Dark Souls II
For PS3, Xbox 360, and PC Developed by Namco Bandai
By Emma Rios of Bits and Bytes
Edited by Jason Anderson
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Heya Folks! Jason, your resident gaymer, here! Sorry, but I’m on vacation for the next few weeks road tripping across America. While I’m away I’ve lined up a few guest reviews for ya to enjoy!
First up we got Emma Rios from Bits and Bytes. Catch her videos on Youtube and her Twitter about some more games that you should and maybe shouldn’t be playing.
Emma shares her passion for gaming by writing, creating video content and streaming on Twitch in addition to performing freelance work as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, sound designer and audio engineer. She enjoys traveling internationally and is currently working towards learning a fourth language -- Japanese.
First up we got Emma Rios from Bits and Bytes. Catch her videos on Youtube and her Twitter about some more games that you should and maybe shouldn’t be playing.
Emma shares her passion for gaming by writing, creating video content and streaming on Twitch in addition to performing freelance work as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, sound designer and audio engineer. She enjoys traveling internationally and is currently working towards learning a fourth language -- Japanese.
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Review Haiku:
“Don’t go it alone
Enemies test your mettle
You died died died died”
Enemies test your mettle
You died died died died”
What is it?
Dark Souls II is an action role-playing game (RPG) for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. You take control of a player created character and fight (then die) your way through (after dying) the world of Drangleic (but not before you die… a lot. Did I mention you will die?).
Nothing is explained to you, no directions are given and the only clues you have to lead you are vaguely delivered by some old crones and later, various non-playable characters (NPCs).
Character creation is tied right into the story as the Old Crone you speak with in the beginning asks you to remember your name by thinking deep into the past. Then, you are shown a Human Effigy and asked who it is supposed to be… yes, it is supposed to be you. This is all tied into giving your character a name, then selecting their class (warrior, knight, etc.), gift (maybe a useful item), gender, build, etc.
For there being such an obscure story told outright, the writers and designers did a great job of weaving together the canon of the Dark Souls universe and the reality of the player experiencing the game: you are told from the beginning that time after time, like a moth to a flame you will go to this place, your wings will be burned, and you will come back because it is your fate. That’s pretty heavy, considering you will make progress in the game, often only after failing again and again, but you will keep coming back.
The crux of it all is that you must seek the king, defeat large enemies to acquire more Souls, thereby becoming more powerful, all in an attempt to end the curse on you and the people of this land. Everyone is slowly Hollowing (becoming soulless like a zombie) and losing their memories, including you, because of this curse. In a nutshell, Dark Souls II is a zombie game, but it does the zombie genre better than the zombie genre does itself.
Souls are the currency of this game and they are used for everything from purchasing, repairing and reinforcing items and equipment to increasing your base stats. When you die you start from the last save point you encountered, which are bonfires in the game, and you leave all the Souls you accumulated behind. Your pool of health also decreases every time you die (to no less than 75% of your maximum health) and your Humanity is also lost — an effect of Hollowing. If you don’t retrieve your Souls and you die again, they’re gone for good. Believe me, you will lose your Souls and lots of them again, and again, and again.
I got eighty million deaths, but a pig ain’t one.
Who will like this game?
Let me start by saying who this game is NOT for: those who have very little patience (and time) to commit to a game. That’s it. While this game is targeted towards “hard-core” gamers who are experienced with playing games that require a high level of skill, anybody can learn how to play Dark Souls II. This is my very first experience with the Souls franchise. That being said, if you’re not a fan of figuring it all out by yourself and you don’t have access to the internet, then maybe this isn’t the game for you. Playing the console versions of this game with either an Xbox Live Gold or Playstation Plus membership, while not a must, really elevates the cruel Dark Souls experience to a much friendlier one.
This game is really built to be a shared experience. Whether summoning players from other “realms” to help you with a tough boss fight, discussing it with a friend via text, email, blog or community forum, or just simply browsing the web for tips and tricks people have shared in videos or on Wiki pages. Having a buddy who is playing along with you is a treat. For example, I had no idea that you had to have your Humanity fully intact in order to see Summoning Signs, which enables you to call other players to your game to help you through a tough area or with a tough boss fight. At the time, I was streaming on Twitch.tv (www.twitch.tv/Emma4EVR - shameless plug!) and a viewer hopped into the chat to explain how that game mechanic worked, and offered to drop a Summoning Sign where I needed help. The feeling of camaraderie was palpable, and it was an experience I will never forget.
