Not Another Dark Souls 2 Retrospective...

Name: Not Another Dark Souls 2 Retrospective...
Uploaded: 2023-06-17T23:00:05.000Z
Duration: 2 h 40 min 39 s

Dark Souls 2 Retrospective: A Journey Through Drang Lake

Introduction to the Retrospective

The speaker returns with a retrospective on Dark Souls 2, having received a copy of "Scholar of the First Sin" from a viewer.

Initially intended to create a positive retrospective similar to those for Dark Souls 1 and 3, despite Dark Souls 2's mixed reputation within the series.

Personal Affection for Dark Souls 2

The speaker expresses personal love for Dark Souls 2, ranking it higher than most fans typically would.

Despite enjoying all Soulsborne games, the speaker has played Dark Souls 2 more than any other title in the franchise.

Shift in Experience

Upon revisiting the game after years, the speaker experiences unexpected dissatisfaction compared to previous playthroughs.

The slower combat pace of Dark Souls 2 contrasts sharply with newer titles like Elden Ring, contributing to this change in enjoyment.

Critique and Structure of Video

This retrospective will include criticisms but is rooted in a long-standing affection for the game; likened to a marriage that has lost its spark.

The video structure involves discussing gameplay elements while providing commentary on levels and bosses throughout Drang Lake.

Setting and Story Overview

Unlike its predecessors, Dark Souls 2 is set in Drang Lake—a fallen kingdom—rather than directly continuing from previous narratives.

The opening cutscene focuses on themes of going Hollow rather than grand events or quests typical of other entries in the series.

Ambiguity and Narrative Engagement

The protagonist's arrival at Drang Lake is ambiguous; it's unclear if they are transported or experiencing time travel as part of their Hollowing process.

The speaker admits to not caring much about Dark Souls 2’s story even during their earlier fandom; prefers exploring lore through external sources post-playthrough.

World Design Comparison

While acknowledging some interesting elements within Drang Lake, the speaker feels it lacks the compelling edge found in other titles like Bloodborne or Elden Ring.

Concludes that despite some cool aspects, there remains an overall disinterest in understanding what happens within Dark Souls 2’s narrative.

Dark Souls 2: A Fresh Experience or a Misstep?

Introduction to Changes in Dark Souls 2

The discussion begins with the introduction of new placements and a character named Alia, who serves as the true final boss. The speaker notes a preference for the original version of Dark Souls 2 but admits familiarity with "Scholar of the First Sin."

Critique of Scholar of the First Sin

The speaker expresses that while they have enjoyed playing "Scholar," there are questionable design choices that detract from their experience.

An example is given regarding enemy placement; areas now contain an excessive number of enemies, which can be overwhelming.

A specific change mentioned is the addition of a dragon in Tower of Flame, which complicates gameplay unnecessarily for melee-focused builds.

Overall Experience and Character Control

The speaker argues that "Scholar" prioritizes change over refinement, leading to an experience that feels different rather than definitive.

Players have more control over character creation early on, although starting stats are low, making initial gameplay challenging.

Tutorial Area Insights

Upon entering the tutorial area, players encounter handmaidens who ominously predict their fate in the game.

The speaker shares their choice of a strength build for this playthrough after experimenting with various builds in previous games.

Mechanics and NPC Interactions

Players are introduced to classic mechanics like jumping and parrying during tutorials.

A humorous moment occurs when interacting with two creatures whose voices are criticized for being poorly executed.

Hub Area Exploration

Transitioning to Dark Souls 2's hub area reveals a bright environment filled with items and an EST flask shard.

Unlike Dark Souls 1, players start with only one EST flask, increasing difficulty early on due to low adaptability stats.

Notable NPC Characters

NPC interactions are highlighted as enjoyable; particularly modeling armor leads to amusing character development.

Dark Souls 2 Mechanics and Gameplay Insights

Vendor Interactions and Game Progression

Players must interact with certain vendors multiple times before they become available for purchases, which can feel unintuitive.

The game opens up significantly after reaching the Shrine of Winter, where players aim to access Drang Lake Castle.

To progress through the Shrine of Winter, players typically need to defeat four powerful entities known as the Great Ones.

Alternative Progression Methods

An alternative method to pass through the Shrine involves accumulating a total of one million Souls over time, not necessarily at once.

Speedrunners exploit this mechanic by using Bonfire Aesthetics to respawn bosses for farming Souls efficiently.

Difficulty Scaling and Path Choices

Players have several paths to choose from based on their preferred difficulty level; starting with the Lost Sinner path is recommended for beginners.

