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[_h8bit]

Thanks for the responses, all! Dark Souls it is.

 

[paperspace]

For EU PC's, it will unlock tonight a 00:00 pm, no? This is confusing.

Looks that way, but there it's not confirmed yet.

The only time we have is 3PM PST. Which is 0:00 (April 2nd) in Europe (GMT+2).

 

[FunkyMunkey]

Ugh...so conflicted. I'm loving Bloodborne (my first "Souls" game) but I'm not sure if I'll truly like this one. The aesthetic/setting doesn't appeal to me nearly as much as BB's...

On the contrary, the environments are much more varied in DS1/2 than BB (but less detailed than BB in many areas due to being last gen).

You'd be doing yourself a disservice as a gamer by skipping DS1/2. Both are GREAT games.

edit: oops meant DS haha

 

[Primethius]

Ugh...so conflicted. I'm loving Bloodborne (my first "Souls" game) but I'm not sure if I'll truly like this one. The aesthetic/setting doesn't appeal to me nearly as much as BB's...

If you are looking primarily for aesthetic/setting, level design and so on, your best bet is to wait for a DkS 1 remaster or try and play that on PC.

If you enjoyed the combat, bosses and so on, definitely pick this game up.

 

[Bl@de]

and it doesn't have downright bad areas like the deeps or blighttown

Hey Blighttown was amazing. The atmosphere, shortcuts, enemies. Liked it even more than the Valley of Defilement in Demon's Souls. With a calm approach I even made the area in 3 approaches with the boss in one attempt. Expected it a lot harder because of all the talks. Then again I played it on PC with 60fps abd no terrible slowdowns. I think that helped^^

Edit: Well no I must correct myself. Valley of Defilement is better regarding to atmosphere and it has the best boss fight of the series. Leveldesign goes to Blighttown.

 

[VinFTW]

It's amazing so many people will miss out on one of the best games I've played in years because of some ridiculous, misguided hate. I'm probably one of the biggest souls fans you could talk to, and I put 300 hours into dark souls 2. I agree some bosses and areas aren't as memorable as other games, but it has probably the best mechanics in the series and some really great moments, areas, and boss fights. So many secrets to find and the DLC is absolutely incredible.

Tis a shame. It's not as good as dark souls, demon souls, or bloodborne, but that's like saying no to a million dollars because it's not 1.5 million dollars or 2 million dollars.

 

[FairXchange]

I can't wait to pick this up on PS4, to be able to switch between DS2 and Bloodborne will be glorious.

 

[vocab]

Hey Blighttown was amazing. The atmosphere, shortcuts, enemies. Liked it even more than the Valley of Defilement in Demon's Souls. With a calm approach I even made the area in 3 approaches with the boss in one attempt. Expected it a lot harder because of all the talks. Then again I played it on PC with 60fps abd no terrible slowdowns. I think that helped^^

Oh it helped. Its unplayable on console.

 

[ironcreed]

Hey Blighttown was amazing. The atmosphere, shortcuts, enemies. Liked it even more than the Valley of Defilement in Demon's Souls. With a calm approach I even made the area in 3 approaches with the boss in one attempt. Expected it a lot harder because of all the talks. Then again I played it on PC with 60fps abd no terrible slowdowns. I think that helped^^

What made Blighttown worth it is that it also led to Ash Lake. *drools*

 

[Stone Ocean]

and it doesn't have downright bad areas like the deeps or blighttown

Yeah, because No Man's Wharf and Lost Bastille are so enjoyable

All of the games have their ups and downs when it comes to areas.

 

[FairXchange]

You don't have hair on your chest until you've played Blightown on PS3, wading through posion swamps and spamming estrus flasks in 15 fps.

 

[AWizardDidIt]

While the invisible pig is hilarious, there are better examples of wonky hit detection in BB.
http://a.pomf.se/uabsdl.webm

Yeah. Wonky hit detection is a problem universal with these games. I find it so strange that people single out DS2 as being particularly egregious when it's been a constant from the start.

 

[TouchMyBox]

This game is coming out during the Nintendo Direct?

Nintendo buys FROM Software confirmed?

Mario Souls?

Dark Zelda?

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Yeah, because No Man's Wharf and Lost Bastille are so enjoyable

All of the games have their ups and downs when it comes to areas.

