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Dark Souls II |OT| The Dark Souls of Dark Souls

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slash3584

Member
So about the huge well in Majula

I went down there and found 3 slots for pharros stones and being the hasty adventurer that I am I used all my 3 stones on them.

One opened a sewage pipe that blocked the way (Should have read the messages), the other raised a bridge and the last one did not seem to do anything.

Did I miss anything with the last one? A passage or something?

Anything valuable lost by opening that pipe? Also, are Pharros stones infinite?

Lastly, what's the deal with the other draw bridge after the one that is lowered with the Pharros Stone? Can it lowered by this side or it's a shorcut to another area?
 

Saganator

Member
Alright is subjective. People have different sensitivity levels to framerates before it impacts their enjoyment of the game.

Some people say the frame rate in Dark Souls 1 was not that great, especially in Blight town.

For me, the framerate was absolutely fine, except for that 1 minute into Blight Town where the frame rate dipped, but the rest of Blight Town was absolutely fine for me.

The 360 version does have a much better frame rate though

PS3 hovers between 25-30fps, while 360 is usually around 28-40fps.

Of course both have their dips

I've heard from a few sources there is some screen tearing in the 360 version. I've yet to see any screen tearing on PS3, if there was, it couldn't have been very bad, as even a little bit bugs me. If you hate screen tearing like me, and have a choice, I'd go for the PS3 version. As a PC gamer first, I am somewhat sensitive and picky about FPS, but so far it seems pretty much the same as DS1 but minus Blight Town.
 

LordCanti

Member
Quick question: Do I get to trade in the things that let you respec for anything cool later, or is there no reason why I shouldn't respec specifically to cheese a boss and then spec back?

This guy really wants to get magic'd to death. He wants it bad.
 

fedexpeon

Banned
Wow...have you guys been to that invisible forest and FRICKING curse place after that?
I have never rushed through an area so fast in a DS game...those two places are brutal.
It is so unbalance since the area after the cursed place, Pharos Way, is easymode.
Everything dies in 4 hits.
 
I'm in the first area where there's the guy with the turtle armor blocking the door to the boss. The first time I got to this area, before the turtle armor guy there's a large roof area with a guy throwing firebombs. The very first time I ever went up to that roof area, a huge boss flew down from the sky. But I've never seen him again. Is it a one time thing? How do I fight him again? He kinda looked like the Looking Glass Knight, but I didn't get a good look because I bailed pretty quickly.

Also, how do I restore my max hp back to normal?
 
Best part of the game for me has been helping people in the
Cardinal Tower
in the Forest of the Fallen Giants. Fighting
The Last Giant
, awesome. Fighting
The Pursuer
, Epic. Though neither were that hard after everything I learned from the first 2 Souls games.

Heard someone early talking about how they wanted a Sen's Fortress before this is all over. I'm starting to feel that way, too.

Still, nothing like putting down that soapstone and seeing the words, "You're Being Summoned" flash across your screen. Good times, gents . . .
 
I'm in the first area where there's the guy with the turtle armor blocking the door to the boss. The first time I got to this area, before the turtle armor guy there's a large roof area with a guy throwing firebombs. The very first time I ever went up to that roof area, a huge boss flew down from the sky. But I've never seen him again. Is it a one time thing? How do I fight him again? He kinda looked like the Looking Glass Knight, but I didn't get a good look because I bailed pretty quickly.

Also, how do I restore my max hp back to normal?

Just keep doing that part and you'll fight him again. Don't worry.
 

Sakura

Member
I'm in the first area where there's the guy with the turtle armor blocking the door to the boss. The first time I got to this area, before the turtle armor guy there's a large roof area with a guy throwing firebombs. The very first time I ever went up to that roof area, a huge boss flew down from the sky. But I've never seen him again. Is it a one time thing? How do I fight him again? He kinda looked like the Looking Glass Knight, but I didn't get a good look because I bailed pretty quickly.

Also, how do I restore my max hp back to normal?

Use an effigy (use, don't burn it).
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
So is it better than DS1 so far?
I need to knoooooooooooooooow. I'm waiting for my JP copy to arrive.

It will be a fun debate over the next several months/years. So far I find the level layouts some of the worst in the series personally. I am relatively early in still and have a LOT left to see(not as much time to play), but the few zones I have cleared have not really engaged me nearly as much as Demon's/Dark 1. Keep hoping each new area turns it around though. The first few aren't awful, just a bit hobbled together and very straightforward with only a few rare moments of inventive ingenuity in enemy placement, obstacles, aesthetics, and progression.

Very mixed on the enemy design quality so far too. Not much has really stood out as memorable. A few nifty blokes in armor both big and small, but all of the creatures have reminded me of the DMC1 vs. DMC2 downgrade. Just very muted looking and not as fascinating as earlier Soul game designs. Again, lots left to uncover though, so I remain optimistic the good is yet to come.

