1. p360assassin

   10

   This game is a masterpiece. The people who say it requires grinding are retarded. The only time I grinded was when I suddenly decided 35 hours in that "Ya no, heavy armour ain't for me, I'm going for a dodge build". The game does not require any grinding, it requires observation and skill. Nothing more.… Expand

   • Helpful? 5 of 5 users said Yes.
2. Sneetches

   8

   TL;DR A great RPG that'll have you raging one moment and cheering the next.
   
   Dark Souls is a highly debated game with one side crying of "artificial difficulty" and the other being fanboys defending it. However, if you're in the middle (hopefully), you'll realize that its a great game that still has its flaws. Addressing one of the most argued point(s), pertaining to the "artificial difficulty", learning curve, or anything in between, I can say that there are legitimate and also illegitimate complaints. For one, those mainly complaining of the difficulty either tried to A) Blow through the game and got their **** promptly slapped, then complained. or B) Don't understand how to fight or address the different enemies/situations in the game, and would rather not go through the "trial and error" process. Don't be fooled, there is a LOT of trial and error at times. Outside of that highly debated topic, the game is interesting. The beginning and end cutscenes are the only story related scenes, the rest of the story is to be figured out through the player's exploration (another unpopular feature among the modern gamer). The world feels vast, being that you can actually see a lot of the zones from within each other, and they seem so large in view. The characters, while eccentric, aren't exactly memorable, but they aren't very bad either. The game has a depressing atmosphere to it, and it can be felt at times. The art design is great, and really fits the theme, along with the enemies of the world.
   
   The combat is another learning curve that definitely takes some getting used to. Parrying is an interesting mechanic that isn't reliable to the average player, but getting better at it makes dealing with small minions a breeze, but unfortunately it ruins one very important fight in the game. All the classes seem rather balanced although mage/ranger are play styles that seem better suited to the more experienced player, but being proficient at 2 is a big plus. The stats system holds true to any traditional RPG, and while gear doesn't make a world of difference (unless you're worried about your roll...), there is still a lot of customization.
   
   The PVP, while being a very large part of the game, still has its flaws. Summoning is unreliable at best, and doing Co-op with friends isn't exactly easy. Another problem arises with twinks (experienced, very low levels who have beaten the game and NG+ and have their best possible setup) will easily make any newcomer confused and angry at their first online invasion experiences. Lag turns any fight into a "who gets the lucky backstab" duel, and gankers can get very annoying.
   
   I'm not really sure how in-between you can be with Dark Souls, its either something you love, hate, or your friends are making you play to torture yourself with. Despite what many naysayers will complain about, the game still has its strong points, and I would argue that these will outweigh the complaints of "artificial difficulty" and other excuses.… Expand

   • Helpful? 6 of 6 users said Yes.
3. mikelink

   7

   Let me start off by saying that this is not a bad game. I bought it day one and I really tried to love it like I loved Demon Souls but I could not. The graphics are wonderful, the difficulty is ramped up, and a lot of love went in to making this game ad you can see it everywhere. What made me trade this game in three and a half hours after I bought it was the fact that it was so repetitive I wanted to smash my head against a wall. In my opinion, Every single area is exactly the same and there is no variety in structure. It might be just because I didn't get far enough but that's how it seems to me. I know it's a hit or miss game but i urge you to try it yourself because at it's core it is REALLY god.… Expand

   • Helpful? 3 of 6 users said Yes.
4. AncientGR

   4

   Challenging, addictive and exciting but eventually proves to be too user-unfriendly and unrefined for it's unforgiving level of difficulty. Lacking of all but the basic plot and scenario, forwarding the story at a very slow and repetitive pace that strongly resembles the early 90's -fun- yet now obsolete trial-and-error mechanics.
   Compared to other titles of its age, feels more like an arcade than a complete-game experience.
   Unforgivable flaws include taller enemy attacks hitting you through walls, slippery surface glitches, frame rate drops, difficult multiplayer mechanics, dull combat mechanics, doesn't pause, and eventually subjects you to an unavoidable charade of almost endless farming and backtracking.
   Adult players should be warned that this game shows no respect of your time spent playing it. If you are playing video games only for a few hours of high-quality fun, then steer clear of this game.… Expand

   • Helpful? 15 of 34 users said Yes.

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