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
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  1. WakeUpJeff
    Feb 8, 2021
    5
    While certainly not holding a candle to the rest of the series, it's an okay action rpg in it's own right. Can be enjoyable on a surface level but lacks the care and depth it needs to be great.
  2. alakaXander
    Jun 8, 2019
    9
    Dark souls 2 is the underated third entry toin the award winning and highly renowned souls series. This title takes place in a new land and time to it's predecessors yet fallows the same plot. This entry features advanced movement mechanics, enhanced combat systems, multiple references and links to the previous titles, and some of the best dlc expansions of any rpg.
  3. DarkSoulsPlayah
    Feb 3, 2020
    4
    Dark Souls 2 is one of the worst games of 2014 in my opinion. FromSoft took everything Dark Souls 1 did and spit it right in the face! The Level-design is awful, the enemy placemant is awful, in every level theres a ton of enemies that swarm you and don't even get me started on the Shrine Of Amana. there are some new good things like the agility system and the only level i personalyDark Souls 2 is one of the worst games of 2014 in my opinion. FromSoft took everything Dark Souls 1 did and spit it right in the face! The Level-design is awful, the enemy placemant is awful, in every level theres a ton of enemies that swarm you and don't even get me started on the Shrine Of Amana. there are some new good things like the agility system and the only level i personaly enjoyed was The Dragon Aerie. The Bosses are painfully easy and none of the characters are interesting. Overall, i hate this game and i'd rather play Demon's Souls or Dark Souls 1 instead.… Expand
  4. Kodise2000
    Dec 7, 2019
    9
    This is one of the Brilliant rpg games ever made!
    Dark atmospher, great gameplay and mystrous story makes it realy good.
  5. nurfedx
    Oct 30, 2021
    10
    One of the best Games known to mankind.
    From Software is a safe heaven for the Gaming community.
    Especially in times where big Developers dissapiont us with theyr fraudulent intent.
    Praise the sun!
  6. Greendeer23
    Mar 6, 2020
    10
    I love this secuel is ver y good experience have tetric enemies an bosses
  7. Jackwill
    Jul 21, 2022
    7
    Сначало я думал, что мое мнение про что дс 2 топ это истина, но это был мой первый солс и после прохождения других частей и повторного этой понял... что мое мнение это комедия...
  8. Rustick
    Jun 23, 2022
    7
    сложная по началу, но гораздо легче с середины игры, атмосферная, есть пару нудных локаций, мало запоминающихся боссов, отвратительное управление на пк
  9. soldar
    Jun 26, 2020
    6
    Los desarrolladores no entendieron que es lo que hizo tan grande la primera parte y la alta dificultad parece que solo se basa en muchos enemigos con mucha vida y mucho daño
  10. DemonrexPro
    Apr 25, 2021
    0
    No me gusta porque tiene muchas cosas peores que el uno y es raro porque es una secuela
  11. Calibrimbor
    Jul 5, 2020
    0
    Ewww this is the **** darksoul i've ever play this **** is not suppose to be here cuz its **** so many bosses like its too ambitious and the entire story is so **** up like literally **** up
  12. jamiec
    Jul 11, 2020
    1
    I loved both dark souls 1 and 3 and was excited to play this game however i could barely play for even 5 hours. The hordes of enemies are just frustrating to fight and the bosses are all boring with stupidly large amounts of health making every boss fight feel like a chore.
  13. Zaidx
    Jul 23, 2020
    9
    A great sequel in my opinion its every thing I wanted from a sequel such a great game
  14. treetop8
    Aug 29, 2021
    8
    I've only played Dark Souls 1+2 and I haven't played Demon Souls or Ds3, but I know what makes a good souls game from Dark Souls (1.) The twisted environments, the out of this world creatures and bosses, the difficulty. Dark Souls 2 is a dark souls game that forgets what made Dark Souls...Dark Souls. It loses most of the environment and character that the original Dark Souls brought out.I've only played Dark Souls 1+2 and I haven't played Demon Souls or Ds3, but I know what makes a good souls game from Dark Souls (1.) The twisted environments, the out of this world creatures and bosses, the difficulty. Dark Souls 2 is a dark souls game that forgets what made Dark Souls...Dark Souls. It loses most of the environment and character that the original Dark Souls brought out. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE GAME ISN'T FUN. Yes the game lacks the character of the original, but I still really have my fun with this game. I actually really like the leveling up system, I love the exploration and loot similar to Dark Souls. The Music is outstanding and so rememberable. (Don't even get me started on how many times I hear Majula's theme.) While the areas aren't super unique, they still have tons of mystery and captivation inside it. The amount of split paths in this game is crazy and I love it. It's a very good and fun game. Not better than Dark Souls 1, but still a really fun game.… Expand
  15. DieterU
    May 17, 2021
    5
    Yeah it's pretty good but honestly nowhere near as good as Dark Souls. There were definitely some great boss fights, but they decided to put in WAY too many, and that severely affected the overall quality of the average boss. The level design was one of the things that took a pretty big hit. The areas were all so much less interesting, and it didn't feel so smartly built andYeah it's pretty good but honestly nowhere near as good as Dark Souls. There were definitely some great boss fights, but they decided to put in WAY too many, and that severely affected the overall quality of the average boss. The level design was one of the things that took a pretty big hit. The areas were all so much less interesting, and it didn't feel so smartly built and interconnected. The graphics also somehow looked a lot worse, at least for some areas (I saw the ogres in the first area and was so confused as to why they looked so bad). The graphics definitely do have some really good bits too, though. The story was good and cohesive, but I wish it had kept more in line with the storylines in 1 and 3. Still Dark Souls, though. Definitely still recommend checking it out.… Expand
  16. KaleSungurCrane
    Nov 21, 2020
    10
    OVERALL - 95%

