar to the old SNES games, this is definitely something you will enjoy. Please buy this game, and the first Dark Souls, and Demon Souls, you won't regret it. It's an underrated game that people don't play because it requires patience, thinking, strategy, teamwork(if you summon other players), and pretty much skills that normal people don't really possess. Normal people nowadays enjoy casual games like COD, because there isn't any thinking involved. OH yeah, the multiplayer is so original, I don't know any other game that has a multiplayer system like the Souls games. You can summon other players via a sign place on the ground for bosses and for areas in the game. I think it's cool. It does get annoying when you get invaded though, but nevertheless, it is cool. This game has raised my standards to very high levels, which is good because I can save money on video games now.… Expand
  10. JAubrey
    Oct 25, 2014
    10
    Uno de los mejores juegos de la generación. Como tantos otros no es para todos los públicos y de ahí que haya jugadores frustrados por su dificultad e incapacidad de pasárselo poniéndole ceros justificando su inoperancia y falta de paciencia con el juego. Me ha durado 70 horas que han sido las másinmersivas de la generación juntó a Last of Us, Bioshock, Arkham Asylum, Mass Effect y algunasUno de los mejores juegos de la generación. Como tantos otros no es para todos los públicos y de ahí que haya jugadores frustrados por su dificultad e incapacidad de pasárselo poniéndole ceros justificando su inoperancia y falta de paciencia con el juego. Me ha durado 70 horas que han sido las másinmersivas de la generación juntó a Last of Us, Bioshock, Arkham Asylum, Mass Effect y algunas otras pequeñas joyas. Una maravilla que nadie que se precie como hardcore debe dejar pasar. 10/10… Expand
  11. RickyBooby
    Oct 2, 2014
    2
    A game famous (and infamous) for its difficulty and vast open world. Sounds like a fun challenge. I'll readily admit that perhaps due to not playing Dark Souls 1 I'm missing backstory and plot points, but with all due respect...what the **** is going on in this game? It starts out and quickly makes no sense. Controls or wonky, but like most games, a person will eventually get used to them.A game famous (and infamous) for its difficulty and vast open world. Sounds like a fun challenge. I'll readily admit that perhaps due to not playing Dark Souls 1 I'm missing backstory and plot points, but with all due respect...what the **** is going on in this game? It starts out and quickly makes no sense. Controls or wonky, but like most games, a person will eventually get used to them. The inventory system? Not so much. It's confusing and awful. You collect items with little to know idea what they do, are presented with paths to take...that you shouldn't because the enemy on the path is far too strong for your character. Battles consist of rolling around trying to stab a bad guy a couple of times until you run out of stamina, or better yet, hope you can get him to stand next to a rock that causes the horrible AI to make him stuck against. From there you can slice him through the wall...until an archer from across the map shoots you through the same rock wall. Wow.

    Development is sloppy, unique terminology is not explained, the animations are so long, slow, and disjointed that you start something then literally watch the enemy perform 2-3 actions while you wait for your animation to finish. Let's say you bring up the menu-well, you can still be attacked with it up, but whatever. You exist out and can start walking around...but not of your attacks or rolls work until you exist out of the menu's menu bar that is atop the screen. Really?

    Every step of the way lazy development and horrible game design prevented me from caring about what was going on, wanting to spend more time to learn, or give me any confidence that I was stuck in a learning curve that would end, and the meat of the gaming experience would start up.

    Now multiplayer. Perhaps through poor research on my part, I was led to believe there was a traditional co-op experience in the game. What actually happens is after getting a few nonsensical items and apparently drawing on the floor with them, you can have someone else join your game as a shade. That means they get to see you run around and enable conversations, open chests, open doors, play the game, while you're along for the ride. Able to walk on ledges with terrible camera control and enemy targeting, swing your weapon of choice, then eventually run out of time in your buddy's world and getting to re-appear at a bonfire, you are guaranteed to feel completely cheated out of the story and gaming experience. That isn't co-op. That's single player, with some small amount of interaction above watching someone's Twitch account.

    This is in my bottom 5 of worst games I've ever played, and I've easily played through 500+ games.

