Was Dark Souls 2 the greatest game that From Software ever made?

[Multidirectional]

I tested "Lighting Engine" mod for a bit.

Screenshots

I don't think I could go back to vanilla after this now. Although in typical modder fashion the default lighting preset "atmospheres extended" kinda sucks, mutes the colors too much and makes the game dull looking despite much fancier lighting. That almost made me uninstall but then I tried changing preset to "atmospheres" and that brought the colors back.
Also default AA option is SMAA, but you have options for DLAA or FSR, both of which are way better. Shadow filtering isn't on highest setting by default too, had to change to "PCSS". Apparently this mod works in similar way as RTX mods, but requirements are way lower. I could actually run at 4k 60 FPS with my RTX 3060 if I wanted to, though DLAA makes that unnecessary.

 

[Hell Swarm]

Also, no I-frames during backstabs, mist doors, or the first part of lever pulling is pathetic.

It was an experiment and saying "I should be immune to damage because I opened a door" is also pathetic. One of Souls big design flaws is you can run past everything and then use those god mode moments any time you have a door to open. Dark souls 2 tried to solve that issue and if you like it or not it's at least worth trying to fix. It looks stupid when a character is hit by 5 giants with hammers and walks calmy into a fog gate.

I hated the runbacks so much I grinded the areas between the last campfire and the boss until I either got there with enough estus to beat them or they stopped spawning.

Yeah no wonder you hate it then. I never felt I needed to do anything of the sort. In all my playthroughs of the game over the years I have seen maybe 2 enemies despawn, at most. And that was only when I was stupid enough to farm for some armor set I ended up not using. Never again.

Iron keep was completely destroyed in Scholar. It's near unplayable when the original was quite fun. I understand why you quit there.

I only learned the game has despawning after I tried farming desert sorceresses for their gear, another dumb mechanic that got slapped on without much thought.

You can turn it off by joining the champions covenant. It's a fuck up of From for not explaining this and balancing the game around despawning enemies but again Scholar and the DLCs are where the despawning is pushed. In the base game only the Undead crypt has an unreasonable enemy encounter before a boss where despawning is essential if you want to go in with any flasks left.

 

[Silverfish]

Also, no I-frames during backstabs, mist doors, or the first part of lever pulling is pathetic.

It was one of DS2's best changes. The less cheesy shit you can abuse the better.

 

[Stoned Ape]

Also, no I-frames during backstabs, mist doors, or the first part of lever pulling is pathetic.

It was one of DS2's best changes. The less cheesy shit you can abuse the better.

If there weren't a metric fuckton of mobs often running around before the mist gates and if there was an actual command to backstab rather than just having to R1 when near the back of an enemy then it automatically locking you into an animation then sure. With all the extra crap Scholar throws at you it basically turns unintentional backstabs into a death sentence which is shitty design.

 

[Hell Swarm]

Also, no I-frames during backstabs, mist doors, or the first part of lever pulling is pathetic.

It was one of DS2's best changes. The less cheesy shit you can abuse the better.

If there weren't a metric fuckton of mobs often running around before the mist gates and if there was an actual command to backstab rather than just having to R1 when near the back of an enemy then it automatically locking you into an animation then sure. With all the extra crap Scholar throws at you it basically turns unintentional backstabs into a death sentence which is shitty design.

"It's bad design to punish a player for bad positioning in a game where positioning is essential to combat"

That's not bad design. It's fine not to like Dark souls 2, but saying it's bad because it's not Dark souls 1/3 isn't a valid argument.

 

[Dark Souls II]

I noticed there's a typo in this thread title, it should be called

"Was Dark Souls 2 the greatest game",​

as in, not just the best game made by From Software (because that one's obvious), but the greatest video game ever created in the history of mankind, between all genres, period.

 

[cruel]

It's not even in the top 10 of the action RPG genre.

 

[MasPingon]

I tested "Lighting Engine" mod for a bit.

Screenshots

I don't think I could go back to vanilla after this now. Although in typical modder fashion the default lighting preset "atmospheres extended" kinda sucks, mutes the colors too much and makes the game dull looking despite much fancier lighting. That almost made me uninstall but then I tried changing preset to "atmospheres" and that brought the colors back.
Also default AA option is SMAA, but you have options for DLAA or FSR, both of which are way better. Shadow filtering isn't on highest setting by default too, had to change to "PCSS". Apparently this mod works in similar way as RTX mods, but requirements are way lower. I could actually run at 4k 60 FPS with my RTX 3060 if I wanted to, though DLAA makes that unnecessary.

Fucking beautiful, this almost look as originally intended. The game works stable with it?

 

[AlwaysBrotoMen]

Dark souls died after dark souls 1. It was reborn as bloodborne but Elden ring killed it. Sekiro was the illegitimate child of Tenchu

 

[Multidirectional]

Fucking beautiful, this almost look as originally intended. The game works stable with it?

Didn't notice any instability so far. No crashes and perfect performance. Plus it's safe for online.

Turns out Digital Foundry did a video on it not long ago. Though they are showing it with default lighting preset which I didn't like that much.

 

[Multidirectional]

This mod looks so good even this fucking place is kinda pleasant to be in.

 

[Dark Souls II]

This mod looks so good even this fucking place is kinda pleasant to be in.

Twinblade + Tower Shield

 

[Hell Swarm]

how difficult is the install?