    Gameplay - 9/10 Graphics (for time) - 8/10 Story - 8/10 Game Length - 9/10 Characters - 7/10 Level/Area Design - 9/10 Atmosphere - 8/10 Sound Effects - 8/10 Soundtrack - 8/10 Replay Value - 9/10 The hate for this game is in no way warranted. This was my first SoulsBourne game so admittedly I have my biases and have played all of the others since then and admit    OVERALL - 95%

    Gameplay - 9/10
    Graphics (for time) - 8/10
    Story - 8/10
    Game Length - 9/10
    Characters - 7/10
    Level/Area Design - 9/10
    Atmosphere - 8/10
    Sound Effects - 8/10
    Soundtrack - 8/10
    Replay Value - 9/10

    The hate for this game is in no way warranted. This was my first SoulsBourne game so admittedly I have my biases and have played all of the others since then and admit the original is probably the best with all things considered. The world isn't as linked as DS1 as Lore-filled as DS3 or as atmospheric as atmospheric as Bloodborne, but it is still a beautifully crafted world with a challenging but balanced difficulty. A of of people complain about the quantity of bosses, but in my eyes if the quality of the majority of the bosses is good and creative (which they are) then what is the problem? The DLC's are a great addition as well, so trust the critics on this one. It's a damn good game.    … Expand
  17. Petrokolos
    Nov 19, 2020
    4
    This game is not just a bad FromSoftware game, it is generally a bad game. Terrible mechanics, boring levels (I bet that none of the people that gave it a 10 can recall a single memorable level) and even worse bosses. Hitboxes are also trash and the adaptability mechanic is a dreadful addition to the series.
  18. RTCWFAN
    May 6, 2023
    9
    The Dark Souls community has a lot of hate for the second installment. I can't understand why. Sure, it's slightly worse than the first and third part but still...it is a masterpiece. Graphics, soundtrack, gameplay and overall feeling are almost perfect. Only the bosses are a bit repetitive in comparison to the other games. Recommended! Overall rating: 9.0.
  19. DarkSoulAxel
    Apr 10, 2021
    7
    I have a love/hate relationship with this game. I believe I finished it 3 times, including all DLCs, so the game is definetly enjoyable, giving you a great time. What annoyed me the most though, is the amount of ganking int his game and I mean offline. This game is full f ambushes with enemies and tons of bosses that consist of multiple enemies. Also, the game has a kind of weird feel toI have a love/hate relationship with this game. I believe I finished it 3 times, including all DLCs, so the game is definetly enjoyable, giving you a great time. What annoyed me the most though, is the amount of ganking int his game and I mean offline. This game is full f ambushes with enemies and tons of bosses that consist of multiple enemies. Also, the game has a kind of weird feel to it when it comes to moving. Slashing things feels odd too, as if your attack has no impact and the sound feels off too. One of the worst if not the worst part of the game is a part of the crown of the ivory king DLC. I am talking about the Frigid Outskirts. Possible the worst are with the worst boss at the end I ever encountered in an RPG, so frustrating. But the game has its strengths too, especially in combat (i.e. power stance, awesome addition to the game) and also boss weapons are amazing and fun to get. Not the biggest fan of the areas overall, but all in all, a pleasure to play. If you liked Dark Souls 1 much, dont expect the same thing but definetly give this one a try.… Expand
  20. Kau24
    May 6, 2021
    10
    Dark souls best game git gud git gud praise the sun praise the sun Umbasa Umbasa
  21. YokoHugo
    Aug 2, 2022
    8
    Ufjfkckgkgkgkgigigigigkggigkgkgkgkgkggkgkgkgkgkgkgigigkgkgkgkgkgkkgkglogkgkgkgkgkggkgig
  22. Empidonax
    Apr 2, 2022
    6
    I did not get very far into this game unfortunately. I quit and did not come back because of the very slow feel of the combat. I really feel like I am missing out on something. I know it is probably pretty good because it is a From Software game, but the slow combat really makes me not want to play. I loved Dark Souls 1 and 3, and have played through each at least twice.
  23. Kamuy
    Jun 16, 2021
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Trashhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… Expand
  24. SuperEpicGaming
    Sep 26, 2021
    7
    A VERY fun game but this was my first dark souls game so I kinda struggled (A LOT) even if this isn’t your first dark souls game it’s still very hard but it’s super fun and I recommend it to anyone who wants to have a challenge
  25. Andrewblank610
    Sep 28, 2021
    9
    In my opinion, the best of dark souls mechanics. DS3 and anything in the future could be better with power stancing and hexes being its own class of spells. While DS3 is obviously a much more beautiful and dark game, DS2 is definitely good in its own right. Don't let the complainers turn you away.
  26. germerfumm
    Nov 2, 2021
    0
