Prepare to die all over again as Dark Souls 2 announced

From Software's follow-up out to 'surprise and delight' its fans

Namco Bandai have announced the follow-up to Dark Souls, From Software’s 2011 smash hit as famous for its cliff face-like difficulty curve as its deep action-RPG gameplay.

Dark Souls 2, in development for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC is set to continue in the same vein, the game said to be ‘built upon the foundation established by ‘Souls’ series creator and Dark Souls 2 Supervisor, Hidetaka Miyazaki,’ according to the official press release. It’s also confirmed that Dark Souls 2 will feature a new hero, a new storyline, and an unfamiliar world for players to survive in.

Players are also set to discover a revamped server-based multiplayer experience that will put a distinct ‘Dark Souls 2 twist’ on the concept of playing and sharing with others.

‘This new chapter in the Dark Souls saga presents opportunities for us to drive innovation in gameplay design, develop an entirely new story, and expand the scope of the world in which the player interacts with the game,’ said From Software’s Tomohiro Shibuya, Director of Dark Souls 2. ‘We have taken these necessary steps with Dark Souls 2 in order to evolve the overall experience of the Dark Souls series.’

‘The entire development team is striving to make Dark Souls 2 an experience that is fresh while not forsaking its roots in presenting players with challenging gameplay. Our goal is to surprise and delight our fans with new experiences and plot twists while enticing new players to join our dark journey.’

The released screenshots show yet more gargantuan monsters to slay with a seeming focus on dragons – something any veteran of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim might be particularly excited about.

No official release window has as yet been announced, Namco Bandai simply confirming that ‘more details will become available in the months leading to its release.’