On The First Day of Dark Souls 2 · 9:52pm Mar 11th, 2014
Game's here! And it came with a free shirt. I was trying to get the collector's edition when getting the pre-order but they sold out hours after arriving.
First few things learned
They've done some combining of Demons' Souls and Dark Souls mechanics. You lose chunks of your maximum health with each death until you're down to 50%, similar to going soul form. It's a nice touch that your character gets more and more hideous the more hollow you become.
The Maiden in Black's back with a new sense of fashion (green). You need to talk to her for leveling up, so no more level ups at whatever bonfire you stumble across. You have to go back to the hub to fix up your stats, which isn't so bad because you can warp between bonfires right away. So bonfires are now a cross between Dark Souls bonfires and Demons' Souls archstones.
The crestfallen warrior is back and as cheery as ever. Oh, and he comes with his own covenant.
Part of the lightning spear description: "the gross incandescence of our magnificent father shall never wane". Awesome.
Again, combining Demon's and Dark Souls mechanics, you have a limited number of times a spell can be used, but you have items that restore those number of uses, so its kind of like mana, except it's not.
Bleeding build up goes through shields. At least the earlier shields. In addition to taking away a chunk of your health, bleed attacks have the delightful secondary effect of slowing you down, so you can get hit with even more bleed attacks. I have yet to get hit by some poison, but I'm dreading it.
It is much harder to get a shield with 100% physical res here. I don't even think it's possible without upgrades or a greatshield.
The blacksmith has a limited number of titanite shards. If you've started upgrading, better hope you'll be using that gear for a while.
Your estus flask starts off with one charge. And it heals over time instead of all at once. You can get more healing using life gems, which you have to buy. Oh and they also heal over time.
The new stats are...new. Not quite sure if it's all good. They separated equip burden and stamina into their own stats. Given that rolling mechanics and equip burden work differently now, don't know if that's good or bad so far. Casting speed is now affected by attunement, not dexterity. There's this weird stat called adaptability, which I'm not sure is good or the new resistance stat.
Thing's I'm looking forward to: getting to higher level content, watching DSP's playthrough where he will undoubtedly find new creative ways to blame the game for his stupidity.
Well, that's it for now, I gotta get back on.
God Speed Visiden, give those hollow what for!
I've been digging what the Sorcerer has to offer. Soul Arrow remains the ever trusty instrument of death that its always been. I think the "uses replenishment" game mechanic for spells is an overall improvement from the game's predecessors. It sure beats farming for spice or being forced to use a bonfire.
I would keep yammering on about how awesome the game is so far, but that would mean less Dark Souls II...and ain't nobody got time for that
damn it, I have to play Dark Souls...
Just downed Dragon Rider and The Last Giant. Simple, stick-and-move bosses so far. Like the Last Giant's design though.
1917873
You mean you haven't?
1918299 Not having a job and/or a credit card kinda puts me in a pinch when it comes to buying games
...will totally buy it the next time it goes on sale on steam.
1918354
Just cut your food budget in 1/2 for 2 weeks. Then use the savings to acquire a game which is so engrossing it will make you forget you are hungry. BOOM problem solved!!
1918598 You're assuming I live on my own...and not with my parents...
Yes, Dark souls is at our doorstep!!!
...
PC version delayed
1917873
If I remember right the original Dark Souls is down to around $20 now. Go buy it, you won't regret it. Heck you may even see me on there sometime as some evenings I would just camp out near bosses and offer help to those who wanted it. I'm in the other boat atm and don't have $60 for Dark Souls 2 but now I think I'll sit back and wait awhile to learn more about it.
Good news! I've gotten and played a bit of Dark Souls, and its really good, if a bit finicky (making when to parry clearer would be nice...), but there is one question I have to ask, Visiden: are cliffs just as big of an enemy in Dark Souls 2 as they were in the first one?
1922256
Yes. Possibly bigger from what I've played. There seems to be an increase in platforming in 2.
Better get that parry down pat before you meet some angry old man in a cave.
kay gotta get my hands on that one.
you seem to base quite a bit of your story on dark souls related elements. think this story will give oyu any more ideas?
1922955
Without a doubt.
Some new things:
The poison is nasty. Very nasty. It's as if all the poison in the game is as strong as the toxic status from those blow gun assholes in Blighttown. Maybe even stronger. Poison swamps are back. In addition to their usual nastiness, some of the sludge will cling to your legs and continue to poison you for a while after you've left the pool.
1923804 .........am i the only one who thinks that it is odd that someone undead would be affected by toxins? shrugs. stil, ouach. gotta watch out for that.
encounter any mosnters of note yet?
1924256
The game has a different interpretation of what "undead" is. It's not the same as the D&D undead type which is immune to bleeds, poisons, diseases, indeed most attacks that involve making a fortitude save.
And the monsters...oh, the monsters. I'm not spoiling anything. Discovering the new ways of how the monsters of Dark Souls can screw you is part of the joy of playing.
1924590 now i am scared. i have seen some images of the enemies and there seems to be a much greater diversity. scarily enough some of them seem to be at least equivalent to black knight level threats, and there is more than one type......... very scared yet excited. the Chosen undead from dark souls had it damn easy in comparison.
shrugs. i guess they are not really dead if they have enough biological processes left that they can be poisoned.
only other creature i have seen in action in the game are these trolls that i can only declare op. cause it is one thing for them to be giant hulking bastards, another for them to be throwing pokemon esque Shadow Balls at you too.
damnation and fire. i and both loving and hating dark souls 2. i am trying to progress past the forst level, having just slain that freaky ass giant guy (i must wonder what form of hallucinogenic substance the artist was on when he thoguht that fucker up.......... he is awesome but still). yet the pursuer is proving a gerat challenge indeed. so far only managed ot cut his health halfway down.
i would have gone after him with some fellow sufferers of the undead curse, but my connections would not let me.
i blame you for me suffering now. your blog here is one of the things that convinced me to get my greedy mtis on dark souls 2.