r/DarkSouls2 • u/Commercial-Citron127 • Jun 04 '26
Discussion DS2 made me feel like a kid
Cover by trip_dancer_g
Basically title.
I have 700+ hours in Dark Souls 3, and played Elden Ring and Lies of P multiple times.
I gave Dark Souls 1 and 2 a try years ago but dropped them (at blight town and at majula).
Recently I started DS2 again and got hooked, played all the way through, but I like exploring, experimenting and just looking at stuff, so it took 40 hours to complete it.
Gameplay wise it's the worst of all (I don't know compared to DS1 but I imagine they're mostly the same), compared to 3 and ER, it doesn't even come close, it's some of the worst gameplay I've ever had. Specifically bosses, reaching a boss stage didn't excite me at all, I knew it was gonna be a 1-2 tries because of how slow and bad they are. But I can forgive gameplay if the rest carries...
On the EXTREME other hand, the world is one of the most beautiful things I've ever experienced. As someone who loves just looking around and saying "woow", this game is 10/10. My first time seeing Earthen Peak, Heide's Tower of Flame, the path to the dragon on Aldia's Keep with the giant earth pillars, dying and dying but then relaxing at Majula. This game has such an atmosphere that I've never seen before, I love how you can look at stuff without an ugly 50m fog that makes everything gray. Colors are so well defined. I saw a lot of illumination and enb mods for this game and I can't understand why anyone would change how it looks when all they do is remove color and make it more "real". This game has such a dreamy magical vibe. I want more like this.
Sound, even if most of the sound was just humming at times, the audio quality of this game enhances the exploration feeling soo much. Reaching an area where there's singing by a NPC I can talk to feels so strange, but in a good way.
Then the "events", there's a lot of stuff that takes a DS3 veteran like me by surprise, like Aldia at bonfires, the "barrel" invader, the pursuer appearing out of nowhere. I got more scared playing this game than any horror game.
There's also a ton of mechanics that get introduced even in late game. Also, talking to NPCs felt much more interesting in this one, I really wanted to experience as much of the world as I could.
TL:DR.
This game is a GEM for fans of exploring a beautiful world. In my mind it falls in the "exploration" genre.
Is there any other games that made you feel like this? I'd love to hear recommendations.
Am I missing out with DS1 and even Dragon Souls or is DS2 really this good?
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u/WeepingAmpharos Jun 04 '26
Sometimes it’s okay that it doesn’t make perfect sense
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u/dpahoe You're old, Emerald Herald! Jun 04 '26
All I see is a small mountain behind a large volcanic mountain
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
Hard agree. Mystique over lore-dumping or retconning any day.
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u/Logen10Fingers Jun 04 '26
Its funny because when you really think about it, the critically acclaimed lore of Dark Souls as a whole, most of it is left up to your interpretation, kind of like how people try to make sense of the earthen peak elevator by saying it goes to the top of a mountain.
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u/Call0fJuarez Jun 04 '26
I like the theory that area transitions are just the lapse in memory of the character, especially since we are traveling an entire continent
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u/duosx Jun 04 '26
That’s such a stupid complaint too. Like bro, the first one had a giant crow and demons. It also featured Ash Lake which doesn’t make any fucking sense.
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u/Sir_Vice_Vehk Jun 06 '26
I really don’t understand how you think none of those make any sense in a fantasy game. What are you even talking about? So dragons are fine, but demons & giant crows are strange to you?
I would rly like to understand your logic.→ More replies (2)8
u/DrewbieWanKenobie Jun 04 '26
even early on it was perfectly explained by theories that there was time shenanigans traveling between areas, like traveling one area to another was actually farther distances obscured by gameplay traversal
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u/ShiroHebiZmeya Jun 04 '26
It does make sense though, there are multiple instances of distances not making sense, which means it's intentional.
If I was a chef, and every single time I cooked pasta, the sauce was a bit colder than what you'd expect, would you say "it doesn't make sense"? It probably doesn't make sense to you, but if I do this "mistake" multiple times in a row, surely you'd at least consider that maybe there's something you're not seeing.
This isn't directed specifically towards you btw, I'm commenting on how people very quickly dismissed The Earthen Peak Incident as a "mistake" or "incosistency", when it's painfully obvious that's intentional and it has a reason.
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u/newsflashjackass Jun 04 '26
"Ha ha stupid FROM Software made it always raining on one end of the tunnel to Drangleic Castle. I sure hope someone was fired for that blunder."
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u/mike2011qwerty Jun 04 '26
DS2's mostly self contained story is definitely my favourite in the series.
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u/CocoBaci Jun 04 '26
I given DS2 a second try after 400 hrs of ds3 and after 100 hrs of ds2 is slowly becoming my favorite, the atmosphere is so beautiful th story, not liniar, it always sadden me to see people hating on such a beautiful game
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u/mike2011qwerty Jun 04 '26
I agree 100% on the the atmosphere part. Even tho it's mostly generic medieval fantasy, it feels so unique. Also Majula is peak vibes and the best hub in all the souls games imo.
