DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin

Dark Souls 2: It's not for everyone. As the title says, I feel that this game will only satisfy big fans of the series. It will definitely scare away the casual fan with its absolutely brutal first 10 hours. Your roll is so underpowered early on that you will constantly get hit. To make matters worse, whenever you die, you lose a portion of your maximum health pool. This penalty is incredibly punishing in the early game, where you are constantly getting into hairy situations that inevitably end in death. I feel that this game sets an incredibly high bar right out of the gate, forcing you to make up your mind quickly. Either you will be turned off and disgusted, or you'll persevere and clear that bar. It certainly wasn't easy for me at first. I initially tried to build a melee character, but I was getting easily wiped out by mobs and bosses alike. On top of the difficulty, the early-game areas aren't interesting at all—they are downright boring. If you choose to stick with a melee build, you'll find yourself grinding these uninspired early areas endlessly just to level up. Ultimately, I switched gears and made a pure caster character, and the experience became a hell of a lot easier. While the game undoubtedly stumbles out of the gate with its boring, grindy early areas, it really opens up once you get past that initial hump. One of my favorite parts is the online integration. Before headlining into a boss fight, I always make sure I'm human so I can look for summon signs and bring in help whenever they're available. That shared experience also makes you want to pay it forward—putting your own sign down to help another player who is struggling with a boss. You've been in their shoes, and you know exactly how it feels. Summary of Key Points Punishing Early Game: The first 10 hours are incredibly brutal, marked by an underpowered roll and a punishing mechanic that shrinks your health pool with every death. Rough Melee vs. Easier Magic: Playing melee early on feels incredibly frustrating and requires endless grinding in boring starter areas, whereas switching to a pure caster build makes the game significantly more manageable. Great Mid-to-Late Game Transition: Once you clear the grueling initial hurdle, the world opens up and becomes much more engaging. Rewarding Multiplayer: The online summoning mechanic is a massive highlight, creating a great sense of community through both receiving help and paying it forward to other struggling players.