Dark Souls 2 Review ► Crown of the Sunken King DLC

[@IronPineapple]

My face when I stayed up all night waiting to play this. My face when Bamco said it would be out. My face when it's not out. My face when I have no face. Good night everyone.

[@kenjimaru6493]

Gawd, I love you so much

[@awaaawaa9768]

Hay man I love your videos so much

[@samquilter8300]

Pineapple? Why are you anticipating DLC? Surely there is some broken PVP exploit for you to expose to the world! Or some creatively made costumes that shows the viability of characters in different games! MAKE HASTE! Kidding your vids are cool though.

[@MegaFallout3Fan]

the dlc is out though unless your on ps3 right?

[@mrpicklesful]

man, that's some cool 4chan lingo for cool guys! You're part of the 4chan kool kids klub?

[@Dantick09]

3 to 6 hours for sunken King?? You are FAST

[@killersands5116]

+Liam Hubbert and farming for me

[@spliff0289]

It's been like 50 for me because I got to Sinh and during ONE fight I broke 3 weapons. Said fuck it and didn't try a second time. Way too annoying

[@silvasilva476]

spliff02 you poor soul, you’ve been Hollowed all this time.

[@erroldtumaque3430]

That's ... how long it took me. I'm kind of surprised that people can spend more than that in this area which isn't super huge. Aside from the Sanctum the other areas are pretty quick runs.

[@justanotherblackwhitemicke7817]

@Liam Hubbert I get you like exploring but 15? Thats waaay too much time

[@teem9949]

Heh, I'm actually kind of proud of myself for killing the gank squad without summons. It was hard as f*ck though.

[@k54maclosky97]

dark soul 3 pvp spoiler

[@johnnyflannigan136]

I tried it with summons but it was much eaiser solo... The extra health the bosses.have with summons was just too much

[@darthvatrayen]

It's sad seeing the flame butterflies in Vaati's inventory. It looks like he was hoping so much for an area that's properly dark enough for him. I hope you embrace the dark soon, Vaati!

[@Maldra777]

When you get the Sunken Kings Crown go back to King Vendrick's gear where you fought him. There you will be able to talk to Vendrick. It look like the further DLC might actuall talk about the Undead Curse more.

[@58LostMarblesOfficial]

FINAL BOSS IS EPICCCCCCCCCCCCC

[@Terioth]

Wow Vaati, you always have an amazing outlook on Dark Souls. It's like a whole new perspective to me and I check your channel every 3 to 4 days because of it. You're amazing man, I'll forever be subbed :) I'm currently uploading a full playthrough of the Dark Souls 2 DLC and if I could provide a fraction of what you provide for the community, plus some laughs, I would be happy.

[@VaatiVidya]

Thanks buddy, that's some high praise. I'll try my best to keep you guys happy! Gonna go work on some more videos with your comment in mind!

[@Terioth]

Don't worry about it. You inspired me to make my channel! You deserve high praise :)

[@dritansherifi2596]

Vaatividya is the best producer of dark souls 2 videos!

[@jukeboxblues8871]

There is also a lovely little extra thrown into the DLC. When you get the ashen mist heart you can now go into the memories of Vendrick. There is some neat dialogue and foreshadowing of the DLC to come.

[@bluevenom50]

One thing that I only realised AFTER I finished it was theres no npcs which is a shame. And its more or less its own isolated story with no direct impact on the vanilla game. But gameplay wise it was amazing. Definitely a return to form

[@SR2XO]

Kill Vendric and interact with his cloths

[@bluevenom50]

Does that actually do anything yet? i heard it just makes the ashen mist heart noise but nothing actually happens.

[@elliew6765]

bluevenom50 you get to talk to Vendrick before he's hollowed, but he doesn't really say anything important, he hints that if you come back with all the crowns in the game (DLC crowns + Crown of the King) something'll happen.

[@bluevenom50]

Ellie Williams yeah i was bit dissapointed that all he really says "buy more dlc" :(

[@loseho127]

bluevenom50 haha,damn straight

[@MrMadness1]

This DLC was fucking amazing! It was very difficult, had amazing level design, great bosses, and has fantastic music. I bet those people who claim this DLC was a "cash-grab" are really fucking salty right now.

[@XxBoomxHeadshotxX]

"Very difficult" Same enemies: lance, mace, sword, hex witxh, dual sword with crossbow "Amazing level design" It was alright at best. "Great bosses" Nash 2.0 another dragon aka Kalameet and a gank squad. "Fantastic music" Can't even remember the boss music and I vividly remember Artys and Manuses CashGrab/10

[@MrMadness1]

con hay First off, the enemies weren't really the same. Each one had a characteristic of their own that made them tough in their own way. Sanctum soldiers because of their poise, sanctum knights because of their relentless-ness and the fact that their ghosts that only take elemental damage, and the drakeblood knights had intelligent AI and were just plain tough. The level design was pretty damn immersive and the sanctum city had a very interesting design to it. The levels actually make you search for bonfires using lower-able and raise-able platforms along with switchs. Not just some invisible wall bullshit. The bosses I found to be really enjoyable and difficult. Elana may look like Nashandra, but she IS a fragment of Manus so she does have a reason for looking similar. Also just because Sinh is an actual intelligent dragon boss in Dark souls doesn't mean he's automatically like Kalameet. He's actually more difficult than Kalameet in my opinion. He uses his flying ability to stop you from getting some attacks in, he's got attacks that are unblock-able and pretty tough to dodge, and his toxic fire can really fuck you over in some instances. I can see where some people are coming from with the Gank-squad, but I thought it was a good battle and that it was funny to see FROM poking fun at gankers. Also the music for me was pretty damn great. Especially Sinh's and the Gank-squads.