    Difficult? Yes. In the sense that it's difficult to ride a bike on the freeway with a missing tire, three pedals, and a blindfold, but I would argue the difficulty, and frustration, is due to sloppy development and horrible game mechanics. Exploiting bad AI and clunky animations is not cleverly difficult gameplay to me.    … Expand
  12. davidgoliath
    Sep 29, 2014
    8
    I originally gave this game a nine, but the further I played it, the less I loved it...

    The game is excellent, for me it takes the original that little bit further... It's not less, or more difficult, its just different. Obvs this game is a lot easier if you utilise the multiplayer aspects. As with the first there's loads of enemy variation, weapon variation, great RPG elements etc. The    I originally gave this game a nine, but the further I played it, the less I loved it...

    The game is excellent, for me it takes the original that little bit further... It's not less, or more difficult, its just different. Obvs this game is a lot easier if you utilise the multiplayer aspects. As with the first there's loads of enemy variation, weapon variation, great RPG elements etc. The story is a little less ambiguous than the first, but who cares right, just kill loads of ****

    I guess the only thing that lets this game down for me is the further you get into the game, the more it feels like a rushed project, or that they added more areas to make it bigger than Dark Souls, with a detriment to graphics and gameplay. There was a sandy area which i just didn't like at all. I guess the game tends to drag a bit, after all, 40/50 hours if not more without reaching the end game is pretty long.

    Overall Dark Souls 2 is definitely an improvement on the original, and one of the better games of the last generation.. If you like a challenge, RPGs and killing monstrosities it's a must buy.    … Expand
  13. DevilDjinn
    Sep 29, 2014
    5
    Don't let the high scores fool you!
    This sequal is a huge step back from the previous title. The overall feel of this installment leaves alot to be desired. Poor level design, no sense of direction or urgency, artifical difficulty coming from the way of broken game mechanics, terrible matchmaking mechanics (see soul memory) Unnecessarily tedious task like leveling up, bad hit    Don't let the high scores fool you!
    This sequal is a huge step back from the previous title. The overall feel of this installment leaves alot to be desired. Poor level design, no sense of direction or urgency, artifical difficulty coming from the way of broken game mechanics, terrible matchmaking mechanics (see soul memory) Unnecessarily tedious task like leveling up, bad hit detection/phantom hits, certain gear so over powered, you would be stupid not to use it effectively removing any customization. Unusable weapon classes because of horrendous move sets (im looking at you reapers) forgettable bosses all feeling the same....... the list goes on.
    On a brighter note, i may be describing it as a horrible game, but it still trumps other rpgs out there.
    Being a massive fan of the soul series i was immensely disappointed by this sub par sequal, they have fixed several balance issues associated with the first games, but have created a myrid of other issues.
    spend any serious amount of time playing this game and the cracks will begin to show.    … Expand
  14. lonedreamer551
    Sep 28, 2014
    10
    I have played both Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2 multiple times. Both are excellent games that are designed for a player that doesn't mind taking his or her time to grind through a level. If you die, you start over without any of your souls (money/exp.). However, if you died, it was likely because you rushed or made a mistake. This game tries to teach the player and if you don't learn thenI have played both Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2 multiple times. Both are excellent games that are designed for a player that doesn't mind taking his or her time to grind through a level. If you die, you start over without any of your souls (money/exp.). However, if you died, it was likely because you rushed or made a mistake. This game tries to teach the player and if you don't learn then prepare to die...a lot. This is not for the "COD" crowd or for anyone that rushes through games. I imagine those people are the ones giving this game low review scores.

    Dark Souls as a series uses a minimalist approach. Everything from the story to the music is given in a quiet way. Nobody just tells you exactly what is going on, you have to put the story together yourself using what dialogue is available and by reading item descriptions. The music is usually quiet or completely gone, in order to give you a sense of loneliness. The environment is built in a way to make you feel small. After all, you're not some big hero. Just an insignificant figure trying to survive the world.

    I cannot recommend this game highly enough to the right person. If you have some time to kill and want a challenging but rewarding experience, give Dark Souls 2 an honest try.    … Expand
  15. Krawbeard
    Sep 27, 2014
    9
    Now in my review for the first one I will say I was a bit quick to jump the gun and never truly give this game a chance.

