Yes—Dark Souls: Remastered is still worth playing if you want a demanding action RPG built around exploration, deliberate combat, flexible character builds, and the satisfaction of overcoming difficult encounters. The 2018 edition includes the Artorias of the Abyss expansion and is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Its main trade-off is platform-specific: the publisher listed 60fps for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, versus 30fps for Switch, whose advantage is portable play.
What Dark Souls: Remastered is—and what it changes
Dark Souls: Remastered is a 2018 edition of the 2011 action RPG. It preserves the original’s level design and core game rather than reworking its combat or progression. Its appeal comes from exploring the interconnected, hazardous world of Lordran, learning enemy patterns, choosing how to build a character, and gradually understanding a story conveyed largely through places, objects, and implication.
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Dark Souls Trilogy (PS4) | $38.80 | Buy on Amazon |
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Dark Souls: Remastered (Nintendo Switch) | $43.79 | Buy on Amazon |
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Dark Souls Remastered - PlayStation 4 | $22.19 | Buy on Amazon |
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![Dark Souls Remastered [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/B1QaL9g82CS._SL160_.jpg)
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Dark Souls Remastered [Online Game Code] | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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The edition includes the main game and the Artorias of the Abyss DLC. The publisher’s launch-era description says the remaster optimized graphics, expanded online multiplayer, and retained the original level design. That makes this primarily a more accessible modern-platform release, not a redesigned version of Dark Souls.
What the reviews and player ratings tell you
Available reception points to a game with lasting appeal, alongside reservations about how modest the remaster’s changes are. Those are different questions: praise for Dark Souls’ design does not mean every player will consider this edition a major upgrade, and criticism of the remaster’s limited changes does not settle whether the original game is worth playing.
#1 Best Overall
- DARK SOULS REMASTERED - Then, there was fire. Re-experience the genre-defining game that started it all. Return to Lordran in the beautifully remastered game in high definition, 60 fps with single-player or online multiplayer with dedicated servers. Includes the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.
- DARK SOULS II: SCHOLAR OF THE FIRST SIN - Prepare to Die again. The second installment of the series includes the base Dark Souls II plus all three DLCs: Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King.
- DARK SOULS III: THE FIRE FADES - Now only embers remain… Dark Souls III is the final journey in the series where players can fight through intense combat solo or team up for in co-op or PvP multiplayer. Includes the award-winning game and both DLC chapters: Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City.
- ALL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACKS - Visit the EP!C corner to download the music of the Dark Souls saga composed by Motoi Sakaraba and Yuka Kitamura. 110 tracks and more than 6 hours to listen and take back any Dark Souls fan to the intense boss fights and the best moments of their deadly journeys.
As of October 8, 2026, the US PlayStation Store showed 4.70 out of 5 from 37,801 global player ratings. The store describes these as verified-owner reviews subject to moderation; this is a changing user-rating snapshot, not a critic score. Steam showed 91% positive from 49,027 English-language user reviews at the same access date. That figure is also dynamic and is not a critic-review aggregate. Metacritic’s accessible page excerpt did not establish a reliable current critic aggregate, so there is no single critic number here that should stand in for the varied review record.
Bandai Namco’s official description invites players to “Explore its intricate world design – full of hidden passages, dungeons and secrets – and uncover its deeply rooted lore.” That captures a central strength: discovery is part of the challenge. The same design can frustrate players who prefer explicit objectives, frequent checkpoints, or a story explained directly as it unfolds.
Rank #2
- Delve into an epic dark fantasy universe stricken by decline and the Curse
- Each playthrough surprises you with new challenges and unexpected facets of the game
- Hundreds of unique combinations of weaponry, armour, magic and crafting options to create your own play style and gaming experience
- From your first steps to mastery, build your character while refining your playing skills. Learn to strategise freely and experience the rewarding taste of overcoming daunting foes
- Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Which platform should you choose?
