Now reached a point in Dark Souls where the bosses I fought earlier are now just regular enemies. But at the same time, I'm so much stronger than before so I feel like a badass just plowing them down.

I figured a topic is due considering that not only is Dark Souls one of the best games in this generation (IMO), but they've also announced a direct sequel, Dark Souls II

Hopelessness, Despair, and Impending Doom Arrives With Dark Souls II

SAN JOSE, Calif. – December 7, 2012 – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today proudly announces that the critically acclaimed Dark Souls™ saga marches forward with Dark Souls™ II, currently in development at FromSoftware in Tokyo, Japan. Dark Souls II will continue a legacy of goading its passionate fan base with unrelenting challenge and suffering that are considered a hallmark of the series; while presenting new devilishly devised obstacles for players to overcome. Dark Souls II will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PCs.

Built upon the foundation established by Souls series creator and Dark Souls II Supervisor, Hidetaka Miyazaki with development helmed by FromSoftware Director Tomohiro Shibuya, Dark Souls II will feature a new hero, a new storyline, and an unfamiliar world for players to survive in while delivering its signature brand of unrelenting punishment that players hunger for. Epic battles with gruesome enemies and blood-thirsty bosses await adventurers as they traverse through a devastated world filled with death and despair; only those who are strong willed or cunning can survive this journey to achieve great glory. Players seeking to share their experience will discover a revamped server-based multiplayer mode that will put a distinct Dark Souls II twist on the concept of playing with others.

“Dark Souls II retains the core essence of Dark Souls while evolving to present new twists and challenges that are sure to please longtime fans and attract new comers to the series,” says Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “FromSoftware is going to take a very dark path with Dark Souls II; players will need to look deep within themselves to see if they have the intestinal fortitude to embark on this journey.”

“This new chapter in the Dark Souls saga presents opportunities for us to drive innovation in gameplay design, develop an entirely new story, and expand the scope of the world in which the player interacts with the game. We have taken these necessary steps with Dark Souls II in order to evolve the overall experience of the Dark Souls series,” says Tomohiro Shibuya, FromSoftware Director on Dark Souls II. “The entire development team is striving to make Dark Souls II an experience that is fresh while not forsaking its roots in presenting players with challenging gameplay. Our goal is to surprise and delight our fans with new experiences and plot twists while enticing new players to join our dark journey.”

More details surrounding Dark Souls II will become available in the months leading to its release. Begin your Dark Souls II journey at http://www.DarkSoulsII.com or join the Dark Souls II conversation on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DARKSOULS or follow us on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/Filthierich

Official site: http://www.darksoulsii.com/

I cannot wait. As you all know, I love Dark Souls. It's a game that is uncompromising, dark and bleak with tons of atmosphere. Rarely do you play a game and feel so alone and helpless. But at the same time, for all of it's renowned difficulty (and it is difficult, believe me) it is also never unfair and the game does just enough to help you out along the way. More than that, you want to keep playing. You know that as you explore the world, there'll always be something new to find, and there will always be that feeling of "shit, I've ventured too far, these enemies are way more powerful, I shouldn't be here but....the loot!". You fight, you'll die, but you also learn from your mistakes. And there's never a greater feeling than going back to an area that used to give you so much grief in the early stages and be able to plow right through them with your upgraded gear and stats. The game itself is also really innovative in it's multiplayer and you see games like ZombiU now using the messaging system in it's game too.

If you've ever seen the gameplay and think it might not be for you, I urge you to at least try it. None of this 'mash A to win' crap. If you really want to test yourself, knowing that progression in the game is entirely down to your reactions and skills, this is the game for you.

You know, I'm kind of disappointed in myself that I still haven't played this. As much as I love From Software, as much as I love how bleak and dark (heh) it looks, it's just weird that I still haven't taken the plunge.
Soon, I think. Might want Demon's Souls first.

Definately do. Just know what you're getting into cause you will die a lot XD But it's all a learning curve and part of the fascination is pushing yourself into unknown territory and finding new enemies. You get out of the game from what you're willing to put into it and it can be very rewarding as a result.

Sure, if you ever need Dark Souls related advice you know who to ask! :D

Like I said, you get out of Dark Souls from what you put into it. And this video shows it doesn't have to be as dark and oppressive ad you'd think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76iPvmAclM0

^ Funny you should mention that as I got the latest GamesTM magazine today with a preview on the game. It had this to say at the end:

"What was very clear was they [Capcom] didn't want to make DMC5." Antioniades closes. "They didn't want to make something that looked like the previous four. They wanted a new entry point into the series with a different perspective which is why they came to us."

To me that sex scene neither shocks or offends, even though it looks like it's trying to.

You're past the gargoyles already? Nice! You're making some progress alright! If you're in New Londo Ruins and attacking ghosts then it's the wrong place to be. You can't even so much as touch ghosts with a weapon unless you have a usable item known as a transient curse.

I too was lost after the gargoyles but if you want to know where the best place to go next is:

Head back to the bridge with the dragon on it, back as far as where you find the knight Solaire who loves some jolly co-operation. You'll find a door around there that was once previously locked but you have since found a key for it as you made your way to the gargoyles. That is the logical progression to go next, which leads you to the sewers and eventually Blighttown, where the second bell is.

