Dark Souls 2 developer From Software revealed new details about the third-person action title in a 12-minute gameplay walkthrough on IGN today, such as new types of enemy interactions and death sequences.
IGN spoke with Yui Tanimura, Dark Souls 2 game director at developer From Software, and Tak Miyazoe, global producer at publisher Namco Bandai, who served as Tanimura's translator.
The two first highlighted the work that From has put into Dark Souls 2's graphics. The intent, said Tanimura, was to provide for "more realistic expressions of everything we want to show in the game" and allow players to "get deep into the game emotionally and physically." A key gameplay element they highlighted was the use of torches to illuminate pitch-black tunnels. Unfortunately, the torch replaces the shield in your left hand, so it's a tough trade-off.
The next segment of the video focused on specific enemy interactions. The player approached a beast locked behind a gate; once he fired an arrow into the monster's face, it became enraged and smashed through the wall to attack him.
"We feel that with the enemies having different types of reactions, different types of thought processes, it will allow the player to have to strategize and figure out for himself in terms of his best way of conquering each of the venues in the game," said Tanimura.
The developers also demonstrated Dark Souls 2's wider variety of deaths, like being run over by a chariot or knocked off a cliff by boars. From Software believes the deaths will give players a greater sense of satisfaction when they finally make it through a tough section.
Watch the full 12-minute walkthrough at IGN, and check out 10 Dark Souls 2 screenshots below. Along with IGN's video is a new minute-long trailer for the game posted by All Games Beta that shows off some of the new locales featured in the IGN walkthrough; you can watch the trailer above.