For installation is to say that one Games for Windows - Live requires, corrosive ... well maybe a matter of taste, but I have to log in twice and GfW Live can nothing else every time, if you do, for example. compares with Steam. So that I can be a very little befriend me now.
But now to the actual game:
The graphics are quite nice in itself. Of the polygons ago you can not complain, it is used a lot of fog and shaders (Blur), which reinforced the gloomy atmosphere. Is virtually no mushy textures.
What is not so great, that is, there is no graphics settings, except AA. (Antialiasing) and the biggest mistake is that the image is bordered top and bottom black bars, I find a lot of nerve. (For this, and for GfW Live there the star deduction) Also with me the mouse is all the time in the game, which was however solved by a small patch was.
For programming I must say that the load times are extremely short fall, which comes in handy, since you often dies and is then teleported to the beacon. The souls have to collect back from the place of death; one dies on the way, are the way. Souls are money and level way in this game. Man dies the way very often and can not save myself, but it is automatically stored in many places. You can freely choose any difficulty setting.
The gameplay is not to explain so fast. Overall, one can say that it is a typical RPG. You have to collect and skillen to become stronger and to take the opponents apart equipment. What is somewhat atypical, is that the opponent always recur when one ascends a level, or snaps to boost its healing potions. (Except for bosses) So TickTack-swallowing potions like Skyrim or so is not in it. I also like the fact that the character is not an all-rounder. So either he has heavy armor wearing, or fighting with light weapons or magic, etc .. find especially well done, that the types of armor all have very strong influence on the character: light has better magic defense and you can roll quickly, can in severe the character to move and dodge only very slowly. First sounds quite normal, but is really well done.
The combat system in and of itself, I find very well done. One has to take before the fight his spells that cost no mana but have limited charges. The menu does not interrupt the fight, you can switch between two left and right arms and / or spells. What items can be active has to be carefully considered. There are many ways to fight the advantages and disadvantages: Block, counter, magic, dodge (UAE roll.), Etc .. Too bad I found that opponents are not able to meet each other. (Apart from a few special attacks)
What I particularly liked is the way one goes, is completely arbitrary. (Is of course a couple of ways that you "free play" must) The level design is really amazing. Again and again we imagine "oh here I am again" and it looks from all sides of exciting and surprised many. There are a lot of different areas: asylum of the undead, the undead city, catacombs, Mirkwood, Fallengespikte fortress, sewer, sump, lava lake, library, Crystal World, and I have determined not forget a few.
The bosses are not scripted directly, but have a limited arsenal. When you get out the attacks sequence, you can defeat them. But easier said than done. Melee is almost always advised, otherwise they make lousy attacks, although one that occurs illogical, but you can also block weapons that are three times the size of the character ... well, it does not harm the game in any case.
Extremely cool is the PVP or online mode. Players can make 'human' and then help each other or knock broken. Is really awesome integrated, the story and single player did not suffer ... except that sometimes people come and kill one, when you're just on my way to the boss.
Short to the story where we were at it. It will be explained and shown a lot at the beginning, but after that it is increasing rapidly from. The few passages in which something is said, it is too much and too little in between. Could have been done better in my opinion. It is short about that one is a chosen Undead (which I, incidentally, quite funny find, sometimes an undead to play), which carries the sinister character in itself and has the ability to light beacons. Your destiny is to ring two bells and and to provide you the servants of Prince Ash Gwyn himself. There are two ends which are, however, fall short.
It is also a bit annoying that they have few dialogues provided only with German subtitles and not dubbed. Would not have been so much. Many play safely eh in English, then it certainly does not matter, but you should at least have a choice.
To Prepare To Die Edition I have to say that it is all their money value. There is a very nice ARTBOOK therewith and a giant poster. Is made really nice. What is missing is the manual to look for noobs and everyone is in this game once a noob: -D.
Hope I could say the most important thing about the game. Try it a try, it is definitely worth when you can be enthusiastic about role playing and not insanely great story awaits!