The Capra demon (the one with dual clubs and two dogs) is among the hardest in the game considering what soul level you would be at when facing him and even just the setup of fighting it and those dogs in such a cramped area, so congratulations to you! Sounds like you've been through a lot already! How many hours have you put in already? Don't worry though, there's still a lot to go through I can assure you. You may find with the setup you have that the lower depths and Blighttown might be a little easier for you. I say easier, but Blighttown is a goddamn nightmare to navigate through on your first try so good luck with that. Also, the framerate in Blighttown is notoriously bad, so don't be alarmed if you experience some slowdown, everyone goes through it. You say you were in Darkroot Garden, did you fight the boss there? The.... Moonlight Butterfly

I feel the same way about having to share each little detail. I think it's down to the fact that because the world feels so oppressive, so bleak and filled with this sense that everything is out to kill you, that it feels like an accomplishment for any bit of progress you do. I'm sure you have had that feeling that discovering a shortcut or reaching a bonfire is as satisfying as defeating a boss.

I have put in 77 hours into it and after the progression I made last night, I am literally a single white wall away from fighting the final boss, and I may just do it (or at least try) tonight. But the thing is I don't want it to end! . I hear the DLC is brilliant but the thing is that you can only access the new areas it gives you after reaching a certain point towards the mid or late game stage and if I beat the game now then it will take a while to get back to. And it might be harder still when playing it in New Game +, which significantly increases the damage that enemies can deal, making a notoriously difficult DLC even harder. But then a part of me is saying that that is exactly what I want. Could be a good excuse to play the game over again! :D

Like you said things look great becuase of the art design and detail, but what impresses me is the scope of the game. Some of the backgrounds give you this huge sense of scale that I've only ever seen in the likes of Ico/Shadow of the Colossus. It's awe inspiring at times.

There is enough 'story' there in the game to make you continue but it definately isn't direct as you have expected from other games. However, that's not to say there isn't any. In fact, other players have also managed to gleam together information on the world through NPC dialogue and item descriptions to piece together the lore of the world and it's inhabitants that actually shows that Dark Souls has this surprisingly incredibly rich, detailed and very interesting setting indeed. I would advise not to read up too much about it or look up Youtube videos as it can spoil elements of the game that would be better if you experienced them through gameplay. I haven't delved too much into it myself, but certainly will do when I beat it, and from what I've read thus far, it's been enough to make me very interested to learn more. While I usually don't like game that hide away important story elements behind hidden text, I find Dark Souls so much damn fun to play that it does enough to keep me playing on.

As far as I know it's a new area, new weapons, new enemies and new bosses. So pretty much all you could want out of DLC for this game.

Some of the cover art options are cool, I like #4. However, those options and the fact that there are a lot of gamers saying they're so much better than the one they picked to be the default one, shows exactly why hardcore gamers are not marketers. Had I not known anything about the game, I wouldn't be able to tell you the first thing about the game just by looking at some of those alternative covers. At least from the default cover they've chosen, you know 'oh ok, so a shooter then'.

^ I went for Smough first cause I felt I could handle him better. I'm a Pyromancer you see, and levelled up my pyromancy flame quite a lot so it took quite a lot of health to just cast fireballs anytime he did his butt stomp attack. Also I had Quelaag's Furysword at that point and it deals extra fire damage which I think Smough is susceptible to. Make sure whatever shield you are using blocks physical attacks completely. It was only going through Anor Londo that I caught on about the importance of using the appropriate gear wherever you are in Dark Souls. Having said that I don't think it does a lot of help in this. Stick with it though, it's notoriously the hardest battle of the game, when you get past it you get a brilliant reward for it too.

But do they need to?

Also if thats what Infinite is, then I don't think its for me. If I look at the box that screams "shooter" I'll likely just pass and buy it for like 10$ if at all.

But then you know what Bioshock Infinite is before you walk into a shop and see it on the shelf. You will know, before even walking into that shop that you want to buy it and you will not give a toss what's on the cover. However, there are people who haven't been following the gaming media, don't know anything about the game, and that is who that particular cover is trying to appeal too. Not saying it's good, because it is a bland cover, but ultimately it shouldn't matter to people like me, just give me a good game.

Yeh make no mistake they would absolutely love to rile people up to the point of physical violence against them as they know to get money legally off it. Best thing to handle them is to negate them completely and just give them no coverage at all.

I wouldn't have had Mass Effect 3 for GOTY consideration at all regardless of what genre you think it falls in. The worst gameplay in the series, which is purely stripped down to this linear corridor shooter fest. The vast majority of the side quests are fetch quests which ultimately aren't very rewarding. Even huge story revelations and characters are hidden away by DLC and with an unsatisfying conclusion (which has been retconned twice, btw) to this epic story that took years in the making. The ending isn't even the worst part of it. The 20+ hrs it took to reach the ending is the biggest disappointment of all. Even if you pull back and look at it without the bias of playing ME 1 & 2, ME3 is just an average action game.

Actually, I guess I didn't notice any of that. :lol:
My whole strategy for beating him was to stay as close as possible; most of the time I'd end up right underneath him, making a series of two-handed swings easy to pull off. I guess I didn't stand far enough away to notice any change of animation, because he was still swinging and jumping around me because of our close proximity.

Oh ok! :lol: I think there's more to it than just the animation as well. Most bosses in that game want to kill you because it's in their nature or for legitmate reasons known to them (Quelaag wants to kill you so she can take your humanity and give it to her sister to heal her), but Sif was protecting Artorias' grave. So you're just marching on in there when all Sif is really doing is still protecting his master even though he passed on many years ago. I kind of got the same vibe from playing Shadow of the Colossus, another atmospheric game that succeeds in making you feel isolated. I guess that's why you might see 'Imminent tears' signs everywhere outside the white wall.

