Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2514 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,867 out of 2514
  2. Mixed: 224 out of 2514
  3. Negative: 423 out of 2514

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  1. aceofspades1944
    Dec 28, 2012
    6
    I first played this game on the xbox 360 and it was amazing. I loved everything about it. Once I bought the computer version I was disappointed. The game is still great but the port to PC was terrible. All the instructions it gives you on how to attack and interact with the game world are still showing up as controller commands (ie hit RB to attack). Also, the original windows 7 cursor isI first played this game on the xbox 360 and it was amazing. I loved everything about it. Once I bought the computer version I was disappointed. The game is still great but the port to PC was terrible. All the instructions it gives you on how to attack and interact with the game world are still showing up as controller commands (ie hit RB to attack). Also, the original windows 7 cursor is still in game but you can't use it for anything. It just sits there and reminds you how much better this game is on a console. If you want to play this game and PC is the only option I highly recommend buying a controller.… Expand
  2. CriticoDubioso
    Aug 27, 2012
    7
    The game itself is simply terrific, but the port is abyssmal. Especially considering how a simple mod released on day 1 by a fan fixes 2 of the most glaring technical issues, namely the native resolution buffer and DOF. That's simply inexcusable. Just a little more effort on FROM's part would have avoided most of the moaning by PC users and gave the game a better rep.
    Now with the    The game itself is simply terrific, but the port is abyssmal. Especially considering how a simple mod released on day 1 by a fan fixes 2 of the most glaring technical issues, namely the native resolution buffer and DOF. That's simply inexcusable. Just a little more effort on FROM's part would have avoided most of the moaning by PC users and gave the game a better rep.
    Now with the fanfix, the game looks absolutely stunning, much better than it ever did on consoles. Only problem remaining is the 30 fps lock, that sometimes drops to 15 fps for whatever reason. I hope the modder can fix this as well, because the devs likely won't.
    As for the game it's unlike anything I've played before, and most importantly the antithesis to all modern games that want to be as easy, casual, and cinematic as possible. DS shines in world design, combat mechanics, and an unforgiving but rewarding difficulty. Worth a shot for anyone who likes action RPGs.    … Expand
  3. Zanadar
    Aug 24, 2012
    5
    An excellent game, marred by a sloppy, horribly executed console port. Even if we were to dismiss the graphical issues, low FPS, locked internal resolution and the technical problems on some hardware like crashes and freezes, we're still left with one plain and simple fact. Dark Souls is designed to be played with a gamepad. No effort was made to alter that fact in any way. As a result theAn excellent game, marred by a sloppy, horribly executed console port. Even if we were to dismiss the graphical issues, low FPS, locked internal resolution and the technical problems on some hardware like crashes and freezes, we're still left with one plain and simple fact. Dark Souls is designed to be played with a gamepad. No effort was made to alter that fact in any way. As a result the keyboard and mouse settings are clunky, unwieldy and imprecise, the camera a cruel mistress at the best of times. Any fan of this title knows that precision is key to success and the mouse controlled camera affords none whatsoever, whereas the attempting to use solely the keyboard results in a rather awkward realization that an additional hand would be necessary to accomplish anything at all. It's unfortunate this port is such a disaster, as this is by far one of the best RPGs (if we are to define "RPG" in the "Diablo" sense of the term as opposed to say, the Baldur's Gate sense) to have come out in a good decade.… Expand
  4. VahNabooty
    Jul 29, 2018
    6
    Very nice atmosphere and concept, but the gameplay feels very broken, and even though the community may tell you to "get good" the truth is that the game has bad controls.
  5. Vectis99
    Oct 24, 2018
    6
    Dark Souls is a deliberately clunky and frustrating fighting game. It is mostly linear aside from a few branches and tangents, so the player is usually provided with a clear sense of direction from the game's start to finish. The aesthetic of the game is very dark, gritty, and ugly; while this is sufficient to make an artistic point which is at the core of Dark Souls's appeal, the game'sDark Souls is a deliberately clunky and frustrating fighting game. It is mostly linear aside from a few branches and tangents, so the player is usually provided with a clear sense of direction from the game's start to finish. The aesthetic of the game is very dark, gritty, and ugly; while this is sufficient to make an artistic point which is at the core of Dark Souls's appeal, the game's egregious length makes this a touch overbearing. The main issue with Dark Souls is how its un-intuitive, poorly organized stats and progression are so lazily thrown together so as to be nigh incoherent. Keeping track of which stats correspond to what on items is tedious and pointless, coupled with the arbitrary and frustrating of repairs and upgrades. All manner of mechanics like this make Dark Souls feel like a bad RPG not artfully difficult. Overall, Dark Souls presents an interesting artistic concept executed in a mediocre fashion.… Expand
  6. MrSealclubber10
    Sep 13, 2018
    7
    Pretty good game with a few problems for me.
    In about 75% of the game it's a fair challenge to the player but the rest of the remaining 25%? A very unfair memory test (Those percentages are totally not made up btw)
    The first boss for example, a real thrill of a challenge that feels rewarding once you beat him. But in other cases creatures off screen will just sling a projectile or    Pretty good game with a few problems for me.
    In about 75% of the game it's a fair challenge to the player but the rest of the remaining 25%? A very unfair memory test (Those percentages are totally not made up btw)