Choose based first on the hardware you own and whether portability matters. The figures below are the publisher’s specifications from 2018, not fresh independent performance tests.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Platform | Publisher-listed resolution and frame rate | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| PS4 | 1080p at 60fps | PS4 Pro supports upscaled 4K output. Online play requires PS Plus on the current US PlayStation Store listing. |
| Xbox One | 1080p at 60fps | Xbox One X supports upscaled 4K output. |
| Windows PC | 1080p at 60fps; native 4K on capable hardware | Actual results depend on the PC. The listed values are not a guarantee for every configuration. |
| Nintendo Switch | 30fps; 1080p on TV, 720p in handheld or tabletop mode | Its distinctive advantage is being able to play portably. |
The publisher also listed online play for up to six players in the remastered versions, compared with one to four in the original specification. Online play can add cooperative and player-versus-player encounters, but it is not necessary to appreciate the single-player adventure. Subscription requirements depend on platform; the current US PlayStation Store page specifies PS Plus for PS4 online play.
Rank #3
- Delve into an epic dark fantasy universe stricken by decline and the Curse. Explore its intricate world design - full of hidden passages, dungeons and secrets - and uncover its deeply rooted lore
- Each playthrough surprises you with new challenges and unexpected facets of the game. Don't bet on completing the game only once
- Hundreds of unique combinations of weaponry, armor, magic and crafting options to create your own playstyle and gaming experience
- From your first steps to mastery, build your character while refining your playing skills. Learn to strategize freely and experience the rewarding taste of overcoming daunting foes
- Whatever your motivations are to play online - collaboration or confrontation, support or betrayal - you'll find your true home among the nine covenants. Which allegiance will you choose?
Pick PC, PS4, or Xbox One for the listed 60fps target
If you prioritize the publisher’s 60fps specification, choose among PC, PS4, and Xbox One based on what you own. The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X figures refer to upscaled 4K output; the PC specification describes native 4K on capable hardware. These launch-era claims should not be mistaken for a current benchmark across every system or setting.
Pick Switch if portability is the deciding factor
The Switch edition trades the other platforms’ listed 60fps target for a 30fps target and supports TV, handheld, and tabletop play. It is the natural choice if you value taking the game with you more than matching the other platforms’ specified frame rate. The available evidence does not establish a fresh comparative test of the Switch version, so individual preferences about how that trade-off feels may vary.
Rank #4
- Delve into an epic dark fantasy universe stricken by decline and the Curse. Explore its intricate world design - full of hidden passages, dungeons and secrets - and uncover its deeply rooted lore
- Each playthrough surprises you with new challenges and unexpected facets of the game. Don't bet on completing the game only once
- Hundreds of unique combinations of weaponry, armor, magic and crafting options to create your own playstyle and gaming experience
- From your first steps to mastery, build your character while refining your playing skills. Learn to strategize freely and experience the rewarding taste of overcoming daunting foes
- Whatever your motivations are to play online - collaboration or confrontation, support or betrayal - you'll find your true home among the nine covenants. Which allegiance will you choose?
Who is likely to enjoy it?
- Play it if you enjoy learning through exploration, combat that rewards patience, and gradually finding your own route through a hostile world.
- Play it if you want a substantial action RPG with room to approach challenges through different character builds, and value a world whose history is not fully spelled out.
- Think twice if repeated failure, sparse direction, or having to infer objectives makes a game feel more irritating than rewarding.
- Think twice if you expect a sweeping remake. This edition preserves the original design; its appeal is access to that game with the remaster’s technical and multiplayer changes.
Release, edition, and price details
The western release date was May 25, 2018; the Nintendo Switch version followed on October 19, 2018. The game is available for PS4, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch. The direct product fit is the edition for the platform you intend to use, and current stock and listings can vary.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe US PlayStation Store displayed $39.99 when accessed on October 8, 2026. That is a regional store snapshot, not a universal or guaranteed current price; check the relevant platform’s listing before buying.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
