I fully completed Dark Souls 2 and SotFS. They're both very bad. They do have redeeming qualities, and a ton of interesting ideas (that are unfortunately implemented horribly). I'm happy some people enjoy DS2 and have a version of Souls-style gameplay they enjoy, but I'd never recommend it to someone unless I knew they were specifically looking to be punished for 30+ hours, or I heard them complaining that DS1 was too easy or too short.
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KalnaurI See Rain . . .Centralia, WARegistered Userregular
edited September 2020
I spent 140 hours in the original Dark Souls, and almost the exact same amount of time in Dark Souls 2, so I'm not sure about that time thing, though the time on DS was inflated by grinding for materials that I didn't need to really grind for much in DS2. I also appreciated the extensive amount of healing I could carry around in DS2, as well as the solid helper NPCs for boss fights.
Now, it may also be important to know that before I started either of the first two Souls games, I combed wikis to create the ideal character for what I wanted, and adjusted as I went, I looked up maps, I planned ahead, I completed as many NPC quests as I possibly could, and I was always offline. So any big huge surprises or the stat tax of that one thing you need enough of to roll well or anything like that was trivial. I was also having a hell of a time before I got the ring in the place with the seas and the towers and the big knights, which I went to ASAP once I realized just how important the ring was. DS2 isn't perfect, but I'd often chew down the respawning enemies if I felt the need in areas that were being obstinate. I dunno, the first few hours I was really pissed at DS2, but there was a rhythm that once I hit it the entire game felt right, and it was before the second boss.
Basically, I guess what I'm saying is I more or less disagree with you on mostly every point? Like, I think that's why it takes actually playing these games to determine if they're a game you want to play.
Kalnaur on
I make art things! deviantART:Kalnaur ::: Origin: Kalnaur ::: UPlay: Kalnaur
The main upside of jumping straight to Dark Souls 3 is that you won't have the high standards coming off of DS2 Scholar and so you'll be less disappointed.
E: I can't help turning into a snarky goose whenever DS3 comes up, I dunno why.
It's not a bad game. I played the shit out of it. I played more of it the year it came out than my GOTY that year. But it's also my least favorite Dark Souls game and it made me glad it was the final one.
The Adaptability stat was dumb. I think Soul Memory was kind of bad, because it feels like it penalized people for losing souls. I feel like Scholar made one early area needlessly harder with enemy placements. But overall it's a solid entry in the series. Oh, and the DLC just hates mages of all flavors. It feels like everything there has gratuitous resists to spells. Ah, and finally it has WAY too many bosses that are literally just "big guy in armor". ...uh, one boss keeps fucking showing up and it has awkward hitboxes so it's just not fun.
I do give it points for how quickly the paths start branching out though. On the other hand... it then just becomes super linear in the back half, it's basically the reverse of the first game there... (I'm not counting the shenanigans the master key and knowledge of areas let you get up to though at the start of 1).
But III is easily the most linear of the series, which is a strike against it - it doesn't ever really branch out much? You basically have to do the first couple areas in order, barring a specific sequence break (that requires fight a much, much later boss right away). It's otherwise all single zone offshoots here and there along the path, almost all of which are mandatory.
I really don't get why some people have it out for Dark Souls 2 so hard. Yeah, there are some aspects in which it's weaker than the other games. But it also has a ridiculous amount of weapon and build variety. In a lot of ways I think my second run of Dark Souls 2 with a quality build might have actually been the most fun I've had in the series.
I really don't get why some people have it out for Dark Souls 2 so hard. Yeah, there are some aspects in which it's weaker than the other games. But it also has a ridiculous amount of weapon and build variety. In a lot of ways I think my second run of Dark Souls 2 with a quality build might have actually been the most fun I've had in the series.
It does. It even has the very silly whip sword... I mean, I could go nitpick some of the first game's weak spots (fast travel, immediate NG+, everyone's a pyromancer, the sort of short/rough back half...)
It does have a ton of weapons, and that helpful durability bug to help convince you to carry and swap between multiple. And they also handle incredibly poorly thanks to the whole free aiming thing. I don't PVP, so that's useless and inconveniencing. I can't remember if that made it to DS3, or if that's the one with an option to turn it off. Or maybe Scholar added that option?