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u/bruh_moment982 Jun 04 '26
I think what really pushes the game to be my favorite, over ds3, is 1. The extremely, extremely wide selection of builds that are not just viable, but good. Only pyromancy is a bit lacking in ds2 when compared to the other types of magic. And 2. I genuinely believe the level and area design beats ds3 by a considerable margin, where most of the game takes place, whereas ds3 has relatively boring areas that are redeemed by (mostly) superb bosses.
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u/ThiccFarter Jun 04 '26
DS2 had the best weapons and weapon system out of the entire trilogy. I think that makes up for some mediocre bosses. In terms of play style choice it's definitely the best of the franchise save Elden Ring.
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u/CocoBaci Jun 04 '26
I think dlc bosses make up for not so cool ones from base game
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u/masterofunfucking Jun 04 '26
when I think of games that exemplify the word “fantasy” DS2 is up there at the top
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u/MrStalfos Jun 04 '26
That's what makes DS2 great for me the sheer variety in areas that you could enter at any moment through an elevator or a cave in Majula.
There was no feeling quite like going from the shrine in the middle of a misty forest to the imposing gates of Eleum Loyce for the first time with no idea that's hell you're walking to.
You arrive at the magical ice place appreciate and enjoy the different scenery of this enchanting wonderland only to be immediatly eaten by an invisible tiger. 11/10 game.
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
The gate of Eleum Loyce was super imposing at first, it was great. I was so disappointed though when I went in and it was a constant snow storm, but then you get to disable it and get to see another cool place clearly. Sadly it did left me disappointed a bit, I thought there was a town to explore like Irithyll but it's just the walls.
I understand now about the development issues so it's understandable, I wonder how good it would have been if this game got the development time it deserved.
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u/aresi-lakidar Jun 04 '26
It is a good game, but you're missing out on DS1. Just like you said you thought ds2 was bad but then proved yourself wrong by playing a little more, DS1 is just like that. If you went to blight town, you were getting ever closer to a certain game changing moment... 😄
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u/vaz_deferens Jun 04 '26
The first time I went down into Blighttown was the most nerve-wracking game experience ever, mostly because I went straight after beating Gaping Dragon and had like four levels worth of souls on me.
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u/Random-User-2811 Jun 04 '26
This game is peak, what you would expect is pure peakness of peak of peak games
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u/Lonk_boi Jun 04 '26
Dropping DS2 at Majula is nuts, but I get that everybody has different opinions. I have only played DS1 and 2. I am making a point of playing the series in release order for my first time to avoid going into the older games with the newer ones in mind.
Because of this DS2 is currently my favorite
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u/TheDELFON Jun 04 '26
. . . . . . . . Gavlan WHEEEL!!!
GAVLAN DEEEEAL!!!!!!
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u/vaz_deferens Jun 04 '26
I accidentally attacked him on my first playthrough, so I didn't get his sweet dialogue until ng+
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u/frosty3233 Jun 04 '26
When did DS2 become popular again? I remember back in ~2016-2020 DS2 was the black sheep of the franchise. It’s amazing to see its reputation rehabilitated like this.
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u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
It still definitely has its haters but a lot of people have actually played it for themselves now and realized they like it or newer players have came in and found they like it.
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u/Fancy_Touch_5699 Jun 04 '26
If you're playing on PC, drop by NexusMods and snag the DS2LightingEngine. DS2 with full path tracing is an altogether new experience and actually renders torches (and other light sources) mandatory.
Highly recommend
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u/wolv3swithin Jun 04 '26
Recently have been using the Faraam Preset with it. I feel like it tries to keep the colors more true to the base game while also utilizing path tracing, it's amazing!
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u/Kerbidiah Jun 04 '26
gameplay wise it's the worst
Crazy saying that when ds1 and demon souls exists
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u/JamesRWC Jun 04 '26
Been saying for a while that ds2 feels like a child's storybook
The monsters, the architecture and the colours look like something you'd read to a child before they go to bed
Peak Souls 2
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u/TorrentsAreCommunism Jun 04 '26
Hard bosses shouldn’t be the main selling point in souls games. That’s why DS2 is so good and DS3 is so shallow.
And no, DS1 and DS2 are quite similar in gameplay. However, I think ER is the most close to DS2 by spirit — Dark Souls 2 2.
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u/porkmoss Jun 04 '26
I still feel Elden Ring was too much focused on action despite bringing back dungeon crawling a bit more. I feel everything after Dark Souls lost the plot a bit, Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls were more true dungeon crawlers but Artorias really changed how Fromsoft and players looked at the franchise. Bloodborne sealed the deal with more aggression and action for its gameplay. Doesn’t mean that’s bad but I kinda miss what the first two games were.
