The first sin of Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin was releasing so soon after Bloodborne, the new PS4 exclusive from From Software and Sony's Japan Studio.
Bandai Namco publishes Dark Souls, however, and decided to release the overhauled Dark Souls II just one week after Bloodborne on PC, and two weeks on console.
As I was already heavily invested in Bloodborne, my playthrough of Scholar had to wait. But although I had to wait, I'm glad I didn't have to wait too long. Scholar of the First Sin is very nearly the game that Dark Souls II ought to have been at release. It's missing only a few small things that would have made it come close to rivaling its predecessor.
Scholar of the First Sin adds quite a lot to the original Dark Souls II experience.
The expansion of its multiplayer to six players makes the game perhaps the best in the entire Souls franchise (including Bloodborne) to play online. Indeed, with relaxed matchmaking requirements and a new ring that limits the pesky Soul Memory stat, PvP is better than ever. Summoning also works pretty flawlessly here, making this the simplest of all the Souls games (including Bloodborne) to call for help.
One familiar boss now pursues you throughout the game. A new NPC, the titular Scholar himself, fleshes out the rather anemic story of the base game, rigging its lore more firmly to the first Dark Souls. And enemy placement is not only more sensible-Heide Knights litter Heide's Tower of Flame, for instance-it's also better from a gameplay standpoint. New enemy, item, and NPC locations throughout the game keep things interesting for those who've already played. It's quite a novel experience, actually, to reach a point you thought would contain a certain key or merchant only to find a different item there, and no NPC at all.
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The Fragrant Branch of Yore item also plays a much larger role in Scholar of the First Sin, not only found in more locations, but closing off more secrets. Given it was one of the more creative pieces of the base game, I'm glad to see it used here even more. Many other items have either been tweaked or had their descriptions expanded with more (and more interesting) lore.
Enemy AI has also been tinkered with. Enemies will chase you further. While mobs seem to have been dispersed in some locations, now you can find yourself mobbed simply by trying to escape. Some areas actually have enemies whose AI will change as you progress through the game.
The PC version of Scholar of the First Sin looks terrific. It still isn't the game we originally saw at E3 and in the lead-up to the release of Dark Souls II, which is a shame. The very, very dark areas aren't as dark. The torch never factors in as much as it ought to still. The game looks great, but there's something still absent from its presentation that was there before.
To be honest, I'm split on the importance of this even now. I really want to play the game the way it was originally billed, but the graphical improvements in the DX11 version of the game are nothing to sniff at.
The entire package is what makes Scholar of the First Sin such a compelling release. Players get all three excellent DLC releases, areas which I maintain are among the best in the entire game. New story elements, a second "Dark" ending, and an all-around improved game make this a pricey, but worthwhile, second dip into the Dark Souls II experience.
Meanwhile, if you haven't yet pulled the trigger on Dark Souls II, this is the best place to start. I haven't played the console versions, but from what I hear the PS4 version has the advantage of better and more stable frame-rates.
I still find the original Dark Souls to be the superior game in terms of level design and that magical sense of awe and wonder that comes from being tied so firmly to a sense of place and purpose. Dark Souls II is a worthy successor, but it's missing an intangible something that makes the first a masterpiece---even in this far superior re-release. That's not to say this isn't a terrific game in its own right, only that I would be more excited to see a Dark Souls remaster for new-gen.
The PC upgrade strikes me a a bit pricey at $29.99 for those who already own the game, but that's likely to drop quickly. It does help that it comes with all the DLC, in any case. For newcomers, the $49.99 price-tag seems reasonable enough. I give the game a Buy in my Buy/Hold/Sell rating matrix. Hold if the price isn't right, but don't miss out on this tremendous re-release.
I don't think I'm being hyperbolic by calling the original Dark Souls a masterpiece. In an era when games have steadily become easier, the 2011 adventure bucked the trend by making everything as difficult as possible. Instead of lengthy cinemas full of melodramatic plot points, the game opted for obtuse level designs and a vague story you had to fill in. By ignoring every rule in the book, From Software was able to create an immersive quest that felt nothing like The Legend of Zelda or The Elder Scrolls.
