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[Bartski]

There’s this guy on YouTube I came across a few days ago who’s putting out incredibly well-researched and illustrated arguments, absolutely obliterating a lot of those BRUTALLY HONEST Dark Souls 2 hate train riders, including Mauler's infamous 8 hour long response to Hbomberguy. Much of it involves A/B comparisons between DS2 vanilla and DS2: SOTFS, highlighting flaws in my own earlier views on the subject which I'm happy to admit to.

It’s just straight-up amazing material for Dark Souls 2 fans, especially for those who, like me, have extensively played both versions and hold strong opinions on them.

















way more:

Domo3000

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

www.youtube.com

just an honest recommendation, I'm not affiliated with this channel in any way.

 

[Lokaum D+]

 

[Skifi28]

It's been a decade, just let it go.

 

[Bartski]

It's been a decade, just let it go.

 

[PeteBull]

I for one loved DS2, not saying its better from bloodborne or elden ring, but its still pretty amazing.

 

[existensmaximum]

Who cares? I think it's a shit game but that's just my opinion and obviously lots of people love the game. I'm happy for them, cool!

Why would anyone care if someone doesn't like a game that they like? I don't get it.

 

[SJRB]

I fucking hate Dark Souls II. Not even five minutes into playing it for the first time I knew things were bad but I slogged my way through regardless and it was a miserable experience and no amount of video essays can convince me otherwise.

A D-tier product from the B-tier team. A stain of a game on an otherwise impeccable and pristine developer resume. The red-headed stepchild. The black sheep.

There is no redemption.

 

[StueyDuck]

Sounds like an internet influencer person needs to get out the house more.

People don't like DS2, some do, the world keeps turning

 

[Skifi28]

 

[feynoob]

Grifters don't care about anything other than their views. They spew bullshit nonstop.

 

[Gaiff]

10 years and still trying to convince everyone this game is not shit lmao.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Subbing

 

[Bojji]

My first impressions with Dark souls 2 were like: this is devil may cry 1 (amazing, great quality) to dmc2 (cheap, mediocre) all over again.

But overall game is not bad and I liked it. Still I think it's the weakest souls game.

 

[Gojiira]

Earthen Peak, tower in the middle of a FLAT wasteland, with a Elevator UP INTO A VOLCANO…No Mans Wharf, a Wharf BELOW the sea level…Im sorry but these two examples sum up the level of care that went into DS2 perfectly, game has some good ideas but nobody is convincing me its better than its mid reputation.

 

[Bernardougf]

Its miles better than elden ring thats for sure

 

[FunkMiller]

 

[BlackTron]

Science? Really?

 

[rm082e]

My first impressions with Dark souls 2 were like: this is devil may cry 1 (amazing, great quality) to dmc2 (cheap, mediocre) all over again.

But overall game is not bad and I liked it. Still I think it's the weakest souls game.

This is exactly my feeling as well. I was disappointed compared to other From Software games, but DS2 is still better than all of the other souls-likes from other developers.

I did really like The Lost Sinner boss fight. That one sticks out as a high point in the series for me.

 

[tommib]

Baby, I got you. It’s us against the world - we know in the purity of our hearts that Dark Souls 2 is the superior Dark Souls experience. We’ll die as the better human beings.

 

[Tommi84]

Earthen Peak, tower in the middle of a FLAT wasteland, with a Elevator UP INTO A VOLCANO…No Mans Wharf, a Wharf BELOW the sea level…Im sorry but these two examples sum up the level of care that went into DS2 perfectly, game has some good ideas but nobody is convincing me its better than its mid reputation.

Or the stupid blacksmith's daughter sitting and sobbing IN FRONT OF A BLaCKSMITH how she lost her father and doesn't know what has happened to him

Or that few levels are straight up corridors or that bosses are made difficult by adding multiple bosses inatead of creating a memorable fights

 

[SJRB]

Earthen Peak, tower in the middle of a FLAT wasteland, with a Elevator UP INTO A VOLCANO…No Mans Wharf, a Wharf BELOW the sea level…Im sorry but these two examples sum up the level of care that went into DS2 perfectly, game has some good ideas but nobody is convincing me its better than its mid reputation.

This game got a major restructure halfway through development. And they had all these individual map assets that had to connect somehow so they cobbled it together in many ways without real rhyme or reason and that's why the world feels so disconnected.

The reason why Dark Souls 2 feels half-baked is because it is, and it focused on all the wrong reasons that made Dark Souls such a success.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Earthen Peak, tower in the middle of a FLAT wasteland, with a Elevator UP INTO A VOLCANO…No Mans Wharf, a Wharf BELOW the sea level…Im sorry but these two examples sum up the level of care that went into DS2 perfectly, game has some good ideas but nobody is convincing me its better than its mid reputation.

That always bugged me too but I let it go as those areas are awesome. I also used some kind of head canon about how it showed the world in disarray, the reality itself was messed up.

It’s goofy, but it is still a great game. Majula is the best hub of all the souls games.

 

[DaciaJC]

 

[Griffon]

DS2 is slightly better than Elden Ring, but that's about it. Every other FROM soulslikes are just better.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

If people put as much effort into space travel as they did defending this game I'd be on Jupiter getting alien cheeks right now.

 

[rabbity-thing]

I dunno... I didn't play it till the PS4 version came out, but I was pretty surprised when I started reading about how disliked it was. It's a fine game.

 

[GymWolf]

I liked ds2 well enough.

