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. cemento74
    Mar 19, 2014
    9
    As any Dark Souls review should start, I must warn whomever it may concern that this game IS NOT for the ill-tempered or impatient. Dark Souls may be similar to Skyrim in the sense that they are both fantasy rpgs, but that is where the similarities come to a dead halt. You will die. It is part of the game, and if you cannot see the entertainment in devising clever play styles to outsmartAs any Dark Souls review should start, I must warn whomever it may concern that this game IS NOT for the ill-tempered or impatient. Dark Souls may be similar to Skyrim in the sense that they are both fantasy rpgs, but that is where the similarities come to a dead halt. You will die. It is part of the game, and if you cannot see the entertainment in devising clever play styles to outsmart your enemies, you will not enjoy Dark Souls II. It cannot be stressed enough how much of a hit or miss game Dark Souls as a series is. If you haven't tried it before, please look up gameplay footage before diving straight into the hellishly challenging world.
    Now to continue to the actual game. Dark Souls II is very much a sequel to Dark Souls; that being said, the graphics did not get very much better from the first Dark Souls (with the exception of lighting), nor has the formula to the game been drastically changed. Fans of the original will be ecstatic with Dark Souls II. Boss fights are cleverly designed (for the most part) to be challenging, but not completely impossible. The entire idea of Dark Souls is to overcome the overwhelming strength of enemies by exploiting their weaknesses, as mentioned before, some cannot handle the thought it takes to do such a thing. This is no Skyrim, there is no pausing the game mid-battle to use a potion. You will have to make the time necessary to heal yourself. The world of Dark Souls II is very expansive, featuring a myriad of environments that are very diverse. Each environment has its own quarks and secrets that will require a great deal of exploration (or youtube, a word to the wise though, this will strip a great element from Dark Souls that contributes to the challenge). If you invest into Dark Souls II, in contrast to what bias cry babies will tell you, you will be rewarded. There is no better feeling in a game than the ecstasy of finally defeating a boss that has annihilated you multiple times. There is a great deal of content here that will keep the most hardcore players hooked for dozens, if not hundreds of hours. This includes in game clans to join, pvp combat if thats your thing, a rewarding level up system, and countless items to be discovered and squandered, or carefully utilized.

    Breaking it Down:
    Dark Souls II is a gruesome, daunting, monster that will devour your very will and jeer as you attempt in futility to overcome overwhelming odds. However, where there exists great challenge, so does there exist great reward. Some will find it, some will fail miserably and rage in frustration.

    Graphics: Great vistas can be observed in Dark Souls, but up close, Dark Souls does not shine. The appearance of certain enemies will generate a primal fear in your heart, which is a great emotion evocation. Altogether I would give the aesthetics a 7.5 out of 10.

    Gameplay: Unforgiving challenge makes Dark Souls II one of the most rewarding games ever crafted, however, not everyone enjoys the brutality. Some elements of gameplay can lead to frustration, such as hits not registering, and in Dark Souls II, this is not okay when it occurs. Exploration elements will keep you busy for hours on end, and the secrets that you will find are cleverly placed if you can manage to find them. Altogether, gameplay gets a 9 out of 10.

    Sound: Eerie music will haunt you, but is bogged down by sometimes delayed audio. 8 out of 10

    Altogether I would give Dark Souls II a solid 8.5 out of 10 (Don't listen to the trolls who can't handle a game actually challenging your abilities)

    So reader, there is one last question I must leave with you: are you ready to die?    … Expand
  2. DemonFirebrand
    Mar 19, 2014
    10
    What you should realize, if you're looking at these reviews, is that this game is a very hard game. At times it is pointlessly cruel, cruel to an extent that I guarantee no other game series would dare to be.

    So why should you play such a pointlessly cruel game? The point of Dark Souls II, and the Souls series in general, is to return to a period of time in gaming where victory was    What you should realize, if you're looking at these reviews, is that this game is a very hard game. At times it is pointlessly cruel, cruel to an extent that I guarantee no other game series would dare to be.

    So why should you play such a pointlessly cruel game?

    The point of Dark Souls II, and the Souls series in general, is to return to a period of time in gaming where victory was not an assured thing. In the original Mario, if you weren't good, you didn't beat the game. That's the end of the story, you got good at Mario, or you didn't win. So it is with Dark Souls II. If you are like me, someone who has experienced the entire lifespan of Video Gaming, you've watched video games go from challenging you to complete them to practically ensuring that you win. To play Dark Souls II is to travel back in time and to experience "old-school" gaming. You may immediately realize why gaming as a whole moved away from the "You Lose, Game Over" level of challenge, as Dark Souls II will slaughter you in ways that are unfair, and then spit in your face and take your money away. But you also might realize (after you're done yelling and screaming) that no non-indie non-Souls game in the last few years has ever actually challenged you. I mean it, Souls games are a literal challenge. The developers are saying, "I made a mean, hard game. I think you are casual scum who calls themselves a Gamer but you couldn't beat the original Megaman with a gun to your head." Want to prove them wrong? Beat Dark Souls II.

