Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1413 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 990 out of 1413
  2. Mixed: 270 out of 1413
  3. Negative: 153 out of 1413
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  1. OmegaTavo
    Apr 7, 2015
    10
    Amazing game. Even if you played vanilla DS2 the changes in this one will make you feel a new experience. I would love a remaster of DS1 but this one doesn't disappoint,.
  2. DarthPadme
    Apr 7, 2015
    0
    I love Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2, but this is a very, very poor cash grab that adds very little to the game. Yes, you get a paltry discount if you already own DS2 and/or the DLC, but the fact is, this is what you paid for when you bought the PC version a year ago, but they dumbed it down to gain parity with the consoles. I am so sick of this underhanded tactic from developers, and myI love Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2, but this is a very, very poor cash grab that adds very little to the game. Yes, you get a paltry discount if you already own DS2 and/or the DLC, but the fact is, this is what you paid for when you bought the PC version a year ago, but they dumbed it down to gain parity with the consoles. I am so sick of this underhanded tactic from developers, and my score is a reflection of that. There is no excuse for such low and unnecessary tricks to be used to make money. If they had released this product in this way at release, it would have spoken for itself. As it is, they took a year to add basic DX11 polish (which was already in the PC demo build) and make a convenient DLC bundle. Sorry FromSoft, but you get two big fat middle fingers for this garbage.… Expand
  3. yahtzee301
    Feb 25, 2018
    3
    The Dark Souls project is in new hands, and the assessment is to determine if the new team can deliver, and expand on the dream of the original. We see much of the same elements of the first Dark Souls within this successor, and Dark Souls is one of my all-time favorite games. Then why did I give it such a low score? Well, it's because of one major flaw. One of the most well-documentedThe Dark Souls project is in new hands, and the assessment is to determine if the new team can deliver, and expand on the dream of the original. We see much of the same elements of the first Dark Souls within this successor, and Dark Souls is one of my all-time favorite games. Then why did I give it such a low score? Well, it's because of one major flaw. One of the most well-documented perks of Dark Souls is its crushing, yet fair difficulty. If I die, I know that it was because I screwed up and that I can improve next time. What Dark Souls II fails to realize is that difficulty is not what made Dark Souls so popular. The result is a game that is crushingly difficult, yes, but unfair and irritating to the player, and I don't play video games to feel irritated. Enemies are placed in groups so that ganking cannot be avoided, weapons feel like they're made of wet toilet paper, and that damned health-drain mechanic that lowers your maximum HP upon death. Everything is this game is a sloppy stand-in for difficulty, and it leaves me uninvested and unwilling to continue forward. Losing to a boss in Dark Souls made me want to start again as quickly as possible. Losing to a boss in Dark Souls II makes me want to turn off the game and switch to something else. In the long slogs between bosses, I'm so paralyzed with boredom from death after death, and that's nothing to take away from the horrendous hit-boxes. It surprises me that, even after three years of run-time, the hit-boxes haven't been fixed, because it's inexcusable. Looking at the game as a whole, it's not too bad, better than most games that came out of 2015. But we know FromSoftware can do better because Dark Souls is one of the most fully-realized games of all time. So if we look at the game as a successor to the original, it's so annoyingly bad that I wonder if the developers had any idea what they were doing. Its only redeeming qualities are the bosses that I found at least somewhat enjoyable and certain areas that reminded me of the original Dark Souls. And when your only redeeming quality as a sequel is what reminded me of your predecessor, you have some serious work to do… Expand
  4. SemenTheGreat
    Jul 29, 2016
    7
    I don't really know where I stand on this game. While I think it's good, it has quite a few obvious flaws. While Dark Souls 2 offers the best pvp in the series, and good dual-wielding mechanics, it fall short everywhere else compared to other games in the series. The combat feels clunky and unresponsive, dodging is an absolute pain due to the games questionable hit boxes, level design isI don't really know where I stand on this game. While I think it's good, it has quite a few obvious flaws. While Dark Souls 2 offers the best pvp in the series, and good dual-wielding mechanics, it fall short everywhere else compared to other games in the series. The combat feels clunky and unresponsive, dodging is an absolute pain due to the games questionable hit boxes, level design is very straight forward. There are some bosses in the game that really stands out, like the looking glass knight and fume knight, but the game relies too heavily on ganks to simulate some kind of boss difficulty. A part from that, I can't really dislike the game. I had a blast playing it.… Expand
  5. Cafe_8bits
    Apr 5, 2020
    6
    Dark Souls 2 its a good game, and i had fun playing it single and multiplayer. But still its the worst Souls game in the franchise, its game design has many flaws that i think are sins to the souls formula, like artificial difficulty enhancement, and some changes in the enemies patterns to easy the experience for some players. (Like make enemies disappear if you kill them 12 times)
    The    Dark Souls 2 its a good game, and i had fun playing it single and multiplayer. But still its the worst Souls game in the franchise, its game design has many flaws that i think are sins to the souls formula, like artificial difficulty enhancement, and some changes in the enemies patterns to easy the experience for some players. (Like make enemies disappear if you kill them 12 times)
    The atmosphere and plot of this game are great, one of the best of the series for me, but in the end its design flaws took the best ot the experience for me.
    The multiplayer works very well, with few exceptions, and adds too much into the game.    … Expand
  6. SimonD00
    May 23, 2017
    8
    Great environments and a huge amount of content makes exploring the world of dark souls II very fun and rewarding, but the combat is some what sluggish, kind of like your moving in water. Dark souls 3 and bloodborne are both superior in terms of combat and dark souls has the best level design so in this amazing series dark souls II is a mediocre game but in the grand scheme of things thisGreat environments and a huge amount of content makes exploring the world of dark souls II very fun and rewarding, but the combat is some what sluggish, kind of like your moving in water. Dark souls 3 and bloodborne are both superior in terms of combat and dark souls has the best level design so in this amazing series dark souls II is a mediocre game but in the grand scheme of things this is a great game that will challenge you more than pretty much any other game out there. Be sure to pick this up but play the other ones before this one. 8,5/10… Expand
  7. HansJoerg1
    Oct 12, 2019
    2
    Boring Story, repetitive gameplay. Overall an extremely disappointing experience.
  8. Sunykamey
    Jan 11, 2018
    5
    I just have to give this game a bad rating due to high inconsistency with enemies and bosses. All enemies are deadly but some are just unfair with regards to their placement in the map which gives me the sense that they have only been placed between "normal" enemies to infuriate and frustrate the player. Armorer Dennis in the forest of fallen giants, do I need to say more?! This mischief II just have to give this game a bad rating due to high inconsistency with enemies and bosses. All enemies are deadly but some are just unfair with regards to their placement in the map which gives me the sense that they have only been placed between "normal" enemies to infuriate and frustrate the player. Armorer Dennis in the forest of fallen giants, do I need to say more?! This mischief I can't support.… Expand
  9. SasukeFuumetsu
    Mar 21, 2018
    5
    O pior Souls. O jogo mais parece off-topic do que um jogo que segue a cronologia de DS1 e DS3, a ambientação do jogo é boa, trilha sonora boa e uma boa vida útil, mas acaba perdendo feio em design de inimigos, milagres e magias de outros jogos da série, armas e várias outras coisas. O jogo é mediano, no geral.
  10. DinoBeam
    May 5, 2020
    6
    This game has alot of cool aspects to it such as atmosphere and art design, but ends up feeling like a slog. This game feels incredibly long with much less interesting level design than the original Dark Souls. Also, half the time to try to sprint it doesn't register.
  11. BotBearGaming
    Mar 9, 2017
    8
    The Souls games hold a very strong spot in my heart as they are now sitting towards the top of my favorite games of all time. So without further adieu my thoughts. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin is my third run through of Dark Souls 2 and it was just as fun as the first time. The game is different enough with enemy placements that I feel it isn't just another port though that isThe Souls games hold a very strong spot in my heart as they are now sitting towards the top of my favorite games of all time. So without further adieu my thoughts. Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin is my third run through of Dark Souls 2 and it was just as fun as the first time. The game is different enough with enemy placements that I feel it isn't just another port though that is what it is. To me Dark Souls 2 is a little weaker than Dark Souls 1 and 3 but that doesn't mean it is a bad game. Many improvements were made with the mechanics and combat but the overall design of the world and enemies is a tad bit slacking compared to the others but if you are looking to jumping into the Souls series be sure not to skip over this one.… Expand
  12. ViniciusBrito
    Aug 8, 2018
    8
    This version of the game doesn't have much additions in relation of the playstation 3 one, it isn't a remastered or a remake, but they did changed a few things here. The enemies are repositioned, so as some items, i could say that it is worthy if you liked the game in the first launching, this version contain all the DLC's, and the three one's that they launched are great, some even sayThis version of the game doesn't have much additions in relation of the playstation 3 one, it isn't a remastered or a remake, but they did changed a few things here. The enemies are repositioned, so as some items, i could say that it is worthy if you liked the game in the first launching, this version contain all the DLC's, and the three one's that they launched are great, some even say that the three combined are better than the game, i'm not sure about that, but surely it is great, the best bosses are there, the most memorable ones are there, so if you never played the dlc's before, go after this version because it is certainly worth.… Expand
  13. LordOMO
    Jun 15, 2019
    6
    I have a love/hate relationship with this game. On the one hand i can appreciate it as a massive and atmospheric dark fantasy role playing game, on the other hand i can't overlook its shortcomings (some being imherent to the dark souls series and some affecting specifically this game in the series).
    At its best you get the pure Dark Souls experience: mystic medieval castles with hidden    I have a love/hate relationship with this game. On the one hand i can appreciate it as a massive and atmospheric dark fantasy role playing game, on the other hand i can't overlook its shortcomings (some being imherent to the dark souls series and some affecting specifically this game in the series).
    At its best you get the pure Dark Souls experience: mystic medieval castles with hidden paths, challenging enemies and a large set of tools to overcome the challenges on the way. But to get there you have to deal with clumsy controls and huge variances in quality which effects visuals sound and unfortunately also gameplay. I've put many hours into the game but always have to deal with frustration along the way to get to the good parts (especially the DLC areas are 10/10 high quality but its a chore to get there). Here are all my gripes with the game:
    - controls suck. Especially in the beginning of the game everything feels bad because you actually have to level up a stat that improves your dodges. But even later on there are issues with the targeting system and with inputs seemingly not being read. Also movement in general feels clunky
    - some of the level design and enemies are very questionable (e.g. enemies that can snipe you from the other side of the map, or levels with blocked paths that you can never open)
    - graphics and sound have some very bad moments. Sound design often feels fake as in "oh yeah this is a footstep soundeffect" rather than actually feeling real. And while the visuals can be stunning in some parts despite geometry and vegetation being on the lower end (especially the castles look great), other areas are just plain ugly, e.g everything looking flat and greyish without any interesting details.
    - there is an overabundance of items and weapons in this game with little differentiation between them. I'd much rather have less but more unique stuff than a lot of junk (e.g. 10 different healing items) cluttering my inventory
    - some enemies and bosses are very forgetable    … Expand
  14. Cap-radar
    Feb 18, 2020
    5
    Top game melhor versao pena que o meu ps4 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
  15. kekseD
    Mar 13, 2020
    7
    Главные минусы игры это дебильные хитбоксы и скорость игры, она очень медленная
  16. Dom007
    Mar 28, 2021
    6
    This is by far the more inferior version of DS2. There are hardly any improvements on the game outside of graphics and the game is just BS. Stupid enemy placements, stupid stone statue placements and infuriating run backs make this version so frustrating in a bad way. The PS3 version of SOTFS is far better.
  17. ZangBang
    Oct 24, 2022
    6
    65/100
    Dark Souls 2's map of Drangleic aims to be as structurally cohesive as Lordran, but ultimately lacks that same level of ingenious interconnectivity that made DS1's journey so engrossing. The branching pathways leading to the various corners of the world rarely intertwine, with a mostly streamlined progression that often halts exploration with awkward progression gating requiring a    65/100
    Dark Souls 2's map of Drangleic aims to be as structurally cohesive as Lordran, but ultimately lacks that same level of ingenious interconnectivity that made DS1's journey so engrossing. The branching pathways leading to the various corners of the world rarely intertwine, with a mostly streamlined progression that often halts exploration with awkward progression gating requiring a single resource, which makes the experience's flow much more jagged and tedious. Even the historical background of the kingdom of Drangleic seems to have less care put into it, with some areas not making geographical sense in relation to their position and extremely few meaningful NPC storylines to witness. Nonetheless, even after all of this, the Level Design itself within each zone can still be extremely engaging, even surpassing DS1 a couple of times, with a solid artistic direction that soaks the ambience in a gloomy melancholy, areas developing horizontally and vertically on multiple layers, hidden paths, environmental hazards and interactivity, and interesting enemy placements that challenge the player to master their reflexes and adapt to their surroundings in interesting ways, especially in the wonderful DLC areas. The variety might not be on par with DS1, but it's still excellent and elevated by a strong enemy variety. Just like in Lordran, the creatures inhabiting Drangelic are extremely aggressive and quick but have clear attack patterns with manageable timeframes, providing a fair, edifying challenge. The main issue is that DS2 has an unhealthy tendency of throwing multiple powerful enemies at the player at once, even when said enemy types don't mesh well together, leading to extremely frustrating, unfairly difficult scenarios, where the player has no choice but to awkwardly exploit the AI's aggro field. These instances do not occur so much that they ruin the entire experience, but frequently enough to make it significantly less fun, also because of a lesser combo variety when compared to DS1. Bosses are the biggest failure of the game, most of them are of significantly lesser quality than DS1 with simple attack patterns and extremely limited movesets, challenging but rarely truly engaging. This is true only for the base game though, as the DLC bosses are dramatically better, with interesting unique gimmicks, tight fast movesets and variegated attack patterns requiring different strategies and approaches.    … Expand
  18. BobsityJonesity
    Aug 20, 2022
    7
    A pretty good game that suffers from some really strange mechanical and design flaws which drag down what could have been a better game than the original. The game is bloated with bosses with a notable decrease in quality. Level design is near unbearable in certain places and makes the game downright unfun at moments. Even the DLCs are a noticeable decrease in quality compared to theA pretty good game that suffers from some really strange mechanical and design flaws which drag down what could have been a better game than the original. The game is bloated with bosses with a notable decrease in quality. Level design is near unbearable in certain places and makes the game downright unfun at moments. Even the DLCs are a noticeable decrease in quality compared to the originals, despite them still being some of the better moments of the game. The main thing that keeps dark souls 2 from being a worse game is the fact that it is built on an already sturdy foundation that the original dark laid out.… Expand
  19. Suspect_Danny
    Jul 6, 2015
    8
    Dark souls 2 is an amazing but very challenging game. It looks very nice and has great gameplay. The game can be very unfair in parts with problems with hit boxes and you may need to look on YouTube for some parts but definitely worth the buy
  20. Kamikazeshocki
    Aug 10, 2017
    7
    This is still a good game, yet I can't understand why it received those scores in comparison to all other Soulsborne games. I loved DS1, 3 and especially Bloodborne and their addons I have Platinum Trophy in the latter 2 of them and 200 hours in each title. Except for DS2.
    Reasons:
    - Level design is mediocre - Bosses are mediocre - When it came out it looked somehow worse than DS1 -    This is still a good game, yet I can't understand why it received those scores in comparison to all other Soulsborne games. I loved DS1, 3 and especially Bloodborne and their addons I have Platinum Trophy in the latter 2 of them and 200 hours in each title. Except for DS2.
    Reasons:
    - Level design is mediocre
    - Bosses are mediocre
    - When it came out it looked somehow worse than DS1
    - In summary it is often boring and tedious.