[@XxBoomxHeadshotxX]

A. Level design was what I EXPECT from a souls game for fucks sake. B. It's still the same fucking enemy except ones a spear, sword, mace, etc. C. Ghost guys you just avoid, kill the bodies, kill them. D. I don't want to fight Nash 2.0 and Garl, I want to fight a cool fucking boss. She doesn't even give you Homing Chaos Flame Swathe. C. Sinh = Fly, attack once, repeat x10000 D. None of the music is memorable. E. Gank Squad boss is still shite.

[@OhNoTheFace]

con hay Angry fanboy, the comment lol

[@XxBoomxHeadshotxX]

CamTheKitty I'm not a fanboy. I play a lot of games except DS2. It just saddens me that we got a piss poor game, some alright DLC is released and suddenly From is fucking nuts in again. The DLC was way to safe imo and not enough to keep me coming back. I had my 10m of fun invading in that area, basically no new weapons, armors or spells. I hope OIK is better and Old Ivory King is the best DLC ever bcuz snow.

[@jcheyney9_293]

My favourite part was when elana summoned velstadt... twice

[@TheDan965]

That secret 'crypt enemy' you mentioned actually glitched on my first run through. I exploited their weakness but they didnt become, well, killable. This was fixed my second run through but having 6 of them chasing me was a nightmare that I will never forget.

[@VaatiVidya]

Haha, what a terrifying experience. I loved that feeling of being chased and not knowing how to escape them though! For you it was..tenfold..

[@werd85]

Oh my god! You too?! lol My heart was racing when I was being chased by them. Scary as shit, but I had a good time playing through it.

[@Yan-go8oq]

VaatiVidya Man, I finished the dlc and did not find this enemy you talked about... It's in which of the three scenarios?

[@DEADLYRAT34]

Yan Guimarães I believe the enemy that they are referring to is the ones you couldn't damage without doing certain things (trying to avoid spoiling it). If your still not clear then you must have run past them (although I feel you would've gotten a sword in the back trying a stunt like that).

[@DEADLYRAT34]

Smitty Werben Jagger Man Jensen I noticed too, but figured I'd leave that for others to figure out. Besides, its not a good way to deal with them, it requires a ridiculous amount of spells just to kill one. Their still super interesting and it gives such a big rush to figure them out and turn the tables.

[@malamri424]

Watching this after finishing Ashes of Ariandel... I think DS2 was brilliant

[@Ventus_S]

I have to say Sunken City is one of my favourite maps in Soul series, and It still ring true now after beating every other Fromsoft Souls games.

[@joaopedrobernardosantanapa7236]

*sees fog wall* Hm, probably the last boss is going to be a crappy humanoid enemy. *sees dragon with spear tresspassed on his chest breathing poisonous fire* Sinh: "What do you think this is? Bloodborne?" Well, guess this will be one epic fight.

[@vopop30]

"The Imperfect" might just be my favorite of the new enemies. The distinctive roar they let loose before they engage you in combat has to be one of the more useful bits of sound design in the whole game. I like how they have a nasty projectile that takes advantage of the terrain. Maybe it's something about their appearance, but getting eaten by one of them freaks me out more than when the ogres/cyclopes do it.

[@Fieldhouz]

The first 'real' boss fight (you know which one I mean) reminded me alot of the Darklurker, with camera management being the top priority. This DLC gave me that DS1 feeling again, which I missed during DS2. Great level design, difficulty pretty high, exploration that is extremely rewarding, 2 great boss fights and new interesting lore. Can't wait for the next piece!

[@_Ten_]

I spent around 8 hours playing this with my friend and helping each other out. Had a ton of fun. Well worth the $9.99 price. I can't wait for the next dlc.

[@MalganisLefay]

I like it that you can play the cave-area and coop-boss as demo by placing your white soupstone in the entrance hall, thats really cool

[@Lucians_Sword]

Awesome review video Vaati, as always keep up the good work. Love your show.

[@BHM_Productions]

Crown of the Sunken King is my favorite of the three DS2 DLC's, and one of my all-time favorite Souls series levels. The visuals, atmosphere, gameplay, puzzle-solving, secrets, enemies, bosses (except for the gank squad), it's all just so wonderful. I love the different elements they added to the gameplay and the exploration. My only gripe is that it gets rather stale once you finally enter the Sanctum Temple, and even a bit annoying with those drakeblood knights. But I do like the descent and how there are different ways to go about it. Overall, a wonderful DLC. I'd give it a 9/10.

[@aizaz1234]

I really like this DLC so far, it has lots of swag and cool level design. I have fought 2 bosses, one was the co-op one and the other was way to far away from a bonfire for me to have gone the right way so :P. Also dat puzzle sword doe. Side not the red iron twin blade is awesome and I would recommend it to any strength build.

[@KlamShakes]

i don't know if anyone has found this but in King Vendrick's boss room if you have the ashen mist heart you can interact with his pile of equipment to go into what i must assume is a memory

[@toryn1528]

Some of the best level design in all of souls honestly, excluding cave of the dead.

[@Psychoinlove105]

Great review. I personally loved the DLC. I found it shows many wonderful gameplay and level design changes that I think is a great touch of Dark Souls 1 for its progeny. There was something you said that really struck me: "To be lost is to be immersed". The more I think about this, the more it rings true, at least for me. I find that I have the most fun in a game when you are completely lost and unsure of what to do next. It just feels like a whole new world of mystery and wonder, just waiting for you to explore and investigate. Overall, I can't wait for the next DLC to come out and immerse me in another sleepless night of exploration and constant deaths. :D

[@StarlightDragon]

1 good boss, 1 bad boss, 1 what the fuck were they thinking this is so stupid boss. 1 pretty good level. All in all the dlc is alright, definitely a step in the right direction for the most part.

[@StarlightDragon]

Good review. Although I did not agree with your opinion about one of the three bosses (Elana) I do see your point of view and I think you nailed it. I really did like the level design and I loved the final boss.