    My primary gripe with this game is that the game's mechanics punish you for not being good at Dark Souls II. Demon's Souls (the original) did this too, and I didn't like it then either. Each death reduces your health maximum. Yes, you can reverse this. Yes, you can lessen the penalty with a ring (if you have it). But there is something disturbing about the fact that the game will not only kill you, it'll get even harder because you died.

    But even though it pisses me off, that's part of what makes Dark Souls II so glorious. This game is not your friend. It doesn't want to give you hope, it wants to take it away. This game doesn't even particularly want to tell a story (it has an interesting one, but it's not really the point). This game's mission is to be as hard as possible in the modern era where games practically beat themselves. And it succeeds. And as a true gamer, I salute From Software for allowing me to pull back the mists of time, and enjoy a challenging game.    … Expand
  3. RainbowLuster
    Mar 19, 2014
    10
    This game is perfection. I feel it is a great sequel to a great game to begin with. Boss fights are exciting and everywhere you go, there is something unique. At the beginning of the game, you are meant to feel weak and helpless. Every enemy is a threat, and you have to dissect and analyse every situation. You will die. A lot. That's a given. But that's okay. The game is centered aroundThis game is perfection. I feel it is a great sequel to a great game to begin with. Boss fights are exciting and everywhere you go, there is something unique. At the beginning of the game, you are meant to feel weak and helpless. Every enemy is a threat, and you have to dissect and analyse every situation. You will die. A lot. That's a given. But that's okay. The game is centered around it. Sure, at surface level the game appears to be a grind, but it is so much more. Every character has a purpose, and interesting things to say. Some may think it has little plot, but if you are willing to listen to every piece of dialog, read item descriptions and.. dare I say it.. look for it, I can assure you it is there. Player vs Player combat is another great feature. It lets you know that, well, you aren't safe. Ever. People need to recognize that it's not a bad thing. Believe me, nothing is more annoying than losing your human form and 50k souls. So next time, do better. Stop the invader. Overcome an obstacle. I love this game. Maybe it is because I was such a huge fan of the first one. I was willing to appreciate changes, as well as remember mechanics from its predecessor. My main point is that I like this game because of its difficulty, because of its latent plot, because of its bosses, and most importantly because of its humbling nature. You aren't some juggernaut who is unmatched in combat. Most enemies are better than you, hell, invasions make it apparent that other players are better than you. But when you finally succeed. After going through death, after death, after death. You can truly understand the effect the game has had on you. Buy this game. From has definitely outdone themselves.… Expand
  4. djwille88
    Mar 19, 2014
    10
    I laugh at guys who give this game a zero. User Deusex think's he can mash R1 to victory and complains about low stamina. I'm sure he couldn't get past the tutorial section and rage quit.

    Anyway, as a fan of the Souls series FROM doesn't disappoint me with their last game. It's a nice marriage between DeS and DKS 1. I love the warping between bonfires early on and cuts down on    I laugh at guys who give this game a zero. User Deusex think's he can mash R1 to victory and complains about low stamina. I'm sure he couldn't get past the tutorial section and rage quit.

    Anyway, as a fan of the Souls series FROM doesn't disappoint me with their last game. It's a nice marriage between DeS and DKS 1. I love the warping between bonfires early on and cuts down on backtracking because the levels are fairly large and the game itself is huge!

    Also when FROM said that this game was going to more accessible, I was a bit worried that the game would be dumb downed..well rest assured the game is much harder than DKS 1. The enemy AI is much improved and some of the are bosses pretty tough. Some bosses are a bit samey which I really didn't mind. Because DKS 1 had the same thing going on as well.

