Dark Souls II: Crown of the Ivory King

Critic reviews

• GGameSpot

  Miguel Concepcion · Oct 08, 2014

  9.0

  Crown of the Ivory King is a melancholic victory lap in the only way a Dark Souls game can present a finale. From Software congratulates you on your achievements by giving you even more, even harder goals, specifically, some of the hardest boss fights in all of Dark Souls II. It's not about the spectacle of a drawn out ending cutscene; the spectacle has always been about your own survival in battle, especially those victories when your lifebar cannot withstand one more hit.

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• GTGame Trailers

  Ben Moore · Oct 08, 2014

  9.0

  Crown of the Ivory King is exhausting, but at the end of it all, the predominant emotion swelling inside of us was sadness. We wanted more: one more boss fight, one more tucked-away room – not because the DLC is lacking, but because we didn’t want to leave. This may be the last we hear of Dark Souls II, but it went out with a bang.
• PGPC Gamer

  Ben Griffin · Oct 02, 2014

  8.0

  The Crown trilogy haven’t been the most filling morsels. Unlike Dark Souls’ Artorias of the Abyss, they feel superfluous to the main show, something scooped off the cutting room floor. It’s still Dark Souls, and it’s still brilliant, but the Ivory King is a similar deal to the last two—a solid five-hour chunk of adventuring in another enemy-filled fortress. Like its wintry setting it might leave you a bit, well, cold.

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• DDestructoid

  Chris Carter · Oct 01, 2014

  7.5

  This is also one of the most difficult challenges yet in addition to the Iron King DLC.... None of Dark Souls II's DLC is particularly spectacular compared to what was already in the base game, but they are great companion pieces to the proper package. ...Everyone else who took a more casual approach to Dark Souls II should probably wait for a possible Game of the Year edition or a sale.

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• UUSGamer

  Bob Mackey · Oct 01, 2014

  8.0

  If you've been playing through the Dark Souls 2 DLC up to this point, Ivory King offers plenty of reasons to see the last of what FromSoftware has to offer. It features the same focus on new experiences and terrifying boss fights as the past two Crown installments, tucked into a setting that's atypical for a Souls game. Once you tie the bow on Dark Souls 2, the only thing left to do is start counting down the days until Bloodborne.
• HGHardcore Gamer

  Adam Beck · Sep 30, 2014

  8.0

  Dark Souls II: Crown of the Ivory King is arguably the best of the Lost Crown Trilogy, but it’s not without its faults. The main complaint revolves around the conclusion not having a big pay off, despite sinking ten to fifteen hours into the entire set of quests. ...With well-conceived bosses, an exciting new snow setting, and a shiny new crown to put on your mantel, Crown of the Ivory King helps expand the Dark Souls II fiction into great territories.

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