And damn you and your Blighttown! See I didn't have any purple moss to heal with because I hadn't gone through the Darkroot Basin at that point, giving me a lot of grief. Funny how player's experiences can vary with this game.

Another interview on DS2

New Dark Souls 4Gamer Director Interview [full translation] #1


4Gamer:
Miyazaki-san, I was very surprised to hear that you won’t be directly involved in the development of Dark Souls II.

Miyazaki:
That’s correct. Shibuya is working as the director for Dark Souls II. He’s worked on the Another Century’s Episode series--most recently R.

4Gamer:
With that being so, what’s going to happen to you?

Miyazaki:
Saying “what’s going to happen” makes it sound like a big deal (laughs). My official title is still “supervisor.”

4Gamer:
With Dark Souls really being your series—having developed Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls—I think a lot of fans are going to feel uneasy about your separating from it.

Miyazaki:
Hmm, I wonder…

Well, either way, I don’t think anyone needs to feel uneasy in that sense. The director—Shibuya—is far more experienced than me as a developer, and he understands the idea and delicate nuance of Dark Souls, so I think it’s OK to trust him.

4Gamer:
Why did you step away from the development of Dark Souls II in the first place?

Miyazaki:
That decision came from the company.

When it comes to Dark Souls, I have a lot of affection towards it and things to gain from it. Being so attached to the title, it would be a lie if I were to say I’m not a bit sad.

4Gamer:
Of course.

Miyazaki:
However, I don’t look negatively at the decision to change directors. While I hesitate to say this myself, I think that Dark Souls, as a game base, has immense potential, and a change in directors will give it a chance to be released from narrow frame or limitations that I imposed upon it. As someone who created the game base of Dark Souls, I would really like to see what that potential is.

At the same time, I’m also working as director on another project, so there’s that.

4Gamer:
Really? That’s some pretty huge news. Is it OK to put that in article?

Miyazaki:
Well, I don’t mind. It would be weird if I said I wasn't working on anything. With that said, we’re not at the point where I can speak to specifics about the project, and this interview is about Dark Souls II, so let’s leave it at that.

4Gamer:
OK. So, going back to Dark Souls II, you said that your title on the project is “supervisor.” What exactly does this role involve?

Miyazaki:
There are two main parts to the role. The first is deciding the more broad direction for Dark Souls II.

4Gamer:
So, kind of like a producer?

Miyazaki:
It’s a little different. In terms of a producer’s job, it’s more like I did only the first part. Frankly, what I did was make decisions about things that would be easier if I just decided them on my own. Things like making sure our budget is enough, and what our development schedule will be like, including testing. When it comes to things that are a bit closer to players, I decided that we should have our own game servers this time, and that we shouldn't sell individual items or weapons as DLC—stuff like that.

4Gamer:
What’s the other main part to your role?

Miyazaki:
It’s overall supervision, although I don’t like how important that makes me sound.

That involves making sure that I convey things like the core game mechanics that I feel should not be taken out of a sequel to Dark Souls, as well as what we (the development team of the previous title) learned from working on the game, and the many points that we felt could be improved. Also, if I feel things are getting a bit off course, I explain the concept again, and ask the team to consider making adjustments. In reality, there have already been a quite a few cases where I've done such things, and depending on the situation, I may need to re-think the boundaries of “supervisor” role.

4Gamer:
So rather than giving direct instructions, you’re in a more indirect role?

Miyazaki:
I don’t intend to interfere more than necessary. I think, in the end, a game should be created under a director’s coherent vision, and you end up getting better results when that happens. I mentioned core game mechanics earlier, and I think there are many elements that can be fixed, improved, or adjusted in that area. When it comes to the feel of the world, the story, and the artwork, all of that is rather subjective, and comes down to individual sense, so I try to keep my mouth shut as much as possible.

As I said before, Shibuya is a very experienced developer with many projects under his belt, and honestly not a whole lot of supervision is required, nor do I think it’s desired.

4Gamer:
However, is there no worry that, when the creator changes, the direction of the game and core elements might deviate?

Miyazaki:
In general, I understand the concern.

However, when it comes to Dark Souls, so many people in the media and so many of our players have given us very passionate and amazing reviews and impressions, as well as criticism and complaints, and the majority of these are all kind of pointing in the same direction. From a creator’s perspective, this makes Dark souls a very fortunate and rare title, indeed.

All of these things will prove to be valuable assets in ensuring that the direction and core elements of Dark Souls II don’t get off track, and with that in mind, I hope everyone will put their trust in the new director and the development team.

So, with that said, I think it would be good for Shibuya to get a chance to talk directly. I don’t want to inconvenience him and his team any more by just saying whatever comes to my mind (laughs).

----------------------------

4Gamer:
We just spoke with Miyazaki-san about how you came to be the director of Dark Souls II.

Shibuya:
Yes. Thanks for having me here today.

4Gamer:
I heard that you are quite the veteran director within From Software. What have you worked on lately?

Shibuya:
Most recently I led the development of our new graphics engine, and worked on testing out new middleware. Before that I worked as a director on series such as Another Century’s Episode.

4Gamer:
A new graphics engine! Does that mean Dark Souls II will be using it?

Shibuya:
Yes. Separate from Dark Souls II’s development, engine research and development had been ongoing. We knew that, in order to more seriously set our eyes on the global market, we would have to improve our graphics, so the decision to implement a new engine was made.

