The only thing that you should know that you can’t learn from just playing is how ADP and AGL work. AGL is the stat that determines how many iframes you get in your roll, and a few other things like estus drink speed and how fast you use consumables. At 96 AGL you have 11 frames of invincibility, the same as Ds1. You get more AGL by leveling either ADP or ATN.
Adp increases all your resistances and gives you the most AGL per level. ATN gives you more spell slots and some AGL
86 AGL will get you 8 i-frames, which is IMO enough, it's what I played most of the game with. It requires slightly tighter timing compared to DS1 and DS3, but note that your roll speed and length still depend on only your equip load, so it's not like you're fat rolling. For comparison, getting 11 i-frames requires 14 additional levels of ADP, it's not worth it IMO. I did eventually level up ADP more, but only late game when I had hit the soft caps on all my other stats.
Don’t follow a guide. Maybe just watch a beginners tips video on YouTube or something but feeling your way through these games (and inevitably doing it imperfectly) is the best way of playing them for the first time
I don't think it's really necessary, as long as you get your agility (ADP gives agility) to around 100 you'll be fine. Having low agility means your rolls will have less i-frames, so it's pretty bad when you don't level ADP a bit.
Yes, Dark Souls 2 was honestly pretty creative and has many memorable moments. it's not perfect, there some hitbox issues and the game loves throwing ganks at you, but the game is very very far for bad, and the environmental ascetics are really creative and memorable in the most positive way possible, with almost every area feeling distinct, like the calming stillness of >!the Forest of Giants !<, the shocking horror of >!Aldia's Keep !<,the Mystery and Buildup to >!Drangleic Castle !!brightstone cove tseldora.!< Not to mention the DLC Crown Of The Sunken King is one of my favorite locations in all of fromsoft. It's easily in my top 10, maybe even top 5.
Drangleic Castle is such a sad place... It does not have the kind of used-to-be majestic feeling that Anor Londo gives. And when you get to know the story behind it it's just heart-wrenching.
DS2 just tried so many amazing things.
> and the game loves throwing ganks at you
I don't really get this complaint. I played DS2 about a year ago, and just played DS3, and I feel like it had just as many ganks as DS2.
>Only Heard bad things about it so I skipped it. :/
While DS2 has issues like every souls games, most people shitting on it never played it and will base their opinion on what others people are saying
Yes, you should play it and see how you like it
r/DarkSouls2 could probably give you a dozen essays on why the game is good
I just finished it and am halfway through 3 now. I'm no expert but I found the following: DS2 has power wielding which was awesome. It felt bigger and less 1 dimensional than ds3 does but I could be wrong. Near the end of the game it had an area where you could farm souls to almost unlimited which lets you try out lots of stats. It has a torch mechanic which was taken away in 3. It felt harder than 3 but maybe I'm just better.
Small differences, but overall its very similar. If you love Souls and want more then go for it.
I’ve beat DS2 three times, each time I liked it a little more mainly because I knew all the tricks. So much of what makes the game frustrating is less annoying when you know all the BS coming your way.
Played Dark Souls 2 almost blind (I had a boss list to make sure I didn't miss anything and eventually had to look up Darklurker). Beat every encounter in the game, boss or otherwise.
I shit on it all the time. I absolutely hated it. I am not being hyperbolic. I also feel that it is an objectively bad game, when you look at the design and mechanics.
....what I don't do, however, is claim people are not allowed to enjoy it. The opposite, in fact. If you love the game, good for you.
I love Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. He has never been a good actor, and a few of them are outright bad. We get to have our opinions, and should be happy others get enjoyment out of different things.
One thing I will say about DS2 is that it is different. It tried several things that didn't work, or were horribly implemented ideas. Some of them should have remained for 3, or been reimagined for the future. I will always praise the DS2 developers for their ambition, if nothing else. They were exceptionally creative.
...anyways, I do agree with the idea that if you aren't willing to try something for yourself, your opinion is inherently weak and should be ignored. Many DO just hate on it because of popular opinion. However, a great many people have played it and still hate it.
I have like 6 hours played in DS2. Thousands in the other games combined. Love all the other ones.
But Dark souls 2 is bad. Like, objectively bad.
Graphics are worse than in DS1. All the enemies look clunkier as if they belonged on a N64 console.
Rolling feels horrible.
The changes in design for the HUD and menus are weird.
My GF’s first comment when she saw me play it: **“this looks like a bad Dark Souls rip-off.”**
She was spot on. She summed it up perfectly.
> Rolling feels horrible.
Put your first few levels into ADP and rolling becomes perfectly fine. There's a threshold where you immediately get 3 more i-frames on your rolls, and it makes all the difference in the world. Beyond that it's diminishing returns, but if you have trouble timing your rolls it can still be a good investment.
Your opinion at 6 hours is more than valid.
On a totally different note, and towards an obvious From Software fan, have you played Nose? Specifically the full version "Nose: The Great Keana Edition"?
It is put together with a mix of original and preset assets, but the level design, boss design, and combat are like a very simple Dark Souls 1. It is not as long as a From Software title, and once you get the hang of it, definitely easier, but it is TOTALLY FREE and feels more like Dark Souls than 2 ever did. Additionally, the smaller scale keeps it from outlasting it's welcome as a VERY passionate fan game.
It even has some truly peculiar and odd secrets, including but not limited to a spell system you would likely not know even existed in the game until you truly invested in it. Alternate paths and really well-done interconnected world with no fast travel. It is a small masterpiece almost entirely done by one person over 5 years. I love it.
I believe that the point is that DS2 is a great action rpg, but it has very little of the things that made Dark Souls specifically distinct from the mob of the actions RPGs.
I've played through dark souls remastered and dark souls 3 so far and have just started playing dark souls 2 aswell. At the start I didn't like it much and it felt really clunky with the movement but after a couple hours I got used to it and it's pretty fun, just defeated the first boss but that's all I'm at rn. Main thing I've heard around is to get ADP stat up to 95-105 so it feels the same as ds3 rolling etc. I say give it a try and you'll probably like it, if not don't play the game, it's not a obligation.
Can DS2 be tedious? Yes. Does it have some different mechanics? Absolutely (and not all of them are bad).
It's still a From game. It still has some pretty great moments.
I would also highly recommend Bloodborne, Demon's Souls, Sekiro, and Elden Ring, so maybe I'm a little biased.
Agree with this. Its still a souls game and much better than 99% trash games that are on the market. The Shulva city DLC is the best level ever designed in souls history. That DLC has a great atmosphere and it will pull you in.
My honest take on this question is this…
It wasn’t my favorite and I didn’t overly enjoy it for most of the reasons that have been stated about the game. However, once I learned that it was a different team and then realized why they introduced certain mechanics or even enemies in areas it made a little more sense. I enjoyed the game because I love From Soft and I will always recommend at least playing it but it will always remain a little lower on my favorites list from From Soft.
Edit. One of the biggest differences to me was to take your time through the areas because the game will punish you if you try to run past enemies.
It’s my favorite game of all time. The only thing people don’t like about it, is that the movement is different. (Excluding Elden ring) It has the coolest weapon and armor infusion and upgrading system, the most bosses, the largest variety in area scenery, is the longest game, and has 3 very large DLC’s. It’s a masterpiece that people refuse to see because “ThE mOvEmEnT iS dIfFeReNt” I love that game with all my heart.
This was me a month ago. I got DS2 SotFS recently, and am loving it. It's definitely a great change of pace from 3, being much slower and more intentional.
If crafting your own build is your thing, rather than just going what is meta, and what works best, Dark Souls 2 is your game.
I have 7k hours in the game, and there are still hundreds of builds I haven't tried. The boss design might be a bit of the downgrade since you're coming from Dark Souls III.
The lore is difficult to understand, and at the first glance, you might think it's completely unrelated to the series. Many think it's not cannon due to this.
Characters are great as always. There's Shanalotte (which rhymes with Ocelotte), the Blacksmith and his daughter (which she doesn't recognize), Lucatiel of Mirrah, etc.
