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[SkylineRKR]

The dark area leading to Freja is unnerving, as you traverse over webs you just know they'll come but you can't see shit there.

Spiders are feared by a lot of humans and thats why From is so eager to use them. This franchise needs spiders. Every horror game needs spiders.

 

[The Xtortionist]

The dark area leading to Freja is unnerving, as you traverse over webs you just know they'll come but you can't see shit there.

Spiders are feared by a lot of humans and thats why From is so eager to use them. This franchise needs spiders. Every horror game needs spiders.

More games need cockroaches. Specifically, Florida flying cockroaches.

Spoiler

*shiver*

 

[Neiteio]

Haha it's all good. I just found your description to be particularly spot on.

The Rotten does look cool. Some of the monster design really comes out nicer in 1080p. Or perhaps I'm just more attentive to the details this time.

Probably one of the most "important" designs, for me personally, is Gaping Dragon in DS1. I'm not normally into high fantasy — while I like Lord of the Rings, I typically find D&D-inspired fantasy to feel a bit generic and empty. So when I saw Gaping Dragon, with its sprawling ribcage "mouth," I was blown away by the creativity. It's what made me realize the Souls series is not your typical fantasy. Sure, they borrow many high fantasy elements, but even when they play it straight (i.e. a skeleton's a skeleton and a spider's a spider) there's still an undercurrent of melancholic bleakness that makes them feel "fresh." It's what made me decide to pick up Demon's Souls on the cheap. I fell in love with the series, which felt unlike any fantasy I'd seen before, and then led me to Dark Souls 1. The rest is history: Bloodborne, and now DS2, and soon DS3 and the BB DLC — I can't get enough! The Souls/borne series is among the few in gaming that truly captures my imagination, and that feels truly rewarding to play. And the community that has sprung up around it is wonderful (even if they're all backstabbing monsters in PvP).

 

[Orochinagis]

Well, as long as you're quick and they don't know what hit them, I suppose it's not cruel! That's what I try to do when I can't get one into a cup to take it outside. One nice thing about my current digs at a second-story apartment is I never get bugs in here. :-D

And yeah, the spiders in DS2 are really unnerving, how some of them cling to the walls with their sickle-like legs, their chitinous carapaces glistening slickly in the torchlight... :-X

New game plus freya does a scary jump in a non boss area, pretty scary moment

 

[SkylineRKR]

Design wise, I truly do think the Souls games are the best out there. Its just flawless.

I'm always prepared for the worst, and they deliver every time. They outdid themselves with Bloodborne though. Those singing brains are just fucking depraved.

 

[gdt]

20 hours in. Made a lot of progress today.

Doing Shaded Woods/Huntsman Copse. Already did in the Skeleton Chariot.

Still haven't gone down the hole in Majula though. Already beat The Lost Sinner.

 

[Neiteio]

New game plus freya does a scary jump in a non boss area, pretty scary moment

Oh wow, you're right. Video from the vanilla version. That's incredible!!

 

[Morrigan Stark]

More games need cockroaches. Specifically, Florida flying cockroaches.

Spoiler

*shiver*

I hate you!

Spoiler

Great idea. Also, ewwww. But great idea. But EW

Probably one of the most "important" designs, for me personally, is Gaping Dragon in DS1. I'm not normally into high fantasy — while I like Lord of the Rings, I typically find D&D-inspired fantasy to feel a bit generic and empty. So when I saw Gaping Dragon, with its sprawling ribcage "mouth," I was blown away by the creativity. It's what made me realize the Souls series is not your typical fantasy. Sure, they borrow many high fantasy elements, but even when they play it straight (i.e. a skeleton's a skeleton and a spider's a spider) there's still an undercurrent of melancholic bleakness that makes them feel "fresh." It's what made me decide to pick up Demon's Souls on the cheap. I fell in love with the series, which felt unlike any fantasy I'd seen before, and then led me to Dark Souls 1. The rest is history. Bloodborne, and now DS2, and soon DS3 and the BB DLC. I can't get enough! The Souls/borne series is among the few in gaming that truly captures my imagination, and that feels truly rewarding to play, and the community that has sprung up around it is wonderful (even if they're all backstabbing monsters in PvP).

I agree. I like how From uses standard fantasy stock monsters, and initially shows you that standard fare of undead soldier, goblins, beast-men, skeleton, drake, spider... and then later they show you the horrific, twisted, scarier versions of those. I mean, wheel skeletons anyone? And of course it has its own original creations for sheer monstrosities too, like Ceaseless Discharge, the Rotten, Demon of Song, Flexile Sentry, the One Reborn, Ebrietas...

 

[GwyndolinCinder]

The rest is history: Bloodborne, and now DS2, and soon DS3 and the BB DLC — I can't get enough! The Souls/borne series is among the few in gaming that truly captures my imagination, and that feels truly rewarding to play. And the community that has sprung up around it is wonderful (even if they're all backstabbing monsters in PvP).

Have you thought about what comes after your dark souls 2 playthrough, if your interested in replaying you should try SL1 challenges, you sound like you'd enjoy it!

 

[The Xtortionist]

I hate you!