    You can really tell that Miyazaki did not direct this game. The core DS mechanics are there so it all "works pretty good" yet the DS flair is almost gone. I only completed this game for the sake of completing it. To my shame I did not even want to start the DLC allthough I heard it's way better than the main game. Some people think DS 2 is good because they focus on online PVP and are spending too much time dueling/doin builds. To me Dark Souls is not about that, that is just an extra feature. Though i consistently enjoy the seamless multiplayer invading stuff.

    I can't recommend this game for everyone or DS fans. You might wanna rent it first or get it cheap.    … Expand
  21. Rumblefish
    May 22, 2015
    10
    This game is incredible! I haven't touched Bloodborne since Scholar was released.

    I really disliked DS2 when it first came out but after 115 hours of Scholar, I'm completely converted. I think this is now, not only the best game by From that I have played, it is probably the best RPG I've ever experienced too. The variety of armour, weapons, spells, miracles, hexes and pyromancies    This game is incredible! I haven't touched Bloodborne since Scholar was released.

    I really disliked DS2 when it first came out but after 115 hours of Scholar, I'm completely converted. I think this is now, not only the best game by From that I have played, it is probably the best RPG I've ever experienced too.

    The variety of armour, weapons, spells, miracles, hexes and pyromancies is staggering. Each is unique, beautifully designed and useful in the game. The story is fantastically deep and ties in with that of the previous game, if you know how to interpret it (see the Vaadividya YouTube channel and the Fextralife wiki for help with that).

    There are around 40 boss fights in the game - it's huge!!! Furthermore, the world of Dranleic now actually looks beautiful too. And of course, the replayability is limitless as you can try to collect items only available in New Game +, experiment with different builds and enjoy online combat.

    This game is now a masterpiece and I would recommend it to all lovers of RPGs anywhere. Even if you were initially disappointed when it was first released, you really should love this new iteration of DS2.

    p.s. I read in a review by another player that the controls are sluggish and jerky. The point is that your character changes dependant on the weight of the gear they are carrying and what their physical attributes are. I have found the controls to be practically perfect throughout.    … Expand
  22. Slevin310
    May 2, 2015
    8
    I said if they had done something to fix Soul Memory and provided players with the means to cap characters I would change my review. Well I had to wait for an expansion but yeah I'm just happy to have it. The Souls series is by far my favorite game series of all time. Yes, even surpassing my favorites Fallout and Witcher. I was a bigger fan of Demon Souls and Dark Souls, looking past theI said if they had done something to fix Soul Memory and provided players with the means to cap characters I would change my review. Well I had to wait for an expansion but yeah I'm just happy to have it. The Souls series is by far my favorite game series of all time. Yes, even surpassing my favorites Fallout and Witcher. I was a bigger fan of Demon Souls and Dark Souls, looking past the framerate issues Dark Souls was still a gem of perfection in the action adventure genre. No game ever came close to that sense of fear, exploration, reward and challenge the Soul series provided. Not since Devil May Cry 3 have I taken a game seriously.

    I find myself going to DkS2 wikis and inputting my character builds I make, interacting with the fanbase to discuss PvP strategies and even creating walkthroughs. Because it's simply fun, I enjoy making builds and debating on strategies, because this game warrants that kind of attention. It's like Dungeon and Dragon level of dedication and character classes. You make characters and face REAL danger. If you don't pay attention to what you're leveling up, you can easily ruin an entire playthough and be stuck with a bad character. But when you get that character right, and you put your knowledge behind it you can accomplish things that will actually make other players envy you. This game rewards you for taking it seriously and actually putting in work to become better.

    You will not reach the higher ranks of the Brotherhood of Blood covenant through some exploits or cheats. You must defeat 500 players, if you lose in a duel it will remove a point. That is some serious dedication, but you will be rewarded with a special character color when summoned as well as a powerful fire spell. The bright red glow of your character tells others you've accomplished one of the game's most difficult task. Defeating bosses and beating the game while in the Company of Champions covenant is hard, but other players will prove to be your most challenging foe. And to say you've reached 500 kills in PvP is a bragging right not many people will have.

    It blends single player and multiplayer like no other game before it. You could be breezing through an area only to be invaded by another player, or having a seriously difficult time getting through an area and summon a helpful co-op ally to aid you. Should you both kill a boss and accomplish your goal you'll both be rewarded.

    Immersion in Dark Souls 2 is second to nothing. This game will really make you feel like you're the one in danger. You'll be traveling down a dark hallway, low on health and supplies, too far away from your last bonfire to give up and you've never been to this location before. Your touch makes an outline of a shadow up ahead and you stop dead in tracks to observe. A normal foe? Or your next death? Getting to close will trigger a fight you might not be prepared for, but you inch forward trying to make out the enemy that lays beyond the glow of your torch. You have two choices; sneak up and attack the enemy as quick as possible, or head back to reclaim your health. Both choices have their consequences for the enemy may claim your life, but the bonfire will respawn the enemies before it. This is where the game truly shines.

    Combat is beyond anything I've ever seen. Two hand a weapon, one hand weapon one hand shield, bows, staffs, flame casting, whips, swords, greatswords, axes, hammers, claws, fist weapons, spears, halbreds, katanas, twinblades, curved blades, dual wielding weapons, chimes and daggers. So many different types of weapons, so many weapon choices for each category. And you choice what you'll wield. You make your character to use what's best for you. My Ninja Sorcerer Assassin couldn't be anymore awesome if I tried. Katana duel wielding a staff... that's just the surface ,too. The combat requires practice. Strategy and thought will be your great tools. No one button combos, you have a multitude of attacks to use. Rolling weak attack, back dash attack, running attack, parry attack, backstabs, strong attacks and jump attacks. You must study an enemy's attacks before fighting them, running into battle with no knowledge of your enemy and wildly swinging attacks will get you killed. In PvP you must size up the player and see if they have a pattern to their strategies you can use to get in for a hit.

    Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin fixes a lot of issues in the first edition. This allows players to focus much more on the game, rather than stare at their Soul Memory forever worried of going over their level up. I can't recommend this game enough. It's an action adventure RPG we've been waiting for. It's an homage to classic retro games and their brutal difficulty. It's an immersive experience. It's... DARK SOULS BABY! Get in there!