    definitely deserves a lower score than 7.9 at the time of writing this, fromsoft is capable of making great games with the guiding hand of Miazaki but ds2 proves to all the true difficulty of making a good souls game, its criticism is well deserved for its obviously rushed development cycle, headbutting directors and a misguided and worn out dev team, ds2 offers very little in innovationdefinitely deserves a lower score than 7.9 at the time of writing this, fromsoft is capable of making great games with the guiding hand of Miazaki but ds2 proves to all the true difficulty of making a good souls game, its criticism is well deserved for its obviously rushed development cycle, headbutting directors and a misguided and worn out dev team, ds2 offers very little in innovation to the souls formula and feels more like a directors cut or a "what not to do" example for other devs when working with the souls formula, darksouls 2 is deeply flawed and disappointing entry to the souls franchise and a stain on the fromsoft name and id advise anyone wanting to try it for themselves to ask to borrow from a friend or buying on the humble bundle since buying this game for anything over 5 dollars would be throwing your money away… Expand
  27. B00tador
    Dec 4, 2021
    8
    It's a souls game, so it's still great... but I found the intro worlds really difficult / hard to get into. World quality is very incoherent and inconsistent. Has some highs, so it scrapes an 8, but it's comfortable the worst of the Souls games for me.
  28. Davidnotavailab
    Nov 5, 2022
    1
    Holy **** these games increases my chances of being more easily affected by the placebo effect. It was about when i got to harvest valley that i realised this game struggles with ideas, same level design, crappy encounters repeat that for 30 hours, now to a lazy maze until u get to a mediocre boss, done. At least ds1 had a good map design in the first half. Anor londo felt so differentHoly **** these games increases my chances of being more easily affected by the placebo effect. It was about when i got to harvest valley that i realised this game struggles with ideas, same level design, crappy encounters repeat that for 30 hours, now to a lazy maze until u get to a mediocre boss, done. At least ds1 had a good map design in the first half. Anor londo felt so different from the rest. How the hell is this a 90 metacritic game, how is this must play this is one of the things i would reccomend anybody sane in the head to avoid. Critics grow some **** balls and stop giving a 10 to any game like this. It gets to a point that a game can be ridiculously bad and its consider better than something that we used to see before.Also the graphics are horror. This came out in the same year as the witcher 3 did,wtf look how that games map and design looks. Im not talking about techniques used, just how it aesthetically looks. And dont defend it with **** like oh this was meant for ps3, ac iv was also playable on ps3 and looks infintely better than this. Gta v as well.… Expand
  29. cchenders40
    Feb 19, 2022
    10
    The criminally underrated souls game. I in no way believe that DS2 is better than the original or DS3, but this is still a top tier RPG. It is often criticized for how different it is from the other souls games and for having too much variety when it comes to its locations. I however love this game for those reasons, it is good to have something different that expands the world of DarkThe criminally underrated souls game. I in no way believe that DS2 is better than the original or DS3, but this is still a top tier RPG. It is often criticized for how different it is from the other souls games and for having too much variety when it comes to its locations. I however love this game for those reasons, it is good to have something different that expands the world of Dark Souls. The combat is top notch, the PVP addicting, the bosses are so fun, the world building is great, the atmosphere is there (though different from DS and DS3, those games have a strong horror atmosphere but this game feels like a strange fantasy dream that leaves you hazy when you wake up). The score is amazing! The story is so good and the lore is interesting. No spoilers here, but this game acts as a unique yet indirect bridge between DS and DS3 almost to the point that it feels like a spin off (likely due to it having a different director than the other two games).

    The DLC content for this game is also great. Three really big and extremely challenging content packs with new weapons, locations, and bosses. A ton of fun if you are up for a hard fight. Dark Souls is renowned for its difficulty. Dark Souls 2 is in many ways the easiest of the three souls games (not including demon souls for this conversation). Like the other games it is always fair and if you die it’s on you. You either lack patience or have not learned the mechanics. The game does not hold your hand, the developers expect gamers to be smart and to figure out things in their own. I’ve seen negative reviews of souls games saying that they aren’t “user friendly.” To that I say “git gud”. Yes the game is punishing but it is fair. You can’t play it like you play CoD or any other modern RPGs. The combat requires patience and skill, and ultimately good timing. Navigation requires you to pay attention to the world and really listen to dialogue. This game is a 10 for me. Give it a shot. Yes it is a different souls game but that’s a good thing.    … Expand
  30. CianoJoga28
    Aug 9, 2023
    10
    very good, i had fun playing, i finished it on the xbox 360, but its a lot more easier than dark souls 1
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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

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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.
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  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.
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  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.
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