Dark Souls 2
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Dark Souls 2 DLC still locked for EU PS3 season pass holders [update]
Update: Perhaps we're a lucky charm. Shortly after this post went live, users on the game's Facebook page began reporting the DLC issues are now resolved, and PS3 pass holders in Europe can download the content for free. Bandai Namco's yet to confirm that officially. Original Story: European PS3 season pass holders for Dark Souls 2 are currently unable to unlock content they've already paid for, despite it being available for everyone else. The second of a trilogy of DLC, Crown of the Old Iron King, launched this week with no hitches on PC and Xbox 360, but for EU owners of the PS3 pass it shows up as requiring purchase. This may seem like another of the game's nefarious lateral challenges, but the only solution at present is to buy the DLC, which is a pretty terrible solution since you've already ponied up the cash. Bandai Namco apologized for the error and warned PS3 pass holders to not purchase the content while it tries to fix the problem.
Next Dark Souls 2 DLC sits on the iron throne, out now
Man, crowns must be easy to lose. Today marks the release of the second bit of Dark Souls 2 DLC, entitled "Crown of the Iron King." After searching for the Crown of the Sunken King in the first portion of Dark Souls 2, Crown of the Iron King promises "an entirely different environment to conquer," one filled with the hottest of video game staples, molten lava. Let's hope this Iron King person didn't drop his crown in there. You can snag Crown of the Iron King on PSN, Xbox Live and Steam for $10. Alternatively, you can pick up the season pass, which grants access to all three pieces of Dark Souls 2 for $24.99. The final chapter of Dark Souls 2's DLC, "Crown of the Ivory King," launches on September 24. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Joystiq Weekly: Battlefield delay, Dark Souls 2 DLC review, Dragon Age preview and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. This week hosted a smattering of high-profile release date changes. You thought you'd be playing Dragon Age: Inquisition in October? Nope! Figured you'd prowl through Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor on that same day? Wrooong. What about upholding the law in Battlefield: Hardline sometime in October? Sorry, criminals will go unchecked until next year. We suppose we'll persevere through the frightening uncertainty that is this dose of video game release dates, but we're not sure our frail hearts can handle any more excitement in this crazy life. Actually, we're fairly certain that frailty would combust into a five-story blaze if Destiny or Super Smash Bros. slip out of 2014. There was plenty more to this week than release-date musical chairs, though! There's details on how to get The Last Of Us: Remastered for cheap, when we can next expect Sonic Boom to break our hearts go fast, a review for Dark Souls 2's first bout of DLC, a video preview for DA: Inquisition and much more, all waiting for you after the break!
Dark Souls 2 'Crown of the Sunken King' review: Lost and crowned
After losing days to just navigating Lordran, I understood the switch to more linear pathways in Dark Souls 2. Still, I missed getting truly lost in the first game's open world. It was a labyrinthine mess that coiled in on itself in the most confusing ways, and it added another layer to an already oppressive game. The world itself was against you in Dark Souls, and it magnified those feelings of dread, challenge and, eventually, satisfaction. It's great to see Crown of the Sunken King, the first Dark Souls 2 DLC expansion, is closer to the first game's mazey madness, albeit in a more conscise form. Its rocky inclines and crumbling chambers don't so much twist and turn as gently lead you astray, and the interconnections are more foreshadowed. It makes sense for the DLC's scope; it takes five hours to find and defeat the final boss, and that's even if you lose your way a few times. All the same, in its stone-cold heart of hearts, Sunken King is just more Dark Souls 2, albeit inevitably tougher. There are a few new enemies - some total bastards - while others are more reworked and re-skinned, but generally the higher difficulty comes from placement and numbers.
