Dark Souls II: Crown of the Old Iron King
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Dark Souls II: Crown of the Old Iron King Media
Critic Reviews for Dark Souls II: Crown of the Old Iron King
A fun throwback to the feel of Dark Souls, but easier than we'd hoped.
Another uninspired expansion that features some enjoyable new enemies and encounters but fails to excite in the same way as the parent game.
Crown of the Old Iron King rewards players who accept its difficulty and required effort
If you're on board for another round of Dark Souls DLC, you know what you're in for: A few interesting twists here and there, and a revival of certain elements from the last game, but nothing revolutionary. If you simply want more Dark Souls 2, Old Iron King delivers just that, and with all the thoughtfulness you'd expect from its developers.
Outside of the repetitious boss, there's very little to complain about with Crown of the Old Iron King. As you descend deeper in Brume Tower, there's much to uncover and you're often given multiple paths to explore. Regardless of how you progress, that familiar sense of dread will plague every step. Crown of the Old Iron King only gets more insidious as it goes on and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Crown of the Old Iron King is another accomplished and well-constructed addition to Dark Souls 2, with a pair of bosses who rank alongside the best the series has to offer.
Is Dark Souls 2's second expansion a song of ice and fire? Nope, that's ash, not snow.
Crown of the Old Iron King is a showcase of Dark Souls II's aggressive enemy encounter design. It folds a few other cards in favor of its ace, but such is the endearing nature and defining risk of inspired post-game content. Applied to Dark Souls II, Iron King stands as a thoughtful one-off that fits neatly alongside Sunken King.
