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Dark Souls 2 (Dark Souls successor (Demon's Souls successor))

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So, when you're picking your class, they're all around level 12-16 or so, which seemed really high to me, and none really suited my play style. So, for some reason thinking it was a good idea, I went with deprived. Turns out the game kinda expects you to be around level 12-16 with some mediocre equipment, cause I am getting my ass kicked by these basic guys.

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Ok I can't be the only one that sees this. In Majula

 

that cat is a keyboard cat joke right!? I'm not insane?

 

Maybe, but I just took it as a reference to the cat that runs the forest guild in DS1.

 

 

So, when you're picking your class, they're all around level 12-16 or so, which seemed really high to me, and none really suited my play style. So, for some reason thinking it was a good idea, I went with deprived. Turns out the game kinda expects you to be around level 12-16 with some mediocre equipment, cause I am getting my ass kicked by these basic guys.

 

I thought about Deprived, and then talked myself out of it.  I screwed around for over an hour with a Cleric before deciding that I hated that starting build (can't even one hand his starting weapon).  Now I'm a Bandit.  Going is super slow.  I spent 30 minutes toying with an enemy I shouldn't have been playing with.  I knew better, just wanted to try. 

 

I had forgot what it is to start one of these out knowing nothing.  I should have named my character Jon Snow.

 

Quick, non-spoilery thoughts:

 

Bonfire warp from the beginning is awesome.  Saves a ton of time without feeling cheap.

Leveling up only at a single person is a little lame.  Would love to not have to even warp anywhere to level.

Fought 2 handed for awhile, surprisingly effective.  I can see people doing very well with this.  High risk, high reward.

Did you like awkward 3D platforming and jumping?  Good!  Because there's more of it.

Bloodstains, bloodstains everywhere.  I spent several minutes just watching bloodstains appear from people trying to make the same impossible jump.

YOU CAN MANUALLY AIM A CROSSBOW!

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Can't play online mode at the moment :( kind of sucks.
Oh, i also just fought my first boss!!!

 

I fought the last giant, he was kind of easy and slow, and beyond that he was kind of boring to fight. So I really hope the boss battles pick up.

 

quick note (potential spoiler sort of thing)

if you destroy a wooden chest i'm pretty sure it turns what ever is inside into rubbish.

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quick note (potential spoiler sort of thing)

if you destroy a wooden chest i'm pretty sure it turns what ever is inside into rubbish.

 

Yeah, I meant to mention that as well.  I had a weird feeling about one chest, so smacked it a couple of times to make sure it wasn't a mimic.  And all I got was rubbish.  The one I destroyed was in

 

the big empty room that's below the room with the 6 ballista in it.

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Yeah, I meant to mention that as well.  I had a weird feeling about one chest, so smacked it a couple of times to make sure it wasn't a mimic.  And all I got was rubbish.  The one I destroyed was in

 

the big empty room that's below the room with the 6 ballista in it.

 

yeah. same thing happened to me.

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How do you guys think the game looks?

Did any of the reviews slam the game for looking ugly?

There's a huge thread on gaf about how the graphics have been downgraded. Obviously they've had to do it to keep the frame rate down/performance up, but it kinda sucks.
http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=781625&page=100000

If I was you guys I'd wait for the PC version.

I don't know why I care so much about this, the way the game looks hasn't been a deal breaker for any of the reviewers.

Is it likely that this is coming to PS4? I may just wait till then to play it properly

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Performance on the two consoles

360 - Expect nearly nonstop screen tears (highlighted in red on the screen edges)

PS3 - No tearing, but dips down to 20 fps

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Framerate dips can be irritating but, for me, screen tear breaks the game - I can't play a game that has it. It's constantly distracting. The first time I ever saw it I immediately stopped and educated myself on the function of v-sync. Growing up on consoles, it's something I'd never encountered. If I had, I would have returned the game saying it was faulty.

 

I find it very strange that anyone could play through 80 hours of a game with screen tear and pass it off as 'one of those things' like framerate dips. But hey, I get livid when I see someone watching a sexy HD TV in the wrong aspect ratio. They're quite happy while my bile is boiling.

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In my effort to convince myself to wait for the PC version, I've been reading reviews, looking for nitpicks. Most have been pretty minor, but there was one that was kind of concerning. In Adam Sessler's review, he mentioned that hit detection and enemy movement were a little off, with hits connecting that shouldn't and bosses stretching beyond their normal movements to hit the player. Has anyone experienced this? I don't think it would stop me from playing the game, but it might dampen the "tough but fair" reputation the game has.

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Framerate dips can be irritating but, for me, screen tear breaks the game - I can't play a game that has it. It's constantly distracting. The first time I ever saw it I immediately stopped and educated myself on the function of v-sync. Growing up on consoles, it's something I'd never encountered. If I had, I would have returned the game saying it was faulty.

 

I agree, screen tearing is so distracting to me that I can't play anything that has it going on consistently. 

