Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin (Xbox One/PS4/PC)

As much as I love DS2 this feels so slow and clunky compared to BB.

The mix up of enemy placement has been pretty good so far. Heides tower is packed with knights now.

Cal wrote:
Monkey Man wrote:Digital Foundry -

From Software has described the Dark Souls 2 engine in terms of its viability for this generation, but it's now clear that PS4 hands in results closest to the developer's intention. Within the console bracket, it's no doubt the best version to date, while Xbox One claims second place in the running owing to its less stable frame-rate. By bullishly matching Sony's platform point-for-point across all graphical settings, Xbox One places Dark Souls 2's visual presentation above its playability to a certain extent. However, compared to the 20-30fps performance of last-gen releases it 's still a fulsome upgrade for owners of Microsoft's console.

All that remains is a question mark over Scholar of the First Sin's PC release, a DirectX 11 version that brings visual upgrades over the DX9 original. The value proposition is somewhat controversial given that it incurs an additional fee, especially for fans who already own the DLC and enjoy the benefits of patch 1.10. A defining point in the argument could well hinge on the extent of the API switch's performance differential and whether the graphical improvements go beyond those seen on PS4 and Xbox One - a subject we intend to cover very soon.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digit ... e-analysis

In all honesty - having just played the first 25 mins of SotFS on PC (I upgraded for the £11.99 cost on Steam) - I can't see any significant improvement in the visuals. Performance is fine - no glitches at all - but, seriously, I really can't see that the game looks any different to the DX9 version on PC.

The lighting, aka: 'God Rays', are definitely more noticeable; as too is the reflection of light off of metallic objects (such as the rim of a metal shield for instance).

The lighting around the fire is also more vibrant (and I think the flames coming out of Hiede's tower when you first enter the area looks better with the sparks coming out at the top).

But certainly nothing massively improved over the DX9 version.

The mix-up of items (and the dragon waiting for you outside of the Cathedral for example) certainly caught me off guard (so that was a 'nice' surprise).

Not sure it was really worth £12, but From Software but some resources on this release, so it's not going to break the bank regardless.

I love this game, I realise that it's probably because I didn't play this originally and waited but it's just so good, it may be seen as not as good as DS1 but to play a souls game at 60fps (so far) has been glorious. :wub:

I get what PC gamers have been banging on about all this time.

Got bought this for ps4, will git gud once I'm done with bloodborne :datass:

Going from BB to this would be too much for me. Will definitely play it down the line, though.

Can you import a save from the PS3 version?

Lazy Fair wrote:Can you import a save from the PS3 version?

I don't believe so.

I'm loving this, still early on but it looks lush at times.

I've just started this on PS4 - unless I'm missing something, it pretty much funnels you straight towards Heide's Tower right away. The PS3 ver. didn't do this did it? I didn't get too far in that ver admittedly.

It's exactly the same structure-wise.

I've didn't about 10% of my 30hrs at heides tower I'm fringing in other places and have beaten 2 bosses, 1 with online help and 1 on my own. :datass:

Photek wrote:I've didn't about 10% of my 30hrs at heides tower I'm fringing in other places and have beaten 2 bosses, 1 with online help and 1 on my own.

Did you write that sentence with Google Translate?

iPhone + fat fingers.

30 hours and only two bosses... What have you been doing?

Up to the Unread Crypt now.

The game doesn't funnel you to Heides Tower, you can still go to the Forest, or save up and get the fragrant branch to enter the woods.

I spent most of yesterday playing this and I love it, I prefer it to Dark Souls 1, most probably because of the bupm in graphics and framerate as DS always felt a bit 'muddy' and brown.

Beat another 2 bosses with the help of some others but they others who helped wheren't uber powerful and we all had to chip in. I love the online aspect of this, also how to invading players work? I was in the Giants Forest and at a point where I have to open a chest I got invaded and killed twice at the same point. As soon as I got near the chest bang I was invaded, do they leave down invasion traps or something?

Anyway, decided to ignore the chest and play further on in another part and then found 2 phantom players helping, I lead them back down to the guy who kept invading me and sure enough he tried it again but must have shat himself when he seen 3 of us, he ran off but we tracked him down and obliterated him.

I got invaded on my own later on also but I beat him! you can 30second of it here, ignore me throwing bomb off bridge. :fp:

http://xboxclips.com/x+PHOTEK+x/89d0153e-3c74-4890-a27e-24ec3eafe9cf

Stunning footage (dat lighting) of myself and 2 others defeating a boss, I'm more or less hiding but I did hit him earlier. :shifty:

http://xboxclips.com/x+PHOTEK+x/0ddcb3c6-69ac-45e1-8ca9-09cf55fa92ec

I loved this on 360/PC.

After playing BB I almost hate it. It's just too slow.

The changes from Vanilla DS2 are just too much in some cases. They've randomly plonked more enemies in some places, removed them completely from others and then added a few "strawberry float you" moments for good measure. Not too sure on some of the "improvements" they've made to be honest.

Still, nearly finished. Just got the Ashen Mist.

1>3>4>2 wrote:Started this and beat the first few bosses. The level design is piss weak compared to DS and Bloodborne. Game doesn't seem offensively bad though.

It's reviewed lower than DS & Bloodborne but it's a very good game in its own right, the other 2 are amongst best games ever. I find it hard to take you seriously when you say this has bad level design yet hand out bizarre positive views on stuff like The Order. Your opinion of course but you can understand the scepticism in my opinion of you as in I take a small heap of salt when I read your views.

It's been said that this is much harder than the original versions, as such newcomers like me were in for a bit of a difficulty spike, I thought it was at first but I do feel despite some areas, that it's pretty fair and balanced for the most part. It seems much bigger than DS1, is it? I can't say as never fully completed it.

Edit: I see you have a 30min video on what Darks Souls 2 gets wrong! :lol:

I watched a few reviews I just found that one extremely (bizarrely) forgiving where as others seemed right on the money. I do think you have console bias but that ok everyone has a fave console.

I am coming to this game fresh, never played it on 360 and my honest opinion is I think it's rather brilliant. I don't want to keep banging the drum but it has reviewed very well, not including you of course. :lol:

Last edited by Photek on Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.

?? Most if not all you multi plat reviews are on PS4, that's only reason I presumed that.

You have a 30min piece on what dark souls 2 gets wrong...unless I'm mistaken...?

Apologies you 'liked' that video so it was on feed.

Hi photek.

Photek wrote:I watched a few reviews I just found that one extremely (bizarrely) forgiving where as others seemed right on the money. I do think you have console bias but that ok everyone has a fave console.

I am coming to this game fresh, never played it on 360 and my honest opinion is I think it's rather brilliant. I don't want to keep banging the drum but it has reviewed very well, not including you of course.

Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin (Xbox One/PS4/PC)

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