Normally, this type of game would win over a few critics and develop a small cult following. But that's not what happened. Dark Souls ended up becoming a surprise hit, selling millions of units around the world. The success led to shameless imitators, a vaguely connected spin-off, and a proper sequel, released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in 2014. Now comes Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin for modern consoles, marking the first time the series has been remastered.
Although dark and grimy, the Dark Souls series has always been known for their lavish visuals and attention to detail. The game's beauty comes into focus on the PlayStation 4, where it runs at a consistent 60 frames-per-second at 1080p. You will be able to see every scratch and blemish in not only the standard game, but all three expansion packs -- Crown of the Ivory King, Crown of the Old Iron King and Crown of the Sunken King.
Had this simply been a better looking version of last year's critically acclaimed adventure game, I would have gushed about the visuals and recommended it to new players. But Scholar of the First Sin goes several steps further by making substantial changes to the quest. Returning players will quickly discover that the world of Dark Souls II has been tampered with and many of the enemies have been rearranged. These nasty bad guys have also had their artificial intelligence tweaked, making them deadlier (and more unpredictable) than ever before.
If you've played the original Dark Souls, then this game's difficulty won't come as much of a surprise. This is not the kind of action game where our hero can handily take down dozens of enemies without breaking a sweat. Scholar of the First Sin requires patience and practice. It's about learning each villain's tactics and waiting for just the right time to strike. Anything short of that will result in a shift and painful death, where we lose all of our experience and get sent back to the nearest bonfire.
This is a large part of what makes the Dark Souls franchise notoriously frustrating. It's easy to get in over your head and lose hours of progress. The good news is that our hero can pick up the dropped souls, but that means making it all the way back to where you originally died. This is made even tougher because all of the nasty enemies have been resurrected. The game is constantly pushing you to explore the strange and twisted environments, but straying too far from the bonfire can be genuinely horrifying.
I also came to the realization that I'm not alone in this struggle. While so much of the game feels hopeless, it's comforting to know that there are other people trying to overcome the same obstacles. These players can leave tips and messages for their fellow adventurers, making the hostile environment a little easier to navigate. You can also summon other people to help you take down especially tough enemies and retrieve your lost souls.
Of course, all that confidence came crashing down the moment I ran into one of the game's many boss creatures. There are dozens of these fights, each more epic than the last. Many of the boss characters are massive, towering over the player like a skyscraper. But size doesn't always matter, and many of the smaller creatures prove to be even tougher to take down. You'll run into skeletal horses, overgrown rats, the Lava King, gargoyles, dragons and an especially nasty character that looks like a demonic Jabba the Hutt.
Between the main quest and the three expansions, there's a lot of game in Scholar of the First Sin. I can see gamers spending well over a hundred hours carefully exploring every nook and cranny. But even if you aren't that obsessive, it will take serious commitment to collect all the souls and complete the game. This is not the kind of game you complete in a weekend, and the events in Dark Souls II will stick with you long after the battle has been won.
Thanks to the tweaks made to the world and enemies, this remastered collection ends up being even more difficult than the 2014 release. Those new to the game may be surprised by how challenging it is right off the bat, but this gives veterans a reason to revisit Drangleic. It doesn't hurt that even the grimiest dungeons look stunning on the PlayStation 4. And locked at 60 frames-per-second, Scholar of the First Sin feels like a whole new experience.
Despite what you may have heard, Dark Souls II is not an action game. It has all the trappings of a thrilling adventure, but in reality it's a game about survival. Every new location is daring you to make it through alive. And while the test may seem overwhelming at first, with a little practice and patience, anything can be overcome. That's a surprisingly optimistic theme for a game filled with death and gore.
Whether you're new to Dark Souls II or played it on older consoles, Scholar of the First Sin is worth revisiting. This PlayStation 4 collection features the original game, along with the three expansion packs. The result is as rewarding as it is frustrating. And thanks to substantial tweaks made to the world and enemy AI, there's more than enough incentive to suck series veterans back into one of the best adventure games of all time.