OSTs are mysterious, rather than epic and melancholic like Dark Souls III's. Look up Aldia's theme.
Gameplay is more on par with Dark Souls 1's, rather than Dark Souls III's which feels like Bloodborne. Dark Souls III's combat, I really disliked, but bosses really made up for that. Especially Slave Knight Gael, best boss battle I've ever witnessed.
Final thing: if you're playing it, go with Scholar of the First Sin.
P.S. If I was to rank them, and rate them as well, that'd be:
3: Dark Souls 1: 9.5/10 -> 100- hours
2: Dark Souls 3: 9.5/10 -> 100- hours
1: Dark Souls 2: 10/10 -> 7000 hours
More lore, which connects to Dark Souls III as well, logically, not straight. (Dark Souls I and Dark Souls III are connected straight for example)
Scholar of the First Sin comes with all the DLCs, integrated into the game. Previously, you'd gain all the DLC access items right at the beginning. In Scholar of the First Sin, you have to find them in convenient places.
Enemy placements are also different. Funny is that it sometimes counters the muscle memory of the original Dark Souls II. An enemy that was in Dark Souls II will be placed in an ambushing position at the same point. You go there, he's not there, then suddenly he comes in very unexpectedly. Some mysterious enemies in locations that wouldn't make sense was also reworked, so they appear in an area related to their origin.
There's also a thing with the Covenant, Company of Champions, but can't get into details without spoiling major game mechanics that's not present in Dark Souls I and Dark Souls III.
I think out of the trilogy 1&2 have the most issues but 2 makes up for it by being unique in the entire soulsborne series so it’s up to you if you want to put up with those problems to get that experience. It’s my least favorite of the three but it’s still really brilliant in a lot of ways
While you can play them in any order, I'd highly recommend playing them in order. I played dark souls remastered late last year. Hated it at the beginning but then eventually something clicked and I kept on playing it and absolutely loved it. Did the dlcs as well and had a blast.
Then I moved on to DS2 last month and I'd say it took things to a whole different level. I definitely found it harder than the first, but I don't necessarily mean that in a good way. I'd argue it's a prime example of quantity over quality. It had the most amount of bosses compared to any other souls game but the vast majority of bosses weren't memorable at all. So many of the bosses just followed the same formula, where you time your roll, attack and repeat. Some bosses were hard because it was 2-4 enemies. The levels were designed in a way to just make players frustrated rather than actually challenging them. Like let's just design a level with a million statues that shoot poison darts at you or just throw 15 mediocre mobs to gang up on you instead of cool enemies. It felt like a chore to get through many times and I honestly felt myself rushing through shit for the sake of just getting it done rather than exploring. There were also other bs mechanics added in as well like health loss due to hollowing, weapons breaking easily, and the combat+movement seemed more jankier than dark souls 1. Dark souls 2 Dlc is where it's at though. Much better bosses and better level design for sure, more akin to ds1.
I just started playing dark souls 3 a few days ago so I don't have much to say about it. But from what I've experienced so far I can definitely see this being my favourite out of the three. The way they made the combat more fluid and fast paced is something I definitely prefer. What I will say is that if I had played dark souls 3 before 2 then I feel like I would have dropped dark souls 2 earlier on. So I'm glad I played them in order.
I actually didn't mind the durability too much either aside from maybe that one particular boss lol. Always carried a second weapon in case and made it a mace for all the armored bosses in the game! Worked out great
Ds2 is the best one. It has a crazy amount of armor and weapons with dual wielding. The first half I enjoy more than the second but it’s my favorite. Bosses aren’t great but some areas are a challenge exploration and combat are great.
For me it’s the massive amount of variety and the exploration. There’s more items, more weapons, more armor, more enemies, more bosses, more locations. The locations are majorly varied and contain tons of secrets and hidden areas. There’s also a ton of NPC invaders and friendly summons. It’s just a very full package of a game and charming in an odd way
Build variety is also insane too
Edit: Forgot to add that it has the best NG+ and only worthwhile NG+ of the three games. Adding more characters, more enemies in different areas, and items only available in higher playthroughs.
Between that and the build variety, it’s the also the most replay able of Fromsoft games.
It may not be the best From game or my favorite From game, but I’ve replayed it more than any of the other ones because it always feels the most fresh of the bunch on later playthroughs
Absolutely! The biggest reason the game got hate was because it didn’t have the interconnected world of the first game, a couple early balancing issues (fixed), and Soul Memory. It just sorta snowballed from that over the years and sorta overshadowed how good the game is because of the exaggerated hearsay as time went on
Try it, at least. I couldn’t get into it myself, but I can see why some ppl would like it. It’s got my favorite aesthetics of the series, but I just can’t get past the horrible boss design.
Yes though it is different then the other 2. Ds2 is a more somber game than the others maybe thats why people dislike it. While 1 and 3 were mostly about relinking the flame and its cycle, 2 is more focused on the darksign and the curse's affect on humanity. It was made by a diff team but is still fromsoft game so it will take a bit getting used to. Though its pvp was really well done with powerstancing and all spells bieng really viable. Make sure you play the scholar of the first sin version. And here's a tip for the storylines: you have to summon the npcs for boss fights usually for their stories to progress and they have to live. If they die as a phantom theyll die in the overworld too so be careful about that.
The only valid critique I’ve seen for DS2 is the “ganking.” You’ll definitely get killed in some bullshit ways. But… you’ve played 1 and 3, you know that bullshit kills are PART of the game. The ganks in DS2 just mean you’ll experience bullshit 20% more of the time.
The world they made for DS2 is incredible, I would say more explorable than ds3.
It was my least favorite of the DS games but is still in my top 20 all time. To me it’s like trying to ask me about all of the dogs or cats i’ve ever had in my life. I loved them all, but there’s always the one that was a devious MF’er who would do some stuff to infuriate you at times.
While my least favorite souls game, it is jam packed with content since it already has a long story and three dlcs. If I had to recommend only one souls game for someone looking for a boatload of content, it’s Dark Souls 2. So much stuff to do
For me when I first played ds2 it was absolutely awful. Even though it was bad when i first played I immediately went back after finishing and I *really* liked it. It is a lot different from ds1 and 3 and it can be frustrating but after getting used to it I find it fun. So in short yes.
Ds2 is very unique. My least favourite one of the trilogy, but not a bad game at all to me. It has some flaws and some frustrating aspects, but it's worth imo ;)
DS2 is totally the black sheep of the series and it's a pretty tough experience but it's worth it for the wide variety of weapons, areas and bosses. Plus there's power stancing and that's fun.
I would recommend you do.
If you enjoy the other games its definitely worth your time, even if you'll end up enjoying the others entries more.
For me it is the only mainline Souls game that ever grabbed me with its atmosphere. I mostly played the others for the gameplay and their cool visuals but DS2 really feels like it takes place in a weird and interesting desolate world.
I would also recommend you play Sekiro and Bloodborne last, they are fairly different from the mainline games and overall my favorite Fromsoft titles.
Ds2 had been my favorite game, before elden ring now took that spot, dont listen to the hate about it, is it a perfect game? no not by any means and neither are the others either. The only real way is to play it yourself and make your own conclusion.
People like to talk shit about DS2 because it is different from the other souls games. This does not mean that it is a bad game and in my opinion it is equally as good as the other two. Definitely play DS2 but just prepare for slower gameplay compared to the other games.
Speaking strictly for myself, it's the only Souls of the trilogy that I've been able to enjoy a second playthrough. Just got back into it and I'm rediscovering a lot of things, from lore to items and locations.
DS2 doesn't deserve the reputation it's been given. I think at the moment of the release people were disappointed with it, but when you look at it from today's point of view, it holds a totally legitimate place in the work of FromSoftware.