    The first boss for example, a real thrill of a challenge that feels rewarding once you beat him.
    But
    in other cases creatures off screen will just sling a projectile or some gargantuan beast from nowhere will pounce and you're dead. No two ways about it, you're dead.
    The camera coupled with the level design can sometimes screw you over, where it'll clip behind a wall and block your complete view.
    I like a challenge, not a memory test of jump scares and OHKs.    … Expand
  7. Potitoman
    Apr 25, 2013
    7
    Too much game!
    This game is easy to pick up but demands time, patience and diligence to master.
    The combat system is amazing. Simple but immensely deep and satisfying. Even the lowest ranking enemies will cut you to bits if you rush in or lose concentration. The world or Lordran is beautiful in a dark way. It's history and lore revealed only to those who seek it. The problem is that    Too much game!
    This game is easy to pick up but demands time, patience and diligence to master.
    The combat system is amazing. Simple but immensely deep and satisfying. Even the lowest ranking enemies will cut you to bits if you rush in or lose concentration.
    The world or Lordran is beautiful in a dark way. It's history and lore revealed only to those who seek it.

    The problem is that this game really does demand too much of you. If I were a teenager with nothing better to do, I would score this a 9 or 10, but as a married man that works and has two kids, this is too much. I don't have the time to go back and fight the same boss for the fifth time just to have my behind handed over to me.
    As a game, it's great. It is addictive as anything and very satisfying, but it does cross that line from being a game to feeling almost like a commitment. Too much for me.    … Expand
  8. CyberEagle_1x
    Oct 6, 2012
    7
    i like Dark Souls but it has some big problems. For a start it is not a good pc port, I had to use mods to get it to 1080p at 60fps and sometimes games for windows live would crash and I would get kick me off of my game and without live you can't play with your characters. The online of the game is that you can join a random world and help or kill someone and they can join your two, whichi like Dark Souls but it has some big problems. For a start it is not a good pc port, I had to use mods to get it to 1080p at 60fps and sometimes games for windows live would crash and I would get kick me off of my game and without live you can't play with your characters. The online of the game is that you can join a random world and help or kill someone and they can join your two, which is a nice touch but most of the time when someone join you it really lags and you can do a thing when one invades your world at lvl 60 and your lvl 12. it is a hard game and the control really bad you need a controller to play it. some of the sub boss are harder then real boss but it is a good challenge and you might like. The graphics beautiful with the mod for 1080p. A good game but with the problems it has I am going give it a 6.9 but I recommend to someone who like a good rpg.… Expand
  9. Ignatius_Reilly
    Dec 1, 2013
    6
    Dark Souls is essentially a mediocre action game with shallow RPG elements tacked on. If you're looking for a GREAT action game, you're better off playing Devil May Cry (or DMC3 for that matter) which has RPG elements about as deep as you'll find in this game, (kill enemies, get currency, upgrade character) but with much better combat and tighter, more responsive controls.

