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Dark Souls & other Souls-Likes
Asura.Zizek
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By Asura.Zizek 2013-06-02 14:52:11
no one else thinks thats ciaran? :O anyone have any good DS2 speculation websites?
Asura.Ina
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By Asura.Ina 2013-06-02 15:07:50
Bahamut.Raenryong said: »Was that thing even meant to die? It didn't drop anything and the place it opened was like a Bonfire and low-quality loot. Maybe a Humanity or two, which promptly got lost to like a zombie or something stupid.
And the Sunlight Altar, giving you access to a new Covenant!
Though yeah, I agree that Kalameet and Gaping Dragon aside, the dragon fights in both games are pretty tedious. I'd say the very least interesting part of Demon's Souls is killing the Red and Blue ones.
Also, fun story;
I've seen some people say that the above image is proof that Dark Souls is becoming sexualised...... I know right... there was totally nothing sexual that could come from DS 1
Let's not forget nippleless Queelag and her sister + the gaping dragon
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By Siren.Kalilla 2013-06-02 15:07:59
no one else thinks thats ciaran? :O anyone have any good DS2 speculation websites? ENB suggested that parts of the game might be Carim, and the developers said that the game wouldn't be open world. It will take on what Demon's Souls did, and you'll visit different locations that are too far apart to be connected for an open world.
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By Asura.Ina 2013-06-02 15:11:36
no one else thinks thats ciaran? :O anyone have any good DS2 speculation websites? ENB suggested that parts of the game might be Carim, and the developers said that the game wouldn't be open world. It will take on what Demon's Souls did, and you'll visit different locations that are too far apart to be connected for an open world. The long sword kinda makes me doubt it is Ciaran since she was known for the two weapons she gives you wasn't she? The lack of shield makes her being from Carim make sense though. I think it was the Parrying Dagger's description that said their knights were famous for their two weapon style.
Asura.Zizek
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By Asura.Zizek 2013-06-02 15:34:42
Well she gives the silver and gold tracer, and she has a rapier and a dagger on her leg. Plus, the anor londo looking background. Someone from Carim would be awesome, so many unexplored areas and gods in dark souls lore, am so excited. ^^
edit: oh and the other reason was that Ciaran's mask is similar to the ones in the original DS2 trailer, but you know those people could have been anything
edit again: Silver Tracer is a Dagger, Gold Tracer is a curved sword :P still just speculation though.
By Kimble2013 2013-06-02 15:35:39
Game is due out March 2014.
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By Shiva.Viciousss 2013-06-02 15:38:23
I think they are confusing "earlier than expected" with "way, way later than expected...."
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By Siren.Kalilla 2013-06-02 22:28:06
I found more, so I'll be adding the ones I had before to this post.
Here is some older news:
Dark Souls 2 development photos show new armor sets and character designs
January 25, 2013 By: Shui Ta
A handful of new development photos have been revealed by Namco Bandai Games for their upcoming multiplatform title, “Dark Souls 2.” The latest images, which were posted on the Namco Bandai Facebook page on Jan. 24, show the staff at From Software working on the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 video game. Some of the armor sets and character designs can be seen on some of the monitors in the office. You can check out the development photos, as well as some screens from the action role-playing game, in the slideshow at the top of this article.
“Dark Souls 2” is currently being developed by From Software, the same studio responsible for the development of “Dark Souls” and “Demon’s Souls.” The sequel will be published by Namco Bandai Games when it launches for the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming systems sometime later this year (it could also be pushed back until 2014).
Pre-order links:
old news:
Hidetaka Miyazaki on stepping away from Dark Souls II and the future of the series
When Miyazaki sits down with Dark Souls II, it will be the first time he has played a game in the series without being its creative force. He tells us his hope is that it will be unpredictable, but avoids detailing specific things he’d like to see for fear of pressuring the development team |
Hidetaka Miyazaki, the godfather of Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, is clicking his ballpoint pen repeatedly. He’s sitting across the table from us, wearing his trademark casual navy blue jacket over a buttoned-down shirt. His hair looks slightly more dishevelled than usual, hanging noticeably limply across his forehead. The atmosphere in the room has grown suddenly charged. The virtuosic young Japanese game designer has dropped a bombshell.
“I will not be involved in the actual development of Dark Souls II,” he says matter-of-factly. “I want to clarify that I will be a supervisor, not the actual director or producer.”
This is a crushing revelation for any hardcore fan of Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, akin to a cinephile learning that Pulp Fiction 2 is in production, but that Quentin Tarantino isn’t attached to the picture. The strong personal tie between Miyazaki and the two dark fantasy RPGs he’s created to date has been well established. He explained to us in a previous interview, for instance, that the veil of ambiguity hovering over the Souls games grew out of his experiences as a child poring over western fantasy literature. Due to his patchy comprehension of English at the time, there were large chunks of each book he couldn’t decipher, leaving him to fill in the details with his imagination. He set out to create that same sense of awe and bewilderment in his games, letting players fill in the gaps with their imagination instead of having every plot point and objective clearly articulated through in-game text or cutscenes.
Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the Souls series
So what does it mean that Miyazaki is a supervisor on Dark Souls II? When we first hear the word, we imagine him popping by at the end of every workday to check in on development and see how things are progressing, maybe even signing off on features and visual concepts as they’re being prototyped – you know, supervising. In reality, his role is less involved and ongoing than the term ‘supervisor’ would suggest, having simply ensured things got started on solid footing before stepping aside. So what has he contributed to the project?
For one thing, Miyazaki has insisted on setting the top-line level of Dark Souls II’s production schedule. “I’m aware that many fans were a little bit frustrated about Dark Souls in terms of the scheduling – more specifically speaking, about the patches that we’ve released,” he says, alluding to the consequences of pushing Dark Souls out the door before it was 100 per cent polished. “I really regretted that, so I reviewed all those kinds of things that I worked on in Dark Souls to make sure that Dark Souls II is ready on time.”
The second item that Miyazaki claims to have looked after is the transition from a peer-to-peer online system to server-based network play, which promises a markedly improved online experience.
Even though this sequel will be roughly the same size as its predecessor, the world will be more densely populated with specific points of interest |
Finally, he points to his role in assigning the pair of replacement game directors – Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura – who have now assumed the reins of the Souls series. Both had previously worked on FromSoftware’s mech-action series Another Century, which caters to the tastes of the local Japanese audience and isn’t currently available abroad. (Coincidentally, Miyazaki worked on the mech-action Armored Core series before creating Demon’s Souls, so it’s not as big a leap from mech combat to the fantasy-RPG genre as you might expect.)
Though the discrepancy could well be attributed to a translation error, moments after stating that “there will be two directors for Dark Souls II, which I have secured myself”, Miyazaki tacks on a correction after his introduction of Shibuya and Tanimura, saying “the decision about the new assignments was not made by me; it was made by FromSoftware and Namco Bandai as a whole”. These competing statements make it hard to decipher whether Miyazaki wished to step away from the Souls series, or if he was asked to move aside by the company so that the IP could be steered in a fresh direction. When asked about his new full-time role, Miyazaki mentions that he’s working on a new title as director, but when we ask if it’s a new IP he simply laughs and replies, “Sorry, I can’t answer that.”
“It was a company decision,” clarifies Namco Bandai producer Takeshi Miyazoe. “Miyazaki worked on Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, but for the IP to evolve and provide a new experience within the Dark Souls world the new wind from directors Shibuya and Tanimura is key to providing players with [a] brand new Dark Souls experience. In order to maintain the expectations and satisfaction and the rewards that players experience, this was the right time to bring in the new characteristics and taste[s of the directors] for this series to continue on evolving.”
In designing map areas for Dark Souls II, the main creative principle is to dream up concepts that did not exist in the previous games |
While it’s sad to see Miyazaki part ways with his fantasy-RPG series, it certainly makes sense from a company perspective to steer him towards a fresh title, especially if it does turn out to be something brand new. Apart from Dark Souls, Namco Bandai’s recent attempts to develop memorable new properties have been largely unsuccessful. If there’s any chance this proven young designer can cause lightning to strike twice, it makes sense to give him that opportunity. For his part, Miyazaki seems ready to access a different part of his psyche. In response to an unrelated question, he says, “sometimes I’d like to work on a warmer game – not necessarily casual, but warmer in terms of the atmosphere and the environment”. It’s the closest thing that we’re given to a hint about the nature of his next project.
So how does Miyazaki feel about entrusting his baby to new parents? “I’m not one to restrict the potential that Dark Souls has by insisting that only I can work on the titles,” he stresses. “I want new expressions. It’s true that I’m sad about not being involved in the development of Dark Souls II, because I’ve worked on Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls’ development for the past five years. I really love those two titles; however, maybe this is the time to have new inspiration, so I’m fine about that. I’m looking forward to playing Dark Souls II not as part of the development team, but with a little bit of distance. Everybody knows what the core of Dark Souls is – the dev team does, the fans do, the media does – and that will never change. I [wouldn’t] really care for Dark Souls VIII to come out. That’s not the point. It’s more, ‘What do the fans want?’ We want to stay true to what they expect.”
At the conclusion of our interview, Miyazaki volunteers some formal closing remarks. He mentions this will probably be one of his last interviews about the Souls series for a while and wants to offer his appreciation on behalf of himself and the development team to fans and the media for lavishing such enthusiastic praise on Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls. As he exits the room, the reality sinks in – this is really happening. We’ve been taught that if the Fire Keeper dies, the bonfire they guard turns to cold ash. Let’s hope this is the exception. Dark Souls II has the potential to be a dramatic departure indeed.
Dark Souls II: Shibuya on the gameworld, awkwardness and accessibility
Though Namco Bandai isn’t yet ready to confirm plans for a PC release of Dark Souls II, there was an unmistakably wink-wink quality to how we were told “we’re not denying it either”. Our demo was also running on a high-end laptop |
One half of the directorial duo behind Dark Souls II, Tomohiro Shibuya clearly has more than a passing interest in fashion. He sports stylishly layered hair, his jeans are ornamented with faux-stencilled graffiti, and the shirt he’s got on displays a black-and-white photograph of a woman reclining on a sofa while wearing nothing but black gloves. One arm conceals her breasts, while a strategically positioned cushion keeps the image just softcore enough to ensure it remains tantalising without being pornographic. The composition of the photo is designed to tease viewers, and to kindle their curiosity.