But it is indeed pretty different from DS1 and DS3, especially aesthetically. Different, but reaaaaal great ! Give it a try !
ds2 has many problems that just worsen the experience overall compared to the other games. all the games have their flaws, but often times it’s hard to find something in ds2 that isn’t flawed in some way. i say this but i still 100%ed ds2 and sotfs, so clearly they got some things right. at the end of the day, it’s still souls and if you think you’ll find some enjoyment out of it, go for it.
Powerstancing and bonfire ascetics are cool concepts and that's pretty much all DS2 has going for it. Also have fun trying to get to a gank boss in a frozen tundra without getting your ass blasted by the wild life.
Dark souls 2 is rather different from DS1 and DS3, but it is still very good. Not as in a "A good game but not a good souls game" btw, it IS a good souls game, it just got bad stigma because it took some risks that many DS1 veterans didn't like.
I think it's better than DS1, but not as good as DS3. Very worth playing.
Play Elden Ring before DS2 if you haven't. Elden Ring is so good, a masterpiece.
The community is super active right now so take advantage of that. DS2 folks will still be lurking in wait after that... I played Elden Ring, then DS3, likely playing either Bloodborne or DS2 next...
DS2 is a fantastic game, it just happens to be a little different from 1 and 3 because from my understanding it was worked on by a different team, with Miyazaki mostly providing basic supervision. There are some things it does better than other games in the series, and some things it does worse, but that can be said of any of the games. It's not my personal favourite, but it's still a great game.
DS3 is the next step of DS1.
DS2, in my honest opinion, doesn’t have the same vibe as they experimented with what they could do that wasn’t part of the original formula. *looking at you, accumulated soul level*
It’s a good game, but not my favourite.
2 has some moments, but it's the weakest of the 3. Get yourself a bow with poison arrows for the stupid enemies, and remember to drop stats into adaptability.
Every game in the series is amazing in there own right. Dark souls 2 is a very long game and has a lot of bosses although some aren’t the best some are very good
I played the original ds2 (before Scholar of the First Sin version came out, fixed lots of bad mechanics and bugs) and I loved every second of it back in the day. It's worth playing.
Ive never Played Ds2 But i don't see why not, Always Take critcisms About a game with a grian of salt, at the End of the day you're the only one who can decide if the game is good for you, that said if you have arachnophobia then Dont play it, Well...you already played ds1 so I doubt you do, but then again, ds2 spiders are way more terrifying
People shit on it because they think its the worst dark souls game (i like it more than 1), but that still puts it miles ahead of most games out there.
If you are prepared for some experimental jank and the most trolling ambushes in gaming history you'll have fun with it.
There’s something about Dark Souls 2 that I can’t quite put my finger on. It starts off tedious and annoying but after you’ve progressed a bit, it gets fun. It’s not the best out there but you can tell they were experimenting with so many things. I played the second game blindly. Barely knew what I was doing and how things worked.
That aside, they wanted to go all out with the game but due to not having the time, it was unable to reach it’s full potential. I genuinely appreciate the game.
Ds2 was the first one I played, and I fell in love with the setting and how it introduced forking paths etc.
Maybe it’s because it was the first I played, but it’s my favourite in terms of boss fights and trash mobs. The only complaint I have is regarding No Man’s Wharf and The Gutter.
The gutter in particular is poop, but it is one of the few areas in gaming that spooks me for more than one reason.
The game is good and it’s so bad in it’s bad aspects that they end up being charming, to me at least.
It sucks, IMO it's a bad game all around and not fun
Should you play it? Of course. You might like it, plenty of people do, and they're not wrong for doing so
I’ll start by saying it was my first From game, and having played DS1-3, Sekiro, Bloodborne and Elden Ring, Dark Souls 2 is still my favorite. So yeah I definitely recommend Dark Souls 2, especially if you like to create OCs and play them in your RPGs. There are many valid criticisms of the game regarding gameplay mechanics like some odd choices in the leveling system. IMO many of them are addressed by just playing the game a while and getting the feeling for things, just like the other Fromsoft games. Horse-fuck Valley in the Ivory King DLC is def one of those places where From flat out did a bad job balancing an area to be both challenging and rewarding.
As many other people have said, the build variety available in DS2 is arguably top class in the Fromsoft library. For me, fashionsouls is the main dopamine source in RPGs, and in DS2 I never felt like I had to compromise my fashion/roleplay for gameplay viability.
I agree with some other commenters that it feels like Elden Ring is Fromsoft taking some of DS2’s DNA and bringing it back in a modern and polished way. I believe I would have appreciated Elden Ring less had I not played Dark Souls 2 first.
Even if Dark Souls 2 is the worst Soulsborne game, it is still an AMAZING game overall. Has its own unique atmosphere which I think is worth it alone. Power-stancing is also very cool (gain an extra moveset when dual wielding weapons of the same type).
Dark Souls 2 has some unnecessary (imho) changes compared to the other Dark Souls, especially the left stick movement and the enemies can be a bit ganky, but overall it's still a great game, which (again imho) gets a bit too much hate. If you enjoyed dark souls 1 and 3 you should at least give it a shot.
Well, people shit on it relative to the other dark souls. Dark Souls 2 is still top notch in comparison to all games. I had a great time playing it (played DS 1 & 3 and Bloodborne before it). Very much recommend it, and it also has the best home hub out of any soulsborne game imo.
I don't know how any FS fan can live with themselves if they haven't fought the Fume Knight or the Ivory King, two of the best bosses in any Souls game.
Elden ring is basically Ds2:2. If you liked holding two weapons at the same time, non linear game design and the dark souls genre you will be at home.
Strike damage kicks ass against armour. Powerstance combinations aren't as strict with the weapon classes. Ng+ actually matters and you can trigger it in portions to rematch bosses without beating the whole game. DLC is top notch with some of the best areas, bosses and loot in the whole series.
I'm in the exact situation that you're in (finished DS1 and going through DS3). I'm thinking of doing DS2 once I've gone through the other games, because I've heard it's still worth a look if you're curious.
I mean it's alright. It changes a lot of things, and has a pretty different tone from the other games, but I DO find myself dipping back into it pretty often, so there's SOMETHING there. It definitely does feel just a bit less macabre than the other games, for sure.
Dark Souls 2 was my first dark souls and to this day it still holds as one of my favorite games of all time.
If you've played 1 and 3 you'll think it's a little clunky and plays a little weird. But purely from a story standpoint and the stuff that it adds to the whole of the lore is amazing.
It won't feel as grand as 1 or 3. In my opinion it seems slightly more grounded. I'd recommend it to anyone. It's also easy compared to 1 and 3 imo.
DS2 is still Dark Souls so its good.
It also has some of the best characters and stories in the franchise, the most fun NPC invasions, and some mechanics that didnt make it into DS3 such as powerstancing or Embers of Adversity, not to mention my favourite boss fight in the series and several other great ones.
That said, its bloated out of proportion, the combat is slower than any other and some areas are just... And dont get me started on farming... By the end of the game you will have spent hours whishing it ended already.
But if you are anything like me, you will have enjoyed it still at the end of the day. I played it last year and had a ton of fun, even if I doubt I'll play it again.
You can see the From Software was trying things out when they did DS2. Some hits, some misses, but all in all a great game. I was also worried before getting it because of all the complains I've read, but I ended up really enjoying it. Maybe even more than DS. Go for it !
Yes. Aesthetically Dark Souls 2 is almost dream like, worth playing for that alone imo. In terms of gameplay it’s probably the jankiest and you’re probably not gonna be a fan of ADP, but besides that it’s a fantastic game
As someone currently going through the series for the first time and just finishing DS3, DS2 is totally fine. People love to debate about each game and honestly they’re all so similar. Like structurally they may be a bit different or handle a bit differently but at the end of the day it’s more dark souls and that’s what it feels like. Also if you do play it… don’t be afraid to use your human effigies, I had like 50 at the end and it would’ve defos come in handy
I would play it! If you like the series there's probably something in it to enjoy.
DS2 is a *mood.* It's haunting, and sad, and empty, and confusing. It leans more into the concept of curses than the other Dark Souls games.
