I have an abusive relationship with Dark Souls II. I think about playing the game, I glorify it, I boot it up, and then misery. I love the game, but I also hate it. It makes me happy, but it makes me want to throw my controller. I want to recommend it, but I can’t stop complaining about it. Dark Souls is probably one of my favorite games, its only Dark Souls II I have this issue with. 

Author’s Note: I know the lore and correct terms for everything. I will be writing this review so that anyone who has no Souls knowledge can follow along. 

Background

After the release and success of Dark Souls in 2011, Dark Souls II was announced shortly thereafter in 2012 and released in 2014. The game was directed by Tomohiro Shibuya, rather than Hidetaka Miyazaki, due to Miyazaki moving on to direct Bloodborne. The game largely expands the gameplay of the original Dark Souls while attempting to maintain the same challenge as the first offered. The game was released to astounding success. Although critics have stated that it falls short of Dark Souls’ achievements.  

Dark Souls II received a remaster in the form of Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin. This remaster combined Dark Souls II and its DLC’s into one package. In addition to this, the remaster changed the game itself. Enemy positions and behaviors were changed, performance improved, and the addition of a new character and boss. This is the only version of Dark Souls II I have played. So, I’m not here to compare Vanilla and Scholar versions. Maybe that’s for another post when I actually play Vanilla. 

Story

The First Flame fades again, causing the undead curse to reappear. Seeking a cure to their undeath, the Bearer of the Curse seeks a passage to the far-off kingdom of Drangleic. Finding a vortex, the Bearer jumps in and arrives at the home of the Fire Keepers, women responsible for tending the bonfires that channel the First Flame. The Fire Keepers help the Bearer to remember some of their past and temporarily cure them of their undeath through the use of a human effigy. The Bearer is then directed to Majula, to seek stronger souls, and seek the King, lest they let the curse swallow them whole. 

Gameplay

Dark Souls II plays almost exactly like Dark Souls. For those in the audience who have never played a Souls game, let me elucidate. It’s an RPG, you start the game by selecting your class and working towards a specific build. Instead of experience points, you gain souls from defeating enemies. You use these souls to level up your character. However, if you die with these souls, you lose them. Don’t worry, there is a chance for retrieval if you return to where you died. But if you die before retrieving them, they’re gone for good. Combat consists of using melee weapons, magic, pyromancy, and more. A weapon can be equipped with either your left or right hand or even both. To defend yourself, there are shields that are equippable or the trusty dodge roll. While fighting, you can switch to two-hand either your left or right-handed weapon, as well. A notable change in combat from Dark Souls II is power stance. Using the right weapons, when you try to two-hand your left weapon, the Bearer will instead use both weapons and do almost twice the damage. Pretty cool, huh? 

Dark Souls II aims to keep the same challenge that people loved from Dark Souls; and while I feel like it does that well in some areas, it does it very poorly in others. For instance, a lot of the bosses in the game are well designed to give you a tough time. Looking-Glass Knight, Smelter Demon, Fume Knight. All great fights that capture the challenge and make you feel accomplished for overcoming. But the levels themselves... ugh. Why am I fighting two Alonne knights, while two others shoot at me with bows? This is why Dark Souls II is infamous, its extraordinary number of enemy groups. Now this isn’t a new concept, Dark Souls often had you fight groups of enemies. In Dark Souls II though, it feels like it’s everywhere. Most times when you enter a new area, at least two enemies will aggro. While you’re fighting these two, you’ll trigger another aggro. And while you have three enemies on you, there will be another one shooting you with arrows. The number of times where you just fight a single enemy is so seldom, it's unbelievable. It’s difficult not because it’s challenging, but because it’s frustrating. 

Now one thing I’ll give Dark Souls II over all the other games in the series. It actually makes New Game Plus worth it. In most other Souls games, New Game Plus is there to go through the journey again, but with your current stats and tougher enemies, minimal other changes. Dark Souls II actually adds new enemies, changes some bosses up, and even adds new items. These changes make the second journey feel more worth it than it does in the other Souls games. It’s cool to see what new weapons or spells you’ll be able to find. Plus, it's the only way to get my one true love, the Moonlight Greatsword. 