Spoiler

Great idea. Also, ewwww. But great idea. But EW

:lol

But srsly, they're so underutilized. Bloodborne has spiders and centipedes on lock, but no love for cockroaches. I mean, flip a cockroach and watch how its legs move. It's scary as shit. And they can hide fucking anywhere. And they're fast as fuck.

ugh

 

[Neiteio]

I agree. I like how From uses standard fantasy stock monsters, and initially shows you that standard fare of undead soldier, goblins, beast-men, skeleton, drake, spider... and then later they show you the horrific, twisted, scarier versions of those. I mean, wheel skeletons anyone? And of course it has its own original creations for sheer monstrosities too, like Ceaseless Discharge, the Rotten, Demon of Song, Flexile Sentry, the One Reborn, Ebrietas...

Yeah, Morrigan, the Wheel Skeletons are a great example. On a side note, I find those guys equal parts terrifying and hilarious...

Have you thought about what comes after your dark souls 2 playthrough, if your interested in replaying you should try SL1 challenges, you sound like you'd enjoy it!

SL1, as in Soul Level 1, as in not leveling up my character? That sounds brutal! I like to think I'm decent, having beaten the chalice dungeon bosses in BB, etc., but I still like having room for error. My playstyle, at SL1, would really struggle with later bosses! But it might be fun to try, and I'm sure it would only increase my appreciation of the nuance that goes into these games.

:lol

But srsly, they're so underutilized. Bloodborne has spiders and centipedes on lock, but no love for cockroaches. I mean, flip a cockroach and watch how its legs move. It's scary as shit. And they can hide fucking anywhere. And they're fast as fuck.

ugh

Flying cockroaches... O_O

Next time I'm in Florida, you and I should meet up and go to Universal Orlando, but let's not go looking for any flying cockroaches. :-\

 

[The Xtortionist]

Flying cockroaches... O_O

Next time I'm in Florida, you and I should meet up and go to Universal Orlando, but let's not go looking for any flying cockroaches. :-\

yessssssss

I should be here permanently by next June (gotta finish up college in Las Vegas :x).

We're having better luck with the cockroaches here recently. Taking extreme preventative measures inside the house. Now I'm imagining a Five Nights at Freddy's-style game where you have to lay down bug traps properly or risk getting a cockroach jump scare in the face.

Ah yes, Dark Souls 2

 

[Neiteio]

yessssssss

I should be here permanently by next June (gotta finish up college in Las Vegas :x).

We're having better luck with the cockroaches here recently. Taking extreme preventative measures inside the house. Now I'm imagining a Five Nights at Freddy's-style game where you have to lay down bug traps properly or risk getting a cockroach jump scare in the face.

Ah yes, Dark Souls 2

Haha, that sounds amazing. XD

Michigan has its share of insects, although I suppose one upside to our brutal winters is the bugs tend to go into hiding.

But you have easier access to beaches and theme parks, so it all balances out!

 

[gunstarhero]

Just beat

Spoiler

the Giant

in the forest.

After defeating it, I got a soul that says I can cash it in, or use it to make something valuable...

Any advice?

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Just beat in the forest.

After defeating it, I got a soul that says I can cash it in, or use it to make something valuable...

Any advice?

For a first playthrough I would recommend you hold on to all your boss souls until you find someone you can trade them with. You might not have any need for this particular soul depending on your build, but the souls gains isn't worth the risk that you could lose a cool opportunity for a spell or unique weapon. After that if you see "oh, this weapon/spell doesn't appeal to me, I really won't ever use it", then sure, cash 'em in.

 

[Neiteio]

For a first playthrough I would recommend you hold on to all your boss souls until you find someone you can trade them with. You might not have any need for this particular soul depending on your build, but the souls gains isn't worth the risk that you could lose a cool opportunity for a spell or unique weapon. After that if you see "oh, this weapon/spell doesn't appeal to me, I really won't ever use it", then sure, cash 'em in.

That reminds me: Now that I meet the stat requirements, I can trade the Executioner's Chariot's Soul (man that's a mouthful -- too many possessives) for the Chariot Lance.

It's so ornate compared to my club (now +10, as of last night), but in my head-canon I like to imagine that my club, while crude, is made from enchanted oak or something.

 

[gunstarhero]

For a first playthrough I would recommend you hold on to all your boss souls until you find someone you can trade them with. You might not have any need for this particular soul depending on your build, but the souls gains isn't worth the risk that you could lose a cool opportunity for a spell or unique weapon. After that if you see "oh, this weapon/spell doesn't appeal to me, I really won't ever use it", then sure, cash 'em in.

Thanks!

I'm really not sure what build I'm going with - as of now just focusing on getting my Agility up, and been dumping souls into STR and now DEX.

Just started raising my DEX up because I noticed the last few weapons (Halberd, Bastard Sword, Lance, Whip) require high DEX and I want to try them out.

 

[Neiteio]

Thanks!

I'm really not sure what build I'm going with - as of now just focusing on getting my Agility up, and been dumping souls into STR and now DEX.

Just started raising my DEX up because I noticed the last few weapons (Halberd, Bastard Sword, Lance, Whip) require high DEX and I want to try them out.

