Thanks to Xbox for our review copy of Dark Souls II.

Incredibly tense and atmopsheric, Invitingly mysterious, Good value; plenty of game time on offer

Graphically disappointing; Controls are unwieldy and your hero unresponsive; Lacks clarity; demanding a lot from the player

Over sixty million and the game hasn't even been out a week. That little factoid should tell you much of what you need to know about Dark Souls II ; like its predecessor, it's a brutal, unforgiving, nightmarishly hard game.

So, here we are, together again, to discuss Dark Souls II . Returning readers will remember that I've been something of a cheerleader (if a qualified one) for From Software as a development house and have spent far more time playing through their games than is entirely healthy.

It took me a whole two and a half years to push myself beyond the deliberately unwelcoming first few levels of Dark Souls , and even now, after punching through the whole of it in a mere four days and developing a begrudging respect for the game, I'm not convinced that it's truly great.

Dark Souls II is the third entry in From Software's influential ‘Souls' series that combines traditional action RPG elements with innovative multiplayer features. This is the first game in the franchise that isn't directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, although he did perform the role of supervisor on the...

This game is truly amazing. It's so refreshing to find a gameplay experience that is well suited to an adult gamer. It has nothing to do with the vulgarity of the content but everything to do with the challenge and design of the game systems.

will kill you over and over again, but each death is a learning experience taking you one step closer to your goal.

"As I was passing through the dark and creepy forests in Things Betwixt, the prologue map in Dark Souls, I was expecting a lot more action, remembering how I escaped the dungeon a year ago, [...]

Much like when you meet someone you haven't seen for ten years, there's a familiar yet oddly different feel for Dark Souls II . You know it's the same person, but time has changed them and it's up to you to figure out if their new quirks are worth your time and energy.

An expansive and varied world to explore; Slicker controls improve combat and traversal; Changes to core mechanics make for a better & more interesting game

… but said changes will throw (and possibly frustrate) Souls' veterans initially; Hit detection is still as buggy as ever; Graphical concessions are disappointing; despite other improvements

When Dark Souls landed on my doorstep some two and half years ago, initially I wasn't crazy about it. I distinctly recall those first few hours into Dark Souls and how it tested my every last nerve. I never played Demon Souls, so I had no clue what Dark Souls was all about.