Dark Souls II

The third chapter of the souls-like genre, developed partly under the direction of people other than Hidetaka Miyazaki, took players to the kingdom of Drangleic, where the curse of the undead continues in an endless cycle and the main character seeks a way to either accept or end their curse. FromSoftware preserved the core of merciless combat built on patience and reading enemies, added a system of gradually losing maximum health with each death, and experimented with a less interconnected, more segmented world design than in the previous game, which drew a mixed reaction from part of the fanbase.

A number of small changes noticeably shifted the series' rules. The speed of the evasive roll now depended on a separate character stat, so players had to invest points into their ability to dodge, and enemies in individual locations would gradually stop respawning after being killed repeatedly, making it possible to simply survive tough sections through persistence. The game offered a wider selection of weapons, magic, and character builds than ever before in the series, along with a new blacksmithing system, the ability to carry two sets of equipment, and online features enabling invasions and cooperation. The addition of torches to light dark areas and an expanded system of PvP arenas offered further ways to approach the familiar souls-like formula.

Critics praised the scope of content and the depth of character customization, although many reviewers considered the level design less inspired than in the original Dark Souls. Despite these reservations, the game sold extremely well, became the series' most commercially successful entry to that point, and cemented the commercial viability of the entire genre, paving the way for later successes such as Bloodborne and Sekiro. A trio of expansions and the enhanced Scholar of the First Sin edition, which reorganized the content and was also released on the next console generation, are today considered the best way to experience the game.