DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin
Give it 20 hours
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours almost 1 in 2 reviews are negative (45%); after 60h it's 1 in 11 (9%).
- Fully opens up by hour 60.
- 38% of players who start reach the ending.
- The biggest drop-off is between “Last Giant” and “Looking Glass Knight”: from 75% to 49% of starters.
- 94% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 133,984 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 297 reviews: 38.4h for positive, 32.6h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (94% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Last Giant Defeat the Last Giant 75% −25
- Looking Glass Knight Defeat Looking Glass Knight Most players quit here 49% −26
- King's Ring Acquire the King's Ring 47% −2
- Ancient Dragon Acquire Ashen Mist Heart 45% −2
- The Heir See the ending 38% −7
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (38)
story milestone ending side
- Self Recollection Reclaim flesh and set out as an Undead 100%
- This is Dark Souls Die for the first time 98%
- Last Giant Defeat the Last Giant 75%
- Covenant of the Meek Discover the covenant of the meek 72%
- Sinner's Bonfire Light the primal bonfire in Sinner's Rise 61%
- Change of Clothes Give Rosabeth of Melfia something to wear 58%
- Clangorous Covenant Discover the clangorous covenant 53%
- Brightstone Bonfire Light the primal bonfire in Brightstone Cove Tseldora 52%
- Iron Keep Bonfire Light the primal bonfire in the Iron Keep 52%
- Gnawing Covenant Discover the covenant of rodents 52%
- Gulch Bonfire Light the primal bonfire in the Black Gulch 52%
- Supreme Weapon Reinforce a weapon to its limit 51%
- Looking Glass Knight Defeat Looking Glass Knight 49%
- King's Ring Acquire the King's Ring 47%
- Ancient Dragon Acquire Ashen Mist Heart 45%
- Covenant of the Fittest Discover the covenant of the fittest 43%
- Brilliant Covenant Discover a most brilliant covenant 41%
- Reflections on Disembodiment Inherit equipment from the head of Vengarl 39%
- Protector Covenant Discover the covenant of the protectors 39%
- The Heir See the ending 38%
- Vendrick Defeat Vendrick 32%
- Sanguinary Covenant Discover the covenant of the bloodthirsty 31%
- Abysmal Covenant Discover the abysmal covenant 30%
- Selfless Giver Max-out devotion to covenant 26%
- Garrulous Miser Inherit Laddersmith Gilligan's equipment 26%
- Holder of the Fort Inherit Captain Drummond's equipment 25%
- Gathering of Exiles Increase the population of Majula 22%
- Covenant of Ancients Discover an ancient covenant 22%
- Curious Map Light all flames on the map in Majula 19%
- Smith for Life Inherit Steady Hand McDuff's equipment 18%
- Lucatiel Inherit equipment from Lucatiel of Mirrah 16%
- Gesture Maestro Learn all gestures 14%
- Moonlight Greatsword Inherit Benhart of Jugo's equipment 13%
- Master of Hexes Learn all hexes 7.8%
- Master of Sorcery Learn all sorceries 7.3%
- Master of Miracles Learn all miracles 7.0%
- Master of Pyromancy Learn all pyromancies 7.0%
- The Dark Soul Earn all achievements 6.6%