Dark Souls 2 Crown of the Sunken King DLC floats new imagery
Publisher Bandai Namco has issued a deluge of new screens from the first chapter of From Software's planned Dark Souls 2 DLC trilogy, officially dubbed "Crown of the Sunken King." Though producer Takeshi Miyazoe originally claimed From had no plans for Dark Souls 2 downloadable additions, the developer changed course following the game's success at retail. When Crown of the Sunken King debuts on July 22, it will reportedly transport players to a wholly new realm "where stepped pyramids span a vast underground cavern." Each chapter of the DLC trilogy will be priced at $10 on release. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Going deeper underground with Dark Souls 2 DLC
If the opening half-hour is any indication, the Lost Crowns DLC takes what you learned in Dark Souls 2 and throws it back at you with a slight curveball spin. I'm loathe to spoil much - half the fun of a Souls game is discovering it for yourself - so I'll keep things brief. The E3 demo started me in Shulva, an underground, barren burgh seemingly just a bridge-suspended-over-an-abyss away from the dwarven mines of Moria. I had little time to appreciate the architecture because within seconds of descending the first rocky staircase I'd woken up a slumbering skeletal knight. He as a sole enemy wasn't tough to outflank and backstab. Of course, it's never that simple with Dark Souls 2.
Joystiq Weekly: GOG's Galaxy, Murdered: Soul Suspect review, Homefront's combat and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. E3 doesn't technically start until June 10, but with all of this week's announcements and E3 trailers, you wouldn't really know it. Forza Horizon 2 will let you drive recklessly later this year, Homefront is due for a return in Homefront: The Revolution, and the thinly-veiled Mortal Kombat X tease is finally over. And that's just the early stuff - we're about to get trampled with news and hands-on demonstrations as the convention itself kicks off next week. Don't worry though, we'll survive by channeling Simba's light-footed evasive maneuvers. Just ... y'know, without the tragic loss immediately preceding our exercise. You don't have to stick around and watch us warm up though - this week's highlights are waiting for you after the break. There are release dates for The Witcher 3 and Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved, reviews for 1,001 Spikes and Tomodachi Life, and an exploration of combat in Homefront: The Revolution. It's all awaiting you neat and orderly-like after the jump!
Dark Souls 2 kills you again with 'The Lost Crowns' DLC
The story of Dark Souls 2's 'The Lost Crowns' DLC couldn't be more suited to the franchise. Developer From Software started off by saying there wouldn't be any DLC, giving players a nice sense of security. Then, the studio backpedaled, hinting that DLC could happen, depending on fan feedback. And now, the DLC has jumped from the shadows to crush players not once, but three times in what Namco is calling a "DLC trilogy" slated for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. All told, players will be able to download three new chapters by the end of the summer and, yes, Namco is selling a season pass – starting today on Steam (and on PSN in Europe). The Lost Crowns will see players "on a journey to reclaim the crowns that Drangleic's King Vendrick once owned." The first chapter, "Crown of the Sunken King," drops on July 22, taking place in "an entirely different world within the Dark Souls 2 universe, where stepped pyramids span a vast underground cavern." Crown of the Sunken King will be followed by "Crown of the Old Iron King" on August 26 and "Crown of the Ivory King" on September 24. Separately, each chapter will run $10, while the $25 season pass will grant access to all three chapters as they are released. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Behold the ultimate Dark Souls 2 troll
There's nothing worse than someone invading your Dark Souls 2 session and murdering you. At least, that's what we thought before seeing this guy troll his would-be assassins. All it takes is an enemy's equipment and a lot of patience. Watch for yourself. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Demon's, Dark Souls director takes over as From Software president
From Software employees are pledging their souls to Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of the first two Souls games and now the studio's new president. Miyazaki, who only acted as a supervisor on Dark Souls 2, takes over from industry veteran Naotoshi Zin who in turn is taking on a new advisory role. While the exact reasoning for the reshuffle is unclear, it's probably tied to From Software's acquisition by Kadokawa Corporation last month, especially since the transfer was formally concluded today. Kadokawa's known in Japan for its extensive manga library but in recent years it's dipped further into the gaming market, publishing Suda51's Killer is Dead and Lollipop Chainsaw and developing games like Natural Doctrine and Demon Gaze. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 ships 1.2 million to West in first three weeks
