Dark Souls 2 (PC/PS4/XB1/PS3/360)

[Caiyuo]

Yeah after thinking about it, exploring a storyline they only ever gave clues to through flavor-text could be considered new, or in not being literal, it could be as you say just business talk. I was thinking about the similarities too, but yeah, I didn't want to read too far into THIS FANTASY GAME HAS A DARK FOREST, YES, I BELIEVE I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.

[Caiyuo]

http://www.abload.de/img/untitled-1a1js3.gif

much better and un-fucked from the crapass tumblr photosets

[Vendog]

With all the talk about dumbing down part 1 I can only hope they don't listen and make two on par or harder.

[Souj]

not sure if you're saying you hope they dont listen and also dont make 2 on par or harder
of if you're saying
I hope they make 2 on par or harder

You will get very different replies...

[Caiyuo]

Massive game backlog.

And sorry -- really not trying to be a jerk or snide or such: I've seen a lot of people rant excitedly about the game, but have never heard much of a good explanation beyond "It's challenging!".

To answer the other question, have Demon's, but not Dark. Wasn't sure if I should get the "Prepare to Die" edition on PC, or wait for it to come to NA?

ANyway don't want to mess with the thread, so if someone has a good overview to give me in PM, that'd be great.

Unless a mod feels differently, I don't think it would hurt to discuss why these games are good here. I wouldn't want to give too much detail, though. From my perspective there are lots of reasons different people love the game. The games are challenging action RPGs that however difficult they're made out to be, do a very good job of teaching you how to succeed. The "prepare to die" moniker kind of serves as a statement for the series because death is your primary teaching tool and will almost always help you to advance. I think the manner in which the game teaches you while also being absolutely unforgiving is addicting. Deviate from the lessons you've learned and you can very well get overwhelmed by enemies you never expected to be a threat.

Beyond that, both games also have fairly fucking huge storylines (that are awesome) with significant amounts of lore hidden away in flavor text. It's kind of an experience where as you're starting out you're just trying to fucking survive and make it through the game and as you get more comfortable with the gameplay and understand how it wants you to play, you find that there's tons more for you to discover about the game through the story. It experience definitely doesn't sell with everyone who's tried it, but it seems to really grip the people that do.

Also in regards to Dark Souls, if you're asking which version would be best, I'd actually ask in that specific thread. Differing opinions on PC and console and what value each has.

e: also Ayn, maybe check out an episode of this series and see what you think? This guy's really passionate about the game and is great at selling it. This series is meant for beginners or players new to the game:



I'd leave most of the experience to playing yourself instead of watching too many episodes, though.

[Souj]

yeah, "because they're challenging" can't be the only reason. One of my most favorite parts of playing through the game is going through the first few beginning levels on a new character and I can do that with just about any build and stats blindfolded and get through it.

[mightyg]

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT DANGLEY THING. Could it be the dark soul?

Pendant.

Also HUURRRRRRRNNNGGGG Dark Souls 2!

[AoE]

All I ask is they keep my Great Scythe
Make use of magic less restrictive
Allow me to make attractive characters. >BO

[Souj]

I'm afraid this is going to be a 2014 release since we don't have a single date mentioned at all, not even just a year.

[Jefe]

DS and DkS are notorious for having uglyass characters. Anyway, idk. DkS's experience has been a bittersweet one. I like how they develop the story and blah blah, but some bugs were fucking game-breaking. For example, that one I discussed before were the attacks wouldn't come out. The patch fixed all that. But two days ago I was fighting the Bed of Chaos and the game glitched on my ass. The PvP is horrific. It's like a Carrera GT, the first models were great but then they went hybrid and fucked the whole thing up.

[Kaelan?]

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT DANGLEY THING. Could it be the dark soul?

That's Miyazaki's trollface staring at you

[Tekki]

Well GTAV was just toppled for my "most anticipated upcoming release"

[-Zer0-]

Jesus titty fucking Christ this is amazing. Totally wasn't expecting this.

[Reality]

there are parts of the trailer that remind me of the painted world of ariamis, especially with that rope bridge (notice how it has all of it's planks, prequel?)

also, in the beginning of the trailer, the hero's hand is dripping what looks like blood but once it hits the ground it starts to boil, i'd bet this has something to do with the importance of fire or the first flame
edit: or the fact that he's standing near a volcano and the ground is fucking hot

the chick in the beginning sends the dude away on that bird, definitely. the feather might be symbolism or it might be some sort of item you need to fly the bird

[Reality]

From the upcoming issue of Edge Magazine

An eternal battle rages at the heart of Dark Souls II. On one side stands the stern force of challenge, the very soul of the Souls series. It has inspired thousands of fans to hack their way through two of the most demanding and rewarding games of an era, fans who expect at least the same test on the next go around. On the other side is the bright promise of accessibility. And why not? Why shouldn’t FromSoftware and Namco Bandai open Souls up to a wider audience when it could otherwise be in danger of becoming stuck in a cult cul-de-sac?

There are many, after all, who have been put off by the series’ habit of obscuring its best assets from all but the most committed. Entire systems, such as Dark Souls’ covenants and Demon’s Souls’ World Tendency, remain mysteries to even reasonably experienced players – wouldn’t it be a service to the games to help everyone understand them better? On the other hand, isn’t the very nature of the Souls series about obfuscation and what it makes you work for? Aren’t its greatest pleasures about the slow crawl of discovery in a world that refuses easy interpretation? What would the series lose if it was made more explicit?

As we find out in issue 249, the answers to these questions are in the hands of game directors new to the Souls series, Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura, who have taken the reins from Hidetaka Miyazaki. Their descriptions of how they intend to mould Dark Souls II into a more approachable form seem reasonable. But Shibuya admits that their approach will be influenced by their individual characters. “I personally am the sort of person who likes to be more direct than subtle,” he tells us. “[Dark Souls II] will be more straightforward and more understandable.” We sympathise if that sort of statement concerns you, but at the same time, we can surely agree that we would all like to see Dark Souls attain as great a presence as The Elder Scrolls. How it gets there is a worthy matter for debate, but it’s certainly a noble task.

selling out the series? the same dude isn't even running the show for this game anymore. not looking good

[Plow]

take all of my money

ALL OF MY MONEY

TAKE IT NOW

NOOOOOOWWWWWWW


HOLY FUCK

[Plow]

Also, I don't care if they make it "more accessible" in terms of learning about stuff like covenants.

As long as I will still on a pretty consistent basis be going "Are you fucking with me? Oh, right."



edit: to the pvp comments:

dark souls pvp would be like the best "rpg" pvp, hell possibly even one of the best fighting games, of all time... if you could play it on 1 system or a LAN

but yeah, network latency makes it 90% faggotry with maybe 1 in 10 fights being people that are up for a legit no bs brawl

[HadesWeaponx]

This is great news to wake up to. I know it was said on the first page but I have the hugest boner right now. Dark Souls is one of mah favorite games

[Ragnus]

'But Shibuya admits that their approach will be influenced by their individual characters. “I personally am the sort of person who likes to be more direct than subtle,” he tells us. “[Dark Souls II] will be more straightforward and more understandable.” We sympathise if that sort of statement concerns you, but at the same time, we can surely agree that we would all like to see Dark Souls attain as great a presence as The Elder Scrolls. How it gets there is a worthy matter for debate, but it’s certainly a noble task.'

No! No! Bad Japanese dev! BAAAAAAD! *Squirt Bottle*

I've been replaying Elder Scrolls games and they're pretty much braindead easy. Skyrim is the poster boy of this now that I went back to Oblivion. That game is so dumbed down it's pathetic. The subtle and dense universe is what players love about the game. If you spell it all out, the game had better hit a new level of depth unseen in Demon's and Dark.

[Souj]

I personally am the sort of person who likes to be more direct than subtle,” he tells us. “[Dark Souls II] will be more straightforward and more understandable.”

This doesnt exactly mean they'll make gameplay easier. Could just mean they wont put confusing things in the game that takes people forever to figure out like all the world tendancy stuff in Demon's, some of the covenant stuff, and even really hard to find places like the Great Hollow and finding Kaathe. Could even be referring to how Dark Souls starts out with 4 different ways you could go, but only being really able to take one path (as most players would get themselves killed trying to go into the catacombs or New Londo at the start of the game instead of Undead Parish.