Should I Get Dark Souls I or II?

[hybridial]

You're speaking to someone who beat both games. Not the hardest games I played by a long shot, but disappointing, as there was certainly good aspects there. But people way overstate the worth of the atmosphere and story of the first game, it wasn't hugely anything special that way.

And I'll be happy when games stop trying to copy them or be compared to them. It's not a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Zak757]

Is KB&M good or should I use a 360 controller?

Any mods I should get besides DSFix for Dank Souls I?

 

[Tilly]

I haven't finished either of them yet but Dark Souls 1 is a more interesting world with better bosses!

 

[Leon Royce]

Go for DS1 first. It's the much better game, sure. DSII is better with its multi-player. In fact, I enjoyed DS1 offline for several years. Like the second poster said, it's a game about its world, setting and ambiance, which is held together and strengthened by its mechanics.

DsFix is a must of course. When you instal it on steam, you should also right-click on the game, go into "betas" and opt in for the steambuild beta. That removes all need for Games for Windows Live.

 

[That1Guy]

Definitely DS1. DS2 is still a good game, don't get me wrong, but DS1 just has this feel about it that makes it interesting and DS2 wasn't quite able to capture that, IMO.

Although, DS2 did seem a bit like if someone mixed Dark Souls lore with Shakespeare's Macbeth. The story of DS2 could almost take place just after Macbeth becomes king, if the rest of the story didn't happen and the land was taken over by whatever darkness haunts the Dark Souls world.

But yeah, DS1 is your best bet. Cheaper and better overall.

 

[Evonisia]

Dark Souls 2 is easier on the noobs, whereas Dark Souls 1 is the better constructed game in terms of level design and what not.

If you are to get one of them, I'd start with 1, and if you find it as tedious as I did, try getting 2. Oh yes, and look up guides and what not. I didn't, and suffered for it because the devs don't know how to signal danger without directly jumping into something.

 

[Casual Shinji]

You're speaking to someone who beat both games. Not the hardest games I played by a long shot, but disappointing, as there was certainly good aspects there. But people way overstate the worth of the atmosphere and story of the first game, it wasn't hugely anything special that way.

And I'll be happy when games stop trying to copy them or be compared to them. It's not a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

And yet you played both games all the way through to the end... You'd think you would spend your free time consuming entertainment you actually liked. Unless you enjoy playing two 30+ hour games that you hate, I don't really know what you're into.

 

[hybridial]

And yet you played both games all the way through to the end... You'd think you would spend your free time consuming entertainment you actually liked. Unless you enjoy playing two 30+ hour games that you hate, I don't really know what you're into.

Boredom's a killer.

Seriously though, it's generally the only way to have an accepted opinion. If you want to criticise something you don't finish there will be a small army of guys always dismissing it based on that.

And in my case, someone who probably knows how to play my psychology like a violin.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Hm...personally, I had a lot more fun with Dark Souls II. The game felt more friendly to new players, and because of it, I was able to go back and enjoy Dark Souls, whereas before, I hated that game. I couldn't figure out how to play, and every time I asked for help, I got mocked.

All that being said, I think Dark Souls is probably the better in terms of story and lore. It's all connected, it builds the world and, if you have a bit of imagination, you can come up with your own stories that are totally possible for why things are the way they are. The level design is also much better, as there is nothing quite like that feeling of finally unlocking a shortcut after barely managing to drag your half-dead corpse there.
Dark Souls II's lore kind of fails in that regard. The DLCs fix some of it, and the new item descriptions certainly help too, but this one feels like they were being mysterious for the sake of mysterious. Example: why is there a bell tower in The Lost Sinner's area, when there is no other connection to the Old Iron King? I have my own theory, but there is barely any evidence. And what, exactly, is that cat? And for the longest time, we had no idea exactly what it was that a certain character did to anger an entire race (fixed with the update, finally, but man...)
A lot of the game feels like the characters and developers going, "We know what's going on, wink-wink, nudge-nudge...but we're not going to tell you."

If you're forced to choose, and you value atmosphere, story, and just a sense of awe and exploration, then I think Dark Souls is probably the better choice. However, that doesn't mean you should just give up on Dark Souls II. Do try to play both if you can.

 

[raeior]

Is KB&M good or should I use a 360 controller?

Any mods I should get besides DSFix for Dank Souls I?