It also has a ton of wildly different areas. That mostly look ugly. And are packed to the brim with enemies, poison, corrosive fog, traps, etc. And I guess by 'extensive healing' you mean bringing back Demon's Souls consumables and basically removing Estus for half the game.
DS2 is one team taking the big budget from DS1 succeeding to make a completely unrelated game while the main team was busy with Bloodborne, then someone in charge finally realized what they'd done and everyone had to spend the last 1/3 of development time working hard to make it somewhat passable as a Dark Souls. While also doubling down on the whole 'Dark Souls difficulty' craze the first game had kicked off. It's different just to be different, and hard just to be hard.
I'd actually be more interested and give it a fairer shake if it had just been an entirely new IP. It's way better than Lords of Shadow, for instance. I'd probably put it in the same catagory as Nioh then, games I'll believe are good but are just incredibly not for me. Like I wouldn't have put 60+ hours into Nioh, because it's not a Dark Souls. But I gave DS2 more than enough leeway.
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
edited September 2020
I couldn't really care less about a ton of build or weapon variety versus having an interesting world on the scale of the first Dark Souls. DS2 was like three steps back in world design; not only were the environments less intermeshed, they were also smaller and often heavily constrained your movement or combat. DS2 felt like a bunch of game stages, not one big world. It also some truly atrociously poor spots of bad design that made me want to quit the game in a way the other DS games never did, and it never once hit me with a vista where I went "holy shit, this is pretty amazing". It did, however, have multiple areas that left aggravated at the new tedious unfun bullshit.
Overall, you could've just completely renamed Dark Souls 2 to some random separate game and I would have only gone "yeah, this has some Dark Souls similarities but should be it's own thing". It just doesn't even feel like a Dark Souls game to me.
Ninja Snarl P on
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MorninglordI'm tired of being Batman,so today I'll be Owl.Registered Userregular
1 is very good. 2 is very good. 3 is very good. Bloodborne is amazing. Sekiro is sex.
That's me basically.
(PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
+3
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Mojo_JojoWe are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered Userregular
All Dark Soulses are beautiful!
The reason to skip straight from DS1 to 3 is that the plots are more connected and there's a chance it'll make a tiny bit more sense. A small chance.
Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
All the souls game are great. Personally I would do DS1 then DS3. DS2 works as a neat spinoff or closure depending on how you see it. It's a lot of game too, I think it might be the longest out of the series.
I feel like any attempt to get cute with orders ends up coming from a place of over-familiarity with those games.
fake edit: Though watching Woolie from SBFP/CSB/WoolieVs play the games in nearly the most fucked up order possible, understanding references in reverse order and whatnot, and still enjoy it proves it doesn't really matter if you're into them.
DS2->Bloodborne->DeS->DS3->DS1
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ShimshaiFlush with Success!Isle of EmeraldRegistered Userregular
Is there any legit place to buy Demon's Souls on a modern system now?
Is there any legit place to buy Demon's Souls on a modern system now?
Not AFAIK.
Best way to play it currently is emulated on any okay computer with the 60fps patch applied. If you've tried in the past and it didn't work well, even on the same PC, try again, it's way way way more efficient now. No multiplayer, but there's no multiplayer on PS3 either, unless you use unofficial servers.
Is there any legit place to buy Demon's Souls on a modern system now?
Not AFAIK.
Best way to play it currently is emulated on any okay computer with the 60fps patch applied. If you've tried in the past and it didn't work well, even on the same PC, try again, it's way way way more efficient now. No multiplayer, but there's no multiplayer on PS3 either, unless you use unofficial servers.
A remake's coming to PS5, though.
Remake is also coming to PC, I believe.
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jungleroomxIt's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovelsRegistered Userregular
For me, it goes Demon's > BB > 1 > ?Sekiro?> 2 > 3
I don't like how 3 apes BB with every dang boss having a second form.
But
that's the best part of those games?
If only they also had the completely ludicrous number of bosses DS2 has.
edit: Also, the biggest downside of Demon's is that it only has, like, two bosses that aren't gimmick bosses. They're alright, but still.
