The highly-anticipated sequel to the deep and punishing Dark Souls is coming out for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 March 11, which has been known for a while. We now have a release date for the PC version of Dark Souls 2, which will launch more than a month later on April 25.
The news was first mentioned on the game's official Facebook page, then by NAMCO-BANDAI in a press release. The PC version, though releasing later than the console edition, includes some exclusive upgrades over its counterpart. It will feature higher resolution, an "enhanced frame rate option" and, obviously, mouse and keyboard support in addition a gamepad option.
The PC port of the first game, Dark Souls, did not feature any such features. It ran at an underwhelming 30fps and was oddly limited to a rather low resolution of 1024 x 720. The modding community solved the issue on its own with add-ons that increased both the frame rate and resolution.
Dark Souls was the spiritual successor to Demon's Souls, and both games became acclaimed for their harsh, dark fantasy world where death for the player is inevitable. The games are punishingly difficult and one mistake (and often, no mistakes) will lead to quick and surprising death.
The gameplay involves fantasy combat and character creation, loot gathering, and a unique multiplayer component that's present in the single-player experience, wherein players can leave messages and warnings behind for gamers playing through the story.
Dark Souls was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 by From Software in 2011, and was ported to Windows PC in 2012. A collector's edition is available for PC and contains a digital download code for the game, collectable metal case, 12" tall Warrior Knight figurine, exclusive hardbound art book, original game soundtrack, and cloth map for $109.99.
