Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin

1. justin760

   Apr 10, 2015

   10

   I've never been sucked into and spat out so intensely from a video game. I played the original Souls game years ago when I was about 17 andI've never been sucked into and spat out so intensely from a video game. I played the original Souls game years ago when I was about 17 and didn't have the patience and will to acclimate to the steep learning curve and ended up trading it in two days after it was released, and only played maybe 60min. After hearing the insane amount of praise from critics and gamers I stepped up to the challenge and bought this game.
   
   The level of difficulty can vary based on your commitment to playing it. At first it is definitely challenging, you will be crushed, stabbed, killed, pushed off cliffs, accidentally fall off cliffs, and completely owned in a hundred different ways hundreds of times. Evasion by rolling or back stepping is essential, whether your a melee fighter or ranged. Timing your attacks and evasion techniques is also a skill needed. You can grind/repeatedly kill then respawn enemies at the camp fire and make rounds to level up more if the challenge is too much and enough of this will make enemies and bosses much easier. Death is inevitable and you learn from each one, any confidence and security gained will be crushed over and over as increasingly difficult enemies are encountered.
   
   Gameplay is smooth and controls and animations/movement is realistic and exhilarating. The difficulty creates exhilaration and adrenaline rushes, you will get worked up in a good and bad way. Graphics are not comparable with other current games and they are definitely dated but the gameplay and combat system is fulfilling and entertaining enough to make you not even care.
   
   So far, 30 hours in I am maybe halfway through the game, more like 1/3 way through including DLC. Multiplayer PvE/coop is optional and a huge help if your stuck on a hard area/boss. Considering the depth of this open world, the plethora of weapons items and armor as well as possibilities to upgrade them embodies the typical dungeon crawler loot and item system you've come to enjoy very well. Character creation, interaction with characters in the game, and the deep intricacy of the world of Drangleic gives you an intimate connection to the enormous mystical world of Dark Souls 2. You will come to adore everything including the difficulty and unease from the atmospheric regions. It's why many critics consider it sadomasochistic in many ways.
   
   In short, if you like RPGs or similar genres (dungeon crawler, hack n slash, action/adventure) them this is a MUST own, especially if you haven't played Souls 2 already when previously released on last Gen consoles. As for returning players, it gives a reason to play again with the significant and small changes made... But personally if I have sunk in 60+ hours into a game I probably wouldn't pay 60$ to play it again. Because its still the same game, the changes are mainly insignificant and not enough to make it a new or moderately different experience. Don't listen to the people crying about capitalism and the "money hungry" ethics behind this re-release. If you don't want to pay for a game you've already played again, or don't have the money then shut up and don't hate on it, just don't play it. The critic that gave a 0/10 score purely based on this idea is in my opinion a troll and angry person and his words disgrace the game reviews community and brings the emotional motivations of all critics into question.… Expand

   • 9 of 14 users found this helpful
2. TheBigTicket

   Jun 28, 2023

   10

   This is my favourite Dark Souls game.
   Recently replayed it and it still holds up extremely well. This game has the best leveling system outThis is my favourite Dark Souls game.
   Recently replayed it and it still holds up extremely well. This game has the best leveling system out of all Souls games and best build variety.
   
   Bosses are a bit easy compared to the levels but thats really the only complaint i have with this game.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. SamHallows

   Jun 24, 2015

   9

   After completing Dark Souls 100%, Demons Souls, Dark Souls 2 100% and Bloodborne 100%, i love From Software games, from the scream at your TVAfter completing Dark Souls 100%, Demons Souls, Dark Souls 2 100% and Bloodborne 100%, i love From Software games, from the scream at your TV moments after the 10th death, or losing 100 thousand souls, to the overwhelming joy of finally killing the boss you struggled on for a few days. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin, has a different layout of enemies with some surprises waiting around any corner. I zipped through this game 100% in about 40 hours this time around, but only because i knew what was coming. For any new player, you'll love it if you have the patience for it. Not as good as Dark Souls 1 or Bloodborne, but a very enjoyable game. Bring on Dark Souls 3!… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
5. Dperks

   Jun 11, 2019

   8

   While probably the weakest in the soul series this game is still a solid title that has a lot of content in fact maybe a little too much butWhile probably the weakest in the soul series this game is still a solid title that has a lot of content in fact maybe a little too much but that's not really a negative now is it… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. GainesvilleGuy

   May 15, 2015

   7

   Big fan of the original Dark Souls, but this game was not as good overall in my opinion. I give it a respectable 7, but by the end I justBig fan of the original Dark Souls, but this game was not as good overall in my opinion. I give it a respectable 7, but by the end I just wanted to finish to get the achievements as I had completely lost interest. It was a tedious march by the time I finished. I have absolutely no desire to play again or to focus on PVP tuning.
   