As with the rest of the series, multiplayer is a feature in Dark Souls II as well. For cooperative play, the player can summon other players (or NPCs) for help with a boss or navigating an area. Or if you’re feeling devilish, the player can invade other people’s games and give them a hard time. Some people complain about the “Soul Memory” mechanic in this game, but I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. It helped for better matchmaking and preventing twinks. My biggest complaint is, and I’m not even sure if it’s valid because of internet connections, that the hit detection feels completely jank. I’ll be taking damage from hits that missed me by three feet. Someone will get a backstab on me from the front. Don’t even get me started on parrying; it isn’t even worth it because the timing will always be off. 

Gamefeel

Despite all my grievances with Dark Souls II’s gameplay, I must say that its atmosphere is unmatched. I love the land of Drangleic so much and the story that it tells. I care for maybe two or three NPC storylines in the rest of the series combined. But in Dark Souls II, all the NPCs are so charming and dedicated to their missions. I can’t help but get invested in their stories and grow fond of the characters. Each playthrough, I’ve failed in not wearing Lucatiel’s armor >!in her memory!< after finishing her storyline. Dark Souls II probably has the best NPC quests in the series. 

All the Dark Souls games are known for their impressive views that will secretly foreshadow the coming areas. Dark Souls II is no exception to this. I love worldbuilding like this. You’ll come across a view of a large castle in the distance and think to yourself, “Huh, neat.” Then later in the game, you’ll arrive at a castle, look down over a cliffside, and realize, “Holy shit, that’s the whole path I took here. This is that same castle I saw earlier.” This is probably my favorite thing about all the Dark Souls games. The game world feels so interconnected and almost believable (cough Earthen Peak to Iron Keep cough). 

I can’t write this review without bringing up my love for the small details put into this game. Things like >!assembling the Loyce Knights for the battle against the Burnt Ivory King!<. >!Fume Knight entering his second phase immediately if you wear Velstadt’s armor!<. >!Sir Alonne committing seppuku if you manage to defeat him without taking damage!<. >!An NPC summon hints for you to burn the windmill in Earthen Peak!<. >!Secret rings for not dying or using a bonfire!<. There was so much love and care put into this game. It really shines through some of the frustrating elements. 

Conclusion

People like to rag on Dark Souls II a lot. I can’t necessarily blame them. There are good reasons to rag on this game, but also bad reasons. Despite everything though, I do really like Dark Souls II. It has a charm to it that can’t be found, in my opinion, in the rest of the franchise. I really wish that some of the gameplay designs were better. This would probably be my favorite Dark Souls game if it had the level design philosophy found in the other games.  

I could never recommend this game to be anyone’s first Souls-like. Dark Souls or Dark Souls III (or even Elden Ring now) are much better introductions to the genre. But once you have played any of these games, I could not encourage a playthrough of Dark Souls II enough.  

My Other Reviews

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock

WHAT THE GOLF?

Tormented Souls

Pseudoregalia

DREDGE

 A game about fishing doesn’t sound very exciting on paper. In fact, it sounds like it might be pretty boring if you aren’t the person for it. But a horror game about fishing? Hoo boy, did they get this one right. 

Background

DREDGE was released in 2023 by independent developer Black Salt Games. The team experimented with three prototypes of two different games and DREDGE before agreeing that DREDGE was the most enjoyable and selected for further development. From the beginning, DREDGE was envisioned to be a horror game. The team wanted the game to feel unsettling instead of having to rely on jump scares. To this end, the final atmosphere is rooted in psychological tension, leaving much to the player’s imagination of what is in the water. 

Story

A Fisherman arrives in the town of Greater Marrow, found in an archipelago in the middle of the sea. He is greeted by the mayor upon arrival and meets the townsfolk. Not entirely pleased with his introduction, the mysterious lighthouse keeper gives the Fisherman a warning about sailing the seas. Despite this, the Fisherman sets out to explore the local islands and make a living. Although he can’t shake the feeling that he is being watched, even in the middle of the sea. 

Gameplay

In my opinion, DREDGE is best experienced when you go into the game blind. Because of this, I will be censoring some items that I anticipate spoiling the experience. 

