DARK SOULS 2

[50Hz]

Spoiler

The ruin sentinels might be my favourite bosses yet, I've had so much fun assisting people through them. The music too, hnnnng.

[Leader Bee]

I'm finding it fun but at the same time there's a couple of nit picky things that i've noticed.
I've only levelled up to level 23 and even then that's only been strength but i feel like i'm already a meaty way into the game - The bastilles 2nd bonfire. I'm sure the difficulty must ramp up soon????

Also I assume the reason they did it was to increase weapon diversity and to stop invaders "cheesing" with weapons but hell, only 50 points of durability on stuff? i'm replacing my weapons after only a couple of swings in this game and it's distracting me from actually enjoying the combat, instead i'm always worrying about my weapon breaking and being complete shit. Not the kind of thing I want to happen halfway through a difficult section and I suppose an incentive to carry more than one around with you, bun then of course you have to find double the amount of upgrade materials.

I know lots of other people were asking for the function to use bonfire warp from game start but this too is kind of irritating, it detracts from the scope of an area where normally you'd have to perservere through it but now you can just warp the fuck away and try something different, personally, in my opinion making the areas only slightly more so trivial.

However, all the core aspects of a good souls game is there and I needed to point out these minor annoyances.

[eatdogs]

Just started playing my copy last night. I died almost ten times trying to kill that big hippo looking demon by the old lady's house/den. I restarted and picked a different class. It was hard just like I forgot since I haven't played demons souls our dark souls in almost a year.

[Some-Mist]

a lot of progress on Sunday. so far I've killed (in order)

Spoiler

dragonrider
flexile sentry
the last giant
ruin sentinals
belfry gargoyles
the persuer
old dragonslayer (I think this was the boss I'm missing from my list since it has dragon in the name... but don't really recognize the full name)
the Sinner
executioners chariot
mytha
skeleton Lord

and now I'm currently working on the smelter demon

only about 35 hours in.

[iconoclast]

iconoclast, how many hours did your first playthrough take?

Around 45 hours. I think my first playthrough of Dark Souls was a little longer, but that may be because of the more limited fast travel system. I think DS2 has more content overall, but you can get to where you need to be without much backtracking (which is a positive IMO, but the world doesn't feel as seamless as a result).

[Cagar]

Spoiler

wow, as a heads up to everyone..
You open illusory walls with X/A button in this game.
I just went through the whole game without knowing this, while wondering why there are so many fake "illusory wall ahead" messages. Turns out i was just doing it wrong every time Well, at least now I got even more motivation to play through newgame+

[IrishNinja]

i don't think i can hold out much longer - how does this one stack up against demon's & part 1? did the later areas feel rushed again?

[Cagar]

i don't think i can hold out much longer - how does this one stack up against demon's & part 1? did the later areas feel rushed again?

The opposite. The beginning areas feel lame and will make you disappointed, but the game develops into quite something.
Like I said, I think it's easily better than demon's or dark souls.

[CMoon]

i don't think i can hold out much longer - how does this one stack up against demon's & part 1? did the later areas feel rushed again?

The opposite. The beginning areas feel lame and will make you disappointed, but the game develops into quite something.
Like I said, I think it's easily better than demon's or dark souls.

Wow, can't wait! I've been enjoying it so far, but only 5 or 6 hours on my current run (abandoned the first one) and really enjoying it. Definitely slow going right now though.

[Acid King]

So what's different about 2 that scored it a T rating instead of an M like the first?

[ryu]

So what's different about 2 that scored it a T rating instead of an M like the first?

nothing.

esrb.org , search for dark souls

[Eaglet]

Alright, finished my first run through and here are some impressions:

Spoiler

It felt like the game got easier and easier the further in i got. Only exceptions were Ruin Sentinels and Smelter Demon.
Could have something to do with choosing the Victor Stone covenant at the start though... died a lot in Forest of Lost Giants.

Way more obtusely hidden items and secrets than in the previous game. Makes for some extra replayability i guess.

Locations were nowhere near as memorable as in DS. Heide's Tower of Flame, Sinner's Rise, Doors of Pharros, parts of Drangleic Castle and Dragon Aerie were cool but nowhere near as iconic and memorable as Sen's Fortress, Anor Londo, Duke's Archives and Demon Ruins.

Online experience is greatly enhanced. Never had any problems invading/summoning.

Story (what there was of it) was much less mysterious and well developed than in DS. No memorable NPC's aside from maybe the dude in the wheelchair.
Dialogue sounded generic at best.

Some great bosses but all in all much worse than in DS. Slow and hard-hitting bosses with the new floaty enemy aimbot tracking and sometimes weird hitboxes.

Might sound like i'm being a bit negative but i thoroughly enjoyed the game anyways. Always fun with more of the same.
Feel like it could have been much better and (this is the key word) memorable with Miyazaki's direction though.

[Marc]

I must be rusty, cos I'm getting stomped. Made it to the second bonfire in the forest easy enough and found the shortcut, kept getting mauled where the arrow launchers are, and have ended up down to half an energy bar. Mind I was half cut and tired. Got splattered by the dude that drops from the bird and he's vanished, you only get the one attempt?

[ryu]

I must be rusty, cos I'm getting stomped. Made it to the second bonfire in the forest easy enough and found the shortcut, kept getting mauled where the arrow launchers are, and have ended up down to half an energy bar. Mind I was half cut and tired. Got splattered by the dude that drops from the bird and he's vanished, you only get the one attempt?

don't worry about that guy with the bird. did you join the company of heroes covenant? that's practically an additional hard mode

but even if you didn't, that particular part is tough. the trick is to lure the enemies from behind the launchers out into the open where you have a better view.