4Gamer:
The graphics engine from Dark Souls was too old, then?

Shibuya:
That’s not what I meant. We used the same engine for Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, but we decided to change the feel of the graphics [for Dark Souls II], so what’s why we decided to change the engine.

4Gamer:
I see. And since you came from that background, that’s why you were chosen as the director this time?

Shibuya:
With Dark Souls II, we need to face new technical challenges, so in that sense, perhaps I fit the role since I was working on the new graphics engine.

4Gamer:
In any case, with a new engine, is it safe to assume that the graphics will be greatly improved?

Shibuya:
I think the shading and lighting tech will allow us to create a more natural atmosphere, and we have a lot more expressive capabilities when it comes to the characters and monsters.

4Gamer:
Is the development team the same as that of Dark Souls?

Shibuya:
It would be more accurate to call it a “hybrid team.” Of course some of the team members worked on Dark Souls, but we also brought in a lot of highly capable members.

4Gamer:
I’d like to talk more about Dark Souls II. Is there any connection to the original in terms of the feel of the world?

Shibuya:
It’s not a sequel in terms of story, but that doesn’t mean the feel of the world is completely different. The game is set in the same world as the previous title, but the story takes place in a different location and with different humans (players).

4Gamer:
Might we expect to see some characters returning from the previous game?

Shibuya:
I can’t go into details about that, so I’ll leave it up to your imagination for now.

4Gamer:
Can we expect any changes in direction, such as making the game world a more wide open field?

Shibuya:
In regards to the map, we plan on adhering to the style established in Dark Souls (where the world is split up into areas). We aren’t really considering making it more of an open-world style.

4Gamer:
Miyazaki-san said that he’s leaving the overall concept up to you. Can you talk about the overall direction of the game?

Shibuya:
Dark Souls is a title that already has a very large fan base, so first and foremost, I think it’s important to make sure we don’t let those players down. As such, we don’t plan on changing the framework for Dark Souls II. On the contrary, we are focusing on really highlighting the best parts of the previous game and going in that direction. The concept is to give the game a major upgrade while leaving the good parts of Dark Souls as-is.

4Gamer:
Is there anything you are you focusing on in particular.

Shibuya:
It’s really hard for me to put it into words, but one aspect is the visual scene and atmosphere of each location. I really want to give those things more depth. Above all, what I want to do most is to incorporate a lot of “ideas that utilize the player’s attentiveness.”

4Gamer:
What are some examples of that?

Shibuya:
For example, if the player sees blood flowing towards them, they’ll think “what is this blood?” “Where is it coming from?” Situations like that. I want to create more situations that bring about doubt in the player—make them think “why?”—or give them a sense of foreboding death wherever they go. I want to focus on creating really elaborate environments that may look like nothing special at first, but may contain paths for players who are look closely enough.

4Gamer:
In Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls there were situations where you could see some treasure up ahead, but knew that there was something wrong or dangerous. Do you mean to improve how situations like those are staged?

Shibuya:
By using visuals, movement and sound, I hope to create situations and scenes like that.

4Gamer:
Should I interpret that as “increasing the sense of exploration?” I feel like I may be getting it wrong, so I want to ask.

Shibuya:
It’s a little different. When you say “increase the sense of exploration,” some people may interpret that as “oh, so the map got bigger,” or “the map got more complex, then,” but what I’m talking about is more about the elaborate creation of localized or individual environments and scenes.

4Gamer:
Could you give me an example that makes it easy to imagine?

Shibuya:
Let’s see. For example, say there’s a well. An enemy might jump out of it, or if you take a look inside, you might find treasure. When the player finds a well they’ve never seen before, they’ll stop to take a look at the well and think “I wonder which it will be this time.” That’s the kind of situation I’m imagining. By making the player more aware of the well, I want them to use their imagination and think about it. That’s the kind of thing I really want to work on in Dark Souls II.

4Gamer:
Whenever I hear talk about “intentions to make a blockbuster” or “focusing on the global market,” I usually think that developers are going to steer in the direction of something like God of War or Call of Duty and make really bombastic and straightforward productions, but hearing you talk today, it sounds like the areas you’re focusing on are much more subdued, and, if anything, that’s what makes it sound interesting.

Shibuya:
With games today, you’re really able to express anything you want. That can be a good thing, but it can also spoil the fun of making players think for themselves. We want to continue providing that kind of fun (the fun of imagination), so that’s one of the concepts this time around.

4Gamer:
What about the content volume this time around? Is it going to be increased dramatically?

Shibuya:
We don’t plan on increasing the volume by a large amount from the previous title. It will probably increase somewhat, though. The time it takes to complete the game will probably be about the same as that of the previous title. I plan on spending most of our resources on creating more elaborate scenes and situations as I discussed a moment ago.

4Gamer:
The focus is on quality over quantity, then?

Shibuya:
That’s right. I think part of the allure is the “sense of adventure.” I really want to convey the feeling of advancing one step at a time and groping your way forward.

4Gamer:
You spoke about already having a large fan base, but how are you planning to adjust the difficult in Dark Souls II? To be honest, I can’t help but think that the needs of your existing fans and that of new players might be conflicting.

Shibuya:
Just as you say, it’s a difficult proposition. That’s why we plan on making the early parts of the game comparatively less difficult to ease new players in, and then at a certain point, we’ll tell them “this is where the real game begins.”

4Gamer:
So, a “The real Demon’s Souls starts here.” type of thing?