Yeah, that sounds good. Also give some love to your Vigor (HP), Endurance (Stamina) and Vitality (Equip Load — allows you to move fast while equipping heavy stuff). But yeah, definitely prioritize Agility now, and either Strength or Dex depending on which weapons you think you'll be maining. If you need to level both to test out more weapons and decide which way you'll want to focus, that's fine.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Speaking only for SotFS, I don't recall any vantage points that allow you to see the windmill from the side. So I was always under the impression it was a facade built into the mountain ridge behind it. You'd still think you could see Iron Keep peeking above the two mountain ridges behind it, but at the same time, if Mytha's room is at the bottom of the windmill, built into the rock, and the elevator is past that, it could be a trick of perspective where Iron Keep is sandwiched between the two ridges, and thus out of sight. But I agree: If the elevator ride were much shorter, and was deeper in, it would be more believable, because the elevator feels like it travels several times the height of the windmill.

For sure. The only problem I had with DSII stems from that, and that is the lack of the meticulously interconnected world that DS has. Unlike most, I love the boss fights and most of the subtle changes to the mechanics. But, as you mentioned, the world of DS wasn't completely logical in itself either, but it was pretty damn close to being perfect in my eyes.

Yeah, definitely getting some Comstock House vibes. I love how slick everything looks in the rain. I stopped playing there last night. I was eager to back up my file and start trimming the videos of all the bosses I had defeated. I think the last thing I did before quitting for the night was getting wrecked by the two giant elephant guards, lol. I was worried we'd get too close to Emerald Herald and accidentally kill her.

Comstock House huh? I can see that a little bit. Only I never really felt like Comstock House fit properly in the world of BI, Drangelic Castle is one of the areas that defines DSII to me. Much like Half-Life 2 or Darksiders, your eyes are drawn to this huge structure very early on in the game and you spend much of your quest trying to reach that destination. For me Drangelic Castle is where DSII starts it's climax, with the final handful of areas really ramping up.

Dark Souls did this as well I feel, but not quite as good. And that was where my biggest disappointment with Bloodborne was. It never felt like it climaxed (to me). The last couple areas really lacked the intensity and visual distinction of the final areas of DS and DSII.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Comstock House huh? I can see that a little bit. Only I never really felt like Comstock House fit properly in the world of BI, Drangelic Castle is one of the areas that defines DSII to me. Much like Half-Life 2 or Darksiders, your eyes are drawn to this huge structure very early on in the game and you spend much of your quest trying to reach that destination. For me Drangelic Castle is where DSII starts it's climax, with the final handful of areas really ramping up.

Dark Souls did this as well I feel, but not quite as good. And that was where my biggest disappointment with Bloodborne was. It never felt like it climaxed (to me). The last couple areas really lacked the intensity and visual distinction of the final areas of DS and DSII.

I thought Blood Moon/Amygdala-infested Yahar'gul fit that role nicely. Nightmare of Mensis almost felt like a victory lap, though.

 

[Neiteio]

For sure. The only problem I had with DSII stems from that, and that is the lack of the meticulously interconnected world that DS has. Unlike most, I love the boss fights and most of the subtle changes to the mechanics. But, as you mentioned, the world of DS wasn't completely logical in itself either, but it was pretty damn close to being perfect in my eyes.

The interconnected world of DS1 was definitely one of its strong points (which is saying something in a game as strong as DS1). The way you can see Ash Lake and Demon Ruins/Lost Izalith from the Tomb of Giants, for example, is one of the all-time great "aha!" moments in videogames, where you realize how everything fits together.

Even if DS2 is looser in that regard, I still like the feeling of each area. There's something very lively and pure about the world of DS2. It feels brighter, cleaner. Even the dark areas, like Huntsman's Copse, have a certain zing to them (in that case, the aurora borealis-like sky). The way the game changes the time of day or weather based on the location makes each area feel a bit disconnected, but very distinct and atmospheric.

Comstock House huh? I can see that a little bit. Only I never really felt like Comstock House fit properly in the world of BI, Drangelic Castle is one of the areas that defines DSII to me. Much like Half-Life 2 or Darksiders, your eyes are drawn to this huge structure very early on in the game and you spend much of your quest trying to reach that destination. For me Drangelic Castle is where DSII starts it's climax, with the final handful of areas really ramping up.

Dark Souls did this as well I feel, but not quite as good. And that was where my biggest disappointment with Bloodborne was. It never felt like it climaxed (to me). The last couple areas really lacked the intensity and visual distinction of the final areas of DS and DSII.

I'd say the final areas of Bloodborne were just... very consistent. It's true there was no real buildup to the end, but at the same time, I'm not sure I would say Nightmare of Mensis was weak. It was just... consistent with what had come before. There was no real sense of escalation, but that's fine. Maybe it's the way the dream world is separate from the rest of the world, or maybe it's the sleepy nature of the nighttime castle with its handful of cultists.

I'm definitely interested to see what's inside Drangleic Castle in DS2. If I hadn't promised myself I'd do some chores this weekend, I'd already be playing!

 

[Mandelbo]

Thanks!

I'm really not sure what build I'm going with - as of now just focusing on getting my Agility up, and been dumping souls into STR and now DEX.

Just started raising my DEX up because I noticed the last few weapons (Halberd, Bastard Sword, Lance, Whip) require high DEX and I want to try them out.

Remember, if you think you've screwed up your stat allocation, you can take a Soul Vessel to one of the old women in Things Betwixt and re-allocate your stats. You can find a Soul Vessel in the Majula mansion, but there are a few more scattered across the world.