    If you're a fan of the series, you'll love this game    … Expand
  5. traskular
    Mar 19, 2014
    10
    This is one of those games that will go down in history as a legacy and never die. It will be something you can play years from now and enjoy, not just some once and done waste of time game. With Demon's Souls and Dark Souls, Dark Souls II is one of the greatest games ever created.
  6. Sammule7856
    Mar 18, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls is a franchise that is rooted in its difficulty and the power of overcoming death. This by no means is a perfect 10/10 game but is pretty close. The minor changes are for the better except for the "hollowing" process where you lose max health with every death until you reach 50%. This game is amazing and has improved on the sequel in many ways. This is defiantly a game ofDark Souls is a franchise that is rooted in its difficulty and the power of overcoming death. This by no means is a perfect 10/10 game but is pretty close. The minor changes are for the better except for the "hollowing" process where you lose max health with every death until you reach 50%. This game is amazing and has improved on the sequel in many ways. This is defiantly a game of the year contender and one of my top 10 games ever.… Expand
  7. Deciple_13
    Mar 18, 2014
    10
    I think it was when I realized that after 2 hours and I was still struggling to defeat the Sentinels that I was hopelessly hooked...on dying...over and over again.
    This game has a way of making each and every decision count and Im already planning out my second play through so I dont make dumb decisions - like killing NPC's, trying that orange herb for "funzies" or joining the wrong    I think it was when I realized that after 2 hours and I was still struggling to defeat the Sentinels that I was hopelessly hooked...on dying...over and over again.
    This game has a way of making each and every decision count and Im already planning out my second play through so I dont make dumb decisions - like killing NPC's, trying that orange herb for "funzies" or joining the wrong covenant - sure i wished it would have come out on X1 or PS4 - but a game of this quality, depth, and emotional wrenching intrigue (mostly all anger from dying) - is rare in these days of short, uninspired games, made only to appease the mass market and not hardcore gamers that play games years after the "new smell" wears off.

    Hats off to Software!
    fyi - if I dont beat those 3 bastards tonight I may revise my rating :)    … Expand
  8. windoPANE
    Mar 18, 2014
    10
    Best game since the first a torch in the fog of game mediocrecy. I hope developers are taking notes cous this is what a modern rpg should be.thank you FROM SOFTWARE for never taking the elder scrolls path games should be a challenge :)
  9. basicgamer
    Mar 17, 2014
    2
    WTF? Usually a sequel enhances what made the original so good. Not here. Feels like a totally different game. Every change is for the worse. Feels more like Fable than Dark Souls. Graphics, combat, character models and movement and overall pacing and experience is off. Whoever forced these changes at FROM SOFTWARE should lose their job. Don't let this garbage define Dark Souls. MyWTF? Usually a sequel enhances what made the original so good. Not here. Feels like a totally different game. Every change is for the worse. Feels more like Fable than Dark Souls. Graphics, combat, character models and movement and overall pacing and experience is off. Whoever forced these changes at FROM SOFTWARE should lose their job. Don't let this garbage define Dark Souls. My recommendation (for old and new players, alike), go back and play Dark Souls 1. Every detail is DS1 was done with care. This thing... like I exclaimed, WTF. Score: 2 (compared to original which I would give a 10). What a disappointment.… Expand
  10. Bertrand
    Mar 16, 2014
    9
    Fixes all the little things that I did not like in Dark Souls 2. Multiplayer is more strongly encouraged through killing farming methods (monsters stop respawning after a while, unless you put something in the local bonefire).

    Covenants are brilliant and really fun, graphics have been really improved and it seems like a longer experience too. I am really having a blast playing this    Fixes all the little things that I did not like in Dark Souls 2. Multiplayer is more strongly encouraged through killing farming methods (monsters stop respawning after a while, unless you put something in the local bonefire).

    Covenants are brilliant and really fun, graphics have been really improved and it seems like a longer experience too. I am really having a blast playing this game, and I find it hard to get excited about any other game at the moment, like Demon's Souls and Dark Souls before, you will want an exclusive relationship with this game.    … Expand
  11. Roth_Vantage
    Mar 16, 2014
    5
    A few things flat out ruin the game and render it unplayable. You can warp from the get-go, thus destroying any sense of travel, danger, or dread. The bosses are poorly designed and forgettable, and their over-abundance causes you to over-level and make the game boring. You have to return to the Emerald Herald to level up, thus destroying any immersion and atmosphere built by theA few things flat out ruin the game and render it unplayable. You can warp from the get-go, thus destroying any sense of travel, danger, or dread. The bosses are poorly designed and forgettable, and their over-abundance causes you to over-level and make the game boring. You have to return to the Emerald Herald to level up, thus destroying any immersion and atmosphere built by the zones.There is no story. "You'll die a lot and lose your souls" "Seek larger souls" thanks a lot, why not give me some direction or purpose in the game so I don’t feel like I’m clearing areas for the sake of clearing areas.There is no back-story. The original Dark Souls had a back-story that was told in a cutscene and visually in the world. Dark Souls 2 has no such backstory which causes the placement and order of the zones to feel disjointed and arbitrary. I really can’t believe how flaccid and half-baked Dark Souls 2 is.… Expand
  12. Comfosa
    Mar 16, 2014
    9
    Brutally soul crushingly awesome. As with each iteration on the "Souls" franchise, certain aspects evolve and others stay the same. The game does not shy away from challenge, but it is still fair in most cases, and most death can still be avoided by informed, careful play. Certain elements that have changed can initially be confusing, but once you understand the new world, it all worksBrutally soul crushingly awesome. As with each iteration on the "Souls" franchise, certain aspects evolve and others stay the same. The game does not shy away from challenge, but it is still fair in most cases, and most death can still be avoided by informed, careful play. Certain elements that have changed can initially be confusing, but once you understand the new world, it all works very well. Just be prepared for a few hours of trial and error to find the NPCs and some decent equipment.

