Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition Lets You Fight As Sir Knight Artorias [Update]

Namco Bandai unveiled, Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition for Windows PCs, during their Global Gamers Day press conference. Namco Bandai said that they saw the fan petition, so they decided to urge From Software to give the fans what they so desperately wanted.

Although Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition wasn’t actually playable at the event, From Software’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, who directed both Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, was there to talk about the new version of the game. While we discussed Dark Souls, we were able to watch an in-development video of the PC version play in the background.

Miyazaki told us that Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition is pretty much a direct port of the console release. There are around three to four new stages, four new bosses, a new stage for PvP, and a handful of new NPCs made for new players. Players will also be able to pick up new equipment from some of the bosses. He also said that From Software is aware of the frame rate issues in certain areas of the console version of Dark Souls, in particular Blight Town. He couldn’t comment on the frame rate issues in the PC version since the game is still under development, which is about 70–80 percent complete.

Since the control scheme would be drastically different going from a console version to a PC version, especially since this project is a port, I asked Miyazaki how difficult it was to adapt the controls for people who use a keyboard and a mouse. He laughed a little and said, "They’re still adapting the controls from console to PC right now. It’s too early at this stage to make a comment, but it has been pretty difficult. As I said in the beginning, the game will be a complete port from the consumer version. Even for controls, I would recommend you use a gamepad. That being said, it’s pretty difficult to create really good controls with a keyboard and mouse."

Most importantly, Miyazaki asked if we remembered Artorias the Abysswalker. Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition will allow people to travel through time to the past and play as Sir Knight Artorias. As you may recall, Artorias never actually appeared in Dark Souls, but we heard that he was one of Lord Gywn’s knights who had learned abysswalking that allowed him to meet the Four Kings. It left me wondering if we will finally discover what prompted Artorias’ betrayal… For now, console owners may have to eye the extra content in Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition enviously. Miyazaki said that there was nothing he could say about console versions of it at the moment.

The moment Miyazaki began taking questions, I jumped right in to ask about modding. Fans relish the PC game experience because it offers the opportunity to tweak the game, and modding could allow players to create custom bosses and equipment for Dark Souls. His response may break some fans’ hearts. "Currently we’re not planning to support any mods, because as I said, it’s a complete port of the console version."

I also asked about Steam support and possible cross-platform compatibility with the PS3 version of Dark Souls. Unfortunately, Miyazaki confirmed that platform is still TBD so they do not know if it will support Steam. Cover art for the game shows a Games for Windows logo on it.

Get ready to die over and over again when Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition comes out on August 24.

Update: Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition won’t let people play as Sir Knight Artorias. Players will fight him in the PC version to stop the spreading darkness. We apologize for the error.

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition will also have the Chimera of Tomb as a new boss. New regular enemies include Abyss Guard and Chain Prisoner. New areas include the Oolacite Tomb and Old Ruins. Hawkeye Gough is a new NPC for the PC version too.