DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin

After the tremendous success of the first game, people expected the world from Dark Souls 2. The game delivered "a" world that despite its qualities, had no chance to meet those crazy expectations. But if you can put aside your initial disappointment and look past the many janky aspects that are part of Dark Souls 2's identity, the adventure it will take you on is absolutely worth it ! Because even at its core, Dark Souls 2 is janky. Not to the point of being game-breaking, but many aspects definitely take a little getting used to. The first one would be the new mechanics the game tried to implement. There are good ideas, but it's weird that some others made it into the final product. Take adaptability, for exemple. It's a brand new stat that determines how fast you drink Estuses, swap weapons, and how invincible your roll is. Those used to be tied to Agility, so having to level up one more stat just so the gameplay doesn't feel sluggish is annoying. Then you have the concept of Soul Memory (the total number of Souls you've acquired, even if you lost them afterwards), that dictates who you can play with. A flawed system that will pair players who die often with much better ones, and limits the number of potential co-op partners. The concept of reducing your maximum health every time you die was certainly interesting, but it's functionnaly just a double whammy that didn't need to exist. Finally, linking weapon deterioration with the framerate was a bad idea that led to many problems on release. But trying new things was a brave move, so maybe we can forgive the game for its audacity... The second main feature you'll have to get used to is the hitboxes. Known for being the worst in the series, they'll force you to wait for a clear opening, instead of just winging it. Don't go in too early after a big swing, or you'll get flattened by a weapon that has long stopped moving. You thought you dodged out of the way of that giant hammer that just killed you ? Your character will swear his big toe was still under it... It's the game that decides what the hitbox is, not the animation that comes with it. But you could see that as an extra challenge, so maybe that's something else we can forgive ! The last thing that needs to be mentioned is the lack of cohesion in the world design. Beyond the corridors that lazily link most areas together, some choices were just nonsensical. Reaching the very top of Earthen Peak, and taking an elevator up into the sky... takes you to a castle, surrounded by lava... What ?? Or the fact that the Npc that opens one of the main areas is in a place you only go through once, and is very easy to miss... One more ? How about placing a giant dragon in front of the fog gate of... the "Dragonslayer" ? Are we hoping he never pokes his head out the door ? Or that he's retired, maybe ? Those are just a few examples of Dark Souls 2 prioritizing area variety, at the cost of a world that feels less whole and connected. But variety is good, so how about we let it slide ? If you've been as forgiving as I have so far, then you'll be able to enjoy all the good that the game has to offer... And there's a lot ! Because if there's a Dark Souls that lets you do absolutely everything, it's this one ! Wielding Wolverine's claws, throwing dragon punches like a Street Fighter character, fighting with two shields as you clap them together or any two weapons for crazy combos, playing around with Ivy's sword whip (or whip-sword ?)... Do you like magic better ? Come to Dark Souls 2, we can spit fire, throw lightning and poison with both hands or create a magic shoryuken Ryu would approve of. There are so many weapons with their own movesets, armor sets with hidden properties, the possibility to dual wield and power stance... You can even infuse weapons for more damage, a bleed effect, poise impact... Not everything is good, but it's just so fun to try and play around with ! Another one of Dark Souls 2's greatest strenghs is probably the size and variety of its locations. They're not as interconnected as before so most shortcuts will only serve within said areas, but they're diverse and filled to the brim with traps and secrets (and traps). The ambiance and the colors are also drastically different from one zone to the next : Never has a Dark Souls been this bright ! The three Dlcs only accentuate that sentiment, as massive expansions that provide a complete change of scenery. They bring new areas, new loot, new enemies and... New bosses. They may not be the best or the most memorable, but Dark Souls 2 has the most bosses out of all the games in the series. Many of them are variations of "Big dude in armor", but some still stand out : Velstadt, the Ruin Sentinels, Fume Knight or even Sinh... I thought those were really cool ! And instead of gimmicky fights, the game lets you interact with some of the bosses' arenas before fighting them, to have an easier time. Emptying a pool of poison, lighting up torches to see better... This makes careful exploration even more rewarding, and I really liked the concept. And who could forget Mirror Knight, a boss who summons other players, or Ancient Dragon, that requires bringing fire-resistant equipment to avoid a painful runback as you slowly learn the patterns of its devastating attacks ? Last but not least, it's in Dark Souls 2 that you'll find the best Pvp. The lag is usually acceptable, and allows for some tense fights between players with backstabs that don't come out of nowhere. And if you don't feel like fighting your invader, there's always the option to turn into a pot and watch them run around for a while before disconnecting (that never gets old). ... I'm about to say it ! Dark Souls 2 was always my favorite. When the first one started to show its age and Dark Souls 3 felt too "clean", Dark Souls 2 still had the "good" jank I had learned to like. The game is huge and lets you have fun in so many ways, that for once... I was okay with quantity over consistent quality. I chose to remember the game for what it lets you do, rather than its clunkiness and lack of consistency. I absolutely loved the experience and I'll give it a [b] 9[/b], because I was willing to look past its many flaws to enjoy it. Will you ?

This game is generally not fun but is somehow addicting...

