The Dark Souls 2 Mass Psychosis

Summary

The video argues that Dark Souls 2 has received an unusually harsh and often exaggerated reputation. The speaker says many criticisms come from players expecting to rush through areas, fight only with melee, and reach bosses quickly—then blaming the game when its encounters demand a slower, more adaptable approach.

Gameplay and Strategies

• Take areas methodically. Rushing through and drawing the attention of many enemies at once can create the “gank” situations players complain about. Fight carefully and manage enemy aggro instead.
• Use the tools available. The speaker compares refusing ranged options in Dark Souls 2 to refusing to use a bow in Breath of the Wild. Players can choose a melee-only style, but the difficulty of that choice is not necessarily a design flaw.
• Adapt to encounters. In Shrine of Amana, pace your advance to separate the spearmen.
• Frozen Outskirts: The speaker found the route to Lud and Zallen long and tedious, but manageable by following the right wall.
• Black Gulch: Though still considered a weak area, it can be crossed quickly. The Gutter, by contrast, is praised for its dark navigation, precarious platforms, torch-lighting, and sense of progress.

Criticisms and Counterarguments

The speaker acknowledges that Dark Souls 2 has flaws, including ADP as an unfriendly stat for new players and areas such as Black Gulch and Frozen Outskirts.

The game’s bosses are described as uneven, with many forgettable fights and the strongest highlights mainly in the DLC. The speaker says the locations—not the bosses—are the main reason they enjoy the game.

The video examines a popular hitbox example in slow motion. The speaker argues that the attacks shown do make contact, even if the animations look odd. They acknowledge that Dark Souls 2 has some unusual hitboxes, but say this is not unique to the game.

The video also criticizes vague or exaggerated claims that the game is simply “bad,” arguing that personal preferences—such as favoring boss-focused games—are often presented as objective judgments.

The speaker’s position is that Dark Souls 2 is not perfect, but deserves respect as a worthy successor to the original. They personally prefer the first Dark Souls, while ending with the quip that Sekiro is better than all of them.

Featured Channel and Credited Sources

• Channel: Raime
• Credited video sources: DS2 Full Game; Pursuer Hitbox; DS2 Hitboxes; “DS2 bad”; “Contrarian”; “Lying”
• Credited music: “Dummy!” (Undertale); “Catswing,” “Arc,” “Hip Shop,” and “Acid Tunnel of Love” (Deltarune); “Professor E. Gadd’s Lab” (Luigi’s Mansion)