Dark Souls II doesn't have any areas as bad as Demon Ruins or Lost Izalith. Actually, the final stretch of areas in Dark Souls II is one of the strongest stretches of the game. It doesn't hit the highs of the original but I don't think it hits the lows either.

 

[def sim]

6PM EDT release? Okie doke then.

 

[AWizardDidIt]

Yeah, because No Man's Wharf and Lost Bastille are so enjoyable

All of the games have their ups and downs when it comes to areas.

I quite like Lost Bastille. No Man's Wharf is kinda meh but not particularly bad. I'd say even the worst areas in DS2 are sorta mediocre at worst. It certainly doesn't have the lows of Dark 1.

 

[ironcreed]

It's amazing so many people will miss out on one of the best games I've played in years because of some ridiculous, misguided hate. I'm probably one of the biggest souls fans you could talk to, and I put 300 hours into dark souls 2. I agree some bosses and areas aren't as memorable as other games, but it has probably the best mechanics in the series and some really great moments, areas, and boss fights. So many secrets to find and the DLC is absolutely incredible.

Tis a shame. It's not as good as dark souls, demon souls, or bloodborne, but that's like saying no to a million dollars because it's not 1.5 million dollars or 2 million dollars.

Well said. But as for myself, I loved it at least just as much and even more than the other games in some ways. It has all of the amazing atmosphere, amazing locations, great gameplay, loads of gear and fierce battles you could ever want in a Souls game and then some. Remember the first time you laid eyes on areas like Huntsman's Copse, Undead Purgatory, Drangleic Castle, Dragon Aerie or the Shrine of Amana? Talk about drool-worthy art direction.

 

[HeelPower]

Dark Souls II doesn't have any areas as bad as Demon Ruins or Lost Izalith. Actually, the final stretch of areas in Dark Souls II is one of the strongest stretches of the game. It doesn't hit the highs of the original but I don't think it hits the lows either.

I'd say even the worst areas in DS2 are sorta mediocre at worst. It certainly doesn't have the lows of Dark 1.

Brightstone Cove Tseldora ,Harvest Valley and Earthen Peak are easily worse than the worst of the worst in Dark Souls 1.

These areas are UGLY and the gameplay is super tedious.

At least Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith were interesting aesthitically.

 

[Mattdaddy]

Hey Blighttown was amazing. The atmosphere, shortcuts, enemies. Liked it even more than the Valley of Defilement in Demon's Souls. With a calm approach I even made the area in 3 approaches with the boss in one attempt. Expected it a lot harder because of all the talks. Then again I played it on PC with 60fps abd no terrible slowdowns. I think that helped^^.

I crept through blight town at a snails pace, shield never down, with my asshole puckered so tight you couldn't have driven a nail through it. And when I got to the very bottom with a sliver of health, no estus left, no anti-poison... Certain I was going to die and start over... I found that bonfire in the cave and it was a spiritual moment. I fell to my knees and praised Jesus, and I'm not even religious. Then I wept tears of pure joy and I think I may have self-actualized. Other games don't usually offer this experience these days, gotta love the Souls series.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Brightstone Cove Tseldora ,Harvest Valley and Earthen Peak are easily worse than the worst of the worst in Dark Souls 1.

These areas are UGLY and the gameplay is super tedious.

At least Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith were interesting aesthitically.

Eh, opinions. None of those Dark Souls II areas feel as haphazardly slapped together as DR and LI to me.

 

[ironcreed]

Brightstone Cove Tseldora ,Harvest Valley and Earthen Peak are easily worse than the worst of the worst in Dark Souls 1.

These areas are UGLY and the gameplay is super tedious.

At least Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith were interesting aesthitically.

Those areas never bothered me. I would put Black Gulch as my low for Dark Souls II, because fuck all of that poison on such a narrow path. But fortunately, the game has so many more fantastic locations that I did not care. The variety is amazing.

 

[Primethius]

I liked Blighttown even with the 360 framerate. Was a "the real dark souls begins here moment." I didn't mind the Gutter (think that's what it's called or maybe Black Gulch, area with Rotten) either (until the green section which just seemed like poor design). Favorite remains Valley of Defilement because of the boss. I really liked the contrast in the areas grotesqueness and the relative innocence of the boss. Something that was lacking from Blighttown and Gutter, especially the latter which just threw an even more grotesque boss at you.

 

[SkylineRKR]

2 hours in and I don't really like it as a Souls game yet. But I do enjoy it as an action adventure. The pace, level design and placement of bonfires seems to be very by the numbers so far. The hitboxes suck ass, those big guys grab me anyway.