Found the early game pretty rough in challenge, but a lot of it is getting used to the numerous changes to the combat and animations. It's far less forgiving on hit windows, parrying, dodging, reacting and cancelling button queues, etc... Started scaling down in difficulty the last couple hours I pushed on though.

Just current thoughts after the first couple days of multi-hour evening play.
 

iuuk

Member
I think it is better. But I also think it is quite a bit easier so far.
Really? I found it to be a lot more difficult. I also used to find Demons more difficult than dark (and not just because I played Demons first) and this is channeling Demons' difficulty more than Darks' (at least for me).
I'm not an item grinder so the lack of flasks is an added difficulty for me, and you don't really have easy enemies like dark used to have. Simple hollows are stronger and a bit smarter, they also seem to gang up on me more often. The health decrease doesn't help either. I actually think I like this one better than Dark 1 because of how it reminds me of Demons from time to time.

4.5 hours in and I'm only at
that Bastille place, reached the boss once
.
 

slash3584

Member
Guys quick question! My PS3 CE is about to dispatch from amazon UK and Im thinking about changing it to a PC CE.

Is any store selling them in Europe?
 
You're getting this? Or have you?



Hmm, I don't have access to Xbox360 right now, so only PS3.

I've never been the one to act crazy upon frame rate dips though, unless it is absolutely downright awful like PS3's Skyrim. Nothing that egregious here, right?

I am perfectly fine with games like Dark Arisen PS3 or DmC, for example.



REALLY interested in this. I *hope* that in terms of story/settings, no knowledge of Dark Souls/Demon's Souls is required to enjoy this.

Gotta make sure the spend 60 get 10 bonus active first before plunging in.

This game runs smooth as butter compared to DmC PS3. Get it, you'll be fine.

I'm also in the group that thinks it runs better than Dark Souls PS3, but this thread is pretty split on that. Nothing in DS2 comes close to Blighttown or New Londo.
 

Carcetti

Member
Hey guys, for those that have tried it;

Does using the soul vessel allow for choosing a new class as well as respeccing your stats?

Nah, classes are basically just what your starting equipment is and I think the vessel reseted me to my own class' starting stats. Not sure though, since I can't remember what the stats actually were. You can test it out though, as you can just hit cancel if you don't want to go through with it.
 

Sakura

Member
Really? I found it to be a lot more difficult. I also used to find Demons more difficult than dark (and not just because I played Demons first) and this is channeling Demons' difficulty more than Darks' (at least for me).
I'm not an item grinder so the lack of flasks is an added difficulty for me, and you don't really have easy enemies like dark used to have. Simple hollows are stronger and a bit smarter, they also seem to gang up on me more often. The health decrease doesn't help either. I actually think I like this one better than Dark 1 because of how it reminds me of Demons from time to time.

4.5 hours in and I'm only at
that Bastille place, reached the boss once
.

I don't think the random enemies are particularly easier, it's more the bosses so far. In Dark Souls, bosses like the Gargoyles, Fat and Slim, Capra, etc probably killed me at least 10 times each on average. Numerous times I had to stop playing for a bit because it was frustrating, then I'd have to go look at guides etc and try to figure out how to beat them. But so far, 6 of the 7 bosses I've beaten in Dark Souls 2, all I did was circle around them with my shield up, and attack when they were inbetween attacks. 4 of them I beat on my first try and without even getting hit.
So for me, I'm finding the game pretty easy. Heck, I've probably only died like 5 times or so total. I feel like they've made the game easier, while giving you options to make it more difficult from the start if you want to, such as burning that item or joining that covenant for example.

Guys, a silly question: how do i switch between arrow types? I tried like every button :/

Use R2 to fire the other arrow.
 
Are there enough pharros stones in the game to use in all the locations? Because I left a Pharos stone room empty at the Lost Bastille and it's driving me crazy and I haven't seen any new ones in hours.
 

fedexpeon

Banned
Yeah, the 120-125 sLVL standard for DS1 is totally out of the question for DS2.
The introduction of Vit and Adp really spike up the sLVL in this game.
I am pumping so many points into Vit to wear 1 fricken heavy armor+using shield/sword combo.
I guess keeping the universal stats Vig/End in the 20 range make the gamer harder...
 
Are there enough pharros stones in the game to use in all the locations? Because I left a Pharos stone room empty at the Lost Bastille and it's driving me crazy and I haven't seen any new ones in hours.

I was worried about that as well but I'm a bit further on in the game(25 hours played) and have 6 in my inventory.

Ugh, still heart broken about that death. Victory achieved was on screen and everything ;-; I should probably put some in vgr before it's too late. SL 89 and it's still at 7 :p
 

perorist

Unconfirmed Member
Yeah, the 120-125 sLVL standard for DS1 is totally out of the question for DS2.
The introduction of Vit and Adp really spike up the sLVL in this game.
I am pumping so many points into Vit to wear 1 fricken heavy armor+using shield/sword combo.
I guess keeping the universal stats Vig/End in the 20 range make the gamer harder...
120 is totally reasonable imo

Most of those non scaling stats soft cap at 20 now anyways with severe diminishing returns
 

Footos22

Member
Is there a penalty for rerolling specs with a soul vessel?

im doing great at the moment Beat
Last giant, pursuer, dragonslayer, dragon rider and the one in the pirate ship.
Bosses are easy compared to normal mobs so far. But im putting points into everything at the moment as i not really sure what identity i want to take.