    (Oh right uhm, there's new stuff in SotFS. Torches are actually more important now to see. SM was changed. They've added in new monsters in areas. They've made the game look and run better!)    … Expand
  23. bkeny2idie
    Feb 5, 2017
    4
    Does more wrong than right, so much so that it hurts the game on many levels. Waiting a year for a "better version" only split the dwindling community even further between three platforms and six games with three original and three scholar versions. Overall this is was a slap in the face to souls veterans and a cheap attempt to right a wrong.
  24. marikbat
    Mar 12, 2020
    0
    "How to transfer a good game to a new generation console according to Bandai Namco"
    Step 1 - select game
    Step 2 - forget the plot and common sense
    Step 3 - mix opponents and items thoroughly
    Step 4 - add a pinch of NG + in different places of the game ... although it doesn’t matter throw as much as you want
    Done, enjoy and have a new unforgettable experience
  25. Tinge81
    May 24, 2015
    10
    Don't expect to pick up a Souls game and think it's going to be an easy ride. FromSoftware do not hold your hand nor do they wrap you cotton wool. What they do is submerge you in some of the most imaginative, challenging and rewarding worlds you will ever encounter.

    If your a new-comer to the series then your in for a treat with this game, patience is key, so don't fret if you die a    Don't expect to pick up a Souls game and think it's going to be an easy ride. FromSoftware do not hold your hand nor do they wrap you cotton wool. What they do is submerge you in some of the most imaginative, challenging and rewarding worlds you will ever encounter.

    If your a new-comer to the series then your in for a treat with this game, patience is key, so don't fret if you die a lot; believe me it's all part of the experience.

    For the Souls veterans you will appreciate the enhanced gameplay the next gen has to offer and the different layout in some places is an extra bonus.

    Feeling fresh and nostalgic at the same time, with the added DLC to explore and conquer as well DS2:SOTFS is well worth the £40.    … Expand
  26. ootinii
    Apr 20, 2015
    6
    Let me just say first that I'm a huge fan of From Software's games. This game has a lot of positive things, the frame rate is incredible, graphics and lighting are a definite improvement, the game seems to perform very well in most aspects. This leads me to my major problem with this new release.

    The feel. This updated release of DS just feels clunky. In particular, character movement.    Let me just say first that I'm a huge fan of From Software's games. This game has a lot of positive things, the frame rate is incredible, graphics and lighting are a definite improvement, the game seems to perform very well in most aspects. This leads me to my major problem with this new release.

    The feel. This updated release of DS just feels clunky. In particular, character movement. One of the most important things to me when I play a game is how it feels, how responsive are the controls, how smooth is the movement. Unfortunately, the feel of this game is currently not good, not up to par. There is a strange dead zone in the movement when walking forward, and side to side movement is not smooth at all. It feels jerky at best. Moving from Bloodborne to this was pretty much intolerable. I am holding out hope that From will do something to at least make consistent character movement a reality in this remastered DSII, because as it stands currently, it feels like I'm trying to control a character who doesn't want to be controlled, which basically ruins the game's immersion. I look forward to updating this rating back to where it should be in the near future.    … Expand
  27. bosconian87
    Apr 16, 2015
    10
    I loved Dark Souls 2 when it first arrived a year ago, and even though it clearly had faults (too much in it and a very scant plot) there was also the genius parts to it: the game was hard already, but by the player's own decision to take-on tasks non-essential to the plot it suddenly became tougher and the new game+ additions were by far the most rewarding of all the 'Souls games so far.I loved Dark Souls 2 when it first arrived a year ago, and even though it clearly had faults (too much in it and a very scant plot) there was also the genius parts to it: the game was hard already, but by the player's own decision to take-on tasks non-essential to the plot it suddenly became tougher and the new game+ additions were by far the most rewarding of all the 'Souls games so far.

    I don't think I really need to explain myself - I loved Dark Souls 2 upon its arrival, and spent too many hours playing it.

    A year-on from the PS3 version I played, I now have indulged in the PS4 version. For the uninitiated, here are the additions:

    -60 frames per second 1080P graphics.
    -The whole game has been reworked, with more plot, new characters, enemies shifted across the spectrum of the whole game, and gameplay has been given a major overhaul.
    -Up to 6 players (online players and NPC's) in a single summoning session.

    The graphics are lovely and smooth, in fact they are better than the PC version of last year!! Yes, the game is a year old (and it has aged a little in terms of graphics) but trust me, the enhancements do work and it just looks about the best it can. The sound has not changed, but it didn't need to and its the same awesome music combined with the breathtaking sound effects that are the norm for FROM soft.

    In terms of gameplay, to say this is tougher than the first Dark Souls 2 incarnation is perhaps not fair - 'different' is certainly a fairer term. Enemies haven't been just 'swapped around' to try and mix things up, they've been intelligently placed, meaning that whereas seasoned players cannot be complacent, newcomers will enjoy the experience a great deal too. Of particular note is the fact that certain events are not easily reachable now and you will have to work for them (but please note, its dealt with fairly). Coupled with the new strains of the plot, this makes for a very compulsive experience.

    I've kept this review short as I've reviewed it once and this time I'd like to express the following: this is well-worth the purchase if you enjoyed it first time around as much as I did, or if you feel like a challenge. The changes effectively null-out the complaints from last time and coupled with the overhaul of presentation and gameplay, make for a severely addictive game.

    On the PS4, Scholar of the First Sin is arguably the best remaster you can buy currently and more than worth the price of admission (or re-admission). Buy this as well as Bloodborne, and be prepared to lose yourself!!    … Expand
  28. sabaothkelly
    Jul 30, 2020
    0
    Demon Souls 1? Legendary.
    Dark Souls 1? Masterpiece.
    Light Souls 2? What a PIECE of TVRD, ¡seriously!? There are too many enemies and bosses doing s**t that is just just random, absurd or jank. Honestly, it's just barely above "Lords of the Fallen" trash mechanics.
    Dark Souls 3? Amazing.
    Bloodborne? Godly.
    Sekiro? Very Good.
  29. alexaxa
    May 22, 2016
    7
    Only "Souls" game i did not finished. Something was missing but i can't find exactly why... Bosses seemed less epic, level design was not as good as DS/DeS/BB...
  30. drevil99
    May 12, 2015
    7
    Overall it's a good addition to the Souls series

    Good - Huuuuuge world! It would still be huge even if they didn't include all 3 DLCs - you rarely get invaded by other players in your first play through, that is before you reach Soul Level 150 - PvP and covenants can be fun, I enjoyed dueling other players on the bridge - great coop feature in this game, there usually are summons    Overall it's a good addition to the Souls series

    Good
    - Huuuuuge world! It would still be huge even if they didn't include all 3 DLCs
    - you rarely get invaded by other players in your first play through, that is before you reach Soul Level 150
    - PvP and covenants can be fun, I enjoyed dueling other players on the bridge
    - great coop feature in this game, there usually are summons available when you need them
    - you have just as much, if not more customization options compared to DS1.
    - no framerate issue (I hear this is a problem in PS3 version)

    Bad:
    - invasions can get annoying later in the game, as they happen often, even in hollow form, and therefore feel forced. Personally I started to play offline in NG+
    - the controls are clunky when compared DS1 and Demon Souls. For example there seems to be some awkward pause from the time you press L1 to block to the time you actually start moving
    - there are some really bad lag issues in PvP
    - no balance in PvP as game strongly encourages certain builds, spell casters and those who wield quick small weapons have the advantage; having a tank who wields an ultra great-sword is a definite nono

    Ugly
    - I am not impressed by the graphics. When DS1 came to PS3, it was ahead of it's time in terms of visuals
    - The atmosphere of dark melancholy that DS1 had, just seems to be missing in DS2, nor does it have that feeling of terror from Demon Souls. I can't quite explain it.    … Expand
  31. rd1349
    Jun 23, 2015
    8
    I'm going to get strait to the chase, I'm a sucker for hard games, if one pops up my first reaction is usually challenge accepted.
    The game that started this was dark souls 2.
    Gameplay wise it's a great game the combat is unique in it's difficulty and in the fact that it keeps you coming back despite how much it can frustrate you. The combat is easily the most fun part of the game.    I'm going to get strait to the chase, I'm a sucker for hard games, if one pops up my first reaction is usually challenge accepted.
    The game that started this was dark souls 2.

    Gameplay wise it's a great game the combat is unique in it's difficulty and in the fact that it keeps you coming back despite how much it can frustrate you. The combat is easily the most fun part of the game.

    Graphics are nothing spectacular but they are good. Not much else to say in this department.

    Atmosphere is amazing. There is a constant feel of despair in the world which coincides with the plot. The same plot that needs a dedicated group of people working full time to properly figure out. So if you're looking to story, it's a very good one, but you might not even be able to tell till you look it up.

    Final verdict; 8 out of 10.
    Why eight out of ten you ask when all my reviews are 10s. Because I stick to reviewing games that I truly enjoy not that are definitively good. Dark souls 2 is marred by strange design choices and obtuse and unexplained plot devices. They game will often leave you lost and force you to look up a guide. It pains me to say it but Dark souls 2 is not an amazing game. It was good enough to be the only game in years that I've played through more than once but it simply is not a 10.