Yeah I love the boss evolution, because you have to try and figure it out, then you get to the midpoint and the script gets flipped and you have to figure the second part out as well. Bossing having 2 or more forms is something I enjoy, whether it's From games or something like Monster Hunter when they start to rage.
Ended up grabbing DS2 and DS3 cheap from a humble sale. I’m going to give DS2 a shot, and keep in mind that I may enjoy 3 even if I don’t like 2.
I played a few minutes, made my person a warrior. Fought some very tough pigs, which was funny. Compared to 1 there are way more bloodstains and messages. Also seem to be more traps, or at least the fall damage must be higher because I jumped to get something and died unexpectedly. Only have 1 estus, which seems like it will be hard.
Any tips for going from DS1 to 2? Are the healing items plentiful, or for emergencies only? I’ve also heard people can invade even when I’m hollow?
Huh, I thought it was with the initial announcement video but now I can't find it. I guess I imagined it? Everything I'm finding now says PS5 exclusive.
Ended up grabbing DS2 and DS3 cheap from a humble sale. I’m going to give DS2 a shot, and keep in mind that I may enjoy 3 even if I don’t like 2.
I played a few minutes, made my person a warrior. Fought some very tough pigs, which was funny. Compared to 1 there are way more bloodstains and messages. Also seem to be more traps, or at least the fall damage must be higher because I jumped to get something and died unexpectedly. Only have 1 estus, which seems like it will be hard.
Any tips for going from DS1 to 2? Are the healing items plentiful, or for emergencies only? I’ve also heard people can invade even when I’m hollow?
You'll find estus flask shards to upgrade your number of flasks and other things to increase the power of flasks as you explore.
There is in fact one shard hidden in Majula available at the start.
Healing is tough in the beginning but Lifegems become your best friend--once they're affordable enough which will happen.
They're consumable heal over time, not something to use in a pinch but to top you off between fights.
Yes, people can invade even when you're not human. The closer you are to full health the higher your chance to be invaded. But seeing as cracked red eye orbs are limited in NG, it is more likely to be invaded by the many NPC invaders, especially when at full health (the Forlorn). That is unless a hacker spawned themselves infinite cracked red eye orbs.
Ended up grabbing DS2 and DS3 cheap from a humble sale. I’m going to give DS2 a shot, and keep in mind that I may enjoy 3 even if I don’t like 2.
I played a few minutes, made my person a warrior. Fought some very tough pigs, which was funny. Compared to 1 there are way more bloodstains and messages. Also seem to be more traps, or at least the fall damage must be higher because I jumped to get something and died unexpectedly. Only have 1 estus, which seems like it will be hard.
Any tips for going from DS1 to 2? Are the healing items plentiful, or for emergencies only? I’ve also heard people can invade even when I’m hollow?
You'll find estus flask shards to upgrade your number of flasks and other things to increase the power of flasks as you explore.
There is in fact one shard hidden in Majula available at the start.
Healing is tough in the beginning but Lifegems become your best friend--once they're affordable enough which will happen.
They're consumable heal over time, not something to use in a pinch but to top you off between fights.
Yes, people can invade even when you're not human. The closer you are to full health the higher your chance to be invaded. But seeing as cracked red eye orbs are limited in NG, it is more likely to be invaded by the many NPC invaders, especially when at full health (the Forlorn). That is unless a hacker spawned themselves infinite cracked red eye orbs.
On this, if you've got an opening to hit, you probably also have time to use a Lifegem, which can technically also be used while moving up to the moment you crush it. What I'm saying is that popping them in battle like they're skittles was one of the things that got me through the game, though also they are heal over time which can offset expected incoming damage if timed well.
Basically, I love lifegems.
I make art things! deviantART:Kalnaur ::: Origin: Kalnaur ::: UPlay: Kalnaur
Dark Souls Remastered 19.99
Dark Souls II Scholars of the First Sin 9.99 (Holy shit I am grabbing this)
Dark Souls III Base 19.99
Dark Soul III Deluxe Edition (Base game with season pass 21.24 but they have ran out of keys although they say they are topping up)
There are other major sales going on as well, like Monster Hunter
Here's the official video. Has some gameplay. I still think it looks a little too clean. I actually liked the muddiness of the original. Maybe they can add an optional filter for it.