[@StarlightDragon]

LordPebbles No, not really. I just found it really boring and a little bit lazy. I did have trouble with Sinh, but I loved every second of it. It was a good 30/40 minute sitting, where everytime I would come in I would learn more and more about the bosses moveset and get better and better at kicking his ass. The final fight, I was hollowed, it was just me and Sinh. I had my clothes off, and just my weapon. Fucking rolled through his attacks, mastered his move set, bated his fire breath, and kicked his ass. It felt so good. Elana, I did not give a shit though.

[@StarlightDragon]

LordPebbles the gank squad was the worst boss in the entire franchse. I beat it last night, it's a complete waste of time. I got one dude to finally help me (for some reason a lot of summons were just dicking around). I did this all in NG+, so I don't know if it's less of a pain in the ass on NG

[@krishnard79]

Freedom Panic I actually like the gank squad boss. Actually got my heart rate up a bit and the layout for the boss area was pretty cool. Sinh was definitely the coolest boss visually but was definitely the easiest by far. Elana was a bitch, especially if she keeps summoning Velstadt. If Nashandra was that difficult it would have been epic,

[@Voytek1985]

Elana was annoying but not difficult even with Velstad summon. I even like it more when she summoned Velstad instead of stupid skelies. You just ignore him and focus on Elana. Those 3 pvp boss idiots was stupid but still easy. You just run around making few blows now and then. Done it with a mage melee Magic Mace +8 with 58 int and Lion Mage set. Magic sux in dlc tho...

[@ThisIsPampkin]

Loved the DLC. Soloing that Trio Boss is very gritting and very annoying at times but the feeling you get when finishing the DLC... Priceless.

[@dotvu]

Love this DLC, as you said, reminded me so much of Zelda. "The Legend of The Legend" ;D

[@clofilmsful]

Great video couldn't agree with you more about the puzzle and Maze of rooms and passageways. It felt fresh and kept me on edge with the constant threat of enemy/invasions while being lost in thought. Would like to have seen more color in the level design

[@thebastmaster]

I'am with your opinion depending the design of the location (loved it), but I have to say, that there are 2 things that, in my opinion are rather lazy made: CAREFUL, SPOILER AHEAD! And sorry if my english is not that good. And these 2 things are 2 bosses in the DLC, Elana and the Graverobber,Varg, Cerah - fight. What made these 2 fights not any fun for me is the fact, that they (again) just try to overwhelm you with enemies. The enemies you fight are not very unique: Havel ripoff + an archer and an agility fighter; Elana = better Nashandra (seriously, i think they even used her moveset) that summons mini-velstadt (because reason) and skeletons. This concept is something, that already bothered me in the main game, because it is an easy and lazy way to make boss fights more difficult. For example, the number of more-than-one-bossfights in DS was 5 with 3 of them having a unique concept/enemies (pinwheel, 4 kings and O & S); in DS 2 (+ DLC) there are 12! with only 4 of them having such an unique concept/enemies (L.G. Knight, Skeleton Lords, Royal Rat Vanguard, Darklurker). And in my opinion it is no fun that you die and the only reason is the "mass" of enemies thrown at you (looking especially at Elana, for real 4 times Velstadt?). But I have to say, the fight after Elana was worth it :) . I would like to hear/read your thoughts about it, and sorry about the long comment.

[@steelzombie1]

I loved the fact that there are hidden buttons you have to find to unlock doors or turning off the spikes in that one room. I hate how people dislike this DLC just because the bosses are "re-skins". They are hating the dlc because of that reason alone. No one even mentioned how cool the weps and spells are.....well more weps in my opinion.

[@z0ttel89]

This video made me sad, because it made me realize how awesome DkS 2 could have been (as a whole) if all of the game's areas would've been as great and 'from the heart' like Shulva, the Sunken City :(

[@brunomunemassa8266]

I had an amazing experience with my friend, while facing the "Crypt Monsters" , where i knew what their deal was, but my friend didn't. We ended up in a room where he got into some real trouble with these fiends. While he was fighting for his life i just told him "HOLD ON, JUST SURVIVE AS LONG AS YOU CAN !". I managed to help him just in time and we both got out alive. Needless to say it was awesome.

[@IronMooRe]

I loved it more than the main game. The great level design, tense atmosphere and well though out enemy placement make it feel like DS1.... or like a different team put together the DLC.

[@McPandion]

Something worth noting is that the withered text on the back of the Majula monument now directs the player to the Black Gulch for the DLC. The DEEPEST LORE.

[@PhantomCooper]

I've been refreshing my Steam Page every few minutes, I want to play this right now.

[@LirakVI]

it will be later on steam

[@PhantomCooper]

Thats a drag. :/

[@7asryddt]

9am PDT 8 more hours

[@GeorgeRsh]

I got it by going to the dark souls 2 main steam page in the store, adding "all DLC to cart" (which includes Sunken King) and then removing the season pass from the cart, and buying strictly Sunken King.

[@xXJasonMakiXx]

PonycornArts its up for me, im in pst and its 2:25

[@omgWTHSignIn]

Hey Vaati, Remember those ghostly enemies that require you to smash the suit of armor that conceals it? You CAN actually damage them using hexes or a dark infused weapon. maybe a cool thing some people mmight not know for your next 10 things video :D

[@lit1041]

And no one ever have put you a like after 9 years. Amazing. Then, I'll do it. After 9 years your comment get a like.. Btw, are you still here? What do you think about this DLC and dark souls 2 as a whole now?

[@garjian0]

Your opinions of the bosses are the exact opposite of mine. The "co-op" boss you mentioned was the only one that really had me sweating. The gauntlet before it was fantastic, and the boss arena gives you plenty of ability to kite and separate, unlike TW/TD. You just have to be extra careful and right on point with your dodging, and that's something I'd missed having to do throughout DS2. The other 2 bosses were quite a disappointment for me, the final in particular. They require just the same method of dodging the obvious attacks to win as all the other bosses in DS2. The level design was great though. Loads of alternate and confusing paths and quirky puzzles here and there... I'd've been pretty pissed off were I on one of my characters who can't use a bow, but hey either way, the levels were pretty fun to traverse on their own. Best thing is the interesting equipment. Flynn's Ring in particular.