I think that, while it's very important to get your agility up, you shouldn't neglect your other stats too. I've made that mistake before, dumping a load of points into adaptability early on only to find that I'm not doing enough damage anymore because I didn't increase strength/dexterity. Also, if you decide to make a lighter build, it isn't really necessary to put many points into vitality - there are a number of rings that boost your equip load anyway, so focus only on stats you need to boost. Generally my rule of thumb is to allocate a roughly equal amount of points to each stat I'm focusing on each time I level up, rather than pumping all the souls into one stat.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

I thought Blood Moon/Amygdala-infested Yahar'gul fit that role nicely. Nightmare of Mensis almost felt like a victory lap, though.

I mostly ignored Bloodborne coverage before it's release, so I was expecting it to be as long as the DS games, but it felt shorter. I actually thought the Nightmare levels were the start of the final third or so of the game, much like Drangelic Castle. That being said, everything that came before the Nightmare Frontier/Mensis was absolutely fantastic. The game started strong from the getgo, but the highlight of the game for me was the middle, with Hemwick Charnel Lane ---> Forbidden Woods ---> Yahar'gul ---> Cainhurst Castle. Gehrman was a pretty cool ending fight, though not as cool as Gwyn.

 

[The Xtortionist]

I mostly ignored Bloodborne coverage before it's release, so I was expecting it to be as long as the DS games, but it felt shorter. I actually thought the Nightmare levels were the start of the final third or so of the game, much like Drangelic Castle. That being said, everything that came before the Nightmare Frontier/Mensis was absolutely fantastic. The game started strong from the getgo, but the highlight of the game for me was the middle, with Hemwick Charnel Lane ---> Forbidden Woods ---> Yahar'gul ---> Cainhurst Castle. Gehrman was a pretty cool ending fight, though not as cool as Gwyn.

Bloodborne just has more optional areas than the average Souls game, which helps give that impression. Blood Moon Yahar'gul can probably feel like it comes either early or late in the game, depending on if the player wanders into Hemwick, Nightmare Frontier, Cainhurst, pre-Blood Moon Yahar'gul, etc before killing Rom. Heck, even Old Yharnam is optional if the player buys the Hunter Chief's Emblem. That said, the game is probably a bit short for the series (which I expected, given it's FROM's first current-gen title), but I still find the length to be satisfactory. Even still, I've seen posts in the OT where people say they've played for 50, 60, even 80 hours. Personally, my first playthrough was ~25 hours when I finished all non-chalice areas. Consistent with previous games or not, I found the game to still have a fantastic amount of content given its quality.

 

[Neiteio]

Bloodborne just has more optional areas than the average Souls game, which helps give that impression. Blood Moon Yahar'gul can probably feel like it comes either early or late in the game, depending on if the player wanders into Hemwick, Nightmare Frontier, Cainhurst, pre-Blood Moon Yahar'gul, etc before killing Rom. Heck, even Old Yharnam is optional if the player buys the Hunter Chief's Emblem. That said, the game is probably a bit short for the series (which I expected, given it's FROM's first current-gen title), but I still find the length to be satisfactory. Even still, I've seen posts in the OT where people say they've played for 50, 60, even 80 hours. Personally, my first playthrough was ~25 hours when I finished all non-chalice areas. Consistent with previous games or not, I found the game to still have a fantastic amount of content given its quality.

I think BB was perfect length. And then when you do the chalices, it's like 50% longer. The chalices may have a lot of repeating layouts, but they're worth playing for the new enemies and bosses. They're like the game's Mercs mode — perfect pick-up-and-play challenges that compress the BB experience into 15-20-minute stretches. They have some of the best bosses in the Soulsborne series, too.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

The interconnected world of DS1 was definitely one of its strong points (which is saying something in a game as strong as DS1). The way you can see Ash Lake and Demon Ruins/Lost Izalith from the Tomb of Giants, for example, is one of the all-time great "aha!" moments in videogames, where you realize how everything fits together.

Even if DS2 is looser in that regard, I still like the feeling of each area. There's something very lively and pure about the world of DS2. It feels brighter, cleaner. Even the dark areas, like Huntsman's Copse, have a certain zing to them (in that case, the aurora borealis-like sky). The way the game changes the time of day or weather based on the location makes each area feel a bit disconnected, but very distinct and atmospheric.

Totally agree on both ends. DSII felt like it had more variety to the areas, so I was always excited about what was coming next, even if the world was less cohesive. The final area in particular is really a sight to behold, and fun to play through.

I'd say the final areas of Bloodborne were just... very consistent. It's true there was no real buildup to the end, but at the same time, I'm not sure I would say Nightmare of Mensis was weak. It was just... consistent with what had come before. There was no real sense of escalation, but that's fine. Maybe it's the way the dream world is separate from the rest of the world, or maybe it's the sleepy nature of the nighttime castle with its handful of cultists.

I'm definitely interested to see what's inside Drangleic Castle in DS2. If I hadn't promised myself I'd do some chores this weekend, I'd already be playing!

