Game is retired for now, save data got corrupted right at the endgame with only one dlc area and one main game area left to complete having said all that i would still consider my experience with ds2 a mostly positive one however i do have a number of complaints. first off not a fan of the healing system changes, lifegems encourage too much passive and defensive play and whilst learning when to pop a gem and then keeping on the defensive to maximise hp gains can be fun in certain scenarios it can also be quite the opposite, estus does still exist within this game but it has been heavily de-emphasised with a much smaller starting amount and a delayed/slower heal. additionally you can carry 99 lifegems on your person at any one time so you can pretty much just play with reckless abandon. the changes to the hollowing system aren't ones im fond of either, lowering max hp bit by bit every time you die is a cruel punishment for a series that encourages deaths as an opportunity for someone to learn from mistakes and come back stronger, the lost hp doesnt matter the first few deaths but it certainly adds up as the deaths pile up it attempts to call back to the soul/human form system of demons souls but it just wants to punish the player more for learning. the world design also doesnt feel as tight as the other games but its not that big of an issue, same with being able to permanently be rid of enemies after enough kills, i dont like it much but honestly given how ass some boss runs can be i welcome it at times. also ds2 just straight up feels worse to play than any other game in the series and i dont know why, other than this and most bosses not being as good as other games it was still a fun experience for the most part.
edit: finished game its ok

pleasantly surprised with this one as for many years i had heard it was a disappointment and whilst those claims aren't unfounded this game stands out enough in its own right that it deserves to be considered on par or even better than its predecessor, gameplay feels better than ever and the new augs offer a fun dynamic to encounters and general gameplay, among my favourites was the remote hack ability which greatly opens the way rooms can be tackled by the player, the fact that this game only has one boss is also a great plus as boss fights were amongst the worst parts of human revolution due to how they only gave the solution of killing them whereas this game's single boss allows for a non lethal takedown, my complaints for this title mostly come from an aesthetic preference and a desire for more hub variety, prague is great but it simply doesn't have the appeal of a place like hengsha to me. the narrative also unfortunately ends on a cliffhanger leaving a lot of questions open in addition to creating even more and whilst its highly doubtful we'll get a sequel soon given that its been 6 years since release one can only hope

pretty damn good game but also pretty damn ugly like hoo boy this game's sequels could really benefit from some visual upgrades, in spite of its poor visuals and pop in this game manages to be quite an engaging romp in a world that is both alike yet so different from any other world seen in the franchise, the gameplay manages to stay satisfying throughout its run time by gradually finally delivering on the fantasy of being able to catch without battling in a satisfying way, its also so much easier to want to engage with battles despite not needing them most of the time, the seamless transition from exploration to battle helps cut down on a lot of tedium that can build up thanks to traditional random fights, the additions to battle in the form of strong and agile style moves dont revolutionise battling but they do add a little bit of a risk reward mechanic that wasnt present in the past outside of moves that leave you defenceless the following turn, the post game is also home to a fun side adventure and one of the most challenging trainer battles the series has seen in a long time for reasons that will become apparent the second you hear said trainer's music.

pretty fun game, i feel that when it came to certain aspects of the story i was just a little loat but despite that the game was able to hold me with a charm spread throughout the levels and hubs, by far my favourite aspect was the "conversation battles" the presentation and the ability to counter the views of others with knowledge of how they act was very fun especially when trying to avoid using the casie augment to make it too easy. the game isnt perfect however as there are some parts that left me annoyed such as the boss fights, they are the worst part of the game as they lack the freeform approach that the game shows in its hub and level exploration i wish the game had also signposted its side missions a little more as you only have a chance to do them in that part of the story, when you return later the quests are unavailable now so i would have liked better indicators because i definitely missed a few.