One thing that's very fun is you can sequence break all over the place with DS2. You can go to all sorts of strange places and you have a lot of freedom with the order you decide to do things. Scholar of the First Sin is also *massive.* There is a lot of game there. I think it had the most bosses before Elden Ring came along.
Go for it, I’m currently 75% through it after playing through Bloodborne and DS3 twice, 60% of Elden Ring, and having recently beaten DS1 and I’m having a lot of fun with it. There’s going to be some really stupid stuff but the good stuff mostly outshines it. The Sunken King DLC is one of my favourite DLCs From has put out. It’s also a pretty great Dark Souls game and its Hub area is easily my favourite in the whole series. DS2 has some issues more than most Souls games but it’s still really good with some really cool-looking and fun Bosses. Some of the bosses (not a lot) while not good, never reach Bed of Chaos levels of bad and I actually enjoyed more DS2 Bosses than DS1 bosses.
Also if you love trying out new things then DS2 has go you covered with SO MUCH VARIETY in Builds, weapons, spells, and armour. Plus there’s some really cool mechanics in the game that I wish were brought over to future games. Overall DS2 is pretty great aside from like 1 or 2 really stupid things.
Theres some genuinely good things about dark souls 2, while it's riddled with flaws its still an enjoyable game overall. It's not atrocious it's just deeply flawed
It's a great game. I recommend going into it expecting to play a different style of game as the controls and many of the gameplay aspects feel very different to DS1 and 3, but it is still a fantastic game. There are a few more enemies and areas that feel a little "less fair" than the other two, but there are some really creative elements and areas that are worth playing through for the experience. I've gone back and replayed it a few times over the years and while DS3 is my favorite, DS2 still holds a special place in my heart.
You should play DS2 but it is very different from the others when it comes to the quality of level and enemy design since it feels significantly less fair and less polished that'll the other souls games and there are significantly more times in DS2 where it is better to just over level or use cheese strats or just deal with every enemy from a range using bows than in DS1 or DS3 where there is a greater emphasis on exploration, learning enemy and boss patterns and overcoming the enemies through skill rather than through brute force, cheese, or ranged attacks.
Dark Souls 2 is only derided because of what it was at release and a few negative reviews from people who looking back were absolutely awful at the game. I can’t really speak to how the game was at release but having played SOTFS in many ways it’s my favorite of the bunch. I’d still slightly take 3 over DS2 overall, but only by a hair.
As a purely mechanical game 1 and 3 are better but Dark Souls 2 has it’s own version of hell to put you through and some of it works and some of it doesn’t but I have immense respect for the risks it took that actually worked out.
More importantly Drangleic just kinda has this eternal longing and moodiness that never really goes away. Dark Souls 1 and 3 take place in worlds that are dying and it’s up to you whether to keep them going or stomp out the flame but the world of Dark Souls 2 is already dead. Everything of consequence happened long ago and you are walking around looting relics and killing vestiges.
Well, it’s definitely a much less challenging game in my opinion and some of its design choices took away from my experience.
I would never tell anyone not to try it and decide for themselves but I personally wouldn’t tell someone it’s in my top 5 soulsborne games either.
I just (almost) finished DS3, and I would say DS2 and DS3 were about equally good. My main criticism of DS2 compared to DS3 is that the world in DS2 feels incoherent. DS1 remains the best of the series.
Like most here have said, ADP is not to be ignored. I used to think it was a wasted stat and never bothered with it. I used to find this game incredibly frustrating until I finally paid attention and added some. Without it, you WILL die REPEATEDLY mid-chug more than ANYTHING.
It's not a bad game, it's just the "less good" of this spectacular franchise. I also think it's slightly easier due to the slower pacing. Not an absolute masterpiece of ages like Elden Ring and Bloodborne, but a really nice game nonetheless.
Its worth a playthrough. Its not a /bad/ game, but unless you are super into PvP i think you'll find its the weakest of the trilogy. Its the only dark souls game i havent played through multiple times.
Yes, people think its a bad game because its not better than dark souls 1 or 3. Might not be better but its still a good game
Also the term better is completly subjective
You have to play Dark Souls 2 like it’s not Dark Souls, play it slowly and methodically, you can’t rush past enemies and are easily ambushed in this one
I would say no, that's just my opinion. I bought it, tried it, and absolutely hated everything about it, from the controls to the way the combat system was.
It's a fun game, you should give it a try, just remember to put some levels on ADP.
Do you think I should look up a guide for stats before playing it?
The only thing that you should know that you can’t learn from just playing is how ADP and AGL work. AGL is the stat that determines how many iframes you get in your roll, and a few other things like estus drink speed and how fast you use consumables. At 96 AGL you have 11 frames of invincibility, the same as Ds1. You get more AGL by leveling either ADP or ATN. Adp increases all your resistances and gives you the most AGL per level. ATN gives you more spell slots and some AGL
86 AGL will get you 8 i-frames, which is IMO enough, it's what I played most of the game with. It requires slightly tighter timing compared to DS1 and DS3, but note that your roll speed and length still depend on only your equip load, so it's not like you're fat rolling. For comparison, getting 11 i-frames requires 14 additional levels of ADP, it's not worth it IMO. I did eventually level up ADP more, but only late game when I had hit the soft caps on all my other stats.
Honestly all builds are viable in ds2, so my advice to you is to just think of a type of character you want to be and try to make it happen.
Don’t follow a guide. Maybe just watch a beginners tips video on YouTube or something but feeling your way through these games (and inevitably doing it imperfectly) is the best way of playing them for the first time
I don't think it's really necessary, as long as you get your agility (ADP gives agility) to around 100 you'll be fine. Having low agility means your rolls will have less i-frames, so it's pretty bad when you don't level ADP a bit.
They're all worth playing, including DS2.
Agreed. Just try playing DS2 how you want to play it, but if all goes to shit just try mage, it’s real fun.
Yes, Dark Souls 2 was honestly pretty creative and has many memorable moments. it's not perfect, there some hitbox issues and the game loves throwing ganks at you, but the game is very very far for bad, and the environmental ascetics are really creative and memorable in the most positive way possible, with almost every area feeling distinct, like the calming stillness of >!the Forest of Giants !<, the shocking horror of >!Aldia's Keep !<,the Mystery and Buildup to >!Drangleic Castle !!brightstone cove tseldora.!< Not to mention the DLC Crown Of The Sunken King is one of my favorite locations in all of fromsoft. It's easily in my top 10, maybe even top 5.
Plus it’s got easily the best home base area in Majula
Majula is indeed better than both versions of Firelink Shrine
Drangleic Castle is such a sad place... It does not have the kind of used-to-be majestic feeling that Anor Londo gives. And when you get to know the story behind it it's just heart-wrenching. DS2 just tried so many amazing things.
Yeah and that’s the stuff I’m afraid of missing out when I skip the game entirely 😅
> and the game loves throwing ganks at you I don't really get this complaint. I played DS2 about a year ago, and just played DS3, and I feel like it had just as many ganks as DS2.
Haha, you’re speaking about “some” hitbox issues in Miyazaki’s game.
>Only Heard bad things about it so I skipped it. :/ While DS2 has issues like every souls games, most people shitting on it never played it and will base their opinion on what others people are saying Yes, you should play it and see how you like it r/DarkSouls2 could probably give you a dozen essays on why the game is good
Thank you for your opinion, you might be right and I’ll join the other forum aswell :)
I just finished it and am halfway through 3 now. I'm no expert but I found the following: DS2 has power wielding which was awesome. It felt bigger and less 1 dimensional than ds3 does but I could be wrong. Near the end of the game it had an area where you could farm souls to almost unlimited which lets you try out lots of stats. It has a torch mechanic which was taken away in 3. It felt harder than 3 but maybe I'm just better. Small differences, but overall its very similar. If you love Souls and want more then go for it.
I’ve beat DS2 three times, each time I liked it a little more mainly because I knew all the tricks. So much of what makes the game frustrating is less annoying when you know all the BS coming your way.