 

As for the general graphics of the game, it's kind of like it's two games.  There are some textures and some views that are breathtaking.  And then there are other graphics that are certainly no better than DkS1.  I definitely see some framerate dips on the PS3.   I'm satisfied with having bought it on the PS3, as I like having it now and a chance to explore it without being spoiled.  But I'm going to end up with it on PC.

 

 

In my effort to convince myself to wait for the PC version, I've been reading reviews, looking for nitpicks. Most have been pretty minor, but there was one that was kind of concerning. In Adam Sessler's review, he mentioned that hit detection and enemy movement were a little off, with hits connecting that shouldn't and bosses stretching beyond their normal movements to hit the player. Has anyone experienced this? I don't think it would stop me from playing the game, but it might dampen the "tough but fair" reputation the game has.

 

I haven't noticed anything, but it's still early in the game and I've only faced a few enemy types.

 

yeah. same thing happened to me.

 

I decided to check a guide to see what was supposed to be in the chest I destroyed. It should have been a titanite shard. So yep, turned a shard into rubbish.

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Yeah, I meant to mention that as well.  I had a weird feeling about one chest, so smacked it a couple of times to make sure it wasn't a mimic.  And all I got was rubbish.  The one I destroyed was in

 

the big empty room that's below the room with the 6 ballista in it.

 

Spoiler about that chest from the GB Quicklook

 

That chest also contains a crossbow trap that kills you in two hits, so that might have been a good move.

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How do you guys think the game looks?

Did any of the reviews slam the game for looking ugly?

There's a huge thread on gaf about how the graphics have been downgraded. Obviously they've had to do it to keep the frame rate down/performance up, but it kinda sucks.

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=781625&page=100000

If I was you guys I'd wait for the PC version.

I don't know why I care so much about this, the way the game looks hasn't been a deal breaker for any of the reviewers.

Is it likely that this is coming to PS4? I may just wait till then to play it properly

From has talked about how their new engine is meant to be scalable for next gen, some of the early demos showing off the game may have been more indicative of that high-end, with the final game scaled back for current platforms.

Rather than the PC version being ultra sexy, i think it's more likely that you'd see something like a remixed version of the game in a year or two, as per current industry trends. (If even that. Those early glimpses may have been nothing more that From testing out their new tech.)

I'm holding off to see how the PC version pans out, regardless. Even though it's killing me watching everybody go through that wonderful discovery phase with the game.

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been having a lot of issues understanding where i'm supposed to be going at certain points.

I got a key from the first boss which lead me to 3 new locations, 2 of which were dead ends, and one of which lead to a boss i'm fairly sure i'm not supposed to be fighting.

aside from that, a statue is guarding one way, some contraption won't turn and unlock a new path, and heide's tower, i presume, will be an area for later...

 

anyone else feel generally lost?

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been having a lot of issues understanding where i'm supposed to be going at certain points.

I got a key from the first boss which lead me to 3 new locations, 2 of which were dead ends, and one of which lead to a boss i'm fairly sure i'm not supposed to be fighting.

aside from that, a statue is guarding one way, some contraption won't turn and unlock a new path, and heide's tower, i presume, will be an area for later...

 

anyone else feel generally lost?

 

Yeah, but not in a bad way, at least not yet.  I also feel like I am bad at Dark Souls all over again.  The amount that I've died is ridiculous.  I'm currently running around with bottomed out health, trying to put off using my first effigy until I feel like my skills have improved some.  I might have been getting tired and sloppy late last night though.  I'll see if it goes better today.

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So last night was a lot of frustration, but tonight was glorious.  Beat not one, not two, but three bosses.  And then turned around and co-oped all three a few times to help other people out.  I actually think a couple of the bosses were less deadly when I was by myself than with 3 people.  I tend to forget that bosses get a big health boost when you bring in help.

 

I feel dumb for not realizing that, of course, co-oping a boss will turn you human.  The few reviews I had read all commented on needing to depend on human effigies to turn human, but if you can help someone with a boss, same thing.  It's been that way in every other Souls game, no reason for it to be different here, I just had a dumb moment and didn't think about that.  So I was able to run around most of this evening human, which helped surviving a ton. 

 

I also found my first Soul Vessel, which is exciting.  It lets you respec your points, so I'm just throwing points into whatever I want to play with, knowing that once I've really settled on a weapon I like, I'll just spec to maximize it.

 

Amazingly, in about 12 hours of play, I still haven't been invaded.  I'm sure not that many people have unlocked that covenant yet, but it has to exist and at least some people have to have found it.  Maybe the blue sentinels are putting a damper on low level invasions.  I've got one cracked red eye orb, but am hesitant to use it, assuming that whoever I invade will be protected.

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Ok I can't be the only one that sees this. In Majula

 

that cat is a keyboard cat joke right!? I'm not insane?

 

Ok this post makes me look insane now, but when I first when into that building, she was seated in a chair at a table with her hands on the table, facing a wall. Of course she can be in different positions around the room, but I didn't realize that.

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A tip: level up adaptability. It raises the agility stat, which effects how many invincibility frames you get during rolls, how fast you raise your shield, and how fast you drink from your flask, among other things. This game is like The Witcher 2 in the sense that it is an action game with shitty action until you level up your ability to do actions. I felt the game was very sluggish at first but after leveling adaptability I am rolling through boss attacks like I used to in Dark Souls 1. 

