Background
Dark Souls was designed and published by From Software for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was released first released in Japan on September 22, 2011, This was followed by releases in North America, Australia and in Europe in early October by Namco Bandai Games. The game is the spiritual successor to Demon Souls, as there are certain events in which both games have references to, in particular the beginning of the Age of Fire. Other than the small historic references, there is no way to determine whether the events of Dark Souls happens before, after or even simultaneously to those in Demon Souls.
Dark souls received universal critical acclaim, gaining high ratings from many well known game review publicists such as Eurogamer, IGN, GameSpot and GameZone, all giving the game a 9/10 or higher rating. Very recently Dark Souls made its debut to PC gaming,the initial idea for the game to be ported to PC came about when on January 6, 2012 a petition to have the game ported to PC arose, and in the space of a single week gained over 92,000 people signed the petition. Namco Bandai announced in its end of financial year report that it had sold over 1.19 million copies of Dark Souls, this does not include the sales in Japan as From Software self published the region. |
Genre
Dark Souls is an Action Role-Playing game, more specifically I would classify it is a third person dungeon crawler. In Dark Souls the player traverses an open world full of labyrinth like environments, battling monsters using quick thinking and even quicker reflexes. The combat system in Dark Souls is quite unique in that most of the time in combat is spent dodging incoming attacks, or attempting to block the incoming attack with a shield, biding time until the enemy leaves themselves vulnerable. When the player kills an enemy, the player gains souls which the player can use to either level up their character, increasing their stats in order to allow them to use stronger sorceries, weapons and armor, or they can use their souls as currency to upgrade their gear at one of the very merchant NPCs.
The following is a video of one of the relatively easy boss fights in Dark Souls, plus a good look at the inventory and equipment screens.
The following is a video of one of the relatively easy boss fights in Dark Souls, plus a good look at the inventory and equipment screens.
Boundaries and Rules
Dark Souls consists of an extremely large open world in which the player can explore the various paths however they see fit. However, these paths are set by barriers within the game, such as sheer rock walls, or cliff edges which when the player attempts to cross, mean a long drop to their death. However, other than these physical barriers a player can gain access to almost any location in the game, as long as they have completed the necessaries tasks in order to unlock the area, these tasks are not always very obvious, nor do many of them have to do with the main storyline. There are very few rules with this type of game, if your characters health reaches zero, you die, this means that you lose all of the souls you are currently carrying, and are teleported back to the last bonfire you rested at, and all enemies but bosses respawn. The souls that you were carrying will remain at the location you died at what is called your 'bloodstain', until you either collect them, or you die again, which will create a new bloodstain, destroying the old one and all souls it contained.
Balance
Dark Souls is balanced in the way many action games are balanced, using Transitive balancing. As the player gains more skill, the number of enemies and the strength of each enemy increases. This is extremely evident in Dark Souls, as soon as the played manages to get past group of enemies, the next group is twice as large, or has enemies which are stronger then the previous, and in many instances due to the difficulty of the game, both.
Dark Souls also incorporates asymmetric balancing, like most role playing games. As the player gains experience points for their character, they can level up gaining skill points, these points can be used to increase the value of the characters skills, which in turn can increase the characters offensive and defensive capabilities, as well as allowing them to use stronger weapons and armour.
Dark Souls is also balanced in that both players and enemies have the ability to use many different types of weapons and armours, all of which have their own distinctive strengths and weaknesses. This means that an enemy wielding a spear and shield is extremely different against an enemy wielding a two handed axe, both of which are extremely deadly, but both have their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses.
This game is unbalanced, but that is the point, it is suppose to be hard, the game is almost sadistic in the fact that it is so difficult that you will die over and over. On multiple occasions I died 10-20 times on trying to get past a single obstacle, or killing a certain group of enemies, that isn't counting the other 10 times that I messed up on the fights up to that point in which an enemy I have dispatched multiple times still managed to get the upper hand on me.
Dark Souls also incorporates asymmetric balancing, like most role playing games. As the player gains experience points for their character, they can level up gaining skill points, these points can be used to increase the value of the characters skills, which in turn can increase the characters offensive and defensive capabilities, as well as allowing them to use stronger weapons and armour.
Dark Souls is also balanced in that both players and enemies have the ability to use many different types of weapons and armours, all of which have their own distinctive strengths and weaknesses. This means that an enemy wielding a spear and shield is extremely different against an enemy wielding a two handed axe, both of which are extremely deadly, but both have their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses.
This game is unbalanced, but that is the point, it is suppose to be hard, the game is almost sadistic in the fact that it is so difficult that you will die over and over. On multiple occasions I died 10-20 times on trying to get past a single obstacle, or killing a certain group of enemies, that isn't counting the other 10 times that I messed up on the fights up to that point in which an enemy I have dispatched multiple times still managed to get the upper hand on me.