    My mind has changed in this new installment (and after giving the first one a second run) This game is what the direction that konami should've taken castlevania to besides that god of war wannabe garbage. The game mechanics are smooth and the challenge is real.    Now in my review for the first one I will say I was a bit quick to jump the gun and never truly give this game a chance.

    My mind has changed in this new installment (and after giving the first one a second run)

    This game is what the direction that konami should've taken castlevania to besides that god of war wannabe garbage.

    The game mechanics are smooth and the challenge is real. Honestly my biggest enemy besides my own stupid choices would be gravity.

    I've learned after playing both DS games that I've been spoiled over the years with the easy difficulty of how modern games are. This game will teach you patience and how to overcome obstacles like in the old school NES days.

    I mean imagine castlevania symphony of the night and if konami kept that darkness and challenge and moved forward into the future with it... well from software did that with the "souls" series.

    It may not be castlevania but its what we've wanted that series to do for us today.

    Its no skyrim and people making comparisons need to know its like comparing an apple to a hotdog.. I mean really... 2 different things here buddies.

    The PVP is great and co op is also a plus here.

    You can invade others worlds and mess up their day ohhhh joyyyyyy my favorite
    but they can do it to you.... damn... but fun!!!!

    DLC is fairly priced and adds even more fun unlike todays games that just give you the unfinished bits of a game just to make extra money.

    The souls series is keeps that Nintendo tradition going on when it comes to good quality games.

    However it lacks in a few areas... in which to be honest isn't that big of a deal kinda like a really big pizza with one bad topping on it... its not a big deal if you eat around it.

    It lacks in the communication area.. yeah you can do all sorts of gestures but online you can only private chat there is no party chat which is a bummer if you have 2 people you are co oping with and would be nice to talk trash to people you beat in PVP vs sending them a message.

    Also the invading part upsets me because due to how difficult it is to get effigies I will pretty much say if an invader defeats you then you lose your humanity.

    Also ghost damage on PVP is a big no no and sometimes has me rage quit or how op a spell caster is.. sometimes it seems like there are hackers but its not too often... Some weapons hitboxes (spears) in pvp is a little retarded op....

    Like I said its not much to ruin a game but its enough to keep me from giving it a 10.

    This game is one of the few games out there today actually worth its price, and the replay value is high.
    if you get bored you can cosplay a character. Heck I did a faith caster with a sword and he looked like trunks from dragon ball z. you can cosplay almost anything just look it up on youtube.

