Sony and Namco Bandai have begun taking requests for access to their upcoming open beta for the squeal to Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2. If you have a PS3 or Xbox 360 and are a fan of the games or just want a taste to see what you may be in for, you can download a registration ticket from the PlayStation store.

The beta will open on October 12^th, a week after the original planed launch date, and a second round will be brought in two week after that on the 27^th.

The official beta announcement states:

The depth of the Dark Souls 2 closed beta experience will truly test players’ skill, intestinal fortitude, and their sheer will to survive. The Dark Souls 2 closed beta will delve into one of the most treacherous areas of the Dark Souls 2 world; players will not only get an opportunity to explore an entirely new area of the game, but also experience overwhelming enemy encounters, diabolical challenges, and the unrelenting difficulty that only the developers at FromSoftware can deliver.

Dark Souls, and it’s predecessor Demons Souls, are notoriously difficult and unforgiving games. Anybody looking for a challenge should take this opportunity and sign up for the beta.