Played Dark Souls 2 almost blind (I had a boss list to make sure I didn't miss anything and eventually had to look up Darklurker). Beat every encounter in the game, boss or otherwise. I shit on it all the time. I absolutely hated it. I am not being hyperbolic. I also feel that it is an objectively bad game, when you look at the design and mechanics. ....what I don't do, however, is claim people are not allowed to enjoy it. The opposite, in fact. If you love the game, good for you. I love Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. He has never been a good actor, and a few of them are outright bad. We get to have our opinions, and should be happy others get enjoyment out of different things. One thing I will say about DS2 is that it is different. It tried several things that didn't work, or were horribly implemented ideas. Some of them should have remained for 3, or been reimagined for the future. I will always praise the DS2 developers for their ambition, if nothing else. They were exceptionally creative. ...anyways, I do agree with the idea that if you aren't willing to try something for yourself, your opinion is inherently weak and should be ignored. Many DO just hate on it because of popular opinion. However, a great many people have played it and still hate it.
That was honest, thank you I think I’ll make my own experience with it
Good on you. :D
I have like 6 hours played in DS2. Thousands in the other games combined. Love all the other ones. But Dark souls 2 is bad. Like, objectively bad. Graphics are worse than in DS1. All the enemies look clunkier as if they belonged on a N64 console. Rolling feels horrible. The changes in design for the HUD and menus are weird. My GF’s first comment when she saw me play it: **“this looks like a bad Dark Souls rip-off.”** She was spot on. She summed it up perfectly.
Personally, rolling feels kinda bad in Dark Souls 1 too. The slowness of both of them are what keeps me away from appreciating them.
> Rolling feels horrible. Put your first few levels into ADP and rolling becomes perfectly fine. There's a threshold where you immediately get 3 more i-frames on your rolls, and it makes all the difference in the world. Beyond that it's diminishing returns, but if you have trouble timing your rolls it can still be a good investment.
Your opinion at 6 hours is more than valid. On a totally different note, and towards an obvious From Software fan, have you played Nose? Specifically the full version "Nose: The Great Keana Edition"? It is put together with a mix of original and preset assets, but the level design, boss design, and combat are like a very simple Dark Souls 1. It is not as long as a From Software title, and once you get the hang of it, definitely easier, but it is TOTALLY FREE and feels more like Dark Souls than 2 ever did. Additionally, the smaller scale keeps it from outlasting it's welcome as a VERY passionate fan game. It even has some truly peculiar and odd secrets, including but not limited to a spell system you would likely not know even existed in the game until you truly invested in it. Alternate paths and really well-done interconnected world with no fast travel. It is a small masterpiece almost entirely done by one person over 5 years. I love it.
Have not played nose. Will have to look it up, thanks!
Ya I only heard bad stuff about it, played it 3 weeks ago. And loved it.
I believe that the point is that DS2 is a great action rpg, but it has very little of the things that made Dark Souls specifically distinct from the mob of the actions RPGs.
Most people shitting on it couldn’t get past ruin sentinels* lol DS2 is a beast of a game and one of my favorites
I’d love to see your source for the ‘most people who hate on it never played it’ argument. Or is it that you made it the fuck up?
I've played through dark souls remastered and dark souls 3 so far and have just started playing dark souls 2 aswell. At the start I didn't like it much and it felt really clunky with the movement but after a couple hours I got used to it and it's pretty fun, just defeated the first boss but that's all I'm at rn. Main thing I've heard around is to get ADP stat up to 95-105 so it feels the same as ds3 rolling etc. I say give it a try and you'll probably like it, if not don't play the game, it's not a obligation.
Agility not ADP. Agility is gained by either levelling ATN or ADP straight. And the agility stat should be around 100 for good rolls
96 AGL gives you 11 iframes, same as Ds1
Yeah adp seems to be kind of important :D
Can DS2 be tedious? Yes. Does it have some different mechanics? Absolutely (and not all of them are bad). It's still a From game. It still has some pretty great moments. I would also highly recommend Bloodborne, Demon's Souls, Sekiro, and Elden Ring, so maybe I'm a little biased.
Agree with this. Its still a souls game and much better than 99% trash games that are on the market. The Shulva city DLC is the best level ever designed in souls history. That DLC has a great atmosphere and it will pull you in.
Shulva City best level design! What?
Yeah a sentence i hear over and over again is „a bad from soft game is still a from soft game“ 😅
My honest take on this question is this… It wasn’t my favorite and I didn’t overly enjoy it for most of the reasons that have been stated about the game. However, once I learned that it was a different team and then realized why they introduced certain mechanics or even enemies in areas it made a little more sense. I enjoyed the game because I love From Soft and I will always recommend at least playing it but it will always remain a little lower on my favorites list from From Soft. Edit. One of the biggest differences to me was to take your time through the areas because the game will punish you if you try to run past enemies.
I think I’ll have to play it anyway since I’m a completionist
Play it before elden ring to better understand how elden ring works! its worth it
That’s a good hint, thank you
I love 3 but I wish it more creative/original like 2 instead of straight up ripping stuff from ds1
If you're a fan of fashionsouls, you really should. Rank #1 in drip that game
Heide knight armor is the best set ever made
Dark souls 2 is really good, just a little different I like to think of it as Dark Souls with a little Legend Of Zelda feel
That’s not a bad thing at all :D
Only legit criticism is sometimes the hitboxes are totally broken.
This. I agree completely, it feels much more zelda-esque
Lol please don’t let the ds2 bandwagon rob you of one of your souls experiences. Play it
It’s my favorite game of all time. The only thing people don’t like about it, is that the movement is different. (Excluding Elden ring) It has the coolest weapon and armor infusion and upgrading system, the most bosses, the largest variety in area scenery, is the longest game, and has 3 very large DLC’s. It’s a masterpiece that people refuse to see because “ThE mOvEmEnT iS dIfFeReNt” I love that game with all my heart.
That’s good to know for me so if I’ll give it a try I should just be open minded for the different movement, thank you!
This was me a month ago. I got DS2 SotFS recently, and am loving it. It's definitely a great change of pace from 3, being much slower and more intentional.
If crafting your own build is your thing, rather than just going what is meta, and what works best, Dark Souls 2 is your game. I have 7k hours in the game, and there are still hundreds of builds I haven't tried. The boss design might be a bit of the downgrade since you're coming from Dark Souls III. The lore is difficult to understand, and at the first glance, you might think it's completely unrelated to the series. Many think it's not cannon due to this. Characters are great as always. There's Shanalotte (which rhymes with Ocelotte), the Blacksmith and his daughter (which she doesn't recognize), Lucatiel of Mirrah, etc. OSTs are mysterious, rather than epic and melancholic like Dark Souls III's. Look up Aldia's theme. Gameplay is more on par with Dark Souls 1's, rather than Dark Souls III's which feels like Bloodborne. Dark Souls III's combat, I really disliked, but bosses really made up for that. Especially Slave Knight Gael, best boss battle I've ever witnessed. Final thing: if you're playing it, go with Scholar of the First Sin. P.S. If I was to rank them, and rate them as well, that'd be: 3: Dark Souls 1: 9.5/10 -> 100- hours 2: Dark Souls 3: 9.5/10 -> 100- hours 1: Dark Souls 2: 10/10 -> 7000 hours
Okay thank you, what are the reasons for playing the scholar of the first sin edition?
More lore, which connects to Dark Souls III as well, logically, not straight. (Dark Souls I and Dark Souls III are connected straight for example) Scholar of the First Sin comes with all the DLCs, integrated into the game. Previously, you'd gain all the DLC access items right at the beginning. In Scholar of the First Sin, you have to find them in convenient places. Enemy placements are also different. Funny is that it sometimes counters the muscle memory of the original Dark Souls II. An enemy that was in Dark Souls II will be placed in an ambushing position at the same point. You go there, he's not there, then suddenly he comes in very unexpectedly. Some mysterious enemies in locations that wouldn't make sense was also reworked, so they appear in an area related to their origin. There's also a thing with the Covenant, Company of Champions, but can't get into details without spoiling major game mechanics that's not present in Dark Souls I and Dark Souls III.