Agreed again. There was less variation and not as many surprises. But the whole world was just so well constructed that it didn't matter much. I think that's another reason why I didn't enjoy the Nightmare levels, is that not only were they separate from Yharnam, but unlike Cainhurst Castle, they didn't seem to fit the look and feel the game had long since established (in my opinion). For the Nightmare Frontier, it's almost as if Miyazaki was like "We need an area where you trudge through poison like in every other Souls game," and then just went onto build one without consideration with how it fit in the context of the world. Nightmare of Menesis had a great boss fight in Micolash (I particularly enjoy Souls bosses that aren't simply dodge and whack a huge monster until it's dead) but lacked something distinct, whether visually or mechanically, to give it that "final level" feel. I was shocked after I finished it that I was fighting the final boss of the game.

I don't mean to say there were no surprises or variation though. The change in tone when you are kidnapped and taken to Yhar'gul was absolutely terrifying with the music and visuals. And Hemwick Charnel Lane and the Forbidden Woods provided environmental variation while still seeming like believable areas that would exist on the outskirts of the city. And they are both fantastically designed to the point where they are two of my favorite Souls levels period, up there with The Tower of Latria.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Agreed again. There was less variation and not as many surprises. But the whole world was just so well constructed that it didn't matter much. I think that's another reason why I didn't enjoy the Nightmare levels, is that not only were they separate from Yharnam, but unlike Cainhurst Castle, they didn't seem to fit the look and feel the game had long since established (in my opinion). For the Nightmare Frontier, it's almost as if Miyazaki was like "We need an area where you trudge through poison like in every other Souls game," and then just went onto build one without consideration with how it fit in the context of the world. Nightmare of Menesis had a great boss fight in Micolash (I particularly enjoy Souls bosses that aren't simply dodge and whack a huge monster until it's dead) but lacked something distinct, whether visually or mechanically, to give it that "final level" feel. I was shocked after I finished it that I was fighting the final boss of the game.

But Upper Cathedral Ward is the real final level!

Spoiler

if only

I think BB was perfect length. And then when you do the chalices, it's like 50% longer. The chalices may have a lot of repeating layouts, but they're worth playing for the new enemies and bosses. They're like the game's Mercs mode — perfect pick-up-and-play challenges that compress the BB experience into 15-20-minute stretches. They have some of the best bosses in the Soulsborne series, too.

Chalices add a lot of playtime, I agree. Just wish it was possible to skip ahead to depth 3.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Bloodborne just has more optional areas than the average Souls game, which helps give that impression. Blood Moon Yahar'gul can probably feel like it comes either early or late in the game, depending on if the player wanders into Hemwick, Nightmare Frontier, Cainhurst, pre-Blood Moon Yahar'gul, etc before killing Rom. Heck, even Old Yharnam is optional if the player buys the Hunter Chief's Emblem. That said, the game is probably a bit short for the series (which I expected, given it's FROM's first current-gen title), but I still find the length to be satisfactory. Even still, I've seen posts in the OT where people say they've played for 50, 60, even 80 hours. Personally, my first playthrough was ~25 hours when I finished all non-chalice areas. Consistent with previous games or not, I found the game to still have a fantastic amount of content given its quality.

I did all the optional levels, as I always do, and it still felt shorter than past games. I still struggled through the game at times, as I do with all Souls games (they aren't exactly easy even when you've got the feel for them, and I love to admire the sights as well, and always play offline the first time through). My final playtime was about 50 hours, with about maybe 10-15 of those spent in the Chalice dungeons, which I regret because they're so bland. Demons Souls (my first Souls game) was about 60 hours, Dark Souls about 90 and Dark Souls II about 65. I don't mean to imply that the game itself was too short, because it wasn't, but rather my expectations were off. With the optional content it's certainly a bit longer than Demon's Souls I think. And I'm sure with the chalice dungeons you can easily spend a hundred hours with the game.

But Upper Cathedral Ward is the real final level!

Spoiler

if only

I suppose this is true .

 

[gunstarhero]

Remember, if you think you've screwed up your stat allocation, you can take a Soul Vessel to one of the old women in Things Betwixt and re-allocate your stats. You can find a Soul Vessel in the Majula mansion, but there are a few more scattered across the world.

I think that, while it's very important to get your agility up, you shouldn't neglect your other stats too. I've made that mistake before, dumping a load of points into adaptability early on only to find that I'm not doing enough damage anymore because I didn't increase strength/dexterity. Also, if you decide to make a lighter build, it isn't really necessary to put many points into vitality - there are a number of rings that boost your equip load anyway, so focus only on stats you need to boost. Generally my rule of thumb is to allocate a roughly equal amount of points to each stat I'm focusing on each time I level up, rather than pumping all the souls into one stat.

Oh, awesome - I was wondering about the Soul Vessel after reading the description today. I wish they would have had something like that in Bloodborne - half way through the game I wished I could have change my stats for new weapons I found, but was stuck with my strength build.

Thanks for the tips - I think I'm going to focus on a speed+dex build and use something like katana/rapier-type weapons.

 

[Hypron]

SL1, as in Soul Level 1, as in not leveling up my character? That sounds brutal! I like to think I'm decent, having beaten the chalice dungeon bosses in BB, etc., but I still like having room for error. My playstyle, at SL1, would really struggle with later bosses! But it might be fun to try, and I'm sure it would only increase my appreciation of the nuance that goes into these games.

SL1 is definitely feasible and a lot of fun, however I'd recommend against starting by an SL1 Dark Souls 2 playthrough because it's the hardest game at that level (because you are extremely limited as far as shields and weapons go). I'd say difficulty wise it goes DeS < DaS < BB < DaS 2 at SL1 (or lvl4 in the case of BB).

