Game News Dark Souls II Released on PC

[Crooked Bee]

Tags: Dark Souls 2; From Software; Namco Bandai

From Software's latest RPG, Dark Souls II, has been released on PC in both Europe and North America. Here's the launch trailer and the press release:

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SAN JOSE, Calif., (April 24, 2014) – BANDAI NAMCO Games America Inc. today announced that DARK SOULS™ II for the PC platform has launched at select retailers and via digital download on Steam worldwide (as of 3:00pm Pacific Time). Dark Souls II is the critically acclaimed, punishing sequel to 2011’s hit Dark Souls, a game that is regarded by critics and fans alike to be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences in videogame history. The PC version of Dark Souls II will take players on a journey through a devastated world where death and despair lurk around every corner; only those who posses strong-will and cunning will survive to achieve glory. Dark Souls II delivers a constant threat of death from bloodthirsty enemies and hellacious bosses as players face soul-crushing challenges throughout the game.

Already having earned the adulation of game critics and fans with the PlayStation®3 (91 Metacritic score) and Xbox 360 (92 Metacritic score) versions of Dark Souls II; this latest version of the game will harness the power of the PC platform and give PC fans the opportunity to further immerse themselves into the richly designed yet unforgiving Dark Souls II world through increased texture resolution and enhanced frame rates. Lastly, Dark Souls II on PC will also support both gamepads and mouse-and-keyboard control options.

“FromSoftware has taken the time and great care to deliver Dark Souls II for PC at the level that PC fans expect.” said Chris Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Games America Inc. “We’re looking forward to fans enjoying the PC version’s upgraded graphical fidelity and its increased frame rates that is sure to deliver an extra visceral punch and open a new dimension to the great gameplay contained in Dark Souls II.”​

Hooray! Get the game here.

 

[eric__s]

Renew my license plates or Dark Souls 2...

 

[Murk]

I am trying to give Steam my money. It does not seem to want to take it.

Fucking steam.

 

[Black_Willow]

Yet another ARPG! Delightful!

 

[ghostdog]

Dark Souls was, for me, easily the best game of the last 4-5 years. IF the port is decent, From Software definitely deserves my hard earned moneyz. Here's to hoping for another 300 hours of fun.

 

[flabbyjack]

Dark Souls is like a magnificent father I happen to have too many feelings for

 

[Eyeball]

Could someone please spoil for me how well the game HANDLES on a PC? I bought the original 'Souls and it was UN-PLAYABLE due to a control setup lifted straight from the bowels of Hell itself.

 

[Murk]

Will report how it pans out in about 15 minutes; game is 90% downloaded.

DS 1 worked fine for me ONLY after I bought a 30 dollar logitech gamepad. Will give impressions after I get murdered by a dog or skeleton.

edit: make that an hour because steam cannot into final 8%.

 

[Cyberarmy]

It is pretty optimised, loading times are faster than light, got a dedicated options menu and k&m controls are way better. It is actually playable with them without modding like first game.

 

[Grotesque]

On steam the game is 50 Euro and in retail stores you can buy the game as cheap as 34 Euro or cheaper?
ca-ca

 

[panzertoter]

Jethro Tull music in the trailer? INCLINE!

 

[ghostdog]

Well, it seems there are many problems at launch. Many people can't even start the game. Durante will fix it ?

 

[Murk]

Runs fine for me. Shit's smooth as velvet wrapped in silk. High settings, too.

So far the combat seems slower and much more punishing of poorly timed attacks. Also, I got the weird weapons + shields. Was that supposed to be for all PC versions of the game or just special editions? Cuz I just bought the reg one off of steam.

Haven't tried KB + M but the controls are nearly identical to DS 1.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Those were preorder bonus weapons (that will probably be available as DLC later).

 

[Murk]

Huh. I didn't preorder... but I definitely got them. Oh well.

Best thing so far -- you can skip the logos/splash screens when the game is booting. Thank you based god.

 

[GrimoireFTW]

game looks and runs great, playing with my xbox 360 controller on pc. Wish I could stay home and play all day but alas I must work

 

[undecaf]

I kinda wish I was even half as excited about this as the rest of you guys; there'd be something else to play than unfinished early access games and replays of older titles. Alas, I am not. Make a news post when there's a -75% or cheaper Steam sale or something.

 

[sea]

 

[Murk]

maannnn fuck that gryphon bastard

 

[mindreader]

Played on PC for a few hours last night. Since barely anyone is playing it on keyboard and mouse, I'll say that it plays pretty well. The biggest problems with it are that the entire tutorial uses gamepad buttons, so trying to figure out how to "dash jump" or "jump attack" is trial and error. Dash jump you press x to dash, then as moving forward press f to jump. I still haven't figured out jump attack, although it could be because all I have is a staff.

The actual gameplay works well enough, but the menu system is pretty terrible. You use escape to get into the menus but you can't use escape to do that and also use it as a cancel / back button, so you use backspace for that. The keys are all rebindable so I'll probably be doing that later.

Game itself looks okay. It's no witcher 2, but it isn't terrible either. You'll die a lot, especially if you are like me and never actually played dark souls. I just sneered while I watched other people play terribly online.

 

[abnaxus]

Does it sing the blues?

 

[Brayko]

As far as the trailer goes, why are they always shot at such low FPS?

 

[Paul_cz]

Well fuck me. I want to play this shit, but it crashes on startup on my plasma. On dvi connected monitor it works, but I don't want to play this on fucking 24 inch. God damn incompetent japanese. First Dark Souls 1, then Deadly Premonition, then Metal Gear Rising, now Dark Souls 2. Every one of these has some insane bullshit PC problems.

 

[bonescraper]

Shit game and not a RPG. For shame Codex, for shame.

 

[Shadenuat]

It feels like level pack to the first game. Whatever I would like first game to improve on hasn't been. And I have to fight zombies and archer ambushes again. Magic is still op, melee seems more clunky, don't know why. Also world feels less like Castlevania and more like just random set of levels.
Maybe you only play games like DS once, and the fear and curiosity I felt have now dulled. Or maybe I am just dull.
I guess I'll try to play Gandalf with staff&sword since it's what I wanted a long time... but I don't know if I want to go and fight 4 bosses to open Plot Door again.
I just want to be amazed, but after DS1, everything feels kinda standard, for now.

Well, less whining, more dying.