Part of what is so enjoyable about experiencing this game is the feeling that you are a member of an exclusive club. The internet is filled with memes (in-jokes and gags) and fan-created videos that pay tribute to the insane experience that is shared amongst members.
What’s not so cool about this game?
What is interesting about this game also runs the risk of being its downfall. Jumping in and playing Dark Souls is akin to moving to Japan with only the clothes on your back, not knowing the language or anything about the culture and being expected to survive without first losing your mind or winding up on the tracks of an oncoming bullet train. Good luck, sucker! This is a game where tribal knowledge is worth more than any in-game item you will find. And, if you don’t have access to the internet or you have no experience with this franchise, you’re going to want to buy drywall and controllers in bulk because you may be turning into the Hulk… a lot.
Mastering the controls and getting down the timing of combat is something that I believe a lot of Western gamers who haven’t experienced a Souls game will find frustrating. I found targeting and locking onto enemies occasionally frustrating. Also, I can’t tell you how many Human Effigies (these are important, you don’t want to waste these!) I accidentally used while figuring out the controls. If you’ve ever played a Monster Hunter game, then this won’t be out of your realm of experience because there are a lot of similarities between combat mechanics. Do you lack rhythm and a sense of timing? Too bad, so sad, Dark Souls II isn’t going to hold your hand.
Learning how to read and understand character stats and individual equipment stats is time consuming. Having a background in tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons will benefit you in this area. In some ways, all the minutiae feels like stereotypical Japanese game design (complex, confusing and convoluted), but that’s also part of the charm I suppose, like teaching yourself how to use a table saw.
What’s cool about this game?
Visuals: Dark Souls II’s console graphics are pretty amazing, especially when you consider that this is a game for the previous generation of consoles (and PC, but they don’t count because they got them graphics card whatsits!). This is especially true during the opening cutscene — just take a look at that water!
Row, row, row your boat, gently down the — OHMAHGAWDNOOOOO
I absolutely love the environments I’ve explored so far, with the exception of one area called The Gutter that is incredibly dark, as in pitch black dark. I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of discovering and exploring this area for yourself, but let’s just say that I haven’t progressed past this point yet because I don’t have the tools I need to do so.
Uh, clap on, clap off?
However, the world of Drangleic is enormous and it feels alive. Each area is distinctive, partly because of the unique enemies you encounter in each area, but mostly because there is just about every type of environment you can imagine in this game.
Sometimes these locations appear disconnected from one another due to the stark contrasts you will find you have navigated to. In part, I believe because this is because this is just such an enormous game environment that you can easily get lost or disoriented in (there is no map to guide you, no NPC telling you where to go), and there is no straight line of progression. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just unfamiliar to feel so completely lost in a game and wonder, ‘how in the heck did I get here again?’ If you aren’t making progress because you lack a key item or have insufficient levels or equipment, you can go somewhere else and attempt to make progress there.
Sound: Outside of boss battles, cutscenes and a few choice locations, there is no music in this game. I really appreciate the restraint in choosing to forgo music for the majority of the game because I feel like it would actually be a distraction in an experience that requires a lot of focus and attention to detail, which includes listening for enemies. Dark Souls II does a great job of pulling your attention into the game fully, and part of that is the excellent sound design. Movement, the clashing of weapons against armor, flesh and bone, environmental ambiance, it all adds to a wholly engrossing experience.
Gameplay: Why is a game so punishing also so utterly addictive? Because ultimately it is a fair game. Completing a tough boss fight, traversing a treacherous environment or figuring out where to go is not impossible. It requires thoughtful planning and careful execution. There’s also a lot of trial and error involved, but when you finally figure it out and make it past its challenges (which really are YOUR challenges) you will feel rewarded in a way that very few games can offer.
Dark Souls II is one of the most memorable gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and that’s what this franchise does best. Your palms will sweat, your adrenaline will pump and when you fell your foe with only a wisp of health left you will leap out of your seat and let out a roar, PRAISE THE SUN!