Apparently they've issued a statement that the PC thing is a mistake.
Also, I think the camera is weird and everything looks a little too cinematic, though it could be fine. But if physics and interactions are being managed for cinematic gameplay (think Last of Us punch lasers) at the expense of precise (frequently ugly or silly looking) control that will be a disappointment.
Of course, worst case I imagine it'll just feel like a Soulslike instead of a Souls, which is still worth playing in my book.
I don't understand how they can make a mistake that big at a Sony event. Like...it baffles the mind. I kinda feel like there is a PC version in the works but they didn't intend to reveal it at that event. Oh well, if it never comes to PC I guess I just won't play it.
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Now, it may also be important to know that before I started either of the first two Souls games, I combed wikis to create the ideal character for what I wanted, and adjusted as I went, I looked up maps, I planned ahead, I completed as many NPC quests as I possibly could, and I was always offline. So any big huge surprises or the stat tax of that one thing you need enough of to roll well or anything like that was trivial. I was also having a hell of a time before I got the ring in the place with the seas and the towers and the big knights, which I went to ASAP once I realized just how important the ring was. DS2 isn't perfect, but I'd often chew down the respawning enemies if I felt the need in areas that were being obstinate. I dunno, the first few hours I was really pissed at DS2, but there was a rhythm that once I hit it the entire game felt right, and it was before the second boss.
Basically, I guess what I'm saying is I more or less disagree with you on mostly every point? Like, I think that's why it takes actually playing these games to determine if they're a game you want to play.
E: I can't help turning into a snarky goose whenever DS3 comes up, I dunno why.
It's not a bad game. I played the shit out of it. I played more of it the year it came out than my GOTY that year. But it's also my least favorite Dark Souls game and it made me glad it was the final one.
I do give it points for how quickly the paths start branching out though. On the other hand... it then just becomes super linear in the back half, it's basically the reverse of the first game there... (I'm not counting the shenanigans the master key and knowledge of areas let you get up to though at the start of 1).
But III is easily the most linear of the series, which is a strike against it - it doesn't ever really branch out much? You basically have to do the first couple areas in order, barring a specific sequence break (that requires fight a much, much later boss right away). It's otherwise all single zone offshoots here and there along the path, almost all of which are mandatory.
3DS: 0473-8507-2652
Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
PSN: AbEntropy
It does. It even has the very silly whip sword... I mean, I could go nitpick some of the first game's weak spots (fast travel, immediate NG+, everyone's a pyromancer, the sort of short/rough back half...)
3DS: 0473-8507-2652
Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
PSN: AbEntropy
It also has a ton of wildly different areas. That mostly look ugly. And are packed to the brim with enemies, poison, corrosive fog, traps, etc. And I guess by 'extensive healing' you mean bringing back Demon's Souls consumables and basically removing Estus for half the game.
DS2 is one team taking the big budget from DS1 succeeding to make a completely unrelated game while the main team was busy with Bloodborne, then someone in charge finally realized what they'd done and everyone had to spend the last 1/3 of development time working hard to make it somewhat passable as a Dark Souls. While also doubling down on the whole 'Dark Souls difficulty' craze the first game had kicked off. It's different just to be different, and hard just to be hard.
I'd actually be more interested and give it a fairer shake if it had just been an entirely new IP. It's way better than Lords of Shadow, for instance. I'd probably put it in the same catagory as Nioh then, games I'll believe are good but are just incredibly not for me. Like I wouldn't have put 60+ hours into Nioh, because it's not a Dark Souls. But I gave DS2 more than enough leeway.
Overall, you could've just completely renamed Dark Souls 2 to some random separate game and I would have only gone "yeah, this has some Dark Souls similarities but should be it's own thing". It just doesn't even feel like a Dark Souls game to me.
That's me basically.
The reason to skip straight from DS1 to 3 is that the plots are more connected and there's a chance it'll make a tiny bit more sense. A small chance.
This will be here until I receive an apology or Weedlordvegeta get any consequences for being a bully
I don't like how 3 apes BB with every dang boss having a second form.
But
that's the best part of those games?
