I'm terrified, scared, and altogether uncomfortable about Dark Souls II

I just have the deepest feeling that they are going to take one step forward with Dark Souls II and two steps back.

Improving fundamental things, like combat and online play, and chopping some of the really inaccessible stuff.

I have always had a ton of things I felt Dark Souls could have improved upon, because at the end of the day it felt like the unfinished product of a true masterpiece. Dark Souls II seems like it will have the resources that would have made Dark Souls (I) truly completed, but at the same time. . .

This talk of forwardness, and accessibility? We shouldn't belabor this point, because it is somewhat elitist for us hardcores to not want it to be accessible at all, to want players to flounder as we did at first, and to get angry at whoever isn't willing to deal with that floundering.

But like I said before, I've posted a ton of ideas on how to change and fix things (in my opinion), and interesting things I would like to see earlier. In fact I have quite the wishlist. But my feelings on Dark Souls II is that I really just want something similar and close to Dark Souls (I), cause I'm scared of what they might do to it. In other words, I will be extremely happy, if all Dark Souls II does is improve latency and make combat feel even better, and otherwise is more or less a dark souls clone with a new environment and story. Because I'm uncomfortable with the talk of "the new Dark Souls II twist."

Basically, I'm making up that contingency of players right now who kill innovation cause they are scared of developers changing games they like. I'm a terrible person and have so many mixed feelings about this.

Incoherent post is quite incoherent. I recognize this, I can't format this like my usual posts.

I would call this a refreshingly honest post. Trepidation is natural, especially when you really come to like something. But being honest and objective about those feelings is nice to see. What the franchise evolves into will be something we all will ride out, the way people ride out a writer's run on our favorite comic book. Maybe the game will change things, but maybe it will surprise us too.

I know it's going to be different. After all, Miyazaki's hands are all over the Soul's games spirit's. The subtlety in the story, in telling us how the game works, in the unforgiveness. I think I've already come to accept that DkS2 is going to have a slightly different direction.

That said, I was a lot less worried when I read it's the guy behind monster hunter - a game known to be just as hard if not more than DkS, and not at all accessible since some bosses are nearly impossible to kill without a 2nd person.

I for one think that whilst it's going to be a less subtle game, and perhaps have a lot more explaining in the games' mechanics, I'm confident that the game will still be as gritty and gloomy, and just as hardcore as before. At least the trailer seemed to suggest as much. Dark places, palpable sorrow, loneliness.

Plus, again, worth mentioning that Miyazaki is still involved if only as a supervisor. This should mean that they won't screw up with the lore at least! And also, if DkS2 actually turned out horrible or something that us fans wouldn't like... Miyazaki is still at FROM, and if the new formula fails the old formula will come back.

Really though, I just want MORE INFORMATION ON DKS2 ALREADY!!! That's what's killing me.

Emergence wrote:I would call this a refreshingly honest post. Trepidation is natural, especially when you really come to like something. But being honest and objective about those feelings is nice to see. What the franchise evolves into will be something we all will ride out, the way people ride out a writer's run on our favorite comic book. Maybe the game will change things, but maybe it will surprise us too.

Basically, and as other people have said, the new Director did Monster Hunter, that really heartens me. Just at this moment in time, with what I've heard, I feel that the amount of corporate influence Dark Souls is under due to its previous success, and its need to change and fix specific things will push it in a direction that the current fan base won't like.

I don't know this, and maybe it isn't a bad thing, but that's the basis of my feelings right now.

I trust From on this, and do not forget that Miyazaki is still a supervisor he won't let stuff go way out of hand. Maybe change is good, ofc it will take a lot of time to get used to something new

while if it doesnt pan out, I'll Just go back to good old Demon's Souls

Well keep in mind, if this one turns out to be a fluke, they can use the funds from this one, which I'm sure there'll be a bunch of thanks to the trailer, to make a better Core Souls game.

I must be one of the few that doesn't mind the accessibility or Miyazaki not working as director. Let me explain. I hate that guy. First because of the stupid pendant thing. Then, because he cut so much from the DkS world that would have been awesome.

The whole DkS is a complete package is bullsh!t, I say there's still a lot of loopholes that can be awesome if they are reproduce as areas, monsters and characters. I still don't know wtf happened with the God of War and I really, really want to know the guy. In any case Miyazaki is only an obstacle to me. I love lore and there are things that can't be explained except by a bunch of incredible speculations. As a man of science I always want to seek the truth and speculations are not strong enough for me.

PvE I don't care if they nerf it to make it more accessible, as long as they give me scary and awesome looking bosses. I really hope they implement the stealth option for backstabs to make PvE more interesting, and PvP too. As long as I have spanking new weapons and cool magic I can be satisfied. I hope they work on making PvP better, at least with making it more stable.

I'm nervous and excited all at the same time....Dark Souls has quickly become one of my favorite games of all time...If From can take the core challenge/reward system and the combat mechanics that DkS1 had and improve on it slightly, I will be happy because the other things that come with it are mere fluff and filler (to me anyway). I am already happy with what they have verified; server base instead of p2p; keeping the same level of hardcore challenge while making it more accessible to a wider audience. I love this game and would be disappointed if too many things are changed and the finished product is unrecognizable to me as a souls game. BUT if they take what they have and improve on it....holy **** would i be ecstatic! I need to see more...

