It's in the uncompromising way it throws conventional wisdom to the wind, dropping you into its dangerous world without guidance, making you fend for yourself, and teaching you to shrug off defeat time and time again to finally earn victory. That this vast and unforgettable masterpiece is now only $40 makes the decision to play it even easier.

If you're a hardcore Dark Souls fan, or if you're confident in your ability to wring every last cent of value out of the game, the Prepare to Die Edition is the way to go.

While this port isn't the significant enhancement that we'd all hoped for (to put it kindly), Prepare to Die Edition is still clearly the definitive version of Dark Souls. It plays smoother, multiplayer is improved, mods have enhanced the resolution and promise further improvements, and there's content not currently available on the consoles.

There are some few entertainment experiences that rise above mere amusement, and the world of Lordran is one of them: an endless feast to be chewed over and digested, each morsel swallowed with lip-smacking relish before returning eagerly for the next.

The brutal pinnacle of that near-perfect RPG. [Dec 2012, p.90]

This Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition is not only the worst console port I've ever played (and I play most of them), it's also one of the worst designed. I mean literally, this game is one step above my character having "lives" and when I run out of those, I'm told to jam quarters into my PC to continue playing. If this is what constitutes a "good console RPG", then I'll sleep soundly at night with the knowledge that I'm not missing a damn thing by not owning a PlayStation 3. I guess I'm alone in understanding this, but supposed difficulty is not a substitute for intelligent design. Dark Souls proves that.

It is sad to play a port so requested from the fans and so badly realized from the developer. It is sad because in terms of gameplay Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition remains a rude RPG everyone has to play.

Dark Souls is definitely an absolutely great game, and it proves you can attract a big audience by offering an unusually high difficulty. New content, a high-res fixes and some other improvements are the reasons why this version is the best of the three available. It's not the best PC adaptation, but it is an experience worth playing.

If you have the patience, and don't mind some repetitive game play along with very little explanation, this game is for you. Fans of stat-tracking RPGs will eat this game up, and action fans will find a good challenge when trying to strategize situations.

A deep, dark, challenging and impossibly rewarding fantasy RPG, sadly given a straight and perfunctory port from console.

Despite the enormous amount of deaths you may die in Dark Souls, the game is compelling like no other. While the console version already offered a great package, the Prepare to die Edition adds new content and a few goodies. But beware; a controller is needed to play the game in a reasonable fashion.

This Prepare to Die Edition is far from what the game should have been on the PC, but it still is a masterpiece, a game designed for hardcore players.

Dark Souls makes me sad and I don't mean because of its grueling difficulty.. Don't get me wrong, the game itself is an awesome experience but there are some serious, yet simple, roadblocks to overcome in order to enjoy it on the PC and quite frankly, that is unacceptable in today's day and age. PC gamers deserve better than this and this experience could easily have been much, much better.

If you're not prepared to implement the tweaks and fixes mentioned in this review, then you should stay away from the game or hunt it down on its native consoles instead. If the previously mentioned 360 Review doesn't describe the sort of game you enjoy, then stay away altogether – not even bug fixes and gameplay tweaks will make this a game you like. But if you're willing to implement a couple fan-made patches and you crave a game that's beautiful, dark, cryptic, challenging and just plain unique in so many ways, grab this game and give it a go.

Technically maybe not the best port, but who cares, as the game is pure diamond. [Sept 2012]

Dark Souls is nothing more than a porting operation. The lack of experience from the developers made this process complicated, with a final result that is far from what this game could and should have been on the PC. That being said, Dark Souls was and still is a masterpiece, a game designed for hardcore players packed with content and very different from what the modern market uses to offer. A must buy for anyone looking for a real challenge.

There are one or two things to be wary of here, but if you're willing to sign, you'll have a chance to earn a feeling of true accomplishment.

The new content is exactly as good as you'd hope, but the PC version of From Software's classic is also exactly the sort of technical mess you probably feared.

It was about time that Dark Souls made its appearance on the PC. Even though this is the same great game, with some added DLC, it doesn't hit home like the console versions did. The graphics aren't polished at all and you really can't play this with a keyboard.

The PC version of Dark Souls is one of the poorest console portings of the last five years. The charm of the game remains unchanged, but the low resolution and the bad optimization for keyboard controls are clearly visible.

Not often do you see a game that is equally rewarding as it is frustrating; and it's not because the game is unfair.

Dark Souls is a masterpiece, but From Software should have done a better porting to fulfill PC-users' expectations. Nonetheless, it one the best games of the past season, so close your eyes and have fun.

For all the ire thrown in its direction on forums, consider this rebuttal: Dark Souls has never looked better, ran smoother, or had more to offer than it does on PC. And for one of the best games of this generation, that's no mean feat.

Dark Souls returns the hardcore elements back to action RPGs – heavy focus on uncompromising fight mechanics and absolute freedom in hero profiling. The price of this game is not for everyone. [Oct 2012]

Underneath the port inadequacies is a masterful piece of design; intricate and drenched in woe. Dark Souls is infuriating, but well worth the investment in time and shattered patience.

It seems doubtful that this port of an already inhospitable game will make many new fans, especially with the kind of treatment it got in the conversion to PC, but there will be some that will swear by it as one of the best games made in a very long time. If you think there's any chance at all that you'll be one of those people, then you owe it to yourself to drop the cash and find out.

The game is one of the most satisfying and rewarding pieces of digital entertainment to arrive this generation, and in all honesty, of all time. Prepare to die, sure, but also prepare to be amazed.

It is almost a masterpiece and a horrifying example of bad Japanese game design at the same time. But, if you want to be challenged, get Dark Souls, and you will discover a very captivating RPG.