[@BloodyDIMISIS55]

and that my friends is an example of GIT GUD... conquer problems with skill and not FUCKING BITCHING ... you sir are awesome

[@garjian0]

Oh my, you fell down a lot, Vaati. I have to say (playing as my NG+ Dual-Mytha's character), I only really died to that boss you hate, and when two of those 2-legged Not-Dragons attacked me at once. Maybe that's a criticism I should have...

[@MisterBlackroad]

The first boss is crap because of its nonexistant design and copypasted lore-unfriendly enemies. A 3on1 like that shits on the game's combat system, that is why it is hard. Hard doesn't mean good.

[@garjian0]

Like I said, unlike the TW/TD the arena gives you the ability to kite them and I think there's a place for that in Dark Souls, especially considering O&S are so well liked. You need to take out the archer first, and you use the fact that he like to use archery to your advantage. He's reluctant to follow you into the pits, allowing you to get distance for the other two and go in for the kill. Once he's down you do use a similar strategy to TW/TD for the 2 melee guys, but the difference here is that the Havel guy leaves himself open frequently and the other one has very short range, so unlike that boss you get openings besides them both attacking it the same time. Sure, they are not a _creative_ boss design by any means, but I found them great fun to fight. It's gankspanking, but with the opportunity to try again if you fail and less taunting. The only thing I'm iffy on is that they don't stagger easily. I'm also not keen on people calling it "the first boss"... It's optional, isn't it? Honestly, I find the Nashandra clone fight has those same flaws with the TW/TD fight more so than this 3v1 fight. That fight is a Velstadt summon and a boss with very powerful projectiles at once. It's a fight where dodging one attack will get you hit by another, and where being hit can easily result in a OHKO-combo, and where your opportunities to attack are taken from you by one, while the other charges an AoE spell forcing you to roll away. It's by no means as hard as the 3on1 fight, but the situations it puts you in are less fair IMO, and it gives you little means of dealing with them. You can't separate Nash 2.0 from her Velstadt because you have to attack her, and she barely moves, while Velstadt has no trouble catching up to you. If you try to kill him, she just summons another. I personally don't having to wait for the right moments like that, but if you're going to reuse that line you heard someone say once, this ~multiple enemies shit on the game's combat system~ line people used when talking about TW/TD's problems, I find the Nash 2.0 fight to be more evocative of this than the 3v1 fight. Souls' style of combat can easily handle multiple enemy fights as long as you are given sufficient openings, or in this case, can create openings.

[@TheRaveous]

You can't seriously tell me that your favorite boss was just the 3 npcs you've fought before put into one room...

[@MilesHadley]

I did this whole DLC completely blind without any summons on NG++ and loved every second of it. I even liked the optional boss. I loved how alone you are, with no NPCs to talk to in a hostile Lovecraftian realm. I loved discovering the lore, and it makes me with the whole game was as well designed as this. People are probably already aware of this, but there is a secret outside of the DLC as well...

[@TheTwilightmaster6]

I am annoyed at the whole episodic release style of the DLC. At the end of the day, I'm going to have to pay 30 dollars for all of it, which is like paying for half of the game all over again. AotA for DkS was only 15, a one-time payment. I just....I really feel like Dark Souls 2 is a money grab sometimes.

[@VaatiVidya]

Honestly I don't understand why people are complaining about the "season pass" style of content. It's a problem if there's limited content - but this doesn't seem to be the case. It's $25 for all three pieces of DLC, and this first package gives more than half the content in AOTA in my opinion. Since it's packaged in three parts, we get to access pieces once they're done and it's nice having something to look forward to next month. That's how I feel about it anyway, i'm not saying your opinion is wrong.

[@K12machinima]

I agree. I promised myself, after the first MK 2011 introduction of a season pass style of distribution, I will NEVER pay full price for an unfinished product... Ever... it's like releasing an unfinished game, in my opinion; you have a game like, say, Call of Duty, and pay over 60 dollars for a poor re-hash of a game that's never going to be as good as what was trying to be emulated (Modern Warfare 1 and World at War were the strongest, in my opinion), and then have to pay over another 60 dollars for only 3 stages - most of which don't ever show up in a server rotation - and also, if you're a console player (I'm not, so I can't say much), you have to also usually go out and buy a physical copy of the disc, having to drive and waste gas, deal with other people on the road - and then get back home and pray there's no bullshit on-launch server issues, game breaking glitches... On the Mortal Kombat style of how Midway did it, I thought it was stupid that I should put my money down on a movie licensed character (who wasn't that great), a new pallet swapped female ninja (who was alright), and a character I generally didn't like that much in the past games; Kenshi was a semi-Ermac clone, there's really no denying it, and it's even explained in Deception... I bought the whole game for WAY cheaper, at Wal-Mart, and not having to spend extra... I find it absurd to put my money down, that I make from a real job, use to pay real bills with, and survive from - and get a half-finished product... It shows a lack of commitment from a developer. Now, I like From Software, don't get me wrong, and when I bought Dark Souls 2, and saw it had a season pass, I was rather sketchy... The difference being here, Souls games are RPGs (for the most part), and adding more content is WELCOME, and optional, much like how Bethesda did it with Oblivion (yes, we all know that Horse Armor was b.s., blah, blah...), and honestly, Shivering Isles is a good example of this; Shivering Isles added a WORLD of content to vanilla Oblivion, more creatures, more armors, more story, more quests, potions - everything, and was fairly priced for the time - not to mention the massive amount of modding resources for players on Tesnexus, adding even MORE (and growing) player content to the game. Now, I don't enjoy Dark Souls 2 as much as a I enjoyed the first one, and the common vibe I get from these reviews of this content is that it reminds them of the original Dark/Demon Souls design, which... is what should have been in the game, to start with. The issue I have with making DLC for a game like Dark Souls 2 is pretty simple: when and where are you going to use most of the content? Look at Borderlands 1's DLC list: when did you EVER use the Gun Bank from Mad Moxxi... ever? Look at Madness Armor from Shivering Isles: it had the same stats as a full Daedric set, and you could EASILY enchant items and casts buffs to replicate the effect of a full AR. I know the point of a DLC item is to have a smug satisfaction that you own something most people don't, and going on an extra adventure is fun, but... at the end of the day... the base game is WHY you play it, right? If you don't like the base game, you're not going to like the DLC, right? I might buy the whole slew of stuff one day, when it goes on sale, because I'm a cheap-ass Steam sale junkie, but I just hope that at least From Software, a development team I would mark as good as someone like Id, doesn't fuck it up in the long run, and lose their minds to the whole "Quantity over Quality", in the future... it's why the words "season pass" scare me... It's usually a sign of a lazy development team.

