The original Dark Souls debuted in 2011 and is widely known for its difficulty. This time around the developers made the game even harder. Welcome to the crazy world of Dark Souls 2.

Dark Souls 2 takes place in the same universe as its predecessor but isn’t really a direct sequel. The areas, bosses, weapons, etc., are all new, and there are no plot points from the first carried over to the second, which is a nice touch for gamers who don’t enjoy the first installment.

One similarity between the two, Dark Souls 2 is just as difficult. Like most RPG’s, there is no chosen difficulty level, just a pretty basic leveling system for stats based on what class you play as. You collect souls from the monsters and creatures you have killed, and use them to level up or buy new equipment.

What makes the game extremely painful is the difficulty of amassing enough souls to level up because you lose your souls every time you die and dying in rage inducing fashions is one of the main key elements of the game. Dark Souls 2 really wouldn’t be Dark Souls if it didn’t make its players want to break their controller.

All in all though, the game is actually a very indulging and gratifying experience, even more so than the first installment. The increased difficulty makes the reward of beating a boss or finally making it through a level even more enjoyable. The gameplay never has a dull moment, and the controls are extremely easy to master. There is barely any substance to the plot, yet the game feels balanced and is downright addicting. The game is extremely long, and will take upwards of 100 hours of time to complete fully.

Genuinely good games like Dark Souls 2 are hard to come by these days. If a player is willing to go through all the death screens and rage, then it will be worth picking up a copy.