Shibuya:
Exactly. In reality, I’m sure we’ll get quite a few new players with Dark Souls II, but existing players will probably represent the majority, so we need to make sure we satisfy their needs.

4Gamer:
Speaking of which, Miyazaki-san said that you will run dedicated servers to support the online system for the game. Will multiplayer aspects be a focus in Dark Souls II?

Shibuya:
Yes. At the center we have the gameplay of a strong standalone game, and from there we focus our efforts on adding online elements and multiplayer elements that utilize the dedicated servers.

4Gamer:
In terms of online elements, in previous titles you had the blood stain system, the messaging system, and the concept of “loose connections.” Do you plan to change the direction at all for Dark Souls II?

Shibuya:
We plan to retain those concepts and expand upon them, too.

4Gamer:
I see. Allow me to get off topic for a moment. Is there anything you’re into right now outside of games?

Shibuya:
Recently, I’ve really been enjoying the western drama series called The Walking Dead (laughs). There’s a certain indescribable sorrow to it that I really like…

4Gamer:
Yeah, The Walking Dead is great. I think there’s something about zombie stuff that really stimulates a kind of fundamental emotion in humans. I feel that Dark Souls may also have something in common with that.

Shibuya:
I’m not really paying attention to the survival or action aspects of The Walking Dead. I’m more focused on the transition of the characters’ thoughts and feelings, and how scenes are shown when people get taken. At certain intervals, there are these really tense moments woven into the otherwise ordinary story, and seeing them play out, I can’t help but think “this is really well done.”

4Gamer:
How far have you made it into the show?

Shibuya:
I’ve watched up until the end of Season 2. There are so many heartrending scenes. I’m really enjoying it… Anyway, enough about The Walking Dead.

4Gamer:
Sorry. The reason I asked is that I wanted to know a little bit about what kind of things you think are important when creating something. I feel like a creator’s perspective on things is often reflected in what they make.

Shibuya:
To speak on that point, we had “feeling of loneliness” and “despair” as keywords for Dark Souls, and in the sequel I plan to add “sorrow” (note: “setsunai” is the word used in Japanese that can mean “sorrow,” “sadness,” “heartache,” or even “bittersweet,” etc. depending on the context) as one of the keywords.

4Gamer:
I’m having trouble imagining what you mean.

Shibuya:
For example, the kind of sorrow that is conveyed by the subtle scenery, or the sense of sorrow that that wells up after defeating something… That’s the kind of thing I want to include in the game.

4Gamer:
Are you talking about how to create new experiences or stimulate new emotions?

Shibuya:
That’s right. When playing Dark Souls, one of the experiences was to feel that sense of loneliness or despair.
In Dark Souls II, those aspects will definitely be there, too, but if that’s all we had we wouldn’t be able to create new experiences. That’s why when we create Dark Souls II, it’s our job to figure out what kind of new experiences and emotions we can put into the game.

4Gamer:
In that respect, it’s often said that Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls sold well because of the word-of-mouth it received, but the word-of-mouth surrounding those games was really unique and interesting.

Shibuya:
What do you mean by that?

4Gamer:
How can I say this… The word-of-mouth surrounding Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls was all about each player’s personal experience. For example, where the player died, or where they fell into a trap, or where they gave up… It wasn’t about the story, or whether the game was fun or boring. I feel like everyone was talking directly about their experiences with the game.

Shibuya:
I see. I think that’s actually very important.

4Gamer:
With Dark Souls II, you plan to have a lot of “sorrowful” experiences in the game, then?

Shibuya:
Yes. Also, one other concept of Dark Souls II is that of “time.” (note: the word he’s using—“刻toki”—is probably more accurately described as “a specific moment in time.”)

4Gamer:
Oh. What’s an example of that?

Shibuya:
Umm… (while eyeing the PR representative in the room) it looks like I can’t actually talk about that, so let’s just say that “time” is one of the keywords (laughs).

4Gamer:
Dark Souls II has become a title with big expectations from players around the world. Do the two of you feel pressured at all?

Shibuya:
I’m very much aware of how big everyone's expectations are, so I need to make sure I don’t let our players down.

Miyazaki:
I also feel strongly that I want to meet everyone’s expectations.
However, since this is my first time playing the role of supervisor, and since I’m not directly involved in the development, there’s a certain frustration there, but I’ll do my best.

4Gamer:
To change the subject again, I wanted to mention that Dark Souls with Artorias of the Abyss Edition won the PlayStation Awards 2012 User’s Choice Award. Congratulations!

Miyazaki:
Thank you. The timing of the game's release must have been right near the end of the voting period, so I was very surprised. It’s always such an honor to win the User’s Choice Award. I’m very thankful for everyone that voted for us.

4Gamer:
How many units did Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls end up selling?

Miyazaki:
I’m not in the position to comment on the sales of Demon’s Souls, but in regards to Dark Souls, I think it's over 1.5 million units at least. I've never been one to focus on sales, though, so these numbers might be somewhat old.

4Gamer:
Hopefully Dark Souls II can go on to perform even better. To close out this interview, is there anything you’d like to say to our readers?

Miyazaki:
First of all, as the director of Dark Souls and as representative of its development team, I’d really like to express our thanks to everyone once more. I really think Dark Souls is a game that was nurtured by its fans, and that’s a big part of the reason why Dark Souls II is now getting so much attention. Thank you all, and please look forward to Dark Souls II.

Shibuya:
The development team and myself are doing our best creating Dark Souls II, so please look forward to the release of the game.