Other paths include Old Iron King, The Rotten, and Duke's Dear Freya, though some are initially inaccessible due to environmental barriers.

Combat Mechanics and Player Experience

Early gameplay in The Forest of Fallen Giants reveals a steep learning curve due to sluggish combat mechanics compared to other titles in the series.

Dark Souls 2 feels notably slower than its predecessors or successors like Bloodborne or Dark Souls 3.

Adaptability Stat Issues

The adaptability stat significantly impacts combat fluidity; low levels lead to frustrating experiences during rolls and dodges.

Combat mechanics remain consistent across games (attacks, blocks, spells), but Dark Souls 2's implementation feels less refined due to adaptability issues.

Frustrations with Game Mechanics

Players often feel they are battling against game mechanics rather than enemies themselves due to poor responsiveness in combat.

Gameplay Mechanics and Level Design in Dark Souls II

Initial Impressions of Game Mechanics

The player expresses frustration with the limited eye frames at the start of Dark Souls II, contrasting it with the tight mechanics of Dark Souls III. This leads to difficulties against basic enemies.

Pathways and Level Progression

The Lost Sinner path is described as convoluted, with multiple routes available that can feel illogical. Players can choose between various paths leading to Sinner's Rise.

Despite familiarity from repeated playthroughs, recalling level progression remains challenging due to the non-linear design of pathways.

Exploration Choices

The player opts for an alternative route through the Forest of Fallen Giants before returning to the Tower of Flame, highlighting a preference for exploring different areas.

The Tower of Flame is praised for its aesthetic appeal and features two bosses, including the Dragon Rider, whose armor set is missed in later games.

Boss Encounters and Challenges

After defeating a boss in Tower of Flame, previously passive knights become aggressive, significantly increasing difficulty and altering gameplay dynamics.

The Last Giant serves as an early boss encounter; while easy to defeat quickly, it has interesting moves that players may miss if they rush through.

Notable Enemies and Their Impact

The Pursuer is introduced as a legendary enemy encountered early on. Players can attempt to defeat him before his official boss fight but often struggle initially.

Smithing Mechanics and Weapon Customization

McDuff is introduced as a unique blacksmith who allows weapon infusions—an important mechanic that enhances build experimentation throughout the game.

Dark Souls II encourages players to try various weapons due to abundant upgrade materials found during exploration.

Variety in Weapons and Boss Souls

There are numerous weapons available in Dark Souls II compared to previous titles. Each boss drops a soul that can be exchanged for unique items or spells.

Unlike other entries in the series, Dark Souls II allows infusing special or boss weapons with elemental damage types, enhancing combat versatility.

Dark Souls 2: Illusory Walls and Boss Encounters

Illusory Walls in Dark Souls 2

After defeating the area boss in Lost Basel, players encounter numerous illusory walls, a staple of the Dark Souls series. However, their implementation in Dark Souls 2 is notably different.

Unlike previous games where clues hinted at illusory walls (like odd placements), Dark Souls 2 requires players to hug walls and tap X to discover them, lacking any visual indicators.

The game intended for players to find these walls through online interactions with others' orange soapstone markers, making solo exploration challenging.

A peculiar illusory wall appears in the Old Iron King DLC that stands out due to its obviousness, raising questions about design choices compared to other areas.

First Great One Encounter: The Lost Center

Upon navigating through large areas like Steel and Centers Rise, players face their first great one: The Lost Center. The arena's darkness adds a unique challenge by limiting visibility.

Players can illuminate the arena by lighting flammable oil using the Bestial Key beforehand, enhancing gameplay experience.

Each great one has connections to characters from Dark Souls 1; for instance, The Lost Center relates to the Bed of Chaos.

Progression Through Bonfires

Defeating each great one allows players to light primal bonfires that progress the game. A map of Drangleic lights up as more bonfires are activated throughout the land.

Exploring Different Paths: Old Iron King Route

Following the Lost Center defeat, players can choose various routes; one notable path leads directly to the Old Iron King via Huntsman's Copse.

This area introduces "Forlorn Invasions," a feature from Scholar of the First Sin that allows specific NPC invasions but restricts bonfire usage during encounters.

Critique on Invaders and Areas

Many invaders in Dark Souls 2 lack depth or significance compared to those in other titles; names feel generic and unmemorable.

Following Huntsman's Copse is Harvest Valley—a visually appealing area marred by poison mechanics that require constant navigation through hazardous environments.