    Do not be fooled by any of the talk about "accessibility". This game is as brutally unforgiving as any in the series. There is a quick section at the beginning with stone markers that give control tips thus keeping you from the frustration of simply not understanding the controls, but you will get smacked around just as quickly there as any other place if you aren't careful.

    Lack of next gen, the reuse of sound effects from Dark Souls and a few just plain annoying sounds (running the dry grass) are about the only things I might point out as possible downsides. All around as interesting, challenging and satisfying as the first two titles. A must have for fans and those willing to work through the initial challenge of just figuring out what the heck is going on to find the amazing jewel of a game within.    … Expand
  13. H1P1
    Mar 15, 2014
    8
    The game doesn't quite live up to the standard of the original but there's still plenty here to like. The main reason is that your success in DS2 is a lot less reliant on skill despite Fromsoft making the game harder. As far as negative aspects go the hit detection is shocking - many deaths result in the enemy hitting thin air. Another problem is that the invincibility frames for rollingThe game doesn't quite live up to the standard of the original but there's still plenty here to like. The main reason is that your success in DS2 is a lot less reliant on skill despite Fromsoft making the game harder. As far as negative aspects go the hit detection is shocking - many deaths result in the enemy hitting thin air. Another problem is that the invincibility frames for rolling have been greatly reduced to the point of feeling non-existent. Surely this can only reduce the amount of viable builds and reduce your flexibility in playing the game. More importantly though it's a kick in the face to players who put skill into mastering this high risk tactic especially for PvP and PvE now many light shields no longer have 100% damage reduction.. The last main flaw is that enemies stop re-spawning to prevent farming. To me this makes no sense because no one liked farming in the first place - receiving the item was your reward for hours of mundane work. Now it's a major set back in achieving your desired weapon and hampers experimentation with weapons and tactics due to item scarcity.

    As far as positive aspects the locations and visuals are improved and the world feels a lot more mysterious. Some of the music is really great and it would be nice to see them have music playing during more gameplay as it really adds atmosphere to the game. 4 ring slots - YES! And plenty of cool new weapons, armour and CAPES!! They do some really cool flashback things in game which i think really added to the story and I'd like to see them incorporate more of this in future games.

    All of this makes a solid game however you'll still leave the game with a feeling that DS1 was more fun and rewarding to play, despite the many improvements that could have been made to it. Many of the changes were in favour of PvP play, but it feels like Fromsoft is forgetting that the game at heart is a PvE experience.    … Expand
  14. paddystudmuffin
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    Got this game yesterday and it's great. Been playing it non stop probably 10 hrs already and I've only scratched the surface. Dark souls was an amazing game and this one easily follows suit. Graphics are nice and the controls are really responsive. This is what a 10 game is. I love the atmosphere as you edge forward bit by bit with your little shield up. It's great. PeopleGot this game yesterday and it's great. Been playing it non stop probably 10 hrs already and I've only scratched the surface. Dark souls was an amazing game and this one easily follows suit. Graphics are nice and the controls are really responsive. This is what a 10 game is. I love the atmosphere as you edge forward bit by bit with your little shield up. It's great. People shouldn't complain about getting killed here and there when in all challenging games you'll die a fair bit at certain points. The only difference with the souls series is you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Anyone who likes RPGs, solid combat, a fantasy setting, with fair challenging gameplay should lap this beauty up. It's a definite keeper!!!… Expand
  15. gamerXBRgui
    Mar 15, 2014
    9
    this game is hard!
    ...........................................................................
    the graphics is not good...............................
  16. Vestar5
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    everything you could ask for in a sequel. draws upon the best elements of dark souls and demon's souls in equal measure. Incredibly difficult and incredibly satisfying. This installment is less about finding the most broken items or the cheesiest strategies and more about mastering every tool the game gives you.
  17. StllBreathnButY
    Mar 15, 2014
    7
    If it ain't broke don't fix it.

    That's the advice From Software ignored when making this game. Dark souls style may not appeal to a lot of people, but it was such a masterful game, damn near perfect. Dark souls 2 "refines" the experience with lots of changes to gameplay, balance issues, and lack of accessibility from the previous game. While playing DS2 it IS clear that From is on    If it ain't broke don't fix it.