4Gamer:
Miyazaki-san and Shibuya-san, thank you again for your time today.

Miyazaki &Shibuya:
Thank you.

Merry Christmas guys. Hope you all have a great time.

How could you not? Lol Congrats on getting past O & S. I love that feeling as well, of going to places and feeling like "I should not be here...". Which is what DS does so well, that sense of the unknown around every turn and the hidden depth to be discovered. Even on NG + I have found things I hadn't learned before. Even a "secret" which if you do, creates a permanent change in the environment and opens up a new area which leads to a hidden boss. Love that.

They are very little. A few new abilities/perks/killstreaks added, a reworking of old gametypes but with new names and a new co-op game mode called Wolfpack (which actually is pretty cool). But that's it. Smoke Bomb is even more unbalanced considering that they took Mute and Charge out so everyone is using it. Cause why not? You can still easily be on the receiving end of a smoke bomb/focus/poison kill and rack in the points and there's very little you can do about it.

The Witcher 2 is a great shout. Playing as a single character in a dark fantasy setting of political intrigue and conspiracy. You are pushed along where you have to make choices which have an impact on the story, but the choices aren't as clear cut as Mass Effects paragon/renegade system, they're all very shades of grey. And they matter, the decisions you make absolutely have an impact on not only the story but the gameplay. The combat is difficult and takes a while to get used much like Dark Souls. But you get stronger, you adapt and then eventually you are taking on groups of enemies feeling like a badass, even though the difficulty is maintained throughout. Get careless and you will die. I would highly recommend it, I would go so far as to say it is one of the most engaging and immersive games of this console generation. A complex narrative, full of character, an excellent script and a rich gaming environment. It's an RPG with an incredible amount of depth that makes it impossible for you to discover in one playthrough and with the choices that are asked of you, you will want to replay it again and find out how you could take the story differently.

^ A great article. The smaller, more personal consequences were a lot more important to me than writing my own ending. It probably wouldn't have worked as well if the writing and characters weren't so strong, but as it happens both were generally brilliant. My nerves were shredded making some of those decisions.

On a different subject, I kind of want to go off a little on something that has kind of irritated me a little. It's when narrative goes against gameplay, specifically in cases of origin stories and when gameplay goes against what the narrative has setup. I realised this when playing Assassin's Creed 3, when Connor goes out to find the Assassin mentor so he can be trained in the art of assassination. To me it implies that Connor is there to learn and in time he will be skilled in combat and all that jazz. Except, when you're actually playing the game, the story dictates that you have to fight these guards before the mentor will accept you, and Connor doesn't need any training at all. You are just as experienced if you know the combat mechanics that you can dispatch the guards with all the ease of a master assassin anyway.

It's even worse in AC2. At least there is some justification in that Connor at that age is also an experienced huntsman, with the stamina and physique of someone living in the wilderness. In the beginnning of AC2, Ezio is a playboy who never fought in his life. Now before he even dons the robes you're saying that he can kill guards in sword combat? Same with Jason in Far Cry 3, a spoilt rich kid is now experienced in all kinds of handling firearms and killing guards with ease from the very beginning. This new Devil May Cry is meant to tell Dante's origin story, about the man before his demon skills have fully formed, but you know, still looks like an all powerful unstoppable demon killing machine to me.

See to me, I think there is more worth in playing as someone who isn't all powerful from the get go. In those scenarios I described with AC, I'd rather that the character just get beaten up or wounded, with no chance to defend yourself. Make that be a harsh lesson he learns and be part of his character development. Have the game then progress and so you learn how to block, to counter etc and take fulfillment in seeing your character start as someone who can barely swing a sword, into someone who can kill guards with alarming efficiency. Same with a FPS, I wouldn't mind it if, while playing as someone who the narrative dictates has never used a gun in their life, to make it so the aim wasn't perfect from the beginning. That the hands shake and then gradually get more steady as you progress.

I get the argument as well that you don't want to play as a weak character from the beginning and ultimately these contradictions don't detract much from my overall enjoyment of a game. It's just something that I rarely see developers do right when telling someone's origin story and in making a character's progression become somewhat believable.

I've already mentioned about how odd Connor's assassin's training is when narrative meets gameplay and while that main part left me thinking like 'eh, whatever', I do want to mention that I actually took Connor's training into my own hands and I think it gave me a much more fulfilling experience in training Connor to be an assassin.

After the Boston massacre you're given an option to fast travel, either directly back to the homestead and continue with the next mission, or back to the frontier. I chose the latter. I thought it would be cool to not only explore some of it, because I hadn't done much before then, but also built this story in my own head, that as part of Connor's training he is asked to make his way back to the homestead by travelling across the frontier on his own. It takes a while too, like maybe 20-30 mins of travel on foot to reach the homestead. But honestly, doing that gave me some greater experiences than following the main storyline progression.

Like I found a synchronisation point that was this massive tree. And I had difficulty climbing up it, I would get so far and then mess up and slide back down the tree or just fall like a stone to the snowy ground below.I eventually made it and found it really satisfying that Connor would take multiple attempts to climb it, thinking that it would increase his knowledge, his physique and test his determination. I learned of the dangers of the frontier while running across the trees as I saw a guard run for his life from a wolf before getting mauled by it. I would hunt for food in the harsh winter setting, get to learn more about how those mechanics work. I saw a camp of redcoats and avoided them by running along the trees above. I saw a smaller group of guards protect a treasure chest in a barn and through planning and entering through the roof, I was able to dispatch them quickly, not shedding much blood.