Shibuya is here to try to accomplish the same trick with Dark Souls II, but it becomes quickly apparent that he doesn’t intend to be nearly as forthcoming as the woman on his shirt. She’s opted for black gloves, but he might as well be cloaked in the Tower Knight’s daunting plate armour.
His initial flurry of answers are vague. We’re able to establish that Dark Souls II will be a direct sequel to Dark Souls, and it will take place in an open world of similar dimensions to its predecessor but more dense with content. The game will not take place in Lordran, yet Shibuya won’t disclose the name of the setting. “The name of the world will be key to the story,” he says. “We will reveal it eventually, but not in the first announcement. If Lordran was to be an area in a world called, say, Earth, the setting of this game will be somewhere completely different. The two places won’t necessarily interact directly with each other, but, from a visual concept [standpoint] at least, it will be within the same world.”
Tomohiro Shibuya, co-game director, Dark Souls II |
We’re told the story will once again revolve around a character who is cursed and seeking to find the cure for his affliction, but Shibuya won’t be drawn out further. He will provide no details about how much continuity there is between the story of Dark Souls II and its predecessor, nor explain why the player has appeared in this new region. “They’ll find out right away,” he says, “but that’s something we want to refrain from speaking too much about today.”
In the preceding interview, Miyazaki stressed that FromSoftware was interested in evolving the series to keep fans surprised and engaged. So if the key alteration from Demon’s Souls to Dark Souls was providing players with an expansive and seamless open world, what’s the defining change that Dark Souls II will offer us?
“The concept of time and the existence of time is something that will be key to Dark Souls II,” replies Shibuya. When we press for more detail, he simply rephrases the word ‘time’ with ‘eras’ and leaves it there. That’s as much as he will say, claiming that he doesn’t want to spoil the surprise for players. We’ll have to wait to see just what this clue means, then, but it sounds as though time travel between different epochs of the world’s history could play a role in the game. For a series that already shares so much DNA with The Legend Of Zelda, playing with time mechanics can only serve to strengthen that bond.
Any sequel in a beloved franchise gets stuck between the competing values of preserving the core of an experience that players have loved and the desire to offer up fresh enticements. Despite his caginess, Shibuya doesn’t intend to be shy about building on the foundation of the past games and changing things up.
Dark Souls II will once again be staged in a seamless open world full of dangers, but Shibuya also plans to weave in elements that “will help to guide the player” |
“Ideally we want Dark Souls players to smoothly get into Dark Souls II,” he explains, “but at the same time I am implementing a lot of different aspects as well. So there might be a sense of awkwardness at the [beginning] when experienced Dark Souls players pick up Dark Souls II. But ideally we want that smooth process, so Dark Souls II will have the same general feel in terms of the experience in the game. I don’t intend to change the controls.”
Our conversation then turns to the issue of accessibility. Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls are notorious for not just being difficult to master in a mechanical sense, but remaining staunchly inscrutable as well; the games rarely explain their systems to players. Demon’s Souls contained a feature called World Tendency that veered between pure white and pure black, changing the nature of the world depending on certain actions, but you had to flee online to the Demon’s Souls wiki if you were to have any hope of untangling the mystery of how it worked. Dark Souls has a host of different ‘covenants’, which require different actions from players to both join and maintain good standing in. The covenant system will return in Dark Souls II, but Shibuya assures us it will be easier to understand.
“I personally feel that the covenant system was something that was difficult to fully absorb and experience [in] Dark Souls, and I intend to make it more accessible to players. And that’s not just with the covenant system, but with a lot of other aspects that I felt were difficult to fully adapt to.
According to Shibuya, the player’s ability to parse the meaning behind subtle hints or clues in the game’s environment will “determine the difficulty of the game and the challenges that are available for them to experience” |
“I will follow the same concept as Dark Souls, but there were a lot of hidden story elements that some players may not have caught before, and I’m hoping to make some of that a little bit more clear or directly expressed to the player as well – not just in the story, but messaging. A lot of elements were very subtle in Dark Souls, and that was something that was characteristic to Dark Souls. But I personally am the sort of person who likes to be more direct instead of subtle, so I think that part of me will [result in] a difference [for] players when they pick up Dark Souls II. It will be more straightforward and more understandable.”
Despite Miyazaki telling us in an interview conducted back in November 2011 that he wasn’t yet sure if he’d have the chance to make a follow-up to Dark Souls, Dark Souls II had in fact already been in development for two months at that stage. Shibuya mentions being approached about the project in September of last year, at which point, we’re told, development was proceeding in parallel, with some of the Dark Souls team working on patches and DLC content, and staff gradually migrating over to the new game as required.
According to Shibuya, the team working on Dark Souls II is “substantially bigger”. Though he won’t quantify the growth numerically, he points out that the studio has nearly doubled the internal team focused on world creation alone, in addition to adding new members across every other department. When asked what state the game is currently in, he estimates it being roughly 25 per cent finished. In other words, if the current pace of development holds, you can almost definitely rule out the game arriving in 2013. Is the team hoping to finish the game before the end of the current hardware generation? Shibuya politely declines to comment.