    That's the advice From Software ignored when making this game. Dark souls style may not appeal to a lot of people, but it was such a masterful game, damn near perfect. Dark souls 2 "refines" the experience with lots of changes to gameplay, balance issues, and lack of accessibility from the previous game.

    While playing DS2 it IS clear that From is on top of every little detail about their game. The issues I have with this game are nothing that was overlooked, but rather, deliberate changes to the formula that almost completely ruin my enjoyment of the game. While they admirably address things from the previous game that seemed redundant or flawed, the changes they made create new problems in themselves.

    By far, the biggest issue with the game is the finite enemies. This is no doubt a measure that was implimented to stop people from grinding to get souls. After you kill an enemy a certain amount of times, they stop respawning. It seems like a glitch at first, until you notice the pattern. It feels like a slap in the face and goes against what the game is all about, to a degree. I legitimately killed enemies, died, respawned, and repeated, without making my way to the next bonfire. However, since I had killed the enemies enough times, they began disappearing, which made getting further easier, since there was much less in my way. I didn't feel like I earned it. The other issue with them disappearing is that I ended up losing lots of souls in the process. With enemies being finite, I now have to play every second of the game stressed out. If I loss some souls, those are souls I can NEVER earn back. So essentially you could run the risk of digging yourself into a huge hole that you can't get out of, forcing you to start over. This is a long game, having to start over is not fun at all. With finite enemies, this also complicates loot drops, a staple in RPGs. Now the loot is also finite. Farming titanite is a thing of the past. Now the decisions you make on upgrading your weapons are more stressful than ever, since it's not so simple to just go get more. DS1 kept the stress where it was fun, in the combat. I didn't have to fear that I was playing the game wrong and making things harder for myself hours down the line.

    Item durability has been expanded and tweaked. Weapons, armor, and now rings have durability and will break from overuse or damage. In DS1, items breaking was sort of a non issue, as they took a long time to break and were simple enough to fix, since the souls to do it were always around. This time, they break REALLY fast, and cost you precious finite souls to fix. Plus you must progress a bit to unlock the blacksmith who can provide the service. In the early go of it, I nearly was left with no useable weapons, since I couldn't buy any yet and had broken some.

    Some features of the game that aren't meant to be hidden are needlessly obtuse. It took me a while to see how to activate torches, and I still choose not to use them because they don't last long and are hard to come by. I had to look online to find that I had the ability to post messages the WHOLE time, I just wasn't able to do it because I wasn't in living form. I don't play in living form because I will most certainly get killed, as that is the nature of dark souls, and the item needed to become living is hard to come by, once again. I also didn't know how to level up for a while, unfortunately. I didn't like how it has to happen through some weird lady.

    Now, when you die, you lose a portion of your max health, up to 50%, until you use a finite item to revert back to living form. It's stupid, stressful, and a$$ backwards. You die, and the game gets harder?

    Combat feels more cheap this time. So often you'll find battles where you're pitted against a group of enemies, which is always challenging, no matter how "weak" they are. DS1 rarely made you fight more than one or two at a time, if you were patient enough, allowing you to concentrate on the fundamentals. The very beginning woods section of this game was full of these encounters and was enfuriating. This, coming from a guy who beat dark souls. I know how to play.

    The game was made "more accessible" by including fast travel between bonfires and has a supposedly easier world structure to get started in. First, getting started was not easy at all. Like I said, the woods, which is first, were unbelievably aggravating, since you barely have any gear, and you get swarmed all over. I can't imagine that to be more accessible to a newcomer. Second, fast travel, it's does have its perks. It saves lots of time, but the gameworld is built so sprawling and disjointed. Nothing like the masterful interconnected puzzle that DS1 was. Plus having to go to the main hub area to level up and such is annoying.

    On a good note, the frame rate in this game is Super smooth compared to DS 1. At its best, this game IS great. But not DS1 great.