All of those things were pretty satisfying to me as part of the character development. It wasn't necessary and it just added more game time for me than anything, but I thought it was cool that those things happened to me and I consider it as part of my experience of getting to know Assassin's Creed 3 better and serve as some kind of development for Connor.

Ok so I've read and watched reviews and you know what? Can't help but feel a little hard done by. It's basically got the same elements of a Devil May Cry game yet has slower combat and horrible character redesigns. Why all the praise? I think it's down to the fact that people playing it haven't been fans of the series or even at the least played other games in the series. When reviewers come out and hail the adaptive difficulty, or difficulty modes like Dante Must Die/Heaven and Hell/Hell and Hell as new features, when they are elements that have been in DMC 3/4, then it makes you wonder. From what I've heard from reviewers, it's almost like they're trying too hard to defend it.

Sadly, building up the style meter is easier than in past games, no doubt about that. I've seen it jump up two style levels in as many moves and all it seems like is just vary your weapons slightly and don't get hit so much. Getting a SSS in DMC3 made you feel like a god, what kind of worth does this have to offer?

This is in all likelihood a fairly good action game. It's not a Devil May Cry game.

I bought the Artorias of the Abyss DLC. I like how even being able to access the DLC in-game is kept obscure and cryptic where it would normally be a menu option in other games! Only just entered the new area now and no joke, I've died in the first 30 secs. It's a real "oh hey I see you've put over 100 hrs in this game now, you think you're comfortable right? NOPE!" But I love it for that. Honestly, it's stuff like this that doesn't make me worry for the sequel. It shows that From Software has a commitment to really challenge players and to challenge them in such a way that it rewards as much as it infuriates.

A potential tease for Project Gotham Racing 5

MSR/PGR2 are joint top the best racing games I've ever played. Not just because of the style of racing, that was a lot of fun. Specifically why I think those games are so great is the soundtrack and the tracks, more specifically the cities. Each city had a real atmosphere to them and it was because, I feel, those cities had radio stations playing music that was native to that country e.g. Stockholm would play bands from Sweden, Yokohama bands from Japan etc. Even the DJ's spoke in the native tongue. To me, that really made me feel good to come back and play it, because racing games to me aren't necessarily about the cars, it's about the tracks. And while PGR4 probably had the best gameplay of the series, a lot of what made that series special was lost when they had this generic soundtrack where you could listen to any song at any time.

MSR went a step even further by basing the day/night settings of the tracks be set upon the Dreamcast's internal clock, so if you were playing at 12PM on London it would be the daytime in the track, but if you drove in Tokyo next, it would be 8PM their time, and so you would be driving at night. It can be a bit gimmicky sure, but I loved that. I'm amazed no other game has done that, not even PGR.

It's wishful thinking, but I hope PGR5 brings those elements back. But still, PGR5 as a potential launch title for next Xbox? Would be a big deal for me.

So apparently there's an easy to use farming resource glitch in Dead Space 3 which completely negates the need for micro-transactions. But it's ok! EA isn't going to patch that out, in fact, they like that there is a bug in the game that allows this and doesn't want people to give them extra money as intended...For them to pass this off as an intentional thing is just like the microtransactions themselves.

I'm not buying it.

It's funny, I've watched other people play The Walking Dead and everyone I saw was affected by all those emotional high points just as hard as they did for me. Just goes to show the strength of the story that's been told when it gets such a universal reaction.

And people say this isn't a Metal Gear game...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZncjQS4fyo[/youtube]

Playing Crysis 3 and getting a Metroid Prime vibe from this choice from the soundtrack.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76qvMhXBM-w[/youtube]

Rising is more connected to the events of 2 and 4 than other games so you can play it and not miss a beat with Peace Walker.

In another hilarious twist of fate a modder found a way to play SimCity offline, completely negating EA's claim that offline play was impossible . Let me just be clear, I have every sympathy for the engineers working long hours to get things fixed, or the PR representative who has to face all this criticism. But both the developers and EA have fucked this up so bad, lying about it even now, and they should be called out for it. Does anyone really, really believe the PR spin of "the servers are busy because the players who were already on were having so much fun they didn't want to leave?" And they also said an offline more would take too many resources and man hours to do, when some random guy can do it in his bedroom? It proves how easy it is for Maxis/EA to come up with an offline mode, and how incredibly devious they are in achieving their marketing/sales goals. EA have knowingly lied to consumers, all but for an arbitrary decision on their part to retain as much control over SimCity as possible.

It's surely one of the worst game launches that I can think of.

In a nice surprise, characters from Left 4 Dead 2 will be playable in RE6 PC version and vice versa

Now I'm hankering to play L4D2 again. Shame the 360 community is dead.

Segata Sanshiro Jr. wrote: This would be awesome, if it weren't RE6.

They're still doing it for free though, can't fault them for the effort.

^ Definately, the dialogue is great, some real quotes you can lift out of there including one genuine laugh out loud moment.

I always figured that Kamiya responded nastily back to deliberate trolls, at least that's what I've seen from example tweets. Fish just derides developers and gaming public alike, without provocation, in a way that will win him no fans whatsoever. Both have made good games though so I guess the question is does knowing the developers personal lives affect how you perceive their work? Have to say that it has affected me somewhat when coming to the new Devil May Cry game, given the way Ninja Theory had so callously disregarded fan opinion before release.