Poison Mechanics and Sunlight Covenant

Poison behaves differently in this installment; it inflicts significant damage quickly but lasts shorter than in previous games.

Challenges in Dark Souls 2: A Player's Perspective

Frustrations with Enemies and Gameplay Mechanics

The player expresses frustration over the grinding required to obtain the top sunlight covenant item for a platinum trophy, indicating a dislike for excessive farming.

The mannequins are highlighted as the player's most hated enemy due to their ambush tactics, speed, and ability to stun lock, leading to significant health loss.

The player describes the annoyance of dying from an initial attack in a combo, emphasizing how frustrating it is when subsequent hits become unavoidable.

Environmental Interactions and Level Design

A peculiar interaction with a windmill allows players to burn it with a torch; this action reduces poison damage during the next boss fight by limiting passive healing.

The player notes that while Dark Souls 2 has many enjoyable levels, there are also underwhelming areas that detract from overall world coherence.

Iron Keep: A Mixed Experience

Iron Keep is described as visually appealing but suffers from an overwhelming number of enemies due to changes made in "Scholar of the First Sin."

While having numerous enemies can create tension, it often leads to tedious gameplay where players must carefully pick off foes before facing bosses.

Boss Runbacks and Gameplay Flow Issues

The long runbacks after dying at bosses frustrate players; they feel punished for having already proven their skill by reaching the boss.

Three main issues compound frustrations: excessive enemies encourage cautious play, dying means repeating tedious enemy encounters, and lengthy runbacks disrupt game flow.

Optional Bosses and Design Critique

Despite frustrations with area design leading up to them, optional bosses like the Smelter Demon are appreciated for their cool designs and challenging mechanics.

Dark Souls 2: Navigating the Challenges of Juke's Dear Freya

Boss Mechanics and Arena Design

The fight against Juke's Dear Freya is complicated by a poorly designed arena, featuring an instant death pit that adds to the difficulty.

Players are likely to have fragrant branches of yore, which are essential for depetrifying statues blocking access to treasures and new areas in the game.

NPC Interactions and Accents

Introduction of Ben Hart, an NPC with a recognizable sword; his Scottish accent stands out among other characters.

A personal commentary on fake Scottish accents in media highlights the diversity of real Scottish dialects.

Area Exploration: Shaded Woods and Beyond

The path to Juke's Dear Freya involves traversing through less appealing areas like Shaded Woods, which feature weak enemies and bosses.

Poor visibility is a recurring theme in Dark Souls 2, particularly in the Shaded Woods where ghost enemies lurk.

Boss Encounters and Combat Mechanics

The first boss in the Shaded Woods is criticized as being unoriginal, resembling Quelaag from Dark Souls but with a scorpion body instead.

A notable observation is that many bosses are easier than regular enemies; players often die more frequently to standard foes than to bosses.

PVP Elements and Faros Lockstones

The area beyond Doors of Faros lacks significant PvE content but offers interesting PvP mechanics involving traps for invaders.

Faros lockstones allow players to activate various contraptions throughout the game world, enhancing gameplay dynamics despite inconsistent availability.

Brightstone Cove C Door Experience

NPC Design and Gameplay Challenges in Dark Souls 2

The Location of NPCs and Player Frustration

The NPC named Herod, who trades powerful boss souls for weapons or spells, is located at the base of a level filled with enemies. This design choice requires players to clear the area before accessing her.

The placement of Herod raises questions about game design decisions that seem to prioritize player inconvenience under the guise of increased challenge.

Challenge vs. Frustration

There’s a distinction between creating challenging gameplay and making sections obnoxious; players may feel relief after overcoming difficult areas but often wish to avoid them rather than feeling accomplished.

Boss Encounters and Rewards

The encounter with the boss Juke steer Freya is described as easy, especially when summoning an NPC phantom which diminishes difficulty.

Despite weak bosses, Dark Souls 2 compensates by providing abundant souls from various sources, allowing players to level up more easily compared to previous games in the series.

Navigating Dangerous Areas

The path leading to the final boss, the Rotten, involves treacherous drops that can kill players unless they have sufficient health or use items like the Silver Cat Ring to reduce fall damage.

Exploration and Lighting Mechanics

Initially disliked for its complexity, "The Gutter" becomes appreciated for its unique torch mechanics that encourage exploration through lighting sconces while navigating dark environments.

Players face challenges in combat due to having one hand occupied with a torch, increasing difficulty but also enhancing immersion.