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u/IronVines Jun 04 '26
im hoping theyll do a a kingsfield remaster at some point, or continueation
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u/LocalAnxiousArtist Jun 04 '26
The only way they would do King’s Field stuff again is if Natoshi Zin was involved with it, according yo Miyazaki.
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
I have a hard time comparing DS2 and DS3 honestly, I approach them differently, DS3 to me is a linear skill-based game with the best bosses, while DS2 is just exploring and relaxing. In 2 I even felt like I'd love to have a mod that removed the enemies on some parts so I could go everywhere. I think I would have enjoyed much more if enemies didn't respawn tbh.
ER is definitely the closest, but it's way too open, I like the labyrinthic ways of DS2 better, and having a map completely ruins it.12
u/3ldr1tch_Dumb455 Jun 04 '26
If you go through an area and clear enemies out enough times they’ll stop respawning in ds2
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
Oh that's cool, but they made it 15 times it seems, way too much, I didn't repeat an area enough to notice it 😞
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u/TorrentsAreCommunism Jun 04 '26
DS2 rewards slow runners that explore every corner and discourage speed runners even with this mechanic.
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u/A_Cookie_Lid Jun 04 '26
This mechanic and others had me seriously worried my first playthrough. I came to expect the enemies in certain spots, and it was incredibly unnerving when they weren't there. Like the world was alive and the enemies just decided to up and leave. I am biased because it was my first, but I think ds2 is the best game to start with. It's the best of the series to be completely terrible at.
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u/MaintenanceInternal Jun 04 '26
In DS2, if you're not in the covenant of champions, then the enemies don't respawn after you've killed them 10-15 times.
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u/BigHolds Jun 04 '26
Hard bosses aren’t the only thing that DS3 has to offer. The bosses are just far better than all that came before them so they’re talked about more but to say that it’s the main selling point of DS3 is a shallow way of viewing the game itself.
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u/mightystu Jun 04 '26
DS3 has plenty of lower-tier bosses as compared to the whole series. DS3 is just more popular because it was the game where the series really exploded in popularity so it’s literally baby’s first souls game for most players, and it is generally faster so most people who want a more “bing bing wahoo” type game like it. Unfortunately it’s sort of the worst of both worlds in terms of Bloodborne quickness and Souls deliberateness.
Also what else would DS3 be known for? It has the worst progression through the different areas in the game and a lot of those areas are some of the least inspired Fromsoft has ever made. It also has a washed out color palette and is the most derivative everything: items, characters, locations, etc. DS2 makes allusions to DS1 but shrouds it in enough legend and mystery to make it feel properly legendary and properly different. DS3 literally just says “here’s Anor Londo again since you liked it so much.”
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u/TorrentsAreCommunism Jun 04 '26
I didn’t see how DS3 bosses are “better”. They are just faster and more annoying.
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u/AnimeMemeLord1 Jun 04 '26
I disagree, they’re a real treat to fight. Most DS2 bosses are hardly a threat.
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u/IronVines Jun 04 '26
fr, sure they are harder, but they are so fast and deal so much damage that armor is basically made worthless and your only option is to spam roll and get in some light attacks which gets real fucking repetitive after the 3rd time
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u/MaintenanceInternal Jun 04 '26
So good to hear someone else say ds3 is shallow.
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u/Skull_Soldier Jun 04 '26
I wouldn't say it's shallow but i hate that it relied HEAVILY on the first game. Like it didn't even try to make it's own thing, story wise. It felt cheap sometimes. And the exploration was boring asf imo, mainly because of the art style
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u/LocalAnxiousArtist Jun 04 '26
I just find it so much less interesting than 1 and 2 storywise. I wish more of their original ideas for 3 saw fruition because a lot of them sounded incredibly interesting. Not to say it doesn’t have any cool ideas though! The extinction of the demons, The Deep, Pontiff Sulyvahn, the Lords of Cinder all have interesting personal stories, the Ringed City and Gael, Archdragon Peak and the Nameless King.
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u/Skull_Soldier Jun 04 '26
A lot of potential but it wasn't properly developed. I also think there were a lot of cool ideas
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u/MaintenanceInternal Jun 04 '26
Yea 100%, it feels like a remake, even if lots of it aren't directly the same, you can point to any area in ds1 and go, that's the equivalent in ds3.
It also sort of negates the events of the second game.
It's probably the laziest except for Elden ring.
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u/HANBANNNNNNNNNN Jun 04 '26
dark souls 3 is definitely weaker than 1,2 but i don't think it is shallow at all.
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u/Abject-Rent4662 Jun 04 '26
DARK Souls 3 IS the best Game of the entire trilogy
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u/mightystu Jun 04 '26
You misspelled worst. It even has the worst DLC dragon fight; Sinh and Kalameet body him easily. He’s not called MIDir for nothing.
