March 11, 2014.
Gamers who have been closely following the development of Dark Souls 2 since it was announced in late 2012 may remember the controversy that erupted shortly afterward when the game's co-director, Yui Tanimura suggested that the sequel would be made "more accessible", giving longtime fans the impression that the brutal difficulty, confounding lore and at times obtuse gameplay would give way to excessive handholding as a concession to newcomers. In an interview with Edge Online one year later, Tanimura would explain that by "accessible" he actually meant streamlining elements of the game that did not positively communicate and contribute to the essence of what the Souls games were about, and that players could still expect the same level of challenge and confusion from Dark Souls 2 that they were accustomed to. Well, Dark Souls 2 is now upon us, and as a veteran who has been through the wringer the original Dark Souls and Demon Souls (for PS3) before it, I can personally attest that Tanimura has remained true to his word."
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