Dark Souls: Remastered

A rock-solid framerate makes this the definitive choice for playing Dark Souls on console today

The action roleplaying game makes a masterful return to Lordran

Dark Souls Remastered speaks for itself just in terms of the raw mysteries it offers beyond its new coat of paint. The feeling of zoning into Firelink Shrine is just as special the 100th time as it is the first, and the open-ended nature of the world is just as fresh. Sometimes needlessly so, From Software has packed so much into Dark Souls that I'm finding new items or experimenting with strategies I've never seen before -- a testament to the longevity of this particular entry, and a more than justified remaster.

Dark Souls Remastered is a close replication of the source material, allowing new players to see what the big deal was and veterans to test their mettle once more. There's already been a generation of undead warriors who completed their journey and rang the Bells of Awakening. Now it's time for another.

Dark Souls Remastered is an excellent remaster of a standout entry in the Souls franchise. Those who played the original will feel right at home, and will really appreciate the visual and technical improvements – particularly to Blight Town, which now runs at a butter smooth 60 frames-per-second. However, those that weren't there at the beginning may not appreciate the inferior visuals and general jankiness that later entries have all but ironed out.

Dark Souls Remastered manages to capture the essence of the Dark Souls experience, primarily because this is exactly the same game that debuted way back in 2011, just this time everything is in gorgeous 4K, and everything runs at 60fps – even Blighttown.

Jumping into Dark Souls Remastered again isn't quite the same as your first time through but it's still a magical journey. And if you've never played Dark Souls before? This is is definitely the best way to experience the game that kickstarted a genre of its own. Dark Souls Remastered should be an essential for action RPG fans and those wanting to put their skills to the test.

Dark Souls Remastered is a good reminder how far we've come in the last seven years.

A wonderful trip down memory lane, in 4k and 60FPS. Engaging combat, thrilling multiplayer and intriguing lore make Dark Souls Remastered a worthy purchase for veterans looking to polish their backstabbing skills; and a mandatory buy for those who never got around to playing the original 2011 release.

If you have ever wanted to experience Dark Souls, or have been dying to take it on the road with you, the Switch version of it is a great choice.