Spearman. Starts with a spear and a wooden shield. High dex/adaptability.
Cannibal. High str, high endurance. Starts with consumable human meat in inventory.
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Dark Souls II |OT| The Dark Souls of Dark Souls
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Spearman. Starts with a spear and a wooden shield. High dex/adaptability.
Cannibal. High str, high endurance. Starts with consumable human meat in inventory.
This is a ROUGH translation of the Famitsu DS2 review, but this being Famitsu, theres not much new info in the review and they dont mention things like frame-rate, textures, etc. This is one of Famitsus trademark cross reviews. You get a small introduction, then the game is reviewed by 4 reviewers. In this case, its 8 small text-boxes because they reviewed both versions, but its basically 4 short reviews.
note: I dont think theres anything spoiler-worthy in the review:
Introduction:
A cursed protagonist goes on an adventure to break said curse. In this entry in the DS series, animations have been overhauled and From has evolved the game to make the fighting more intuitive and more real.
Its the newest entry in the series where you adventure out into a world filled with chaos. You play with or against other players while online. Other than that, you can receive support from other players through the covenants
Target Audience: From Fans, DS Fans, Fans of action games
Playtime: about 70 hours to clear the game, about 200 hours including all side-activities (they probably mean doing everything throughout multiple playthroughs)
Reviewer: 9
The feeling of making progress step by step, feeling tense, always close to death, is well and alive in this entry. From time to time you see the phantom of another player and other things like this make the online component unique. Its not easy for anyone to progress in the game, but without a doubt, its a game where the feeling of joy waits after having overcome those obstacles.
Character classes have been added, a time limit for co-op play exists, and the scope of the game has gotten larger. Of course, theres the high difficulty the series is known for. Therefore, the player himself has to get better and hone his skills and has to think on his feet. If you have a spirit that wont break, the game will become the ultimate game for you.
Reviewer: 10
You die, devise a new strategy, do it all over again and bit by bit, you widen the area you can explore. Thats what weve come to expect from the series and its so much fun. Compared to the last game, there are more enemies and they are positioned in a way to make things harder for the player. You get the impression that the game is tougher on you. Therefore, the feeling of overcoming a difficult section gives you a huge feeling of accomplishment. You can warp between the bonfires from the start, which makes moving between different areas more enjoyable.
The tricky enemy placement and various other tricks the game plays on you make exploring feel tense. The boss in every area leaves you feeling overwhelmed. (both statements are meant in a positive way). You can fight with two swords, equip more weapons and choosing (changing) your gear during battle is easier.
Reviewer: 9
The ominous, brutal atmosphere is tough for me to endure. Because you get attacked by enemies suddenly during your exploration, the feeling of tenseness is not a small thing. Finding the cleverly hidden items and trinkets gives you a very special feeling of joy. Because the three new classes differ in movement/moves and specializations, even people that have replayed the previous games will get something new to enjoy.
In any case, the enemies and NPCs are very unique. The stages and gimmicks are very creative as well, thus every place leaves a lasting impression on the player. When you encounter them for the first time and arent familiar with their move-sets, the enemies are a pain in the ass. The feeling of accomplishment of overcoming such challenges makes DS stand out. The covenant system has a lot of variety, leaving the player with a high degree of freedom which gives the game its great flavor/ cherry on top.
Reviewer: 9
There are more restorative items and you get the impression that playing has gotten easier as compared to the last game. Having said that, the trademark high difficulty that one has come to expect is in tact. The player can enjoy the extraordinary feeling of tenseness when exploring the world. A motion (animation) when preparing a backstab has been added and Im glad that they made some fine-tuning to the balance of anticipating/waiting for PvP matches. From has accomplished a game that you can play for a long time.
Magic and weapons have been added, the scope of the game is larger. Learning the game by trial-and-error and overcoming hurdles one after the other is great fun and well worth doing. Playing co-op or invading while online; the way in which you interact with other, unique players; those are things that feel great and arent being offered by a lot of other games out there.