 

[JudgmentJay]

SL1 is definitely feasible and a lot of fun, however I'd recommend against starting by an SL1 Dark Souls 2 playthrough because it's the hardest game at that level (because you are extremely limited as far as shields and weapons go). I'd say difficulty wise it goes DeS < DaS < BB < DaS 2 at SL1 (or lvl4 in the case of BB).

I'm not sure about that... you can use the mace at SL1, and the mace is an extremely strong weapon. Plus you can wear a ton of armor since the only threshold for fatrolling is a whopping 70%. I only made it halfway through my DS2 SL1 run before stopping due to boredom. It felt no more difficult than a normal run. A few of the DLC bosses would probably be pretty tough though.

 

[Hypron]

I'm not sure about that... you can use the mace at SL1, and the mace is an extremely strong weapon. Plus you can wear a ton of armor since the only threshold for fatrolling is a whopping 70%. I only made it halfway through my DS2 SL1 run before stopping due to boredom. It felt no more difficult than a normal run. A few of the DLC bosses would probably be pretty though though.

The mace is strong but you need to two-hand it (and you don't have access to 100% shields anyway). Which means you need to roll dodge every enemy attack... But since you're SL1 you have very few invincibility frames &#8212; it doesn't matter that you're not fastrolling until 70% equipment load, since the invinciblity frames depend mainly on your agility. It's definitely harder than all the other games where you can use a 100% shield and a decent one handed weapon and still have the normal fast roll with tons of invincibility frames.

Saying it's not harder than a normal run is just crazy, it totally is.

The only sl1 playthrough I've yet to finish is BB (started playing another game after beating Mego's Wet Nurse and kinda forgot about it). And Dark Souls 2 was by far more challenging than DaS1 and DeS.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Good. SL1 runs should not be easy. At SL1 you absolutely should be limited and gimped. It's an RPG after all, the fact that it's even possible is pretty mind-boggling.

 

[Iva Demilcol]

I'm enjoying reading Neteio's impressions of the game somehow... I think it kind of reminds me of my own impressions of the game: I was having a blast with DS II when I got it a couple of weeks after it came out and by that time there was a lot of negativity towards the game and I was seriously thinking most of it was undeserved.

Amongst all the games of the series Dark Souls one made the biggest impression on me but I must confess that by the time I reached the Kiln of the First Flame I was exhausted of playing it. I spent countless hours doing PVP in the forest, playing Co-op against bosses plus trying to figure out how everything worked (leveling up, using spells and miracles, learning the effects of upgrading your equipment, how to save Solaire, etc.) that I got tired of all of it. At the time I was having a rough time too irl that ended up with me moving to another country; perhaps the hopeless ending of Dark Souls just felt wrong at the time since I worked so hard to reach an unsatisfactory conclusion in which I was just a pawn, a very powerful one, but a pawn nonetheless.

Anyways, I've made several attempts to return to dark souls one and all of them have been unsuccessful (I even bought the game 4 times!). My time with Dark Souls II has been very different: since the day of its release I've been playing DSII, I switched my focus to Bloodborne for a time but once I beat that one I returned to DS II and I just started a new game of Scholar of the First Sin (I think I'm gonna try hexes this time). I suppose I like the story of DS II more than the story of its predecessor: In DS II even the music that plays while you're in the central hub makes me feel that there's still hope for this land, and by the time I fought the final boss at the end of my first run (i.e. Crown of the Ivory King), I was totally convinced I was awarded a good ending.

Don't get me wrong: I love all the games of the series but for some reason the one I've played the most is Dark Souls II (even my favourite NPC -Lucatiel of Mirrah- is a member of the cast of DSII), also I have to say that in terms of Fashion Souls DSII is the best; I suppose I'll keep playing it at least until Dark Souls III comes out.

 

[JudgmentJay]

The mace is strong but you need to two-hand it (and you don't have access to 100% shields anyway). Which means you need to roll dodge every enemy attack... But since you're SL1 you have very few invincibility frames — it doesn't matter that you're not fastrolling until 70% equipment load, since the invinciblity frames depend mainly on your agility. It's definitely harder than all the other games where you can use a 100% shield and a decent one handed weapon and still have the normal fast roll with tons of invincibility frames.

Saying it's not harder than a normal run is just crazy, it totally is.

The only sl1 playthrough I've yet to finish is BB (started playing another game after beating Mego's Wet Nurse and kinda forgot about it). And Dark Souls 2 was by far more challenging than DaS1 and DeS.

Maybe I'll give a SL1 run another try when I finally go for platinum (for the 4th time) on PS4 SotFS. All I know is I stopped playing after reaching Drangleic Castle and I was sitting on only ~10 deaths. I don't remember it being very challenging.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

I haven't done much PVP yet. I assume you have to win the battles to get the prizes, right? Is there a penalty for losing?

For bell bro PvP, if you invade and the host is killed, you get a titanite chunk. If you invade and are killed before the host, you get nothing. The person who is invaded gets nothing for winning other than staying alive and satisfaction.