I'll first wrap up BB and then invest more in this, it does look interesting enough but based on the first few hours its no patch on any other Souls game and BB.

 

[AWizardDidIt]

Brightstone Cove Tseldora ,Harvest Valley and Earthen Peak are easily worse than the worst of the worst in Dark Souls 1.

These areas are UGLY and the gameplay is super tedious.

At least Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith were interesting aesthitically.

Those areas are at least finished. Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith are pretty much templates for much better zones than they are.

 

[I H8 Memes]

So are they still refusing to show the PC version?

 

[Bl@de]

I crept through blight town at a snails pace, shield never down, with my asshole puckered so tight you couldn't have driven a nail through it. And when I got to the very bottom with a sliver of health, no estus left, no anti-poison... Certain I was going to die and start over... I found that bonfire in the cave and it was a spiritual moment. I fell to my knees and praised Jesus, and I'm not even religious. Then I wept tears of pure joy and I think I may have self-actualized. Other games don't usually offer this experience these days, gotta love the Souls series.

haha very well written. I didn't fall to my knees, but finding that cave with the bonfire .... whew, what a relief it was after 30min of constant darkness, pests, poisons and ladders.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Also, there is no boss in Dark Souls II as bad as Bed of Chaos.

 

[Neoweee]

Gamestop review in progress:

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-ii-scholar-of-the-first-sin-review-in-p/1100-6426310/

Quite positive.

The new edition entices the way many predators do: with the utmost sweetness and light. In previous iterations, the world of Drangleic where Dark Souls II takes place felt like a ruined, half-faded memory of a beautiful place, whose washed out, dismal details gave the sense that the world itself was quietly eroding into the dirt. Even the PC version, running at its highest settings, in its most grand environments, had this feeling of dulled luster.

Stepping out of the first cave into hub world Majula this time inspires the sense of grandeur it was always meant to have. There's a new warmth and vibrancy to the place, a clarity that feels fully realized at last, serving to suggest the beauty that once was instead of accentuating the wreckage that it is. The graphical uptick has that effect on the whole game, offering a feeling of rejuvenation, that Drangleic is still alive.

It is alive, and crawling with the undead like never before.

http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2839074-darksoulsrip-2.jpg

From Software's version of "Welcome to Drangleic" is a higher fidelity to the visual than ever before, but its version of "Welcome back to Drangleic," for veterans, is about walking into the Forest of Fallen Giants for the first time, turning a corner, and running right into one of those massive hippo/cyclops creatures. It’s about trying to go to the Cathedral of Blue, and the Ring of Binding at its entrance, and finding it guarded by a fire-breathing wyvern instead of a single knight, and that's if you kill the sped-up spear-wielding white knights swarming in the Heide Tower of Flame area, and that's if, when you first get there, you get past the sleeping ones who no longer lay dormant if your level is high enough. It’s finding out that The Pursuer is almost as common as the giant knights at the Tower of Flame, and there are no handy giant crossbows to make their appearance any easier. A new relentless Hollow NPC assassin, The Forlorn, now lurks among the hordes when you least expect and never want it.

That said, if there's one thing that experts have always driven home about Dark Souls II, it's that it has a rhythm. There's a pace and structure to everything. Dark Souls as a musical genre is prog rock. It's insanely dense and intricate, and while it might not be everyone's favorite tempo, it is still there to be appreciated. And for what it's worth, something about this new tempo finally struck the right note. By the game's count, 67 hours have gone into this particular run through, and 22 of the game's bosses have died by my hand. Where I am now feels like a urgent, furious push into the unknown, a never-ending series of fights for my life. Even with a giant sword that destroys most anything in my way, and a tower shield that barely budges, there's the feeling that missing my cue will still cost me my life. I feel like I've passed some threshold and met the core of Dark Souls, where I no longer fear every interaction, but anticipate whatever new devilry wants to test my mettle. It's an ongoing supply of new revelations, characters adding their particular dysfunction to the experience, and equippable items all with their own tales to tell. It's a time where the simple act of opening a chest feels like I'm gambling with my life.

That said, it is, as of this moment, an incomplete experience, as the multiplayer servers on the PlayStation 4 remain closed, and the eponymous Scholar of the First Sin battle is explicitly tied to the endgame. I can't wait to meet him. I can't wait to look this ugly sucker in whatever passes for his eye and introduce him to my greatsword. I can't wait to collect up a horde of phantoms to lay waste to the demons in my wake like never before.

