‘Dark Souls’ screenshots are foreboding, gloomy

When a game’s website has the URL PrepareToDie.com, the chances of it being a simple platformer are probably nil.

“Dark Souls,” the follow-up to “Demon’s Souls,” is expected to test players’ skills and determination to get through encounters that are “significantly harder” than its predecessor. It is a dungeon crawler, but with a more open world environment to allow players to explore different styles of play.

Namco Bandai has released some screenshots (after the jump) to showcase the graphics and mood that the game is aiming. The online component allows gamers to draw from the collective experience of the  community as they either help or sabotage each other on the journey through the Northern Realms to save the land from darkness.

The game is expected to be released in October for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Japanese gamers will be able to get it in September, but only for the PS3.