By Ian Rapoport
Executive Arts Editor
After starting “Dark Souls 2” and dying within minutes, I expected the game to give some sort of hint as to how to do better, but instead, the only message that appeared was “This is Dark Souls.”
Like “Demon Souls” and “Dark Souls” before it, “Dark Souls 2” is a video game defined by its extreme difficulty. Video game developer From Software not only maintains the series’ precedent of challenging but fair combat, but the game is also refined, with minor tweaks across the board. This, coupled with the game’s distinctive multiplayer and massive open world, excels “Dark Souls 2” to heights not generally seen in a majority of video games.
“Dark Souls 2” is an open world medieval-fantasy, role-playing game. In it, the player assumes the role of an undead, a person cursed to live forever until eventually turning into a zombie-like state called hollow. In order to find a solution for this condition, the player travels to the forgotten land of Dragleic, a place rumored to have a cure for the undead.
Almost the entirety of the game is spent with the player exploring the world and fighting monsters in traditional RPG fashion, collecting new gear and experience points, here called souls, to upgrade their character. The catch is that the player’s unspent souls are dropped if he dies. These souls are then lost forever if the player dies again before picking them up.
This is only half of what makes the game so difficult. Most of the enemies can kill the player in two or three hits, and the world is filled with traps and obstacles that are equally as devastating. From Software balances this, as enemies attack in patterns that the player can learn, and the many environmental hazards only prove dangerous for those not paying enough attention. This set-up rewards patience and attentiveness, and as a result, makes any progress earned immensely satisfying.
Yet, while the challenging gameplay is the obvious aspect that sets the “Dark Souls 2” apart from other games, the game’s multiplayer component is actually its most unique feature. Players can leave messages for others, join together to fight bosses or even invade other players’ games to steal their souls. These are only some of the many ways players can interact, and these creative encounters give the game a constant sense of something unexpected being around the corner.
While the core gameplay is largely similar to the original “Dark Souls,” From Software’s small alterations improve it considerably. The most significant change is that fast travel through the world is available from the beginning of the game, instead of being available midway through like in “Dark Souls.”
While much of the difficulty of the original came from the player getting lost and then forced to fight his way back when a certain area became too difficult, in “Dark Souls 2,” the player can quickly jump to a new area, should any other prove too difficult at the moment. This allows the game to be played at the pace the player sees fit and places all difficulty on the combat.
Better yet, From Software’s emphasis on exploration proves so engaging that it could have held the game up all on its own. Instead of the world being an open expanse, like in “Skyrim,” Dragleic is a series of intertwined paths that resemble more of a constantly changing maze.
In one of the game’s earlier areas, a series of tight pathways through dark woods (which feel more horror than fantasy) opens up into a group of barren, desert-like burrows dominated by windmills and giants that look like they could have been pulled out of “The Lord of the Rings.” Such sense of constant surprise mirrors that found in the multiplayer mode. Much of the joy of the game comes from discovering the many diverse monsters and locations.
Everything about “Dark Souls 2” proves outstanding. The brutal gameplay results in one of the most rewarding experiences ever seen in a video game, with From Software’s innovative multiplayer and world design instilling a constant sense of discovery. With so many big-budget games becoming increasingly less creative, “Dark Souls 2” is a testament to the pay-off of inspired game design.
“Dark Souls 2” is rated T and now available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for $59.99. The game will release for PC on April 25.
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