Demon’s Souls and its spiritual successor Dark Souls are renowned for their punishing difficulty curve, but their classic approaches to learning core mechanics are not the only appeal. Check out the concept art for Dark Souls II in the gallery above to see what I mean.
Video games have long since mastered the “high fantasy” setting. The Elder Scrolls, Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age are a few recent examples that should bring images of their mastery at work. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and its aesthetic are still being felt to this day, which is what makes these Dark Souls games so refreshing.
Dark Fantasy is not simply slapping copious amounts of blood on your characters’ faces and calling it edgy. There is an extra level of creepy design found in these games which channels a far more disturbing look at human imagination.
Corpses, Hell, shadowy dragons, and outrageous ships trapped in the clouds. These are haunting images no other video game team has been able to come close to comparing to.
Still not quite sure what to make of that ridiculous maid outfit, though. That looks really out of place.
Dark Souls II will be appearing at E3 this year, and a banner recently spotted claims it will be available for purchase next March on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. The Director of the first two games, Hidetaka Miyazaki, will be overseeing the game as a supervisor.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Disguise your little one with the help of a themed costume
From avocado halves to hoppy bunnies, costumes speak to every child's unique spirit. And we've collected our favorite options.

Add magic to your living space with these string lights
String lights add personality and soft light to your living space. Here are some of the best.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra's Space Zoom camera is amazing and a bit creepy
The Galaxy S20 Ultra supports up to 100X zoom, which Samsung calls Space Zoom, but is it any good? Can a phone really product usable photos at 100x zoom? We've got our Galaxy S20 Ultra already so join us to find out!

Play to your heart's content with the best gaming console on the market
There's a ton of fun gaming consoles you can buy to bring more fun and games into your household. The hard part is deciding which to buy! We have a rundown of the best choices to help you make a decision.