Death factory Dark Souls 2 shipped out 1.2 million copies to North America and Europe in its three weeks at retail. From Software's action-RPG launched in early March, just ahead of Bandai Namco's fiscal year-end, so the shipping figures published today are as of March 31, 2014. That means they don't include last month's PC release, nor do they include sales in Japan because From self-published the game over there. With all that in mind, the third Souls game is showing good progress compared to its direct predecessor; Dark Souls took around a month to ship 1.5 million units worldwide. Around this time last year, From revealed total Dark Souls sales had risen to just under 2.4 million. Looking at Bandai's Namco's end-year report, Dark Souls 2 was Bandai Namco's strongest software performer across the 12 months, although Vita and PSP entry God Eater 2 proved a strong hit in Japan with 700,000 units shipped. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z shifted 620,000 units worldwide, while JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle hit 500,000 units ahead of its Western arrival last month. Bandai Namco's retail and arcade games contributed 155.5 billion yen to net sales, which converts to around $1.5 billion, and the company expects to hit similar numbers this fiscal year. Overall, Bandai Namco posted a net profit of 25 billion yen ($246 million), although that is down 22.6 percent year-on-year. However, the company expects that figure to rise by 11.8 percent for the coming fiscal year. [Image: Bandai Namco]
From Software acquired by Japanese publisher Kadokawa Corporation
Dark Souls and Armored Core developer From Software is to become a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, after the Japanese publisher announced its acquisition of the studio. According to a report by GameBiz.jp, Kadokawa will conclude the transfer of 80 percent of the company's shares from former shareholder Transcosmos on May 21. Kadokawa Corp. is best known in Japan for publishing manga for the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion and Mobile Suit Gundam. However, its Kadokawa Games subsidiary, formed in 2009, is a growing force in the Japanese gaming market. The studio published Suda51 titles Killer is Dead and Lollipop Chainsaw in Japan, and it also has a hand in development, most recently with RPGs Demon Gaze and Natural Doctrine. In a press release (translated by CVG), Kadokawa Corporation said, "We are planning to expand our position in this business with both Kadokawa Games and From Software. We have planned a series of discussions aimed at cooperation: expanding and developing both companies while taking advantage of their areas of expertise." As Gematsu notes, the publisher expects From Software and Kadokawa Games to benefit from the move, with the studios sharing expertise and resources to bolster development. It's too early to tell what the full implications of the acquisition will be for From Software, and for its headline series of Souls games. This time last year, the studio announced more than 2.3 million sales of Dark Souls, and it'll no doubt hope to better that number with the recent release of Dark Souls 2. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 now killing adventurers on PC
PC gamers jealous of their console contemporaries who've spent the past month dying over and over again in the gloomy labyrinths of Dark Souls 2 now have a chance to plumb the depths themselves. As Xav mentioned a few weeks back, the PC version of Dark Souls 2 "looks to be the best looking and performing version of the game." However, those who'd like the game to look even better may want to download the newly-released "GeDoSaTo" mod, which, in simple terms, adds customizable lighting effects and allows the game to run at extremely high resolutions. Obviously these tweaks will make Dark Souls 2 a bit more taxing on your gaming rig, but if you've got the necessary hardware, the end results are certainly more attractive than the base incarnation of the PC game. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some players are reporting issues with the PC incarnation of Dark Souls 2. So far these glitches don't seem to be widespread, but if you pick up the game and find that it refuses to function properly, you should take a look at Steam's support page. From crashes to missing pre-order content, that site should cover all the problems you'll potentially encounter. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 PC trailer collects cutscenes, foreshadows your demise
A better looking and performing version of Dark Souls 2 arrives for PC users on April 25. The latest trailer collects moments from the game's cutscenes, giving you a taste of all the areas you'll likely die in.
UK boxed copies of Dark Souls 2 PC delayed by a week
Bandai Namco UK revealed it's pushed back the PC disc version of Dark Souls 2 to May 2, but the action-RPG will remain available to download in the territory starting April 25. In a statement provided to Joystiq, the publisher made it clear the delay only affects physical copies in the UK - don't worry, PC players elsewhere, you'll get to praise all the suns you want next week. "It will be delayed unfortunately and we apologize to UK customers," a Bandai Namco rep told Joystiq. "This is due to a manufacturing issue with packaging. To confirm, this will only affect the UK boxed launch." [Image: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 players aren't dog people, 110 million 'stray hound' kills
The "Stray Hound" is the foe Dark Souls 2 players are murdering the most, as revealed by the new Enemy page on the game's Beyond the Bonfire stats site. Between them, Xbox 360 and PS3 players have to date felled just over 110 million of the vicious canines, while the various varieties of hollow and royal soldiers also rank highly on the Most Dead-ed list. If the soldiers were grouped together they'd no doubt place higher, but they're differentiated by the weapons they're wielding. The question is, who's died more: Stray Hounds or Dark Souls 2 players? It's not even a contest. Players deaths are now past the 248 million mark, just over a month after From's devilish action-RPG hit PS3 and Xbox 360. With the PC port due to arrive on April 25, the billion milestone for combined deaths can't be far away. So, who are the real stray hounds in Dark Souls 2: the dogs or the players, hmmmmmm? Well, it's the dogs. 'Cos they're dogs.
