LogFAQs > #976188272

DragonClaw01 posted...

the turd that is DS2, since there is barely anything redeemable about it, but polish they try

nah ds2 is dank. best pvp, best mechanics, most replayable, best aesthetics. ds3 was a disgrace to both ds1 and 2, it feels like a discouraged fromsoft reluctantly trying to recapture the ds1 magic and instead coming out with a half baked store brand bloodborne.

shrine of amana is beautiful and only a problem if you somehow still havent figured out how to sidestep a projectile or deal with a few trash mobs this late in the game. or series, honestly, because who plays ds2 first? iron keep is an instant classic too. funny how you only complain about the "hard" areas, like why not criticize shaded woods or something?

the poison trio, blue smelter area, and frigid outskirts are meme coop side areas that are totally optional. frigid outskirts is great though, no other level like it. you get the content you deserve!

but seriously, ds2 excels at variety. it's well balanced so most builds are effective, and there are a ton of equipment and spells. the game also has advanced tech to spice up the gameplay: quickrolls bring dodging to near bloodborne speeds, quick attacks make powerstancing relevant again, and stance swaps allow you to chain/combo between 1 handed and 2 handed movesets which keeps gameplay interesting. these techs combined with good balance and loadout variety have kept pvp alive for almost 10 years now.
it has bosses ranging from fume knight (who was basically a prototype ds3 boss, with decently complex ai and movesets) to the braindead covetous demon. ng+ cycles add enemies (even up to ng+7 - there is a black phantom archer added to the fire dlc near a chain you run across). it has complex levels with multiple paths like lost bastille, as well as short and simple levels like heide's tower of flame.

but even the simple stuff is actually pretty cool. heides tower functions as a great pvp arena and even has some cool trick jumps. covetous demon has a secret puzzle mechanic where you can break the jars above him and release dreglings, which he will ignore you to eat - then he might eat you, and take all your clothes off! flexile sentry has rising water, you can knock dragonrider off his tiny platform or make it bigger so you don't fall, pursuer "follows" you to later areas (with a final showdown in the throne room on ng+) and has rare attacks to keep you on your toes, mytha's poison pool can be drained, and so on. even the last giant has a second phase.

you can ignore those little details because the bosses are easy, but that's not really the point. it might seem meaningless, but it's just there for fun. and i think this attitude is what makes ds2 not just a great game but also a great sequel.

where ds1 is "prepare to die", ds2 is "go beyond death". it's not just ds1 (or des) again, it's a response. ds2's response to ds1's carefully crafted world is to embrace disorientation and a dreamlike absurdity. ds1's aesthetic was rather, uh, dark, and ds2's response is to look bright and goofy, almost cartoony. ds2 responds to ds1's nihilism by fully embracing meaninglessness.

"Your past. Your future. Your very light.
None will have meaning, and you won't even care...

Long ago, in a walled off land, far to the north, a great king built a great kingdom...

But one day, you will stand before its decrepit gate.
Without really knowing why..."

i would even go so far as to say ds2 is lampooning ds1. where else but in the world of dark souls could "laddersmith" be a profession?

dark souls 2 isn't just the black sheep of the series, it's also the best. people always say "ds2 is a good game, it's just not a good souls game". the truth is that dark souls 2 is a great game because it is not just another good souls game. it has everything and nothing to say all at once, and fromsoft will never make another game quite like it.