Dark Souls II is about punishing you for making mistakes & being stupid. I can’t stress this enough, just like the first game…don’t let this put you off. There were many sections & bosses that saw me having to spend hours levelling up & improving my abilities before attempting them again (No-Man’s Wharf in particular caused me big problems). My very first Dark Souls II death saw me jump too late over a gap & fall to my doom. It’s not just enemies after all that can kill you the environment is as dangerous as anything with a weapon. That’s not to say it isn’t still a challenge for regular players, it is & I would put my total death count in the hundreds easily.

Whereas seasoned Dark Souls players will be instantly familiar with the mechanics, controls & play within their limitations from the moment it loads up. Here’s the thing, it’s a difficult question to answer because for a brand new player to the series it might seem like the most punishing game ever as you die at minor enemies & watch as your max health points drop with no obvious way to increase them (that was a shock even for me).

I suppose the first question I need to answer is just how tough Dark Souls II actually is. You can read my review for the first game on the Xbox 360 here.ĭark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is the complete version of Dark Souls II, coming with all 3 DLC packs included as well as a whole raft of changes to make it a new experience for those who played it on its initial release. The original Dark Souls was an excellent game that rewarded players willing to fight through hardship forcing you to learn from your mistakes, take your time & work towards being the best damn Dark Souls player you could be. I just couldn’t see myself enjoying something so punishing…but I was wrong. I was late to the Dark Souls party having spent many years avoiding it because of its perceived intense difficulty.

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