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Dark Souls II (Video Game Review)

Namco Bandai's newest release, Dark Souls II, takes players through a dark adventure that continues in the same world as its predecessor. Dark Souls II is not a sequel, but an entirely new game, set in the horrific world you were introduced to in Dark Souls.

Dark Souls II starts out with a beautifully realistic animation that is almost like something straight out of a movie. The intricate detail to every aspect of the visuals really set the mood for the upcoming adventure while sending a slight chill down your spine. The great storytelling and writing is showcased from the very start of the game as it starts off with an old, deformed lady narrating the forthcoming doom. Before you know it, your player is sucked into a dark abyss, and you wake up within a dark field with a bluish-white glare ahead. Gamers can help but wonder what strange things lie ahead in this darkly cynical world.

Players will soon come face-to-face with the old woman where they will be able to customize their character with a new name, and she will then hand you a Human Effigy. The effigy will allow you to determine your character's class and gift, as well as, customize your appearance to your liking. The classes available to you include the Warrior, Knight, Swordsman, Bandit, Cleric, Sorcerer, Explorer, and Deprived. Your class will rely on your playstyle with each one having its own unique advantages and disadvantages. The next thing players are allowed to customize is their character's gift which includes the Life Ring, Human Effigy, Healing Wares, Homeward Bone, See of a Tree of Giants, Bonfire Ascetic, Petrified Something or choose to receive no gift at all. The gifts have various uses such as the Life Ring will allow you to slightly increase your HP, while the Petrified lump gives your character a simple petrified lump, that does nothing at the moment but could have a purpose down the road. Once you have fully customized your character you are sent out into the kingdom with but one piece of advice from the old woman, "Hold onto your souls for they are all that keeps you from going hollow." You are tasked with the impossible which is to lift the curse of the undead. The world of Drangleic contains many souls in order to help your fight your way across the land as you look for a cure. Dark Souls is an open-world action game that features all of the same combat mechanics and challenging gameplay that was present in Dark Souls. Dark Souls II features fluid and tight controls which allow players to press the (A) button to talk, pick up or use items. You will also control your character's movements with the analog sticks while holding down the left trigger button to run. Your character will make their way across the treacherous world battling various monsters, like giant trolls, by using a combination of moves that include dodging, parrying, rolling and more.



Dark Souls II features several changes that slightly improve the experience. For example, the lighting has been overhauled and everything is slightly more visible this time around. The new lighting aspects can be an advantage in battle but can also hinder the overall horror aspects of the game. Everything is a little less terrifying the more visible it is and thus many players may disapprove of the addition of brighter lighting effects. While Dark Souls has an intriguing storyline, beautiful graphics and a great soundtrack--it still has quite a number of flaws as well.

There are a few glitches when it comes to locking onto your enemies which dramatically effects the accuracy of your character's hits during battle. Encounters can also be somewhat unbalanced as your difficulty level doesn't seem to stay constant throughout the course of the game. Players will find that they may be dying quite a bit due to these unbalances which will have them being reset back at the bonfire to start again. Dwindling health bars and despawning enemies add a new degree of difficulty to the game, but players can now summon friends in the game's multiplayer portion to help aid them in getting past the extremely tough spots.

Dark Souls II uses the same simple mechanics as the last game but everything has been tweaked and improved for an overall better and new gameplay experience. While Dark Souls II suffers from its share of problems, it still provides gamers with a satisfying and enjoyable experience.

Dark Souls II is now available from all major retailers for the MSRP of $59.99 and can be purchased for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Dark Souls II is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. For more information on the game, check out the official Dark Souls II website.

Game Features:
  • Single Player
  • Online Multiplayer
  • Beautiful Visuals and Animations
  • Achievement/Trophy Support

Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Platforms: PlayStation 3 (reviewed), Xbox 360 & PC
Release Date: March 11, 2014


Score: 8.5 out of 10


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