Andrew Day of Capsule Computers wrote:
YOU DIED
Words that are very, very familiar to anyone who has ever picked up a controller and stepped into the worlds of Boletaria or Lordran. The Souls franchise, starting with the PS3-exclusive Demon’s Souls, and then the 2011 smash-hit Dark Souls have managed to capture the heart, soul and emotions of gamers everywhere. Being able to crush their self esteem back to nothing with its grueling difficulty, only to reward with a rush of euphoria that few other games can match once you overcome the odds. Now, Dark Souls II looks to expand that even further.
Dark Souls 2 remains a divisive entry in the landmark RPG franchise, but Hidetaka Miyazaki believes it led to the success of Elden Ring.
DS2 was fine. While there was a bit of recycling assets or ideas for bosses, it was a bigger more open Dark Souls. The Fume knight boss is one of the hardest bosses in the series until Sekiro and Elden Ring were released.
The problem with Dark Souls 2 was the same problem when a different director takes over for a sequel to an outstanding movie. It typically (there are exceptions) doesn’t have the feel and vision of the previous movie.
I wouldn’t say Dark Souls 2 is terrible. Had Dark Souls 1 never been a thing and we got this, I think it would have been praised more. The problem is it didn’t have the Miyazaki touch to it and felt pretty derivative. The soundtrack is a banger though.
I like DS 2, might even be my favorite of the 3. But it's a hard sell, there's so many obscure things you need to do to make it an enjoyable experience. So always find it hard to recommend, but it is worth the trouble.
TheGamer writes, "Some weapons resist the test of time."
The Nerd Stash: “Whether you’re here to gloat about your victories or to see what the fuss is about, we present to you the hardest bosses in the Souls series.”