Dark Souls 2: YOU DIED HARDER

that ring would make more sense if you couldn't repair it

btw the old sun ring is my new favorite ring.

I was not aware of this ring until now but it sounds awesome. Will have to grab.

i killed someone in the belfry wearing that and my final kill blow set it off killing me at the same time. a 2nd invader was watching and did a celebratory gesture

Wait, it hurts yourself too when it explodes?

nope, it shouldn't

i was not wearing it, the guy i killed was

where's good to leave a summon sign? Have been playing about with it with not much luck. I'm level 50-something and only 20hrs into the game...

I usually leave 'em by bonfires or by the fog gate in front of a boss, usually with reasonable success. I got more summons once I turned on the option for multi-region play - I think it's turned off by default.

yeah I tried that around Heide's Tower but with no luck. Switching that option is a good hint, thanks!

ending is sorta anticlimactic and i still don't fully get the story. i mean its a bit easier to follow than dark souls but i don't quite get how the 2 games are related. gonna try some of the covenants before heading to ng+

you can stay in new game after you finish, which is a nice change

there's a story?

i liked what they did with however much story was in demons and ds1. there was a pretty simple framework and the detail was vague, some of it that could be pieced together and some of it impenetrable. but for my tastes they struck a good balance. ds2 i have no fucking clue. there isn't any framework, just the vagueness. i couldn't ever imagine myself thinking less of one of these games because of story, but that is i think the main reason that i don't like this as much. don't get me wrong, i still like it a lot. there are other factors too for sure, e.g. it does feel like a sequel/retread far more than ds1 ever did despite how similar that was to demons. and it is easier, in terms of structure and content. it just doesn't inspire dread in anything like the same way.

am reserving judgement until I've played it more, but I see what you mean. From early signs it looks like covenants and online play generally are much better integrated in the game, e.g. the defend the belfry thing for Bell Covenant members.

If you've got some time you can read an exhaustive breakdown of the story and the links between DS and DSII here: http://jcwigriff.com/2014/03/20/dark-souls-2-takes-place-in-lordran-lore/

wow, that link. i don't care about the story that much, but even aside from the DS links (most of which pretty obvious) i still enjoy the general Soulsian vibe that all the real action happened thousands of years ago and you're just digging through the rubble.

i'm at shrine of amana btw, just caved and used a bow for the first time in the game.

these speed runs are getting pretty serious btw:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps8sbAxHMxg

also, a friend of mine pointed out that the climax in the True Detective finale has a total Dark Souls vibe, and he is right.

o yeah, for sure; that was totally on my mind throughout much of the show

there's a story?
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 1 April 2014 18:02

there was a war with giants, there was a king and queen that fucked things up, ur cursed

i like the belfry sol invasions, that little rooftop area has a playground aspect to it

evil girlfriends seem to be a theme in this game, hmm (see the unhappy scorpion couple).

it does feel like a sequel/retread far more than ds1 ever did despite how similar that was to demons. and it is easier, in terms of structure and content. it just doesn't inspire dread in anything like the same way.
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, April 1, 2014 2:02 PM

i'm ok with it feeling like a sequel since its meant to be one. the lack of dread is somewhat a problem for me too. the devs certainly could've tried to top what came before with grosser/weirder/darker stuff. i guess they restrained themselves on purpose cuz why else would a game in the series garner a 't for teen' rating all of a sudden. kind of a bummer in that respect.

not sure about the forced perspective fight against the big spider

yo when are we getting ilx .webm embedding because wow
http://i.4cdn.org/v/src/1396823666898.webm

purty

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nothing special video but the fidelity was hot shit

got all the way to Brightstone Cove before realising I could get to Huntsman's Copse, which I'm breezing through :-/

Huntsman's Copse, home to the most deceptively simple-looking boss battle in the game. Take down these three fragile Skeleton Lords, you say? No problem! Grrr...

hah that is to follow, currently waling on thieves and those ogres with scythes

I did the same, missed that whole route and by the time I got there I was destroying everything in my path including the Skeleton Lords with their pals. Now at the Crypt, this must be near the end?!?

Those fucking wheel skeletons are the worst enemies in the whole Souls series. I hate those fuckers SO. MUCH.

they're okay if you have a good shield, at least in DS1. I'm a caster in DS2, so they could prove interesting.

I've got a 100% shield but they always seem to manage to roll up behind me.

Take down these three fragile Skeleton Lords, you say? No problem! Grrr...

apparently the smaller skeletons only spawn when you destroy one of the three, with a different type for each one? so it should be a lot easier to take down one skeleton lord and clear out the minions before moving on to the next one.

i just got through the crypt (although i'll have to come back for a certain boss fight), i know this is the endgame but i have no idea how much is actually left.

yeah get all the skel lords low and then kill one by one after defeating each wave of small dudes. the middle one spawns the wheelies.

Fuck. Wish I'd known that before I defeated the Skeleton Lords in both NG and NG+!

i had co-op twice last night with a very polite phantom last night who faith-healed the host even after the boss battle was over, nice touch. :)

nailed those mofo Skeleton Lords, and kicked the Jabba the Hutt guy's tail for good measure

what's the deal with the belfry luna? do i still get invaded when i'm wearing the covenant's ring?

yup

yep

gotcha. when i initially went in there, i thought the little blue guy was my invader and then i saw the actual invader. i was fucking around wasting time by chasing him around a hole before finally starting to beat on him.. got him down to 1/3 health then all of a sudden another phantom invaded and i just kept getting sniped from a distance /:

there should be a ring that lets you invade in miniature size

ring of diminutive aggravation

ng+ immediately killed me. jesus christ

not sure if i have what it takes for ng+, although i really want to respec and try dex + pyromancy. this darkdrift invisible katana needs to be put to use.

i really liked aldia's keep, even if the boss was easy.

i loved that view right before the boss there

yeah that was a nice moment. i think that boss was the first one i beat without dying once, solo at least.

i love how you see those stone pillars extending waaaaay up into the sky, and then you end up taking the elevator up so high that they're off in the distance below.