After about 90 minutes of question-and-answer jousting, we haven’t teased out many specifics. It’s just like Dark Souls to raise more questions than it answers, but we can’t help feeling frustrated. Diehard fans of the series will surely be disappointed as well. But it’s also just like Dark Souls to provide players with dizzying turnabouts in fortune. After stumbling blind and hopeless through the pitch black Tomb Of The Giants in Dark Souls, discovering that first bonfire near the base of the tall cliff-face ladder felt like reaching pure nirvana. In a cavern that dark, the illumination from even a tiny bonfire can feel as penetrating as the sun itself.
Dark Souls 2 Roughly 25% Finished, May Miss 2013 Release Date
29th, Jan. 2013 by Rashid Sayed
The Souls franchise is one of the toughest to beat this generation. But that is where the fun and challenge lies. Dark Souls 2 was announced at last year’s VGA and it will be every bit as tough as it’s predecessors.
Tomohiro Shibuya, co-game director of Dark Souls 2 has revealed that the game is completed 25% till date. According to Edge, the game will be missing the 2013 release window.
When Shibuya was asked whether it will get completed before the advent of next generation consoles, he simply declined to comment.
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According to an interview with Edge, Shibuya also confirmed that the team working on Dark Souls II is ‘substantially bigger’. He also confirmed that that the development team has almost doubled plus they are adding new team members.
It is interesting to note that despite such a massive team, we have to wait till next year to get our hands on. I personally think that it may land up on next generation consoles, seeing how Shibuya declined to comment on the actual release date.
Dark Souls II: Revealing a new world through concept art
There are a number of glossy printouts of Dark Souls II concept art lying on the table between us and Shibuya – the same images you’ll find illustrating this feature. With the formal interview concluded and our final minutes ticking away, we make one last push for information. Would Shibuya kindly give us a guided tour of the concept art before us so that we know what we’re looking at?
He lays his index finger on a knight dressed in a regal coat of blue and grey armour. This is the main hero, he says. We point out the grey animal fur adorning the shoulders of the armour and recount a conversation we had with Miyazaki months ago about the Dark Souls team experimenting with – and later abandoning – snowy terrain because it was too technically demanding.
“We’re not really thinking of anything to take place covered in snow or blizzards or stuff like that,” explains Shibuya. “But the aspect of snow and weather is something that we’re definitely looking into and thinking about implementing, so that this actually makes sense as well.” The idea of dynamic weather in a Dark Souls game is enticing. Can you imagine how much more evocative the mood of, say, Darkroot Garden would have been if a misty rain began pattering on the grassy turf as you traced a path in the dark between those incandescent flower blossoms?
Shibuya points out a curious-looking weapon that’s been designed for the game, which looks like a statue sitting on an upside down dome pedestal, and explains that it’s actually a bell with a thin dagger tip on the end. Ringing the two Bells Of Awakening in Dark Souls marked key moments of the player’s progression through the game. We’ll have to wait to see if this bell has any connection to those ones, or if it’s simply an answer to the question, ‘Hey, you know what would be cool?’
Next up is a sketch of ruins near a misty coastline. “This is something new that we’re trying to do. Using the ocean or the sea as a concept, that hadn’t really been [done] in Demon’s Souls or Dark Souls. The ocean aspect is something that we’re newly implementing into the game, so one of the concept artists started on this for us to use. With the ocean or the sea as a concept, the aspects that are involved are strong winds from the ocean [and] the strong waves as well. This is an area where we’re trying to express loneliness. In Japan, it’s an iconic idea that when you’re standing by the sea all alone, you’re often depressed.”
We ask about boats, one of the fantasy genre’s most familiar modes of transport. “Being on a ship or boat is definitely something we are considering,” he says, “but being able to control one is not in the works.”
Shibuya moves on to a grotesquely obese enemy wielding massive crescent-shaped sickles. Though he said earlier he wouldn’t be talking about any characters in the new game, he makes an exception. He explains that there’s a mad scientist in the world, and that this creature is the product of a Frankenstein-like experiment in which he reanimated a corpse containing the parts of various powerful creatures.
A separate image of what looks like a dwarf wielding a monstrous axe isn’t necessarily a dwarf, Shibuya points out, but it is a character that lives underground.
Another enemy that looks like a spider mutant has a far more disturbing explanation. The spider has actually attached itself parasitically to the being’s back and is controlling its movements. The hairy leg piercing the host’s cranium allegedly manipulates his brain in some way.
Curiously, one of the relatively pedestrian-looking enemies on display, a blind, bandaged zombie with a gaping open rib cage, who seems a little like something out of a Resident Evil game, cannot be discussed at all. Shibuya simply informs us “This is top secret.”
The black rider in the chariot, who looks like one of Tolkien’s Nazgûl, is in fact an undead who acts as an executioner if you commit evil deeds. So does this mean there will be some kind of moral system underpinning Dark Souls II? “Yes, definitely,” Shibuya confirms with a grin. “If you’re unlucky enough, you’ll be able to meet them.”