    I could say more, no more room.    … Expand
  18. ReSultZ
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    Takes the same tried and true formula and amplifies it!!!!! Must buy GAME OF THE YEAR 2014........getting it again on the pc for much improved visuals............................................................
  19. mizhaer
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    if you call yourself hardcore gamer you definilty try this game. its a master piece for game industry, this game will not reward you for solving some puzzles with chickens (as other games do...), in fact, this game will never reward you, the players reward itselfs
  20. Plasmaneedle
    Mar 15, 2014
    9
    While not quite as good as the original Dark Souls 2 still provides the intense challenge, rewarding combat and an interesting game world to explore. A very harcore and worthwhile game.
  21. Joshd
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    I hate this game but I also love it to bits. That was the magic that the first Dark Souls had, you hated it, you simply just hated it, but it has something that keeps you going and in the end you love it more than anything. With Dark Souls 2, its the exact same except better and the feelings are stronger the second time around. You'll die a lot, but you wont stop, nothing will stop youI hate this game but I also love it to bits. That was the magic that the first Dark Souls had, you hated it, you simply just hated it, but it has something that keeps you going and in the end you love it more than anything. With Dark Souls 2, its the exact same except better and the feelings are stronger the second time around. You'll die a lot, but you wont stop, nothing will stop you from finishing it and playing through it again.… Expand
  22. wiggitywack
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    An absolutely fantastic game worthy of the series and my early contender for GOTY 2014. Rarely, if ever, does a sequel capture the magic of it's predecessors, but DS 2 does that in spades. I don't understand the people who go into the Demon/Dark Souls games expecting an "Elder Scrolls" experience. Then they go on various message boards, like this one, and trash the games. It's akin toAn absolutely fantastic game worthy of the series and my early contender for GOTY 2014. Rarely, if ever, does a sequel capture the magic of it's predecessors, but DS 2 does that in spades. I don't understand the people who go into the Demon/Dark Souls games expecting an "Elder Scrolls" experience. Then they go on various message boards, like this one, and trash the games. It's akin to biting into an apple and being mad it doesn't taste like an orange. Ignorance truly is bliss.… Expand
  23. Pericles83
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    My god they done again, another awesome souls game prepare to die over and over with a smile on your face, because you know that it was your fault not the game. Dark souls 2 is a sure buy for everyone looking for an adventure like no other. Now if you excuse i will continue to play this beast. Praise the sun!!
  24. RealR3V1EW
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    Oh Dark Souls...how I hate to love you.

    9.6/10 It's Dark Souls with improvements, I was worried they would dumb it down for the masses but no it still has me questioning my sanity to why I love being beat down again and again and again, only to get back up and finally kill that SOB and feel like the king of the world, that's why dark souls 1 and 2 are amazing. Now as far as the    Oh Dark Souls...how I hate to love you.

    9.6/10

    It's Dark Souls with improvements, I was worried they would dumb it down for the masses but no it still has me questioning my sanity to why I love being beat down again and again and again, only to get back up and finally kill that SOB and feel like the king of the world, that's why dark souls 1 and 2 are amazing.

    Now as far as the game goes my only complaint is, I wish they would've had completely original bosses from the first, Dragon Slayer, Dragon Rider same guy different paint pretty much. I know it's one but I know there are other repeats. Don't worry about losing health when you die, there's a ring that stops you from losing much, I died about 30 times in a row and didn't lose much. The travel system is really nice, (Almost too nice...) but it works out fine.

    $60? If you enjoyed the first one then what are you waiting for?? Not for (insert any negative quality here) this game won't hold you're hand, it expects you to man up.

    * same game as the first with improvements and some step backs don't expect to be blown away just expect to be in hell/rpg nirvana again.

    *"for the curse of life, is the curse of want". Good luck :)    … Expand
  25. MikeZillaGames
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls 2. It ain't no candy crush.

    I figure there are two types of folks who would consider buying this game: people who loved the first two titles of the 'Souls' series, and people who heard about the hype over the first game and it's notoriety for being rock hard. For the former, all I will say is PLAY THIS GAME. It's faithful to the challenging nature and tight gameplay of the    Dark Souls 2. It ain't no candy crush.

    I figure there are two types of folks who would consider buying this game: people who loved the first two titles of the 'Souls' series, and people who heard about the hype over the first game and it's notoriety for being rock hard.

    For the former, all I will say is PLAY THIS GAME. It's faithful to the challenging nature and tight gameplay of the other titles. You will probably enjoy this game.

    To anyone else, just consider what you're getting yourself into. If you're the kind of player who loves the euphoric feeling of toppling difficult challenges, you will like this series. If you find yourself somewhat impatient, and not willing to put up with a steep learning curve, then you might want to skip it.

    Either way the game is oozing with dark atmosphere. The world of DS2 is not a friendly place, and the world itself feels like it's decaying...falling away into pertetual darkness as it's denizens have all turned into undead monstrosities, or have accepted their own numbing fate as they stand upon the coast watching a sunset that never ends.

    The tightness of the combat has returned, and while I can't say what the PvP scene is like this early...I think it will be promising. This may very well be the title that keeps the Xbox / PS3 multiplayer scene alive for years to come. We shall see.    … Expand
  26. bocaperro
    Mar 13, 2014
    10
    Amazing work by from software.
    All things they can do better from first dark soul game they did it.Im a soul veteran, finished demons and dark souls a couple of times, and this is i think, the game that fans like me were waiting for.
    This is a demostration (as all souls serie), how a relly basic concept like a dungeon crawler, can be one of the most deepest and complex experience in a    Amazing work by from software.
    All things they can do better from first dark soul game they did it.Im a soul veteran, finished demons and dark souls a couple of times, and this is i think, the game that fans like me were waiting for.
    This is a demostration (as all souls serie), how a relly basic concept like a dungeon crawler, can be one of the most deepest and complex experience in a game. the world, the concept art, the mechanics, the history......all them are amazing.
    From software, i love you!!

