E3 2013: Hands-On: ‘Dark Souls 2’

Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, two names that are synonymous with mind crushingly difficult game play. As seen with the popularity of these titles, gamers can’t get enough of the punishment that From Software cooks up every time one of the games in this series is released. Not surprisingly, a follow up in the form of Dark Souls 2 is coming, and I got the chance to take to the dark corridors and dungeons to find out what new tricks the game has in store.

Dark Souls 2 runs on a new game engine, which is immediately apparent from the vast improvement in graphics. While the game is being made to be more accessible with features such as 1-4 player multiplayer, one of the goals of the game is to keep the difficulty and sense of achievement intact. New to this game is the ability to customize your character, carry up to three weapons or shields at a time and using the shoulder buttons for independent left and right arm attacks. Enemy AI is said to be improved, and players will now be able to warp between bonfires, eliminating needless backtracking.

Players will have multiple classes to choose from, and while the full amount wasn’t confirmed, a minimum of 12 was promised. The demo gave me the choice between four of these classes, which were the Dual Swordsman, Sorcerer, Warrior and Temple Knight. Being a fan of all things dual handed, I snatched up a Dual Swordsman and began exploring. Any fears of the game being easier were quickly erased when the standard enemies drained tons of health with one attack. With two swords however, it was easy to inflict quick damage with both weapons, and while this class lacked in defense, it made up for in speed.

Traveling deep into the castle, the demo concluded on one of the notorious boss fights the series is known for. This Mirror Knight was a towering suit of reflective armor, using a giant mirror as a shield. I was handily defeating him until about half way through, where he started using his mirror to create reflections of warriors who had died there before me. So suddenly, I found myself going against a boss AND copies of player characters at the same time. Needless to say, I didn’t last long, but just like the previous games, I was addicted to the idea of getting better, anxiously awaiting March 2014 so I can get my second chance.

With Dark Souls 2, Namco Bandai and From Software are keeping what works while expanding the options players have to tackle the challenges presented. With promised multiplayer, a plethora of new classes and tons of deadly enemies, new and old fans might want to check this out if they want a game that makes you work for your victories.

Look for Dark Souls 2 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC early next year.