[@TheRawPlay]

It's $37.95 in AUS, and i dont regret spending a single dollar, also that just makes it cheaper for all 3 DLC's. It'll be $12 for each which is a great thing.

[@tetragears]

K12machinima CotSK have at least one set of very good and fancy armor, one very interesting dex-based sword and, of course, the crown. I assume if you collect all 3 and combine them you get overpowered Vendric's Crown or something.

[@Hyroth1337]

K12machinima I don't think that it's a sign of an unfinished game. Dark Souls 2 was a complete game with much content (especially compared to many other games) and the DLC is actually just an optional add-on. No one is forced to buy it and you can't expect game developers to do everything for free. It's still a company with employees who want to get paid and game development getting more expensive, but in comparison the prices dropped significantly (just look at Steam). So why bitch about optional content many have yearned for? The price is quite reasonable for all three together and if you don't want to spend your hard earned money from your "real" job on the DLC, you don't have to. But the current situation of game development makes it hard for developers to do their "real" job due to the price drops and somewhat grasping community, so it is just natural to release more small DLC than one big one. Developing Games is no honorary post. So cut them some slack, they're doing a good job with the DLC, even addressing issues some peopole had with the main game in terms of level design.

[@rikuhunter1012]

i loved the bosses in this dlc , never got lost in the city, found some secrets that i was very happy about, i really liked the fact that to do everything in this dlc you needed varying approaches, magic this, ranged that, much fun

[@MisterBlackroad]

"Hackers 'tried' to get into the DLC" heheheh

[@VaatiVidya]

ehheheheheh

[@Blaze-ku6gf]

I think the equipment alone in the DLC is worth the $10, especially the first individual boss you fight, the weapon from that is just spectacular

[@HYEOL]

i will not even for my beloved Darksouls support fucking *Downloadable Content*

[@Struggler9996]

It must be fun, still living in 2005.

[@HYEOL]

***** some like getting fucked by companies. Bend over and enjoy your Sunken King!

[@Reverendshot777]

There's nothing wrong with downloadable content. Did you never buy an expansion pack back in the old days? This is just the same with a different distribution method. The real problem is day one dlc which development time away from the main game. Things like this were made after the fact, its far from unscrupulous. What makes you think you should be entitled to any of this content without paying for it?

[@chiesatonaka6269]

So them releasing more content is fucking us over? How stupid are you?

[@gpetty91]

HYEOL Quit being a baby. They allow you to be summoned into the DLC without purchasing.

[@thelewbear3377]

The statue with the writting unable to read where the Herald is now gives a description of the DLC of where to go

[@SossarHatarSverige]

So FromSoft got inspired by Dark Arisen DLC to Dragons Dogma huh? Well the black isle of Dogma is my fave level on the PS3 so it sounds awsome!

[@zionthedragon8866]

How? They have different endgame bosses.

[@Barnesofthenorth]

Main thing I loved about it was it was like being in a indiana jones film, lots of hidden switches and areas to explore and a cool temple to make your way through.

[@TheShonenJumper]

Are there no new weapons/armor? I was looking forward to it. :c

[@gamerhats4145]

Pretty sure there is new armor and weapons, and i think spells/miracles/hexes to, not 100% sure though

[@TheShonenJumper]

GamerHats Pretty sure? So you don't know? :c

[@gamerhats4145]

TheShonenJumper i don't have a definite answer but i heard there would be

[@sh0xoR]

TheShonenJumper don't worry, i already played through it today and there are a couple new weapons, spells, armors, usables etc..

[@TheShonenJumper]

sh0xoR Ohhh thanks. I'm relieved. I guess I'll get it right away. I already thought of waiting till all the DLC is out. :D

[@jackrodriques1]

Man the last boss fight of this dlc is awesome, it makes you feel like you're in a freaking showdown. In all of dark souls 2 no boss fight felt as cool as the final fight of this dlc

[@ryanvandoren1519]

Yep, I only ever ended up beating him one time, WITH summons!

[@ryanvandoren1519]

@remixgod4496 yeah Sihn sleeping dragon or whatever. Always kicks my ass! Thanks for the tips!

[@djspacebard]

I guess it was an alright DLC. I mean, the design of the areas are really good, and fights can be pretty intense. The huge gripe I have with the DLC is, in my personal opinion, the first boss. It was the first boss I fought anyway. A cut and copy of two end-game bosses? One being the boss summon and the other an actual boss? Why? Sure, have the same attacks, but do NOT copy bosses that were already seen before in the main game. It also fustrated the hell out of me. At least you have a good chance at defeating Sinh. Some people have more then likely done better then me, but this is my experience, and my thoughts.

[@likewise4gaming]

Reece Scully Long I have a few questions about this bro! Is this the 1st of 2 DLC's and also how many hours long is this DLC?

[@djspacebard]

This is the first of three, I believe. It should take five, six, maybe seen hours.

[@likewise4gaming]

Reece Scully Long Yeah man, definitely playing the DLC's once I finish my walkthrough for Kingdoms of Amular Reckoning! Thanks bro!

