Much fan controversy surrounds the upcoming Dark Souls II DLC, and Fextralife was at E3 2014 to play test and experience it, so the community can get first hand impressions.  Our first step was to sit down with From Software, who had kindly arranged for a translator present, to ask them some of the more pressing community questions. (Thanks to Brian for setting this up!)

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• FL: From had announced no DLC and then stated there would be.  What happened with the DLC? 

 

FROM: Although Dark Souls 2 is a complete experience for the player,  we wanted to give players more ways to play Dark Souls 2 and have new experiences.  The DLC is separate from the rest of the game and has its own way of playing and it’s own challenges and discoveries, as well as objectives.

 

• Why 3 DLCs instead of 1 DLC?

 

FROM: Each DLC is unique and shares its own story.  They all have different environments to explore and secrets to unlock.  We felt that since they were so drastically different we needed 3 DLCs instead of 1.

 

• Why DLC so soon after launch?

 

FROM: We felt that the timing was right for the DLC and we wanted to give our fans more Dark Souls 2 to play and more world to get lost in and discover.

 

• Will there be new armor, weapons and spells in the DLC similar to what we saw with AotA?

 

FROM: Yes there will.  Players will find all new armor, brand new weapons and some new spells to play around with.  Because of the large number of items and spells added to the game,  the DLC will be launching with a large patch to rebalance the game, incorporating these new variables into the equation.

 

• How will players access the DLC?  Will it be similar to how AotA was done?

 

FROM: It will be similar to Artorias of the Abyss in that players will have to find hidden areas around the world in order to gain access.  There will be 3 distinct locations for each episode, however players will be able to summon others who do not have the DLC into their game inside their world’s DLC.

 

• How long will it take for a player to complete each DLC?

 

FROM: If a player just goes through the area to clear it as quickly as possible, each DLC will take about 3 hours.  If the player decides to explore everything inside the new zone it will take about 7 hours.

• Will there be more Dark Souls II DLC besides the Lost Crowns Trilogy?

 

FROM: No, there won’t.

Following the interview, I spent good quality time actually playing the Crown of the Sunken King DLC. I started from a bonfire in cavernous area that reminded of the Mines of Moria. I was promptly greeted by some black armored enemies, which had to be dispatched before I could traverse narrow paths with lots of “gravity traps” (gravity OP needs nerf) and find myself surrounded by a typical Dark Souls ambush. Moving along, there were rooms infested with bugs contrasting the dark blue effects that illuminate the caves, and treacherous jumps to reach items.

Without spoiling much further, I can say that the DLC features brand new weapons, armor and spells as well as new enemies and settings for each player to discover and get lost in.  The gameplay is the same Dark Soul 2, placed in completely new areas and spiced by entirely new enemies.  I literally didn’t see one enemy I’d seen before, many of which were very unique,  whilst traversing the new underground landscape.  I do not know how the lore and progression of the DLC will be after all of them are out, but if you loved Dark Souls 2, you’ll like the DLC.

 

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Read more about the DKSII DLC

Visit the Dark Souls II Wiki DLC page