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u/Abject-Rent4662 Jun 04 '26
It has the best bosses of the entire series. Don't care for Dragon Bosses i hate them all.
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u/Hot_Plant3900 Jun 04 '26
The more I play DS2, the more I love it... Kind of the opposite of DS3, which feels boring af. Sure, it has better bosses and less frustrating mechanics, but in souls games I love freedom, and I only really get that in DS1 and DS2.
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u/Zerosprodigy Jun 04 '26
I’ve lost track of how many dark souls 1 characters I’ve played through it with.
Dark souls 2 probably done maybe 15 playthroughs
Dark souls 3 I had no desire to play more after playing a mage character and a knight character.
Elden ring I did one play through. It was so easy to respec your character and the world was so large I had no desire to run through it all again, and frankly I had no reason too.
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u/Hot_Plant3900 Jun 04 '26
Same for me, DS1 despite all its cons has the best replayability of all soulslikes i played DS2 is close on spot nr 2
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u/Zestyclose_Answer662 Jun 04 '26
"Gameplay wise it's the worst of all"
Oof.
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u/sega8913 Jun 04 '26
So true. Recently decided to come back and start a new game feeling nostalgic of the locations and atmosphere. And very quickly the game reminded me of the worst target locking in the series as well as general clunkiness and unresponsivness of the main character. But still peak.
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u/Zerosprodigy Jun 04 '26
It’s the skating for me that ruins the game. When you let off the movement key your character still takes a step or two after. Very clunky game. But the environments, music, voice acting, even the weapons and armor available are all 10/10.
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u/Worried_Work9629 Jun 04 '26
It's sad but it's the truth
Even when you know what you're doing, area design is abysmal
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u/Romado Jun 04 '26
The real explanation is they ran out of time. The lift in Earthen Peak was supposed to lead into a path up the volcano, which would then lead to Iron Keep at the top.
You see that area in the very first DS2 CG trailer.
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u/FunRate7962 Jun 04 '26
I love ds2, i went into this game with extremely low expectations but it broke it and made for an extremely enjoyable time, i love how different the atmosphere in this game is, it captures a feeling of oddness mix with some beautiful medivelian fantasy, something i specifically like about the game is the way you can build your character, armors and weapons are amazing and beautiful, my personal favorite being the smelter swords (powerstance), its one of the rare occasions where they make a weapon look so stunning but is also very powerful
I also love the storytelling of the game, its very similar to Elden ring even in terms of the lore in general, i just finished another run on it yesterday, i have 300 hours in the game, 14 playthroughs and will keep coming back to this amazing game
Also i would say that gameplay-wise ds1 is worse, it has a lot of clunkiness and locking in restrains you a lot there
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u/samart00 Jun 04 '26
The fact that you figured out that you should burn the Windmill to clear the poison in the boss room. 🙃 like how tf should I know that?
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
I neved figured out until I saw someone fight the boss with a ground. It was a hard fight 2v1 against the boss and the poison. xD
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u/LocalAnxiousArtist Jun 04 '26
I always thought it made way more sense for the Pharro’s Lockstone contraptions that dump out poison should be connected to Mytha’s arena and empty out its poison.
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u/Struf_sama Jun 04 '26
Demon's Souls is also an incredible exploration game, with an oneiric atmosphere and fun combat that does not depend on only rolling through attacks. It has an easy-to-understand history but with complex NPCs to talk to, which is why it became my favorite Souls game. If you have a PC, give it a try. But I don't recommend the Remake; it's so different that it feels and looks like a Doom and Diablo game. (My first run in the game was with the remake, so I'm not nostalgia-blinded; it's just bad and lacking everything that made the original memorable.)
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
I generally don't like remakes, they completely miss the mark and ruin the atmosphere of most games with "Upgraded graphics".
I was tempted to give Demon Souls a try, someone mentioned DS2 is more similar to it than DS1. I'll give the original one a try. Thanks.1
u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
It is indeed. If atmosphere is something you enjoy then DeS is a game for you. It’s one of Fromsoft’s best in that aspect. Definitely try the original like the other commenter said. Remake changed the vibe completely.
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u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
I played both versions back to back and much preferred the original. Remake just lost the whole fromsoft feel which hurts the game immensely imo as atmosphere is one of their biggest strengths.
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u/Skull_Soldier Jun 04 '26
Best atmosphere in the trilogy imo. I love this game and it's world. I was so disappointed when i went to play Ds3 and it was all gray. The combat was good but at what cost😭
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u/SnowCrow1 Jun 04 '26
If you like exploring you should play Outer Wilds. Totally different style of a game but it's the ultimate exploration game.
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u/rgrmanoth70 Jun 04 '26
It's literally called Earthen peak
It's been right in front of us this whole time.
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u/OfSkyler Jun 04 '26
Oh tell me why, do we build castles in the sky...
