Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin Reviews

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is ranked in the 96th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
USgamer
Top Critic
Apr 9, 2015

From Software once raised the bar for game design; now, they've done the same for HD remakes. Rest assured, this isn't just a lazy repackaging of old content. Even if you know the Kingdom of Drangleic like the back of your hand, you're in for many new surprises. And if you've never played Dark Souls II before, your patience has paid off: This is simply the best version of it you'll ever play.

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Mar 31, 2015

Between the new enemy placements, greater challenge, the improved visuals and all the additional bonus content, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin is absolutely worth a first look if you're a newcomer to the series - and in the case of returning players, almost certainly worth a second.

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Aug 26, 2015

But if for some reason you missed Dark Souls 2 first time around, or need a great reason to go back, this superlative edition is a nightmare worth having.

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10 / 10.0
Apr 10, 2021

For gamers of this generation, the game can also be a good choice to go back to the older time and understand the games of the generation before themselves, and perhaps I have to say they understand the meaning of a real game.

Review in Persian | Read full review

Atomix
Jorge Diaz
Top Critic
95 / 100
Apr 17, 2015

‎More experienced players will have a good experience when visiting again ‎‎ ‎‎Drangleic‎‎, as previous save files will not serve in this version, pushing them to live this adventure with the changes in the design that incredibly refresh the journey. A definitive version that without saying it, condenses and improves a journey of pain, great challenges and at the same time great rewards.‎

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9.5 / 10.0
May 21, 2015

The Scholar of the First Sin released as the final version for Dark Souls II and it is both an opportunity to play 3 amazing DLC's for people who haven't experienced them, as well as an opportunity for new players to dive in the depth of Dark Souls series.

Review in Persian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Apr 2, 2015

The new enemy arrangements don't trump the original Dark Souls II, but it's still a great jumping-on point

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9 / 10
Apr 7, 2015

Dark Souls II comes to current gen with a vengeance.

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Apr 5, 2015

Not quite content with improving the graphics and lumping in the downloadable content and calling it a day, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin feels like From Software's definitive vision for the game.

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90 / 100
Apr 9, 2015

Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin improves upon Dark Souls 2 in nearly every category, and is the Souls game that current-gen console owners deserve.

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90 / 100
Apr 15, 2015

Overall, Scholar of the First Sin is a fantastic upgrade and worth the purchase if you never had the chance to play Dark Souls 2 on PC or current gen consoles. Even if you did play through it before, the DLC alone is worth checking out. The visual upgrades are rather stunning if you haven't played on PC, and the new enemy positions offer veteran players a nice surprise.

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Drew Leachman
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Apr 23, 2015

With the enemy placement changed, it really does offer a newer challenge to veteran players, and while the double weapon degradation is really, really annoying, it can be managed. It's just going to take a lot of backtracking.

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9 / 10
Apr 14, 2015

Following on the heels of Bloodborne, Dark Souls II is a further affirmation of From Software's immense talent.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 23, 2015

Whether you're new to Dark Souls II or played it on older consoles, Scholar of the First Sin is worth revisiting. This PlayStation 4 collection features the original game, along with the three expansion packs. The result is as rewarding as it is frustrating. And thanks to substantial tweaks made to the world and enemy AI, there's more than enough incentive to suck series veterans back into one of the best adventure games of all time.

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4.5 / 5.0
May 3, 2015

Overall, Scholar of First Sin can be a hard sell for folks who played the original Dark Souls 2 to death already (pun so totally intended). If you've never played its predecessor before, however, or are a rabid fan who wants to re-experience everything again on the newer consoles, this is one game you'll want to prepare to take a stab at.

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9 / 10.0
Apr 22, 2015

Dark Souls 2on the PS4 is as close to perfect as any game I've played this year. The game is beautiful and the mechanics are easy. The only thing that ever got to me was when I'd end up wandering around, trying to find the way to move forward. But I'm pretty sure that was intentional on From Software's part.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 4, 2015

Going backwards from Bloodborne feels almost archaic, and it takes some time to settle into that once familiar gameplay. However Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin offers the chance to revisit that still fantastic and familiar world with a slight twist to proceedings and a respectable face lift. The addition of the DLC makes this package more than worthwhile for any fan of From Software's catalogue, but those that already own the content on another platform may find the investment too high.

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Digitally Downloaded
Matt S.
Top Critic
Apr 7, 2015

For people who enjoy getting into the multiplayer side of the Souls experience, it's worth nothing that Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin ups the number of players that can join in to six – up from four in the original game. I've never got on with the online component of these games because I find that the idea of having company helping me out defeated the melancholic, lonely tone that I look for in these games, but that aside I'm well aware of how popular Souls is in multiplayer, and this is something notable.

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Apr 7, 2015

Dark Souls II: Scholar Of The First Sin is the definitive version of a masterpiece. Surprising for veterans yet deceptively welcoming to newcomers, this rebalanced remaster proves as deeply impressive as it is brutally compelling.

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Drew Hurley
Top Critic
9 / 10
Nov 15, 2016

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is a phenomenal game, taking the spectacular original and giving it fresh lease of life. Creator Hidetaka Miyazaki's grim and beautiful world is truly a wonder to behold, and this new journey into that world is filled with fresh challenges that will test even the most experienced Souls players. You will die over and over and over again, but the key thing is that you will love every minute of it.

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