Dark Souls 2 First Screenshots Surface

As promised, Namco Bandai and From Software have released the first ever in-game screenshots of Dark Souls 2. The game is one of the most highly anticipated role-playing games currently in development.

The game may bear the same name as its predecessor, but don't be fooled. It features an all new story, expanding the scope of the world in which the first game was set. It is not being directed by Hidetaki Miyazaki, who made Dark Souls and Demon's Souls, with duties being handed over to Tomohiro Shibuya, who also worked on the first game.

In the game's first press release, its developers stated that they are "striving to make Dark Souls 2 an experience that is fresh while not forsaking its roots in presenting players with challenging gameplay." Their goal is apparently to surprise and delight fans with new experiences and plot twists while enticing new players to join the adventure. They may have managed to do just that, judging from the screenshots below.

With any luck, the game will give the fans just what they want. Further information about the game is expected to surface this week.