The undead executioner’s chariot also points to another feature that hasn’t been explored in the series previously: vehicles. The player’s vulnerability in Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls was reinforced by the lack of vehicular assistance. You were always the footsoldier on the front lines wading into certain death, never the horseback cavalry charging in with the upper hand. Shibuya describes vehicles as something the team wants to implement in Dark Souls II as a new element for players. “We want to constantly think of something new that hasn’t been tried before, so that’s where that idea [of the chariot] came up.”
Shibuya didn’t offer any insight on the next few images, so you’ll have to draw you’re own conclusions on how they fit into Dark Souls II’s world.
Dark Souls 2 - Gameplay Reveal 12 Minute Demo
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By Odin.Zicdeh 2013-06-02 22:55:58
Another name for Concept art is "Cocktease".
We are getting close to the point where Concept Art is comparable to the game art, but still not close enough for me to really get excited seeing it.
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By Siren.Kalilla 2013-06-04 17:38:53
UDON Announces "Dark Souls: Design Works" Book for the West
Hardcover collection matches Japanese edition this fall
Joseph LusterJune 04, 2013 8:38am CDT
Last night UDON Entertainment announced plans to bring another fantastic art book to the west. This time it's none other than Dark Souls: Design Works, which is due out this October for $39.99.
The full-color hardcover collection matches the Japanese edition, and features key visuals, concept art, designs for characters, weapons, and monsters, rough sketches, and more. There's also a behind-the-scenes interview with director Hidetaka Miyazaki and the game's artists.
More info at Udon's page for Dark Souls: Design Works.
The book is up for pre-order now, and UDON shared the sample pages below:
Just click an image to enlarge it.
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By Kalila 2013-06-10 13:23:42
Dark Souls II - PS3/X360/PC - Go Beyond Death (E3 2013)
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Asura.Ina
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By Asura.Ina 2013-06-10 13:31:23
Not enough dying in that trailer.
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By Phoenix.Amandarius 2013-06-10 19:28:47
I can already see me rage throwing my controllers.
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By Kujata.Daus 2013-06-10 19:30:04
my bros already saying he's going to force me to get this so we can play together over internets and he can watch me cry.
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By Cerberus.Tikal 2013-06-10 19:39:23
That's a good brother you have there Daus. Cherish him.
By Kalila 2013-06-11 22:09:44
Here is some news from IGN, I'm going to post some other news stuffs after as well:
E3 2013: Dark Souls II: The Veteran and the Victim
We finally get our hands on FromSoft’s sequel.
by Marty Sliva June 11, 2013
Dark Souls earned its infamy by living up to its slogan, “Prepare to Die.” A merit badge to some and an unfathomable piece of masochism to others, the game made its mark by marrying the unrelenting difficulty of the 8-bit generation with an obtuse suite of systems and mechanics that were never overtly explained to the player. Some gamers relished this fresh experience, while others couldn’t comprehend why anyone would submit themselves to such torture. In such, it’s no surprise that this pairing still exists as the heart and soul of Dark Souls II, Namco Bandai’s eagerly-awaited follow-up.
After revealing the first look at the gameplay back in April, we were finally given the chance to get our hands on a small slice of the game, which included a short dungeon followed by an intensely impressive boss encounter. But instead of just having a single take on the demo, we decided to tackle the game from two very different perspectives. One IGN editor braved through the series and views it as one of the most remarkable achievements of this generation, while the other has never even given thought to kindling a bonfire. Here’s what they thought.
Dark Souls II E3 Gameplay Trailer - Rewind Theater
YouTube Video Placeholder They actually analyze the trailer and point some things out you might have missed the first time.
Marty Sliva, Associate Editor
I spearheaded the IGN Wiki for the original Dark Souls back in 2011. After a few endless days of completely hating my job, I eventually grew to appreciate, respect, and ultimately love the world that FromSoft had created. So it’s no surprise that I was eagerly awaiting the chance to get my hands on Dark Souls II, and I’m happy to report that it’s everything fans of the series have hoped it would be. I immediately felt at home with my premade Sorcerer, who came equipped with an ancient chunk of driftwood capable of delivering new magic attacks such as a rainfall of fiery meteors and a gigantic, holy energy sword.
Though it took a minute or two to regain my sea legs, I quickly slipped back into the conservative mindset I had created back in 2011. Dark Souls is all about fearing and respecting every single encounter, and the sequel is no different. The combat was every bit as methodical as I remembered, and the new enemy types such as a large, armored, bi-pedal turtle proved to be perfectly capable of abruptly ending a play session. A few twists on the formula, such as carrying torches to illuminate darkened halls and enemies that could smash through pieces of the environment, helped keep the same sense of discovery that existed throughout the original game.
Dark Souls 2 Gameplay Reveal - 12 Minute Demo
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Richard George, Executive Editor
My experience with Dark Souls was basically limited to watching our 24-hour live stream long ago and wondering why the people playing it were being such cowards. So, to ease myself into the experience, I tried a demo station that had 'god mode' turned on. I figured I'd get a feel for how the game worked, how its mechanics were structured, and I jokingly told Marty to let me know when I would have ordinarily died.
I think I started to realize the severity of the game when Marty told me I would have died within the first minute or so of play, and then I managed to technically die anyway, by falling off a cliff during combat.