The loop of DREDGE revolves around fishing, selling your fish, and upgrading your ship to fish better. You will be exploring the sea, looking for fishing hotspots, and casting your line to catch a multitude of sea life. That's not all there is in the ocean. The Fisherman can also find an assortment of materials floating in the ocean. While seeming useless at first, dredge these materials, and you’ll have some upgrade material for the boat. Inventory management takes inspiration from Resident Evil 4. You have a limited amount of space on board, while also having to account for your engine, fishing lines, and lights. Choose wisely what you want to keep and what you can throw overboard. This gameplay loop can get a little monotonous if you are searching for that one specific fish, but it was enough to keep me engaged the whole time. 

Including the starting area, there are five different islands to explore in the base game. Each island has its own fish to catch, its own environment, and hazards. The game does well to make each location unique. It never feels as though you are “going through the motions” upon completing one island and heading to the next. The game even allows the freedom to do these islands in any order you’d like. It will nudge you in one direction, but you are not limited to this path forward. 

Now, everything I’ve talked about sounds like a cozy fishing game, so what makes this a horror game? Well, being alone on the wide ocean blue can do several things to a man’s sanity. >!The fisherman’s sanity is something that you will have to keep in mind as you explore the sea. If your sanity is kept in check, you won’t have to worry about anything. Let your sanity get too low; you’ll be subject to random events that can damage your boat or cause you to lose fish from your inventory. The only way to regain sanity is to dock your ship and rest. !<

>!Sanity isn’t the only thing you must be wary of. You are not alone in this sea. Each island you encounter will have a Lovecraftian sea monster stalking the area and targeting your boat. Some of these creatures pursue you or lie in wait for you to approach. Should they be successful in damaging your ship, you’ll take a major hit to your sanity as well. These creatures, while atmospheric, aren’t particularly scary. More annoying than anything when you’re trying to fish in an area and then you get chased away by the area’s monster. Creepiness-wise, the sanity mechanic does a better job of being unsettling. !<

Gamefeel

I really love the art style of DREDGE. The game uses a low-poly, almost impressionist, style combining 3D environments with 2D characters. Speaking of the characters, all the designs look great in this game. I often found myself looking forward to the next character I encountered, just to see their design. This goes for the fish as well. Reeling in a new fish, >!and their aberrations,!< is always exciting because of how they are designed.  

DREDGE is a very melancholic game. Most of the characters you meet are cynical, the music is quiet and slow, and the main story itself can be a little depressing. Not to mention how all the colors are desaturated really adding to this melancholic aura. Because of this, when you run into those few characters that are positive, it adds some brevity to the game. This prevents it from feeling too depressing the whole way through. 

Does This Game Deserve More of My Money?

DREDGE received two DLC expansions in the form of The Pale Reach and The Iron Rig. There is also a piece of DLC entitled, Blackstone Key. This one is hardly worth your time; it will give you two items and that’s all.  

The Pale Reach 

The Pale Reach DLC adds a new area to the southern portion of the map. As can be expected, this area features its own fish to catch, crabs to trap, and creatures to face.  

Added in The Pale Reach is the... Pale Reach... guess that’s self-explanatory. In-game, The Pale Reach is a glacier that periodically appears in the local sea in which the game takes place. Naturally, our old friend the Traveling Merchant is already here to introduce us to the area and offers a new rod and trawl that will allow us to catch the new fish in this area.  

Just like the other islands, The Pale Reach has its >!own Lovecraftian beast called The Narwhal. The Narwhal will appear time after time and give chase to your ship. Should you let The Narwhal get too close, he’ll breach and damage your ship. But he’s not that bad, the lil’ guy is just hungry. There are feeding spots located around the Reach. Fill one of these spots up, and The Narwhal will have a snack and leave you alone.!< A cute critter. 

I really liked the design of The Pale Reach. I’ll admit, snow levels have a special place in my heart, so I may be biased. The geography of the glaciers was cool to look at, and the fish featured fit right in. >!The design of the Narwhal, and the other beast, were fascinating. I would often let the Narwhal get closer to my ship just so I could get a better look at his design.!<  

Not a particularly long DLC, the amount of time you spend at each of the base-game islands will be equivalent to the time you spend here. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the extra content. My only real complaint here is that nothing impressive is truly featured. The design is the most unique thing about the area. The reward for completing the main quest isn’t that great, and once you leave the area, you have no further usage for any of the items added. I guess, so to say, The Pale Reach does not integrate well with the rest of the game to develop features from the base game. It’s too much of its own experience. 