For rat bro pvp, if you are a member of the covenant, the enemies in the Grave of Saints and the optional part of Doors of Pharros will be friendly to you. Wear the ring while in these areas and non-member players will be involuntarily drawn into your world, and has to fight you AND the enemies in your world who will help you against the enemy player. If the rat bro deafeats the drawn in player, the rat bro gets a Pharros Lockstone. If you lose as a rat bro you don't lose anything per se, but any enemies killed in your world will count towards their de-spawn quota, so if you do a lot of rat bro pvp, you will lose some of your allies over time. Of course, the really cunning rat will get them back, even stronger, with a bonfire ascetic. To make things more interesting, and stack the odds even more in the rat bro's favour, Pharros contraptions in the areas unlock traps and free even more enemies.

For the player who is drawn into a rat bro's world, there isn't really a consequence for losing. If they win though, they get a Pharros Lockstone plus they are teleported to the end of the area in their own world, allowing them to skip past the area in their own world. The player who is drawn in wins either by killing the rat bro, or by getting past the rat bro, all the enemies and all the traps to the end of the area. So while the odds are stacked against the rat bro's victims, they at least have one advantage in that they don't need to kill the rat bro to win. Getting through the area is enough.

I actually enjoy being on both sides of rat bro pvp. If you manage to win as the non-rat player, you feel like a real badass.

The Gutter, with all torches lit, seemed a rock-solid 60 fps for me on PS4.

Fantastic area. It reminds me of Blighttown (DS1) or Valley of Defilement (Demon's Souls), but without the poison or movement penalties. I always like levels designed around overlapping, half-collapsed structures.

I loved this area. It was very dense and had a lot of verticality. It also had a few really devious traps. I especially liked the ladders leading to fatal drops. I wasn't a big fan of Black Gulch, however. It was a bit much with all the poison statues.

Even if DS2 is looser in that regard, I still like the feeling of each area. There's something very lively and pure about the world of DS2. It feels brighter, cleaner. Even the dark areas, like Huntsman's Copse, have a certain zing to them (in that case, the aurora borealis-like sky). The way the game changes the time of day or weather based on the location makes each area feel a bit disconnected, but very distinct and atmospheric.

I agree with this. I really liked how it gave each area a very distinct atmosphere. Of course, the hate parade saw the different times of day as yet another reason to hate the game. I feel sometimes that a lot of people never gave this game a fair chance.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

For bell bro PvP, if you invade and the host is killed, you get a titanite chunk. If you invade and are killed before the host, you get nothing. The person who is invaded gets nothing for winning other than staying alive and satisfaction.

Not true as of Scholar. I killed a bell invader and got a titanite slab! I sometimes get it as an invader too, and occasionally twinkling or a petrified dragon bone, though most of the time it's a chunk.

 

[NecromorphTX]

Just beat

Spoiler

Burnt Ivory King

Old Chaos is just perfect, me with a phantom summon and 4 Loyce Knights vs the Charred Loyce Kinghts and

Spoiler

Burnt Ivory King

. The most epic battle in DSII

 

[NEO0MJ]

Just beat

Spoiler

Burnt Ivory King

Old Chaos is just perfect, me with a phantom summon and 4 Loyce Knights vs the Charred Loyce Kinghts and

Spoiler

Burnt Ivory King

. The most epic battle in DSII

That was a really cool boss. This art of it is fanatic.

 

[brickarts295]

So yeah, good old me got so used to pressing X at the intro of the game, that without paying attention I accidentally pressed square instead and continued pressing X like a dumbass. and there goes my character lol. Oh yeah and for some AMAZING reason I turned Auto Upload off for the DS2 save file, dont ask me how that happen, I have been banging my head to my desk for the last 20 min trying to figure out why in the mother of god did I turn it off.

Good news for me is that I only rented this game and had no desire to play it in the first place, after almost getting platinum for BB, one From Soft game per year is enough for me. I'm not going back (was almost done with the game anyways) but I am definitely sold for DS3 next year, looks like the perfect mix of BB and DS.

 

[spliced]

The 60 fps is quite something, it looks like the soap opera mode on tv's to me. I'm sure after playing it for awhile I'll see it as normal though. The dead zone in the controls is another adjustment, it's been awhile since I played vanilla so I'm not sure if it's any different in this or not.

I was under the impression that they switched around the items but I haven't noticed anything different yet, I am only at the first bonfire in the FoFG. I'm hoping to find a later game weapon early since I usually stick with my weapons through most of the game and it would be nice to try something new.

Beating DS2 at SL1 seems easier than doing it in DS1 just because of the 4 Kings, I can't imagine someone that could beat them at SL1 would find any mandatory DS2 boss unbeatable. Then again I've never tried it in DS2 so I can't say for sure.

 

[Mandelbo]

The 60 fps is quite something, it looks like the soap opera mode on tv's to me. I'm sure after playing it for awhile I'll see it as normal though. The dead zone in the controls is another adjustment, it's been awhile since I played vanilla so I'm not sure if it's any different in this or not.

I was under the impression that they switched around the items but I haven't noticed anything different yet, I am only at the first bonfire in the FoFG. I'm hoping to find a later game weapon early since I usually stick with my weapons through most of the game and it would be nice to try something new.

Beating DS2 at SL1 seems easier than doing it in DS1 just because of the 4 Kings, I can't imagine someone that could beat them at SL1 would find any mandatory DS2 boss unbeatable. Then again I've never tried it in DS2 so I can't say for sure.

