Dark Souls 2 - walkthrough, boss guides and tactics, bonfire locations, strategies

From killing every boss to looting every last item, our complete walkthrough for Dark Souls 2 will help you out of even the tightest of spots.

Guide by John Bedford Contributor

Updated on Nov. 27, 2020

The hugely anticipated sequel to 2011's Dark Souls is finally out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and a PC version is just a few weeks away from launch. While it may be a case of more of the same for this new journey through hell, that's no small accomplishment when you consider what a tough act it had to follow. Put it this way: if you're hungry for more of the same, rest assured that your appetite will be well and truly satiated by this sequel.

Players of the previous Souls titles will certainly expect to come unstuck frequently during the game, and they'll relish those joyous moments of busting through to the other side of a particularly tricky fight. But what about if that frustration goes too far the other way, and you just want to finish off a fight before you walk away for good? Here's where our guide to the game's many, many boss fights comes in.

Cover image for YouTube video — [60fps] Dark Souls 2 PS4 vs Xbox One Gameplay Frame-Rate TestWatch on YouTube

It goes without saying that this Dark Souls 2 walkthrough contains spoilers. Really, really big spoilers that befit a game packed to the rafters with really big, really tough enemies, and so you should try to resist the urge to peek ahead until you're truly at your wit's end. Still, if you've found yourself banging your head against a brick wall that's 200 foot tall and armed to the teeth - and with no sign of respite in sight - we'll help you bust your way through the battle.

You might arrive at those fights in a slightly different order to ours too, depending on how you choose to tackle the game, and which areas you choose to explore first. Rest assured we're continually chipping away at each and every region and boss in the game, and we won't stop updating our guide until they've all collapsed into a massive crumpled heap - so check back later if we've not yet covered your own particular hell.

Dark Souls 2 - Things Betwixt, coffin, boat, combat tutorial, movement tutorial

Dark Souls 2 - Majula, Majula Key, Blacksmith, locked house, locked door

Dark Souls 2 - Forest of Fallen Giants, key, knight, phantoms, white knight

Dark Souls 2 - Last Giant, weakness, guide, location

Dark Souls 2 - The Pursuer, strategy, curse, Greatsword

Dark Souls 2 - Heide's Tower of Flame, bonfire, Pharros Lockstone, lever, Divine Blessing

Dark Souls 2 - Dragonrider, soul weapon, tips, halberd, bow

Dark Souls 2 - No-Man's Wharf, ship, shortcut, Miracles, Lucatiel

Dark Souls 2 - Flexile Sentry, soul, boss guide

Dark Souls 2 - Lost Bastille, statue, blacksmith, shortcut, bastille key

Dark Souls 2 - Ruin Sentinels, help, boss strategy, summon

Dark Souls 2 - Sinner's Rise, key, Estus Flask Shard