Dark Souls II - Beta Impression @ AnalogAddiction

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Analog Addiction gives their impression of Dark Souls II based on a recent demo version of the game.

One thing which I found annoying was the fact that I couldn’t summon other players in my world, nor invade them. Every time someone would try to come into my session, an error would appear on the screen. Why would the developer enforce a two-hours limit, if it wouldn’t even allow players to actually battle together? Another quirk was the AI, which sometimes was simply standing still while I was depleting its life. It’s still a Beta, so it’s to be expected I guess.

As mentioned above, what does seem like a massive improvement are the visuals. Dark Souls II’s world and its inhabitants are much more detailed than its predecessor’s. The soundtrack was kept to a minimum though, only to make for a more chilling atmosphere.

All in all, after almost breaking into tears multiple times during my playthroughs in the first Dark Souls, I have to admit that I enjoyed this small Beta for its sequel. Sure, there wasn’t anything really new here – besides its presentation – but I’m sure that I’ve only scratched the surface of what Dark Souls II really has to offer. The next Beta will take place on October 27th, so expect another coverage of it the moment it ends. You can check out some gameplay from the first Beta below.
Here is the gameplay video.



More information.
 
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Ha, funny how he maxed brightness… CHEATER!

Anyway, this game looks to be as brutal as the first, which I never played. I would rage-quit within the first few hours of gameplay, never to return.
 
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That's awesome.
From Software is brilliant. Made some of my favorite games ever. They really know how to create a world and fill it with atmosphere.
 
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Not my thing. Checkpoint save system, too much hack and slash, and looks very much like an "on rails" game, I would be bored quickly.
 
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Souls games are a lot of things but "no rails" is not one of them.
 
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From Software is brilliant. Made some of my favorite games ever. They really know how to create a world and fill it with atmosphere.

Yep, I've been playing their games since King's Field on the PS1. I'd love to see them return to that series someday.
 
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It was sad :D Too bad in my case also summoning and invading stopped working about 20 minutes into the session.
 
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Not my thing. Checkpoint save system, too much hack and slash, and looks very much like an "on rails" game, I would be bored quickly.

ehh, it doesn't have a checkpoint save system, it's not really hack and slash, and it is not "on rails" either... what game did you play ?
 
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Not my thing. Checkpoint save system, too much hack and slash, and looks very much like an "on rails" game, I would be bored quickly.

We can pluck at his words but we educated gamers *do* know what Arkadia7 means.

similar comments have been echoed by gamers on other forums.
 
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Not my thing. Checkpoint save system, too much hack and slash, and looks very much like an "on rails" game, I would be bored quickly.

Hardly hack'n'slash, it has one of the best combat mechanics in a game ever (think Gothic 1-2 but a lot better). Atmosphere is completely sick in this game. It's also not on-rails.
 
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1. Checkpoint saves - the game controls the saves, eg: lit bonfires, respawns etc' - you cannot save just anywhere for these reasons.

2. Hack n slash - much combat oriented, the main progressor of the game.

3. On-rails - the game controls area access progression, you cannot openly free roam.

So yes i do understand Arkadia's remarks.

Gothic 1 & 2 combat have no similarity with Dark Souls combat.
 
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think Gothic 1-2 but a lot better.

Not better in my opinion. G1&2 is reasonably easy to master - Dark Souls takes some serious real time combat skills - which sadly I do not have.
 
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You've got more options in DS so it takes a little longer to master, and also the enemies are fighting smarter and you have to figure their tactics out, can't just "hack'n slash" your way through (not before you know how to deal with them, then it's very easy). This really adds to the fun - combat done 100% right, imo.

And it's not that difficult to master either (i dont consider myself a hardcore gamer at all, i play most games on Normal Difficulty).
 
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1. The game always saves, you can quit anywhere, even if you die you get a second chance to get back your souls and humanity, you don't lose your inventory, there are also items in the game so that you don't need to lose anything.

A checkpoint save system is if you die, or quit all your progress is lost, since the last checkpoint.

2. Combat oriented yes / hack and slash absolutely not, as already mentioned combat mechanics are very sophisticated, hack and slash will take you nowhere.

3. On-rails, simply no, it is not a completely open-world, but that does not mean it is on-rails, it is in fact very open, even if it might not appear so if you play it for a very short amount of time. An on-rails game mean that you have to do things in a certain order and follow a certain process.
 
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Gothic 1 & 2 combat have no similarity with Dark Souls combat.

I'd have to disagree with this on a very fundamental level. Both are third person and contain melee oriented real-time systems; how can they not share similarities even if they share the obviously noticeable mechanic differences? I'd also argue that it is exactly Gothic 1 & 2's combat stylistics which initially attracted me to Dark Souls after which came the atmosphere and grimness of the world.
 
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3. On-rails - the game controls area access progression, you cannot openly free roam.

Doubt you've played the game, it's as open world as for example Gothic.

It's also not hack'n slash. The defnintion comes from Diablo (endless, mindless mouse button clicks), this is the exact opposite of that. It's combat heavy, but that doesnt mean it's Hack'n Slash. Again, you didnt try the game or you don't understand what the definition means. The combat obviously shares many similarities with Gothic, it's the same "mechanical" type of combat where you can't fight completely mindless, much closer to Gothic than Skyrim etc.
 
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I have played the game, there was too much similarity to hack and slash style to progress for my liking although I did like the grim world atmosphere and the direction the game gives to the unknown, as mentioned in another recent thread.

Yes, the combat has some sophistication but the timer and highlight and lock-on and switchover and shield mechanics are different to the gothics, therefore they cannnot be similar in their combat exactness for comparison (on solo pc) - i suspect console controls are easier?

Third person perspective and real-time could be compared with a gazillion of other games other than the gothics specifically.

I'll wait for a decent review of DS2 before giving it a try.
 
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