God help me, I can't wait to die again.

 

[HeelPower]

My Top 5 Dark Souls 2 areas.

1.

Spoiler

Lost Bastille->Sinner's Rise.Great level design,great lead up to a boss,great atmosphere.Connected to No Man's warf and Forrest of the fallen giants.

2.

Spoiler

Things Betwixt->Majula. A great beginning to the game imo.Very atmospheric and memorable.It just sticks in my memory so much.

3.

Spoiler

Forest of the fallen giants.A great starting area to the game.Multiple things to unlock there through out the game.

4.

Spoiler

Drangleic Castle.Amazing art direction,good boss fight.Good level design.

5.

Spoiler

Shaded woods.Connected to multiple areas as well.Memorable and challenging to explore.The foggy area has a very memorable NPC : Vengarl.

 

[Neoweee]

Use spoilers. People are now playing for the first time.

 

[JGLS]

That Gamespot review makes me want to try this. I didn't really enjoy Dark Souls 2 and I found it rather easy, so on my first playthrough I joined the Covenant Of Champions right after the Last Giant. But 20 euro is still way too much for a visual upgrade (which I have no interest) and a new "difficulty".

 

[Parsnip]

So are they still refusing to show the PC version?

It will look like the new gen console versions, only at potentially higher resolutions and such.

 

[Gbraga]

Yeah, because No Man's Wharf and Lost Bastille are so enjoyable

All of the games have their ups and downs when it comes to areas.

I really like No Man's Wharf and Lost Bastille.

What made Blighttown worth it is that it also led to Ash Lake. *drools*

Ash Lake in the other hand...

It's beautiful and has some nice lore/covenant/weapon stuff there, but god what a shitty area. IT'S FUCKING NOTHING.

I love Blighttown though.

Those areas never bothered me. I would put Black Gulch as my low for Dark Souls II, because fuck all of that poison on such a narrow path. But fortunately, the game has so many more fantastic locations that I did not care. The variety is amazing.

I also love The Gutter (though I wish it was bigger) and Black Gulch.

Some times I feel like people judge Souls areas as bad just because they had a hard time, instead of judging the actual level design, enemy placement/design, bosses and so on.

I'll never understand why people think Blighttown sucks (aside from the console performance, of course).

 

[Anung]

My copy has been dispatched. After playing Bloodborne for so much time its kind of put me on a souls trip. I probably won't play this right away but it'll be nice just to have it in the backlog. I never played DS2 before due to the B-team feel and the downgrade shenanigans but all this content for a decent price made me go for it.

 

[Kazuhira]

Dark Souls II doesn't have any areas as bad as Demon Ruins or Lost Izalith. Actually, the final stretch of areas in Dark Souls II is one of the strongest stretches of the game. It doesn't hit the highs of the original but I don't think it hits the lows either.

I don´t know,dragon shrine looks great but it´s just a long corridor and the giant´s memories are pretty bad imo.
Don´t get me wrong,i don´t need to shit on DS2 to prove my preference for DS1 or viceversa.
DS2 lost the feeling of interconnectivity,better level design etc blah blah but it´s still an amazing game with a lot content and i spent over 300hrs with it,so it´s obvious that i really like it.
Although i hate when people say that the 2nd half of DS1 is shit(yeah sure,because the 2nd half consists only of bed of chaos and lost izalith ) just to defend DS2 from the hate it receives.
So far, i haven't been disappointed with any souls game and i´ve played all of them(although i´m stuck in bloodborne right now)

 

[ArclightBorealis]

To think I have waited basically an entire year to finally play a version of this game that is definitive. It's gonna be exciting. I still love Demon's Souls the most out of the series, and find Dark 1 underwhelming in every way by comparison. How this one is compared to those two for me I'm interested to find out.

 

[Cassius]

Is the PC version digital only?