    For the the hardcore gamer this is your Meca. It is a game you must play and that you will land up in many favorite games lists.
    For the normal gamer this is a frustrating mess that will undoubtably put a fair number of you off gaming.    … Expand
  32. Steven105
    Feb 13, 2016
    5
    Im a huge fan of the souls series i got a platinum trophy on dark souls and bloodborne but i was disapointed with dark souls 2 so i bough scholar of the first sin for the ps4 and the game still has the same problem as the ps3 version .....SOUL MEMORY . It is the biggest bone head mistake that from has ever done and their " solution " is to give you a ring to stop you from receiving souls ,Im a huge fan of the souls series i got a platinum trophy on dark souls and bloodborne but i was disapointed with dark souls 2 so i bough scholar of the first sin for the ps4 and the game still has the same problem as the ps3 version .....SOUL MEMORY . It is the biggest bone head mistake that from has ever done and their " solution " is to give you a ring to stop you from receiving souls , rather than just removing soul memory completley . For me there were summon signs every where at the beginning of the game and now my soul memory is currently over 9 million and im on new game +4 there are ZERO summon signs because my soul memory is too high or to low , it just ruins the entire game… Expand
  33. GodHades100
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Dark Souls 2 is an amazing game. Awesome gameplay. Huge open world. Every Ps4 gamer should have this game. Although it can be VERY CHALLENGING you will surely LOVE IT.
    Only drawback : 100% Addictive
  34. dangyosabyss
    Apr 11, 2020
    6
    A decent game but one that comes across as someone elses version of what a DS game should be. It feels like a secondary teams version of the first game. It has the worst level design in the whole series, the least imaginative bosses and the worst soundtrack (though it is still decent). Not a bad game but definitely the worst Dark Souls game. Some of the enemy layouts and areas are justA decent game but one that comes across as someone elses version of what a DS game should be. It feels like a secondary teams version of the first game. It has the worst level design in the whole series, the least imaginative bosses and the worst soundtrack (though it is still decent). Not a bad game but definitely the worst Dark Souls game. Some of the enemy layouts and areas are just trolling. Overall this is the Dark Souls you get after youve beaten the others and BB and Sekiro.… Expand
  35. jiorl
    Jul 5, 2019
    8
    Despite the negative reception and reputation this game has garnered, it is a severely underrated Dark Souls game, and game in general (That said, DS1 is better in my opinion). Admittedly, it did take some time for the game to grow on me, as at the start i just felt that the environment. (forest of the fallen giants) was a bit bland and The Last Giant was an easy boss, but after theDespite the negative reception and reputation this game has garnered, it is a severely underrated Dark Souls game, and game in general (That said, DS1 is better in my opinion). Admittedly, it did take some time for the game to grow on me, as at the start i just felt that the environment. (forest of the fallen giants) was a bit bland and The Last Giant was an easy boss, but after the Pursuer boss i really started to like the game. For one, i really liked the gem system which went hand in hand with the flask system. I enjoyed the length of the game, and made the game feel like a massive adventure-more of an adventure than DS1 (sorry for the unpopular opinion), the DLC was superb, and the difficulty of the levels and the enemies in general was really challenging without being gamebreaking. There are some negatives though which irritated my though. One was the difficulty of the bosses. Most of the bosses in the base game were far too easy-in fact most of them were. The smelter demon, the darklurker, the pursuer and the ancient dragon are an exception to this rule. The enemy cpu's at times were sometimes broken, and didn't act how they should. There wasn't any memorable npc characters like the first game, and the level design at times wasn't very intuitive, and sometimes i got lost. Those faults still don't ruin the game for me in my eyes. and i think this game is definetly worth playing.… Expand
  36. ALSGATS
    Apr 7, 2015
    8
    "DARK SOULS II:Scholar of the First Sin" is one of the few successful remastered games for next gen consoles and if you haven't experienced this masterpiece on PS3, then you SHOULD do it on PS4. you're gonna have a lot of good memories after you beat the game, and after that you're gonna wanna replay over & over again.
  37. Caste
    May 1, 2015
    10
    It's the first 'Souls' I play and I am having a really nice time with this game.

    Graphics are not top-notch for a PS4, right, but that's not the main Gem of this title. The atmosphere, unforgiving gameplay and great online features are extremely well made.

    I strongly recommend it!
  38. Jollukka1
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    This game is good, but very frustrating at start.
    Bosses aren't so impressive and you charterer feels clumsy.
    When you play it more, it's addictive. DS II was one of the best remaster on PS4.
    Don't miss it, because if you aren't played Dark Souls (original) you'll gonna be hard times with Dark Souls III.
  39. Sheep_198
    Nov 21, 2015
    5
    After finishing bloodborne, thought to conquer DS2 on PS4, but sadly sold the game after one try. Being a souls series fan, DS2 is just not one of the masterpiece. Beat DS2 on PS3, and never replayed again, it's just not enjoyable, cheap deaths, ugly world, boring boss, no creativity, not art to treasure of, just pure death punishment, that's not Souls series's design. Thought it wouldAfter finishing bloodborne, thought to conquer DS2 on PS4, but sadly sold the game after one try. Being a souls series fan, DS2 is just not one of the masterpiece. Beat DS2 on PS3, and never replayed again, it's just not enjoyable, cheap deaths, ugly world, boring boss, no creativity, not art to treasure of, just pure death punishment, that's not Souls series's design. Thought it would be changed on PS4, turns out it's still the same or even worse, same ugly graphics as PS3, boring world, no much co-op opportunity as not much people playing. Just a dreadful experience, poor game.… Expand
  40. WilliamWesker
    Aug 2, 2019
    0
    DS 2 is not even a true "DARK" game, in order to have the title of DARK SOULS in it, the 2013 DEMO of the same is, but the final version is definitely not. It has texture with a very poor quality in all its versions, including the one of PC, especially considering that it is a game of 2014, & in 2015 there were already games like The Witcher 3, which makes DS 2 to look like a game of aDS 2 is not even a true "DARK" game, in order to have the title of DARK SOULS in it, the 2013 DEMO of the same is, but the final version is definitely not. It has texture with a very poor quality in all its versions, including the one of PC, especially considering that it is a game of 2014, & in 2015 there were already games like The Witcher 3, which makes DS 2 to look like a game of a half a decade before the 2014, because of the difference with regard to the quality of textures between the two, something that it is really pathetic & embarrassing for the DS 2 piece of work. It allows the player to warp between Bonfires from the beginning, which literally murder in cold blood a great deal of immersion & exploration in it. The enemies are very badly misplaced in the levels. The animation of the sequences in the attacks are just terrible with respect to the lack of inmercion that it causes, to a player. Its system focuses on punishing the player when the same dies, at resurrect it with less life, instead of encouraging it to self-overcome, which is one of the main philosophies of the DARK SOULS series, Hidetaka Miyazaki himself confirmed that philosophy for the series. The writing level of the game is very poor. The NPCs are extremely depressing, & constantly encourage the player to surrender during the dialogues, instead of encouraging the player not to become Hollow, as they generally should with indifference responses like on DS 3 & ESPECIALLY in DS 1!… Expand
  41. Allthat
    Apr 7, 2015
    10
    This is a really good reason to play Dark Souls II again. You have to buy this game, especially if you missed out on the the Lost Crowns DLC. And don't worry about having to play through everything again because the enemy placement has changed so the whole game feels different. The best part is the remastered graphics which look absolutely stunning on new gen consoles.
  42. aqurban
    Apr 7, 2015
    10
    The fact that From Software made some major, yet subtle changes to the enemy and item locations from the original version of Dark Souls 2, Scholar of the First Sin is an absolute blast even for returning players.
  43. mmrventricle
    Apr 9, 2015
    9
    Ds2:SFS is visually impressive because it has improved texture quality as well as runs at 60fps. The developers also changed a lot of enemy placements and added a few new items and NPC so its not quite a carbon copy of the first game. It is harder than the original. Pick it up if you missed the original release, and if you are a fan of the franchise and has finished Bloodborne, it mightDs2:SFS is visually impressive because it has improved texture quality as well as runs at 60fps. The developers also changed a lot of enemy placements and added a few new items and NPC so its not quite a carbon copy of the first game. It is harder than the original. Pick it up if you missed the original release, and if you are a fan of the franchise and has finished Bloodborne, it might still be worth playing.… Expand
  44. lpsyco
    Apr 11, 2015
    10
    if you want perfection,good graphic engine and tactical gameplay...you can do fast roll to....buy ds2 HD
    you want better graphics
    but with a lot of frame rate and a faster gameplay,but with a lot of problems....buy bloodborn...simple as that

    darck souls 2 HD is old but is perfection....bloodbor in new gen....but is sometimes,a mess...

    adios,have fun
  45. sgy0003
    Apr 11, 2015
    10
    Game now days have way too much hand holding and are too easy. If you want a game that is punishingly difficult like the nostalgic games in the past, DS2 is the game for you. For anyone that is not familiar with the Souls series games, here's how the gameplay works; You kill an enemy, and collect their souls. Souls are used to level up, buy/upgrade gears, and sometimes used to cast spell.Game now days have way too much hand holding and are too easy. If you want a game that is punishingly difficult like the nostalgic games in the past, DS2 is the game for you. For anyone that is not familiar with the Souls series games, here's how the gameplay works; You kill an enemy, and collect their souls. Souls are used to level up, buy/upgrade gears, and sometimes used to cast spell. When you die you lose all the souls you have collected so far. You can go retrieve it, but die along the way you lose them permanently. There's no auto health recovery, no pause button, and not retry on the boss. All the enemies respawn when you die or use bonfires(which are the ONLY ways to have checkpoints, btw), and you have to kill them again

    You WILL rage. You WILL scream. You WILL throw your controller. But it'll get you just enough to make you want to try again. Every areas are very tempting to explore. Each bosses fights are unique and leaves players amazing sense of accomplishments when slain. The World of DS2 is full of rich lore. Every item and gears have their own story.

    Conclusion: If you want a game that will bring out the hardcore nature deep within you, this is the game for you.    … Expand
  46. doczellstoff
    Apr 9, 2015
    9
    I know everyone is complaining about the weapon durability issue and while it does call for some adjustment to playstyle I would just like to chime in and say that it adds to the gameplay. It boils down to the fact that usually in a souls game you end up with 1 or 2 weapons that you use consistently pretty much ignoring everything else. With weapons being broken after 15-30 enemiesI know everyone is complaining about the weapon durability issue and while it does call for some adjustment to playstyle I would just like to chime in and say that it adds to the gameplay. It boils down to the fact that usually in a souls game you end up with 1 or 2 weapons that you use consistently pretty much ignoring everything else. With weapons being broken after 15-30 enemies (depending) you are forced to branch out and keep a few on hand. I think it adds a little flavor.

    As for the rest of the game: graphics are great, 60 FPS is cool, new enemy placements made it fresh for me (500+ hours in first release). It's Dark Souls you either love it or hate it. Im going 9 cause nothing is perfect and DS2 had issues all of its own.    … Expand
  47. tr3472
    Apr 10, 2015
    9
    the good:
    it made by FROM SOFTWARE
    its a "souls" game
    super smooth

    the bad:
    it has taken over my life. if i am not playing it i am reading, talking or thinking about it.
  48. WeakOrbit
    Apr 9, 2015
    8
    This remaster is not without it's share of problems. The durability bug that makes weapons crumble after defeating a few enemies is a bug I had not experienced in my original play through. In saying that, this is my only real major gripe with Scholar of the First Sin. The already large ( some might even say bloated ) DSII package is increased with the 3 DLC packages as well as remixedThis remaster is not without it's share of problems. The durability bug that makes weapons crumble after defeating a few enemies is a bug I had not experienced in my original play through. In saying that, this is my only real major gripe with Scholar of the First Sin. The already large ( some might even say bloated ) DSII package is increased with the 3 DLC packages as well as remixed enemy design ( which to be fair makes a hard game harder, especially if this is your first time with a Soul's game) graphical improvements and much better co-op functionality with a increase to the number of players who can join your game.

    Overall it's easy to say that this is the definitive DSII package but it's a shame that the durability bug tarnishes an otherwise great RPG that only suffers from its association with Miyazaki's incredible Demon's, Dark and Bloodborne games.

    Pros
    +Huge amount of world to explore and content.
    +Wealth of weaponry and character choice. You can be a close range brute or spell slinger. Or both.
    +Good combat, slow and methodical
    +Improved Co-Op functionaltiy

    Cons
    -Durability Issue is a pain. Hopefully patched soon.
    -Remixed enemy positions not ideal for new players.
    -Hitboxes for player character are still huge resulting in dodging an attack still registers the HP damage.

