ever since i played my first fromsoftware game (dark souls 3 by the way) back in 2020 and getting more into the fandom, i've been led to believe that dark souls 2 was absolutely the worst game on the face of the earth. either that, or that it was the best souls game ever. the thing is, the truth is far from that. ds2 is... the worst souls game, but it is not a bad game, per se. this dark souls lacks a soul (hehe) in terms of being a souls game. you can see why hidetaka miyazaki is one of the most influential people in the videogame industry because without him, even a title like dark souls falls short, feels dull and lacks many things that make other ds games stand out.

the thing with ds games is that how many tries it takes, if the design of a boss is great (which they usually are), the feeling of self-accomplishment just after beating one is an amazing feeling. however, i finished this game just about 15 minutes ago as of writing this review, and i'm pretty sure i'll forget about every boss there is (even now, i can't count more than three). none of them are memorable, challenging, or exciting. gameplay is a bit better than the first game but nowhere near as good as it could, or as it will be with the third installment (heck, bloodborne is a better choice for me at 30 frames per second, and I'm not too fond of that framerate). this game focuses more on the cinematics and visuals which are nice touches. even though the scenery looks good, the level design of this game is horrendous. i remember playing ds1 and having my mind absolutely blown away every single time a new shortcut made its way to the firelink shrine, it was such a good designed map for the caliber of the first game. honestly, it didn't have to be that good and should be taught in classes for my fellows majoring in game design.

overall enjoyable experience, if you can make yourself forget it's a soulsborne (and that's a big if because otherwise this one is a chore to play).

All over the internet, I would constantly hear how bad of a game Dark Souls 2 is. I was reluctant to play it myself because of this but after finishing it, I'm quite glad I tried it out for myself. This game is very overhated and absolutely has problems, but I'm starting to realize that most of the criticism that's posted so loudly is not from regular fans of the series but rather Dark Souls veterans that are crazy deep into the series and have the highest of expectations.

This game made quite a few unnecessary changes from the first like removing the humanity count, tampering with the weapon degradation system, adding the adaptability stat, and many others, all of which felt unnecessary and just weren't improvements from the first. This game in general is basically more Dark Souls 1 with worse quality of life additions, I don't think there's anything this game does that's unique or stands out in a positive way from the rest. I also found it a bit too long, some areas were a bit bland and could have easily been removed. I've only played Demon Souls and DS1 so I'm not sure how hard the series gets but I found this game very challenging. Most bosses I could eventually get the hang of but there were areas that had a frustrating amount of difficult enemies, like Heide's tower as an example. I think I've created irreversible anger management issues from when I was trying to traverse from the bonfire to the dragon fight and then the Ornstein 2.0 boss fight. The amount of enemies you have to go through all in close proximity to each other so they all gangbang you is just not fun game design. This is a problem I found constantly in areas. Eventually, I popped in a Human Effigy and got through it by summoning an NPC which is another issue I have with this game. DS1 had such a nice balanced difficulty in almost every way including NPC summons. In this game; however, you can either struggle to the point of insanity as a non hollow (if you're not a DS sweat) or mow down everything in your overpowered human form, there's no in between.

Despite all these negatives, I had a lot of fun with it. Maybe it is the worst in the series, I couldn't say at the moment, but it definitely is not a bad game. It would hit me sometimes with it's beautiful scenery and music and gave me a few "damn" moments. Although Majula's theme isn't as good as Firelink Shrines, I gotta say, leaving that beginning cave and entering Majula for the first time with its permanent sunsets was certainly a "damn" moment. The DLC was also enjoyable with quite an amount of content, and some of the hardest bosses I've fought in Soulsborne's this far, them being Fume Knight and Sir Alonne. Personally, I still found the DS1 DLC superior due to liking the world more and the Artorias fight but I can see why people praise this games DLC specifically.

I would definitely recommend giving this game a chance.

Desde Demon Souls, esse é o pior jogo da From Software. Porém, ainda está muito longe de ser um jogo ruim. Muito pelo contrário, é um Action RPG muito acima da média.

Infelizmente, parece que boa parte do time da From Software estava mais interessada em desenvolver Bloodborne do que Dark Souls 2, a diferença dos dois produtos finais são discrepantes. Dark Souls 2 é um jogo levemente perdido quanto a sua proposta, ele tem dificuldades em propor uma identidade única. Ele não consegue focar em alguma mecânica específica, como por exemplo, DS1 foca em World Design e Map Storytelling, DS3 foca em Boss fights e aperfeiçoamento absurdo da mecânica.