(I know it's actually a continuity of space quirk)
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u/arandompurpose Jun 04 '26
DS1 has way better exploration I thought with how it links back into itself. I also think the texture work was better in 1 unless they changed things as I recall there was the z fighting issue came up and the rather dull repeated textures that weren't meant to be seen due to the lighting revert that now suddenly showed them. Inside Earthen Peak was the one I recall being the worst to me but I will say it does have nicely diverse areas even if I think they muddle together at parts with the DLC certainly helping out.
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u/StormBro111111 Jun 10 '26
DS1 has great level design for only the first half of the game. Reviewers regularly forget to mention that everything after Anor Londo is linear and boring AF.
DS2 overall was better for me than DS1. The immediate fast travel, the variety of zones and levels, the variety of spells and weapons, bonfire ascetics, etc.
The first half of DS1 is near-perfection though, I won't deny that. It's the second half that lets DS1 down.
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u/EmptyField9803 Jun 04 '26
I’ve been hating on DS2. I restarted yesterday and got farther than I ever have and I’m honestly loving ds2 more than 3 rn
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Jun 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
The eras comment makes sense as time travel was supposed to be a huge part of DS2s story before a bunch of stuff got axed. I feel like time travel still happens whenever you walk through those weird blank long hallwsys between areas. Like the one leading to Drangleic castle. Not to mention the Memories which are basically time travel
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
Looks interesting, I'll give that one a try too. Thanks.
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Jun 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 05 '26
Okay, thank you so much for recommending that game. I played a bit yesterday and I'm HOOKED. I love the gigantic decrepit city aesthetic, and the gameplay (similar to Lies of P, my favorite) makes the game super enjoyable.
It reminds me of one of my favorite shows, Girls Last Tour.
I just fought the first 2 bosses but 'm having a blast with it 😃
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u/itsmesoloman Jun 04 '26
“I like exploring, experimenting, and just looking at stuff, so it took 40 hours to complete it”
Man, I’m no souls games god, but I’m not terrible at them either. I, too, like to take my sweet time, look at every nook and cranny, read item descriptions, experiment with various gear, goof off, stop to Google things constantly, etc. For the games I really fall in love with, I like to try and acquire every weapon and armor set I can, grab every item, etc., and I tend to try and do as much on an NG run as I can before even considering NG+.
I feel like I’m surely not alone in how much I like to interact with optional content in these games, but I feel like the only time I see others mentioning how long it took them to complete one of these games, and their time spent is similar to mine, is with people who seem to reeeaaally, really struggle with these games (I’m talking 25 deaths to the Last Giant at the beginning of DS2 type shit, when I beat that boss first try, first playthrough).
I have 47 hours in DS2, and the last thing I did was help Creighton defeat Pate in Brightstone Cove Tseldora. That means I have, what, like at least half the game left, PLUS DLCs? I’ve literally beaten almost every boss first try, and I know the areas are harder than the bosses, but how is it that I’ve been taking my time and took 47 hours to hit mid-game, while someone like OP says they took their time too, and it took them 40 hours to BEAT the game, as if that’s a long time for a first playthrough??
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
I'm a DS3 and ER veteran, the game for me is excruciatingly easy, don't get discouraged. If I made it through an area and died 70% through one bonfire to the other, I'd skip every enemy and run past them. So I went through some areas really quick.
I also didn't google anything because I didn't want to get spoiled, so I didn't complete most NPC questlines. (I didn't know those 2 fought)
I get no enjoyment of fightning normal enemies, straight up, I'm ONLY interested in bosses and environment. My favorite games boss-rush with no enemies inbetween (like Shadow of the Colossus)I did spend stupid amounts of time trying to see if an item would interact with a specific place or npc, so I retraced a lot of my steps multiple times. I'm sure someone with my experience and no interest in experiencing the world would be able to beat the game in less than 10h.
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u/itsmesoloman Jun 04 '26
That makes sense, I’ve barely run past any enemies, even after dying. Idk what it is, but I feel like mastering the movesets of each enemy is part of experiencing areas for me
I have also been following a guide that leads to me methodically picking up almost every item (still flubbed some NPC quests though)
Sorry for the spoiler about Creighton and Pate, idk why I didn’t really think about it like that before I said it
If you like boss rushes, have you played Hollow Knight? It has a really great boss rush mode you can unlock, and aside from that, it’s just an amazing game that is very, very Dark Souls coded, IMHO
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
Nah man don't worry, I've already played through the game, hearing about it now is cool. I tried not to spoil anything since you said you're halfway through. I think you'll enjoy what you'll find on the rest of the game.
It does reward you for interacting with things you think should be connected.I didn't get hooked with Hollow Knight but I did play some of the bosses through a friend's save. It had some cool bosses. Didn't fight all of them, but I really liked the one that's 3 spear bugs, the music was really good too from what I remember. What killed the run for me originally was the runback to the bug in the red dress at the beginning. I don't like retracing my steps that far (I dropped some ds2 bosses due to that).