Navigation and Interactivity
Navigating through Dark Souls is quite frustrating at some points, this is simply because there is no map, no way points or navigation points, and all the NPCs in the game only give very vague directions, if any at all. Though this is a little frustrating, it also gives a high level of freedom, there is no rush to go anywhere, and in exploring, you will discover other location, learning how to defeat the obstacles in which later in the game you may have to traverse. Information about the story and objectives are given almost entirely by NPCs, though what they say is more often than not completely useless, and if it is useful, any directions given are extremely vague.
The inventory, equipment and character screens are exactly opposite, giving at first an overwhelming amount of information to take in, though with very little description on what exactly half of the information means.
The HUD however is quite useful, simply displaying health, stamina and humanity in the top left corner, four item slots in the bottom left corner, which represent the two items in your hands, the spell you can cast, and the item you currently have selected for use, and in the bottom right corner is the number of souls you have collected.
The inventory, equipment and character screens are exactly opposite, giving at first an overwhelming amount of information to take in, though with very little description on what exactly half of the information means.
The HUD however is quite useful, simply displaying health, stamina and humanity in the top left corner, four item slots in the bottom left corner, which represent the two items in your hands, the spell you can cast, and the item you currently have selected for use, and in the bottom right corner is the number of souls you have collected.
Victory Conditions
The greatest reward in Dark Souls is getting to the next checkpoint, which comes in the form of a bonfire. Other than this the only other reward is defeating a boss, this is due to the fact bosses usually drop rare items and extremely large amounts of souls as well as the fact that boss monsters do not respawn. Leveling up is always a nice reward, though this can only be done at a bonfire, so if you do manage to get enough souls to reach the next level, you have to make the choice on whether to run back to the last bonfire and level up, respawning all monsters, or to push on and try to find the next bonfire, which may not be for a long time.
Winning the game is done by completing the story line, there are very few objectives in the storyline, though each is very long and difficult consisting of multiple boss fights on your way to the objective. The game is over when the player defeats the final boss, and chooses to either end the Age of Fire or avert the natural course of time and prolong it.
Winning the game is done by completing the story line, there are very few objectives in the storyline, though each is very long and difficult consisting of multiple boss fights on your way to the objective. The game is over when the player defeats the final boss, and chooses to either end the Age of Fire or avert the natural course of time and prolong it.
Immersion, Continuity and Unity
Dark Souls graphics are quite stunning, scene after scene is filled with absolutely beautiful scenery, from the ramparts of abandoned castles, to deep dark woods and creepy dark caves, every scene as eerie and creepy as the next.
Along with the eerie scenery is the silence, Dark Souls has very little music, a few areas have some soft, slightly creepy music, though these are far and few between, The remainder of the music is during the major boss fights. This boss fight music is extremely intense even more so due to the usual eerie silence, and is amazingly effective and increasing the level of excitement and tension during a boss fight.
Throughout most of the rest of game there is only a small amount of natural noise, such as the wind and running water, along with some noise of enemies patrolling, and a distant yet distinctive sound of some giant boss that you are, unfortunately, going to encounter though, you never know when. This all adds to the very eerie and isolated feeling that Dark Souls gives. NPCs in Dark Souls are even more depressing and creepy than the scenery, of the few that you meet, many just sit around completely depressed, they do not say very much, and when they do it is usually about how inevitably they will become a completely hollow undead and how depressed they are about this fact.
Along with the eerie scenery is the silence, Dark Souls has very little music, a few areas have some soft, slightly creepy music, though these are far and few between, The remainder of the music is during the major boss fights. This boss fight music is extremely intense even more so due to the usual eerie silence, and is amazingly effective and increasing the level of excitement and tension during a boss fight.
Throughout most of the rest of game there is only a small amount of natural noise, such as the wind and running water, along with some noise of enemies patrolling, and a distant yet distinctive sound of some giant boss that you are, unfortunately, going to encounter though, you never know when. This all adds to the very eerie and isolated feeling that Dark Souls gives. NPCs in Dark Souls are even more depressing and creepy than the scenery, of the few that you meet, many just sit around completely depressed, they do not say very much, and when they do it is usually about how inevitably they will become a completely hollow undead and how depressed they are about this fact.
When I play Dark Souls, I feel like I am alone in the world, the last person left alive, or one of the last, even when playing it online, you randomly come across some other poor souls bloodstain, activating it will replay how they died, or seeing a message scrawled across the ground, but rarely do you ever meet anyone, and when you do, when someone finally enters your world, it is an invasion, and they are only there to kill you and steal your souls and humanity.
