Dark Souls

1. JPoppaWUSC

   Oct 4, 2011

   10

   Back in 2009, I spent 120+ hours of my life on Demon's Souls, and since then, I have not found its equal. As dark, challenging, andBack in 2009, I spent 120+ hours of my life on Demon's Souls, and since then, I have not found its equal. As dark, challenging, and repressive as the game was, Demon's Souls still managed to feel like a breath of fresh air in the staling game market, throwing back to classic mechanics that were left in the 80s and early 90s with 8-bit, 16-bit, and arcade games. I find it interesting that Demon's Souls was far better received in North America than in its native Japan (790,000 copies in NA to Japan's 300,000, many of which were sold after the game's subsequest success overseas), as the game reflects more western RPG conventions and D&D-esque styling than the increasingly common anime-styled games that get labeled as "JRPGs." Dark Souls is a spiritual successor in the purest sense of the over-used phrase. Its controls are identical to Demon's Souls, yet they are even more precise than before. The artistic style, starting classes, soundtrack, and multiplayer options are all quite similar as well, but again, they have been tweaked to be a bit superior to that of Demon's Souls. The graphics are more detailed and crisp than ever. But the biggest change here is the open-world structure. Unlike Demon's Souls, which had the Nexus serve as a hub between several more fragmented worlds, Dark Souls has interconnected areas that form one gigantic, seemless world. It's also at least three times the size of all of Demon's Souls' areas combined, and the zones are still diverse and well-conceived. The linking of various zones works kind of like classic Metroid or Castlevania maps, where shortcuts to previous areas can be unlocked, making exploration valuable and rewarding to the overall mission. Instead of the Nexus hub zone, players can rest at bonfires, where they can also upgrade weapons and armor, among other things. Combat is also enjoyable and very deep, and enemy mobs are more varied than in Demon's Souls. In short, Dark Souls improves on every aspect of its predecessor, and with the new open-world structure, Dark Souls can easily stand up to the industry's western-developed heavy hitters (like Dragon Age and Elder Scrolls). In fact, I can honestly say that Dark Souls could steal some serious thunder from Skyrim by offering a more fresh yet hardcore approach to the genre. I also think that it's astounding that developer From Software could make lightning strike twice - it would have been far too easy for some developers to misinterpret Demon's Souls overwhelming success in North America and try too hard to tweak the subsequent formula to cater to American tastes. Instead, From Software stayed true to its original form, even deciding to increase the challenge for Dark Souls. And as one final point, let me also say this: Anyone who has not tried Demon's Souls or Dark Souls should not let the now-legendary difficulty of the series discourage them. The challenge that these games offers is not the same kind of hard-for-the-sake-of-hard frustration that some games fall victim to. Even if you are normally frustrated by difficult games, it's usually because of cheap mechanics and the feeling of having to fight the controls or poor design, and none of that is an issue with the Souls games. They just demand a little more observation, a bit of strategy and thought. From Software trusts that its gamers are intelligent, diligent, and skilled enough to handle that challenge, and that's what makes every victory in Dark Souls feel like a real achievement. The game may not be for everyone, but I would at least encourage every PS3 or XBox360 owner to try it.… Expand

   • 52 of 65 users found this helpful
2. RafaelBarrera

   Sep 13, 2019

   10

   A master piece. This game treats gamers like actual grown people, it doesn't treat you like you're stupid. Perfect combat, interesting lore,A master piece. This game treats gamers like actual grown people, it doesn't treat you like you're stupid. Perfect combat, interesting lore, epic bosses, beautiful art...
   Not recommended for wimpy people ;)… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
4. grendelpoots

   Oct 19, 2011

   10

   Amazing. Reminds me of Simon's Quest. Best game I've played in ages.
   Hard, but not cheap. The sense of discovery makes the dying worthwhile.Amazing. Reminds me of Simon's Quest. Best game I've played in ages.
   Hard, but not cheap. The sense of discovery makes the dying worthwhile.
   If you have the time to sink into it, do it. You won't regret it.… Expand

   • 1 of 4 users found this helpful
5. vorophobe

   Nov 12, 2011

   10

   I love the difficulty. This game and it's predecessor doesn't hold your hand and walk you from area to area, it rewards skill, planning andI love the difficulty. This game and it's predecessor doesn't hold your hand and walk you from area to area, it rewards skill, planning and determination =)… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
6. gothasis

   Jun 3, 2015

   9

   this game is amazing i like it but it gets hard u have to go in order to unlock orange doors but once u get the mechanics its easier o andthis game is amazing i like it but it gets hard u have to go in order to unlock orange doors but once u get the mechanics its easier o and anor londo is hard… Expand

   • 1 of 3 users found this helpful
7. Cafe_8bits

   Nov 14, 2019

   8

   Dark Souls is not just a game, but an entire experience. Dark Soul is not your average RPG, where you grind your character untill you canDark Souls is not just a game, but an entire experience. Dark Soul is not your average RPG, where you grind your character untill you can destroy the world, but you as a player grow to master the mechanics as a whole. Levels matter here, but your handle of the game matter the most.
   The melancholic atmosphere and great narrative choices made this game an unforgettable experience for me, and everyone who likes RPGs should play it.… Expand

   • 0 of 1 users found this helpful
8. Broyax

   Mar 30, 2017

   0

   Par rapport au premier (Demon's Souls), il y a comme un progrès au niveau des graphismes bien qu'en fait les cache-misères comme une ambiancePar rapport au premier (Demon's Souls), il y a comme un progrès au niveau des graphismes bien qu'en fait les cache-misères comme une ambiance (trop) sombre et la faible luminosité soient utilisés trop fréquemment mais admettons. Cela reste laid pour les standards actuels (ou même passés) en matière de RPG.
   
   A part ça, on retrouve les tics (et les TOC...) de From Software : des menus moches et pas pratiques, une interface pourrie et une maniabilité à revoir. On retrouve aussi cette difficulté ridiculement élevée et des points de sauvegarde tous les 36 du mois : il s'agira donc de recommencer, encore et encore jusqu'au par coeur comme une récitation de CE2 (c'est le niveau des joueurs actuels, c'est leur mentalité). D'ailleurs, je n'avais encore jamais vu de RPG qui vous balance un boss dans la gueule au bout de 45 secondes (c'est un record...).
   
   Pour le reste -s'il y a vraiment un reste ou des restes- c'est un monde creux mais qui n'est plus aussi niais que les jeux de rôle japoniais que les Japonais ont l'habitude de nous jeter en pâture : assez logique puisqu'on passe sa vie (enfin façon de parler) à mourir : c'est "hardcore" et vous ne verrez aucun chocobo, non, non. Monde creux et générique donc, peu développé et sans aucune histoire digne de ce nom.
   
   Finalement je ne vois aucune raison de persister à se faire chier dans un jeu pareil, à part une inquiétante tendance au masochisme.… Expand

   • 0 of 4 users found this helpful

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