I'd say that depending on which class you choose, adaptability would be a problem as you went along since it impedes your ability to dodge consistently.

 

[Neiteio]

Tonight's boss haul:

- Dual Dragonriders
- Looking Glass Knight
- Demon of Song

Some thoughts on Drangleic Castle:

Ruin Sentinels, a Belfry Gargoyle, and the Executioner's Chariot, sans driver... as regular enemies? Not the most welcoming castle! Also, I don't know how people would find two of the bonfires without the messages on the floor... There's the one behind an illusory wall down a ladder that's easy to overlook, and another where you have to trick a Ruin Sentinel into smashing the floor so you can drop into a cave with the Darkdiver NPC (who I previously met in the Shaded Ruins and have since met in Black Gulch after going back for him — defeated two giants while I was down there and got a soul I'm keeping in case it's useful).

Later on, I thought I encountered a game-breaking glitch, when I activated the elevator but rolled off it as it was ascending... I couldn't get the soul-sucking golem to work again (another odd mechanic — you have to lure two claw-wielding enemies from the next room over and feed it their souls). But then I realized I could use the lever nearby to call it back down. XD I'm glad I realized this -- I've been backing up my saves, but I didn't want to restart the castle! And speaking of the castle, here's a view from the top -- you can see the bridge from the beginning:

And boy, the boss battle with Looking Glass Knight was AMAZING. Here's the video of how it went down! I don't know why, but I took nearly 11 minutes to beat him. The last few minutes are me trying to knock off his last pixel of HP. My Club +10 kept hitting his shield, bouncing off harmlessly. Even when I poked with the Chariot Lance +4/5, there were times where I'd hit the shield instead. Complicating matters are the two Dark Spirits he summoned -- CPUs, thankfully -- and the strong tracking on several of his moves, such as the running charge he used to catch me when I was healing. The rain-soaked backdrop, the way he used his sword as a lightning rod... Just amazing. Once again, I went in with no armor, which helped since the Chariot Lance is so heavy. Great weapon, though.

Afterwards, I went to Shrine of Amana... GORGEOUS!! I was astounded by the verdant beauty and the haunting song. I used my upgraded Sea Bow to snipe many of the spell-casting enemies from afar. But the best part was the boss at the end. I know Miyazaki didn't work on this game directly, but Demon of Song sure has his sense of whimsy. Here's my video of the battle! I had heard about her before and how you're supposed to aim for her true face, so I knew to wait for the withered skull to emerge from the frog's mouth. Another cool concept for a boss, where she's invulnerable inside her... uh, amphibious armor. To think this is the source of the singing! Definitely one of my favorite bosses so far.

Now I'm in the Undead Crypt. I leveled up with my souls and spent the remainder replenishing my stock of Magic Arrows, Lightning Arrows and Poison Arrows. I also fully upgraded my Sea Bow to +10.

In closing, here's a shot back in Majula. I find the place soothing after my adventures today:

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Demon of Song.is probably my favourite boss design of the game.

Not true as of Scholar. I killed a bell invader and got a titanite slab! I sometimes get it as an invader too, and occasionally twinkling or a petrified dragon bone, though most of the time it's a chunk.

Wow, that's great! It did feel a bit lopsided before how you got nothing as the invadee, even though you were often disadvantaged. I wonder if they changed.the rewards for any of the other covenants.

 

[Neiteio]

Demon of Song.is probably my favourite boss design of the game.

The soul description says the Demon of Song was locked away because it was eating people. Creepy! O_O

 

[Neiteio]

I'm really enjoying the Chariot Lance. Makes me wonder what other boss soul trades might be fun. Any recommendations for a Strength build?

 

[NEO0MJ]

I'm really enjoying the Chariot Lance. Makes me wonder what other boss soul trades might be fun. Any recommendations for a Strength build?

If you're going strength then the Pursuer's Greatsword is awesome. Butcher's Knife might also be decent. Iron King's Hammer can also be good but you need some decent faith and Intelligence to make the best of it.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

I just got to Drangleic (killed the duo, on my way to Mirror Knight) and was shocked to see the

Spoiler

Executioner's horse

in the hall. I saw a message saying "be wary of horse" and I thought oh, it's a joke, or maybe they put

Spoiler

horses from the 3rd DLC there

, but nope.... damn.

I swear, the third DLC and this new enemy in Drangleic must have been placed there just so the

Spoiler

horse

keyword would be used more in messages... XD

I'm really enjoying the Chariot Lance. Makes me wonder what other boss soul trades might be fun. Any recommendations for a Strength build?

The DLCs has tons of strength-oriented big-ass swords. The Butcher Knife is also pretty good since it's very fast.

 

[HK-47]

Demon of Song.is probably my favourite boss design of the game.



Wow, that's great! It did feel a bit lopsided before how you got nothing as the invadee, even though you were often disadvantaged. I wonder if they changed.the rewards for any of the other covenants.

Yeah too bad he is another case of great art, terrible design. Like the Gaping Dragon of DS2.

 

[Neiteio]

Looking into the Pursuer Greatsword and the Butcher Knife. I could use a strong slash weapon.

Yeah too bad he is another case of great art, terrible design. Like the Gaping Dragon of DS2.

Demon of Song is fun, imo. Simple, but fun. Very satisfying hitting the face when it's exposed.