14 DAY TRIAL // To celebrate the incoming release of Dark Souls 2 on the PlayStation 3 in Europe, Namco Bandai has decided to offer players a helping hand in deciding which Covenant to join.
Covenant masters are spread throughout Dark Souls 2's world, and players can join them freely, should they meet the criteria. The protection of a noble order of knights can come in aid against invaders from other worlds and having a blood thirsty faction covering your back can surely come in hand when you're planning invasions of your own.
Either way, over on the PlayStation Blog, the full list of covenants has been made available to all, with flavorful descriptions to match, aiding in remove all shred of doubt from potential aspirants to their ranks.
Joining the Way of the Blue will give players access to a ring that will summon a member of the noble Blue Sentinels in case of invasion from enemy players. A natural choice for those who wish to refrain from battling online in PvP scenarios and holding on to that human form as long as possible, without facing any unwanted challenges.
The Blue Sentinels is not just for everyone, as the prime condition in order to be accepted amid its ranks is having already assisted another player. Its Covenant master will open up PvP arenas once you join them, allowing you to duel fellow members that share the common cause of bravely assisting players in need, a noble purpose.
The fact that the Champion's Covenant is accessible very early in the game does not in any way imply that it is for everyone to join. Members of the Covenant will find that a much more difficult and unforgiving world awaits them in Drangleic, and they might also experience difficulty in summoning friendly phantoms. The challenges of this new harsh world will also reward players with special stones that will allow advancement in the Covenant's ranks.
The mysterious Rat King Covenant will make players able to draw unsuspecting others into their world, provided they are lurking in the appropriate areas, laden with filth, dirt and slime.
The old Bell Keeper's Covenant members will patrol the long forgotten Bell Towers, and if an intruder walks into the area, players will be able to jump into their world and stop them, similar to how the Forest Keeper Covenant worked in the original Dark Souls.
The Brotherhood of Blood is dedicated to sating the wicked's lust for carnage, vowing to spill as much blood as possible. Players will have to first offer proof that they have both the means as well as the will to slay fellow explorers in the world of Drangleic in order to be welcomed into the Covenant's ranks.
Similarly to the Blue Sentinels, the Brotherhood of Blood offers its members access to PvP arenas, where they can duel and find out who is the true champion of the Brotherhood.
Note that offline play is also available at all times, for those who do not wish to interact in the game's loose multiplayer, although the developers at From Software did put a lot of work into offering a deeper and more meaningful multiplayer experience in Dark Souls 2.