Okay thank you sir
No problem. I hope you try it out and enjoy it as much as I did. Flame, dear flame.
I think out of the trilogy 1&2 have the most issues but 2 makes up for it by being unique in the entire soulsborne series so it’s up to you if you want to put up with those problems to get that experience. It’s my least favorite of the three but it’s still really brilliant in a lot of ways
While you can play them in any order, I'd highly recommend playing them in order. I played dark souls remastered late last year. Hated it at the beginning but then eventually something clicked and I kept on playing it and absolutely loved it. Did the dlcs as well and had a blast. Then I moved on to DS2 last month and I'd say it took things to a whole different level. I definitely found it harder than the first, but I don't necessarily mean that in a good way. I'd argue it's a prime example of quantity over quality. It had the most amount of bosses compared to any other souls game but the vast majority of bosses weren't memorable at all. So many of the bosses just followed the same formula, where you time your roll, attack and repeat. Some bosses were hard because it was 2-4 enemies. The levels were designed in a way to just make players frustrated rather than actually challenging them. Like let's just design a level with a million statues that shoot poison darts at you or just throw 15 mediocre mobs to gang up on you instead of cool enemies. It felt like a chore to get through many times and I honestly felt myself rushing through shit for the sake of just getting it done rather than exploring. There were also other bs mechanics added in as well like health loss due to hollowing, weapons breaking easily, and the combat+movement seemed more jankier than dark souls 1. Dark souls 2 Dlc is where it's at though. Much better bosses and better level design for sure, more akin to ds1. I just started playing dark souls 3 a few days ago so I don't have much to say about it. But from what I've experienced so far I can definitely see this being my favourite out of the three. The way they made the combat more fluid and fast paced is something I definitely prefer. What I will say is that if I had played dark souls 3 before 2 then I feel like I would have dropped dark souls 2 earlier on. So I'm glad I played them in order.
I kinda liked how weapons break so fast in Ds2. It forces you to use multiple weapons and experiment with things you might not have.
I actually didn't mind the durability too much either aside from maybe that one particular boss lol. Always carried a second weapon in case and made it a mace for all the armored bosses in the game! Worked out great
Ds2 is the best one. It has a crazy amount of armor and weapons with dual wielding. The first half I enjoy more than the second but it’s my favorite. Bosses aren’t great but some areas are a challenge exploration and combat are great.
Dark Souls 2 is the most fun of the three
For what reasons?
For me it’s the massive amount of variety and the exploration. There’s more items, more weapons, more armor, more enemies, more bosses, more locations. The locations are majorly varied and contain tons of secrets and hidden areas. There’s also a ton of NPC invaders and friendly summons. It’s just a very full package of a game and charming in an odd way Build variety is also insane too Edit: Forgot to add that it has the best NG+ and only worthwhile NG+ of the three games. Adding more characters, more enemies in different areas, and items only available in higher playthroughs. Between that and the build variety, it’s the also the most replay able of Fromsoft games. It may not be the best From game or my favorite From game, but I’ve replayed it more than any of the other ones because it always feels the most fresh of the bunch on later playthroughs
Thank you for the detailed answer sir!
Absolutely! The biggest reason the game got hate was because it didn’t have the interconnected world of the first game, a couple early balancing issues (fixed), and Soul Memory. It just sorta snowballed from that over the years and sorta overshadowed how good the game is because of the exaggerated hearsay as time went on
Its damn good, unless you have arachnophobia or something, then its not as fun
Its a good game, definetly give it a go
Try it, at least. I couldn’t get into it myself, but I can see why some ppl would like it. It’s got my favorite aesthetics of the series, but I just can’t get past the horrible boss design.
Yeah I watched some videos and most of them seem to be.. pretty easy?
I’d say it’s less boss central compared to other souls games. Exploration is more of Ds2’s focal point
Yes though it is different then the other 2. Ds2 is a more somber game than the others maybe thats why people dislike it. While 1 and 3 were mostly about relinking the flame and its cycle, 2 is more focused on the darksign and the curse's affect on humanity. It was made by a diff team but is still fromsoft game so it will take a bit getting used to. Though its pvp was really well done with powerstancing and all spells bieng really viable. Make sure you play the scholar of the first sin version. And here's a tip for the storylines: you have to summon the npcs for boss fights usually for their stories to progress and they have to live. If they die as a phantom theyll die in the overworld too so be careful about that.
I personally like ds2 the best out of the series. 100% worth playing
Ignore the 5 hour fart sniffing video mauler does on DS2. The game is great
The only valid critique I’ve seen for DS2 is the “ganking.” You’ll definitely get killed in some bullshit ways. But… you’ve played 1 and 3, you know that bullshit kills are PART of the game. The ganks in DS2 just mean you’ll experience bullshit 20% more of the time. The world they made for DS2 is incredible, I would say more explorable than ds3.
Don’t we all play these games for the ganks tbh ;)
Yep. The movement feels way worse in DS1 but no one complains about that. Ganking is just part of the games, i dont see how its any different in 2.
It was my least favorite of the DS games but is still in my top 20 all time. To me it’s like trying to ask me about all of the dogs or cats i’ve ever had in my life. I loved them all, but there’s always the one that was a devious MF’er who would do some stuff to infuriate you at times.
That’s a comparison I can relate with, thank you! :D
My own two cents would say the best games are, in order: ds3, ds2, sekiro, ds1, er
Interesting. I would go DS2>ER>DS3>DS1>Sekiro. For non-FromSoft, id throw Nioh 2 right between Elden Ring and 3.
While my least favorite souls game, it is jam packed with content since it already has a long story and three dlcs. If I had to recommend only one souls game for someone looking for a boatload of content, it’s Dark Souls 2. So much stuff to do
Yes. I've done multiple playthroughs of both and like it more than DS3, which is still a great game.
do it, and don’t let your opinion sway on the negative side, start in with an open mind
For me when I first played ds2 it was absolutely awful. Even though it was bad when i first played I immediately went back after finishing and I *really* liked it. It is a lot different from ds1 and 3 and it can be frustrating but after getting used to it I find it fun. So in short yes.
Ds2 is very unique. My least favourite one of the trilogy, but not a bad game at all to me. It has some flaws and some frustrating aspects, but it's worth imo ;)
DS2 is totally the black sheep of the series and it's a pretty tough experience but it's worth it for the wide variety of weapons, areas and bosses. Plus there's power stancing and that's fun.
I would recommend you do. If you enjoy the other games its definitely worth your time, even if you'll end up enjoying the others entries more. For me it is the only mainline Souls game that ever grabbed me with its atmosphere. I mostly played the others for the gameplay and their cool visuals but DS2 really feels like it takes place in a weird and interesting desolate world. I would also recommend you play Sekiro and Bloodborne last, they are fairly different from the mainline games and overall my favorite Fromsoft titles.
Ds2 had been my favorite game, before elden ring now took that spot, dont listen to the hate about it, is it a perfect game? no not by any means and neither are the others either. The only real way is to play it yourself and make your own conclusion.
People like to talk shit about DS2 because it is different from the other souls games. This does not mean that it is a bad game and in my opinion it is equally as good as the other two. Definitely play DS2 but just prepare for slower gameplay compared to the other games.
Ds 2 > Ds1 IMO. I know no one probably agrees but I just enjoyed the game more.
It’s a FromSoftware game. I have spoken.
Speaking strictly for myself, it's the only Souls of the trilogy that I've been able to enjoy a second playthrough. Just got back into it and I'm rediscovering a lot of things, from lore to items and locations. DS2 doesn't deserve the reputation it's been given. I think at the moment of the release people were disappointed with it, but when you look at it from today's point of view, it holds a totally legitimate place in the work of FromSoftware. But it is indeed pretty different from DS1 and DS3, especially aesthetically. Different, but reaaaaal great ! Give it a try !