So, basically, I died in 'god mode'. Is there an Achievement for that?
Dark Souls II is certainly no joke. I watched one journalist struggle, in god mode, for a good 30 minutes trying to defeat the Mirror Knight boss. Unlimited health and that beast was still one hell of an obstacle. My own experience wasn't exactly much better. I realized how critical my stamina was. I figured, before playing, that the Dark Souls experience was a balance of offense and defense. I'd just block until I had an opening. But that's not possible. Playing defense will get you killed. Go figure. Talking to Marty, as he noted time and time again that I would have died (I think we stopped counting after a while), he told me that it wasn't just about offense or defense, but proximity and distance. And it was about dying.
Everything You Want to Know About Dark Souls 2
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Marty Sliva
Oh man, that Mirror Knight. Fans of the series know that one of the most enjoyable parts of a Souls game is finding out what fresh hell the developers have concocted, and with the Mirror Knight, they did not disappoint. Once I made it through the demo’s castle, I stepped through that familiar fog and appeared at the top of crumbling tower, and damn if it didn’t look amazing. Between the fantastic architecture and a raging storm, it was as visually impressive as any game from this generation. But I only had a second to take in the sights, because immediately the boss came charging towards me.
The Mirror Knight resembled a larger, shinier version of the statue guards that adorned the halls of Anor Lando, but with one major addition. He wielded a massive, reflective shield that he would occasionally plant into the ground. Upon doing this, a figure of a trapped soul appeared in the glass, pounding on the surface as if it was incased in a prison. Eventually the struggle led to the shield shattering, and out came a tortured warrior that you’d have to fight with alongside the Knight. In short, it was the first of what will hopefully be many unforgettable boss encounters in DSII.
Official E3 2013 Dark Souls 2 Trailer
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Rich George
Dark Souls II, a brutally old-school, hardcore game, is about dying as much as it is living. You're basically expected to die, so that you observe your struggle, your failure, and learn from it. You die against a turtle when you attempt to attack it from behind. Now you know to never do that again. It's unforgiving, but that's the whole point.
I think I get the point of Dark Souls. But I also think the people who love it and the people who make it are probably insane. That's kind of cool though. It's certainly bold to head that direction when everything is about being bigger while being more accessible and mainstream. It takes a lot of guts to not care about that.
Cerberus.Tikal
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By Cerberus.Tikal 2013-06-11 22:16:53
Rich George said: But I also think the people who love it and the people who make it are probably insane. That's kind of cool though.
By Kalila 2013-06-11 22:22:35
some very HQ screenshots coming up :< if my fingers would type fast enough.
By volkom 2013-06-11 22:27:38
some very HQ screenshots coming up :< if my fingers would type fast enough.
you need voice to text software :P
By Kalila 2013-06-11 22:45:54
Dark Souls 2 hands-on: Still brilliant, slightly different
By Michael McWhertor Jun 11, 2013
Dark Souls 2 has a new director and a new engine, but the soul of From Software's series of dark, challenging role-playing games appears to be intact in Dark Souls 2, even if slipping into its body feels a bit different.
Some of the game's changes, including its new graphics engine, took a bit of time to get used to in a recent hands-on demo. The control of characters felt noticeably different, speedier perhaps, and without the weight of characters in Dark Souls. We had no way to see what our characters stats were, nor the weight of the equipment they carried, so it's difficult to judge how character's will ultimately feel.
And Dark Souls 2 won't ship for consoles and PC until March 2014, so the game has time to gel and be polished. But the extra time From Software has to perfect the game is comforting.
From Software's E3 demo for Dark Souls 2 features two pre-built characters: a Warrior, based on the character seen in the game's debut trailer, who was armed with a shield, short straight sword and a gleaming greatsword; and a Sorcerer, equipped with a short sword and a tall catalyst for spellcasting. (Another two were locked in the version we played.)
The Sorcerer had a range of offensive spells and pyromancies at his disposal, including a soul arrow-like magic attack and another that rained down a volley of soul arrow attacks. He could toss fireballs and emit a sweeping wisp of flame, which arced out at a very specific distance. The Sorcerer also had a unique shield that looked like it was collection of runes made of wrought iron.
That Sorcerer shield stood out as one of the examples of brilliant visual design that separates From's take on dark medieval fantasy from its peers. Seeing this unusual, ineffective-looking shield was strangely exciting. It immediately conveys information about its weaknesses and possible strengths, and I cursed From Software for not letting us dig into the game's menus to see what this runic shield could do.
Dark Souls 2's E3 demo takes place inside and among the exterior of a crumbling, medieval structure; not quite a castle or fortified, but a broken fortress that looked largely abandoned. Its inhabitants included low level dreglings, a type of undead creature armed with sword and shield or bow and arrow, and heavily armored creatures with bulky tortoise shell armor. Those bulky shelled enemies wielded heavy maces capable of smashing through walls and could crush a player with a backward fall if they attempted a backstab.
Backstabbing will make a return in Dark Souls 2, but in a slightly different form. In the case of the Warrior character, executing a backstab with his short sword performed a three-hit animation: a hilt bash followed by two slashes to the back. Rather than stabbing through the torso of an enemy, backstabs will results in attacks with weapon-specific flourishes.