Design Aesthetics and Enemy Impressions

Visual Design Critique

While some areas are visually appealing, others suffer from poor gameplay experiences due to overwhelming enemy designs and environmental hazards like poison statues.

Enemy Variety vs. Impact

Although there are numerous enemy types in Dark Souls 2, many fail to leave a lasting impression on players compared to those from other FromSoftware titles.

Graphical Style Concerns

The graphical style of Dark Souls 2 is critiqued for lacking sharpness; this affects how memorable enemy designs are perceived by players despite their grotesque potential.

Visual and Gameplay Insights in Dark Souls 2

Transitional Areas and Visual Design

The game features transitional areas that connect different levels, which can be visually unappealing, contrasting with the impressive design of armor sets and weapons.

After defeating the four great ones, players can access the Shrine of Winter; however, the gameplay becomes linear until reaching King Vendrick.

Notable enemies like the falconers are highlighted for their unique behavior; they run around chaotically, adding a humorous element to encounters.

Drang Lake Castle Experience

Drang Lake Castle is praised for its aesthetic appeal, particularly the long steps leading up to it, though some design choices are criticized as questionable.

The castle features optional sections that feel mandatory; stone statues coming to life serve as a recurring gimmick that may become tiresome.

Nandra serves as an antagonist but lacks significant buildup or tension before her encounter at the end of the game.

Boss Encounters in Drang Lake Castle

The Dragon Riders boss fight is described as basic despite being enjoyable due to their move set and armor aesthetics.

Looking Glass Knight is considered one of the best bosses in Dark Souls 2, featuring a dynamic move set and an interesting mechanic involving a mirror shield.

Challenges in Shrine of Amana

The Shrine of Amana is notorious for its overwhelming number of enemies including sorceresses and aberration monsters that complicate navigation.

Players often resort to ranged attacks to manage enemy swarms effectively while avoiding falling into water hazards.

Final Levels Before King Vendrick

After completing Shrine of Amana, players enter Undead Crypt—a dark area filled with numerous enemies and chaotic bell mechanics that summon additional foes when struck.

Dark Souls II Mechanics and Boss Encounters

Difficulty and Combat Mechanics

The speaker reflects on the low difficulty of many bosses in Dark Souls II, suggesting that increasing their health could enhance the challenge.

Power stancing is introduced as a hidden mechanic that allows dual-wielding weapons effectively, which was less viable in Dark Souls I.

To activate power stance, players must wield two identical weapon classes and meet specific strength and dexterity requirements.

Power stance attacks enable simultaneous strikes with both weapons, resulting in significantly higher damage output at the cost of increased stamina consumption.

The speaker shares their build using a lightning Craftsman's hammer and a dark blacksmith's hammer to maximize damage through power stancing.

Encountering King Vendrick

Players encounter King Vendrick, who has become an undead shell of his former self; this moment lacks the emotional weight found in other Dark Souls games but is still impactful.

Although Vendrick cannot be spoken to, he drops an important ring that grants access to previously locked doors throughout the game world.

Vendrick can be fought as an optional boss later in the game; however, he possesses extremely high defense if confronted too early.

With the King's Ring obtained, players can access several new areas including Alia Keep, which features lore related to experimentation on undead beings.

Exploring Alia Keep

Alia Keep contains various grotesque creatures suspended from cages, reflecting its theme of experimentation with the undead.

The first dragon boss encountered here is described as generic but not particularly difficult compared to other bosses in the series.

Dragon Eie Area

The Dragon Eie area is praised for its stunning visuals and engaging gameplay mechanics filled with bridges and treasure amidst slumbering dragons.

This area boasts a high concentration of Titanite lizards compared to other levels, enhancing resource gathering opportunities.

Dragon Shrine Encounter

In contrast to previous versions of the game, non-hostile Dragon Warriors attack unexpectedly during exploration in this area.

At the top of stairs leading into a large boss arena lies the Ancient Dragon; defeating it yields a key item called Ashen Mist Heart for time travel back into memories of giants.

Dark Souls 2: Boss Strategies and Game Mechanics

Fighting the Giant Bosses

The fight against the giant involves a strategy of baiting its fire breath attack, attacking its feet, and retreating during its flying fire breath. Defeating it grants a Soul of a Giant.

Souls of Giants are crucial for lowering Old King Vendrick's defense in the Undead Crypt; one soul is insufficient, requiring up to five souls for significant defense reduction.

Players can find additional Giant Souls in hidden locations like Black Gulch and through memories in the Forest of Fallen Giants. Only one memory is mandatory for game progression.