[@cityunseen]

Very fair review. I'm having a blast invading down there at the moment. The one major criticism is that phantoms cannot interact with the switches. So hosts just hide at the 2nd bonfire with no way for invaders to reach them. This is in stark contrast to Dark Souls 1 where some of the beat PvP moments came from clever switch use in areas like the Catacombs or Anor Londo.

[@arrururu]

Im not buying this unless im 100% sure it will be goodbecause dks 2 was... special

[@Struggler9996]

No need to be polite. It was shit.

[@arrururu]

***** because i wanted a better game? :>

[@harpsitardo]

***** Amen

[@arrururu]

I expected a game on the same level as dark souls 1 . this was good but not good enough

[@DrNasty-ey7gz]

***** Yeah, but it's not the classic DS1 is. I just don't feel much of a need to come back and play DS2 over and over again like I did with the first. It's design is cheaper, it doesn't respect your time as much and, well, it feels like what Shasta is to Coke-Cola.

[@MrRohran]

1:57 WOA wtf I had no idea you could do that!

[@Robert-nh4xn]

I'm like half way through and it has all the problems of the initial game while taking it up a notch. nonsensical level design, boring item placement, fighting the same basic enemy for most of it, and the boss you mentioned as being bad is by far the most unfair and lazy boss in a Souls game. I shouldn't be forced to co-op to stand a chance against 3 NPCs with infinite stamina and tracking

[@DrDemoman74]

Lol then go play dark souls 1 along with all the 30 other people that are still playing that hack infested mess. jeez why don't you just play skyrim or better yet cod, get out.

[@carsonmcneff2987]

Dude, a large percentage of people don't like it as much as the first and for me it gave me no reason to play again. .

[@TheValinov]

Rain Maker damn u are talking shit^^ 30 people? on some days there are more guys streaming and watching ds 1 then 2. and this after 3-4 month? if there wouldn't be dlcs (what will never happen, they said) this game would be over and nobody would talk about it anymore! hack invested mess? ds2 is 1000% worser in pvp! i mean fromsoft nerf and buff like if they dice it, there is no brain behind it! heavy laggs are still not fixed and sm is the worst shit ever! hackers you still have :) why do you list cod? ds2 is much more like cod then ds 1 or des. a game that come out, everyone bought ( i remember how people loved the graphics thar werent in tha game later) and after 4 months nobody cares about that lame shit because it was just to made quick money. i dont say this game is total shit but there is no desire for replay.

[@claytonc6417]

I hope I'm not the only one who fought the gank squad claiming to be a boss and immediately felt like it was unfair, uninspired, and just flat out lazy. And then went back in with 2 phantoms and completely trivialized whatever difficulty that "boss" had. I wish From would put more effort into their bosses, instead of just making 3 npcs, give them different weapons and armor, and then super charge their stats.

[@knob2974]

Rain Maker All the hacking scrubs have left for DKS2 for the most part.

[@Nechrome9]

5:30 Damn, you must have loved the Erdtree!

[@nyansugoi]

"...supposed to be fought in co-op". Disagreed. Just because co-op makes it easier doesn't make it okay. It's a lazy boss fight design. The bosses themselves are lackluster and the fight itself is yet another "oh look, multiple mobs. time to roll, roll, poke, for an hour". A good coop boss fight involves weak spots that are hard to hit when you have agro or large sweeping attacks that keep everyone in the fight on their toes. Not this noise.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

The boss fights with minions trolling you was absolutely the worst part of Dark Souls 2 for me. It took attention from the actual boss itself and was more annoying than actually challenging. Freja could have been a truly great fight witha Quaelaag type feel but instead they infest the room with those stupid spiders. It just felt cheap. When I beat Dark Souls 2 I didn't get near the feeling of satisfaction as I did when I finished Dark Souls 1. I felt like the highlight of the game was the Giant Memories and I would like to have DLC based on that honestly.

[@knob2974]

DuckTalesWooHoo1987 I just want Pricilla and her fluffy tail. :3 I miss it so much!

[@iuhiuhiuhi]

DuckTalesWooHoo1987 Cheap? Only if you use something like a poking stick, Most other things have moves that hit all around you, making the Spiders pointless. Heck, You can simply get The NPC Phantom, and you aren't going to see the Spiders for the whole match.

[@jacksinister2469]

I loved the final boss in this DLC it took so long (best part i beat it on my first try) and it was really hard to fight that by the end of it my weapon was broken! I now have high hopes for the next up coming DLC's. Keep it up FromSoft! And great Video VaatiVidya!

[@IlIIIlllllIIIIIIllll]

Why can´t I buy it on Xbox Live??? Please help >.

[@LirakVI]

it's not out yet

[@andrewbutler5642]

I can't get it either :( how long until it's released

[@IlIIIlllllIIIIIIllll]

Then when will it be out? It´s been the 22 for about 10 hours where I live... :0

[@IlIIIlllllIIIIIIllll]

Okay, well thats good news thank you :3

[@LirakVI]

IlIIIlllllIIIIIIllll :3

[@DeusRevelations]

Ouch those fall deaths at the end. I do like the sound of a maze within a maze. Might have to draw my own map

[@SomeAssh0le]

"two of the bosses were really good" Fucking what? A nashandra reskin who summons a velstadt, and a kalameet reskin all the way down to the part where you first see him as you cross a bridge and he surprises you? They were just as lazy as the three musketeers.

[@JackNewbie555]

I'm sorry, she can summon Velstadt?!

[@SomeAssh0le]

JackNewbie555 Pretty much, yeah. At certain points she summons either a horde of skeletons or the big man with the big golden... bell, himself.

[@JackNewbie555]

Oh God no. Please tell me he don't get his own health bar. And please don't tell me he got his dark orb attack and you need to kill him if you want to win the boss fight was well.

[@SomeAssh0le]

He doesn't get his own boss health bar, just a normal health bar above his head, but aside from that he has the dark orb attack and everything.

[@eppie899]

I am really not surprised that another piece of manus looks like nashandra. Also, summoning velstadt could explain why his soul is dark. Maybe nashandra created him to spy on vendrick. You're just looking at the textures when the boss mechanics and lore are more than enough.

