Dark Souls II vs Dark Souls III: What Changed Between the Two Games?

Dark Souls II and Dark Souls III share a name and a lot of DNA, but they play differently. One is slower and more experimental, the other faster and more focused. If you are deciding which to play first, or which to buy at a better price, it helps to know what actually changed.

This guide compares the two games on combat, world design, character building, content and price, and shows how to compare Steam key prices for both on Gamepriceradar, a price-comparison site that tracks offers from many sellers.

Dark Souls II vs Dark Souls III at a Glance

	Dark Souls II (Scholar of the First Sin)	Dark Souls III
Release	April 1, 2015	April 11, 2016
Directors	Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura	Hidetaka Miyazaki
Metacritic	87	89
Steam reviews	84% positive (about 129,000)	94% positive (about 279,000)
Steam list price	$39.99	$59.99

Dark Souls II was directed by Shibuya and Tanimura rather than series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki, who had a supervisory role. Miyazaki returned as director for Dark Souls III. The Steam review figures for Dark Souls III come from a third-party tracker, so check Steam for the live numbers.

How Combat and Movement Changed

• Dark Souls III is faster

Dark Souls III is faster-paced than Dark Souls II, with more movement options in combat, and shields still available as a defensive option. Miyazaki has said that Bloodborne influenced the game's approach to resource management, among other things. For a faster-paced, more aggressive experience, Dark Souls III is the choice. 

• Weapon Skills are new

Dark Souls III introduced weapon and shield “Skills,” special abilities that vary by equipment and consume FP. This gives every weapon a second move and changes how you spend your resources, which Dark Souls II does not do in the same way.

• Dark Souls II feels more deliberate

Dark Souls II plays at a slower pace. It also ties dodge speed to a stat called Adaptability, which Dark Souls III removed. The result is that early builds in Dark Souls II can feel clumsier until you invest in that stat.

How World Design Changed

Dark Souls II is centered around a hub area, Majula, with branching paths leading to various interconnected areas. This allows you to go wherever you want, but some of the connections between areas can feel tenuous.

Dark Souls III takes a more linear approach from its hub, Firelink Shrine, through more interconnected areas. Many players feel this makes the pacing more consistent and makes bosses more predictable, but at the cost of fewer optional areas.

Dark Souls II also restricts the number of times enemies refresh, so regions turn out to be safe to travel. Dark Souls III makes the enemies reappear every time you rest. This is a nice detail to compare with your own playthrough, since it has an impact on how grindy each game feels. 

How Character Building Changed

Dark Souls III simplified the stat system. It replaced a number of Dark Souls II stats with Vigor and removed Adaptability, making it so there are less things you can screw up and more weapons that just work out of the box. It also introduced an Ashen Estus Flask, which recovers FP, allowing you to balance health and focus points separately. 

Dark Souls II rewards experimentation, with more stat quirks to learn. That depth appeals to returning players, but new players can find it harder to read.

Content and Multiplayer

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin includes all earlier DLC and adds changes to enemy placement. It also raised online sessions from 4 to 6 players. According to the Gamepriceradar page, the main story takes about 35 hours, and completing everything takes about 71.5 hours.

Dark Souls III features two DLCs, Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City. Its compilation, The Fire Fades Edition, which includes the original game and both expansions, was released in April 2017. Make sure you see what edition you are purchasing, as the base game and complete edition have different prices. 

Which Should You Play First?

You do not need to play the games in release order, because each has its own story and world.

• Start with Dark Souls III if you want faster combat, tighter level design and a more guided build system.
• Start with Dark Souls II if you want a slower game, more build experimentation and a large amount of content.

Many players pick one for the mechanics, then play the other for the contrast.

How to Compare Dark Souls II and III Prices

Gamepriceradar does not sell games. It is a comparison site that shows Steam key prices from official stores and key marketplaces side by side, so you can see the cheapest offer before you decide where to buy. You complete any purchase with the seller you choose.

• Dark Souls II price

To compare Dark Souls II Steam key price across sellers, open the compare Dark Souls II Steam key price page. At the time of writing, it listed Steam’s official price at $39.99. The lowest offer was $13.36 from a key marketplace, and a Steam Global key from another seller was $14.28. The same page shows a Dark Souls II price history, including an all-time low of $13.36 on August 8, 2026, and that price has been available on most days since late August.

• Dark Souls III price

The same method works for the sequel. Use compare Dark Souls III Steam key price to see the current Dark Souls III price, with Steam’s list price at $59.99 as the baseline, and open its price history to see whether a discount is typical or unusual.

What to check before you buy a key

Some marketplaces are third party resellers and are not selling keys directly on behalf of the publisher, and some of these places handle refunds themselves instead of the official store. Before you buy: 

• Check the activation region. Offers are tagged such as Steam Global, Steam ROW or Steam US, and a key that does not match your region may not activate.
• Check the seller’s rating on the marketplace.
• Compare the edition. Standard, remastered, bundle and collector editions are priced very differently.
• Look at the price history to see whether today’s price is close to the all-time low.

Final Verdict

Dark Souls III is the faster, more streamlined game, and Dark Souls II is the slower, more experimental one. Both are worth playing, and at current Steam key prices neither needs to cost full price. Compare offers, check the activation region, and follow the price history before you buy.