Modder Yui, known for creating seamless co-op mods for Elden Ring and the original Dark Souls, has released an alpha version of their latest project: a seamless co-op mod for Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin. This new mod, which has been in development for over a year, aims to allow players to experience the entirety of Dark Souls 2 with up to five friends.
According to the mod's Nexus Mods description, the mod removes restrictions and allows for continuous co-op play from the game's opening areas to the final boss. Player progression and NPC dialogue are synchronized across all participants, and barriers that normally segment co-op zones have been removed. Should a player fall in battle, they will respawn at the last bonfire while the rest of the party continues the session until the encounter concludes.
Yui has also implemented several quality-of-life improvements and balancing options. These include a streamlined connection system for easier session setup and options to adjust difficulty scaling. While playing with multiple friends will undoubtedly make the game easier, Yui stated that the mod's primary design goal is player enjoyment rather than reducing the challenge.
The mod is currently in an alpha state, meaning players may encounter bugs that Yui intends to address based on community feedback. To install the mod, players will need Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin updated to version 1.03 and obtain the mod files from Nexus Mods or Github. The mod provides in-game items to facilitate the organization of online sessions. Further guidance on setting up the co-op experience can be found in the mod's description or an accompanying video.