The level design is quite unique in that it is theoretically possible to skip exploring the majority of the map and make a beeline straight to the boss fights. In fact, there are zero enemies between the first bonfire and the first boss fog and none between the exit of the first boss arena and the entrance to the second. However, without key items or triggers found in exploration of the Frozen City, the boss fights can be extremely difficult, encouraging modst players to venture through the majority of the level.
On most player's first trek through the level, to find some way of seeing the invisible first boss, a frigid blizzard is active in the city, obscuring vision and causing many paths to be frozen over or otherwise inaccessible. Defeat of the first boss grants access to an NPC capable of ceasing the storms, opening up new areas and routes all over the city (as well as unfreezing a host of enemies), as the player is then charged with finding knightly allies, if needed (and I believe most players will require the assistance), to aid them in the final boss fight of the DLC proper.
However, with the way the level is designed, a skilled player could defeat the first boss “blind” and thus journey through the entire city in one go. Like I said, the level design is really unique and inventive.
Eleum Loyce is massive, probably the largest area in the entire series, and the search for the Loyce Knights can be quite prolonged. There's a lot of ground to cover, not a ton of bonfires, and plenty of enemies trying to impede your progress. Shortcuts and secrets abound and the level boasts one of the most hilarious methods of creating a path I've seen in the series.
Enemy design is good overall, with foes that capable of varied and interesting techniques to harm the player character. My favorite are probably the crystalline foes that transmute their hands into various weapons with which to strike opponents. To those that found baddies in previous DLCs to be gifted with a bit too much poise, Crown of the Ivory King enemies aren't blessed with such hyper armor. Most enemies are easy enough to stagger, as my DEX/INT character was inflicting hitstun with a couple rapier pokes on most of the mooks. Both types of golems can tank effectively through player attacks, but that's to be expected, especially with the stone golems (which are a fun play on the mechajnic showcased in Drangleic Castle; these gloems you specific try to avoid killing enemies in close proximity to, lest they be activated).
Both bosses on the main path are well made, and are far above the series average, but I found them far less challenging than bosses in the previous DLCs.
The first boss, Aava, I actually defeated on my initial try....a rarity, I'll admit, and I'm not entirely certain what to chalk it up to; maybe the speedrun of Ninja Gaiden Black the night prior primed my reflexes (despite how dreadful the time was. 3:34 in-game? Blech!) or perhaps my DEX/INT character really is that much better a build than poor STR/FTH bro. Regardless, the fight itself is well-designed and probably the best in the “quadrupedal mammal” genre of boss fight; it's not a bore like Sif, not a mess like Royal Rat Authority, and not the RNG-fest that getting a punishable attack pattern was with Sanctuary Guardian(s). And speaking of the last...well, we'll save that for later.
The DLC's final “main” boss is an interesting one in which the player drops into an arena and is immediately attacked by Charred Loyce Knights that spill out of three portals. The Charred Knights come in three flavors: a war hammer knight, a greatswordbro, and a pyromancer awfully fond of Fire Snake. Kill enough Charred Knights and the titular Ivory King will wade out to challenge the player in the fracas.
By default, the player is granted one un-charred Loyce Knight as an ally to help the player survive the zerg rush, however that one knight is largely ineffectual, at least given my skill level and build, as the Charred Knights are simply overwhelming; once the knight sacrificed himself to seal a portal, I could barely stay alive against 5+ enemies all gunning for my head.
Thus the need to trek through blizzard-less Eleum Loyce to find up to three more allied knights to aid in the struggle. Three knights ensures that all portals are closed before fighting the Ivory King and four knights (likely) grants you an ally in the main boss fight (who takes enormous damage from the King, though). It's an interesting setup, rewarding thorough players as well as dangling a challenge in front of more daring types. I know I might try to rush this DLC with no Eye of the Priestess and only one Knight on a Bonfire Intensity 1 character.
The boss himself is nothing particularly special. Compared to Fume Knight he is not nearly as technical nor gifted with the sheer number of techniques but he's no slouch. He has a leaping attack, ranged magic, three-slash combos that he can delay timing on, an AoE magic attack, fast thrusts, a grab, and a very tricky charging slash attack (particular post-buff). At around 60% health he buffs his sword and it gains a significant amount of range. All-in-all, he's no slouch, and is a solid boss fight, but those looking for a challenge fiercer than Raime or Sir Alonne may want to recruit less chevaliers to their crusade; Ivory King may be designed to be at his most challenging with friends.
Itemization in the DLC continues the trends of adding new and interesting weapons, armor, rings, and magicks. I've taken quite a liking to the Ice Rapier, that has good AR as well as a Soul Spear-esque projectile attached to the R2 (strong attack). I'm also certain everyone has probably seen hackers rocking the Bone Fist; it's nice to actually give it a spin myself. Soul Flash is essentially a Sorcery version of Force with a lower radius and a wee-bit of damage (a.k.a. an amazing addition for sorcery-users in PvP). Haven't tried much else yet, but there seem to be at least a few more interesting weapons and Splintering Lightning Spear.
Like both of the other DLCs, this one comes packed with a “challenge area” intended for cooperative play. The other ones were pretty lazy, merely caves stuffed with lots of generic enemies (well, technically petrification statue bugs were “new” and the Astrologist in Iron Passage were a unique enemy) and a low-effort boss (even though I somewhat enjoyed both the Gank Squad and Cool Ranch Smelly).
The Frozen Outskirts, Ivory King's challenge zone, are actually a unique design unlike the banal caves in Sunken/Iron King. The player nestles into a coffin and takes a sled ride to a wintery tundra, with intermittent blizzards obscuring almost all view. As the player stumbles around, looking for the goal area, they will be beset upon by a foe exclusive to this area, crystalline stags. The stags have a decent repertoire of moves with command of both melee attacks as well as lightning magic. They're an interesting enemy, and their tendency to attack during blizzard conditions adds to the tension of getting through the area.
The area boss is sure to piss off many of DkS2's vocal critics, being a pair of reskins of the DLC's initial boss, Aava. It's a very difficult fight at the end of a difficult area, which I've yet to defeat. This fight certainly explains why Aava himself was a bit easy; he was designed to be fought as a pair. The two fights I've had against Siegfried & Roy (my name for the two tigers) felt difficult, but not a complete mess like double Sanctuary Guardians in DkS1; difficulty is a bit closer to the double Pursuers in the Drangleic Castle throne room. Well...at least from what I can tell.
I'm currently agnostic on the overall quality of Frozen Outskirts. A lot of the elements aren't particular “fun” (long trek to a difficult boss, difficult terrain to navigate, vision impediments), but it does succeed in making an extremely challenging area that conveys a feeling of stress/tension that almost every critic/fan says is essential to the Souls experience. Maybe people need to gitgud and are madcuzbad or maybe I'm over-thinking shit design...I'll probably drift conclusively to one or the other as time passes.
Overall, the DLC is pretty excellent, with the content contained within once again outshining almost all of the on-disc content of DkS2, as well as the rest of the series.