The Iron Rig 

The Iron Rig DLC adds a new area to the northern portion of the map. Complete with its own quest and is more interwoven with the rest of the game world. 

The Iron Rig adds an oil platform, The Iron Rig, for your boat to dock at and interact with the people aboard. On board, you will advance the main quest of the DLC, improve your equipment, and upgrade your ship. There are no new fish at the rig itself, but as you progress through the main quest, more species of fish will be introduced to the various islands from the base game. 

Because The Iron Rig isn’t like the other islands, with its own biome or fish to catch, >!there is no new creature haunting you while you visit. Although, progressing through the story will cause patches of dark ooze to appear in the sea. If you enter these patches with low sanity, floating eyeballs will chase after you, tentacles will rise from the sea, and the goliath himself may rise to attack. Like with the base game, these aren’t that scary. Just an annoyance to deal with while you try to keep fishing. !<

While the new fish designs are cool to see, I didn’t find The Iron Rig to be particularly engaging. The main quest revolves around, go to the Rig, catch new fish, return fish to the Rig, catch newer fish, and repeat. Nothing interesting really happens. Any conflict that occurs is typically resolved in a quick fetch quest. I was in the endgame when I did this DLC, so that could be the reason why. But the DLC also relies on the player being near endgame to fully experience it. So, I’m really not sure when I was supposed to be doing this DLC to get the most enjoyment from it. 

Conclusion

DREDGE was a good experience. It can be a little boring, I’m not sure a replay would be able to interest me the whole time unless it’s five years in the future. Despite this weakness in gameplay, it makes up for it with the game's atmosphere and designs. Even if I was getting bored of the gameplay, I was captivated by the look of the world and motivated to keep going just to see what else was in store for me. This game is definitely worth your time if you’re interested in slower experiences. 

My Other Reviews

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock

WHAT THE GOLF?

Tormented Souls

Pseudoregalia

Is there any part of The Return that remains controversial in the community to this day? Most times when I see a discussion around it, it only has overwhelming praise. Haven't really seen anything like Season 2 James or Nadine, where people agree it is a weak point.

I've heard Dougie was a sore spot when The Return was first airing, but it seems everyone retroactively appreciates his scenes.

From a personal standpoint, my least favorite part was Diane and Cooper. I liked seeing Diane, but I never once got the hint of a romance between her and Cooper from the original series. I haven't read/listened to his autobiography or tapes, so maybe that provides more context. Still, the whole show makes (relative) sense without the external reading, so it would be weird to start now.

I'm not saying I could do anything better. Just wasn't a big fan of that choice.

Guys... it’s a great game. 

Background

Pseudoregalia is a 2023 game by developer rittzler. The game was originally made for a Metroidvania game jam. After receiving first place in this game jam, rittzler released it for free on itch.io. From there, he went on to further develop the game and released an expanded, “full” release on Steam.  

Story

You play as Sybil, an anthropomorphic goat lady, or maybe she’s a rabbit... she kind of reminds me of a cat, too? Regardless of her species, Sybil is a Dreamweaver of sorts. She finds herself in a castle in someone's dream. What her goal is remains unknown to us. 

Storytelling is sparse in this game, being conveyed through dialogue or the environment. This worked really well for my experience. I didn’t need the game to give exposition dumps. From all the clues the game gave me, I was able to put together a complete story that satisfied me. 

Gameplay

As Pseudoregalia was created for a Metroidvania game jam, the game is (obviously) a metroidvania.  

Sybil is given free rein to explore the castle and its corridors. In metroidvania fashion, you may find a locked door you can’t access yet, or an obstacle that seems unconquerable with your current arsenal. As you progress through the game, you’ll collect more abilities that will allow you to return to these areas and overcome the obstacle with your cool new abilities. Really status-quo metroidvania. 