    Good game and thank you from software. I apologize about my last review on the first one... I was ignorant of the awesomeness then and spoiled from typical shooters    … Expand
  16. hedworm
    Sep 24, 2014
    3
    In no way does this game deserve a 92. It is an emotionless, dry world where everything feels plastic. The game lacks emphasis on basic details that make a computerized world feel real. Character and enemy movements are limp, lifeless and clunky beyond playability. Combat mechanics are actually poor, and feel unimportant somehow. Plus.. dodging/blocking attacks is NOT possible to do amidstIn no way does this game deserve a 92. It is an emotionless, dry world where everything feels plastic. The game lacks emphasis on basic details that make a computerized world feel real. Character and enemy movements are limp, lifeless and clunky beyond playability. Combat mechanics are actually poor, and feel unimportant somehow. Plus.. dodging/blocking attacks is NOT possible to do amidst a flurry of attacks. you just get beaten to a pulp if you take more than 1 few hits. Tiny piglets take 50 swings to kill. The user interface and inventory system is cluttered, and badly disorganized. Facial details and graphics look like they are from 15 years ago, and that is not an exaggeration. I played the first Dark Souls two times through... in a row. With this game Im finding myself wanting to uninstall after 2 hours in. Dark Souls 1 was one of the best games I have ever played. This one misses the mark completely. Another failed sequel added to the list. Don't waste your money on this, unless you enjoy dying by falling off 15 foot drops, and getting beaten to death with no ability to roll or block. Its a dry world with nothing to offer except immense false hopes.… Expand
  17. coral2dj
    Sep 16, 2014
    9
    This game is a great sequel to Dark Souls. I love it, the gameplay is great. I also love the combat. This game is possibly the best Souls game. Even though, I still play Dark Souls. I also play this game, and I yet play it more than Dark Souls. I have not expected large amount of haters complaining. Don't hate on this game just for one reason, if you hate on this game JUST for one reason,This game is a great sequel to Dark Souls. I love it, the gameplay is great. I also love the combat. This game is possibly the best Souls game. Even though, I still play Dark Souls. I also play this game, and I yet play it more than Dark Souls. I have not expected large amount of haters complaining. Don't hate on this game just for one reason, if you hate on this game JUST for one reason, you prove that you're a retarded 6 years old (sorry for offence), however, this game is tough, but don't give up, if you keep trying, you will never fail, like, NEVER EVER..… Expand
  18. BigZman95
    Sep 11, 2014
    9
    There are a lot of things about this game that are better than Dark Souls and Demon Souls, but there are also some that aren't as good. For instance, the atmosphere and the enemy design in Dark Souls II isn't as good as it was in the past in my opinion. However the wider variation of color is a nice change to the the mostly gray color scheme of the previous two games. Also, the actualThere are a lot of things about this game that are better than Dark Souls and Demon Souls, but there are also some that aren't as good. For instance, the atmosphere and the enemy design in Dark Souls II isn't as good as it was in the past in my opinion. However the wider variation of color is a nice change to the the mostly gray color scheme of the previous two games. Also, the actual gameplay of Dark Souls II is far superior to that of its predecessors. Combat is much more fluid, the AI is better, and the whole user experience as a whole is improved. If you have played any of the other games, it becomes apparent pretty quickly that Dark Souls II is a lot more user-friendly. Dark Souls II is a fantastic game that any fan of RPGs or action/adventure games should pick up. It's a refreshing change of pace from the typical offerings and offers a unique experience and feel that no other series has quite managed to catch.… Expand
  19. Gerdygerk
    Sep 4, 2014
    1
    Difficulty and poor controls/ game play make me a very unsatisfied buyer. Games should be fun and no mind-numbing exercise in frustration. Shame on you Namco. I want my money back.
  20. JohnMPH
    Aug 14, 2014
    8
    A fantastic sequel to Dark Souls. It is a bit easier, due to the opportunity to fast travel from very early in the game, unlike Dark Souls. You probably won't find yourself throwing the controller at the TV in anger as much with this one either! It still provides a big challenge, and like its predecessor, every enemy can hurt you if you let your guard down. Very enjoyable and immersive.
  21. Whutupribs
    Aug 7, 2014
    6
    I won't go too in-depth here, but they really messed this up. The first Dark Souls got it right, in that they found an excellent balance between difficulty and reward. This game has all the difficulty and more that Dark Souls had (although this time around it's difficult mostly because of the broken combat system), but it's almost like they left everything that was wrong witht hat game andI won't go too in-depth here, but they really messed this up. The first Dark Souls got it right, in that they found an excellent balance between difficulty and reward. This game has all the difficulty and more that Dark Souls had (although this time around it's difficult mostly because of the broken combat system), but it's almost like they left everything that was wrong witht hat game and broke everything that was great. It's not challenging, it's frustrating. It's not rewarding when you beat a boss, you're just relieved that you don't have to fight it anymore. It's not exciting, it's irritating. It just doesn't feel "challenging but fair" anymore, it feels like you're constantly at a huge disadvantage. Enemies hit you when they shouldn't, your weapons don't feel like they have any impact, and you never feel quite strong enough to have a chance. You're constantly being swarmed by enemies and you often have no way to protect yourself from taking at least a bit of damage. The healing system is screwed up, with HP recovery taking a painfully long time, time you just don't have in most situations. The game just feels like it's sucker punching you at every turn, and to me that's not fun or challenging, it's just annoying. You shouldn't have to play through an area 10 times just so you can find all the places the game is going to kick you in the nuts. All in all, it feels more like a "rage game" than a full production title. Dark Souls was an incredible game, a real feat of game design and a shining example of what a video game should be. I'd really like to know what happened here. They took a game that was tough but fun and took all the fun out of it.… Expand
  22. Kaye99084
    Jul 31, 2014
    9
    As a loyal dark souls fan I really enjoyed this game. Everything about this game gameplay, lore and combat wise was spot on. However I do have a few major gripes with the 'hardness' of this game. Don't get me wrong I'm good at dark souls and love a challenge but particularly towards the end of the game it seemed like the developers started using cheap tactics to try and and get me to toAs a loyal dark souls fan I really enjoyed this game. Everything about this game gameplay, lore and combat wise was spot on. However I do have a few major gripes with the 'hardness' of this game. Don't get me wrong I'm good at dark souls and love a challenge but particularly towards the end of the game it seemed like the developers started using cheap tactics to try and and get me to to rage and make the experience harder; I'm talking about things such as an ogre suddenly bursting through a wall without warning and killing me instantly or bonfires (which serve as checkpoints) being hidden under stairs or behind illusionary walls which I would miss unless I had previous knowledge of them Being there. Finally there seemed to be a lot more bosses which either outnumbered you, were uninventive such as a guy in a suit of armour or just damn right easy cough cough covetous demon. Overall despite its cheap tactics towards the end and some boring boss fights I recommend it.… Expand
  23. Wheresmyseme
    Jul 25, 2014
    5
    Great for bosses. That is about it, the game still plays almost exactly the same as the previous two, people will claim that there is new content such as power stance and Hexes, those people are wrong, there is nothing really new.
    The only real difficulty of the game still comes from poor animations and mechanics, if you get hit by someone returning to their default stance after you avoid    Great for bosses. That is about it, the game still plays almost exactly the same as the previous two, people will claim that there is new content such as power stance and Hexes, those people are wrong, there is nothing really new.
    The only real difficulty of the game still comes from poor animations and mechanics, if you get hit by someone returning to their default stance after you avoid there attack, the animation of their movement will inflict as much damage to you as their attack would have.
    Multiplayer is still 50/50.
    There is still not a decent story line.    … Expand
  24. ineedfiles
    Jul 21, 2014
    1
    this game sucks so bad.
    i'm totally glad I didn't pay for it.
    games like this are the reason I bootleg my games. the buttholes push this garbage on us and say it's gold and people eat it up. I must admit I fell for all the hoopla, and downloaded it, but to my dismay, I hate it. it's like it's unfinished or something. There is NO SAVE feature. something that people who have lives    this game sucks so bad.
    i'm totally glad I didn't pay for it.
    games like this are the reason I bootleg my games. the buttholes push this garbage on us and say it's gold and people eat it up.
    I must admit I fell for all the hoopla, and downloaded it, but to my dismay, I hate it.
    it's like it's unfinished or something.
    There is NO SAVE feature. something that people who have lives actually need.
    that ALONE should be enough to make people stop and think.

