Dark Souls II presents its plot in an unconventional way that makes it difficult to understand in one playthrough, and it has several unclear or unknown elements. In this way, the game encourages its community to share and review findings and interpretations with each other in order to fully understand it.The story revolves around a male or female Undead human known as the "Bearer of the Curse", who has nearly lost their mind and gone "hollow" in their search for a cure. They have traveled to Drangleic, which is rumored to be home to powerful souls that can help Undead regain their humanity and avoid this fate. The bearer of the curse finds their way to Majula, a settlement in Drangleic.

Dark Souls II features gameplay mechanics similar to its predecessor; co-director Tomohiro Shibuya stated that he had no intention of changing the controls. The game features a whole new world, with many weapons that are used to fight the monsters in the game.Covenants, a feature in the original Dark Souls, that allowed the player to align with different factions, make a reappearance, though easier to understand and more accessible.