Skip to main content

Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Dark Souls 2, now with more Peter Serafinowicz

UPDATE: Nine minute gameplay video shows off his character.

UPDATE: A new nine minuted gameplay video has emerged showing off Peter Serafinowicz's role as Mild-mannered Pate.

Watch on YouTube

The treasure hunting NPC doesn't appear until the tail end of the video around the 8.15 mark. Prior to that we see several attempts of players trying to fell a couple of larger foes. One is a raggedy wraith in a gloomy mire, while the other is a sun-bleached knight in a sunny field. The former tries to surprise players by leaping from a scaffolding while the latter leaves players completely alone unless you get in his business. Both wear fashionable capes.

ORIGINAL STORY: Veteran character actor Peter Serafinowicz will be voicing a character in Dark Souls 2.

Peter Serafinowicz looks like he should sound more like Christopher Walken than he does.

Serafinowicz is best known for his work in Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, and The Peter Serafinowicz show. He also provided the voice of Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. (Darth Maul spoke?! Anyone else not remember this? Maybe not remembering that movie is for the better.)

The actor will play a new character named Mild-mannered Pate, a mysterious treasure hunting figure. I hope he's friendlier than that Patches the Hyena jerk.

This won't be Serafinowicz's first foray into video games as he's previously provided voices in Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Lego City Undercover.

According to Dark Souls 2 publisher Namco Bandai, Serafinowicz is a huge fan of the series. "Dark Souls is the most engrossing game I've ever played," the actor said in the announcement. "For me, it's the best game of all time".

This is the first time the series has recruited a celebrity. Are people looking forward to the high end talent, or worried that a known personality could rob the series of its oppressive, alienating atmosphere?

Guess we'll find out when Dark Souls 2 launches on 14th March on PS3 and Xbox 360 - with a PC version to follow at an unannounced time.

The game's out now and you'll find plenty of help in our essential guide to Dark Souls 2.