[Octopod]

When it comes to the enemies with the launchers if you just barely step into the doorway and then move to the side they will kill the first guy that comes out themselves with a launcher and then you can stand close to the doorway and take them out where they can't surround you.

[nZero]

Is there any way to change the language setting? Playing the US version of Dark Souls II on a JP X360 results in JP text and menus, while Dark Souls respected my console's language being set to English.

[Octopod]

I just cannot defeat the giants with the two-handed swords consistently. It seems like the best thing to do is just run around them in a counter-clockwise circle and try to sneak a hit in once and a while. I think I have exhausted everywhere else to go at this point.

[Leader Bee]

If you're talking about heides fortress of flame then I found that hammer type weapons work well against them but otherwise they telegraph their moves rather obviously and are quite simple to take on solo

[Octopod]

If you're talking about heides fortress of flame then I found that hammer type weapons work well against them but otherwise they telegraph their moves rather obviously and are quite simple to take on solo

When I am rolling away from their attacks I seem to always get hit by the third swing that swipes in low and hits me regardless of rolling away. I am using a morning star for the most part but I also have a bone mace weapon. I haven't found a hammer yet. I've played about 12 hours so far and I have cleared out everywhere I can find to go in the forest of giants. I am guessing I need to go through Heides tower to progress further?

[ryu]

did you get the soldier's key?

[Octopod]

did you get the soldier's key?

Yeah. I think I've used it on three doors? I can't figure out what opens the big black doors though. I assume I am suppose to do that later?

[CMoon]

When I am rolling away from their attacks I seem to always get hit by the third swing that swipes in low and hits me regardless of rolling away. I am using a morning star for the most part but I also have a bone mace weapon. I haven't found a hammer yet. I've played about 12 hours so far and I have cleared out everywhere I can find to go in the forest of giants. I am guessing I need to go through Heides tower to progress further?

Sorry if you're further along than I think, but the old knights in the Tower of Flame area...just get behind them. I wouldn't even bother trying to roll through attacks until you get your agility up a bit. They are actually quite easy as long as you get behind them.

Both Forest of Giants and the Tower of Flame will lead you to other areas, but the exit from Forest of Giants might seem to lead you to a dead end (you're actually going the wrong way to trigger an event.) Your best route may be to talk with miracle girl in the Tower to get her to move to Majula, where she opens up access to another area. Also, don't forget the pit in majula since a certain item can make that area accessible early.

[Octopod]

Sorry if you're further along than I think, but the old knights in the Tower of Flame area...just get behind them. I wouldn't even bother trying to roll through attacks until you get your agility up a bit. They are actually quite easy as long as you get behind them.

Both Forest of Giants and the Tower of Flame will lead you to other areas, but the exit from Forest of Giants might seem to lead you to a dead end (you're actually going the wrong way to trigger an event.) Your best route may be to talk with miracle girl in the Tower to get her to move to Majula, where she opens up access to another area. Also, don't forget the pit in majula since a certain item can make that area accessible early.

It probably doesn't help that I am using a great shield and I seem to roll pretty slow now. I don't believe I have run across miracle girl. I just found another door to open with the key but it just takes me to Pursuer. He just handed me an ass kicking like 6 times in a row.

I am playing a knight. I brought my str up to 20 and my dex up a bit too. I probably should have just started out with a warrior if I wanted to go that route I assume.

[CMoon]

Actually Knight and Bandit seem like the best classes for melee. If you feel you're rolling too slow, maybe switch out some of your armor. Pursuer has a very predictable pattern and though I took him out with co-op help, he's definitely very doable solo. His basic combo should be blocked, dodged, then he'll miss the third hit. As long as you keep closing the distance and circling, his curse attack and overhead attacks should miss you.

Seriously consider going back to the tower though. All the enemies and bosses in that area are easier than pursuer and you get an amazing ring there. I'd seriously consider finishing that area before Pursuer.

[Marc]

Well I think I've exhausted the Forest for now - got rid of the boss and made it to the third bonfire which seems to be a dead end? Started on the Tower last night, made it to the Dragonrider once and got smacked but never ma aged to make it back. As above, the dudes with a sword and shield are a piece off piss, but the ones with the double handed swords do t half cause me some grief. I'm still finding it trickier than the original on a moment to moment basis, but some muscle memory is slowly creeping back in.

[Leader Bee]

Your best route may be to talk with miracle girl in the Tower to get her to move to Majula, where she opens up access to another area.

I've spoken to her and exhausted her dialogue but she doesn't seem to have moved on to the rotating room. I don't use magic or miracles so maybe thats why, ive been forced to use my fragrant branch of yore to take the route with Rosabeth but i wasn't intending to go thiss way so early if I didn't have to.

[CMoon]

Your best route may be to talk with miracle girl in the Tower to get her to move to Majula, where she opens up access to another area.

I've spoken to her and exhausted her dialogue but she doesn't seem to have moved on to the rotating room.

Weird. I'm also doing a melee build and didn't buy any of her spells, but had no problem getting her to move.

I still don't have a fragrant branch of yore...

[Leader Bee]

It takes a while but the first one I came across was just after the lost sinner boss in the lost bastille. i was undecided to use it on the petrified man in the cells or Rosabeth

[CMoon]

Played a huge amount this morning opening up a ton of areas. Unpetrified two NPCs, but still can't seem to get the large or great club--going for a str build. Have a feeling I'll respec some point soon.

[Leader Bee]

I got a demon great hammer from smooth and silky the crows, shame I don't intend on using it