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I am heavily considering picking up the PS3 version just to sell it on next month when the PC version comes along. I really don't like missing these early days.
I'm trying to run Demons souls for the first time to ease the pain, but I think it's just making it worse.

I was actually in a Walmart around midnight last night for some groceries (I know they're terrible but they're the only place open past 10pm around here) and there just happened to be an employee helping a guy in the game section as I was passing by so I had to take the opportunity. I was ready to buy it but they didn't have in copies in the display and the guy said that was everything in stock.

it's probably for the best...
 

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A tip: level up adaptability. It raises the agility stat, which effects how many invincibility frames you get during rolls, how fast you raise your shield, and how fast you drink from your flask, among other things. This game is like The Witcher 2 in the sense that it is an action game with shitty action until you level up your ability to do actions. I felt the game was very sluggish at first but after leveling adaptability I am rolling through boss attacks like I used to in Dark Souls 1. 

 

What level do you have yours at?  I'm at a 3 (I think, whatever the base for a Bandit is).  I feel like I'm doing pretty well against bosses, and haven't struggled to heal. 

 

One big difference I've noted is that the game doesn't "queue" up commands like DS1 did.  Like, if I use my bells to heal, then tap right twice to change weapons during the heal animation, nothing happens.  That same mechanic makes swapping back and forth between 1 and 2 handed stances a bit more problematic, as you can't queue up the change in the middle of another animation.  I had a couple of deaths playing around with a Halberd because of that, since I didn't have the strength to wield it one handed, and I would blow the timing on going two-handed, resulting in a weak-sauce one handed jab.

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That's a shame, I really liked that feature, even if it got me into trouble a few times.

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Well, I got the game yesterday and played it for about an hour. Very first thing I did once I could control a character, before even creating mine, was walk off the edge of the world and die. Then I did it again, but the second time wasn't intentional. I really like it, but I'm not sure I like dual-weilding. I think I want a shield. I like the game enough to preorder the PC version already though.

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So I powered through

The Pursuer

and made my way to the Bastille (?). I got stuck at the first boss of that area so I tried my luck at Heidi's Tower.

Most of the complaints I've had since being stuck have gone; I feel the game's paths are beginning to open up, and I feel as though I have more freedom (closing to how I felt about DS1).

 

 

I also feel like I am bad at Dark Souls all over again.  The amount that I've died is ridiculous.

 

This is true. I died so often trying to beat Bastille's first boss that I ended up removing a good portion of the grunts before the boss from my world, and I'm sort of scared that eventually I'll be against a wall and have no where to really go except let my health waste away and push against a boss who is clearly too strong for me (not unlike my first playthrough of DS when I met O&S).

 

Though, the game is looking up, and despite my numerous amounts of frustrated bursts I am really enjoying myself.

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I was really worried that it'd be too similar to the first Dark Souls. One of the things I like about playing Dark Souls then going back to Demon's is that they're different enough that Demon's doesn't feel obsolete. My fears are definitely allayed - this game is god damned weird from a Dark Souls perspective.

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This is true. I died so often trying to beat Bastille's first boss that I ended up removing a good portion of the grunts before the boss from my world, and I'm sort of scared that eventually I'll be against a wall and have no where to really go except let my health waste away and push against a boss who is clearly too strong for me (not unlike my first playthrough of DS when I met O&S).

 

F*** that boss, with a flaming halberd.  I spent most of my time playing this evening in the Bastille.  I finally let myself be summoned into someone else's world to help, which went swimmingly! 

 

Sidenote: So co-oping a boss is not a guaranteed way to turn human.  I *think* it might only work when you've already beat a boss.  Several times (mostly on the Bastille boss) I've co-oped a boss before I beat it in my world, and neither time did I turn human.  Every time I've been hollow, and co-oped a boss I had previously beaten, I have turned human.  But it's a small number of data points, there could be something else going on. 

 

Anyways, so I figured it was worth using an effigy to bring in some help and finally be done.  Did that, pulled in two people, and apparently they are worse at Dark Souls than me, as one got killed within about 15 seconds, and the other made it about halfway through the battle.  So now I'm hollow.  Co-oped it a couple of more times for practice, then used another effigy, brought in more help, and this time we got the job done.  End result though was that I had a metric ton of souls.  I actually feel like I"m leveling up considerably faster in DS2 than 1.  I've intentionally put off leveling up a few times and just bought arrows, shards, and miracles I thought I might want some day.  I've been afraid that I'll out level other people too much to get any jolly cooperation in. 

 

Still haven't found anyone who will let me use boss souls.  Gotta be someone soon.  I haven't really found a weapon I love yet.  Been getting by with the Homunculus Mace, but I'm not in love with it.  Oh yeah, I did end up looking at the Black Armor edition weapons.  Honestly most of them aren't any better than the starting equipment.  The mace is just a hair better than the regular mace, but it loses bleeding in favor of a bit more damage.

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