Joystiq Weekly: PAX East, The Last Of Us: Remastered, Super Smash Bros. and more
This week's reveal of Charizard in Super Smash Bros.' roster is a bit of a blow to our argument that Squirtle is the best starter from Pokemon Red/Blue. Yes, both pocket monsters were in the Pokemon Trainer's arsenal in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but Charizard flying solo is a whole different level of awesome, one that's left us Squirtle enthusiasts drowning in envy. Playground rivalries aside, there's a lot more going on this week beyond Pokefeuds. Sony admitted that The Last Of Us is coming to the PS4, Borderlands fans are finally going to be able to play as Claptrap in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and we've got a faint glimmer of hope for the Xbox One to eventually be backwards compatible. This is also the weekend of PAX East, which you can treat as a source of news or, if you're attending, a giant game of "Where's Waldo?" Track down Joystiq's away team and say hi! Provided you can catch them between appointments, panels and the lone meal of their day, that is.
Joystiq Streams Special: Things to do in Dark Souls 2 PC when you're dead [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
If you're one of the intrepid souls who waited a few weeks to play Dark Souls 2 on PC, it appears you made the right call. As Joystiq's Xav de Matos discovered, the PC version of From Software's bruiser of a sequel is the best, markedly prettier than its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterparts resulting in a more lush world. At least, as lush as a dying world overrun by monsters and wandering specters can be. Joystiq Streams sets out into Dark Souls 2 PC for a special stream at 4PM EST today on the Joystiq Twitch channel. See for yourself what Dark Souls 2's major improvements are on a strong gaming PC. Additionally, find out how many different terrifying ways Xav de Matos can be offed by monsters. Anthony John Agnello will be hanging out in the chat, feeding your questions to Xav as we play. Joystiq Streams regularly broadcasts at 4PM EST every Tuesday and Thursday. [Images: Bandai Namco]
Dark Souls 2 PC: Dying often and leaving a prettier corpse
From Software's efforts to bring Dark Souls to PC in 2012 should have been met with excitement: A version of the cult hit for the "PC master race"? Praise the sun! Unfortunately, a combination of From Software's inexperience working on the platform and the game's last minute jump to PC led to an ugly port, which was devoid of even the simplest graphical customization options. It was a barebones port, which is all that Namco Bandai originally promised. For Dark Souls 2, Namco Bandai promised "increased texture resolution and an enhanced frame rate option." The details are included in the PC version, I learned after spending some time with the port this weekend. The video options don't dive as deep as PC gamers often desire, but the upcoming version of the game does offer increased stability. While textures look sharper, however, Dark Souls 2 for PC isn't a colossal graphical leap ahead of the console versions already available.
Titanfall helps the Xbox One almost double weekly sales in the UK
The Xbox One saw UK week-on-week sales jump by 96 percent alongside the arrival of Titanfall, with the game's bundle accounting for 70 percent of the hardware shifted. It's no surprise, then, that EA's multiplayer shooter went top of the country's sales charts, despite a valiant effort from Dark Souls 2. Namco brought Demon's Souls to Europe almost a year after Atlus released it North America, and it debuted sixth in the UK charts back in June 2010. A year later, Dark Souls landed in third, and its sequel went one better with a 20 percent rise in UK sales over its predecessor. Not a bad performance for the action-RPG series, especially since at one stage it looked uncertain to even reach Europe. Looking down the UK charts, a month that's been packed with new releases meant there wasn't enough space in the top ten for Yoshi's New Island. The 3DS game placed 12th. [Image: EA]
