It's clear from Dark Souls 2's latest trailer that the fantasy RPG—on the surface at least—has much in common with the game that preceded it. But what can players expect when they dive into From Software's upcoming sequel? Dark Souls 2's game director Yui Tanimura addresses this question and more in a new E3 interview with Rev3games .
Even though the first Dark Souls received something less than the tender-loving care it deserved when it was belatedly ported to the PC from the console version, a PC edition of the sequel to the notoriously challenging original has been a goal for developers from the very beginning. And it hasn't lost any of its haunting and sometimes unyielding sense of difficulty, according to Tanimura.
"As players always want... obviously [Dark Souls 2 is] going to be just as, or even more challenging" said Tanimura through an interpreter. "Hopefully it will meet up to the expectations of the players. Again, that is to make sure everyone gets the fist-clenching reaction of overcoming the challenge."
Clenched fists indeed. In speaking about just what brings modern game players to these sorts of experiences, I think Tanimura touches on what's key to any game that asks a lot of someone, namely the response of the game to the effort that is invested in it. This is part of what accounts for the first Dark Souls' success, he said, and also that this experience can be shared with others.
"The sense of satisfaction when you overcome the difficulties and challenges in the game," Tanimura said. "The loose interaction with other players and the sharing of that satisfaction, the sharing of the difficulties, the challenges, and the suffering."
And his advice for players that are ready to accept the kind of suffering that awaits them?
"Be aware and be cautious. ...try not to give up. You're going to face a lot of death but don't let that hurt you. Keep trying, keep trying new things and keep challenging yourself. "
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