Dark Souls II – 91
The highest rated game in the direct Dark Souls franchise, this game built upon everything that fans loved in the original title and added a few new concepts as well. While many fans wouldn’t agree that it’s the best of the series, Dark Souls II is not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. Its story and world were thoughtfully constructed, as the various sections you explore all felt unique and delivered their own set of challenges to the player. Combat was also expanded upon as a host of new weapons, armor, and magic spells were introduced to combat that variety of different enemies roaming the lands.
Visually Dark Souls II was impressive for its time, as the graphics were certainly a step up from the first game and the title still looks good to this day. However, where Dark Souls II suffered was with its bosses, as many of them were simply underwhelming or too easy. There were a number of reskinned bosses laced throughout the game and it came off as if they only existed to artificially lengthen the campaign. That’s not to say all of the bosses were duds, as the Looking Glass Knight is one of the most stunning fights the entire series has produced. PvP was also expanded upon as arenas were introduced, allowing for a more cohesive competitive experience among the community. While this title may not perfect every aspect of this formula, Dark Souls II is still a wonderfully macabre game and a worthy sequel to the original game.
