I've put together a guide for those unfamiliar with VPN configuration:
- Ensure your pre-load has completed and that you're not logged into Steam anywhere else (additional PCs and mobile devices)
- Download and install the
OpenVPN client
- Find a Japanese server from
this list, preferably one that has been up for at least 24 hours and offers decent throughput, and click the "OpenVPN Config File" link
- Download the config file and move it to OpenVPN's config folder (C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config by default)
- Open OpenVPN, right-click on its taskbar icon, then click "Connect"*
- Once connected, type "What's My IP" into Google to ensure your IP has changed (it'll be obvious as you'll be rerouted to Google.co.jp); if your IP hasn't changed, try exiting OpenVPN and running it again as an admin (right-click -> Run as administrator)
- Restart Steam, select Dark Souls 2 and click "Play" (you can kill the VPN while Steam decrypts the data and downloads the day one patch if things are rather slow)
Note: Once the game has unlocked, either leave the VPN enabled or, if you'd prefer to disable it, switch Steam to Offline Mode. Disabling the VPN while online will cause your "In-Game" status to revert back to "Online" and this can cause issues with achievement triggers.
* If you see the "netsh command failed: returned error code 1" error when connecting, navigate to Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections, right-click the TAP-Windows Adapter V9 connection, click "Properties", select "Internet Protocol Version 4" from the list, click "Properties" again and ensure the adapter is set to obtain an IP automatically.
Edit: And in the interest of full disclosure: