Dark Souls II: Crown of the Sunken King DLC Reviews
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While I'm still working on my own review, I've taken some time to round up some more critics' opinions of Dark Souls II's first DLC, Crown of the Sunken King.
Destructoid, 7/10.
Dark Souls II: The Crown of the Sunken King is not a "must have" add-on, but it does its job of delivering more Dark Souls. As always, I advise you to skip out on the Season Pass until all three of its pieces are out so you can judge it by the strength of its parts. However, hardcore Souls fans will want to at least buy Crown simply to experience a challenging new area that's worth trekking through.
GameInformer, 9/10.
The zones themselves are among the most labyrinthine in Dark Souls II and include a huge amount of dead drops and lethal traps, which are often served up under duress from unwavering foes. This creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia and keeps an uncomfortable pressure bearing down on the player throughout the entire DLC experience. The content of The Crown of the Sunken King seems small in comparison to the Artorias expansion for the original game, but with two other pieces coming to expand upon things (and the promise of additional secrets when all three have been cleared), I can't wait to die again.
Joystiq, scoreless.
There are enough high notes in this first DLC, though, for it to serve its duty as a familiar, if far from spectacular, opening act. In short, it doesn't feel too much like more of the same, even if that's mostly what it is. That's what you'll probably take away after defeating the final bosses, both of which rank among the most interesting in Dark Souls 2, and definitely among the toughest - be prepared to burn through human effigies and summon a-plenty. I won't spoil the final boss, but suffice to say, if you wanted more Goliath-like monsters ripping you apart in dauntingly huge arenas, then you are in for a treat.
IncGamers, 9/10.
Suitably self-contained and demonstrating some of the best level design in Dark Souls 2, Crown of the Sunken King surpassed my doubts. The bosses don't live up to those in Artorias of the Abyss (what does?) but the intricate stage construction, challenging enemy encounters and reintroduction of meaningful shortcuts suggests that FromSoft's DLC team are up to the daunting task put before them. If the other two Lost Crowns releases are as strong as this, we may be looking at something rarer than the Old Mirrah Greatsword drop rate: a DLC Season Pass that's actually worth the money.
USGamer, 4.5/5.
From Software went above and beyond with their Crown of the Sunken King DLC: invest in its tiny asking price, and you may find yourself getting just as much time out of it as you would a $60 game. But it's more than just the amount of content that makes this DLC irresistible it's what From did with it. The amount of surprises and fresh ideas Crown has to offer should make any Souls fan salivate over the prospect of two incoming DLC packages developed (hopefully) with the same amount of thoughtfulness.
CraveOnline, 8.0/10.
Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Sunken King is a strong showing by From Software, adding a wealth of new, extremely challenging content to extend the life of what was already a high play value game. If you've completed Dark Souls 2, and wouldn't mind braving some more of its merciless design, Crown of the Sunken King is recommendable.
Eurogamer, 8/10.
It's a strong start for this series of add-on chapters for Dark Souls 2, then. There are no standout battles - save, perhaps, for the grim final encounter - but the cumulative effect of its fights, puzzles and secrets is memorable: Sanctum City and its offshoot areas lodge in the mind like so many of this series' locales. It's exciting to see the team return to the ingenious, interlocking layout of Demon's Souls and the first Dark Souls and there are enough novel ideas to be found in this shantytown of pillars, temples and chipped blocks to reassure you that this is a team that has run out of neither inspiration nor vigour.
Metro, 6/10.
If you want more Dark Souls II then The Crown Of The Sunken King is a perfectly adequate answer to your needs. But it's never more than that, and Dark Souls didn't earn the reputation it has by being merely adequate.
RPGFan offers an unimpressed scoreless review.
It's my hope that this lack of ingenuity or character is endemic of this being the first part of a trilogy. Maybe From Software has high ambitions and truly amazing content waiting, but for now I can't recommend this to even the most hardcore Dark Souls fan. It took around five hours to complete The Sunken King, and I have almost nothing to show for it. I got a fancy new sword, some new spells (useless for my big bruiser of a character) and a crown that might do something later. There are no standout moments, and just about everything can be described using parallels or even direct references to either the original game or its sequel. At the very least, this content doesn't accomplish anything on its own and must rely on the next two episodes to justify its existence. Not a good start.
Finally, GameTrailers is rather pleased, 8.5/10.
Even with all it does right, Crown of the Sunken King isn't as well rounded as the first game's DLC. Since it's only part one of a three-part trilogy, perhaps that's to be expected, but it's still slightly disappointing. Artorias of the Abyss meaningfully fleshed out characters and events from the first game, and while this DLC does indeed have connections to the main thread of Dark Souls II, they're not conveyed as effectively. Instead of feeling like another chapter of the story, Crown of the Sunken King largely ends up being an elaborate series of trials. And though the DLC doesn't seem excessively short, the length primarily determined by how much you struggle, it nonetheless could use one or two more areas.
Yet these issues should hardly deter anyone from plunging into the depths of the Sunken King. DLC rarely reaches this level of quality, and after finishing it, it's hard to imagine the game without it. Simply put, if you've ever enjoyed the masochism that comes with being a cursed undead, this is something you won't want to miss.