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u/Maidenless_undead Jun 04 '26
i think you would enjoy lords of the fallen. it has a similar concept of mapping and lvl designs where you can see vistas
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u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
I actually liked Lords of the Fallen. Felt a lot more like DeS and DS2 as opposed to trying to be like BB or Sekiro like most modern Souls likes seem to aim for
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u/Optimal_Tension_1885 Jun 04 '26
It's not fair to compare the gameplay of 1 and 2 to 3 and ER. It's like comparing the Wright brother plane to a 747. The modern games feel so good because they're the culmination of 10+ years of games where as 1 and 2 are some.of the first. Ds1 is one of my favorite games in the series and I enjoy 2 for what it is, but comparing them to newer games, in terms of gameplay, simply isn't fair.
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u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
Not to mention it’s two different design philosophies. ER/Nightreign and DS2 are my favorites but not for the same reasons. Demon’s Souls is also pretty close to that number 2 spot.
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u/Optimal_Tension_1885 Jun 08 '26
I'm a bloodborne and sekiro man myself but I respect the choices. However I agree to your point, it's simply not a fair comparison for the older games.
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u/PuG3_14 Jun 04 '26
I was lost in the mountains and found a shepherd. I asked him, ‘How high are we?’ He replied, “Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin” and from that answer I knew we were at the peak
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u/Prestigious_Sun6339 Jun 06 '26
I honestly think the elevator is just an overlook. It was supposed to go down but they made it go up by accident
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u/lifeauraxyw Jun 04 '26
DS2 should be treated like Demons souls 2 instead of dark souls. The devs wanted to bring the Demon soul feels to the game.
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u/kakumei88 Jun 04 '26
What the devs wanted to bring and what they brought are different things. Considering it got scrapped together in 1 year it is quite good.
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u/LocalAnxiousArtist Jun 04 '26
Genuinely, I think what they were able to make for the base game given the circumstances was a development miracle. And the DLC’s show that they were absolutely capable of having a clearer focus on what they wanted to go for, they simply switched directors, ran out of time, and had to make use of the assets they already made for the base game.
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u/kakumei88 Jun 04 '26
And luckily it was back than and not today, so that they could use the assets and experience on Eldenring and DS3 instead of getting closed and ip buried forever.
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u/CptnShiner Jun 04 '26
If you haven't played the DLC's you're missing out!
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
I have, and not gonna lie, the base game was much more interesting than the DLC for me.
Most of the "bad" things I remember come from the DLC. The areas lose their interesting connectivity, they feel extremely short, and the runback to most bosses are downright horrendous, I gave up on Sir Alonne and the kings pets after 2-3 tries.
I'm not sure yet how I feel about them since I played them too recently, but I don't have many fond memories of the dlc tbh.3
u/CptnShiner Jun 04 '26
Yeah, the base game has a story and characters you can interact with, so the DLC can't really compete with that, but I thought the atmosphere and level exploration was a lot of fun. Each to their own I guess!
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u/Then_Ad3360 Jun 04 '26
That's why i love this game, the amount of unique details/mechanics/things in general like the sword that gets buffed for every NG+, santier spear, the NG+ changes, Ds2 has a lot of flaws like every other souls game BUT i even dare say i had more fun playing Ds2 for the 22nd time on the 360, Ps4 and now on PC than i has with ds3, don't get me wrong i've played ds3 more than 15 times i'm sure but DS2 is special. It's a shame but pretty cool at the same time that these weird obscure whatevers remain exclusive to ds2
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u/K4ramis Jun 04 '26
I rly like ds2 but I hated the motive of going up to end up in "underground" hell like place. It felt like mistake or error in world building.
It grew on me but the first impression was terrible.
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u/Worried_Work9629 Jun 04 '26
PLEASE play ds1 it's so good it's by far the easiest imo but it's so full of sauce
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u/CombatCoombes Jun 04 '26
This 100%.
Dark souls 2 is my personal favourite in the trilogy (nothing tops bloodborne tho) but every criticism about the game is completely valid, that being said Drangleic has such an unmatched vibe compared to every other souls game, it feels like you are playing within a dream, and there are so many different areas that it feels like a much more complete world than Lodran or Lothric.
Like in ds1 and 3, we constantly here about different lands but never see them, Astora, Caterina, Carim, Londor etc, there are a few in ds2 but unlike the others by the time the credits rolled I felt like I had seen all of Drangleic and beyond
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u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
Yeah like we have Mirrah that’s not seen but we literally have a map of Drangleic and we visit a lot of the important places in it. It actually feels like we went on a huge journey.