[@kon3z]

Watching this just pumps me more for the DLC! Cannot wait to jump in and conquer this new stage

[@necrofessor666]

"having a Patreon page can mean the difference on one great video a week or three" Or none. vaati just made a page to earn money from youtube without having to make any videos, and when he does it's always a generic "top ten things you didn't know about [blank]" or an easy pay "review". lets see what the next vid is about, will it be prepare to cry no.100 or another terrible soul song.

[@XxBoomxHeadshotxX]

This so fucking much. Vaati is cancer on souks community, like half the souls uploaders mock Vaati cause he's a fucking sell out fuck.

[@joaovictordioud7242]

I finished it a week ago and ot was awesome, man i wish have got theese dlcs sooner

[@Ainastrasza]

I hated this DLC to be honest. So many god awful bullshit design choices. The other two are godlike compared to this crap.

[@dinho434]

Amazing video! It looks like the level design is waaay better than before. I'm looking forward to playing these new areas

[@iluvatarchem]

I'm still waiting for all this blind fanboyism to stop . DS2 is an ugly shadow of the original in all aspects. People that refuse to mention this simple fact will just give the developers the right to make DS3 with the same mindset. It is a pity for the DS series

[@raccoononymous]

As far as I'm concerned, there is no DS2, just a Dark Souls (failed) clone. I'm still a fan of Hidetaka Miyazaki, though, so I can't wait for Bloodborne. That's the true spiritual sequel as far as I'm concerned, and I'm looking forward to that way more than Namco-Bandai's shitty cash-ins.

[@OhNoTheFace]

***** THERE is the blind fanboyism :o

[@raccoononymous]

CamTheKitty All blind fanboys are hopeful for content creators that have impressed them in the past while having a critical eye on properties they once enjoyed. It's our curse and our burden.

[@OhNoTheFace]

***** No, but blind fanboys do completely ignore games that are by no means completely terrible just because they didn't like some decisions

[@chewface]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I honestly don't get all the Dark Souls 2 hate. I thought it dramatically improved upon all the mechanics of the previous games. Swinging weapons, dodging, blocking...everything feels more grounded in reality, with a weight behind everything. And the online servers seem to run 1000 times better, which make pvp and co-op more fair. There aren't nearly as many teleporting players (due to lag or whatever was to blame) and the ATROCIOUS backstab mechanic from the previous games has been removed.

[@InsomniaKnights]

Can't wait for Vaatis thoughts on the new Vendrick memories! :D

[@Novasaol]

Hey vaati and everyone else, I decided to mess with the pigs in Majula to see if there was anything like in bright stone, if there any mushrooms for them to unearth for a secret weapon, and decided to take him up to the tower near crestfallen saulden, and around back to see if there was anything special, and decided to read the plaque, and it now reads "seek the land of an ancient king, in the Black Gulch, deep below", so check there every time something new comes out!

[@Bootychiks12345]

*SPOILERS* This DLC was actually really good. Best level design out of any area in the game thus far. Why couldn't the whole game have design like this? It was beyond satisfying with the puzzle switches and the way the level wraps around themselves. Really gave the area that connected feeling the Lordran had. Made me feel like I was exploring a foreign land again, much like DkS1 did. Hopefully the other DLCs follow suit with this design. I also enjoyed 1.5/3 of the boss battles. The three dungeon crawlers were a nice concept, and I would like to see more bosses that are on the same level as you, and meaning that they are the same size as your character and not towering over you, but the fact that they put three in one room and had the A.I. of regular NPC invaders felt like a gank fest more than a boss battle. Would've been more interesting if they had some added abilities or different move sets. Elana, was just like Nashandra but actually threatening and with summons.But having two Veldstadts running around in one room isn't fun, especially while getting bombarded with dark magic the whole time. Sinh, however, was fantastic. They nailed it on this one. Felt like fighting a real dragon, with it flying around the arena and swooping in from above. I also like that it was a poison dragon, leaving fogs of poison around the arena, very cool. The only thing that could've been better was the look of it, kind of just looked like a re-skin of Kalameet. Enemies were a bit lacking. The Sanctums knights were a little too generic for my taste. The new Bulb-Beetles were interesting, and the transparent enemies are by far the most interesting enemies in the game. From did a good job on that. Haven't tried out much of the new items and consumables, so I can't say much on that. It'd be cool to see the scaling on Flynn's Ring though. Also, Jester Thomas. Did he "Welcome" gesture anyone else when he appeared? Cuz he did it to me twice. Definitely worth the $10 imo.

[@deathdoom8]

the gank squad boss was more of a troll in PvP then anything

[@zionthedragon8866]

Then one think I will argue you on is sinh's design. I think it was nice, it game a feel of a rusted statue, and plus, if anything, isn't it good that the dragons looks atleast somewhat consistent to their lore counter parts? I think sinh was PERFECT.

[@Youngimperialist]

Thanks for these first impressions I've been waiting a true and smart fan such as yourself to voice their impressions to help me make an informed decision on weather to buy the DLC or not,it has been a help.

[@FierceFireRage]

Nice video vaati Hoping on getting the DLC soon!

[@zenithquasar9623]

Sin was one of the best bosses ever and loved the level design of this DLC!!!

[@pillagius]

Yeah, I'm totaly agree with you. 4:17 - i might know what bossfight you're talk about and in the defence of it - it's fully action packed. You can't just block/tank as most of the bossfight and you have to constantly move otherwice you'll be overruned and beaten up also it puts to use your PvP and "anti-gank" skills wich is preety cool too.

[@HeWhoEnjoysTehVids]

man, I can't wait to take my spellsword to this place. It's gonna be the first time my best buddy is going to play an area of DkS2 before me, so I'm super excited to see his reactions when I play. Also super proud of the devs for returning to that DeS/DkS level design. I loved DkS2 for the combat mechanics and improvements, but missed those areas with tons of atmosphere and personality.

