Best Reasons to Play Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin

Superior graphics, all downloadable content and more make this Dark Souls 2 a must have in April.

2014’s Dark Souls 2 both delighted and tortured us, as we perished multiple times while slowly trudging through the game’s dangerous world. Progress was slow but steady, thanks in part to this free walkthrough.

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Bandai Namco recently announced a new edition of the game, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin, which will make its way to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on April 7. This isn’t your routine port, since there are a number of features that make it superior to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. 

With that in mind, here’s why you should play Dark Souls 2 all over again. 

Enemies appear in different places 

In Scholar of the First Sin, enemy locations changed dramatically, so you may not know where they pop up. 

For example, if a group of skeleton soldiers originally appeared in one portion of the game, there are no guarantees they’ll still be there. In fact, you may run into them earlier, guaranteeing an instant death if you aren’t prepared.

In addition, items will move around, including new weapons and possibly even save points. This could wreak havoc on players familiar with the older version.

Every piece of downloadable content

Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin will include all the original downloadable content on the disc. Chances are you might have missed it the first time around when it was sold separately. 

The DLC is broken up into three sub-chapters, each with their own story to tell – the Crown of the Sunken King, the Crown of the Old Iron King and the Crown of the Ivory King. As you might guess, each one has its fair share of challenges to overcome, as well as bosses that have no problem pushing you into the grave. 

This, on top of the already staggering content from the main game, will add extra hours of replay value.

Tough multiplayer mode

Bandai Namco and the game’s developer, From Software, put a new wrinkle on multiplayer with Scholar of the First Sin, as up to six people can take part in the action, competing in four-on-two matches to the death. 

On top of that, fellow players aren’t the only ones you’ll have to worry about, as several non-playable characters will appear. This includes the Forlorn, a creature that’s capable of attacking you at any point during an online battle; a few hits and you’ll easily be done for. 

Obviously the single player content will remain a big focus for Dark Souls 2, but this multiplayer mode will appeal to players in search of smarter competition. 

The game looks incredible

The game will run at an astounding 60 frames per second and in full 1080p, meaning it’ll really pop when you’re taking on a large boss or exploring a dark new corner of the world.

This visual performance could also have a new effect on how you play. With a newfound sense of speed, you’ll find battles a bit more engaging, although you might have to change up some of your evasion and striking tactics. 

Although the environments and animations haven’t changed much, this newfound visual detail will no doubt make Dark Souls 2 look better and more horrifying than ever.

A new path to explore

Finally, you’ll be able to meet the Scholar mentioned in the game’s title over the course of your adventure, and he’ll guide you down a new path of danger. Bandai Namco hasn’t talked much about this part of the game, but we expect a stiff challenge. 

One thing’s for sure – we’re going to die an awful lot when the game makes its debut on newer platforms, as well as PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 next month.


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Prima Games Staff
The staff at Prima Games.