    Final thoughts
    It would have been nice to have the choice of playing the remixed version as well as the classic version. Apart from that if you're hankering for more punishing action after Bloodborne or want to venture into a grim dark fantasy then DSII is the game for you.    … Expand
  49. Dionysus777
    Apr 17, 2015
    9
    This game is an epic strategic tactical stat heavy dungeon crawler. It has it own unique style and mechanics compared to other dungeon crawlers and its an aquired taste that i find delicious.It runs way better than the souls games on ps3 and that was my main complaint with those.Plenty of game time and replay.It has its downfalls, mainly if you dont like it youll hate it type of game.AndThis game is an epic strategic tactical stat heavy dungeon crawler. It has it own unique style and mechanics compared to other dungeon crawlers and its an aquired taste that i find delicious.It runs way better than the souls games on ps3 and that was my main complaint with those.Plenty of game time and replay.It has its downfalls, mainly if you dont like it youll hate it type of game.And for the people about it being a cash grab, why would you buy it again unless you like it? This is 1 game you get a run for your money and your moneys worth, however would only recommend for hardcore dungeon crawler rpgers that want a unique game or gamers that aren't gona have a rage stroke. This is the first time ive bought this game and its chalk full of content for the price. Dont buy it twice unless its twice as nice.… Expand
  50. stamito
    Aug 1, 2016
    8
    I have to say this isn’t the master piece I was kind of expecting, BUT it is still a quite good game.
    Graphics are all right, which is fine considering the game wasn’t originally conceived in the next gen consoles. It is; however, very good and amazing on an artistic level, some locations are “wow”. The gameplay is also quite awesome in terms of mechanics. These are quite simple, but the    I have to say this isn’t the master piece I was kind of expecting, BUT it is still a quite good game.
    Graphics are all right, which is fine considering the game wasn’t originally conceived in the next gen consoles. It is; however, very good and amazing on an artistic level, some locations are “wow”. The gameplay is also quite awesome in terms of mechanics. These are quite simple, but the game itself is not very forgiving so you have to be careful or you’ll die. The difficulty is just right for me, although I understand it might be a little bit too much for some people. I, personally think is just the right difficulty and it achieves a lot more than just making the game “hard”. I think the fact that you have to be careful because you can die in any moment makes you think about how you approach enemies, which is nice for a change, as in most games you can basically just dive in the middle of a mob move a sword around a bit and be fine. I also think it adds to the atmosphere of the game; you are in a cursed, gloomy land. Hell! you should feel a bit tense about walking around in a place like that and the difficulty level achieves that, it gives you that tiny bit of extra tension you need, it makes you feel this cursed land is actually threatening and that you shouldn’t be there. The design of both dungeons and bosses is superb, it does not feel linear at all nor too overwhelming, and it is quite clever how they make you go back or retrace some times. Bosses are kind of easy compared to the dungeons itself which is funny and unexpected, but they all give you a decent challenge.

    The main criticism I have for this game is that I feel, being the game infamous (or famous) for being hard, the developers have tried too hard to make everything hard. I don’t have a problem with the enemies being hard, as a matter of fact I like it, but some design decisions seem just annoying to me. An example of this is the fact that the game throws you in the middle of nowhere giving you absolutely no clue about how the skills and stats work. Some people say it is part of the “dark souls experience”, I just think it is annoying and does not contribute to anything good. I respect those who like that, but me, personally, I don’t want to spend hours trying to guess what giving points to a specific stat does, potentially realising after X hours of game that I’ve been giving points to the wrong stat (yes, you can reset them I know, but still…). Finally, I feel there is an awesome lore behind this game but again, the way it is given to the player, although smart it is not very well designed in my opinion. Basically, this lore is very very very scattered and normally is given in very small chunks of info. I don’t dislike the fact that it lets a bit of room for interpretation, for example just by looking at the environment in a significant room you can theorise about how something happened. However, I think the basic lore could be given to the player a bit more digested, e.g. finding a kind of long document explaining something and, maybe, make the document hard to find rather than splitting it into 20 pieces of which you may find only 13. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea to give the lore like that, I just feel it could be better managed to find some kind of middle ground; the way it is at the moment made me feel a terrible lack of context at some points which is a shame because the deps obviously made a fantastic work with this universe.

    Anyway, this is a really good game and it is excellent, but for it is not masterpiece because of some of the stuff I mention above. For those complaining/worried about the difficulty, I’d like to say that if you play it with a friend (being one of you a tank) the game will be like 1000 times easier, more even if you summon npcs (which you can do in almost all the bosses). This makes the game a lot more accessible to those who don’t want to die that much.    … Expand
  51. zamapa
    Jan 24, 2016
    5
    Even though I dislike comparing games to others, this felt like a step down from the first Dark Souls to me. This has solid level design, cool bosses and enemies but added extremely frustrating mechanics. In the beginning of the game they give you lifegems and very little estus flasks, so if you take a lot of damage while playing the game, you have to grind or give up souls which couldEven though I dislike comparing games to others, this felt like a step down from the first Dark Souls to me. This has solid level design, cool bosses and enemies but added extremely frustrating mechanics. In the beginning of the game they give you lifegems and very little estus flasks, so if you take a lot of damage while playing the game, you have to grind or give up souls which could have brought you a level to stock up on lifegems. Adding this finite resource made me feel bad whenever I healed, because I knew I would later have to grind to buy more. And I despise the permanent loss of health upon death. It's meant to be another incentive against dying, but making your players weaker lowers their confidence in their ability to do well in the game. You can undo the life loss with a human effigy, but they're hard to find so you don't want to use them immediately when you die. In the first Dark Souls if you died to a boss you would only have to walk back to them again, and this was a great incentive not to die. It didn't make the player weaker but punished them all the same. These unforgiving mechanics made me frustrated with the game and myself, and caused me to enjoy it less. I still think it's a solid game in it's other aspects (not textures), such as enemies, bosses, weapons. But the addition of these mechanics which punish players for death, something which the game is based on frustrates me beyond belief.… Expand
  52. starburns
    May 26, 2016
    9
    Although it may not look like dark souls, I assure you, it is. brutal difficulty, myriad of weapons and armor, and a strong cult following all still maintain in this sequal to the dark souls masterpiece. As far as how it handles and combat, it still keeps the same hack-n-slash play-style that its always had. The emphasis on blocking over dodging is still there, and a similar structure isAlthough it may not look like dark souls, I assure you, it is. brutal difficulty, myriad of weapons and armor, and a strong cult following all still maintain in this sequal to the dark souls masterpiece. As far as how it handles and combat, it still keeps the same hack-n-slash play-style that its always had. The emphasis on blocking over dodging is still there, and a similar structure is upheld. Dark souls takes place in a different world with different and unique enemies and npc's, and the world design is as fantastic as ever. One thing that limits the exploratory foundation of the game, and something that was increased in this game that was not so prevalent in the original is fast travel. Fast travel is allowed right out of the gates in dark souls 2, and also allows you to teleport to any and all bonfires that you have discovered. I feel that this somewhat lessens the difficulty and fragments the incredible world design. Speaking of difficulty, dark souls 2 has plenty of it, but one feature in particular seems to push the difficulty to a level that seems almost unfair instead of just plain hard. Every time you die, your overall health bar goes down. Meaning that every time you die, you have less health than you did the life before. This feature will continue to affect you until it has drained your health bar down to half. That's, admittedly too far. The only way to counter this is to use a human effigy, which is like a humanity in the original DS. The problem with that is that, until much later in the game, human effigies a frickin hard to come by. Nonetheless, The early game bosses are significantly easier than in the original dark souls, so you should be able to make out of the first area with relative ease.

    The final verdict of dark souls 2 for me is that it doesn't necessarily capture the look or feel of dark souls souls, but it does capture the essence. That means that everything you loved from the original, as far as mechanics is concerned, returns in DS2. That being said, new features are also added like teleporting and loss of health on death. Some new mechanics are debatably good and others are arguably too much. As far as PvP is concerned, it's still the same laggy mess that it was in DS, but that didn't effect my grade of the game because it's not something I've ever cared for.    … Expand
  53. mrpeanut332
    Mar 9, 2016
    8
    i would buy this game if you love a challenge and you love a good fun adventure i wouldn't say the graphics are great but they aren't terrible. If you buy this game yo will definitely get your moneys worth great game
  54. Mistwalker_94
    Mar 10, 2017
    10
    I Fukkin luv this game!!! Sure the first one is better but this remaster is awesome! It doesn't make the game look all that much better but it runs like silk it is so damn smooth! Bloodborne and dark Souls 3 wich I also love is not dat smooth.
  55. WiskeyJack
    Mar 18, 2017
    9
    This has to be one of my favorite games of all time. It was my first time playing the Dark Souls series as I hadn't tried the first game.

    I am not a fan of how the weapons wear down over time, but it is manageable.
  56. XV_
    Apr 24, 2018
    8
    A great game, doesn't have the heart and the soul of the first one but is not by any means a bad game. Although I think this one is kind of unfair with the lesser enemies (attack animation resets almost instantly) and also you need to grind a lot or at least more than the original.

    The included DLC has the the most difficult battles, that said, they seemed they were designed to be    A great game, doesn't have the heart and the soul of the first one but is not by any means a bad game. Although I think this one is kind of unfair with the lesser enemies (attack animation resets almost instantly) and also you need to grind a lot or at least more than the original.

    The included DLC has the the most difficult battles, that said, they seemed they were designed to be completed by a party, otherwise it will take a long long time (I was at lvl 170+ and my damage was a joke compared to theirs), its important if you want to solo this game.    … Expand
  57. Ampov
    Sep 4, 2020
    0
    If you are a dynamic gamer craving for fast-pace combat, this game will teach you how to play with style. It will slow your combat pace down, allowing you to enjoy gameplay and story to the fullest. The game has a unique tranquility when playing with headphones. Enjoy/Play the game with a steady pace and you will want more. I'm hunting the Platinum and then all go for DS3.
  58. Kaniya
    Apr 7, 2015
    9
    Easily one of the best remastered games for PS4/XboxObe. After going through BloodBorne for 45 hours playing Dark Souls II for the second time is just full of joy. I have to say it feels fresh, the textures and lightings are much better than PS3, enemy placement and some items placement have been changed, there are tweaks and improvements around every corner and all together they have madeEasily one of the best remastered games for PS4/XboxObe. After going through BloodBorne for 45 hours playing Dark Souls II for the second time is just full of joy. I have to say it feels fresh, the textures and lightings are much better than PS3, enemy placement and some items placement have been changed, there are tweaks and improvements around every corner and all together they have made Dark Souls II experience a fresh one. Aside of the brutal and fast nature of BB I have always liked the tactical battles in DS2 and its depth in RPG, there are tones of weapons and items to collects, tones of armors, magics and so on.
    Most importantly DS2 features Lost Crowns DLC, adding a good amount of gameplay ( around 15-20 hours max ) and as well as up2 6 player coop is another good addition to this package.
    With over 60 hours of gameplay, 40 boss to kill, additional story scope, new enemy placements, lots of other improvements i should say this is a must if you even played DS2 before.    … Expand
  59. CreepyB4by
    Jan 20, 2016
    3
    Having invested over 150 hours and having beaten the entire game and all 3 DLCs in NG+, I have to say that this game is pretty bad. The main issues come from the controls and the core mechanics. They're terrible. First off, the jump button shouldn't be default bound to the movement stick. That's stupid. There's isn't any button remapping in this game other than assigning jump to theHaving invested over 150 hours and having beaten the entire game and all 3 DLCs in NG+, I have to say that this game is pretty bad. The main issues come from the controls and the core mechanics. They're terrible. First off, the jump button shouldn't be default bound to the movement stick. That's stupid. There's isn't any button remapping in this game other than assigning jump to the circle button. That's also retarded.