[@supa9870]

I loved the gank boss fight because that challenge area was actually challenging, and a LOT

[@utubeleplague]

Amazing review Vaati. Now I have a reason to comeback, since this is more close to the first than the second DS.

[@jacksonbriggs1005]

Took me 5 hours to complete the DLC, and it was great fun. Actually, I had the exact same opposite opinion of the bosses. The Co-op boss you mentioned was my favorite of the bunch, in fact I'm more interested about them than anything else in the DLC. I know for a fact that I missed items so I look forward to running it through again from the starting bonfire. Looking forward to your DLC videos that contain spoilers so we can speculate further!

[@Hexflame]

Text on the back of the Majula death monument changed to this "Seek the land of an ancient king, in the Black Gulch, deep below" rather than it being worn beyond recognition.

[@TehCookieSpartan]

Now I understand all the messages around the door saying "Moneybags required ahead."

[@SuperSledgePsycho]

I was skeptical about purchasing this due to being burnt out from playing the main game, but I am beyond happy that I grabbed it. The level design is amazing, and you're right Vaati, I felt lost adventuring through this place, and it really added to that feeling of being alone in my opinion.

[@Kamikampi]

One thing I think you missed in the first impression is how the lore possibilities look. Would be a nice addition to the next 2 first impressions :)

[@SteakfulDead]

the co op boss, not wanting to spoil anything, but man i loved that fight. summoning people and having a gang battle was awesome.

[@qosaikadadha8261]

After I watch one of your videos for dark souls 2 it makes me look at that part of the game completely differently. You look at dark souls 2 totally different than everyone I know. They all think dark souls 2 is about the difficulty but you show that it is more than that. Love your videos for that. Keep making more of these

[@deathfromabove1111]

i feel like Artorias of the abyss was perhaps one of the best DLCs ive ever played.. fleshed out some really lore friendly characters and Artorias is probably one of my favorite characters of any media outlet ever now. he was so badass and his story was great. i sincerely hope fromsoftware can meet that though.

[@jackrodriques1]

Oh and vaati could you make a lore video on the sunken night and his kingdom when more info comes out? I know that won't be for awhile and I kind of feel bad asking this. But thank you so much for the all the fucking amazing videos!

[@Chyguy]

You know this area alone is the reason the Bracing Knuckle Ring is useful. Ya know and just about everywhere else. Boy am i glad I use it.

[@chillay10]

It took me 2 hours and a half to get through this and I did not really hurry up. The puzzles where pretty straight forward once you get the idea of the switches. I like the level design and the enemies. I think this DLC is worth it, simply because it's something that is new and that gives you a strong feeling of insecurity (at least if you dont go full havel tank with 99 vigor), just walking in a place you know nothing about is pretty stressful. I will say one thing though, I was disappointed that the majula chest was not a mimic xD

[@headhunter350]

now it is time to wait for the lore perspective of the area! aaah can't wait till you make ds2 lore playlist as much as ds1:)

[@kevinleet111]

"To be lost is to be immersed" great quote vaati

[@yungmythologist]

That "Using the bow to move the spinning hole to lift yourself up" at around 1:50ish? Imagine the glee I felt when I did that with a soul arrow to figure it out. In fact, all of the switches in the game that can be activated with a bow, upon further inspection, can be done with soul arrows. From the glowing pillars in Shulva and the switches on the ground to the bell in no man's wharf. And that's a pretty neat thing. Because honestly who the fuck uses bows

[@SlayerOfGames1]

vaati, i'll give you a cool hint. if you go back to vendricks boss area(were you get the kigns seal) go by were you pick it up and interact with it (this may require the ashen mist heart.

[@Iluhvahtar]

Did you notice that the monument with the number of deaths has something else written behind it now? It says: "Seek the land of an ancient king, in the Black Gulch, deep below."

[@DryRoastedLemon]

I just finished the DLC a couple of hours ago. I think it was absolutely amazing, and I really, really enjoyed myself. Also, don't forget: visit Vendrick's corpse after you're done.

[@ChAkEnEx]

I liked the Mayan theme, and the fact that you fight i believe is a representation of Kukulcan and Mictlantecihuatl.

[@MrPhilsterable]

I loved this DLC. I actually had to work for my bonfires, which I oh so missed. They still weren't quite as spaced apart as Dark Souls, but were a HUGE improvement over the vanilla game. And the old-fashioned Dark Souls shortcuts...when I opened the first one I was all, "Shortcut! Yay!" However, sadly the ability to teleport between every bonfire really downplays the usefulness of shortcuts, a change that really wasn't smart in my opinion (even in Dark Souls once you got the Lordvessel you only could warp to a few major bonfires). And then there was the Anor Londo feeling, where you can see the entire level before you, and the stuff you see in the distance, yeah you get to go there, it's not just a background. The enemies were a bit disappointing, but the bosses were decent (not hard, but at least fun). Really, it was a great improvement over the core game and really makes me sad at the missed potential for the main game.

[@micfrog]

One complaint about an entire DLC package? Well... That's definitely unbiased coverage.

[@EdellK]

Loved it. That first DLC was way better than the main campaign. The map itself is a throwback to what was good about DS1 : non linear progression, and lots of satisfying shortcuts waiting to be unlocked after a long road full of dangers. For once, the map made sense, no more teleporting accross the continent after using an elevator... Also, as Vaati said, each of the new monsters have their uniqueness and they were quite enjoyable to fight against. The boss fights were also quite nice and unique, and like the rest of the DLC : they were fair and logical.

[@trevorheath2657]

Awesome DLC, I parried all three of the enemies in the optional boss, and did it solo. Amazing design, the room had a great setup to where you could desperate all three of them.

[@Enerki]

I loved the DLC. It took me around 5 hours or so, with lots of secrets other players showed me and that I then showed to others, just the usual greatness of DS. First you feel totally weak and after a while you just go through it like a boss. There's no other game that's giving me that feeling.