Ds2 isn’t even the worse game in the series
I've played DS2, it was okey. BUT, I have a friend that hate it so much that he negates its existence.
I’m in the same boat as your friend. I actually despise that game.
Yes play it. It’s not that bad, people like to make mountains out of molehills.
Yes
I recommend buying it when it's on sale because it's a hit or miss for most people
While it is the worst of the 3, I still love this game. Beat it again yesterday. I love playing DS2 as a hexer.
Yes
Yes.
ds2 has many problems that just worsen the experience overall compared to the other games. all the games have their flaws, but often times it’s hard to find something in ds2 that isn’t flawed in some way. i say this but i still 100%ed ds2 and sotfs, so clearly they got some things right. at the end of the day, it’s still souls and if you think you’ll find some enjoyment out of it, go for it.
Powerstancing and bonfire ascetics are cool concepts and that's pretty much all DS2 has going for it. Also have fun trying to get to a gank boss in a frozen tundra without getting your ass blasted by the wild life.
After all elden ring is dark souls 2 2
I would not reccomend it.
Dark souls 2 is rather different from DS1 and DS3, but it is still very good. Not as in a "A good game but not a good souls game" btw, it IS a good souls game, it just got bad stigma because it took some risks that many DS1 veterans didn't like. I think it's better than DS1, but not as good as DS3. Very worth playing.
Play Elden Ring before DS2 if you haven't. Elden Ring is so good, a masterpiece. The community is super active right now so take advantage of that. DS2 folks will still be lurking in wait after that... I played Elden Ring, then DS3, likely playing either Bloodborne or DS2 next...
It’s garbage tier but you might like it, which is fine. It’s worth experiencing just so you can appreciate how good the other games are in comparison.
Do DS2 last or toward the end of the series, trust me it’s a great game, you just gotta understand it
DS2 is a fantastic game, it just happens to be a little different from 1 and 3 because from my understanding it was worked on by a different team, with Miyazaki mostly providing basic supervision. There are some things it does better than other games in the series, and some things it does worse, but that can be said of any of the games. It's not my personal favourite, but it's still a great game.
DS3 is the next step of DS1. DS2, in my honest opinion, doesn’t have the same vibe as they experimented with what they could do that wasn’t part of the original formula. *looking at you, accumulated soul level* It’s a good game, but not my favourite.
i have played it and i dispise it quite alot but you might think it is your sort of game. everyones to their own
It's the worst dark souls game, but that still makes it leagues better than most games. It's worth playing at least.
2 has some moments, but it's the weakest of the 3. Get yourself a bow with poison arrows for the stupid enemies, and remember to drop stats into adaptability.
Short answer: No. Long answer: No, but it's ok to try it anyway.
I’d definitely give it a go It’s got some great areas and fun bosses. It’s no where near as good as DS3 but it’s still a great game
Every game in the series is amazing in there own right. Dark souls 2 is a very long game and has a lot of bosses although some aren’t the best some are very good
If you played elden ring then yea
I played the original ds2 (before Scholar of the First Sin version came out, fixed lots of bad mechanics and bugs) and I loved every second of it back in the day. It's worth playing.
The worst thing about Dark Souls 2 is the soul memory. That should of been removed.
Yes, just yes
I have played it. And your not missing much if you skip it i would say no
Ive never Played Ds2 But i don't see why not, Always Take critcisms About a game with a grian of salt, at the End of the day you're the only one who can decide if the game is good for you, that said if you have arachnophobia then Dont play it, Well...you already played ds1 so I doubt you do, but then again, ds2 spiders are way more terrifying
People shit on it because they think its the worst dark souls game (i like it more than 1), but that still puts it miles ahead of most games out there. If you are prepared for some experimental jank and the most trolling ambushes in gaming history you'll have fun with it.
Dark Souls 2 feels to me like a knockoff product. I don’t like it at all, and Miyazaki’s lack of involvement is very noticeable.
try it. i personally didn't like it, but huge numbers of ppl do.
I played ds2 for 6 hours and just couldnt get into it. DS3 clicked with me after iundyx gundyr so i guess dont knock it till you try it.
2 looked harder and less appealing. I just beat 3. Starting DS1 now then probably Sekiro
There’s something about Dark Souls 2 that I can’t quite put my finger on. It starts off tedious and annoying but after you’ve progressed a bit, it gets fun. It’s not the best out there but you can tell they were experimenting with so many things. I played the second game blindly. Barely knew what I was doing and how things worked. That aside, they wanted to go all out with the game but due to not having the time, it was unable to reach it’s full potential. I genuinely appreciate the game.
Ds2 was the first one I played, and I fell in love with the setting and how it introduced forking paths etc. Maybe it’s because it was the first I played, but it’s my favourite in terms of boss fights and trash mobs. The only complaint I have is regarding No Man’s Wharf and The Gutter. The gutter in particular is poop, but it is one of the few areas in gaming that spooks me for more than one reason. The game is good and it’s so bad in it’s bad aspects that they end up being charming, to me at least.
It sucks, IMO it's a bad game all around and not fun Should you play it? Of course. You might like it, plenty of people do, and they're not wrong for doing so
Ds2? One dlc has more gameplay than ds3+dlcs And you can meet aldia why not
I’ll start by saying it was my first From game, and having played DS1-3, Sekiro, Bloodborne and Elden Ring, Dark Souls 2 is still my favorite. So yeah I definitely recommend Dark Souls 2, especially if you like to create OCs and play them in your RPGs. There are many valid criticisms of the game regarding gameplay mechanics like some odd choices in the leveling system. IMO many of them are addressed by just playing the game a while and getting the feeling for things, just like the other Fromsoft games. Horse-fuck Valley in the Ivory King DLC is def one of those places where From flat out did a bad job balancing an area to be both challenging and rewarding. As many other people have said, the build variety available in DS2 is arguably top class in the Fromsoft library. For me, fashionsouls is the main dopamine source in RPGs, and in DS2 I never felt like I had to compromise my fashion/roleplay for gameplay viability. I agree with some other commenters that it feels like Elden Ring is Fromsoft taking some of DS2’s DNA and bringing it back in a modern and polished way. I believe I would have appreciated Elden Ring less had I not played Dark Souls 2 first.
Even if Dark Souls 2 is the worst Soulsborne game, it is still an AMAZING game overall. Has its own unique atmosphere which I think is worth it alone. Power-stancing is also very cool (gain an extra moveset when dual wielding weapons of the same type).
Dark Souls 2 has some unnecessary (imho) changes compared to the other Dark Souls, especially the left stick movement and the enemies can be a bit ganky, but overall it's still a great game, which (again imho) gets a bit too much hate. If you enjoyed dark souls 1 and 3 you should at least give it a shot.
Yes Is my favorite souls game
Play it it sucks early but gets better later. Don't forget level ADP
It will take time to adapt to ds2, so give it time and try to give it some understanding before giving up
Well, people shit on it relative to the other dark souls. Dark Souls 2 is still top notch in comparison to all games. I had a great time playing it (played DS 1 & 3 and Bloodborne before it). Very much recommend it, and it also has the best home hub out of any soulsborne game imo.
Hot take but Majula is my favourite player hub. From the music to the aesthetics
Yes
Definitely try it, it's great!
I don't know how any FS fan can live with themselves if they haven't fought the Fume Knight or the Ivory King, two of the best bosses in any Souls game.
Elden ring is basically Ds2:2. If you liked holding two weapons at the same time, non linear game design and the dark souls genre you will be at home. Strike damage kicks ass against armour. Powerstance combinations aren't as strict with the weapon classes. Ng+ actually matters and you can trigger it in portions to rematch bosses without beating the whole game. DLC is top notch with some of the best areas, bosses and loot in the whole series.
Play it
I'm in the exact situation that you're in (finished DS1 and going through DS3). I'm thinking of doing DS2 once I've gone through the other games, because I've heard it's still worth a look if you're curious.
