Dark Souls II - FIGHT Pray suffer

Hewn into the rock to take the course begins sharply to the right and I thrust forward shield, turn on the small steps. Been there, know. There this time? Cobblestone? Fireball? Crossbow bolt? Spear in his side? Poison? No, everything seems to be the norm … Well, of course, huge bull with twin blades. Was behind his back, while I’m turning the head. Very funny, From Software, best humor. Okay, remember – when you exit the tunnel need roll. Well, again … Roll. Not there. Roll again … Again. Late. Again … And if you roll and block? Again … again … again … Yes, damn you! Hello, Dark Souls, I’m bored.

Dark Souls II greets players quite welcome, clearly surprised that veterans of the series. Sane training, gradually increasing level of complexity, almost normal game menu, even the bright sun that shines on a key location – everything is absolutely not characteristic of the series. Simplified the game? Well, probably made more comfortable, although something really easier. No, due to your death, as before, will go to dozens, but it is now easier to understand where to go, enemies are deadly, but not so frightening, and still in the game, a large number of intermediate bosses who killed the first attempt. Replaced and the overall mood – in Dark Souls II reigns melancholy and decadent mood.

At this time the events unfold in the new kingdom – Dranglike. Lordran like in Dark Souls and Boletariya in Demon’s Souls, Dranglik this once great country is experiencing a period of decline. The reign of King Vendrika thing of the past and today Dranglik – refuge of the damned, their last chance for salvation. One of these is the damned and the protagonist. Most of the accidents have already begun to lose touch with reality, they do not remember how and why were here, do not know what to do next, their speech is inconsistent and illegible, it seems that a little more and they will lose the remnants of humanity, becoming a hollow, soulless aggressive walking dead. To a similar fate befell not your character, he has to go to find souls who serve as in-game experience points and at the same time the local currency. A basic way of their prey – Kill enemies. And the more and more dangerous enemy, the more powerful and useful than his soul. That’s just for a series of traditionally enemies here not helpless dolls and with your hero they can get just two-three punch.

How can that be? As in a real fight – remember enemies, learn their movements, block or evade attacks detecting in time to counterattack. And you have to be very careful – not just cleaned shield or belated shot Dark Souls may well cost them their lives, and the second part of this is no exception. Benefit of the combat system in the game is perfect in its simplicity. Each weapon has two main types of strokes and several situational, such as attack after rolling or roundhouse kick after double pressing the powerful attack (set of shocks depends on the type of weapon). Add to this the unit and push the shield or two-handed weapon, and perhaps all. Is the game, of course, and bows, crossbows, and a variety of spells, but the greatest interest because of its realism, it is still melee.

Any action, whether it is a rebound, somersault, blocking enemy attack or swing arms, spent endurance, and very quickly, and the exhausted character – it’s almost stoprotsentnty corpse or block the enemy’s attack, nor in response to hit. So that the player is forced to alternate phases of Activism with periods of rest, to have time to recover stamina. I must say that in Dark Souls II survive in battle became easier. Also jars with estusom poor health can be restored using special stones, which are treated gradually, but they, unlike bottles, can be used practically on the run.

Death penalty for too little changed. “Humanity” of the game removed. Now after the death of the human form, you lose all the souls who managed to collect the possibility to call on the friendly phantoms and 5% life (up to -50%) that did not seem enough. And if the soul you can still pick up, she reached the place of death, then life is not so simple. Regain human form, and along with the lost lives can use special items, woven human figure. The trouble is that these figures are quite rare and do not roll under your feet, so you have to save until you get to the ring, reducing the death penalty.

Dying, the character is resurrected at the last fire, near which he was resting. Such fires at each location may be several. However, together with the character and raised everything except enemy bosses that can be viewed in two ways. On the one hand, there is a chance to die before reaching the shower and dropped by to lose them forever, on the other – experienced players used this mechanic to “farm” of the soul and will pump your hero. But most of this will not work, because Dark Souls II limited the number of resurrections enemies. Dying 12-15 times the enemy will no longer appear. Free shower sorry, of course, but to run and particularly difficult bosses become much calmer.

To improve the pumping jar estusa now have to go back to a special NPC on the local base, Madzhulu. There you can buy something useful from the merchants (to populate the town as you meet them in the game) and fix broken equipment. By the way, did not like the fact that the weapons in the game began to break with some incredible speed. In smaller locations can not call it a problem, because all do not end up broken equipment is repaired automatically while relaxing by the fire, but in the lack of strength of the largest locations from your favorite sword becomes apparent, so you have to carry a couple of spares.

The game has increased covenants (this is the local equivalent of guilds) and most of them anyway aimed at PvP or co-op, that’s just the first pass of the game, these modes are not particularly relevant, so that we can advise beginners to start with a covenant not to bother, and immediately start in the Way of Blue, which is Madzhule. So you can summon friendly phantom help, if your world invade aggressive player.

Dark Souls II got a great game, but, alas, not ideal. First, it is not Dranglik holistic world, and a collection of disparate locations, somehow interconnected by narrow passages. Secondly, aides-NPC, which can summon before fighting the bosses in Dark Souls II were too stupid. And thirdly, graphics. On the PC, picture, of course, significantly better than on the consoles, and the panorama of the game simply stunning, but looks like Dark Souls II anyway not modern. Controlled by the mouse and keyboard can be, but as uncomfortable as in the first part. In principle, we can write and cons muhlyuschih bosses avtopritselivanie on the player. Just imagine – you provoked the enemy to slow and powerful kick, planning to leave a roll of the affected area, and in the midst of hitting it resets the animation and attack again, this time behind you. Typically, these jokes do not end in favor of the player.

Despite the fact that hardcore boevka in Dark Souls always pushes the narrative in the background, one of the most interesting things to do in Dark Souls II – gather information and attempt to reconstruct the history and chronology of his Dranglika fall. At the same time suddenly becomes clear how it relates to Lordranom and Boletariey, something a bunch of references.

And indeed, in the sequel to the manner of narration fared much better than the original. As with many other things. Dark Souls II can not be raised to a new level the series, but was able to fix most of the shortcomings of the first part, so if you like complex and qualitative Action / RPG – do not pass, Dark Souls II promises you 60 hours of hardcore fun.

Dark Souls II - FIGHT Pray suffer