    Goty for me    … Expand
  27. Type4101
    Mar 13, 2014
    5
    Forced "Player v. Player" annoyances significantly detract from what should be an improvement on the Dark Souls formula. While the theme of the series has always been about difficulty, the previous games always felt fair, and at least offered options to avoid some of the more annoying aspects of the game, like unfair PvP invasions. Even though many fans complained about the PvP of theForced "Player v. Player" annoyances significantly detract from what should be an improvement on the Dark Souls formula. While the theme of the series has always been about difficulty, the previous games always felt fair, and at least offered options to avoid some of the more annoying aspects of the game, like unfair PvP invasions. Even though many fans complained about the PvP of the earlier game, the developers inexplicably upped the ante in DS2, forcing PvP at all times (with no option to avoid), even for those who want no part in it. This results in an annoying situation where players must chose between unplugging their internet connection and playing offline--removing some of the most compelling aspects of the multi-player experience, like the ghostly messages left by other players--or being subject to merciless torture and annoyance. Added to this is a new, ultra-brutal death penalty that permanently reduces your health each time you die (save for the rare item that can restore it), which can leave you in a state where you are unable to continue in the game because you are too weak from being killed by invaders. The end result is that this new version of Dark Souls intentionally alienates players who mostly enjoy a challenging single player experience, instead adding MMO-like guild features, and social clubs. Dark Souls 2 seems like it wants to be enjoyed by only a select type of player (aggressive PvP junkies and griefers) and is less of a game for it. A simple option to play with online message features but avoid PvP would be wonderful, but the developers appear to have no interest in that. Avoid this game unless PvP is what you are about, because that is what Dark Souls 2 is about.… Expand
  28. Anthony_Oreo
    Mar 13, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls 2 delivers an immense world full of challenging obstacles and bosses. The graphics display is quite beautiful compared to Dark Souls. Things such as health penalties, which reduce health upon each death (until health is restricted halfway), prove to make the game challenging but doesn’t get in the way for a person like me to enjoy the game (it can also be undone so don't worry).Dark Souls 2 delivers an immense world full of challenging obstacles and bosses. The graphics display is quite beautiful compared to Dark Souls. Things such as health penalties, which reduce health upon each death (until health is restricted halfway), prove to make the game challenging but doesn’t get in the way for a person like me to enjoy the game (it can also be undone so don't worry). In order to defeat enemies, figure out their patterns and attack when there's a viable opening. Boss battles are challenging so be prepared to die. Take a break every once in a while to prevent frustration builds up. For those coming into this game with no experience in Demon Souls or Dark Souls, I highly advise playing those games as well in order to adapt to this game, especially in terms of combat. Overall, I highly recommend this game and I’m sure many of you will find some enjoyment out of this experience.

    Side note: The graphics aren't terrible (Response to User: Deusex) and for those who gave this game
    anything as low as a 0(Deusex), then this game is not for you.
    .    … Expand
  29. Idiotbox_uk
    Mar 13, 2014
    9
    See the full review @ http://www.idiotbox.co.uk/dark-souls-2-review/

    First off I’m going to start this off with a warning; you will not enjoy this game if you are a casual pick-up-and-play-wow-this-game’s-easy sort of gamer. This is a game designed by hardcore gamers for hardcore gamers and it is a job well done indeed! They say you should start as you mean to go on and Dark Souls II    See the full review @ http://www.idiotbox.co.uk/dark-souls-2-review/

    First off I’m going to start this off with a warning; you will not enjoy this game if you are a casual pick-up-and-play-wow-this-game’s-easy sort of gamer. This is a game designed by hardcore gamers for hardcore gamers and it is a job well done indeed!

    They say you should start as you mean to go on and Dark Souls II seems to take that idea and run with it! The word epic gets splashed around allot these days and I try not to overuse it but this is deserving of such a title, it is one of the most captivating and beautiful looking videos I’ve seen in a long time. They could make a movie out of it and I would watch the ever-loving crap out of it! At times I was actually struggling to decide whether the scenery was actual footage or just ridiculously well animated, either way it was something special. Now allot of the time when a game kicks off with a spectacle of an opening video the game fails to live up to expectations and while the visuals in the game are not quite as stunning as the video they are still absolutely nothing to be scoffed at! The backdrops especially are almost works of art and considering that one moment you may be wandering through a dank, claustrophobic and overgrown forest and the next you find yourself in a huge, open and bright ocean-view area it transitions perfectly and feels somewhat natural and right!