    The target switching button shouldn't be bound to the camera stick. That's unfathomably stupid. There are problems with the hitboxes in this game, especially on bosses. You can get hit with a stomp for example, by most bosses even if it's clear that the boss's character model completely missed your character. There was no intersection at all, but still, the hit registered. Speaking of enemies, they mostly can kill you in 1-3 hits the entire game, they have unlimited stamina and they barely ever wobble and they can't have their swings blocked by things like walls, but the player can. That's unfair.

    Every jump is a horizontal jump, not a vertical one and it must end with a roll. I'm not even joking, unfortunately. There is no canceling animations. If you're on the ground and you hit the drink button, then see the boss running at you, there is nothing you can do, you must watch your character finish standing and then he will drink. That's insanely stupid. Dodge should always dodge immediately, regardless of what action it might interrupt.

    This is a Japanese game about medieval European fantasy. It looks like Skyrim meets Turbo Mecha Samurai. It's really stupid. The hollowing is a poor concept and this game has a backwards curve, which is bull crap no matter what game you play. Basically, these guys were so interested in making the game hard that they broke the mechanics and then centered the game around the poor combat. It's essentially a timing game where every enemy is stronger than you are. If your animation is too late, you're dead, if it's too early, you're dead. It reminds me of making a car racing game where you only drive on ice with flat tires. Sure, it's a bad game, but it's so HARD, so that makes it GOOD, right? WRONG. This game sucks    … Expand
  60. warlock7
    Apr 7, 2015
    9
    Love this game. Can't quite understand why people can't seem to tell if they're in the PC forum of the PS4 forum as it makes perfect sense complaining about the PC version and it's history rather than mentioning the PS4 version.
  61. SileSixEcho
    Aug 16, 2015
    10
    The best game from 2014 is even better now. There are still some locations that are not designed that well but the really beautiful places like heides tower of flame or majula make up for those few let downs. The gameplay is even more amazing in full hd with 60 fps and I like that they changed the enemy placement and added some challenge. Great atmosphere, rewarding gameplay and tons ofThe best game from 2014 is even better now. There are still some locations that are not designed that well but the really beautiful places like heides tower of flame or majula make up for those few let downs. The gameplay is even more amazing in full hd with 60 fps and I like that they changed the enemy placement and added some challenge. Great atmosphere, rewarding gameplay and tons of things to do. This is not a game for everyone, but everyone should try it out and give it a chance. Some will burn in anguish, some will praise the sun!… Expand
  62. xKindred
    Apr 9, 2015
    9
    Theres something for new and old players, definitely enough content to enjoy replaying this game through a few times again. I definitely recommend it.
  63. RhaZo
    May 28, 2015
    10
    Harder, better and stronger.
    This game is masterpiece and the remaster is the best Fromsoftware has to offer.
    Many hours of gameplay, online and offline, harder fights and a bigger and more complex game than the glorious Bloodborne.
  64. hoppypoppy1
    May 21, 2015
    10
    Dark Souls 2 is challenging, fun, and addictive. Boss fights are already a thrill as it is, but with the challenge that comes with DS2 bosses I'm always put at the edge of my seat! I have already played 50+ hours of this game and I'm not even close to being done with it yet. The combat is slow at first but as you advance, get better weapons and upgrades and level up, it begins to speed up.Dark Souls 2 is challenging, fun, and addictive. Boss fights are already a thrill as it is, but with the challenge that comes with DS2 bosses I'm always put at the edge of my seat! I have already played 50+ hours of this game and I'm not even close to being done with it yet. The combat is slow at first but as you advance, get better weapons and upgrades and level up, it begins to speed up. Would recommend this game to any one who loves a little bit of a challenge. PvP is fun, Having friends or randoms come and help you with boss fights is really fun as well. Great game 10/10.… Expand
  65. Zdzislaw32
    Jan 11, 2016
    4
    Even after the SOTFS update game is still broken and dull as F. Cheap locations (Iron Keep), boring story, clunky and unfun pve, and the graphic is just... pathetic. All that goes for this game is to make it as "hard" as possible (still most of the bosses are a joke, too easy compare to locations before the boss area) and when in DS1 that was a normal thing, now it feels like a cheapEven after the SOTFS update game is still broken and dull as F. Cheap locations (Iron Keep), boring story, clunky and unfun pve, and the graphic is just... pathetic. All that goes for this game is to make it as "hard" as possible (still most of the bosses are a joke, too easy compare to locations before the boss area) and when in DS1 that was a normal thing, now it feels like a cheap cash-grab strategy to get some money from kids, who treat this game as a new prank-challenge kinda thing (since the hardest game they ever had was Call of Duty on Medium... Try Ninja Gaiden or Megaman on NES casuals.) In the end: not a bad game, but man - im so bored after 3/4 of the game-play that i might just never end this "thing"...… Expand
  66. ripatti
    Apr 12, 2015
    5
    this cash grap annoys me and i already played ds2 on ps3 not buying this game fullprice again...
    cmon 40 buck for what. Slightly improved graphics and Slightly improved fps, it doesnt make the game better... Bought ds2 for full price 60bucks for ps3 now i have to pay 40 bucks more for remastered edition!!!?? and this is not even so remastered. this is BS.
  67. TagGamer1122
    Jul 5, 2015
    6
    Absolutely detest this game after playing bloodborne. They gimped the rolling so you need to play with a shield. They now placed enemies in a group so goodbye to soloing and say hello to being attacked from the back. Wanna play as just a dex character? Well too bad! They made it so you need to have some range and archery isn't good enough you'll need magic. The game is everything but fair.Absolutely detest this game after playing bloodborne. They gimped the rolling so you need to play with a shield. They now placed enemies in a group so goodbye to soloing and say hello to being attacked from the back. Wanna play as just a dex character? Well too bad! They made it so you need to have some range and archery isn't good enough you'll need magic. The game is everything but fair. The way they placed enemies makes this game incredibly unbalanced. Oh, you also can't just run to the next area cause they'll follow you and they're fast so you need to fight them. Absolutely detest this game. Not worth your money or your time. Fortunately, I can sell it and only end up losing a minimal amount. if you want a truly fair and faster game, then play bloodborne.… Expand
  68. seburo
    Jan 13, 2016
    10
    I just write to compensate for the f*ckheads that punctuate with 0s games that haven't even played. Regarding the game, I've just played for 20 hours but I'm already in love. Awesome exploration, great designs and fun combat. It's also true that characters are shallow and the cutscenes awkward but it's really a great RPG. Truly unique and gorgeous! :)
  69. Myrkur
    Apr 18, 2016
    8
    Dark souls 2 took me a long time of thinking to decide if I should buy it or not. As a huge fan of DS1 and after that, an avid Bloodborne player, I chose to give a chance to From Software and get this game. I've never felt so mixed about a game. I had to play it for over 10 hours to start liking it, so, I almost hated it before I could really enjoy. The combat mechanics are clumsy and theDark souls 2 took me a long time of thinking to decide if I should buy it or not. As a huge fan of DS1 and after that, an avid Bloodborne player, I chose to give a chance to From Software and get this game. I've never felt so mixed about a game. I had to play it for over 10 hours to start liking it, so, I almost hated it before I could really enjoy. The combat mechanics are clumsy and the detection is the worst part of it. Sometimes you just wanna throw the game away, but then, the reward... God this game feels so good when you you are able to forgive about the poor developed mechanics. The history is immersive, as every game of the series. You get addicted to the early hated mechanics and you start to enjoy the game. I regret nothing.… Expand
  70. DrakeGarrison
    Aug 26, 2015
    9
    Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin includes the 3 previously released DLC packs - Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the ivory King - along with additional features. All versions of the game include the following features (Existing Dark Souls II owners will receive a patch to implement these elements): Additional NPCs added for an enhanced storyDark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin includes the 3 previously released DLC packs - Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the ivory King - along with additional features. All versions of the game include the following features (Existing Dark Souls II owners will receive a patch to implement these elements): Additional NPCs added for an enhanced story experience. Parameter adjustments for improved game balance. Augmented item descriptions. Improved online matchmaking functionality. [Bandai Namco]… Expand
  71. Freaxuk
    Jan 2, 2016
    10
    Why people saying this game is bad or not Bloodborne , ofc its not same game different play style, first off all this game is for people who like challenge and specific type of gameplay , for years i was avoiding dark souls series , but after i try Dark souls 1 , i just LOVE IT :) Dark souls 2 its amazing especial Scholar of the first sin , more enemys , more challenging and DLC all inWhy people saying this game is bad or not Bloodborne , ofc its not same game different play style, first off all this game is for people who like challenge and specific type of gameplay , for years i was avoiding dark souls series , but after i try Dark souls 1 , i just LOVE IT :) Dark souls 2 its amazing especial Scholar of the first sin , more enemys , more challenging and DLC all in one box :) Try and then LOVE it or LEAVE it :)
    if people say this game is not fair then remember one thing "its DARK SOULS" whole beauty of this game coz its not fair :D    … Expand
  72. jtassassins
    Apr 4, 2016
    10
    Played Bloodborne, beat it several times, Thought i'd try DS2 before i moved on to Darksouls 3, I Havnt beat it yet but so far, I am not disappointed to say the least, 30+ hours into it so far. Amazing game overall, can't wait for DS3! :D
  73. BloodyRandy
    Apr 7, 2015
    10
    If you were dissapointed in Bloodborne, hopefully this will help you put your faith back into From Software. This game isn't Mayazaki but perhaps that's a good thing since he hasn't done anything that great since Dark Souls. This is easily the most assessable of all From Software's titles and a good start. It has all of the armor sets and weapons from the first game plus a slew of newIf you were dissapointed in Bloodborne, hopefully this will help you put your faith back into From Software. This game isn't Mayazaki but perhaps that's a good thing since he hasn't done anything that great since Dark Souls. This is easily the most assessable of all From Software's titles and a good start. It has all of the armor sets and weapons from the first game plus a slew of new ones, beautiful designs and bosses. Overall this is basically a love letter to Dark Souls fans that's above average and could be arguably the most fun of all souls games.… Expand
  74. jint3i
    Sep 12, 2015
    3
    I haven't been this disappointed in a sequel since picking up Soulcalibur 4. Dark Souls 2 isn't a legitimate successor to Dark Souls. I don't know what the press and other users played, but what I played was a clumsy, mildly interesting excuse for a From Software game. The enemies are uninspired and poorly scripted often relying on numbers to overwhelm the player rather than posing aI haven't been this disappointed in a sequel since picking up Soulcalibur 4. Dark Souls 2 isn't a legitimate successor to Dark Souls. I don't know what the press and other users played, but what I played was a clumsy, mildly interesting excuse for a From Software game. The enemies are uninspired and poorly scripted often relying on numbers to overwhelm the player rather than posing a legitimate challenge. Level design ranges from too heavily saturated with color to drab. There's really no excuse for the state of this entry in the series. Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne each made successive progress. This isn't even a step backwards. It's on a completely different scale from the other games (and that's not a compliment)… Expand
  75. Markolius
    Jul 16, 2015
    9
    This game was quite the experience. Bloodborne was my entry into the From Software games and I immediately loved it. SotFS is a similar game in terms of genre and overall mechanics, but it's slower in terms of combat and progression and it's much more customizable in terms of inventory and loadouts. Like Bloodborne, I platinumed this game too. There's just something so addictive about theThis game was quite the experience. Bloodborne was my entry into the From Software games and I immediately loved it. SotFS is a similar game in terms of genre and overall mechanics, but it's slower in terms of combat and progression and it's much more customizable in terms of inventory and loadouts. Like Bloodborne, I platinumed this game too. There's just something so addictive about the combat and gameplay of these games. So frustrating and so satisfying. I learned a lot about how to be a better gamer in general and overall enjoyed the adventure. I hope for a Demon Souls or DS1 port to PS4 someday and I'm really looking forward to DS3. These FromSoft games are really a genre unto themselves. They play so smoothly. The adventures are terrifying, beautiful, and challenging. It's going to be weird not playing them for a good while, as everything else just pales in comparison. Playing the dungeons in Zelda A Link to the Past or Secret of Mana as a kid - these Souls games are what we imagined the future of gaming to be like. They really are a fine evolution.… Expand
  76. Birdie
    Jul 24, 2015
    10
    I spent around 400 hours with Dark Souls 2 PvP on the PS3.
    I bought this for the better frame rate and sharper graphics and 1080p HD, just to recreate my favourite character and continue doing PvP.
    I was surprised by a lot of changes. New areas for example and some rearranged or expanded ones. Some new loot. Enemies are exchanged for new ones and some tougher ones can be found    I spent around 400 hours with Dark Souls 2 PvP on the PS3.
    I bought this for the better frame rate and sharper graphics and 1080p HD, just to recreate my favourite character and continue doing PvP.

