Dark Souls II: The Lost Crowns
Three DLC packs returning to interconnected level design.
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Dark Souls II: The Lost Crowns is a trilogy of downloadable content packs for the 2014 action role-playing game Dark Souls II. The first, Crown of the Sunken King, launched in July 2014, followed by Crown of the Old Iron King in August and Crown of the Ivory King in September. FromSoftware developed the DLC, and Bandai Namco Entertainment published it. Critics received the packs positively, especially praising their return to the intricate, interconnected, and looping level design seen in the original Dark Souls.
Before the base game came out, Bandai Namco producer Takeshi Miyazoe mentioned that downloadable content was possible depending on how fans received the game. Co-director Yui Tanimura stated that work on the DLC started right after the main game was finished. Early planning sessions led to a decision to make each part of the trilogy as distinct as possible, a freedom made easier by not being tied to Dark Souls II’s main story. Tanimura also wanted the DLC to emphasize discovery and to build on the skills players had learned from the base game. The Lost Crowns was officially announced on June 4, 2014. Each pack could be bought separately or as part of a season pass. All three installments earned positive reviews, and because the designers deliberately created level designs unlike anything in the main game, some critics felt the new content was an improvement over Dark Souls II itself.
The story of Dark Souls II involves an abyssal entity named Manus that shattered into many fragments. These fragments gained their own awareness and craved power. One piece took the form of a queen, traveled to a foreign land, and manipulated its king into starting a war—this drives the main conflict of the game. The plot of The Lost Crowns centers on three more of these autonomous fragments, each of which journeyed to different kingdoms in search of control.
Crown of the Sunken King, released on July 22, 2014, received positive reviews and was seen as an improvement over Dark Souls II’s level design. It takes place in a large, green-tinted cavern filled with vast stepped pyramids resembling Aztec temples. Matt Kamen of The Guardian described the locations as some of the most disturbing yet beautiful seen on a current-generation console.
- Developer
- FromSoftware
- Publisher
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- First release
- July 2014 (Crown of the Sunken King)
- Second release
- August 2014 (Crown of the Old Iron King)
- Third release
- September 2014 (Crown of the Ivory King)
- Genre
- Action role-playing game downloadable content
- Platform
- Dark Souls II
Lore & Background
The story of Dark Souls II involved an abyssal entity known as Manus shattering into numerous fragments. These fragments gained individual awareness and began to hunger for power. One of these pieces adopted the appearance of a queen and journeyed to a foreign land to manipulate its king into a war, leading to the primary conflict of the game. The plot of The Lost Crowns focuses on three more such autonomous fragments who set off to various kingdoms in search of control.
Crown of the Sunken King takes place in a large, green-hued cavern with vast stepped pyramids that bear resemblance to Aztec temples. The DLC saw an increase of environmental puzzles; large architectural segments slide, rotate, and rise, with switches hidden around the level and traps abound. The final boss is an impaled and poisonous dragon named Sinh, created as the 'linchpin' of the level's harsh atmosphere. Crown of the Old Iron King is set on a massive, ash-dusted tower with a foundry at the base and an exposed throne room at the top. The player begins on a nearby mountain and crosses a giant chain bridge to the upper level, then descends the spire. The third pack, Crown of the Ivory King, concludes the trilogy.
Reader's Guide
Dark Souls II: The Lost Crowns is significant for returning to the complex, interconnected level design that characterized the original Dark Souls, a departure from the relatively linear style of the base game. The trilogy was developed after the base game was completed, with early design meetings deciding to make the packs as varied as possible, facilitated by freedom from the overarching story. Director Yui Tanimura emphasized discovery and took advantage of player experience from the base game. Each DLC was available individually or as a season pass. Critics considered the new content an improvement on Dark Souls II, praising the deliberate effort to employ level designs unlike anything found in the base game. The DLC's legacy lies in its positive reception and its role in expanding the game's world with three distinct, challenging environments that forced players to adapt their playstyles.
Did You Know?
- Work on the downloadable content began directly after the base game was completed.
- Crown of the Sunken King features three boss encounters, one of which is optional and set after a difficult challenge path.
- Crown of the Old Iron King's primary boss dwells at the bottom of the tower and is surrounded by objects that heal him, which can only be destroyed with items found throughout the DLC.
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