Overall Score: 37/40
note: not sure how to translate ギッミク gimmick into game-lingo / went with tricks trinkets depending on context, but I could be completely wrong
note: the original Japanese review is available in the newest issue of Famitsu, available in the Bookwalker app in the Japanese itunes store for ￥300
note: I dont think theres anything spoiler-worthy in the review:
Introduction:
A cursed protagonist goes on an adventure to break said curse. In this entry in the DS series, animations have been overhauled and From has evolved the game to make the fighting more intuitive and more real.
Its the newest entry in the series where you adventure out into a world filled with chaos. You play with or against other players while online. Other than that, you can receive support from other players through the covenants
Target Audience: From Fans, DS Fans, Fans of action games
Playtime: about 70 hours to clear the game, about 200 hours including all side-activities (they probably mean doing everything throughout multiple playthroughs)
Reviewer: 9
The feeling of making progress step by step, feeling tense, always close to death, is well and alive in this entry. From time to time you see the phantom of another player and other things like this make the online component unique. Its not easy for anyone to progress in the game, but without a doubt, its a game where the feeling of joy waits after having overcome those obstacles.
Character classes have been added, a time limit for co-op play exists, and the scope of the game has gotten larger. Of course, theres the high difficulty the series is known for. Therefore, the player himself has to get better and hone his skills and has to think on his feet. If you have a spirit that wont break, the game will become the ultimate game for you.
Reviewer: 10
You die, devise a new strategy, do it all over again and bit by bit, you widen the area you can explore. Thats what weve come to expect from the series and its so much fun. Compared to the last game, there are more enemies and they are positioned in a way to make things harder for the player. You get the impression that the game is tougher on you. Therefore, the feeling of overcoming a difficult section gives you a huge feeling of accomplishment. You can warp between the bonfires from the start, which makes moving between different areas more enjoyable.
The tricky enemy placement and various other tricks the game plays on you make exploring feel tense. The boss in every area leaves you feeling overwhelmed. (both statements are meant in a positive way). You can fight with two swords, equip more weapons and choosing (changing) your gear during battle is easier.
Reviewer: 9
The ominous, brutal atmosphere is tough for me to endure. Because you get attacked by enemies suddenly during your exploration, the feeling of tenseness is not a small thing. Finding the cleverly hidden items and trinkets gives you a very special feeling of joy. Because the three new classes differ in movement/moves and specializations, even people that have replayed the previous games will get something new to enjoy.
In any case, the enemies and NPCs are very unique. The stages and gimmicks are very creative as well, thus every place leaves a lasting impression on the player. When you encounter them for the first time and arent familiar with their move-sets, the enemies are a pain in the ass. The feeling of accomplishment of overcoming such challenges makes DS stand out. The covenant system has a lot of variety, leaving the player with a high degree of freedom which gives the game its great flavor/ cherry on top.
Reviewer: 9
There are more restorative items and you get the impression that playing has gotten easier as compared to the last game. Having said that, the trademark high difficulty that one has come to expect is in tact. The player can enjoy the extraordinary feeling of tenseness when exploring the world. A motion (animation) when preparing a backstab has been added and Im glad that they made some fine-tuning to the balance of anticipating/waiting for PvP matches. From has accomplished a game that you can play for a long time.
Magic and weapons have been added, the scope of the game is larger. Learning the game by trial-and-error and overcoming hurdles one after the other is great fun and well worth doing. Playing co-op or invading while online; the way in which you interact with other, unique players; those are things that feel great and arent being offered by a lot of other games out there.
Overall Score: 37/40
note: not sure how to translate ギッミク gimmick into game-lingo / went with tricks trinkets depending on context, but I could be completely wrong
note: the original Japanese review is available in the newest issue of Famitsu, available in the Bookwalker app in the Japanese itunes store for ￥300
Lost Fragment
Obsessed with 4chan
Famitsu reviews are completely worthless. Ignore them.
SURESNIPE-MSU
Neo Member
Question for the experts...
Should I dive right into DS II without ever playing a second of DS? Everything I have read on this board makes me think I would really enjoy the game/difficulty.
