Dark Souls 2

Dark Souls one was a game that was played by many completed 100% by few and hated by plenty including those who completed it. The main reason was because of it old school difficulty that is seldom seen in the new generation of gaming. When Dark Souls two was announced a lot of those who loved number one were afraid that this might be the softer second album that appeals to the general audience. We are pleased to say this is not the case and that the game is still ridiculously hard to play. This means a lot of people won’t pick up the title but in fairness it is to their loss. There are many new little tweaks and some subtle changes to game play that make this game very worryingly addictive. The main reason why this game is so great is that it challenges you like non other to the point you throw your pad away but come back and play it tomorrow.

This isn’t a game that is played in 5 hours and put away, no think again. Its 60+ hour campaign is not to be taken lightly. The chances of playing the game and not dying once might be lower than that of winning a lottery but even in dying the game is fun. It is a humbling and knowledge filled death that comes with side effects of frustration. Every death teaches you the do’s and don’ts of the game and the next time you find yourself playing more efficiently. Although the deaths never feel like they are a hindrance to play the game they do give the causal gamer a huge patience test.

Although there are many tips and tricks for this game the main one is one that is known by all humans. Never forget your fear, many recent games have encouraged players to be courageous and to make rash decisions. In this game the opposite is rule number one, not following this rule in Dark Souls 2 can disastrous. A new penalty that has been implemented is the decrease of your Health each and every time you die. This is a hard-core addition that you might not find in many recent games but one that makes you realise your actions have consequences. How much should you explore or how far are you willing to go off the beaten path for risk of losing some of your health. Obviously there is a way to counteract this but even this is spread out through the game sparingly.

Where the game really shines is in its exploration, careful exploration by that. This game while it does penalise happy-go lucky it does encourage exploration in a non-linear way. Of course the story is still somewhat on rails but to a very small extent. As the player you are able to choose which way you want to go sometimes choosing the lesser of two evils.

The Game World for Dark Souls is not only huge but incredibly diverse with many different environments that make exploration a very satisfying experience. Trekking through the different landscapes gives a feel that is unique only to Dark Souls two. Dark Souls One has the upper hand here though because this game world does not mesh together as the old game did. This gives a sense of the game world being a lot of environments attached together instead of environments being synonymous with each other.

The lighting in this game rivals many and is not matched by much in the way it creates a feel of illumination of the world and the character. Not only does daylight look visually satisfying but even the use of a torch at night or your bonfire flames flickering are visually impressive. The lighting not only works visually but it is interactive as well, holding a torch can make some enemies hide away retreat from you. This is a trade-off as you can hold a torch in substitution of your shield which means you are vulnerable to those who are courageous enough to strike you.

The Game World for Dark Souls is not only huge but incredibly diverse with many different environments that make exploration a very satisfying experience. Trekking through the different landscapes gives a feel that is unique only to Dark Souls two. Dark Souls One has the upper hand here though because this game world does not mesh together as the old game did. This gives a sense of the game world being a lot of environments attached together instead of environments being synonymous with each other.

The lighting in this game rivals many and is not matched by much in the way it creates a feel of illumination of the world and the character. Not only does daylight look visually satisfying but even the use of a torch at night or your bonfire flames flickering are visually impressive. The lighting not only works visually but it is interactive as well, holding a torch can make some enemies hide away retreat from you. This is a trade-off as you can hold a torch in substitution of your shield which means you are vulnerable to those who are courageous enough to strike you.

There is evidence of if aint broke don’t fix it in the combat of the game. The combat is strikingly similar to Dark Souls and there is an old school feel of trying to learn your enemies and when to strike. It is not as basic as wait four moves and then attack but there is a feel of that in the background of the mechanics. The combat has been tweaked but even the tweaks feel small in relation to the overall system. These things noted fighting is still very fun to do in this game as much as (if not more) Dark Souls 1. The variety of enemies is there and it doesn’t disappoint this is absolutely the strong point of the combat and a big part of the game itself.

In Conclusion

Dark Souls is a wonderful experience that combines smarts and enchantments. The game if filled with a lot of long lasting memories that many games out there just don’t give you anymore. It is more a continuation of a great game we found in the original Dark Souls more than anything. The improvements in the game are great but not too huge to change the game. Through the pain and the glory this game delivers in a way second to none.