 

[Silver Wattle]

The game sucks ass, I got a couple hours in and then deleted it.

Shit game.

 

[dsp]

DS2 pvp on the bridge was awesome.

 

[GHG]

Its miles better than elden ring thats for sure

The only reason I'm not placing you on ignore for this comment is so that I can see who agrees with it, and I can safely ignore their opinions on anything going forward.

Thank you for your service.

 

[Bernardougf]

The only reason I'm not placing you on ignore for this comment is so that I can see who agrees with it, and I can safely ignore their opinions on anything going forward.

Thank you for your service.

Honest opinion... btw Lords of The Fallen is also better. I just despise open world games and what they tend to do with every game and Elden Ring is not exception but in different ways, also the balance of the game is all off because of the low key easy modes (summons/ash) that Miyazaki chose to put in it. I have hundreds of hours in every souls, including DS2, Elden Ring I played, got the easy platinum and will never touch again nor play the expansion.

Having said that is obviously a beloved competent well successful game, its just not my cup of tea.

Edit: in fact as soon as I finish Lies of Pi in going to restart DS2 SoF and see what I really think since I played a long time ago and my judgment may be clouded.

 

[Doom85]

Geezus, let it go. I think it’s a great game, just not on par with Dark Souls 1 and 3, and especially not Bloodborne and Elden Ring. I’d put it above Demon’s Souls as that one felt pretty rough (still somewhat enjoyable) and they were still figuring the series out. If someone has preferences, it’s all good, but who the fucks talks about those preferences for 8 hours?!

 

[Generic]

I remember when Mauler said the salt planet in The Last Jedi makes no sense because it would be like a planet of jelly or ketchup. He doesn't know salt occurs naturally.

 

[Gojiira]

That always bugged me too but I let it go as those areas are awesome. I also used some kind of head canon about how it showed the world in disarray, the reality itself was messed up.

It’s goofy, but it is still a great game. Majula is the best hub of all the souls games.

Sorry but its a RPG and immersing yourself in the world and its lore is a huge part of them, DS2 feels like a videogame,not a experience. It feels like ‘Levels’ not a world and that is a huge failure. Sorry but Head canon means nothing when everything in game is almost a retcon of the first game, which hilariously was retconned itself in DS3. Not a great game.

This game got a major restructure halfway through development. And they had all these individual map assets that had to connect somehow so they cobbled it together in many ways without real rhyme or reason and that's why the world feels so disconnected.

The reason why Dark Souls 2 feels half-baked is because it is, and it focused on all the wrong reasons that made Dark Souls such a success.

Mhmm yep half baked, rushed, very little care. Theres still no excuse for the haphazard layout.

 

[Generic]

DS2 feels like a videogame,not a experience.

Good. All games should be like this.

 

[Gojiira]

Good. All games should be like this.

Then explain why every From Software Soukslike including Kings Field and Shadow Tower are so much more rewarding to play then?

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

You know a game is shit when you need fifty Ancient Aliens conspiracy level video essays to prove that it isnt.

 

[Wildebeest]

Its okay to have bad taste, but I'm not watching all that clickbait trash.

 

[NeverYouMind]

That is way too much rhetoric for even a Dark Souls 2 fan like myself. I think if individuals who disliked the original releases play the Seeker of Fire 2.0 mod with Demon Souls Sound Effects mod they can have an experience that is closer to the rest of the franchise without depriving themselves of the merits of Dark Souls 2.
https://www.nexusmods.com/darksouls2/mods/978
https://www.nexusmods.com/darksouls2/mods/1157

 

[Bernardougf]

Good. All games should be like this.

Yeah I share this sentiment.

 

[Generic]

You know a game is shit when you need fifty Ancient Aliens conspiracy level video essays to prove that it isnt.

If the game is so bad, why do youtubers need to create 10 hours long video essays to criticize it? A small video would be enough.

 

[Yoda]

PVP was great, PVE was not (outside DLC)

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

If the game is so bad, why do youtubers need to create 10 hours long video essays to criticize it? A small video would be enough.

Touché!

 

[Clear]

Never understood how anyone ever thought vanilla was as good as SOTFS... Mind you, I can't think of any game that got nit-picked to death as badly as DS2.

Always seemed to me that people never got past the visual differences in the pre-release footage, and went in with an intention to "punish" the game by pissing and moaning about anything and everything. Classic example being stuff like Iron keep's wonky geography... as if that actually mattered! It was neurotic!

 

[cireza]

Dark Souls II is my favorite DS, but the changes in SotFS are utter shit.

 

[poodaddy]

As someone who loves DS 2.....why do you care what others think about it? Just play and enjoy, there's no need for this level of argument over it; it's all subjective man.

 

[Little Chicken]

I for one loved DS2, not saying its better from bloodborne or elden ring, but its still pretty amazing.

DS2 isn't my favourite, but it's the one I've played through the most for some reason. Its a fun game in its own right.

 

[Codes 208]

still my least favorite, but you do you boo

Dark Souls II is my favorite DS, but the changes in SotFS are utter shit.

Funny thing is I actually liked vanilla. It was easier sure, but all sotfs really did was create a lot more gank fights and added later game enemies to early areas for cheap kills. That wasnt very fun to go through initially.

 

[Zathalus]

I liked DS2. Not as good as the first game and in many ways it’s the weakest of the DS games, but it is good nonetheless. I’m really puzzled as to why some hate it.

 

[Touch fuzZy. get BizZay]

ds2 is trash.

carry on