Dark Souls II
| Dark Souls II | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | FromSoftware |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai Namco Games
|
| Director(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Masanori Takeuchi |
| Designer(s) | Naotoshi Zin |
| Programmer(s) | Yoshitaka Suzuki |
| Artist(s) | Keiichiro Ogawa |
| Writer(s) | Toshifumi Nabeshima |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Series | Dark Souls |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Dark Souls II is a 2014 action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Games. The second installment of the Dark Souls series, it is set in the kingdom of Drangleic and follows an undead traveler searching for a cure to their affliction. Despite the new setting, the presentation and gameplay, along with certain lore connections, remain similar to Dark Souls, with notable differences including further penalty for repeated deaths via a "hollowing" mechanic.
After initial delays, Dark Souls II was released worldwide on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in March 2014, with a Windows version released the following month. It was a commercial success and received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its story, atmosphere, world design and visuals, although they were divided on its difficulty and deemed its boss battles and combat mechanics inferior to the original's. It is the only game in the trilogy to not be directed by series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki.
A trilogy of DLCs was released over the rest of 2014. An enhanced version featuring the content of the DLCs along with various other upgrades and additions, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, was released in 2015 on the original platforms as well as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game would be followed by Dark Souls III in 2016.