Dark Souls II is out! From Software’s follow-up to cult hit Dark Souls launches for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 today, with a PC release coming on April 25.

Early Dark Souls II reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, suggesting that the latest instalment of challenging and atmospheric RPG series is a worthy investment of your valuable March time.

If you’ve picked up the game, how are you finding it? What’s your best anecdote so far? I ended up having to club one boss to death with my shield because my sword broke during the fight, which was both terrifying and exhausting.

Here’s what the critics are saying in their Dark Souls II reviews:

GameSpot — 9/10

“Dark Souls II is loaded with secrets and surprises, and even though I have finished the game once, there are so many elements I am still uncovering. I may not have yet unveiled all there is to know about this beastly game, even after 80 hours of play, but I do know this: I will be adventuring through Drangleic for many months to come, sure to be haunted nightly by the disturbing gazes of the faceless titans that tenderize my flesh with their two-ton hammers.” [Full review]

VideoGamer — 10/10

“Dark Souls 2 is a refined, slicker version of what I consider to be the greatest video game ever made, and it is a title we’ll be finding more and more about post-release as its genius is fully uncovered.” [Full review]

CVG — 10/10

“Whether or not you come to believe that this is better than its predecessor will likely depend on how blindly you accepted the former game’s faults. Dark Souls 2 irons out those flaws, and its world expands in ways that fans won’t expect, but will undoubtedly appreciate. Its layers of depth, and colossal scope for challenge, community and discovery, is a gaming event of such impact it’ll be referred to time and time again for years to come.” [Full review]

Edge — 9/10

“It is a game that asks everything of you and gives so much back, keeping its cards close to its chest, and revealing them only to those prepared to die and die again. It is made to be played for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours as you try new builds, explore PVP and experiment with covenants, all the while slowly peeling back the layers of its lore. Some of its ideas work better than others, and Drangleic is no match for Lordran’s intricate design, but Dark Souls II is, like its predecessors, brilliant, beautiful, and absolutely essential.” [Full review]

IGN — 9.0/10

“Dark Souls II is a smart, massive, and incredibly rewarding sequel. It’s crammed with deep systems, tense encounters, and enough clever multiplayer and New Game Plus elements to make me want to restart the second I saw the end credits. Not all of the tweaks and additions worked out for the best, but with such great enemies and levels to fight and explore, Dark Souls II made 60 hours of pain and agony so much fun they flew by in a heartbeat.” [Full review]

Eurogamer — 9/10

“Overall, Dark Souls 2 probably isn’t quite the same masterpiece Dark Souls is, but then neither is anything else, and the fact it comes so close is remarkable. From Software has delivered on its goal of opening the game up a bit to more daunted players without breaking the heart of Souls, and Drangleic belongs in the same conversation as Lordran for any number of reasons – but this is still an iterative sequel, so many of the old routines and patterns of discovery inevitably sparkle a little less the second time around. Only a little, though, and when the worst you can say is that a game is only nearly as good as Dark Souls, that’s still a pretty strong recommendation.” [Full review]

The Guardian — 5/5

“Dark Souls II is an extraordinary game. If it stops short of fulfilling something precious within the soul, it certainly has the heart, mind and fingers covered.” [Full review]

For more Dark Souls II reviews, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.