With Elden Ring Nightreign approaching, FromSoftware and its community have entered into a reflective age of sorts. The game is uniting the enemy rosters of Dark Souls 1, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, and Elden Ring in one ultimate roguelike package, and fans are already theorizing who could make it into the final game. Fan favorites like Dark Souls 1’s Artorias or his Dark Souls 2 counterpart, Fume Knight, are back on the table, so every new trailer, preview, and piece of beta information is sharing the same scrutiny.
Although its Soulslike library is a recent addition to FromSoftware’s repertoire, it’s already built up a memorable rogue’s gallery thanks to how much time players spend overcoming all the foes in their way. The Japanese developer has pioneered a lot of the encounters and boss types seen throughout the growing action-RPG subgenre, including more favorites like DS1‘s Ornstein and Smough dual boss and the eponymous “gank squads” that appear occasionally. With all the reminiscing going on, there is one type of boss best represented by Dark Souls 2 that doesn’t cleanly fit into Nightreign, but shouldn’t be forgotten about either.
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FromSoftware Should Look to Dark Souls 2 for its Best Feature
Dark Souls 2 has one strength that every other FromSoftware Soulslike still lacks, and it deserves to come back in a future game.
Dark Souls 2’s Looking Glass Knight Is Something Special
Those who have persevered through Dark Souls 2 no doubt remember their battle with the Looking Glass Knight. Found at the back of DS2‘s climactic Drangleic Castle, this tall warrior stands out in a game full of enemies and bosses like him for several reasons. Presentation is a big one, as not only does the Looking Glass Knight’s ornate silver armor and lightning magic look great together, but both are highlighted even further by the thunderstorm occurring during the fight. However, the greatest surprise only comes partway through the fight, as the Looking Glass Knight can summon NPC or player Invaders, making an already climactic boss fight exponentially more hectic.
FromSoftware’s History of Bosses Like The Looking Glass Knight
Bosses incorporating PvP have been around since Demon’s Souls, though they may be the rarest type of recurring boss format in FromSoftware’s repertoire. The Old Monk surprised a lot of players in DeS and its remake by having a chance to grant an invading player the boss’s powerful magic moveset instead of their own, which was repeated in the Halflight, Spear of the Church fight near the end of Dark Souls 3’s The Ringed City DLC. Halflight can even be repeated for players who enjoy the extra challenge, and all of these bosses have NPC variants for those playing offline. Unfortunately, that’s the last time this boss type was seen.
Dark Souls 2’s PvP Boss Should Appear In More Games
Despite how well the Looking Glass Knight and its peers were received, the way that Elden Ring handled Invasions and Nightreign’s shift towards PvE co-op means that PvP bosses have had no place in recent FromSoftware games. They’re entrenched enough in FromSoftware’s playbook that they should appear again, but there’s no telling when. A boss incorporating other players still needs to fit with the mechanical and aesthetic context of a Soulslike, which is no easy feat. Still, the Looking Glass Knight is remembered as one of Dark Souls 2’s most brilliant moments for a reason, so the idea must not go to waste.
Whether it’s as an additional threat during a boss fight or roleplaying as the boss itself, surprise Invaders should crop up every once in a while. Considering that the narrative presence of online mechanics and other worlds in FromSoftware games is already hazy, it should be simple enough to slip into Souls games with Invasions. The Looking Glass Knight’s variant is especially fun, since it’s a mid-fight surprise that can respond to Invasion attempts in real time, and allows enemy players to keep their existing build. Although Dark Souls 2 is an unlikely source, this boss idea is too strong to be left behind.
Gamers are in for a big surprise in DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin. An unforgettable journey awaits you in a breathtaking world where each dark corner and unexpected encounter will test your resolve. Go beyond what you thought was possible and discover incredible challenge and intense emotional reward. Whether you’ve previously played DARK SOULS™ II, or are new to the award-winning franchise, you are in for an entirely different experience with this exclusive, “Director’s Cut” version of the game.
The definitive edition of DARK SOULS™ II. DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin includes all the DARK SOULS™ II content released to-date in one package and much more!
A brand new experience and challenge. Enemy placement has been overhauled, resulting in a completely different play dynamic than experienced before. The safe zones that some players remembered are no longer safe! A new NPC invader called Forlorn will also play a key role in changing the gameplay experience. Hardened players will have to forget everything they thought they knew about DARK SOULS™ II.
Online play has been enhanced with the addition of a special item to regulate souls acquired in battle – it’s now possible to match up more consistently online. The number of players who can participate in an online session has also been increased, from 4 to 6 people, completely changing the online play dynamic.
DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin brings the franchise’s renowned obscurity & gripping gameplay to a new level. Join the dark journey and experience overwhelming enemy encounters, diabolical hazards, and unrelenting challenge.
- Released
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April 2, 2015
- ESRB
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T For Teen Due To Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Franchise
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Dark Souls
- How Long To Beat
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36 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
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Mighty