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Death in Dark Souls however breaks the immersion factor of the game, but at the same time it is also what creates it. When you play, you have to spend every single millisecond in pure concentration, because one small mistake, and you die. So though dying is what breaks this concentration, it is probably because you were not paying enough attention to survive in the first place. This game is one of the eeriest, most solitary games I have ever played, even though it can be played online, you still feel alone.
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Story and Narrative
Final Boss
The storyline in Darksouls is very minimalistic, and even this small storyline is left almost completely to the interpretation of the player. In the beginning of the game there is almost no story at all, the only thing that is known is that there is a prophecy concerning an undead that leaves the undead asylum who rings the two Bells of Awakening in the land of the ancient lords, Lordran. This small piece of information is almost all that the player is given until both bells are rung, on my first run through the game, this small task, ring two bells took me about 25 hours. Most of that time I just wanted to know why, and what would happen when I rang the second bell, was that the end of the game, was there something that came next. I had so many questions and absolutely no answers.
I believe that the story is the most important aspect of Dark Souls, because without it, what is the point? Though the game gives so little information, every step of the way you want to know, why? what is this all about? where am I? and the mystery, that is what drives you on, keeps you going after you have died over and over. You want the answers, you want to know, what is the purpose of my existence.
I believe that the story is the most important aspect of Dark Souls, because without it, what is the point? Though the game gives so little information, every step of the way you want to know, why? what is this all about? where am I? and the mystery, that is what drives you on, keeps you going after you have died over and over. You want the answers, you want to know, what is the purpose of my existence.
Motivation for playing
Death... That is right, you died... again... for the 20th time against this exact same boss... why should you keep playing? Why should you try again?
Why you ask, because it is hard, it is deemed one of the hardest games ever created, if you can finish this, you can say, I finished Dark Souls, I tamed one of the hardest games ever created, have you?
That is simply what Dark Souls is, it is a test to your ability, not just at video games, but also life too. Due to the fact that Dark Souls is a very punishing and challenging game, you will fail over and over again, but you will press on. Being able to say you beat Dark Souls is more than just saying I am good at games, it says, I never give up, I will soldier on until I win, no matter how hard things get. That is how I see this game, and it was my motivation to continue playing when the going got tough, I was not going to be beaten by some video game.
Why you ask, because it is hard, it is deemed one of the hardest games ever created, if you can finish this, you can say, I finished Dark Souls, I tamed one of the hardest games ever created, have you?
That is simply what Dark Souls is, it is a test to your ability, not just at video games, but also life too. Due to the fact that Dark Souls is a very punishing and challenging game, you will fail over and over again, but you will press on. Being able to say you beat Dark Souls is more than just saying I am good at games, it says, I never give up, I will soldier on until I win, no matter how hard things get. That is how I see this game, and it was my motivation to continue playing when the going got tough, I was not going to be beaten by some video game.
Evaluation
This game is quite difficult to rate, on one hand the game is frustrating and punishing, it makes you very angry, and at times slightly depressed, but at the same time, when you complete a challenge, get past the part you were stuck at, it is the most satisfying feeling. This game is an emotional roller coaster, and honestly, that is what makes it such an amazing game. I both love and hate this game, because in my whole life never has a single player game been so difficult. It is probably more difficult than the majority of the multiplayer games that I have played also, because at least then you can fool yourself into saying the other player(s) were just better than you, or your team mates were worse than theirs.
I have to give this game a 8.5/10, because it is just so much of a challenge, it is so emotionally fulfilling and I feel like it honestly mimics the struggle of life, the questions we ask ourselves and the general fact that we have to push on through the hard parts of life to gain the rewards.
I have to give this game a 8.5/10, because it is just so much of a challenge, it is so emotionally fulfilling and I feel like it honestly mimics the struggle of life, the questions we ask ourselves and the general fact that we have to push on through the hard parts of life to gain the rewards.
Bibliography
http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/910110-dark-souls-interview-hard-master
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/04/petitions-help-bring-dark-souls-to-pc-protest-use-of-games-for-windows-live/
http://www.preparetodie.com/en/
http://darksoulswiki.wikispaces.com/
http://au.ign.com/games/dark-souls/ps3-86623
http://au.gamespot.com/dark-souls/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/05/08/namco-financials-dark-souls-sold-1-19-million-copies-in-the-us-and-europe/
http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/910110-dark-souls-interview-hard-master
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/04/petitions-help-bring-dark-souls-to-pc-protest-use-of-games-for-windows-live/
http://www.preparetodie.com/en/
http://darksoulswiki.wikispaces.com/
http://au.ign.com/games/dark-souls/ps3-86623
http://au.gamespot.com/dark-souls/
http://www.vg247.com/2012/05/08/namco-financials-dark-souls-sold-1-19-million-copies-in-the-us-and-europe/