KB&M works just fine when you use dsfix and mousefix. Played through DS1 without major problems. Might be a bit better with a controller but since I suck at using them (and don't own one) I just used KB&M. In DS2 this works just fine out of the box without any patches. Heck, someone played through it on a guitar controller so anything goes I guess

As to which game you should play: Both. While I think that it would be hard for me to get back to DS1 because of the improved gameplay I still love it for it's connected world, the general atmosphere and it's story.

As for DS2: I love how the different areas are designed. While they are not connected in any way that makes sense (Earthen Peak anyone?) they still look gorgeous. The story is still good and I'm not sure why everyone is disliking it so much. Combat feels a lot better to me at least. Also its a good port that works without any fan made fixes etc. Except for a few glitches that result from the 60 fps like weapon durability going down really fast and the Alone Captains just having an insane attack/move speed.

Regarding the hitboxes: I always wonder if I've played a different game. I had next to no hitbox problems in DS2 but Ceaseless Discharge in DS1 alone had killed me so often without his fist being even close to me. Also multiple times I stood inside his fist and was able to attack him without him doing any damage to me whatsoever. This was true for several other enemies as well so it's not like hitbox problems in a Souls game are anything new.

 

[Kungfusam]

I can highly recommend DS 1, its one those rare games that feels cohesive and complete, you never get the feeling it could be better if...

As for DS 2, I've never played it and just can't be arsed with it so can't say more then that on it

 

[joest01]

Dark Souls II's lore kind of fails in that regard.

Well it does in the sense that it is maybe a little overambitious. It is all so cross-connected and the lore is so dense that it makes your head hurt.

I personally really liked what they did in Demon's where the story telling was subtle. It was in the placement of a corpse or where you found a certain weapon. And the NPC's didn't talk much but what they said was important. Some of that is still in place but overall there is more emphasis on item descriptions now. I think they are inspired by Metroid Prime but don't have a scanning device

 

[Zaeseled]

In my experience, Dark Souls 1 has better quality but less quantity and Dark Souls 2 has less content but there's more of. Get Dark Souls 2 if you want a longer gaming experience, get Dark Souls 1 if you want a shorter but more enjoyable experience.
Both are really fantastic games and I honestly don't think that you could choose wrong.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

In my experience, Dark Souls 1 has better quality but less quantity and Dark Souls 2 has less content but there's more of. Get Dark Souls 2 if you want a longer gaming experience, get Dark Souls 1 if you want a shorter but more enjoyable experience.
Both are really fantastic games and I honestly don't think that you could choose wrong.

I'd say you'd get more hours out of the first game due to the difficulty curve.

Really it's hard to start most games after the introduction to the series. Do your self a favour and get the original Dark Souls.

 

[joest01]

.
Regarding the hitboxes: I always wonder if I've played a different game. I had next to no hitbox problems in DS2 but Ceaseless Discharge in DS1 alone had killed me so often without his fist being even close to me. Also multiple times I stood inside his fist and was able to attack him without him doing any damage to me whatsoever. This was true for several other enemies as well so it's not like hitbox problems in a Souls game are anything new.

I was blaming the hitboxes until I pumped my agility stat. From there suddenly I rolled through attacks wonderfully precise.

I remember when I started on DS1 I felt like my character was super sluggish compared to Demon's. That of course changes when you get the game breaking ninja flip.

 

[stroopwafel]

I enjoyed Dark Souls 2 but for different reasons than the original. If you never played DkS definitely go with the original b/c not only is it a better game it also lays the groundwork for all the lore the sequel elaborates upon. I really enjoyed the combat of DkS2 and prefered the slightly faster pace of this over the slower combat of DkS1 but this was offset by so many things like less imaginitive level design, bosses that mostly weren't memorable, decreased armor detail and increased focus on PvP and co-op(espescially the DLC).

In DkS1 I always felt multiplayer was optional but you can see in DkS2 it's center of its design. DkS1 also had this incredible level and world design where everthing seemed to make 'sense' and the levels/areas themselves were corkscrewed onto one another and adding an extra layer of verticality, whereas DkS2's level design didn't just make any kind of geographical sense the lay-out of the levels themselves(mostly) couldn't top the original either. Granted DkS1 had some bullshit areas like Tomb of Giants and DkS2 had some really good ones besides lava castle and misty forest that seemed rendered on a PS2; in general the levels in DkS1 were superior.

Despite all that the combat in DkS2 is still so incredibly fun though. And it's also what you're looking for in a Souls game. If it's atmosphere and immersing yourself in the world, take DkS1. If it's dueling other players and co-op you want, take the sequel.