Dark Souls II - Part 2
0NOTE: As a first time playthrough, this collection involves one restart mid way through Part 2... I choose the rapier and tseldora set on recommendation from an IRL friend mid-playthrough.
I will not recognise Elden Ring as Game of the Year 2022 above Horizon Forbidden West unless I've played it. I will not play Elden Ring until I've experienced the Fromsoft library. Why? I don't want to play a game that may be inferior to Elden Ring by comparison with everybody that harps on about it like a broken record. They may be right, and I have commited to find out! Having played Demon's Souls remake and Dark Souls Remastered, my next game is the much maligned DS2. Most of the fandom comments I have seen are dismissive of the second game - and having just finished, I can't say I agree.
It absolutely does not have the magic of the original Dark Souls which was a masterclass in level design, with several intertwining areas that were beautifully designed. Comparatively, Souls II's areas seem dull and uninspired with so much retreading of old ground, and an obsession with making the most boring or horrible areas the most prominent - only a few areas really stand out. Anor Londo's wonderous European Chateau is replaced by half assed asset grabs that form Heide's Tower or Dragleic Castle. The Gutter and Black Gulch are just a couple of the infuriating areas that are horrid to look at (although intentionally so), but haven't we had enough bland poison areas with wooden platforms and ladders that we saw in Demons and Dark Souls? There just isn't that feeling of achievement or realisation that you can turn around at many points in DS1 and notice an area in the distance that you've visited before. It's not all bad however, as areas such as the Dragon Aerie or the final run to the Throne are genuinely exciting.
Bosses are a mixed bag too, and for every Looking Glass Knight or Pursuer - there's a Last Giant or Rat Vanguard. Speaking of the rat vanguard, a huge problem with DS2 is the manufactured difficulty. Almost like FS decided Let's do away with well thought out tactics for our enemies - and just swarm the player with enemies who will relentlessly maul you and stunlock your character - It's lazy, infuriating and off-putting. And even worse than this is the stupidest stat in adaptability - a stat that if not levelled, reduces your invincibility frames whilst rolling or engaged with another enemy. This was the first and last appearance of that one, thank fuck. Questionable hitboxes, and enemies that can't seem to commit to where their hits are going to land can ruin your day too.
With all this said, it is not a bad game at all, and in the three I've played this is easily the strongest in terms of story. I found myself reading the lore between streams on how DS1 is connected to DS2, and loved how the game is a little more than ambiguous and vague in it's story like DS1. The story of Nashandra and Vendrick and how they took on the invading giants, the task of obtaining 4 great souls before finding the king - and when it unfolds in why you have been sent to find him are excellent. And I think it's the lore that is luring me back. I'll be platinuming this game like I did DS1, so expect a few more vids in the future!
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