    I don't feel bad for making copies of this game because it is garbage and the only way i'll ever give Namco any of my money is... hey, i'll NEVER give Namco another dime.
    HOW IS NAMCO STILL ALLOWED to make games?
    dark souls II my butt.
    I hate this game.
    people give it high ratings because they don't have anything else to play, or it is as close to the lives they will never actually have that they want. like when people play those crappy tomb raider games, but reality those games suck too and they only play them because they like laura croft. im not gay or a lame, so I can speak my mind.

    this game is GARBAGE STAY AWAY FROM IT    … Expand
  25. LightningFoxHD
    Jul 19, 2014
    6
    While it's by no means a bad game; Dark Souls II, unfortunately, falls a long way short of the near perfect original Dark Souls. In terms of combat, world design, enemy design and boss design; Dark Souls II just doesn't live up to it's predecessor, or the hype generated prior to release. 10/10 for the cloth physics though :)
  26. sgy0003
    Jul 19, 2014
    9
    Alright, I'll try to cover almost everything about dark souls 2. Just like in DS1, every time you die you become a hollow. And trust me, this will happen A LOT. It also means you lose all the souls you have collected up to that point and lose bit of your max HP (You'll lose up to 50% of max HP). There's good news and bad news when you lose those souls. The good news is that you can goAlright, I'll try to cover almost everything about dark souls 2. Just like in DS1, every time you die you become a hollow. And trust me, this will happen A LOT. It also means you lose all the souls you have collected up to that point and lose bit of your max HP (You'll lose up to 50% of max HP). There's good news and bad news when you lose those souls. The good news is that you can go retrieve those souls from where you have died. The bad news is that if you die along the way, and I MEAN WHEN YOU ARE 1/4 INCHES AWAY AND YOU DIE, those souls will be gone forever. This is why entering white mist with large amount of souls is not a good idea, since there could be a boss behind it. This is why it is a good idea to spend those souls regularly on leveling up, buying new gears, upgrading those gears, etc. This way, you won't have much to lose. The boss fights are epic too. The music that cues when the fight begins perfectly matches the look of the boss. Some bosses are pretty easy, but I feel the difficulty of these bosses goes up way too suddenly. Every area accept for the first two have one or two bosses, and while one boss can be easy the other can be really hard, meaning you'll have to come back later after you level up more. The combat mechanic has definitely improved. The dual wielding is fully functional and you can create new combos with it. One of the common strategy I use is lock on, go around, hit it from side or back. Your rolling will be your life savior, and you'll need to learn to time the roll perfectly, or else you'll still get hit.

