PixlBit

Sorry, no pics...still learning this blog editor.  Soon enough.  Also not sure why there are extra numbers in the margin.  Details!  My numbers are bolded for your viewing pleasure.

 

After allowing my Gamefly copy of Dark Souls to sit on top of my small disc-based backlog, I decided to pop it into the Ps3; I’ve given up Skyrim until all the lag and stoppage is taken care of.  Even then, there’s no guarantee I’ll just throw myself right back into it – I’ve got the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection patiently waiting for me, as well. 

I love me some Skyrim, but this is Bethesda’s 3^rd strike with me this year: first two were Hunted: The Demon’s Forge and the shooter/disaster known as Brink.  SeriouslyBethesda…if you’re going to put your stamp on something, make sure you know what is going out under your name.

 

I’d purchased Dark Souls around launch, played it a few hours, and given up on it, since I couldn’t beat the Taurus Demon boss toward the end of the Undead Burg.  I’ve since slaughtered his bovine ass, using a series of falling stabs.  For a boss that gave me so much trouble during my first two encounters, I didn’t expect to kill him with as much ease as I was able to during  the third and final encounter. There’s something about this game that calls to me…an amalgamation of the prestige of merely finishing the game, the hardcore rpg leveling system, and the focus on combat.  Many gamers, including those who’ve finished the game, would say that this IS NOT a fun game.  I disagree, for the following reasons.

 

1. 1.  Friday night I decided to chill in the Undead Burg and grind a few levels.  Doing this allowed me to study the movement and attack style of each enemy type, ensuring that I’d be better suited to repeatedly mauling them with backstabs, soul arrows and wooden arrows.  I ground out about 10 levels in the Burg area containing the bonfire inside of a parapet.  I enjoyed this grinding more than I’ve ever enjoyed grinding in any other RPG to date.  I made it fun for myself by attempting various attacks on each enemy and fleshing out my knowledge of the intricate attacking system.  Roll attack?  Hell yes.
3. 2.  When you die and fail to recover, all the souls and humanity contained in your blood/green stain are gone, forever.  This small facet of gameplay keeps me constantly monitoring the number of souls I have.  Once I hit around 5,000 or so I make my way toward a bonfire and level up.  The constant management of your currency/xp aids immersion immensely. 
5. 3.  While some call it one of the game’s shortcomings, I find the lack of in-game tomes and books and deep, rich lore SO VERY REFRESHING.  When a game’s done this well there’s little need for a deep and compelling story.  There is indeed a plot in Dark Souls, but I find that the knowledge of me being in Lordran merely to get to the bottom of why it’s an undead bastion and remedy it to be enough.
7. 4.  STATS!!!!  There’s different resistances, character stats like attunement and intelligence, armor ratings, equip load…while I admit that I’m still in the dark on how to read much of the stats screen, I enjoy that the game’s features are that deep.  I’ll get better at it, I’m sure.  I also really like that you can level up hundreds of times.  That alone makes me quite confident that I’ll be hitting the KEEP IT button on my Gamefly Q.
9. 5.  Black Phantoms….that’s a love and hate relationship.  I love them because they’re an innovative manifestation of multiplayer in an RPG…I hate them because to date, I was slaughtered by Black Phantoms twice out of the two times I was invaded.  I may end up playing offline, though I really doubt it.  It’s just another reason to grind levels and find good gear. 
11. 6.  NO DLC….EVER.  That’s right….Dark Souls was released complete.  We don’t have to worry about shelling out the obligatory 15 bucks a few months from now because a new area of Lordran was released.  Don’t get me started on DLC.

 

Some may agree, others will disagree.  I'm pretty easy to please as a gamer...as long as it doesn't suck, I'll give it a whirl.  Don't let people fool you - Dark Souls IS fun.  The learning curve is steep, there's literally no handholding, and it sets the bar high in difficulty - but none of the aforementioned is insurmountable.  You will die, a lot - but if you're a smart player you'll often find your losses aren't recoupable.

Prepare to die!