    The Nintendo    Dark Souls is essentially a mediocre action game with shallow RPG elements tacked on. If you're looking for a GREAT action game, you're better off playing Devil May Cry (or DMC3 for that matter) which has RPG elements about as deep as you'll find in this game, (kill enemies, get currency, upgrade character) but with much better combat and tighter, more responsive controls.

    The Nintendo hard challenge doesn't help the game much either, as it leads to very limited game play experience. Essentially, you run through an area fighting dull enemies, get one shot by the area boss, run through again, try to figure out how you got killed, die (of course), run through again, rinse and repeat until you figure out the boss's gimmick. Which just leads to you spending most of your time fighting the same predetermined enemies, while bashing your head against an over-tuned boss battle. Eventually you clear that area, and it's onto the next, and just like that, after just one area, you've experienced all the game has to offer.    … Expand
  10. Scottixboy
    Nov 29, 2013
    5
    Dark Souls has the story, it has the progression, it has the loot and but it ruins it all in one single moment with a singe gimmicky gameplay mechanic.

    I'm a big fan of RPG games, I love the idea of adventure, exploration and expansion of my character, Dark Souls isn't really an RPG where it matters, It's an RPG in terms of progression, It's and RPG in terms of it's rewards and Loot    Dark Souls has the story, it has the progression, it has the loot and but it ruins it all in one single moment with a singe gimmicky gameplay mechanic.

    I'm a big fan of RPG games, I love the idea of adventure, exploration and expansion of my character, Dark Souls isn't really an RPG where it matters, It's an RPG in terms of progression, It's and RPG in terms of it's rewards and Loot system, But as far as the gameplay goes, it's as far away as being an RPG as possible, it has a nice competent combat system, relying on health, stamina, timing and the type of enemy you are facing, all this is truly wonderful. It has an awesome loot system, tons of different weapon types, ton's of different combinations of class types. It's truly got everything that makes a great RPG, it also has some exploration and adventure, it's not the kind of thing you see in Fallout, Skyrim, Dragons Dogma, Kingdoms Of Amalur, It's more linear, you have a set linear path, on a set linear story, but the world itself isn't linear, there are lots of places to go, lot's of hidden areas and tons of things to find, But, it's not open world and if it was, it may have benefited more from that.

