Dark Souls II

Dark Souls II

FromSoftware, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release date: 2014-03-11 | Platforms: PLAYSTATION3, XBOX360, PC, XBOX_ONE, PLAYSTATION4.

Dark Souls II is the third installment in the well-known Souls series. It’s a different game from all the others because of its directors. With Dark Souls II the main director and founder of Souls-like genre Hidetaka Miyazaki took place only as a supervisor of the project, leaving a place of the director of the game for two young video game designers Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura. One could ask if the game is as good and beautiful as other past games in the Series and the answer would be that Dark Souls II is different yet deep and unforgiving as all the other titles in the series. The famous difficulty of previous games is still there but the world is much simpler yet connected and dangerous. Enemies still respond after death of a player but only about 15 times. After that they disappear forever. Boss battles are much simpler, this time focuses on many simpler bosses at a time instead of one powerful boss.
Dark Souls II is one of those games which were painfully downgraded in a favor of hardware of consoles, that means that players got less graphically advanced version than promised. Yet the game is interesting and deep and it’s definitely a must play for every Souls fan.

Background

DEVELOPERS

Background for Tomohiro Shibuya
Tomohiro Shibuya

Tomohiro Shibuya

director

Tomohiro Shibuya is a games director. Shibuya has been working with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America and FromSoftware. Shibuya's first published game was Dark Souls II released in 2014. Next, Tomohiro Shibuya worked on Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin taking on the role of director. At the moment, Shibuya is working on Another Century's Episode, which was announced for PlayStation 2.

Background for Keiichiro Ogawa
Keiichiro Ogawa

Keiichiro Ogawa

artist

Keiichiro Ogawa is a games director and artist. Ogawa has been working with Devolver Digital, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, FromSoftware and General Arcade. Ogawa's first published game was Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors released in 2003. Then, Keiichiro Ogawa went on to work on Metal Wolf Chaos as the director. Afterwards, Keiichiro Ogawa worked on Dark Souls II developed by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America in 2014. The latest work of Keiichiro Ogawa was Metal Wolf Chaos XD, published in 2019.

Background for Yoshitaka Suzuki
Yoshitaka Suzuki

Yoshitaka Suzuki

programmer

Yoshitaka Suzuki is a games composer and programmer. Suzuki has been working with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, FromSoftware, Inc. and Bandai Namco Entertainment. Suzuki's first game was Ninja Blade published by Inc. for PC and Xbox 360 in 2009. After that, Yoshitaka Suzuki took part as the composer of Bayonetta. Later, Suzuki also was part of the team who developed Ace Combat: Assault Horizon published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Most lately, Yoshitaka Suzuki worked on Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin. Now, Suzuki has joined the team of Bayonetta 3 as the composer.

Background for Yui Tanimura
Yui Tanimura

Yui Tanimura

director

Yui Tanimura is a games writer, director and designer. Tanimura has been working with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America and FromSoftware. Tanimura's first game was Shadow Tower Abyss for PlayStation 2 in 2003. Next, Yui Tanimura worked on Dark Souls II taking on the role of director. Later, Tanimura also was part of the team who developed Dark Souls III published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The latest work of Yui Tanimura was Dark Souls III: The Ringed City, published in 2017. Now, Tanimura has joined the team of Another Century's Episode as the writer.

Background for Naotoshi Zin
Naotoshi Zin

Naotoshi Zin

designer

Naotoshi Zin is a games producer and designer. Zin has been working with Sony Interactive Entertainment, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America and FromSoftware. Zin's first published game was King's Field II released in 1995. After that, Naotoshi Zin took part as the producer of King's Field III. Zin also worked on Tenchu: Fatal Shadows developed by FromSoftware for PlayStation 2 and Wii. Most recently, Naotoshi Zin was involved in the development of Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin.

Background for Yuka Kitamura
Yuka Kitamura

Yuka Kitamura

composer

Yuka Kitamura is a games composer. Kitamura has been working with Sony Interactive Entertainment, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, FromSoftware and Inc.. Kitamura started in 2013 as the composer of Armored Core: Verdict Day. Then, Yuka Kitamura went on to work on Dark Souls II as the composer. Kitamura also worked on Dark Souls III developed by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Most recently, Yuka Kitamura was involved in the development of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Background for Masanori Takeuchi
Masanori Takeuchi

Masanori Takeuchi

producer

Masanori Takeuchi is a games writer, director, composer and producer. Takeuchi has been working with Devolver Digital, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, FromSoftware and Inc.. Takeuchi started in 2001 as the producer of Forever Kingdom. Next, Masanori Takeuchi worked on Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors taking on the role of producer. Later, Takeuchi also was part of the team who developed Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The latest work of Masanori Takeuchi was Demon's Souls (2020), published in 2020.

Background for Motoi Sakuraba
Motoi Sakuraba

Motoi Sakuraba

composer

Motoi Sakuraba is a games composer. Sakuraba has been working with SEGA, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, Nintendo and FromSoftware. Sakuraba started in 1989 as the composer of Zan: Kagerou no Toki. Next, Motoi Sakuraba worked on Arcus II: Silent Symphony taking on the role of composer. Afterwards, Motoi Sakuraba worked on Golden Sun: Dark Dawn developed by Camelot in 2010. The latest work of Motoi Sakuraba was Star Ocean: First Departure R, published in 2019. At the moment, Sakuraba is working on Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon, which was announced for Game Boy Color.