Dark Souls II Reviews
[T]here's still something powerful about DS2's dogged preservation of old forms
Another big, deep, engrossing action RPG in the Souls series that is more polished but ultimately weaker due to a fractured world, lack of direction, uneven difficulty and uninspired boss fights.
Buy it. Play it. Get good at it. Then go and buy Dark Souls and Demon's Souls. Playing through Dark Souls 2 is easier than the others, but will prepare players for some truly great games. All while being a thoroughly fun experience on its own.
While some Souls purists may grumble that the easing of the series' legendary obfuscation strips away some of the sense of accomplishment that lies at the heart its unique appeal, From Software have managed to strike the right balance with Dark Souls 2, allowing more players to get the most out of the game without compromising on the fiendish difficulty that has become its hallmark.
There are no doubts that critics and gamers alike are going to have preferences on which Souls title is the superior experience, and if an edge had to be given to one over the other, then Dark Souls would take this guy's vote. But calling Dark Souls II only marginally inferior to its predecessor is hardly an insult. This is still a true gem of entertainment in its own right.
With its foul intentions clear, Dark Souls 2 is a behemoth either way. It’s the best worst game ever created. Designed to be flawed, unforgivable beyond redemption and yet it’s robust enough to withstand any criticism.
Dark Souls II is a very difficult game more than the first one. PC controls still have the same problem: they're complicated. The story and the maps are much more beautiful, graphics seem better than one consoles. If you are a fan of the Dark Souls series, you'll definitely love this one.
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The combat is fun, and there's even more weapons now that you can imbue with various elemental powers. The boss fights, though forgettable, are still tense and challenging. The problem is that Dark Souls II must be compared to the original Dark Souls, and it falls flat in every category. By attempting to make both newcomers and veterans of Dark Souls happy, Dark Souls II succeeds in neither, and is an unsatisfying experience because of it.
The improvements made to the PC version are fantastic. Just the fact that you do not need any community mods to make the game look respectable is a tremendous step in the right direction for From Software.