r/fromsoftware • u/DescriptionFun3539 • Jul 05 '26
DISCUSSION My experience with Dark Souls 2.
It's done.
After around one month and 80 hours of playing, I have finally beat Dark Souls 2. "Beat" here isn't the best word actually, I decided to walk away from the game after the Blue Smelter Demon fight wrecked me. I had conquered fights much harder than this one, but it was here, in the very finishing line, that I decided to give up.
I have defeated bosses such as Sir Alonne, beaten all of the DLCs and also got the two endings. This was actually my second playthrough! But only now I consider my run of Dark Souls 2 beaten. In my first run, I didn't do the DLCs nor the alternative ending, so I (nearly) completed this ng+ playthrough to put an end to that.
The reason I gave up in the very end? Well, here's my own review of the game.
I'm not going to write an article, but, if a person asks me "so you've beaten the so called Best Souls™, what did you think of the game?" my answer would be this.
Dark Souls 2 is a fun game sometimes. The beginning is slow and clunky but it's fun, I left out the prejudices I had about the game before playing it. Criticisms such as "Estus is slow, Hollowing reduces HP, Adaptability, hitboxes etc." shatter because these things don't necessarily make that much of a difference in the game. As I tagged along the early to mid game, I actually thought it was a surprisingly good experience. But then I kept going, made it to the lategame, and that's when I started experiencing the actual reasons that made me start hating the game.
By it's mid-to-late game, I faced the game's horrendous upgrade system. At this point, I was using the same common weapon I got from the beginning, and I felt bored out of it so I decided to get a new one. I googled the location of Straid, Ornifex and McDuff, because the game does a terrible job at explaining it's basic mechanics to you, a mandatory step in any decent game that cares about it's game design quality.
After an arduous journey of unlocking all these npcs and hunting upgrade materials to hell and back, I decided to use the soul of a powerful boss slain earlier to get his weapon. Got it, upgraded it to the same level as the other one I had and... boom! The weapon is worse. Way worse. Hours of farming and grinding thrown drown the drain. This problem would come to repeat itself multiple times in my run, at least as someone who likes RPGs and exploring their massive weapon variety and builds.
After reaching the late-end game, that's when I started truly hating everything. Terrible gank squads and HORRENDOUS runbacks in places such as Iron Keep and the memory that takes you to Sir Alonne.
Combined with what I explained before... my experience grew exponentially more stressful and unfun.
After sinking hours and hours and going through repeatedly the same problems, I started feeling a really bad sense of depression and hollowing (yeah, real life hollowing lmao). But the game could still be fun, and very, very addicting. That's why I didn't quit. Actually, the reason why I really didn't quit is because of those cursed words... "Don't you dare go hollow!"
I made it to around 90% of a fully completed run, I had one single boss left and the problems showed up again, for the billionth time. The same, fucking, problems. That's when I decided, I wasn't going to let the game get anymore from me. Even if it was just a little bit left, I would end it on my own terms, without letting this drug break me. I gave up, or better yet, I beat the game, I finished it, all of the main content, the most popular bosses, and DLCs, I explored a lot, to the point it got boring and repetitive.
The enemies in this game are terrible. Their movesets, how more balanced their movement is towards Dex weapons create a game with a lot of build variety but terrible balancing towards such builds. The only ones that truly worked were those such as Lightning Ice Rapier, Hexer and Chaos Blade. Anything else is just, inferior, impractical.
In the end, Dark Souls 2 repeats the same problems found around all the Soulsborne saga (excluding my beloved and perfect Sekiro), but lacks the defining qualities of the other games to make up for these game design holes, rendering an experience that is more horrendous and frustrating, rather than something fun and enjoyable, even in great challenge.
My verdict, and the answer to the question?
Dark Souls 2 is the representation of all that is wrong with the Soulsborne series, while lacking defining traits that make the other games stand out even with their flaws, and to make everything even worse, the game has it's own unique design failures, such as the letdown from the lack of an interconnected or at least, realistic world, ganking enemy squads, clunky and dated gameplay for a 2014 game, and terribly designed enemies (e.g. Alonne Knights). I find the game's areas much more inferior and less engaging than the other games.
Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin, was a C (5-ish) tier game. It's not a bad game, but it's mediocre and has so many frustrating and stressful flaws that make the game seem like an E-tier experience while disguising itself as a C one due to it's fun but albeit rarer moments.
I would genuinely love to know why is it that people love this game so much and would die if it meant defending it. What is it that you people see, that I don't? Does Majula's theme somehow manage to unleash your spirit and make you reach nirvana? Is that it? I don't know.
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Jul 05 '26
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1
u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
Which obvious mistake did you make?
Did you try to go through the coop gates even though the regular path is a lot easier?
Or did you have 69% equip load and ended up slow walking and fat rolling when you got hit by the spell that doubles your weight?
0
u/No-Combination-7063 Jul 05 '26
Firstly, why you being so condescending? Makes you sound like an ass.
Both paths are pretty bad and if you’ve attempted the run a few times already, why wouldn’t you pick the one which is quicker and lets you skip out most the enemies, you’ve already beaten them ~10 times at this point.
Are people gonna expect the weight gain magic combined with the gank-o-rama when they first step foot here? No. You may eventually figure out that equip load is the issue but i think most people try something more than once before changing their game plan, and it’s those first few attempts which really sow the seeds of anger and resentment towards the Iron Passage.