Completar Dark Souls II al 100% fue una experiencia tan desafiante como gratificante. A lo largo del juego me encontré con momentos que se sintieron bastante injustos, especialmente por la cantidad de enemigos, algunas mecánicas y ciertos trayectos hacia los jefes que ponían a prueba la paciencia más que la habilidad. En cuanto a los combates, considero que los jefes de los DLC están muy por encima de los del juego base en términos de dificultad. Enfrentamientos como el Caballero de Humo o Sir Alonne exigieron aprender patrones, perfeccionar los tiempos y ser muy constante. Fueron los verdaderos desafíos de la aventura. A pesar de sus momentos frustrantes, disfruté mucho la experiencia. Es un juego que recompensa la perseverancia y obliga al jugador a mejorar con cada intento. Obtener el platino no fue algo que se lograra de un día para otro; requirió muchas horas, dedicación y paciencia. Al final, la sensación de superar cada obstáculo hizo que todo el esfuerzo valiera la pena. Si tuviera que calificarlo, le daría un 8,5/10. No es un juego perfecto y tiene decisiones de diseño que pueden sentirse injustas, pero ofrece una aventura extensa, desafiante y muy satisfactoria para quienes disfrutan de superar retos difíciles.

Dark Souls II deserves far more credit than it gets. Somehow it became the game everyone loves to hate, but after replaying the trilogy, I honestly think a lot of that reputation comes from memes and old internet narratives rather than the game itself. The biggest thing DS2 captures better than almost any other Souls game is the sense of adventure. Every path feels like you’re setting off into another kingdom. You go from misty forests to pirate coves, poisonous valleys, forgotten castles, lava fortresses, eerie crypts, and dragon shrines. The variety of environments keeps the journey feeling fresh from beginning to end. Majula is, in my opinion, the best hub in the trilogy. The music, the sunset, the ocean, NPCs gradually gathering there - it genuinely feels like home after every difficult expedition. And I have to mention Sweet Shalquoir. A talking cat merchant with more personality than many NPCs in other games. The bosses don’t always rely on spectacle or overwhelming difficulty, but they’re memorable because of how different they are. Not going to spoil anything, but DS2 constantly experiments instead of playing it safe and I love it. Then there’s one of the most underrated mechanics in the entire series: Bonfire Ascetics. Being able to respawn an area at NG+ difficulty without starting a new playthrough is such a brilliant idea that I’m surprised it never became a series staple. It encourages experimentation, farming, challenge runs, and lets me revisit my favorite fights whenever I want. Is Dark Souls II perfect? Of course not. It has flaws, just like every Souls game. But the amount of hate it receives has never matched the quality of the game itself. Underneath the internet jokes is an ambitious RPG full of creative ideas, incredible atmosphere, unmatched build variety, and one of the strongest feelings of embarking on a true adventure that FromSoftware has ever created. I would even go as far to rank it above DS3, which in terms of creativity is boring in comparison.

yes

Ce jeu a des défauts évidents. Le level design est clairement en dessous du niveau des autres jeux du studio, certains boss sont inintéressants... Il ne s'en dégage pas l'ambiance unique qui fait la force du premier. MAIS ne vous arrêtez pas là dessus. Ce jeu a bien d'autres forces. Le multi est quand même mieux conçu, les graphismes restent beaux. Le gameplay est à l'image des autres jeux, une réussite. Les DLC sont excellents et corrigent plusieurs défauts du jeu de base. Qualifier Dark souls 2 de "mauvais" reviendrais à trahir sa connaissance du titre car même si il est en inégal et moins maîtrisé sur certains aspects, l'expérience est bel et bien satisfaisante.

The variety in builds and armor is the best in this game. You *can* just use rapiers and leo ring, but the game has much more to offer. Power stancing and true dual wielding, all magic schools are valid. Infusion + Buffs seperatly. The armor in this game is also a perfect mix of DS1 & DS3. Its less useful than DS1 (where it was busted) but more useful than DS3 (where it serves no purpose). I don't love the speed and lack of variety however. Getting all the achievements really points out that almost all of the enemies and bosses are just guys in armor. With that said, some of the best fights in the game are just guy in amor (Fume Knight, Sir Alonne, Old Ivory King). I give this game 8/10. Soul Memory is dumb and a lot of fights is you standing and waiting for your stamina to recover

Game so good I could cry DO NOT LET THE HATERS LIE TO YOU

👍 Recomendado Com 248 horas de jogo e 100% das conquistas desbloqueadas, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin acabou me proporcionando uma experiência muito melhor do que eu esperava. A versão Scholar adiciona bastante conteúdo, melhora a distribuição dos inimigos e torna a jornada por Drangleic ainda maior. O jogo oferece uma enorme variedade de armas, magias e builds, permitindo experimentar estilos de jogo completamente diferentes a cada nova partida. Além disso, a quantidade de áreas para explorar e de segredos para descobrir garante dezenas — ou até centenas — de horas de diversão. As expansões são um dos pontos altos da experiência, trazendo alguns dos melhores desafios e chefes de todo o jogo. A sensação de progresso e superação, marca registrada da franquia, continua presente do início ao fim. Mesmo sendo um título que divide opiniões entre os fãs da série, Dark Souls II possui identidade própria e méritos suficientes para conquistar quem estiver disposto a explorar tudo o que Drangleic tem a oferecer. 248 horas jogadas | 100% das conquistas concluídas 🏆🔥💀

"Seeker of fire, coveter of the throne, seek strength. The rest will follow." Vendrick is such an underrated character.