    So wait? I like it? Well, here is where the biggest problem with Dark Souls makes itself obvious, It's challenge and it's lack of options for those who don't want a challenge. Dark Souls tried to appeal to a specific audience and I respect that, I understand the type of people it's aimed at, the kind of people who play Minecraft on hardcore, The people who play Bioshock Infinite in 1999 mode The people who play Fallout in hardcore mode. I get it. But those games I Just mentioned, have a difficulty for people who don't like challenge, don't like being punished for every mistake. Dark Souls does it anyway, it's difficulty has sure given it a distinguishing calling card, a reputation per-say. But Dark Souls reputation could be that it's a truly amazing game were it not crippled by it's difficult reputation, what it does, is it turns people off. I put off buying Dark Souls for the reason, when I bought it, I liked it, but I'm glad I only paid £3 for it, put it that way. You NEED to give people options Namco, have difficult options for the people that want them and give a great experience for those who don't!    … Expand
  11. bvr
    Dec 26, 2012
    6
    In a nutshell: engrossing and janky as hell. People giving this game a 10 should be shot. Sure, the game is supposed to be difficult but that difficulty is based largely on the clumsy controls and buggy programming. When I say controls, I'm not crying about the mapping of buttons. I'm talking about a camera and movement system straight out of 1996. I feel like I'm controlling Lara Croft inIn a nutshell: engrossing and janky as hell. People giving this game a 10 should be shot. Sure, the game is supposed to be difficult but that difficulty is based largely on the clumsy controls and buggy programming. When I say controls, I'm not crying about the mapping of buttons. I'm talking about a camera and movement system straight out of 1996. I feel like I'm controlling Lara Croft in Tomb Raider 1. Black knights that glitch in front of your face as you're running away from them is an example of poor coding. If you're willing to put up with that, you're in for a good game. Not a great game, just a good one.… Expand
  12. gracjanski
    Mar 15, 2015
    5
    5/10
    I am so dissapointed by this game. I thought it would be one of the best console game, maybe it is, but is this great?
    1st: I am not complaining about the ridiculous port from console to PC: with some mods this is technically not bad. Ok, there are some things, that is normal and great in PC games: free saving for example: I dont want to go through all the same enemies all over    5/10
    I am so dissapointed by this game. I thought it would be one of the best console game, maybe it is, but is this great?
    1st: I am not complaining about the ridiculous port from console to PC: with some mods this is technically not bad. Ok, there are some things, that is normal and great in PC games: free saving for example: I dont want to go through all the same enemies all over again, because I am killed by a boss, what is normal until you know the strategie.
    Now the game itself: Storytelling is so bad, I needed to search in internet to understand, that the story is... this never happened to me before. Gameplay...Hack n slay can be fun, but not here: you re doing the same little things million of time just to be perfect and not be killed... so often. Graphic + Sound: perfect. After about 15 hours I had enough and installed a PC game from 1997, that is better in my eyes: Fallout 1.    … Expand
  13. Fogdale
    Mar 3, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dark Souls is a really interesting game but one hell of a difficult one.
    Sadly this difficulty doesn't always come from the tactics-based bosses and areas but more from the bad camera angles,framerates and collision boxes.

    Focusing an enemy will sometimes cause the camera to go full potato and twist around like crazy; pointing to the sky, the ground or to some enemy who is way too far away to be an actual threat.
    Sometimes one enemy will be able to lock you against a wall and make you unable to move or dodge attacks which gets really annoying if you fight a group of foes. There are some enemies (especially the mosquitos in Blighttown) who may get damage from attacks missing them but will completely ignore attacks that go right through them.
    Additionally this game is really poorly ported to the PC. The standard controls make almost no sense and it takes very long to find working keybindings. The mouse cursor will always be visible if you don't install a mod which hides him (like DSfix).
    The framerate in many areas (mainly Blighttown, Sen's Fortress and the Kiln Of The First Flame) is terrible on older PCs like mine (~15 FPS), while in other areas I got framerates of around 100 FPS without any problem.

    Overall Dark Souls is an excellent game but the PC version is haunted by way too many problems to be actually enjoyable throughout the entire game.    … Expand
  14. IcecreamSnowman
    Mar 11, 2014
    7
    I had lots of fun with Dark Souls but I also got very frustrated at times. It has everything a good RPG should have. It also has some annoying repetition and grinding.

    The world is fun to explore, the enemies and environments interesting and varied enough to encourage you to go on just to see what's next. The world is progressively unlocked just by building your character until they    I had lots of fun with Dark Souls but I also got very frustrated at times. It has everything a good RPG should have. It also has some annoying repetition and grinding.

    The world is fun to explore, the enemies and environments interesting and varied enough to encourage you to go on just to see what's next. The world is progressively unlocked just by building your character until they can triumph where once they had been beaten to a pulp. I found it very satisfying to beat an area which had been much to hard for me a day ago.

    There's always something on the horizon goading you on - a boss you couldn't kill, a weapon you can't quite use properly, an item you can see off in the distance but can't reach. This all works very nicely to keep you playing without getting bored.

    Some more good points: there are no endless conversation trees, there's actually very little dialogue at all; enemies don't speak, so no repeated one liners; the difficulty curve keeps you challenged but not stuck (generally).