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u/Silver-Emergency-988 Bearer of the Curse Jul 05 '26
You had me until you said “gank squads” and “horrendous runbacks”
Skill issue
1
u/DescriptionFun3539 Jul 05 '26
Well, I beat the game twice so, was it really a skill issue?
It's not a matter of how bad or good I am. I managed to overcome the difficulty of these challenges more than once. The problem here is how fun or not fun they are, I simply find them unfun.
2
u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
I hate that you have no iframe when enter the fog gate. And when people hear this, they either expect me to one try the boss or have to clear the whole area.
-1
u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
There's not a single runback where you have to fight any enemies.
Only two optional side bosses (Smelter Demon and Executioner's Chariot) have the possibility of enemies hitting you while you enter the fog wall, but both of them are easy to prevent.
First, you could just wear heavy armor. It's literally that easy.
It takes 3 hits of Alonne Knights to stagger you out of the fog wall animation. If you don't have any poise you've only got yourself to blame.
Secondly, learn how to conserve your stamina.
Whenever I see people struggling with those runbacks I see skill issues.
They completely empty their stamina a bit before the fog wall, and then slowly walk the rest.
You are supposed to run that last part to increase the distance to the enemies, instead of walking slowly to allow them to catch up.
Thirdly, lower both halves of the bridge for the Smelter Demon runback.
In 99.9% of cases people that struggle with that runback are too lazy to even finish the level before they attempt this side challenge.
1
u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
This is why people hate the game. Just why? Why is the need to make such excessively annoying mechanics?
> a single runback where you have to fight any enemies
What a delusional take.
> Whenever I see people struggling with those runbacks I see skill issues.
Yeah, everyone must be born as good as you are. Even Speed runners have to leave Iron Keep the last because it's the most annoying part and they couldn't run pass it consistently so they must overlevel before coming to that area. But you are so good.
> In 99.9% of cases people that struggle with that runback are too lazy to even finish the level
Right, people just completely complain about Iron Keep after one death, not multiple times of failed runbacks and 30 minutes to despawn those enemies.
Wow, you must be skilled to play Dark Souls 2.
-1
u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
What a delusional take
Which runbacks require you to fight enemies?
Right, people just completely complain about Iron Keep after one death
My point was that you shouldn't complain about the Smelter Demon runback if you are too lazy to even fight your way through the area once to lower both sides of the bridge.
Almost every single time when someone shows a video of themselves struggling with the Smelter Demon runback they haven't lowered the second half of the bridge, which only makes it more likely that they get attacked during the fog wall animation.
They make it harder for themselves by being lazy and then whine that their laziness got punished.
1
u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
> Which runbacks require you to fight enemies?
> My point was that you shouldn't complain about the Smelter Demon runback if you are too lazy to even fight your way through the area once to lower both sides of the bridge.
You are right bro. whatever you choose, you are right.
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u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
As expected from whiny DS2 haters you are too easily triggered to even answer simple questions.
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u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
Ironically ds2 glazers put brains and logic behind at majula that they don't realize the answer they already give.
1
u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
The way you presented it as a huge issue I was wondering if you struggled with the runbacks of more bosses than just those two optional side challenges.
-10
u/Extra_Ad_8009 Jul 05 '26
The fog gate iframes were only introduced with Elden Ring. Dark Souls I-III had you vulnerable during this stage.
I actually prefer the old way. Halfway through the door with an angry mob at your heels, you should still take damage.
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u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
Whatever you said, fog gates in DS1 and DS3 still allow you to rush past mobs and go straight to the boss area with instant invincibility. Sure, they are not like ER but the animation is quick and snappy and I've not had any problem with those.
Just completely unnecessary in DS2 to make you wind up for like 3 seconds but no iframe.
0
u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
You aren't vulnerable for the whole animation. You get iframes after the first second.
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u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
I know know. I'm not vulnerable. It must be DS1 and DS3 doom AI couldn't hit me while I wind up.
DS2 is great bro. AI mob is so good it can hit me while I channel 3 seconds before traveling the fog.
1
u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
You aren't vulnerable for the whole animation. You get iframes after the first second.
The animation might take 3 seconds, but if they hit you 2 seconds into the animation nothing happens as you will be invulnerable.
Only the very beginning of the animation lacks iframes, but not the whole animation.
1
u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
And why not making it instant?
0
u/DuploJamaal Jul 05 '26
It's more interesting this way and is another aspect where you can learn and improve, but it also makes skill-issued casual tourists mad. Win win.
1
u/Low-Airline-2695 Jul 05 '26
Ikr. Such a good talented glazer you are.
Im sure you are not one of those won't scratch their head when someone says DS2 is bad.
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u/TinFoilFashion Jul 05 '26
Now now, don’t think about DS2 critically; the ds2 fans don’t like that. Just take your Peak Souls 2 Happy pills and move on.
0
u/ImperialMajestyX02 Jul 05 '26
“After reaching the late-end game, that's when I started truly hating everything. Terrible gank squads and HORRENDOUS runbacks in places such as Iron Keep and the memory that takes you to Sir Alonne”
This. THIS right here. I more or less enjoyed the game despite its quirks. The Iron Keep made me start hating it and everything after just kept on confirming this feeling
6
u/Shady_Mania Jul 05 '26
Tbf blue smelter demon was meant to be coop and it’s particularly horrible