Im buying all spells i come across for trophy purposes but not sure i actually want to use magic now.

Was thinking of going for a dex/pyro build like i did first time on dark souls 1.
Then i think oh man i rather have a faith build with a greatsword, which ploughed me through my second characters playthrough.

identity crisis ahoy.
Im mainly strenghth+dex at the moment, with a fire longsword +5
What stats scale fire?
 

Jobbs

Banned
I don't know why people keep coming into this tower, it's so impossible to get to the top -- seems to be 2 grey spirits defending it each time. got 14 chunks of titanite now, only stopped because online got messed up and it seemed like a good stopping point.

now that I have this, I'm still missing the large titanite to bridge my wearpons to the chunks. any idea where to find this stuff?
 

Lost Fragment

Obsessed with 4chan
This game definitely still has those periods where you feel like you're all-in a million miles away from a bonfire. I think my butthole muscles are gonna be sore from all the clenching. Good shit, Fromsoft.
 

iuuk

Member
I don't think the random enemies are particularly easier, it's more the bosses so far. In Dark Souls, bosses like the Gargoyles, Fat and Slim, Capra, etc probably killed me at least 10 times each on average. Numerous times I had to stop playing for a bit because it was frustrating, then I'd have to go look at guides etc and try to figure out how to beat them. But so far, 6 of the 7 bosses I've beaten in Dark Souls 2, all I did was circle around them with my shield up, and attack when they were inbetween attacks. 4 of them I beat on my first try and without even getting hit.
So for me, I'm finding the game pretty easy. Heck, I've probably only died like 5 times or so total. I feel like they've made the game easier, while giving you options to make it more difficult from the start if you want to, such as burning that item or joining that covenant for example.
Hmm, I didn't try that many bosses yet, so that me be true. I also have to admit that if I wasn't an idiot and didn't get 9 out of 10 of my deaths by randomly falling off cliffs I might have less trouble with it, but so far it does feel more difficult than Dark 1 to me.
If there's anything for me to learn from this game it's that falling off cliffs is not good for your health.

I do hope the bosses get better, if they're as you say they are, boss stories are part of what makes the games fun. But then again, I already liked
the persuer
as a summon, the ultimate troll boss by friendly proxy.
Out of the 10 times I tried that one I killed the host once by accident, once through lag. The must have loved me as a summon.
 

Jobbs

Banned
How do you get all those chunks?

bell tower covenant... after you beat the three skinny dudes boss in the basille, a bit after you'll find one of those sockets for the stone thingies, use one, and go through the wall... you'll find a dwarf dude, keep talking to him until you can join. now you can be summoned to pvp anyone who enters the tower. I just kept getting summoned and usually winning.
 

RoeBear

Member
So is it random when you get in human form after being summoned and beating a boss? I just don't get it. I've done this boss like 5 times and still not human...
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Whoo, more threads to catch up on... ummm maybe tomorrow, dead tired at the moment. :p

That jump in Huntsman's corpse across the broken bridge is awful. Dark Souls shouldn't try to be a platformer :D
The one near where the BP is? I haven't tried that one yet, but one of the jumps is driving me crazy. You know that
place you drop down
from that bridge, and then you reach a cave
with poison moths and the mushrooms sticking out of the walls
? There's an item on one of those
mushrooms
, and I tried like 3 times to make that jump but I always jump too far and slip down. >_< Anyone know what that item is? Trekking the whole way back there is annoying once you miss the jump and fall down, so I'd be interested to know if it's worth the hassle. :p

I was disappointed that they changed this area from the demo.
No more crazy BP sickle fatties ambushing you in a pincer attack. :p And those enemies perched up before the bridge are standard ones, instead of BP. Though they do respawn, instead of the one-time BPs from the demo.

Man, No Man's Wharf seems to combine the most annoying elements of Valley of Defilement, Tomb of Giants, and Blight Town all in one.

Got super far and died a ways in. Now I don't even want to go through this place because of how tedious it was.
I actually really enjoyed that place because I didn't die a single time. I really took my time, used the torch a lot, sniped those bleeding creatures (or used
throwing knives or firebombs
), explored every nook and cranny carefully... the HP regen ring made it bearable, because I ended up using almost no healing items, so by taking my time I was always at full health between enemy encounter. The boss didn't kill me either, he was a total pushover to be honest. In fact, I died repeatedly to the
Pursuer
but it seems all the bosses after that one are rather easy with closed-ranged melee?

Is there anywhere else I can go assuming that
all I have done is beat Dragonrider
? Because progressing so far, painstakingly luring out enemies only to die because one pirate berserked and have everyone respawn really drained my will to keep playing tonight.
Um... the Giant Forest? o_O
 
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