 

[Multidirectional]

This character is in style of my previous DS run, where I went over 40 END for first time until I could wear Black Iron set with Zweihander and Silver Knight shield without Havel's ring at medium load. Don't remember exactly what number I stopped at, but it was definitely over 50. With the poise ring I had only a bit less than full Havel set poise while also looking way better and having better defense stats. Absolute easy mode, obviously. Of course I knew that heavy armor build wouldn't be anywhere near as good in DS II but I went for it anyway because why not. Though I felt like I had to upgrade to greatshield from medium for DS II. First time I raised VIT past 29 softcap. It's at 40 with Red Iron Winblade to get under 50% load. Was 47 when used Greatsword.

how difficult is the install?

As easy as can be, just replace folder and configure settings in game from F1 menu. If you want to use texture mods drop .dds files in "tex_override" folder. I recommend getting "CLEANHUD" from link in mod description for dot lock-on. Also grabbed "Env Textures" from optional files section.

 

[Hell Swarm]

lighting engine install was just drag and drop. No problemo.

Now if only there was a functional randomizer. I wanted to replay the whole game randomized but the scrambler apparently doesn't work on the current patch

 

[Dark Souls II]

Of course I knew that heavy armor build wouldn't be anywhere near as good in DS II

Huh? Heavy armor is very good in DS II. Smelter Demon Helm + full Havel is objectively the OPst you can wear (Havel's Armor can be replaced with Jester's Robes for PVP). Makes sense to get the heaviest armor possible within your target equip load (<70% is not much worse than <50% since it has the same duration and iframes).

Though I felt like I had to upgrade to greatshield from medium for DS II.

Real upgrade would be going shieldless, core DS II mechanics were not designed with shields in mind. The reason you feel like you needed a heavier shield is because shields were nerfed, so the more optimal approach would be to just drop the shield altogether. To be honest the only interesting build with shield in DS II was powerstancing Reeve's and Orma's Greatshields. Also if you like twinblades, with a shield you're missing on the superior 2H moveset for RIT. It's one of the best movesets in the game if you're used to fighting without a lock-on, with some pratice you can start consistently hitting enemies that stand directly behind you with massive damage.

 

[Multidirectional]

Real upgrade would be going shieldless, core DS II mechanics were not designed with shields in mind. The reason you feel like you needed a heavier shield is because shields were nerfed, so the more optimal approach would be to just drop the shield altogether. To be honest the only interesting build with shield in DS II was powerstancing Reeve's and Orma's Greatshields. Also if you like twinblades, with a shield you're missing on the superior 2H moveset for RIT. It's one of the best movesets in the game if you're used to fighting without a lock-on, with some pratice you can start consistently hitting enemies that stand directly behind you with massive damage.

I know all that, I played shieldless every run since my second one until this character. This char is not about doing everything optimal. I don't need it, I played this many times. And switching to 2h when i want those moves is not complicated stuff to me. Also one handed light attacks are pretty good with stone ring. It's in ER where it feels awkward to me. Tower Shield is pretty good though, it's just not great vs every attack, you still need to throw some rolling in. Anyway, I just wanted a tank theme for this character regardless of how optimal it is. It was anti Dark Souls III run, just ast my DS1 uber tank before that.

 

[Skinwalker]

Ah, the famous elevator that somehow takes you upwards to a lava-filled keep, even though the tower clearly only had normal sky above it.

Truly takes a special kind of stupid to place your lava area ON TOP of the normal ground area. Ocean of invisible lava floating in the air, along with an entire castle.

10/10 best game in the history of elevators

 

[Silverfish]

Ah, the famous elevator that somehow takes you upwards to a lava-filled keep, even though the tower clearly only had normal sky above it.

It's too bad that DS2 isn't about losing your grip on reality, and that this isn't brought up explicitly in the introduction. B-team must feel pretty silly.

 

[Morenatsu.]

Yeah Dark soul 2 would be pretty cool if it was Silent hill which it isn't unfortunately

 

[Dark Souls II]

Ah, the famous elevator that somehow takes you upwards to a lava-filled keep, even though the tower clearly only had normal sky above it

Holy fucking shit, at this point Dark Souls II elevators are like the Voight-Kampff test from Blade Runner.

How do you feel about the elevators in Dark Souls II?

Can you visualize an apple in your mind?

How would you have felt if you hadn't eaten breakfast today?

 

[Skinwalker]

Ah, the famous elevator that somehow takes you upwards to a lava-filled keep, even though the tower clearly only had normal sky above it

fucking shit, at this point Dark Souls II elevators are like the Voight-Kampff test from Blade Runner.

How do you feel about the elevators in Dark Souls II?

Can you visualize an apple in your mind?

How would you have felt if you hadn't eaten breakfast today?

Thanks for proving that DS2 retardation is impossible to defend.

 

[Tehdagah]

Ah, the famous elevator that somehow takes you upwards to a lava-filled keep, even though the tower clearly only had normal sky above it.

Truly takes a special kind of stupid to place your lava area ON TOP of the normal ground area. Ocean of invisible lava floating in the air, along with an entire castle.

10/10 best game in the history of elevators

I see zero issues with this.

 

[Odoryuk]

Nothing wrong with a fucked up elevator if the game is fun. Even though DS2 is the least fun FS game for me, it's still way better than many other games that were released in 2014.
I find it quite weird that when in a fantasy world where you experience multiple different transitions that feel spatially wrong (meaning that was the intention, and even if fire keep location was moved at some time during the development, its transition still serves the same purpose) people are still hung up on that elevator.
A wizard did it.

 

[Multidirectional]

Bosses that defy laws of physics with their increasingly more anime move sets in later games are no issue at all but oh no muh elevator into lava castle, unplayable! Having to waste time in boring open world for hours upon hours is totally fine too, as long as elevators are all correct and shit. These gamers really have their priorities straight.