    As much as this game is punishingly difficult, that does not mean it feels rewarding. Entering new areas are very exciting, and every areas have something to explore. The first open area that you'll enter is called Majula, and when you enter this area It;ll take your breath away with it's gorgeous view. But that doesn't mean I like all the areas. Some areas are dark and it requires you to use the torch, and the lighting can be very annoying since your shadow goes everywhere. Also when you want to dual-wield, you have to drop the torch and go find nearest fire source to light it up again.

    Lastly, I want to mention that This game WILL annoy/make you rage. But it'll do that just enough to make you want to try again. You'll have mental breakdown at least once, but you won't have another one for a long time.

    Dark Souls 2 is a great game, with nice graphic (even on the 360) but it is still one of the hardest games I've every played. 9/10    … Expand
  27. Teravexis
    Jul 18, 2014
    8
    Using familiar mechanics and style, Dark Souls is one of the best games of this year. Compared to the original however, the game doesn't feel as polished. Some areas have (no pun intended) no soul to them. You walk mostly in a straight line, with one few branching paths. I mean, it's still Dark Souls and by god there's a lot of exploring to do, but to me, it never felt interesting, notUsing familiar mechanics and style, Dark Souls is one of the best games of this year. Compared to the original however, the game doesn't feel as polished. Some areas have (no pun intended) no soul to them. You walk mostly in a straight line, with one few branching paths. I mean, it's still Dark Souls and by god there's a lot of exploring to do, but to me, it never felt interesting, not even slightly. Dark Souls 1 featured a world that was interconnected and exploring this world was really satisfying: Finding all kinds of shortcuts or finally reaching that area that you couldn't get to before was amazingly satisfying. In Dark Souls 2 however, this feeling is mostly absent, probably because of the lackluster level design.
    Now don't get me wrong, I loved playing the 50 hours I put in Dark Souls 2's story, but replaying the game never really occurred to me. I didn't want to go through the game again with a different build or approach, something that Dark Souls 1 really well.
    In short, Dark Souls 2 is a fantastic game, but isn't a masterpiece like it's predecessor. It solved some of the original's problems, while adding new ones too. It could've been so much more, it could've been another amazing adventure that we would cherish, but in the end, it simply didn't. It's...forgettable.    … Expand
  28. CrimsonEwok
    Jul 6, 2014
    7
    Dark Souls 2 is a good game, but I feel it is a step down from Dark Souls. I'm not sure if others feel the same, but the way Dark Souls was connected by shortcuts It really made the world feel together. Some points in dark souls 2 don't make sense where they are placed and shortcuts are lame now that you can fast travel. The combat and how it plays feels similar enough to Dark Souls soDark Souls 2 is a good game, but I feel it is a step down from Dark Souls. I'm not sure if others feel the same, but the way Dark Souls was connected by shortcuts It really made the world feel together. Some points in dark souls 2 don't make sense where they are placed and shortcuts are lame now that you can fast travel. The combat and how it plays feels similar enough to Dark Souls so once I got used to it I had fun. Though I was letdown by the bosses in Dark Souls 2 which are mostly all re-skins of bosses from previous games with slightly different moves.So most the bosses felt kind of uninspired except for a few.A little more than half way through the game I was getting a little bored. Probably because I was expecting more.I still completed it, but felt it was missing something. The game was good and worth a purchase, but it is not amazing like Dark Souls.… Expand
  29. grid10ck
    Jul 3, 2014
    10
    I am going to say first the the Dark Souls series is most likely my favorite game series, so this review will be a bit biased.
    When I first started the game, I will admit it was very confusing in comparison to Dark Soul's beginning. however with a bit of trial and error, a lot of luck and some dying, I soon came to enjoy the difficulty of finding your own path.
    Dark Souls continues to    I am going to say first the the Dark Souls series is most likely my favorite game series, so this review will be a bit biased.
    When I first started the game, I will admit it was very confusing in comparison to Dark Soul's beginning. however with a bit of trial and error, a lot of luck and some dying, I soon came to enjoy the difficulty of finding your own path.
    Dark Souls continues to do something that most games lack anymore and that is give the player a real challenge. Some may call it tedious repetitive work, but it really is a tough game to play and every time I go through the game I am met with another entertaining challenge once again.
    Multiplayer is a lot more entertaining and fun, as well as cooperative multiplayer.
    The story (if you look into the lore of the game from speculation on YouTube, my personal favorite is Vaati) you will find a story that is so intertwined within itself that you have to really look and delve into the game to uncover all the amazing secrets it holds. I would definitely recommend this game to anyone who wants a fun challenge that you wont get in many other games out there.    … Expand
  30. nova227
    Jul 3, 2014
    0
    Dark Souls 2 is the biggest piece of garbage of a game ever created. SERIOUSLY DUE NOT BUY THIS GAME OR SUPPORT THE COMPANY IN ANY WAY. Everything about this game is broken. The camera is garbage. The lock on mechanics don't work and the hit detection is so bad that the game gets to be unplayable.