What makes Pseudoregalia stick out among other metroidvanias is its in-depth movement system. I love being given fun movement options in games, and Pseudoregalia has quickly become one of my favorites due to its movement. All the abilities provide players with incredible freedom in how to use or apply them. At points it will feel like you’re outsmarting rittzler on how you’re navigating the castle, but as you carry on, it will become apparent that you did exactly what he wanted you to do. Whenever I encountered a platforming challenge that appeared to be out-of-scope for my current capabilities, I was able to find a way to successfully overcome this challenge regardless. This amount of freedom is exhilarating. And because Pseudoregalia is such a small game, almost every room is designed in this way. I loved navigating the castle; almost every room is a puzzle that can be overcome and optimized. It never once felt like a chore to backtrack anywhere. 

My one issue with the game rests with the combat. Which combat isn’t terrible, it’s just basic. Sybil doesn’t really have a dodge ability, she can slide out of the way or jump. These two options get the job done, but it really feels as though Sybil should have a dedicated dodge or block. I’m not asking for an Assassin’s Creed, “Press the button when you see the indicator.” Just something to make me feel more involved in the battle. I really liked how Sybil could drop her tonfa. Made the consequences feel more real than just taking damage when I got hit.  

Gamefeel

Pseudoregalia was incredibly atmospheric, and it sucked me into its world. I loved the graphics featured in-game. It was like I was playing a PSX game that would have existed during my childhood. All the models look incredible, even with the self-imposed limitation of the graphics. In addition to this, I adored how some of the enemies moved at different frame rates in comparison to Sybil. Had two effects of making them seem lumbering and Sybil agile in comparison. But also, it added to the otherworldly nature of the castle. 

The music for the game was great as well. It did well to enhance the dreamlike feeling of the game. Most of the music sounds floaty/airy, giving it a whimsical feeling as you navigate the castle. An exception was the starting area for me. None of the areas are particularly frightening, but the starting area’s music was a little unnerving. Hey, maybe this was intentional, though. Sybil is also entering this world for the first time, so it’s possible she was unsure and wary. Gaining more confidence as she steps into the main castle halls. I guess that's my interpretation of the sound design. 

Conclusion

Please play this game. Indie developers are making such incredible gaming experiences in today’s gaming realm. Pseudoregalia is no exception to this. It accomplishes so much and makes for a memorable experience in a measely four hours of gameplay. Plenty of other games have great movement mechanics, I’m not even sure if Pseudoregalia’s is my favorite, but this is the first that has really given me the freedom to use movement in any way I could imagine like Pseudoregalia has. After one playthrough, I can tell that this is one of my favorite games now. 

I’m not sure what rittzler’s next project is, but I hope that he is able to expand this gameplay even further and surpass the standard he set with this game.  

My Other Reviews

Alan Wake II

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock

WHAT THE GOLF?

Tormented Souls

Have you been playing the Resident Evil 2 Remake, or even the Silent Hill 2 Remake, and been thinking to yourself, “Man, this is pretty great. I wish they kept the tank controls and fixed camera angles, though.” My guess is probably not. But for the seven people who did think that, Tormented Souls is your game. 

Background

Tormented Souls was released in 2021 by developer Dual Effect, a small Chilean game dev studio. The game drew inspiration from classic, PlayStation-era, survival horror titles. I’m talking about Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and the DOS game, Alone in the Dark. The most notable inspiration from these games is seen in Tormented Soul’s camera and controls. Tormented Souls revives the fixed camera angles and tank controls that survival horror used to be known for.  

I understand that it is slightly dated in comparison to modern gameplay. But there is something about the fixed camera that draws me in. I’ve played Resident Evil and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and both games used the fixed camera to such great advantage. Not being able to see the enemy when you first enter the room but hearing them slink around. Usually when I get a weapon in a horror game, all the fear leaves me. These limitations were able to put me on edge, regardless of if I had a form of defense, though. I think developers can do creative things when limited. So, I was excited to see how Tormented Souls applied these limitations. 

Story

Caroline Walker receives a letter from an anonymous sender, the only clue being that Wildberger Hospital is listed in the return address. Opening the letter, she finds a photo of young twin girls. The caption reads, “You just think you can abandon us here?” Unable to rest after seeing this picture, Caroline travels to the hospital to track them down. Knocked out upon arrival, Caroline is left with nothing but the clothes on her back and her wits to navigate the hospital and find the twins. 