I found out that there is a Game of Thrones exhibit coming to Belfast in June. Costumes, props, an interactive Blackwater Bay experience and a replica of the Iron Throne to sit on. Let me make this abundantly clear, there is nothing in this world that will prevent me from going to this. NOTHING.

Here's a love message sent to me over Xbox Live after some Crysis 3 multiplayer.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n404NydgiD4[/youtube]

I am no man.

I liked the show all the way up until the middle of Season 3. Then, nothing happened for the next 5 episodes and I haven't even watched the latest episode yet.

This is just how I feel. Season 3 started off so strongly and off the end of Season 2 where it seemed like so little happened, things just happened so fast that was engaging, shocking and emotional. The first half of S3 has one of the best episodes I've seen on any TV show ever. And then it comes to the town and the Govenor and it's just fizzled out.

I like the show, it's still enjoyable to watch but it's fairly inconsistent. At times it shows moments of brilliance while other times it just frustrates and annoys me with the writers having characters make stupid decisions in order to create some fake dramatic tension Looking at you pregnant Lori rushing out by herself to get Rick.

Of course having said that, it doesn't help that the show keeps going through different showrunners, with ones taking on other people's story arcs and having to work around that. The last few episodes have been taken on by a new showrunner, one who will lead the show next season, and I gotta say it looks promising. The past few episodes have been really good, the Rick/Carl/Michonne centered one in particular. Here's hoping he stays. And that he kills off Andrea soon because fuck Andrea.

I think the game tells a better story than the show though. Not because the show is really bad, but because the game is really good, that when you see it all you can't compare the two.

Also, The Walking Dead and Toy Story are one and the same.

^ Agree with you 100%. I think it's a huge stretch to even call the optional tombs as the traditional TR tombs because they're so goddamn simple. In fact, the last 2 tombs I've gone to have revolved around the same 'puzzle'. Put weights down on a man made, mechanical platform (rather odd to find one of those in an ancient undiscovered tomb but whatever), wait til it comes down, throw the weights off, rise up with the platform and that's it. I mean these are optional tombs, this is where some of the challenge should be outside of the main path the game takes you down, but it's just all disappointing considering that TR Underworld had some really good environmental puzzles. I know Crystal Dynamics is more than capable so yeh, it's disappointing to see.

I like the game, enjoying the combat and traversing through the open areas, it's a very decent game for what it is but....it's just so by the numbers. Was hoping for more TR than Uncharted, even though I should have expected that it wouldn't be the case based on the marketing. I feel that if it had the same combat system with the number and difficulty of tomb exploration and puzzles of TR Underworld, then it would be the perfect TR game.

Finally beat the DLC. Finally! Good lord, Artorias was hard, but Kalameet? Manus? Fuck those guys. Really enjoyed it though. Bring on Dark Souls II.

The last boss fight in Dark Souls, where a man risen to be a god amongst men must fight someone who's fallen to be a mere man amongst gods. Really poetic.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB6sOhQan9Y[/youtube]

^ Exactly! Or have it so that the character is thrown into a difficult situation or comes up against a tough opponent from the beginning of the game, and make it in such a way that you can't win, that he/she has their ass beaten. Make that be impactful to the character by making it a humbling experience, have him or her be scarred or wounded as a result of it. That way they reflect on it and find it within themselves to carry on and get stronger. Let their scar serve as a reminder to him of what they are fighting for and of how they used to be. Then eventually over the course of the game you get stronger and stronger until you are eventually on equal footing if not stronger than ever and have the character redeem himself by stopping the bad guys.

Huge sigh of relief anyone? Because that looks fucking awesome. I can't wait.

I think it looks fun. Gotta take into account that this was done in 6 months, so what would you rather have them do? A few new weapons and multiplayer maps? Why not take the time to just take an established formula, which already makes a good game in itself, take whatever little time or money there is and just go crazy with it? Low risk, gives the opportunity for the developers to go nuts and just have fun. The setting's ridiculous! I mean in this world, the apocalypse had an apocalypse. This is set after Vietnam II. Don't ask why, just revel in it.

To me, I view this as the same vein as AC4. Would a seamless, open world pirate game have necessarily got the funding without the AC name attached? Maybe not, but who's gonna complain if they end up getting a game based on a concept they've always imagined for so long? Blood Dragon is the same way. Would you have gotten this neon lighted, knowingly culturally irrelevant shooter without the Far Cry name? Probably not. Red Dead Redemption and inFamous have also done something like this, so I don't see the issue.

It looks to wear it's influences on it's sleeve (I've seen plenty of Terminator/Predator/Robocop references in 10 mins alone) and if you watch the tutorial, is knowingly self aware that it is also a game. At least it's not so self serious as most shooters pretend to be lately. I don't see the harm, looks like it'll be a blast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOvBP8cc2F4

North Korea? Al-Qaeda? At this point, it is as every good a chance of it being some fat, lonely nutjob, still smarting at a black president, legal homosexuals and stricter gun control, signalling the start of his one man "New American Revolution" on Patriots Day in Boston.

Awful news, to hurt innocent people on such a scale, with the intent to kill, is just beyond comprehension. It's also equally awful to think that the same thing happens in Iraq/Afghanistan on an almost weekly basis.

So it turns out all these conspiracy theories were derived from completely out of context, over analyzed "facts" that put the blame on innocent civilians while the "savage" people (who are of eastern-european descent) are on the run, shooting out the police, and wrecking havok.

Yeah. Sounds like a legit False flag. The government is totally behind all this 100%.

But don't you see man?! By making it so fucking obvious that it's not a government cover up, that's what they want you to think...