Por não saber muito bem o que propor efetivamente, como um jogo, DS2 é uma caixa de areia perfeita para experiementar e abusar da criatividade, destacando-se na série como o título mais distoante. O jogo acaba sendo um belo catadão intermediário entre DS1 e 3. Não é tão rebuscado, elegante e polido como os outros dois, da mesma forma, ainda existe beleza nessa brutalidade e mecânica grosseira, é nesse ponto que Dark Souls 2 brilha. O jogo que inaugurou a grande experimentação de builds e o glorioso Power Stance.

DS2 é feio como o shrek, mas tem diversas camadas, assim como uma cebola. No início, ele pode ser duro, mas nenhum outro Dark Souls possui melhor rejogabilidade do que DS2. Um belo jogo!!

Dark Souls 2, is a game that stirs a complex mix of admiration and frustration. While it makes some bold strides in evolving the Souls formula, it also introduces elements that feel like a step back, making the overall experience feel akin to taking two steps forward and one step back. One of the more jarring aspects of Dark Souls 2 is the occasionally "janky" feel of its gameplay mechanics, most notably characterized by what feels like a 1-second input delay. This sluggish response can detract from the tight, responsive combat that is a hallmark of the series, leading to unnecessary deaths and a sense of disconnect between player actions and on-screen outcomes. Some areas feel disjointed, with transitions that lack logical coherence. Like why does taking an elevator up from earthen peak lead to lava land. The approach to level design in Dark Souls 2 often involves navigating through large groups of enemies before reaching a boss. This can be particularly grueling when the journey to the boss feels more perilous than the boss fight itself. The game tends to populate areas with large numbers of enemies, sometimes prioritizing quantity over quality in its challenges. The frequent placement of mobs not only heightens the difficulty artificially but also dampens the incentive to explore the otherwise beautifully crafted environments of Drangleic. The runbacks to certain bosses are a major point of contention. Notable examples include the runs to the first Smelter Demon, Sir Alonne, and especially the Blue Smelter Demon. These sections are not just challenging but are also teeming with enemies and obstacles that can make each attempt at reaching the boss feel like a chore rather than a challenge. None, however, are as infamous as the run to the Frigid Outskirts. It took me around 20 attempts just to enter the boss arena, only to face a disappointing fight against two cats that felt like mere reskins of the earlier boss, Aava. This area exemplifies the game's occasional overreliance on padding difficulty through environment rather than meaningful combat challenges.The inconsistencies in hit and hurt boxes, particularly around fog walls and during chest openings. Players might find themselves hit by an enemy through a fog wall or struck while interacting with objects, which breaks the immersion and fairness that the Souls series is known for. The bosses in Dark Souls 2, while numerous, often lack the challenging complexity of their counterparts in other Souls games. Many of the bosses can be overcome without much difficulty, which shifts the challenge more towards navigating the levels themselves rather than the boss battles. However, there are standout exceptions that showcase the game’s potential for exhilarating encounters. Favorites like the Fume Knight, Looking Glass Knight, Sir Alonne, and the Burnt Ivory King offer fights that are not only challenging but also memorable for their mechanics and the strategies they require. Sinh the dragon though, presents a unique challenge due to his ability to rapidly deplete the durability of weapons, especially larger ones. This mechanic forced me to respec my stats to optimize for multiple, smaller weapons to avoid being left unarmed mid-fight. However, the experience often feels undermined by a step back in core gameplay mechanics and an inconsistent difficulty curve that prioritizes quantity over quality. The game feels like a collection of high highs and low lows, where every triumph in design is countered by a lapse in execution. Despite its flaws, Dark Souls 2 remains a significant chapter in the Souls series. It offers moments of brilliance that can satisfy fans of the genre, but it also requires patience and tolerance for its less polished aspects. For those willing to look past its shortcomings, Dark Souls 2 provides a rich, if uneven, adventure that still resonates with the haunting beauty and brutal challenge synonymous with the Souls series. Vendrick fans rise up, 7.5/10

Surpreendentemente o melhor da franquia
Foi o único que não tinha nenhum spoiler acredito que isso fez ser a melhor experiência

Herde o fogo, e aproveite a Escuridão.
Esse é o chamado de um verdadeiro líder...


O que você procura?
Nem você é capaz de dizer isso.
Nos encontraremos novamente, jovem Hollow.

Uma mentira continuará sendo uma mentira.

I tricked myself into actually playing & finishing this by playing 1 and then 2 and then 3 to get the full experience u kno. After 2 failed attempts (thought it was ugly / felt bad)

It was not complete trash but I did kind of hate it. Like I can see what people mean when they're like but there's something there... like some ideas are there... true... but the execution...

It's like they took all the frustrating things from DS1 even the "tough but fair" things and cranked it to the point that it did not seem fair or make any sense. I am writing this too much later to recall a lot of examples. But it was so ANNOYING

Am not mad that I played it I do somewhat doubt that I will play it again .