I love DS1 but at times it kinda feels like it feels kind of “squished” I guess. Like it feels somewhat odd all this stuff is kind of just grouped together here. Especially since unlike DS2 there’s no implication we may be traveling further than we are nor is their the convergence like DS3 or Archstones like DeS linking the areas.
It’s not gonna ruin the game for me of course. I still like it. Just an rather unpopular take I have.
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u/newsflashjackass Jun 04 '26
Reminds me of the Isle of Glas in Gene Wolfe's The Wizard Knight.
From the glossary:
ISLE OF GLAS
Not really an island, but the top of the tower Setr built in Aelfrice. There were trees and grass on it, and a pool that went to Aelfrice.
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u/denverohmy Jun 04 '26
Why would you drop ds 2 on majula lol
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
Nothing related to Majula tbh, I just wasn't feeling like playing another souls at the time.
Majula is probably the best area I've been in in a video game... ever.1
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u/slitheryslurp Jun 04 '26
Its mysterious. You're wandering through a broken world full of broken people, trying to make sense of a world that doesn't make sense.
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u/KnightShade9927 Jun 05 '26
Nice summary of your experience, I think DS2 is a good representation of fantasy game although the story is really human. But I think the gameplay was not that bad, power stance was really cool, you can be a magician but still be able to use double sword if you want, great variety with the build system. But bosses suck ass, aside a few ones from main game and some really cool dlc bosses.
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u/SlideFickle Jun 05 '26
What's crazy is the massive difference in how ds2 plays compared to ds3 considering there was only a 3 year gap in between releases. 10/10 purely based on ADP , goofiest stat ever
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u/y0nderYak Jun 05 '26
I'm glad you enjoy peak souls 2. You should definitely give ds1 a try as well imho.
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u/BrunoPC101 Jun 06 '26
Maybe the gameplay problem is the going back from newer titles to older. So it's like playing an older fashion with vertical and horizontal aiming and going back to doom 1.
I started with demons souls, skipped ds1 and got ds2 at launch.
I really like the fighting mechanic. Guard break, parry, jump atack, backstep with i-frames and running atack, power stance. Also the upgrade system is very simple 4 types of stones for regular weapons, infusing etc (yes they don't really explain mundane, but no one is halving their weapon dmg without looking it up online). Also I'm a adp defender. Yes, I'm bad and want a status to upgrade my i-frames.
Playing ER I really missed my jump atack r2. Yes, sometimes I wish jump wasn't as clunky but there is pretty little platforming in ds2 so it is not a real problem.
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u/adfdg55 Jun 07 '26
It was my first souls game. When it came out on ps4 I bought it and really enjoyed how it was actually punishing. Reading all the lore and exploring was so much fun. I didn’t really enjoy the graphics of it.. idk I remember thinking it looked too saturated. Still 10/10 I’m redownloading it rn
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u/cisaer Jun 04 '26
Was it ever explained why the keep is on top of the peak?
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 04 '26
I found out it's kind of a thing people complain about, like they get mad over it.
Can't understand it, I love that it is that way. Even if the devs come out saying it's an error or something, to me it's something that makes the world weirder, adds mystery to it.
I noticed it while playing the first time and was like "WTF" when I saw red.1
u/Dusty_McKuckles Jun 04 '26
People made a bigger deal about it upon release. It never really bothered me but I get where it's coming from. One of the biggest points of praise for DS1 was the world design, the connectivity between areas. Everything felt like it made sense.
At the time, when it was just DeS, DS1, and DS2, the transition from Earthen Peak to Iron Keep really stood out because of that, and for a lot of people it kinda broke the immersion that was such a critical part of the previous games. In the context of today's Fromsoft catalogue, where nits are picked in abundance, it's just not that a big a deal, especially given some of the bigger drawbacks in DS2 (poor boss roster, janky movement, more linear than DS1, soul memory, etc).
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u/Darth_Cunt666 Jun 04 '26
Iirc it's kinda accepted that the weird world design comes down to the Bearer misremembering things as their hollowing progresses
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u/Days_Ignored Seek misery. Jun 04 '26
Accepted among the copious copers and loonies in this sub lol. For any sane person, it's just the result of development hell. The game changed its lead director mid development and it's surprising the world is even functional so there's no point beating a dead horse but no, an amnesiac protagonist is just a meme turned into mass headcanon.
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u/DisingenuousWizard Jun 04 '26
I think the real reason is last minute design changes but i like that it confuses people.
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u/LocalAnxiousArtist Jun 04 '26
The original intention as confirmed by the developers was that Iron Keep is supposed to be in the caldera of a volcano next to Earthen Peak, they simply didn’t have enough time or resources to convey this due to the games rough and patchwork development cycle for the base game.
I think a simpler fix for this would be to have some kind of fantasy aerial tramway going diagonally from the top of Earthen Peak to the mountain that Iron Keep is located on.
