10 Flawed Video Games That Are Actually Masterpieces

6. Dark Souls 2

Dark Souls 2 II first level
FromSoftware

There's no denying that Dark Souls 2 lost something without Hidetaka Miyazaki at the helm. The labyrinthine level design of the original game - where the world felt so geographically consistent and beautifullyinterconnected - was replaced with a more linear, more gamey structure and a more confused story that left fans of the original a little cold.

But how easy it is to criticiseanything thatcomes out after the original Dark Souls, whicheasily ranks among the greatest RPGs of all time. Despite its design shortcomings, Dark Souls 2 refined the already near-perfect gameplay of its predecessor, making it sharper, more responsive, and cutting down on the series' infamously oversized hit boxes.

Areas such as the Majula hub, the Shrine of Amana and the Dragon's Aerie are among the most visually stunningin the series, and the average enemy has a more diverse and challenging moveset. Arguably more steps were taken backwards than forwards, but for Dark Souls 2 to best its predecessor even in just a few areas is already an incredible achievement.

Suffice to say, if the original didn't exist, we'd be talking about this as one of the greatest games of all time.

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Contributor

Gamer, Researcher of strange things. I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.