The fact that you lose max health when you die turned me off so hard. I know, "git gud", and I agree to an extent, but that mechanic just felt way too punishing.

I don't think it's the best game in the series but it has some very definite upsides.

1. The weapon variety is much greater than DS1, which gives more flexibility when you want to add some flavor to your builds while still being relevant.
2. Bonfire ascetics giving you the ability to control your difficulty and respawn bosses is a nice touch.
3. While the bosses aren't great, it's the last souls game before the bosses got really game-y. Since Bloodborne, bosses MUST have multiple phases, typically getting stronger once they hit 50% HP.
4. The DLCs were actually very, very good except for Frigid Outskirts.

You posted a sotfs edition pic, so I’m assuming that’s what you played. I love DS2 but I hate sotfs edition. The enemy placements and changes they made in sotfs mostly make no sense and only make the game more annoying to play. I’d recommend trying the standard edition out if you’re able and wanna give it another shot.

Favorite game in the series. When I spend time thinking about it, I think DS1 is “better” designed and probably more memorable narratively, but I simply had the most fun playing DS2. It’s the game I go back to the most in the series, I just love it.

The combat is slow enough that positioning and patience make enough of a difference rather than simply rolling through everything. I really enjoy a lot of the mechanics exclusive to DS2, such as life gems, despawning enemies, bonfire ascetics, fun differences in NG+, etc. I get why people bounce off of it, but people also bounce off of whatever their fist souls game is initially as well. I think with a little patience it becomes a great experience.

I love DS2 and it may be my favorite Dark Souls. That being said, I beat it several times before Scholar came out, and I acknowledge that Scholar made the game wildly inaccessible to new players.

Some of the changes were definitely for the worse. Iron keep especially has way too many enemies with crazy far aggro distances.

I love Dark Souls 2 and I'm not afraid to admit it. It's in my top 3 favorite FromSoft games (along with Dark Souls and Elden Ring.) I know it doesn't have the atmosphere of DS1, but I love the variety of environments, the branching paths through the game world, and the PvE balance. I think DS2 is the most balanced Souls game, in the sense that all types of builds are equally viable and it has plenty of weapons and spells that are actually worth using.

It's my favorite, and the only one out of all of them, (Elden Ring included) that I keep returning to and playing through again. The Covenant of Champions mechanics, the bonfire acetics and the adaptability (ok yes soul memory sucks) are all important things in my mind.

The atmosphere and eerie setting is perfect. Also I think most people just absolutely love the Majula peaceful music.

It's the red headed stepchild of the franchise but I really enjoy it. It would have been so easy for From to make Dark Souls 1.5 but they tried to do something different.

And the fact that there's some differences in NG+? chef's kiss