i want to love this game. i really do. ds2 is the absolute opposite of the phrase "creative bankruptcy". it ventures out far beyond the classic dark fantasy zeitgeist set by the first title, branching out into an amalgamation of countless fresh and imaginative ideas, yet still maintains that perilous soul which makes the entire souls series so addicting. i would hail this as a clear indicator of its loving craftsmanship worthy of the studio's acclaim, as it manages to balance rewarding gameplay and exploration to the same deftness as the original. the problem is however, that it doesnt hit the mark all the time. in fact ds2 misses more than it hits (who wouldve thought). questionable design choices, areas and encounters which clearly approach difficulty with a "if it makes them cry its hard" mentality, mediocre bosses, an exhausting runtime and overall messy execution hold it back from being the souls masterpiece it could be. which to me is really disappointing as ultimately ds2 is the most bold and genuinely adventurous title from software has put out. but still, its actually pretty fun, believe it or not. so despite it all, ds2 is not necessarily inherently flawed, but rather held down from its full potential by its many many, MANY small little problems, not to mention the weight of unfulfilled potential. therefore ultimately, to me it, it cannot compare to 1 and 3 sure, but still remains possibly one of the most enjoyable adventure games i have ever played. so i lied. its not like i cant love this game, im probably just going crazy from playing it so much. its a fun souls game. nothing more, nothing less. maybe thats all it needs to do for me to love it :)

final review: this game sucks so bad its not even funny