Amazon is out of stock for the PS3 pre-order of the non-collector's edition? That is sad
Should I dive right into DS II without ever playing a second of DS? Everything I have read on this board makes me think I would really enjoy the game/difficulty.
Amazon is out of stock for the PS3 pre-order of the non-collector's edition? That is sad
Deified Data
Banned
Answering my own question: Pilgrim
Starts with high faith, attunement, adaptibility. Starts with 3 miracles (Heal, Seek Guidance, Homeward) and a unique talisman. Starts with no weapon and only cloth-tier armor.
Definitely. By all accounts DSII keeps the challenge the series is known for while making it the most accessible entry yet. Sounds great for beginners. That said I still suggest you try the first one, or at least read up on the lore.Question for the experts...
Should I dive right into DS II without ever playing a second of DS? Everything I have read on this board makes me think I would really enjoy the game/difficulty.
Amazon is out of stock for the PS3 pre-order of the non-collector's edition? That is sad
jim2point0
Banned
Matt Lees - Should you worry about Dark Souls 2 reviews?
Good video, I think. Lots of interesting points brought up.
Good video, I think. Lots of interesting points brought up.
Deuterium
Member
I am about 60-70% through Dark Souls 1, first play through. I have come to the opinion that the game would be all but impossible to complete, without the aid from external resources, online guides, forums, etc. There are too many examples to list, in which there is simply no way to progress, without such aids. However, in broad strokes -- there are critical aspects of gameplay mechanics, stats / weapon scaling, path progression, applicability and usefulness of items/armor/weapons, boss enemy combat strategies, etc., ...which, in all practicality, cannot be discovered organically within the game-world. There are so many permutations and possibilities, that (IMHO) even the most expert gamer would require several hundreds (perhaps thousands) of hours of trial-by-error testing, to weigh the relative merits and advantages/disadvantages of so many statistics, attributes and properties that are often intimately interconnected and interrelated.
I seriously question if there is any GAFer that can honestly state they have completed Dark Souls without ever appealing to an external resource for answers, guidance and/or assistance. Also, bear in mind that this criteria basically eliminates all PvP online play. So, my question reduces to the following:
Could any single individual successfully complete Dark Souls (before the Earth is rendered inhabitable by the Sun evolution on the Main Sequence) given the following constraints:
-- PvE gameplay, offline-mode exclusively
-- No access or appeal, whatsoever, to external help in any form (written, oral, online, Divine inspiration, etc.). "External" defined as anything that is not part of the game's standard documentation which ships with the game, or intrinsic to the game's programming, e.g. hints, prompts and help guide.
P.S.: This is not a criticism, per se. Dark Souls happens to be one of the very best games I have ever played.
SargerusBR
I love Pokken!
Famitsu lost all credibility to me when they gave RE6 39/40
The thing that made the resistance stat buffs useless was that every level raised resistances to damage types. Dark Souls 2 doesn't do this anymore. If you want to have more defense then the armor you wear alone provides you need points in adaptability. If you want magic resistance above what the armor you wear provides you need int and faith points. In DS 1 every point you spent was also a point in all resistance types. Without this those stats are already far more useful.
If they keep to the same damage reduction formula a couple of points in int or faith above the classes min will probably be more useful overall than a couple of points in vigor (more health is lumpy defense where damage reduction is a smooth defense)
SURESNIPE-MSU
Neo Member
Thanks for the advice. I will have to figure out if I want to play through the first one before starting the second (probably should have thought about this sooner).
Watching it.
That said, in recent years I've realized more how useless reviews are to me, and in some cases how they can actually damage things for me by messing with expectations.
In the case of a game like Dark Souls or Dark Souls 2, review scores mean less than nothing to me. It'll likely get a 9 or so, maybe a bit higher or a bit lower. And I don't give a shit, because there isn't a number you can put on "my favorite game of all time" or "most anticipated game of my entire life". Numbers don't mean anything next to that.
weevles
Member
I'm fine with using guides and what not to complete or at least progress through the game.
DS is ever about preparation as much as skill (at least if you want to minimize deaths and overall frustration). I found I enjoyed myself a lot more when I knew more about what to expect, but that's just me.