The Memory of Jeigh features a battle with the Giant Lord, where players can acquire the last Giant Soul. The narrative context remains complex and difficult to follow.

Challenges with Boss Fights

The Giant Lord presents a challenging yet enjoyable fight due to its cramped arena and large size; players should focus on dodging while attacking its legs.

Despite appearing easy, King Vendrick poses significant challenges due to his long-range attacks that can quickly eliminate players. Gathering Giant Souls beforehand is essential for this encounter.

Optional Boss Encounters

Before facing final bosses, players can engage with an optional boss known as Darklurker found in three locations: Drang Lake, Shaded Woods, and Black Gulch.

Joining the Pilgrims of Dark Covenant allows access to special dungeons called Chasms of Abyss; these dungeons are notoriously difficult due to enemy phantoms and death pits.

Dungeon Difficulties

Completing each dungeon requires defeating all enemies before lighting braziers; this design choice contributes to player frustration during encounters.

One particularly challenging dungeon features tanky enemies using powerful ranged attacks alongside lightning spells, highlighting combat difficulties within Dark Souls 2's mechanics.

Final Encounters Overview

After completing dungeons, players face Darklurker—a challenging boss—but dying necessitates replaying one of the dungeons again, which many find frustrating due to time constraints.

In Drang Lake Castle’s throne room, there are three final bosses: Throne Defender & Watcher (a duo requiring simultaneous defeat), Nashandra (noted for disturbing design but low difficulty), and Alia (considered poorly designed).

Dark Souls 2 DLC Overview

Alia Fight and Game Experience

The fight against Alia is characterized by brief openings for attacks, making it less enjoyable as a boss encounter.

The narrator expresses frustration with Alia's dialogue, wishing to skip through it to continue gameplay.

Criticism of the game's credits, which cannot be skipped and last for four and a half minutes; technical issues during credits are also mentioned.

DLC Content Quality

Three DLCs released in 2014 are praised for their intricate level design and unique bosses compared to the base game.

The Crown of the Sunken King DLC introduces poison mechanics, featuring enemies that cause poison buildup and traps within Sanctum City.

Enemies and Bosses in Sunken King DLC

Notable enemies include Drakeblood Knights; an enormous Stony Dragon is introduced early on, showcasing clever camouflage.

Two main bosses: Elana the Squalled Queen (challenging due to her ranged options and ability to summon allies) and Sin the Slumbering Dragon (appreciated for its design).

Challenges in Gameplay

Elana's fight can be particularly difficult when she summons additional enemies, complicating the battle significantly.

An optional boss consisting of three NPC enemies is criticized for being uninteresting with a frustrating run back if defeated.

Crown of the Old Iron King DLC

This DLC focuses on fire elements located in Broom Tower, differing from previous levels by incorporating Whispering creatures affecting gameplay mechanics.

Various effects from these creatures create passive curse buildup or buff enemies throughout Broom Tower.

Boss Encounters in Old Iron King DLC

Fume Knight is highlighted as a fantastic challenge; his ultra great sword was later featured in Dark Souls 3.

Sir Alone stands out as an impressive boss despite criticisms regarding level navigation leading up to him.

Crown of the Ivory King DLC Introduction

Dark Souls 2 DLC Insights

Invisible Mechanics and Exploration

The initial boss is invisible, which can be challenging; speedrunners impressively tackle it in this state.

Players later acquire the "Eye of the Priestess," revealing all previously invisible objects, including the boss.

After defeating the now-visible boss, players can interact with the Queen to unlock frozen sections of the level, enhancing exploration incentives.

Boss Assistance and Final Challenges

Finding El L Knights throughout the level provides assistance for the final boss fight against Burnt Ivory King.

The final battle occurs in a chaotic arena after fighting through numerous corrupted Loy Knights, making prior preparation essential.

While engaging with Burnt Ivory King is solid gameplay, dying requires a tedious preliminary fight each time.

Optional Boss Encounter and Frustrations

The optional boss encounter with L and Zin was skipped due to frustrations with their location in "Frigid Outskirts."

This area features poor visibility and infinitely spawning enemies that complicate access to the optional boss fight.

Reflections on Dark Souls 2 Experience

Initial expectations for enjoyment were met but also revealed shortcomings within Dark Souls 2 during this playthrough.

A reassessment of rankings among Soulsborne games indicates a decline in appreciation for Dark Souls 2 compared to earlier views.

Conclusion of Retrospective Journey