    I was surprised by a lot of changes.
    New areas for example and some rearranged or expanded ones.
    Some new loot.
    Enemies are exchanged for new ones and some tougher ones can be found earlier.

    But the best thing with this version is that the time it takes to load between places is drastically faster.
    It used to take 30 seconds to enter a PvP fight on the PS3 for example, now I can count to 8.
    It's the same with travelling between bonfires.

    PvP is as fun as ever and fight clubs is even more awesome now when you can be like 7-8 people at the same time. Less waiting time.

    The only things I can complain about so far is that they put like 20 dragon bros that attack you at the same time in the Dragon Shrine. It's possible to just run through but if you don't want to run it's quite hard.
    Secondly, they have removed a third of the enemies that have a rare drop of my favourite weapon. So I haven't been able to get it yet. Oh well. :)    … Expand
  77. anonymity
    Nov 13, 2015
    9
    It ain't Dark souls 1 but dang is it good.........................................................................................................................
  78. Juras
    Mar 14, 2017
    8
    Good game but worst souls. Few things was nice like hex magic or visualization of breaking equipments. Others no, design was mostly boring, only few selected areas like Shrine of Amana has atmosphere, Too westernish in my opinion.
  79. Joker92
    Jan 15, 2016
    10
    I was late to the party, so I only have this on PS4. That needs to be said, because the poor reviews mostly came from people that had it on the previous gen, and then ignorantly got it on the new gen too expecting a vastly different product. Myself, having experienced the PS4 version for what it is and not having that saltiness can honestly say this game is fantastic. Played Demon and DarkI was late to the party, so I only have this on PS4. That needs to be said, because the poor reviews mostly came from people that had it on the previous gen, and then ignorantly got it on the new gen too expecting a vastly different product. Myself, having experienced the PS4 version for what it is and not having that saltiness can honestly say this game is fantastic. Played Demon and Dark Souls, and can say without a doubt that the series is doing good at improving in each instalment. The graphics comments do confuse me, and lead me to believe that those people probably do not have a 1080p display. The jump in fps from the other instalments is good stuff too, especially in pvp.… Expand
  80. mestriner1
    Jan 29, 2016
    10
    Um dos melhores jogos ja feitos até hoje, sem dúvida nenhuma. Estou no NG+ e apesar de toda dificuldade como todos dark souls voce não tem vontade de parar de jogar. Um jogo completo, onde vai encontrar ação, aventura, estratégia, terror e aquela dificuldade que faz voce voltar e querer jogar tudo de novo aprendendo com cada morte! Sensacional, que venha logo o Dark souls 3!
  81. trevor1981
    Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Incredible breathtaking game you’ll become addicted to. I can’t express how much I loved it. You have to see it to believe. It’s a shame they are not restoring the first Dark Souls for PS4, hopefully someday. I’d love to play it. Souls games are now among my top favorites. This game is huge, and I mean really huge, with plenty of places to explore, plenty of bosses to fight andIncredible breathtaking game you’ll become addicted to. I can’t express how much I loved it. You have to see it to believe. It’s a shame they are not restoring the first Dark Souls for PS4, hopefully someday. I’d love to play it. Souls games are now among my top favorites. This game is huge, and I mean really huge, with plenty of places to explore, plenty of bosses to fight and breathtaking design you will just want to stop and admire.
    Very challenging and will certainly affect your expectations from games you are to further play.
    The phenomenal Bloodborne was my first experience in souls’ games, and after finishing its’ Old Hunters DLC I realized I must get Dark Souls 2. Even with minor graphics flaws which could be improved, this game is still a masterpiece and one of the best games ever created.
    Good luck with your journey!    … Expand
  82. P100
    Aug 1, 2016
    6
    I have played all the soul series games including demon souls and Bloodborne. Dark souls 2 is by far the worst off the series (in my opinion). It lacks a cirtain atmosfeer and i don't like most of the worlds enviorment. Some of the enviorments i found to be misplaced. Also the magnetic enemys feel out of place for most parts. The bosses i found te be less memorable then in the otherI have played all the soul series games including demon souls and Bloodborne. Dark souls 2 is by far the worst off the series (in my opinion). It lacks a cirtain atmosfeer and i don't like most of the worlds enviorment. Some of the enviorments i found to be misplaced. Also the magnetic enemys feel out of place for most parts. The bosses i found te be less memorable then in the other games. The combat have been improved (it's quicker/faster) same goes for the dodggeing system. Also some.items/machenics (like branch of yore) i found to be most irritating and pointless. I personaly had more fun with all other from software games.… Expand
  83. Przemun1304
    Feb 15, 2019
    10
    This is the best part of Dark Souls for me. Game is so huge with all dlc. Have never being bored even 1 second.
    Strongly recommend to people who like chalanges !
  84. RoninNinjaXL
    Sep 18, 2020
    6
    THIS AIN'T A DARK SOULS GAME

    Story: 6
    Gameplay: 5
    ost: 8
    Characters: 8
  85. SimpKilla
    Mar 23, 2021
    0
    The controls are freakin disgusting, so clunky, deadzone in the left stick on controllers. Graphics are horrible too. Worst souls game
  86. Zimbardo
    Jul 22, 2015
    0
    I bought and loved Dark Souls 2 when it first came out for PS3. After beating and loving Bloodborne I decided to get Scholar of the First Sin to continue feeding my souls cravings.

    That was a complete mistake. 1) The graphics are improved but still butt ugly. Despite releasing DS2 on a more powerful console From decided to withhold the graphic quality they were advertising in the    I bought and loved Dark Souls 2 when it first came out for PS3. After beating and loving Bloodborne I decided to get Scholar of the First Sin to continue feeding my souls cravings.

    That was a complete mistake.

    1) The graphics are improved but still butt ugly. Despite releasing DS2 on a more powerful console From decided to withhold the graphic quality they were advertising in the original PS3 trailers.
    2) The controls are sloppy and the game-play is dated. Bloodborne moved the bar. Fanboys will say that DS gameplay is "tactical"... that just means they like to strafe-block-punish.
    3) The new enemy placement is just stupid. Dark Souls 1 is challenging in a good way... most of the time. The Anor Londo archers were challenging in a bad frustrating way. Dark Souls 2 vanilla was the right amount of good challenge. Scholar of the First Sin is a lot more Anor Londo archer nonsense.
    4) The creation of a different DS2 client splits the player baser even further, hampering online play.

    5) DIRTY BUSINESS PRACTICES. Fromsoft initially announced they they weren't going to release DLCs from DS2. They released a game with lose ends and then sold 3 DLCs to tie them up. Then after you bought the game and the 3 DLCs they sell the completed version of the game not as a patch or DLC BUT AS AN ENTIRELY OTHER GAME 1 YEAR AFTER THE INITIAL RELEASE.