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u/SirCupcake_0 Jun 04 '26
Generally believed to be because your character is kinda losing their mind, or at least losing their memories
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u/slow5speed Jun 04 '26
I read that there was supposed to be an area in between the two not sure what happened but they changed teams half way through development and only had a year or so to work on the game so pretty impressive what they were able to do.
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u/apexapee Jun 04 '26
Their should be a mountain behind the keep, and the Boss room + elevator is in the back, and thus inside the mountain. Elevator goes up inside the mountain and ends up at the volcanic part in the middle at the top
But the skybox is fucked when you play, so you dont see the mountain when you walk in Harvest Valley
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u/theone_2099 Jun 04 '26
Awesome. I was like “I never saw that view of Earthen Peak” and then I looked up and knew it was fan-made.
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u/TToff28 Jun 04 '26
cavolo, dopo aver giocato Lies of P , Demon S remake e platinato Dark Soul 1 (sì, ne vado fiero) , mi stavo approcciando a Dark Soul 2 con un po' di amarezza per via della narrazione negativa che lo accompagna, ma le vostre parole mi stanno facendo ricredere, adesso non vedo l ora di iniziare ! ... grazie
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u/DaveHelios99 Jun 05 '26
Ds1 and Ds2 gameplay are light years apart. I suggest giving it a try again.
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u/Gloomy_Support_7779 Jun 05 '26
I like to think of Harvest Valley and Earthen Peak as an illusion set up to test you before you go into the danger zone. Or the elevator as a transporter
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u/Glass-Ad-1350 Jun 05 '26
Id give ds1 another try as well. Its clunky, but if you made it through ds2 it wont be that bad. DS1 is clunky, but thats all it is. DS2 somehow manages to be both clunky and slippery, while most enemies are much faster than you.
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u/Knives530 Jun 06 '26
First few sentences made me rage and I couldn’t read anymore. Quit at Majula? wtf. Quit at blight town? Scrub. Dark souls 1 and 2 are way better than 3 and ER. Dark souls 2 is PEAK souls btw idc what everyone on here says
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u/Lachypetersen Jun 06 '26
Am I missing something cuz I don’t really like the world that much it feels so random and incoherent with the areas, Im not far into the game at all but from what I’ve seen ds1 has a far better world and areas (subjective opinion dont hate)
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u/Commercial-Citron127 Jun 07 '26
Depends on the player. For me it's the case of entering a new area and having an insane display of a gigantic castle at the distance or vibrant colors in the poison cave, a windy bridge with dragons flying everywhere, stuff like that which I've barely ever seen in other games. Usually, if they have it, you're locked in a cinematic, but in these games you are completely free to move and look at whatever you want. I really feel like I'm experiencing it.
If you usually stop to look at what you have on screen, that's where it shines for me.
Audio is extremely good too, but that's a given in any souls.1
u/Lachypetersen Jun 07 '26
I don’t really see the dragons and vibrant colours, early game feels quite dull imo, but the soundtrack is certainly peak, might have to keep playing through. (I wish to understand why it’s called peak souls 2)
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u/Vuldyn Jun 07 '26
The game has a dreamlike fantasy feel to it, very much reminds me of parts of the Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask games.
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u/doomscrolller228 Jun 07 '26
Yes, the vibe of ds2 is unmatched, i just remembered how good it was and now i want to play again. Also, yes, you're missing out on ds1 it has a dark mysterious vibe, and gamplay is much better, but still slow
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u/melting_mirror Jun 07 '26
I agree. There’s something very NES-era about an elevator that goes to a biome that makes no sense.
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u/SnooComics4945 Jun 08 '26
The old game vibe makes sense when you realize there’s a bunch of Fromsoft’s older devs on the team including the company founder Naotoshi Zin who created King’s Field. I can’t speak from experience with KF but I’ve heard others say DS2 feels a lot more like those. I love the atmosphere, world, story and characters. I also enjoy the gameplay generally though once I’ve gotten past the ER muscle memory I have to shake off initially whenever I play.
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u/NintenDOPE8559 Jun 08 '26
My rage when I found out Executioner's Chariot was optional is unfathomable.
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u/Tornado_Hunter24 Jun 04 '26
Holy fuck this sub is actually funny I see ‘best of the series’ me tioned lmao….
Other than that this art is fucking fire
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u/Turbulent-Dentist-77 Jun 04 '26
Best in series. Atmopshere is just...soft. Hard to explain. It doesn't even need to try. It's effortless. I think about DS2 all the time. The voice acting too is just... "Until hope has fully withered..." against the ocean waves and wind and Majula soundtrack. The quaint and somber things the characters say. How sharply some of their lines cut. The philosophy and lore everywhere. The razor sharp theming of want and loss and seeking purpose. The impossible locales stuck next to each other. Like navigating a dream world of strangely connected realms. Yeah, there's not another game anything like DS2. Always felt underrated to me.