According to a Namco rep, players may accidentally "whiff" a backstab if they're within range, but not at a distance close enough to execute. A short sword backstab attempt may miss on the first part of the three-part attack, we were told, leaving the backstabber open to an attack — something we weren't able to witness firsthand during a hands-on demo.
But the changes to backstabs appear to be a move from the developer to reduce players' reliance on backstabs, which are easy to execute, carry little risk and yield high damage in the first Dark Souls.
The differences between Dark Souls 2 and its predecessor appear to be less dramatic than that of the transition from Demon's Souls to Dark Souls. Players will be able to heal themselves in multiple ways in Dark Souls 2, through the returning Estus Flask and with "lifegems." Those healing items will come in standard lifegem and radiant lifegem and, based on the demo, seem to function like humanity in the original Dark Souls. They replenish hit points and can be used on-the-go for faster replenishment.
The Dark Souls 2 demo included a handful of other consumable items, including amber herbs and twilight herbs, though their functions remain mysterious.
The game also appears to feature the return of a Demon's Souls gameplay mechanic: Black Phantoms of run of the mill enemies — as opposed to named Black Phantoms, such as Maneater Mildred — can appear out of thin air. In one section of the demo, a trio of Black Phantoms materialized, tossing two dreglings and an armored tortoise knight at the player at once.
From Software isn't shying away from sending increasing numbers of enemies at players in Dark Souls 2. In one section, following a bonfire warp from the fortress to a castle interior, the game threw four horse-headed knights at us. Those knights, which at first appeared to be kneeling statues, sprang to life when my warrior got too close.
A goat skull-headed wizard in the distance lobbed magic missiles not far away, adding insult to injury. The knights, armed with pikes and a fierce kick, brutally assaulted my warrior, making short work of my character. It was only in a "god mode" demo that I was able to pass them, kill the wizard — less of a challenge at close range — and move onto the demo's boss fight.
(It turns out that those horse-headed statue knights can be dispatched much easier, simply by beheading them before they become animate. Pro tip.)
Fortunately, the pain of getting there was worth the wait, as Dark Souls 2 will include at least one boss battle that beautiful to behold and stunning in its design, but will likely be a maddening challenge.
The demo's final battle was against an imposing enemy known as the Mirror Knight. Outfitted with reflective, chrome-like full body armor, the Mirror Knight fights in what appears to be a rooftop arena — or at least some environment exposed to the elements, as a dramatic rainstorm soaks the scene. The Mirror Knight takes advantage of that inclement weather to attack you, channeling bolts of lightning at the player.
But the Mirror Knight's most impressive and deadly attack comes from his shield, an ornately decorated mirror. He'll slam it to the ground, upright, leaving himself vulnerable to attack. But as he does that, an image of a smaller knight will appear inside the reflection of the mirror shield. That secondary knight will pound on the interior side of the shield, shattering through and breaking free, leaving the player with a second foe to fight.
Mirror Knight can summon a second ally through his shield and in the case of our encounter with the boss, called forth another knight with a different weapon. It's not clear just how many knights Mirror Knight can spawn or if their weapons are randomized. It is crystal clear, however, that Mirror Knight will be an immense challenge, even by Dark Souls standards.
Dark Souls 2 is due to hit PlayStation 3, Windows PC and Xbox 360 in March 2014.
Screenshots: click images to view full size
By Kalila 2013-06-11 22:53:23
E3 2013 - Dark Souls 2 First Take
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By Bahamut.Raenryong 2013-06-11 23:16:48
By Kalila 2013-06-11 23:28:42
<3 :)
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By Bahamut.Raenryong 2013-06-12 00:40:29
Those graphics look insane, especially the Mirror Knight fight. Holy...
Ragnarok.Zeig
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By Ragnarok.Zeig 2013-06-12 03:31:10
Thanks Kali for putting all these news/screenies/vids together!
By Kalila 2013-06-26 17:57:24
‘Dark Souls 2’ pre-order discounted on PS3 and Xbox 360
by Shui Ta June 15, 2013
An online retailer is currently offering a modest discount towards the pre-orders for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the upcoming multiplatform video game, “Dark Souls 2.” According to their page update on June 14, Amazon has slashed five percent off of the official manufacturer’s suggested retail price tag. Both products also qualify for free shipping.
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By Kalila 2013-06-26 17:57:47
Dark Souls II directors differ on how to tell story
Conflicting statements on how the game's story will be told
by Jayson Napolitano June 17, 2013
After reading the Edge Online interview with Dark Souls II co-director Tomohiro Shibuya earlier this year, I was curious as to how the game's story would be told. He commented, "I’m hoping to make [story elements] a little bit more clear or directly expressed to the player as well – not just in the story, but messaging [...] it will be more straightforward and more understandable."
I was somewhat excited that Dark Souls II would feature a more fleshed out story and world lore as a result, but talking to co-director Yui Tanimura at E3 last week, he noted, "I don’t really have any intentions to change how the story is told. I think it’s an important part of the game for players to pick up certain pieces of information throughout the game; whether it be descriptions, items, whatever; and try to piece them together to try and create their own story. That methodology of storytelling, I think, is an important part of Dark Souls and I want to maintain it."
