LogFAQs > #979004671

Sorozone posted...

The fact that DS2 design isn't as polished as Elden Ring, Dark Souls, or even Demon's Souls makes it a lot harder to get back into. And like I mentioned I'm also playing through Sekiro, and while being a more linear experience the amount of polish throughout every design in Sekiro is making me appreciate it a lot more, especially in comparison while playin DS2.

Dark Souls 2 to Sekiro is an unfair comparison given Sekiro has totally different mobility which resulted in some of the coolest vertical level design FromSoft has ever done (which they obviously learned from). I also think the level design is better than DS3's which is only okay; it's more polished but overall blander and the areas run together compared to DS2's weird mishmash, plus the DLC areas are fucking miserable while DS2's DLCs have some of the best dungeon in the series. In a way, not being able to draw a coherent world is a strength in DS2 while 3 mostly sticks to a more conservative and linear approach. DS1 is the best of both and as you said they perfect the DS2 mishmash in Elden Ring.

(I also don't agree it's less polished than DeS but I'll save it)

kevwaffles posted...

Yeah I don't quite get how DS2 is particularly less linear than, really anything besides DS3, but DS1 especially. Its choke point comes later but then proceeds to not open up again, Memories withstanding.

Sort of, DS2 has a hub with 4 spokes approach. Some of the paths converge, but for the first 2/3rds of the game you can go down any after the intro area. Then they all converge for a linear run to the ending. Dark Souls 1 is kind of the opposite: you start with 3 paths but two of them are "wrong" in that they lead to dead ends. But for the most part the intended progression sequence is linear with some side areas until you get through Anor Londo and 4 paths open up. But the neat thing Dark Souls 1 does is build in side areas and some cool but esoteric sequence breaking like Kaathe during the linear segment, so you don't feel nearly as boxed in.