Yeah i'll admit im concerned, but my concern isnt that theyre making changes, only whether they'll be the right changes. There have been some suggestions on here that would be genuine improvements, some absolutely cracking ideas that couldnt fail to improve the game but would crucially leave its character, atmosphere and gameplay fully intact. So im not afraid of change wholesale, I think DS like any other game, needs the occasional estus flask and the introduction of new ideas to keep it exciting, they just need to be done sympathetically by people who genuinely understand what it is that makes the game so unique. If so many of us on here genuinely 'get it', then im sure Miyazaki's cohorts have a pretty good idea of what makes the big man tick.

So i'd be shocked if Miyazaki decided to put a couple of complete duffers in charge of his baby, I think Miyazaki will keep a close eye on the development, and i'm sure that if he doesnt like the way its going he'll be the first to say so, he seems far too shrewd and wise a man to let the game that made his name fall by the wayside and become another adventure-by-numbers. I'd say the real worry is Namco Bandai and how much influence they exert.

Everything you read, watch, and hear should be taken lightly. We've only got a trailer that reveals little to nothing about the game; still grabs your attention though.

Frankly, Everyone thinking too hard about this.

I agree...need to see more. Gimme gimme gameplay!

I was a little freaked out too when I heard Miyazaki is no longer the director. But even though I haven't played Monster Hunter, I have heard one of the new directors was associated with it and is quite good where gameplay is concerned. I am really only worried about the lore presentation now.

WyrmHero wrote:I must be one of the few that doesn't mind the accessibility or Miyazaki not working as director. Let me explain. I hate that guy. First because of the stupid pendant thing. Then, because he cut so much from the DkS world that would have been awesome

I don't think that was done on purpose. A fact of gaming is that stuff gets cut and changed all the time and it's usually because of deadlines, so blame the management at From Software for that. I think if Miyazaki got all the time he wanted to complete Dark Souls to his vision, it would have probably have taken double the time to complete which I sure his bosses weren't to happy to give him.

guy behind monster hunter - a game known to be just as hard if not more than DkS, and not at all accessible since some bosses are nearly impossible to kill without a 2nd person

*Is a Monster Hunter Veteran*

........Oh dear god. DEAR GOD NO! NO! GOD! NO!

I'm not too concerned now that I know Monster Hunter creators are behind it. They know their gameplay, and the story ought to be loose since Monster Hunter just kinda...doesn't have much of a story besides do these quests.

hmm maybe they'll be some new mechanics for giant enemies... climbing them? or maybe damaging legs allowing you to hit areas with less defense? sounds pretty good actually.

Well in monster hunter one could hop onto larger enemies and plant explosives, or mine them for materials.

....That's right Monster Hunters are so tough that they don't kill monsters, no instead they take out their trusty pickaxe and get whatever ore they can from them.

Well, that only works for Lao-Shung Lung and Shen-Moran...and Shen Gaoren...and Yama Tsukami and I think maybe one or two massive enemies.

Climbing enemies? Pfff, that wouldn't work unless we are talking a massive sized boss (Dragon God). As for hitting legs for weak spots? Well, they did do that with Iron Golem and it didn't end too bad.

well now its mine turn:

I have been addicted to dks since i got it about 7 months ago. if the next soul game is terrible i will still play it. as to mechanics i wanna see tru light armor and maybe cloth armor coloring for the styish types such as myself. but please keep the orinality

I cant understand why there seems to be this 'all or nothing' approach, looking at the situation in basic terms the answer seems relatively simple:


Problem
DkS & DeS vets want - Deep enigmatic Lore, secrets, stern difficulty, lack of hand-holding

New Gamers (apparently) want - Clearer narrative, accessibility, ease of passage thru game world, guarantee of eventual success.

Answer =
the core of the series is untouched, maybe some improvements, but add optional hint / help system for newbies and extended item descriptions to be toggled at start of game. . . .veterans get the full-fat version with no interruptions, newbies get the help they need, when they need it.

result =
everybodys catered for, game is a cracker, sales are up, happy days!!!

When I read that (sic) the developers want to 'make the game more accessible and less obscure', I uttered a few choice words under my breath. I hope this doesn't mean that they're going to sacrifice what makes the Souls series so unique, it's 'otherness', on the altar of mass appeal. The trailer didn't help either. To me there's something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. It doesn't look like a Souls game, it's too reminiscent of other games I've played.

So are there any really good monster hunter games you guys can recommend?

I have a Wii so I could play a monster hunter game on that I guess. I also have a PSP but I don't really like playing games on it.

I'm also scared, the fact the two previous souls games refused to give people an easy way out was part of its charm and it screamed to me to buy it. If it had been advertised with having an easy mode to be accessible I probably would never have bought it.

I know game making is a business, but from should stick to their ball breaking and bad *** morals, unrelenting design is what makes the souls series the souls series. I want a game that says "*** you" when someone doesn't like it, not "please come back, ill hold your hand for you"

Personally I just wished they came up with a new Souls game.

lol now that i think about it the dragon god in des reminds me of lao shan lung, right down to the dragonator/ balista part of the fight:D