So, it seems there's a difference in personal preference among the producers. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but I think I could be happy with the end result either way.
Is subtle better, as we've seen in past titles, or would you rather have things more spelled out?
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By Kalila 2013-06-26 17:58:05
Opinion:
Demon’s Souls: The Best RPG I Have Ever Played
by Sean O'Sullivan June 22, 2013
After months of neglect, my copy of Demon’s Souls was left on my shelf gathering dust, but after watching the impressive Dark Souls 2 demo shown at E3 last week, I decided to give it another go. I last left the game battling a heavily armoured Black Phantom, one that kept destroying my armour and equipment. I was instantly reminded of my past failures so decided to mix up my strategy. So I just side stepped and stabbed him in the back a few times, it was that easy. After 15 attempts, one little change to my play style and I beat something that I thought I never will. That right there is Demon’s Souls in a nut shell.
Every encounter can kill you, every death can set you back over an hour of gameplay, but this time is not all lost. Every battle is a test, a study. Weak points are observed, rhythm and attack pattern noted. You are never at ease; you are always on the edge of your seat, your jaw clenched and shield raised, because around every corner, something is going to kill you.
Demon Soul’s is a hardcore RPG, it will test your patience, temper and will. It will crush your spirit time and time again, but it will always leave you hungry for more. The agonising defeats leave the rare victories all the sweeter. It is impossible to just sit still after defeating a boss; you will literally jump around the room and shout profanities at your TV. Well, that’s what I do anyway.
The way you play is entirely up to you. Use heavy armour and large weapons, attacking head on, moving slow but dealing heavy damage. Or use smaller weapons and light armour and move around your foe and attack it’s blind side. These styles are not set in stone, as your play style will switch up as you experiment and try to find the way you want to play.
Another high point of praise is the world around you. The story in Demon’s Souls isn’t forced on you, it isn’t even told to you. You are left to put the pieces together from the things you see and the people you encounter. The characters each have their own reason for being where they are, their own tale and you can decide to help or completely ignore them. Again, it is entirely up to you.
If When you are killed, you are resurrected in soul form. While in this form your health is limited. To resurrect you can defeat the nearest demon, use a Stone (if you can find one) or delve into the unique multiplayer. You can join up with other players and help them progress through the story and defeat demons to collect souls. Or you can invade another player’s world and attack them, resurrecting yourself if you are successful. While resurrected however you can be invaded, so again, you must always be ready.
If you missed the series when it first came out like I did, I highly encourage you to pick it up. It is without a doubt a must have for any RPG fan. Demon Soul’s is currently free with this months PlayStation Plus, and with Battlefield 3 and Payday: The Heist coming next month, now is the time to subscribe.
Right, I’m off to start Dark Souls.
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This thread was created, by request, to promote discussion of Dark Souls. I'll be updating the OP with various resources, video links, upcoming news, character builds, PvP matching, and so on as users post.
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FFXIAH | Account | FFXIAH | Account | FFXIAH | Account |
Kalila | ScarletPumpkin | Tikal | Solrokr | Prothescar | Prothescar |
Domz | Dom of Italy | Wolfjorg | bamaboy7320 | Raenil | Raenil Tilgung |
Urial | Omja Sniper | Raenil | Dreizak | Ina | Tedder12 |
| | Ina | Tedder12 | Urial | Omja Sniper |
| | Moonlightespada | MithraOhji | | |
| | Dracondria | Raxxon | | |
| | Aeonknight | Aeonknight87 | | |
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Resources
Videos
News
| July 14, 2012 - Dark Souls for PC Will Use GFWL After All
June 20, 2012 - Dark Souls discounted to under $30 on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360
June 12, 2012 - Localising Dark Souls
June 7, 2012 - Dark Souls: PC version will have "minimal mouse and keyboard support," uses Games for Windows Live "to provide game as soon as possible."
June 7, 2012 - From Software "having a tough time" porting Dark Souls to PC, frame rate issues remain
May 31, 2012 - Dark Souls PC coming to Steam, consoles to get PC content
April 12, 2012 - Gamers rallying against Dark Souls PC using Games for Windows Live
April 7, 2012 - Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition coming to PC in August
January 13, 2012 - Dark Souls PC petition at nearly 70,000 signatures, Namco listening
Jan 8th, 2012 - Dark Souls admin suggests PC could happen with a petition |
Character Builds
Character builds can be either PvP, PvE, or both. You can specify which if you wish, but I'll be listing any builds posted in this topic here. Use the Dark Souls Character Planner linked above to create a link to your build for others to view.
Dark Souls Map
New ContentNew Bosses - Including Artorias of Abyss, Chimera of Tomb, and more
PVP Online Matchmaking System - Quick matching for co-op or PVP
New Areas – Including Oolacile Tomb, Old Ruins and more
New Enemies – Including Abyss Guard, Chained Prisoner and more
New NPCs – Including Hawkeye Gough and more
New Weapons and Armor – Equip some from the new bosses, enemies, and NPCs
I'll try my best to update the OP with any information posted in this topic.
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