The story in this game is very B-Movie. I find that horror/sci-fi experiences are usually able to make unique concepts (The movie Midnight Meat Train comes to mind). Even if this unique concept is executed poorly, I still find it interesting. Tormented Souls was one of these unique concepts with a mediocre execution. Kept me engaged, but I’m not going to tout its glory. 

Gameplay

This is where I feel Tormented Souls starts to show its hand. 

As I mentioned before, Tormented Souls uses fixed camera angles and tank controls. I loved the camera in this game. I never felt like it was placed in inopportune locations or that it hindered my ability to investigate the rooms of the hospital. The game was able to amplify the fear factor in using this camera. I would enter rooms, not being able to see anything but hear the enemies moving around the room, and be put on edge. Sometimes the enemy wouldn’t be moving, and I’d turn a corner and get startled just seeing them standing there. Even on the exploration side, the camera made each room memorable. I was able to confidently navigate the hospital without a map by the end of the game. For a more dated concept, I was very impressed with the camera. 

I will admit, the tank controls did feel clunky at times. I feel that it is just part of the territory, though. I can’t imagine tank controls being able to be made too satisfying. Tormented Souls makes the most of this control scheme. The combat is more about resource management rather than... real combat, I guess. Caroline will automatically lock onto the nearest enemy; there is no need to worry about aiming. Should an enemy get too close, Caroline can leap backwards to gain more space between her and the enemy. It could be a little more engaging, for example, how you can point your weapons up or down in Resident Evil and specifically target the head of zombies. Since you can’t do that in Tormented Souls, all the enemies end up taking the same amount of damage. There is no opportunity to risk letting an enemy get closer to get a headshot and use less ammo. 

Unlike other survival-horror games I've played, I never felt pressed for resources in this game. I was conscious about my resources, and if I could avoid enemies, I did. But towards the end of the game, I was more lackadaisical about my ammo and finished with plenty left over in my inventory. Saves were limited, too. But again, being conscious about my saving, I ended the game with maybe seven saves left.  

Lastly, the puzzles. These were thinkers for sure, but I only found myself having to refer to a guide maybe three times. Out of those three times, only once was it due to the game poorly conveying information. The other times were a result of my being tone-deaf or just not investigating the room enough.  For the most part, I found the puzzles enjoyable while still challenging me to think about them more than I’m used to. 

Gamefeel

I have to get this out of the way. The voice acting in Tormented Souls is not good. Each character gives very awkward performances, which do not match the tone of the game. It honestly reminds me of how awkward Shenmue dialogue is. While maybe not as bad, it sticks out like a sore thumb nonetheless. 

Aside from that tidbit, the overall atmosphere of Tormented Souls is fantastic. I already mentioned how easy it is to navigate and explore the hospital. Each room is designed well and memorable. There are some reused assets, but this is made by a small studio, so I can cut them some slack. Late game does start to fall off a little bit. The game maintains the creepy factor, but rooms start to look the same, and it’s easy to get turned around. 

I really liked the sound design, too. Of course, there are the sounds of an enemy walking around that set me on edge. But the general ambiance was unnerving throughout the whole game. No matter what room I was in, even if I knew all the enemies were dead, the slow droning ambiance made me worry that something was around the corner, waiting for me. The game will play specific music when an enemy notices you and gives chase. I appreciated that a lot. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when an enemy is aggro’d in games. Knowing when I can slip by or if I should be running helped me navigate the hospital.  

Conclusion

Tormented Souls is not for everyone. Despite my belief that it is superior, gameplay will definitely turn a lot of people away from trying this game. But for those who grew up with older survival horror titles and really enjoyed them. Tormented Souls is a great spiritual successor to those games. It isn’t a masterpiece by any means, but the experience it offers is one to remember 

If you aren’t accustomed to old survival-horror, but are willing to try this game. I couldn’t recommend it enough. I don’t think you have to have experience in Resident Evil to fully enjoy this game. The only advice I can give would be to stick through the clunkiness. It is part of the experience. 

My Other Reviews

Alan Wake's American Nightmare

Alan Wake II

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock

WHAT THE GOLF?