Not seeing any listings on Amazon or Best Buy for physical.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

I don´t know,dragon shrine looks great but it´s just a long corridor and the giant´s memories are pretty bad imo.
Don´t get me wrong,i don´t need to shit on DS2 to prove my preference for DS1 or viceversa.
DS2 lost the feeling of interconnectivity,better level design etc blah blah but it´s still an amazing game with a lot content and i spent over 300hrs with it,so it´s obvious that i really like it.
Although i hate when people say that the 2nd half of DS1 is shit(yeah sure,because the 2nd half consists only of bed of chaos and lost izalith ) just to defend DS2 from the hate it receives.
So far, i haven't been disappointed with any souls game and i´ve played all of them(although i´m stuck in bloodborne right now)

I know where you're coming from. I love the later half of Dark Souls overall and consider it one of my favorite games ever made. I don't really have a preference between 1 or 2, it just depends on my mood that day. I just feel like Dark Souls II is a more consistent experience than the original.

 

[King Gilga]

While the invisible pig is hilarious, there are better examples of wonky hit detection in BB.
http://a.pomf.se/uabsdl.webm

Wow that's bad.

Yeah. Wonky hit detection is a problem universal with these games. I find it so strange that people single out DS2 as being particularly egregious when it's been a constant from the start.

Personally I played both DS1 and 2 only a month or two apart and I never noticed any hitbox issues in 1 while I did tons in 2. That's my personal experience.

 

[Gbraga]

I don´t know,dragon shrine looks great but it´s just a long corridor and the giant´s memories are pretty bad imo.
Don´t get me wrong,i don´t need to shit on DS2 to prove my preference for DS1 or viceversa.
DS2 lost the feeling of interconnectivity,better level design etc blah blah but it´s still an amazing game with a lot content and i spent over 300hrs with it,so it´s obvious that i really like it.
Although i hate when people say that the 2nd half of DS1 is shit(yeah sure,because the 2nd half consists only of bed of chaos and lost izalith ) just to defend DS2 from the hate it receives.
So far, i haven't been disappointed with any souls game and i´ve played all of them(although i´m stuck in bloodborne right now)

Man, the memories are really, REALLY bad. Fucking hate those areas.

Bed of Chaos is indeed shit, but I urge people to learn Tokhi Bombs, it makes it a lot more bearable. Enjoyable, even.

 

[I H8 Memes]

It will look like the new gen console versions, only at potentially higher resolutions and such.

If it was then there is no reason not to show it or have the store page up on Steam.

 

[ironcreed]

Gamestop review in progress:

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-ii-scholar-of-the-first-sin-review-in-p/1100-6426310/

Quite positive.




http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2839074-darksoulsrip-2.jpg

Hell yes. Cannot wait to head back into Drangleic with all of it's changes and technical upgrades. That DLC I missed is going to be awfully sweet as well. The core game is massive enough on it's own, but now I am getting even more added to it.

 

[bigol]

Wow that's bad.



Personally I played both DS1 and 2 only a month or two apart and I never noticed any hitbox issues in 1 while I did tons in 2. That's my personal experience.

That is exactly the same issue with grab attack in DS2, but a lot worse

 

[purg3]

Since lightning and the GLS/sunlight spear stuff was nerfed, what's the go to magic then? Haven't played since prior to the first DLC's. Also I haven't been following the game, but what's the optimal routing now that includes the DLC locations?

 

[nowarning]

Is the PC version digital only?

Not seeing any listings on Amazon or Best Buy for physical.

The DVD version of the game is on Amazon UK, so it does exist but I would have thought other territories are going to get it, apparently not if you can't find it on Amazon?

 

[Neoweee]

Hell yes. Cannot wait to head back into Drangleic with all of it's changes and technical upgrades. That DLC I missed is going to be awfully sweet as well. The core game is massive enough on it's own, but now I am getting even more added to it.

I would keep my expectations low, personally. At the end of the day, it is still just a remaster, with some great DLC and few extra bells and whistles.

 

[Terra]

I have never played those games or any in the series. Although I am a 32 year old seasoned gamer.
Is this a good entry point?

I am on PC.

 

[Neoweee]

I have never played those games or any in the series.
Is this a good entry point?

I am on PC.

I think it is the best entry point, but there is still a very steep learning curve and a very hard game even when you understand the mechanics.

 

[Banana Aeon]

I'll be trying out the PC version when I get back to my PC. I'm excited to see the changes.

 

[Carlius]

I have never played those games or any in the series. Although I am a 32 year old seasoned gamer.
Is this a good entry point?

I am on PC.

dark souls 1 would be the ideal point, but lets do this. you play ds2 and then you go play the flawed masterpiece that is ds1. ds2 is an amazing game and worth every cent. give it a shot, i promise you wont regret it.