Boasting some of the best combat in the series, Crown of the Old Iron King is an intriguing and immersive odyssey. Though less visually impressive than Crown of the Sunken King, this second DLC installment rewards strategic planning more fully than any other episode in the series.

Great combat; Plenty of surprises; Wonderful challenge

Awful scenery; Frustrating boss

Is Dark Souls II better than the first game? Is Dark Souls II harder? Prettier? More accessible? I imagine these are the most common questions surrounding Dark Souls II , and they all directly address its status as a sequel.

Dragleic is a bigger world; Beautiful art design; Retains thrill of victory; Simpler covenant system

Reduces player ability to help create difficulty; Occasional framerate issues

*We'll cover the online portion of Dark Souls 2 in more detail after launch.

Inviting open-world environment that begs to be explored; A vast; exciting bestiary awaits your challenge; Huge array of weapons; armour and items makes inventory management and exploration fun

You'll die a lot; which can be immensely frustrating; Enemy AI can be; at times; appalling

The worlds of the Souls games have consistently excelled in conveying a sense of history. There's the impression that their castles and other fortifications have changed ownership by various invaders many times over.

Feels like a natural extension of the main game; Rich in implied history; Environments are inspired by reality but still seem otherworldly; Abundant in challenging and enjoyable combat

Like the last DLC; more uninspiring bosses

A solid game that definitely has an audience. Might lack replay value, could be too short or there are some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun. How we score: The Destructoid Reviews Guide

The first piece of Dark Souls II DLC delivered a lot of what we love about the series. It featured complex environments, unpredictable enemies, and vicious boss fights. Compared to Crown of the Old Iron King, however, part one just feels like a warm up.

Crown of the Sunken King is the first downloadable content pack for Dark Souls II , and it is also the first part in a downloadable trilogy titled The Lost Crowns . Each add-on opens up a new area for players to explore, with the first being a subterranean maze of ziggurats known as Shulva, Sanctum...

The bonfires in Dark Souls have always been special and yet our relationship to them can be fragile: although freed of their role in levelling up in the sequel, finding and lighting them is still something of a moment to savour, a chance to breathe.

Dark Souls II is easily one of my favorite games of 2014 and when, after many many attempts, I was finally successful in completing the main story, I couldn't wait for my next taste of the Souls franchise.

As the last major release without a next-gen version plan, Dark Souls II stands in the position as the standard bearer for the last hurrah of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Let's just take a second to reflect on the trends and aspirations that have been emphasised within the gaming industry over the last...