Dark Souls: Remastered

Attack of the FanboyAOTF Staff

It's the Dark Souls of Dark Souls games, and the issues that plagued the console versions that released in 2011 have been remedied... what else needs to be said here.

TwinfiniteZhiqing Wan

Here’s a fun little tidbit about Dark Souls. As you approach the walkway to the keep where Andre the blacksmith is located, you can bait an enemy Hollow into following you. Tilt the camera downwards so it looks like you’re playing the game from a top-down angle, parry and riposte the Hollow on the walkway, and your character will clip out of bounds, allowing you to enter Sen’s Fortress without having to ring the two bells. It’s a legendary speedrun skip that was first discovered about two years ago, and it still works in Dark Souls Remastered.

Metro GameCentralGameCentral

9/10

A mediocre remaster of an all-time classic, but by the mere act of fixing (most of) the frame rate problems this becomes the definitive version of one of the decade’s most influential video games.

DestructoidChris Carter

9/10

Dark Souls Remastered speaks for itself just in terms of the raw mysteries it offers beyond its new coat of paint. The feeling of zoning into Firelink Shrine is just as special the 100th time as it is the first, and the open-ended nature of the world is just as fresh. Sometimes needlessly so, From Software has packed so much into Dark Souls that I’m finding new items or experimenting with strategies I’ve never seen before — a testament to the longevity of this particular entry, and a more than justified remaster.

ShackNewsSam Chandler

9/10

Ultimately, players will split into two camps: those who expected more from the remaster and those who just wanted 4K resolution running at a higher frame rate and will otherwise be happy with what’s on offer. Anyone who was anticipating a Scholar of the First Sin situation has not been paying attention, as this is simply the Dark Souls from the beginning of the decade. The experience is still as you remember, the characters you meet on the undead pilgrimage still tell a harrowing tale, and the trials and tribulations of Dark Souls will still ignite a fire in the bellies of those who crave it.

WCCFtechDave Aubrey

8.8/10

It's strange to take myself back to where my Souls journey initially began. I've been back multiple times over the years of course, but my travels through Lordran have never been quite as intense or memorable as the first time. When I didn't know where to go, didn't know who was friend or foe, Lordran seemed insurmountable and terrifying. Of course, it's been a long time since we came here for the first time, and these days there's friendly familiarity to the place, like going back to your childhood home for the holidays.

COGConnectedJames Paley

82/100

Dark Souls is a franchise with a lot of influence over the way games have developed this past decade. The Souls games have inspired a whole swath of imitators, both good and bad, thanks to their revolutionary design. I’ve also never really played them before now. I was under the impression that Bloodborne fell under that same umbrella, at least until I picked up Dark Souls Remastered for the first time. This quickly dashed any hopes I had about coming in with an edge. Instead, my time with Dark Souls was characterized by flailing, failing, swearing and more failing. I still came away loving th...

DualShockersNoah Buttner

8/10

Dark Souls Remastered on the Nintendo Switch is a tribute to the Souls series and everything it stands for. Playing the game on the go allows you to really revel in the moment to moment successes amid seemingly hundreds of failures. While I love everything this port stands for, I'd be hard pressed to recommend it as an entry point for players getting into the series, or even as a remastered version of the game that people don't plan on playing on a commute or outside of their home in general. It is, despite all of this, capable of creating a brand-new way to play Dark Souls, and for someone as...

Gamers HeroesJohnny Hurricane

80/100

Dark Souls Remastered has aged well, despite the progress of its successors. Newcomers might fight it abrasive, but it is still worth a pickup for old fans and new alike. Here's to a release of Demon's Souls Remastered.

Steam Deck HQNoah Kupetsky

8/10

Dark Souls Remastered is a glow up for one of the most acclaimed games in recent history that spanned its own genre and deserves the praise it gets. And with 2 tweaks, you can maximize battery life and keep 60 FPS on the Steam Deck!

VG247John Learned

From Software finds a classic sitting next to a forgotten bonfire. This review now includes impressions of the Nintendo Switch version of Dark Souls Remastered.

Game SkinnyJonathan Moore

8/10

The embers of Dark Souls might not burn as bright seven years later, but Dark Souls: Remastered proves this is still one of the best RPGs of the modern era.