    You're Dirty From. You're so dirty. You took a near perfect PS3 game and made a steaming turd for PS4.    … Expand
  87. 670Gamer
    Apr 19, 2015
    4
    Played this for only 3 hours and returned it the next day. I agree with the low scores. RENT FIRST, trust me. I do want to mention that as you progress in the beginning part, there is an area that has giant armoured knights-ridiculously hard to beat especially when they throw something hard at you that early without giving you a chance to upgrade or find better weapons and armor. Fail.
  88. Bloodburner
    Apr 15, 2015
    1
    Dark souls 2 was the worst money I ever spent on a ps4 game and here's why. I will start by saying that I played bloodborne first, absolutely loved it, even got the platinum trophy. I never played any of the souls games before bloodborne So I decided I want more from from software so I checked some screenshots online and though well dark souls 2 doesn't look very cool. But people told meDark souls 2 was the worst money I ever spent on a ps4 game and here's why. I will start by saying that I played bloodborne first, absolutely loved it, even got the platinum trophy. I never played any of the souls games before bloodborne So I decided I want more from from software so I checked some screenshots online and though well dark souls 2 doesn't look very cool. But people told me that it's an incredible game.. Well I bought it. The game turned out to be ugly, very poorly designed, the exploration is unrewarding. The atmosphere is basically absent and the sound design is poor. The world is boring and ugly. The npcs are dull and poorly voiced. The enemies' design is not cool. The 2 bosses that I've seen were both very poorly designed and were laughable not scary or cool. After bloodborne I was also very disappointed with the combat system with totally overpowered magic spells and the absolute must to use shields. The combat is also clumsy, slow, the animations are outdated. After trying to enjoy this game for 10 hours I sold my copy and very happy that I could get the part of money back. I was curious if I actually will only like bloodborne so I gave the old "demon's souls" for PS3 a try and so far I like it a lot, much much more then the supposedly newer and better dark souls 2 on ps4.… Expand
  89. tdebug
    Apr 12, 2015
    0
    Little this game can offer to those who already played Dark Souls 2 on PS3. I own DS2 and season pass for PS3 and generally fan of the series. That is why I especially hate to see they decided to sell the same game for the same price even for season pass owners.
    Could be a great game for those who playing it for the 1st time on PS4, but zero score for zero respect for existing subscribers.
  90. SlyguyTheCritic
    Sep 17, 2015
    4
    An utterly disappointing, featureless remake of a game which disappointed so many die-hard Souls fans, myself included were severely disappointed by, for reasons ranging from uncreative bosses to sloppy design, lore and technical issues. Note, though, that even if you did like Dark Souls 2 for some of its more robust weapons, or the extra variety in character creation, (and there's nothingAn utterly disappointing, featureless remake of a game which disappointed so many die-hard Souls fans, myself included were severely disappointed by, for reasons ranging from uncreative bosses to sloppy design, lore and technical issues. Note, though, that even if you did like Dark Souls 2 for some of its more robust weapons, or the extra variety in character creation, (and there's nothing wrong with that! you are entitled to your own opinion), Scholar of the First Sin just feels wrong. Firstly, if you're a new player, the level design is even more idiotic and unfair than vanilla Dark Souls 2; with such ingenious design decisions as placing a boss as a regular enemy, in knee-deep water which restricts movement, at a point where many players may not have even encountered said boss in the shallow water that makes him an easy fight yet! Scholar of the First Sin's enemy placement also, may I add, breaks the immersion of the game even further! Desert Sorceresses, Nightmares, Gargoyles and Old Heide Knights in a Castle which NONE of them should be in.

    If there's anything that Scholar of the First Sin proves to me, it's that fanbases will gladly accept **** be it **** level design, or **** business practices, like repeating the EXACT SAME ENEMY in several locations, with no changes in moveset or weapon, or rereleasing your game with a free season pass and bloom lighting for FULL PRICE, solely because it's part of their beloved franchise.

    Well, while Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is a game made by a sweetheart developer, in a sweetheart franchise, it's a game that makes no attempt to cover the flaws of the previous title; other than a hastily added, poorly thought-out NPC and ending, and a game that by all means, shouldn't exist.    … Expand
  91. me5ut
    Sep 15, 2015
    8
    I have not played Dark souls 1, and played dark souls 2 on PS4 after reading reviews on other games that everybody compare RPG games with souls series, and decided to buy the game.

    At the beginning I was so disappointed with the graphs on PS4 as it looks so bad the environment quality etc. Although the game play is solid, difficult, makes you addicted and too many different places,    I have not played Dark souls 1, and played dark souls 2 on PS4 after reading reviews on other games that everybody compare RPG games with souls series, and decided to buy the game.

    At the beginning I was so disappointed with the graphs on PS4 as it looks so bad the environment quality etc. Although the game play is solid, difficult, makes you addicted and too many different places, monsters,bosses. I definitely recommend if you like games like bloodborne, or lords of fallen and if you have not experienced this game yet. I think dark souls 3 with new generation graphichs will be the best game ever. I score 10/8    … Expand
  92. Wrede
    Apr 27, 2015
    10
    I love Dark Souls/Demon Souls/Bloodborne so I loved this.
    Rearrange Dark Souls 2:s enemies. Block/change some paths. Add some npc:s and enemies. Add All 3 DLC expansions woven in to the main game and you get "Scholar of the first sin".
    All together a new expirience for a Dark souls veteran.

    Praise the sun bros and damsels!
  93. tempestuousfork
    May 25, 2015
    9
    It's good. Don't buy this game thinking that it will be like Bloodborne, because it won't be and it isn't. In reflection, it's imperfect, but is still worth it.
  94. Conscious_Gamer
    Jul 18, 2015
    10
    So coming straight from Bloodborne (as many of the reviewers are) I personally think that Scholar of the First Sin is a step up from the former. While bloodborne had beautiful architecture and a wonderful gothic feel to it, there were so many aspects I was let down by. For example, even though I played it only two months after release, summoning took forever and so did trying to invade.So coming straight from Bloodborne (as many of the reviewers are) I personally think that Scholar of the First Sin is a step up from the former. While bloodborne had beautiful architecture and a wonderful gothic feel to it, there were so many aspects I was let down by. For example, even though I played it only two months after release, summoning took forever and so did trying to invade. DkS2 on the other hand, is the exact opposite. You can literally be summoned for jolly cooperation (which is fantastic) literally moments after placing your summon sign down, and filling up your party size is very quick, allowing for unbroken gameplay and smooth transitions.

    As a returning fan of the original dark souls, I was at first a little let down by the graphics (as I expected an astonishing improvementl, as it seems like a lot of people are complaining about. However, about an hour after playing the game I realized that they did it on purpose, that it is a fantasy game after all and looks like one. Other improvements made are the differences. Being a fairly experienced FromSoftware player (as I have played through dks1 4 different times), it was pretty rarely that I died. However, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin takes your trained mind and flips it on you. Things that you rely on totally vanish or are made unviable. You go in not quite as fresh as a new player, but almost worst, with bad habits. Like joining a street gang after years of working for the police.

    For example, you only have 1 estus flask to begin with and it heals your hp over time, not instantly. The lifegems, while non regenerating, seem to be placed in perfect moderation to keep me wary to overusing them, yet just enough that I can keep playing the game smoothly (unlike Bloodborne, where you pretty much had to go back to Yharnam just to stock up on bloodvials every fourty five minutes, which really breaks your flow). I have yet to obtain a 100% block shield, as I am only about four hours in (and have made considerable progress), which prevents be from just blocking every little attack, and forces me to use a mixture of blocking and rolling.Backstabs and ripostes aren't instant (especially noticable when pvp'ing) And finally (I'm sure I've missed some) the lack of invincibility frames forced me to revaluate my entire strategy. I used to parry, instant riposte, then roll out of there, or wait for the heavy swing to backwards roll through the attack for an instant backstab. Well, my days of quick rolling through mobs are over, as now I have to think of a completely different strategy or my health will quickly dwindle and falter.

    Lastly, a lot of people are banging on it because they are used to Bloodborne and its system or the enemy placement is too unfair and hard and oooh i can't even run through an area because the enemies are too fast and the graphics look unrefined. Well I say grow a pair. FromSoftware is a company dedicated to making games that are different and unique. They are not satisfied with simply reusing old formulas *cough EA & Ubisoft and try different things. I for one loved the graphics, they were like nothing I'd seen in an AAA game in a long time, and they looked fantastic and fit the mood of a fantasy game like a glove. The lack of direction and having figuring out stuff by yourself is just another step away from the handholding that games nowadays are so fond of, and it makes it an incredibly unique and enjoyable game. Stopping being wussies about it and grow up.

    10/10, only by the game if your into a challenge that will test your skills and improve your outlook as a gamer.

    Praise the Sun! ^_^    … Expand
  95. Strelok_VSOP
    Mar 21, 2017
    9
    Крутая игра, провел в ней не одну сотню часов. Много боссов, правда самые крутые только в DLC.
    Хорошая и крепкая атмосфера, неплохой ЛОР. Рекомендую!
  96. SonyBroWhirrrr
    Nov 15, 2019
    1
    What happens when you take a beloved game, but take away the creative mastermind genius Miyazaki and instead let a **** B-team develop the sequel? You get Dark Souls II. This game was so bad, that they actually re-released it a year later, claiming to have fixed many issues. Except that they didn't fix anything and only made it worse. Ivory King is epic tho, so a bonus point for that.
  97. epistm87
    Nov 11, 2015
    0
    The graphics are improved but still butt ugly The new enemy placement is just stupid. terribly generic hack-n-slash very, very poor cash grab that adds very little to the game
  98. zerox505
    Apr 8, 2015
    5
    you still want to play this pile of crap? Even as a remaster dark souls 2 still lacks the quality and environments reminiscent in the original dark souls. Taking so many steps backwards, this game is not as a great as many souls fans think it is. This is nothing but a poor man's bloodborne.
  99. LuckyShot
    Oct 31, 2015
    0
    After promises of an epic role-playing game, and excellent combat, i gave DS2 a try. My first foray into DS games, and apparently a bad way to start,

    This is such a terribly generic hack-n-slash. Looks bad, plays even worse, the controls are so clumsy and unresponsive, I took the game out after 10 minutes. Some might say that isn't long enough, but with graphics, environments and    After promises of an epic role-playing game, and excellent combat, i gave DS2 a try. My first foray into DS games, and apparently a bad way to start,

    This is such a terribly generic hack-n-slash. Looks bad, plays even worse, the controls are so clumsy and unresponsive, I took the game out after 10 minutes. Some might say that isn't long enough, but with graphics, environments and controls in the first 10 minutes being so clumsy and uninspired, when the first 10 minutes should grip a player, this could hold nothing more for me.

    Avoid at all costs.    … Expand
  100. Turbodowg
    Jul 24, 2016
    9
    I originally rated this game a 3 because it was broken and after playing BB it felt like a step back. They have since fixed the 'weapon brake' issue/bug and I decided to buy it again in a PSN sale. And finally I have got to enjoy the game it was supposed to be played and it is fantastic. Not my favorite in the Souls/BB series but still highly enjoyable, addictive and challenging.

    I'm    I originally rated this game a 3 because it was broken and after playing BB it felt like a step back. They have since fixed the 'weapon brake' issue/bug and I decided to buy it again in a PSN sale. And finally I have got to enjoy the game it was supposed to be played and it is fantastic. Not my favorite in the Souls/BB series but still highly enjoyable, addictive and challenging.

    I'm really glad they patched the game and I can now enjoy it properly. I'm having a lot of fun with the game. Some great locations, beasts and bosses. Another success in the DS series.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best PS4 Game of 2015
24
#24 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
36
#36 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Gaming Nexus
    Jun 23, 2015
    90
    Whether you're new to Dark Souls II or played it on older consoles, Scholar of the First Sin is worth revisiting. This PlayStation 4 collection features the original game, along with the three expansion packs.
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  2. The Digital Fix
    Jun 5, 2015
    90
    Going backwards from Bloodborne feels almost archaic, and it takes some time to settle into that once familiar gameplay. However Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin offers the chance to revisit that still fantastic and familiar world with a slight twist to proceedings and a respectable face lift.
    Read full review
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jun 2, 2015
    100
    The changes have made this edition slightly more difficult, but the core of the game remains true to the superb game design of the original.
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