Was Dark Souls 2 successful?

Was Dark Souls 2 Successful?

Dark Souls 2 is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Games. Released in 2014, the game received critical acclaim and a significant following. However, the question remains whether it was successful in the gaming industry. In this article, we will examine various aspects of the game’s performance, including its critical and commercial success, sales, and community reception.

Critical and Commercial Success

Firstly, let’s assess the critical and commercial success of Dark Souls 2. The game was a critical success, receiving praise from critics for its challenging gameplay, dark fantasy setting, and improved upon the first game’s storytelling. On Metacritic, the game holds an average score of 76 out of 100 based on 58 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Commercially, Dark Souls 2 was a successful launch, selling over 7 million copies worldwide as of 2015. These numbers are impressive considering the game’s challenging nature, which may have deterred some potential buyers.

Table 1: Dark Souls 2 Sales by Region (as of 2015)

Completion Rates and Community Reception

The game’s completion rates are also a significant metric to gauge its success. According to various Steam user reviews, the overall completion rate for Dark Souls 2 is around 36%, indicating a significant portion of players reached the game’s final stage. This is higher compared to the first game’s completion rate of around 20%.

Community reception has also been overwhelmingly positive, with many fans appreciating the game’s enhanced gameplay mechanics, dark fantasy setting, and expanded multiplayer features. For example, the game’s crowning achievement system added a new layer of excitement and replayability, as players could compete with one another to earn the best titles.

A New Direction for the Series?

Some fans may consider Dark Souls 2 the best game in the Souls series, as it marked a significant departure from the first game’s design philosophies. The addition of a more straightforward level design and improved graphics made the game more accessible to new players, which may have contributed to its commercial success.

However, others may argue that these changes compromised the game’s challenging nature and, consequently, its replay value. The game’s overall difficulty level was reportedly softer compared to the original Dark Souls, which could have impacted its long-term appeal.

Remasters and Legacy

Dark Souls 2 received a remastered version called "Scholar of the First Sin" in 2015, which enhanced the game’s graphics, added new features, and fixed various bugs. The remastered version has had a positive impact on the game’s community, reinvigorating interest and attracting new players to the series.

Will we see a remastered or remade version of Dark Souls 2 in the future? It is difficult to predict, given the game’s legacy as a standalone title within the Souls series. However, considering the success of recent remasters and remakes, it is possible we may see an updated version of Dark Souls 2 in the future.

In conclusion, Dark Souls 2 was a success in both critical and commercial terms, with positive community reception and a completion rate higher than its predecessor. While some fans may view the game as the "best" in the Souls series, others may miss the original game’s level of difficulty and challenging nature. Ultimately, Dark Souls 2 is an impressive achievement in game development and a testament to the strength of the Souls franchise as a whole.