    Dark Souls had always advertised that it is a hard game well it is not what it is is    Dark Souls 2 is the biggest piece of garbage of a game ever created. SERIOUSLY DUE NOT BUY THIS GAME OR SUPPORT THE COMPANY IN ANY WAY. Everything about this game is broken. The camera is garbage. The lock on mechanics don't work and the hit detection is so bad that the game gets to be unplayable.

    Dark Souls had always advertised that it is a hard game well it is not what it is is incredibly cheap. It is like FromSoftware ran out of idea's and thought hey how can we make this game seem hard? Oh I know at any point we can we will make the game so frustratingly cheap that it will seem difficult. Add this with virtually every system in the game being broken and poorly designed and you have something that is basically unplayable and beyond frustrating.

    You no longer get that sense of accomplishment from beating a boss now your just thankful that it is over because all you did was die 20 times to memorize all the animations of the enemies and lucked out that the game got stuck in a loop of animations that let you get the upper hand. Worst of all 90% of my deaths didn't come from bosses they came from cheap encounters in the environment so there really was never a sense of accomplishment. The only difficult boss I found was because was because the designers thought that it would be ok to put a boss fight on a ledge with a hole in the middle and have all the boss's moves knock me back. He never once actually killed me the falls from being knocked back or rolling out of the way did.

    This leads to the absolute worst part of the game. Poor level design. The best example of this is the numerous levels they included that were flooded with water. Not only can I not move well but I either faced enemies who could kill me with a hit or two which you can no longer dodge thanks to the water or they included ranged enemies that will kill you before you can even reach them. That right there is not fun and leads to controller smashing frustration.

    Playing this game is like playing a game with your friends who are obviously cheating to win but you can't do anything about it you just lose and have to live with it. This game is a waste of money and unless you have the most patience of anyone I ever met you will likely get to a point in the game which you cannot get past and for me if a game is made in a way that makes it so you cannot keep playing than it is not a good game.    … Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2014
1
#1 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2014
4
#4 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. DarkZero
    Oct 9, 2014
    60
    Though it lasts a long time and provides a decent challenge, I think it really needed an extra push on top of what the game contains. I would describe it as just above average, but that’s as far as I’d go.
    Read full review
  2. The Digital Fix
    Apr 2, 2014
    90
    Its over dependence on group battles, less interesting boss designs and a slightly more forgettable world let it down, but none of this is so severe that it stops it from becoming another superb entry into one of the best series of games of all time.
    Read full review
  3. ZTGD
    Mar 25, 2014
    100
    If you have any interest in playing this game after reading this review, do yourself a favor and get it now. If you allow yourself to be enthralled with its atmosphere and game play you’ll become an avid fan just like me.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »