Dark Souls II

Certainly more polished than its predecessors, but some minor changes may irk the devoted.

Game Name: Dark Souls II

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Publisher: Bandai Namco Games

Developer: From Software

Genres: Action, Role-playing game

UK Release: 

Dark Souls told us to “Prepare to Die” in its marketing campaign. Purists who revelled in the PlayStation 3 exclusive precursor Demon’s Souls have said that despite enjoying the game, they felt that Dark Souls was an easier game.

Now, this could just be a simple case of experience proving to be an asset in those gamer’s skills. Dark Souls II tells us to “Go Beyond Death”, but does this sequel transcend all that came before it?

There is a plot hidden in Dark Souls II, setting itself up with your character seeking to lift a curse set upon them. You’ll meet several interesting fellows along the way, some mad from the years of torment, while others are more whimsical about the whole thing. Either way, it’s an interesting world to try to explore when you can.

You can immediately tell that more polish has gone into the environments this time around, while character models seem crisper and on occasion more grotesque. Some textures look a little off in places, but given that you’re always on edge with Dark Souls II, it’s not a major concern.