    The gameplay itself is a relatively straight forward system but whereas most games give you a tutorial to start with and hold your hand while you practise Dark Souls II doesn’t have time for you **** nonsense, it gives you a brief tutorial covering the basics and a rough idea about what your main goal is and then… Well that’s it actually, then you’re on your own to explore, to fight and to die (you will die, you will die over and over again)

    Let’s talk about death shall we? It’s no secret that Dark Souls wants to kill you. They outright tell you in the introduction that you’re going to repeatedly die and then laugh about it. Something which they fail to mention to you however is that every time you die you not only lose all the souls you’ve collected but you also lose a piece of your humanity and become a mere husk of a man. Not only does this mean that your body starts rotting away it also means that every time you come back to life you return with a smaller health bar, this carries on until you decided that you miss your humanity enough to use a human effigy to make yourself whole again. Sounds pretty simple right? Nope! Human effigies are a rarity so I personally found myself very begrudging to use one to restore myself. This adds a decent dynamic to the game as you have to weigh up whether you want to carry out struggling through with a half-sized health-bar and use the effigy when you desperately need it or use it now to become pretty again and then run the risk of being boned later when you meet one of the bigger meaner enemies.

    The world itself is actually a relatively linear one with only one real main bath to the goal but it is done in such a way that there is always an extra route you can take or a location you can explore off the beaten track. This makes it feel like an open worlder and it genuinely does feel vast. Add to that the fact that absolutely everything wants to kill you (and is very good at doing so) then it adds excitement into the exploration side of it as you never actually know what you’re going to stumble across or how deadly it will be. My first example of learning the hard way was right at the start of the game in a forest that is generally only inhabited by the undead who are fairly easy to kill, I noticed a create down by the water so I thought I’d go attack it thinking it would be as easy as the undead. I hit it once and it picked me up and bit my head clean off in one fell swoop…

    This was 10 minutes into the game…    … Expand
  30. SpyNanner
    Mar 13, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls II is a fantastic sequel. Everything is more polished and refined. The wonderful art direction, incredible enemy design, challenge and the great atmosphere make this game a must buy. This is not for the faint of heart however. You will die and the game requires patience. This doesn't mean it's for only the ''hardcore gamers'', no. It's for everyone to try out. You'll still haveDark Souls II is a fantastic sequel. Everything is more polished and refined. The wonderful art direction, incredible enemy design, challenge and the great atmosphere make this game a must buy. This is not for the faint of heart however. You will die and the game requires patience. This doesn't mean it's for only the ''hardcore gamers'', no. It's for everyone to try out. You'll still have a great experience, even if you somehow don't manage to finish the game up.

    Dark Souls II is visually stunning. The art style and varied environments keep the game feeling fresh. Even when you're ''stuck'' in a section of the game world for several hours even, you never feel like something is getting old. You constantly learn something new, whether it's a new attack pattern or a well hidden item.

    Just like it's predecessors, Dark Souls II is INCREDIBLY rewarding. Even for a Souls vet, like myself who's put around 2500 hours to both Demon's Souls and Dark Souls combined. You always feel like you're accomplishing something. No developer does it quite like From Software. Today's mainstream franchises feel like a waste of time compared to the Souls series. While, one might argue that the Souls games are mainstream now, with this being the third installment, it still haven't gotten old one bit. From always puts time, love and effort to their games to make sure they're polished and provide the best possible experience. Which probably is why the Souls series is my favorite of this past generation, and i'm sure other people think that as well.

    The gameplay is more or less the same. It's still the best combat system around only with some tweaks. Firstly, goodbye invincibility frames when rolling/dodging. This can make some of the first boss encounters feel a little odd, if you're coming from Dark Souls. You might say to yourselves ''THAT DIDN'T EVEN HIT ME!'' but trust me, it did hit you. The hit-boxes are really good in Dark Souls II. The parrying is a bit harder than in the first Dark Souls. It requires more timing and precision.

    The lore is still there to be find, even though the core story that you're playing through is explained to you by the various NPCs, the LORE is still there to be found and much speculation to be done.

    The boss fights are still incredible, although some of them feel a little too similar to each other, they're still very well designed and deliciously challenging. Here's a hoping for a Next Gen Souls release somewhere down the line. Just take your time From Software!

    9.5/10

    I rated it a 10 on the score because of the awfully stupid user score system. It's like you're allowing moronic troll children to determine what games people should play. The user score for the Xbox 360 version just keeps going down, it's like one person keeps making accounts to give Dark Souls II zeroes because they have nothing better to do with their life. If you want to see what people REALLY think about the game go see the Playstation 3 section. (unless you're already reading this there, then good for you.)    … 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 »