   First, it was far too easy. I'm no elitist (although am a pretty skilled old-school gamer) but the entire point of a Dark Souls game is the difficulty, and it just wasn't there this time. When I finally just wanted to beat the game I rushed through the final levels without a sweat. In original Dark Souls that would have been impossible.
   
   As for the story I like the way they approach it in the Dark Souls series. It is mostly about the vibe, the backstory that you uncover, and the tidbits left around to discover. But it was just more of the same. If I had never played Dark Souls I'd probably have enjoyed it more but there was nothing new here in my opinion.
   
   The multiplayer I've always thought was the absolute genius of Dark Souls. I still give them bonus points for that, it is very innovative. However, the messages have lost their sparkle after the 100'th "beware of rear use tongue" type comment next to a bent over corpse. Granted, they still provide good clues as to what to expect most of the time. The ghosts of other players makes it feel like you are playing with others even when you are not, and the ability to summon and be summoned is very cool. Unfortunately, summoning makes pretty much any boss fight absolutely trivial. Meanwhile, the PVP wasn't really that frequent at the levels I was playing which is kind of a waste. They should have figured out how to make PVP more relevant early on.
   
   Overall I thought this game was just kind of blah. I don't regret buying it, but I have no really fond memories of playing it and no desire to every fire it up again.… Expand

   • 1 of 8 users found this helpful
7. Kio22

   Apr 15, 2023

   6

   Just Finished my first blind playthrough of Dark Souls 2 and the DLCs after 68 hours, all i can say is wow... this is both the easiest andJust Finished my first blind playthrough of Dark Souls 2 and the DLCs after 68 hours, all i can say is wow... this is both the easiest and most unfair souls game at the same time. The story in this game is extremely simple and is not really that complex. The Characters you meet are actually really interesting and unique but also feel like wasted potential that could have been used for more side quests. The level design is not that great very few places in the main game stick out to me or are just frustrating. Majula, tower of flame, Dragon Aerie, Dragon Shrine, and Iron Keep only places that I liked aesthetically, however Iron Keep had an annoying level design and enemy placement. The DLC had three cool areas in Shulva, Brume Tower, and Eleum Loyce the last of which was also annoying to traverse twice. The other problem with most areas in Dark Souls 2 is they lack scale and a feeling of largeness. Probably the worst thing about this game is the bosses 90% of them feel the same or are just bad. Most bosses just have one big sweep attack like The Last Giant, Dragon Rider, Ruin Sentinels, Lost Sinner, and more or they reuse an area of effect burst like the Smelter Demons and The Rotten or they just throw a bunch of enemies at you like Skeleton Lords, Freja, Royal Rat Vanguard and Authority, and more. The game has only a few good Bosses that feel good and are challenging like The Pursuer, Executioner's Chariot, Looking Glass Knight, Velstadt, Fume Knight, Sir Alonne, and The Burnt Ivory King, only four of these are main game bosses. Another bad thing about the bosses is how almost every boss has some dumb gimmick that is supposed to help you with fighting them and is cool a few times but for most of the fights it is annoying or a waste of time. One the best things about Dark Souls 2 is all the different weapons and builds you can do which makes combat fun. The new mechanics hurt Dark Souls 2 more than they help it agility was a horrible addition and affects the game to much making it hard if you don't upgrade and too easy if you do. The torch mechanic was bad and made the game harder for no reason even if it was cool from time to time. Power stancing and dual wielding in this game is one of the best mechanics in a souls game. The combat is overall enjoyable but is slightly ruined by the terrible hitboxes of every enemy and boss in the game. I only died 9 times, 3 were to bow traps and the well in Majula, 2 were to the toxic rats in Doors of Pharros, only 4 felt legit to The Pursuer, Fume Knight, and once in Brume Tower. This is the easiest souls game funny enough, compared to 38 deaths in DS1, 55 deaths in DS3, and Elden Ring with 85 deaths (46 to Malenia so 39 rest of the game). In the end this is a mediocre game it's got the challenge and fun combat of a souls game with barely any good bosses, small feeling areas with no scale, mostly bad mechanics, a shallow story, wasted characters, and terrible hitboxes. Without the DLC this game is not good and I would give it a 4, but with the DLC it makes it slightly better even though the DLC makes similar mistakes with some of the bosses but also bring in some of the best along with cooler bigger areas to explore which bring it to a 6.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. ncgalt1984

   Feb 1, 2016

   0

   I can't recall ever playing a game that was less fun that this game. The legendary difficulty of the game is the result of truly terribleI can't recall ever playing a game that was less fun that this game. The legendary difficulty of the game is the result of truly terrible controls. The camera will randomly change directions in the middle of fights or even while just running. Jumping is terrible. The graphics are meh. This game isn't brutally hard. It's brutally boring.… Expand

   • 1 of 9 users found this helpful

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