I still haven't finished the first. Haven't played it in months, in fact. I've reached the bit

and it's just getting ridiculously hard.

The article said polished. It ain't like Street Fighter 3: Third Strike but there's a strange quality about it that's more like fencing with an opponent rather than wading in, breaking their nose, snapping their leg and performing a QTE finisher. It's more about waiting for an opening, timing your strikes, keeping your guard up and perfect timing a parry like Street Fighter 3: Third Strike.

Elegant? You clearly didn't play as a tank

Exactly. It isn't exactly complex, but it's extremely intuitive, logical and elegant.

It's almost like comparing certain Japanese strategy games like Disgaea which rely on ridiculous rules with western games like UFO or X-COM where the tactical combat isn't as complex but makes much more sense.

I didn't find Disgaea all that nonsensical. Except in fun ways.

What i was trying to say is that is most western strategy games, like x-com or Total War, rules like "being uphill good, downhill bad" or "flanking good, being flanked bad" are usually present and are logical.

Is Disgaea for example, there's an incentive to grind and there's all those rules and coloured pyramids on the floor. And what about the absolutely bonkers character progression? or item levelling for that matter.

I like the game though, but i think its rules aren't really elegant or intuitive.

Are there any good deals on the pre-orders yet? I wouldn't mind some pointless tat for this.

I think one of GAMEs preorder things comes with a man.

I should really play Demon's Souls.

Your journey to get rid of the Curse begins...
Dark Souls II will be available on Playstation 3, Xbox 360 on March 14th and on PC version on April 25th

Dark Souls 2 Review by Famitsu Paints it Excellent

One more week now and many of you will be screaming at your screens because you bought the next installment of one of the toughest RPGs.

Dark Souls 2 is inbound on March 11, but the review embargo is still intact on the game. However, Famitsu has managed to pull off their Dark Souls 2 review in the magazine’s latest issue.

Just as one would expect, the Japanese magazine has stamped the game with highly positive reviews. Their Dark Souls 2 review has given the game 37 out of 40 points.

From Software’s hardcore action RPG has managed to equal the score that its predecessor had received from the same magazine. The original Dark Souls was also given a 37/40 where as Demon’s Souls received 29/40.

Sadly, not much is known about the contents of the review other than the score itself but rest assured, we shall keep you updated just as we get more information out of them.

This is only the second Darks Souls 2 review that we have known of so far. Last month, M! Games, a German magazine had awarded it 90/100 after crowning it the hardest action RPG in the world. This is 2 points ahead of what they gave to Dark Souls.

The initial reviews are pretty encouraging, but will this continue when the embargo is completely lifted and every reviewer gets to voice their opinion? What do you think of the rating given by Famitsu in the Dark Souls 2 review?

40 is a really odd number to score from.

Its 4 individual reviewers each giving a score out of 10

SEVEN FORTY NINE DAYS TO GO.

Who's that for? P-Bloody-C owners? Get a console you spaffy spivs.

I'm going to the one with the useless figurine with mine, if I can. Then I'm going to open the box and foddle it. Yes, I'm going to open the box and ruin any collectors worth.

Who's that for? P-Bloody-C owners? Get a console you spaffy spivs.

Anyone who seriously thinks a mass-produced game edition will ever be of worth to collectors deserves to have all their shit foddled.

(If it was coming out on PS4 i'd buy it there but i'm trying not to buy anything on the 360 and go through some of my backlog on there while instead buying things like Titanfall and this on the PC instead :-)

Only a little, though, and when the worst you can say is that a game is only nearly as good as Dark Souls, that's still a pretty strong recommendation.

Mmm, Xbox version tied to slow starting OS and not being allowed to login to live or PS3 version tied to shit triggers or alternapad with not great shoulder buttons.

Mmm

Amazon dispatched my copy at 6pm last night.

It won't be here today.

GRUMP.

I have 2hrs tonight before I have to spend all weekend travelling and sorting out a funeral. I put a lot of stock in Dark Souls to relax me.

I'm such an idiot.

I was going to start Demon's Souls this week but decided on Uncharted instead.