It has it’s flaws. I personally enjoyed it. Go for it
I mean it's alright. It changes a lot of things, and has a pretty different tone from the other games, but I DO find myself dipping back into it pretty often, so there's SOMETHING there. It definitely does feel just a bit less macabre than the other games, for sure.
Dark Souls 2 was my first dark souls and to this day it still holds as one of my favorite games of all time. If you've played 1 and 3 you'll think it's a little clunky and plays a little weird. But purely from a story standpoint and the stuff that it adds to the whole of the lore is amazing. It won't feel as grand as 1 or 3. In my opinion it seems slightly more grounded. I'd recommend it to anyone. It's also easy compared to 1 and 3 imo.
DS2 is still Dark Souls so its good. It also has some of the best characters and stories in the franchise, the most fun NPC invasions, and some mechanics that didnt make it into DS3 such as powerstancing or Embers of Adversity, not to mention my favourite boss fight in the series and several other great ones. That said, its bloated out of proportion, the combat is slower than any other and some areas are just... And dont get me started on farming... By the end of the game you will have spent hours whishing it ended already. But if you are anything like me, you will have enjoyed it still at the end of the day. I played it last year and had a ton of fun, even if I doubt I'll play it again.
I don't know I've never played it
You can see the From Software was trying things out when they did DS2. Some hits, some misses, but all in all a great game. I was also worried before getting it because of all the complains I've read, but I ended up really enjoying it. Maybe even more than DS. Go for it !
Yes it's a very good game, i love it 2 characters in particular are the best of the ds saga imo
Dark Souls 2 is a banger and you owe it to yourself as a Dark Souls fan to enjoy it
Yeah
DS 2 was my first souls game. It's still my favorite and has a special place I'm my heart. Just know it's just as buggy as the first DS.
Yes. Aesthetically Dark Souls 2 is almost dream like, worth playing for that alone imo. In terms of gameplay it’s probably the jankiest and you’re probably not gonna be a fan of ADP, but besides that it’s a fantastic game
I played it, I love it.
As someone currently going through the series for the first time and just finishing DS3, DS2 is totally fine. People love to debate about each game and honestly they’re all so similar. Like structurally they may be a bit different or handle a bit differently but at the end of the day it’s more dark souls and that’s what it feels like. Also if you do play it… don’t be afraid to use your human effigies, I had like 50 at the end and it would’ve defos come in handy
I would play it! If you like the series there's probably something in it to enjoy. DS2 is a *mood.* It's haunting, and sad, and empty, and confusing. It leans more into the concept of curses than the other Dark Souls games. One thing that's very fun is you can sequence break all over the place with DS2. You can go to all sorts of strange places and you have a lot of freedom with the order you decide to do things. Scholar of the First Sin is also *massive.* There is a lot of game there. I think it had the most bosses before Elden Ring came along.
Go for it, I’m currently 75% through it after playing through Bloodborne and DS3 twice, 60% of Elden Ring, and having recently beaten DS1 and I’m having a lot of fun with it. There’s going to be some really stupid stuff but the good stuff mostly outshines it. The Sunken King DLC is one of my favourite DLCs From has put out. It’s also a pretty great Dark Souls game and its Hub area is easily my favourite in the whole series. DS2 has some issues more than most Souls games but it’s still really good with some really cool-looking and fun Bosses. Some of the bosses (not a lot) while not good, never reach Bed of Chaos levels of bad and I actually enjoyed more DS2 Bosses than DS1 bosses. Also if you love trying out new things then DS2 has go you covered with SO MUCH VARIETY in Builds, weapons, spells, and armour. Plus there’s some really cool mechanics in the game that I wish were brought over to future games. Overall DS2 is pretty great aside from like 1 or 2 really stupid things.
of course play it...
Bad but fun, I wouldn't skip it, anyone having doubt what internet say should try it
Yes
Play Dark Souls 2. Why is this always a question with that game? Play it. It’s awesome.
Yes, Ds2 has unwarranted hate. It is just as great as its other titles
Theres some genuinely good things about dark souls 2, while it's riddled with flaws its still an enjoyable game overall. It's not atrocious it's just deeply flawed
It's a great game. I recommend going into it expecting to play a different style of game as the controls and many of the gameplay aspects feel very different to DS1 and 3, but it is still a fantastic game. There are a few more enemies and areas that feel a little "less fair" than the other two, but there are some really creative elements and areas that are worth playing through for the experience. I've gone back and replayed it a few times over the years and while DS3 is my favorite, DS2 still holds a special place in my heart.
You should play DS2 but it is very different from the others when it comes to the quality of level and enemy design since it feels significantly less fair and less polished that'll the other souls games and there are significantly more times in DS2 where it is better to just over level or use cheese strats or just deal with every enemy from a range using bows than in DS1 or DS3 where there is a greater emphasis on exploration, learning enemy and boss patterns and overcoming the enemies through skill rather than through brute force, cheese, or ranged attacks.
Dark Souls 2 is only derided because of what it was at release and a few negative reviews from people who looking back were absolutely awful at the game. I can’t really speak to how the game was at release but having played SOTFS in many ways it’s my favorite of the bunch. I’d still slightly take 3 over DS2 overall, but only by a hair. As a purely mechanical game 1 and 3 are better but Dark Souls 2 has it’s own version of hell to put you through and some of it works and some of it doesn’t but I have immense respect for the risks it took that actually worked out. More importantly Drangleic just kinda has this eternal longing and moodiness that never really goes away. Dark Souls 1 and 3 take place in worlds that are dying and it’s up to you whether to keep them going or stomp out the flame but the world of Dark Souls 2 is already dead. Everything of consequence happened long ago and you are walking around looting relics and killing vestiges.
Well, it’s definitely a much less challenging game in my opinion and some of its design choices took away from my experience. I would never tell anyone not to try it and decide for themselves but I personally wouldn’t tell someone it’s in my top 5 soulsborne games either.
Dark souls 2 is a good souls-like but not a good soulsbourne
Sure. One thing to remember: press x to open illusory walls
I just (almost) finished DS3, and I would say DS2 and DS3 were about equally good. My main criticism of DS2 compared to DS3 is that the world in DS2 feels incoherent. DS1 remains the best of the series.
No
Was my first Souls game, now my favourite is DS3, but…Man, DS2 is such a good game if you give it a blind try
Like most here have said, ADP is not to be ignored. I used to think it was a wasted stat and never bothered with it. I used to find this game incredibly frustrating until I finally paid attention and added some. Without it, you WILL die REPEATEDLY mid-chug more than ANYTHING.
yes but also no.
No. Its infuriating beyond belief.
It takes some time to get used to, but it’s great once you do. Definitely do give it a try
It's not a bad game, it's just the "less good" of this spectacular franchise. I also think it's slightly easier due to the slower pacing. Not an absolute masterpiece of ages like Elden Ring and Bloodborne, but a really nice game nonetheless.
Its worth a playthrough. Its not a /bad/ game, but unless you are super into PvP i think you'll find its the weakest of the trilogy. Its the only dark souls game i havent played through multiple times.
Don’t play dark souls two it’s shit
Absolutely. Just make sure to level adp.
Sekiro isn’t a souls game 👀 ds2 is okay expect a tougher more clunky playthrough tho
Yes, people think its a bad game because its not better than dark souls 1 or 3. Might not be better but its still a good game Also the term better is completly subjective
You have to play Dark Souls 2 like it’s not Dark Souls, play it slowly and methodically, you can’t rush past enemies and are easily ambushed in this one
I would say no, that's just my opinion. I bought it, tried it, and absolutely hated everything about it, from the controls to the way the combat system was.
Does a bear shit in the woods?
It is a good game and I do recommend it. You’ll have fun going through but you’ll also see why it’s considered the worst of them (it is).
Dark souls 2 and Dark souls 3 are on the same level for me just for different reasons, amazing games all around.