If only they also had the completely ludicrous number of bosses DS2 has.
edit: Also, the biggest downside of Demon's is that it only has, like, two bosses that aren't gimmick bosses. They're alright, but still.
I disagree, it drove me up a wall. It was cool at first, then it got old.
This will be here until I receive an apology or Weedlordvegeta get any consequences for being a bully
I feel like any attempt to get cute with orders ends up coming from a place of over-familiarity with those games.
fake edit: Though watching Woolie from SBFP/CSB/WoolieVs play the games in nearly the most fucked up order possible, understanding references in reverse order and whatnot, and still enjoy it proves it doesn't really matter if you're into them.
DS2->Bloodborne->DeS->DS3->DS1
Not AFAIK.
Best way to play it currently is emulated on any okay computer with the 60fps patch applied. If you've tried in the past and it didn't work well, even on the same PC, try again, it's way way way more efficient now. No multiplayer, but there's no multiplayer on PS3 either, unless you use unofficial servers.
A remake's coming to PS5, though.
Remake is also coming to PC, I believe.
Yeah I love the boss evolution, because you have to try and figure it out, then you get to the midpoint and the script gets flipped and you have to figure the second part out as well. Bossing having 2 or more forms is something I enjoy, whether it's From games or something like Monster Hunter when they start to rage.
Awesome if true. Do you have a source for this?
I played a few minutes, made my person a warrior. Fought some very tough pigs, which was funny. Compared to 1 there are way more bloodstains and messages. Also seem to be more traps, or at least the fall damage must be higher because I jumped to get something and died unexpectedly. Only have 1 estus, which seems like it will be hard.
Any tips for going from DS1 to 2? Are the healing items plentiful, or for emergencies only? I’ve also heard people can invade even when I’m hollow?
Huh, I thought it was with the initial announcement video but now I can't find it. I guess I imagined it? Everything I'm finding now says PS5 exclusive.
You'll find estus flask shards to upgrade your number of flasks and other things to increase the power of flasks as you explore.
There is in fact one shard hidden in Majula available at the start.
Healing is tough in the beginning but Lifegems become your best friend--once they're affordable enough which will happen.
They're consumable heal over time, not something to use in a pinch but to top you off between fights.
Yes, people can invade even when you're not human. The closer you are to full health the higher your chance to be invaded. But seeing as cracked red eye orbs are limited in NG, it is more likely to be invaded by the many NPC invaders, especially when at full health (the Forlorn). That is unless a hacker spawned themselves infinite cracked red eye orbs.
On this, if you've got an opening to hit, you probably also have time to use a Lifegem, which can technically also be used while moving up to the moment you crush it. What I'm saying is that popping them in battle like they're skittles was one of the things that got me through the game, though also they are heal over time which can offset expected incoming damage if timed well.
Basically, I love lifegems.
https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/dark-souls-franchise/
Dark Souls Remastered 19.99
Dark Souls II Scholars of the First Sin 9.99 (Holy shit I am grabbing this)
Dark Souls III Base 19.99
Dark Soul III Deluxe Edition (Base game with season pass 21.24 but they have ran out of keys although they say they are topping up)
There are other major sales going on as well, like Monster Hunter
This will be here until I receive an apology or Weedlordvegeta get any consequences for being a bully
This will be here until I receive an apology or Weedlordvegeta get any consequences for being a bully
Edit: Also, it's a PS5 launch title so it's coming SOOOOOOOON
That footage is fucking tasty though.
Twitch: KoopahTroopah - Steam: Koopah
Also, I think the camera is weird and everything looks a little too cinematic, though it could be fine. But if physics and interactions are being managed for cinematic gameplay (think Last of Us punch lasers) at the expense of precise (frequently ugly or silly looking) control that will be a disappointment.
Of course, worst case I imagine it'll just feel like a Soulslike instead of a Souls, which is still worth playing in my book.
Hell, I'd say DS3 looks more like Demon's Souls than that remake footage does, due to the camera difference alone.
Though looking at it closely, I don't see anything but the camera that actually suggests much difference.
I'm personally not a fan of off-center cameras but I assume there's a reason it's become the default and that I'm in the minority there.