DS is ever about preparation as much as skill (at least if you want to minimize deaths and overall frustration). I found I enjoyed myself a lot more when I knew more about what to expect, but that's just me.
Thief. Higher than normal Item Find, low STR, very high DEX, low INT and FAI.
Askherserenity
Member
So, anyone know if sites have gotten review copies yet? I know Giantbomb hasn't gotten a copy, which is kinda strange. They won't be able to have a review on release.
I can just tell already that this games hype will be its downfall. The rose tinted glasses of the previous games will twist it into something that can never truly be accomplished. It'll be praised in reviews but people on here will nitpick the changes and hate anything streamlined or simplified even if it's a smart decision. Eventually it will rest at the bottom of the "Souls" series pit where the very mention of it on a gaming forum will be marked with snide remarks and disappointment of how it retroactively ruined the entire series.
Or everyone will love it. I dunno. Maybe!
Or everyone will love it. I dunno. Maybe!
Deified Data
Banned
I miss Luck. =(
This sounds great and should have a covenant linked to it. Eat your fallen victims as a way of obtaining their humanity.
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
Anyone else watching this? I'm not sure about these enemies so far.
I think dual wield works on any class, it is just that the swordsman starts with two weapons. I could be wrong though
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
Teenager:
Low END and STR, decent DEX, and starts with lots of grass
Low END and STR, decent DEX, and starts with lots of grass
What do you mean?
SargerusBR
I love Pokken!
I'll take this one further: Pacifist
Starts with High Endurance. 100% physical resist shield that has the special property of doing decent weapon damage on parry.
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
I tuned in for some critters literally running away from the guy and letting him kill them, and then him walking in and killing some dudes just sitting around, but now this guy seems to be dying every 30 seconds, so I dunno
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
Nah, I'll be good.
eot
Banned
Do he really need 30 minutes to make this argument?
Ryan Gosling
Member
Give me this game now! Good to know that it's a 70 hour plus game like the first one.
hellmonkey
Member
When you say complete DS, do you mean kill the last boss? I did just that on my first play through. As far as getting the Platinum? There is no way in hell I would be able to do that with a guide or a wiki.
I plan on doing the same for DS2. I will go in fresh and noobtastic and wont use a guide until NG+.
Tuesday morning.
bodyofanamerican
Member
The music in the stream right now is fantastic. Subtle like the Firelink Shrine music was.
has anyone had any experience with preordering from best buy? i had to preorder from them because i waited too long on amazon and it sold out for ps3. a faq of theirs said they try to get people their orders on release day or close to it. i mean i can wait a couple days, but i know i'll be pretty much in a perpetual squirmy anxious mode while waiting and everyone else is dying gloriously lol.
Facism
Member
Haha brilliant. Thanks
I am leaning towards Explorer too. though Bandit is probably a better fit for my play style.
Deuterium
Member
Hi Hellmonkey,
Can you honestly say that you played through and completely finished DS1, with zero external help (at any time...zero means zero), OFFLINE.
I mean, I will believe you if you say so...but I really want you to think through the entirety of your first play through, and confirm that you never received any co-op player help (online mode), nor utilized any form of external help, however limited.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
I'm leaning towards Explorer too, but what if *shudders* Adaptability is as useless as Resistance? Then you'd pick the least optimized class... XD
Arjen
Member
Check out Kay plays on YouTube. She's doing a blind playtrough without a wiki or summoning other players. It shows all the clues are there how to play and where to go.
captscience
Member
Does the bandit start with more than just a bow?
I suppose it won't matter for more than a few minutes but it seems like a pretty weird way to start people off.
I suppose it won't matter for more than a few minutes but it seems like a pretty weird way to start people off.
SargerusBR
I love Pokken!
he has a skyrim like helmet on....
....
.
what a casul
liking the stream alot
Ahhh the teases! must remain strong until Tuesday D:
Sir Griffith
Member
Pretty sure I'm going knight first playthrough. Great HP/Adaptability, decent STR, some Faith (will likely be a faith/STR build). Seems the ideal choice for me since I won't be wanting to level intelligence at all (lowest stat).
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