    BUT, and this is a big stinky but(t), I didn't like having to trek back through the same area with the same enemies every sodding time a boss killed me. I'd often spend longer getting to a boss than actually fighting it. This game could benefit immeasurably from a simple "Restart Boss?" button. This isn't a gripe at the difficulty, I like that the bosses are big and tough and can crush you with their pinky finger, because then I feel I've earned their XP etc. when I finally beat them. I just don't see why I need to fight the same small enemies ad nauseam just to get another round. "OK," I said "time to go grind some levels."

    I don't like grinding: a game should be fun, not work, and I don't buy into the thinking that if you haven't spent long enough murdering the same helpless group of enemies then you don't deserve to see the rest of the game you paid good money for. In this game you'll have to grind for XP and materials to improve weapons and armour. All that stuff should stay in the realms of MMORPGs where I don't have to go anywhere near it.

    These points fit with the lore but the lore shouldn't detract from game play - that's just pretentious and poor design.

    Overall a very good RPG which suffers from two very prominent annoyances.    … Expand
  15. JE5U5INCOGNITO
    Mar 30, 2014
    7
    I actually admire a game that challenges its players but Dark Souls goes too far. It often feels like you are not fighting the characters in the game but the game itself. The Controls are sloppy, even on a 360 controller, and many times you wind up doing something you didn't want to do. Beware of any form of combat on a precarious position, for you may end up performing an attack onI actually admire a game that challenges its players but Dark Souls goes too far. It often feels like you are not fighting the characters in the game but the game itself. The Controls are sloppy, even on a 360 controller, and many times you wind up doing something you didn't want to do. Beware of any form of combat on a precarious position, for you may end up performing an attack on accident that will cause you to fall to your death (this happens A LOT). There is no guidance in the game, so besides hacking bad guy after bad guy, I have no idea what I am doing. All enemies (except bosses) re spawn whenever you rest at a bonfire, removing any satisfaction from killing them. The comment system with which other players can leave warnings/adivce in your world is either useless or hurtful because they are so limited that you have no idea what they are talking about until after you have encountered the enemy ( some jerks put a "try jumping" hint near a cliff just to make you fall). Upon death, your re spawn at your bonfire, meaning that you lose all your souls AND enemies re spawn too, which could lead to an infinite loop of death...besides all this, it is still a fun game, just frustrating and difficult. The difficulty wouldn't be so bad if you could fight it, but since half of the problem is with the game itself you cant.… Expand
  16. MadnessisRising
    Dec 30, 2019
    7
    I'm a huge fan of the artworks that's why i played this game. But it turned out as a nightmare. Not because of the difficulty (ok maybe a little) it's more the fact that this game is not that friendly to new players like the second or the third (which I played multiple times). Also the fact that you can't travel around, till the half game is "over" is really annoying.
  17. keefbaker
    Oct 27, 2013
    7
    Really bad port of what is supposed to be an excellent game by all accounts. The control system drives you up the wall and doesn't feel responsive enough and just generally the game just feels... not quite there.
  18. llamayarmybar
    Jul 14, 2017
    7
    I'm not sure if their is a game on this planet as infamous as Dark Souls, that actually makes you feel as though you've cheated throughout its entirety as soon as the ending credits begin to roll. I always considered myself a casual player in regards to the series, having mainly spent several hundreds of hours playing through multiple builds, with different weapons, different armorI'm not sure if their is a game on this planet as infamous as Dark Souls, that actually makes you feel as though you've cheated throughout its entirety as soon as the ending credits begin to roll. I always considered myself a casual player in regards to the series, having mainly spent several hundreds of hours playing through multiple builds, with different weapons, different armor combinations and different approaches to more or less the same thing, over and over again. However, when I did finally finish it, I felt as if I had stumbled upon a glitch. Early on I had come into possession of the "Black Knight Halberd," a weapon that has a certain random number generator factor in terms of how often it drops in the game. Most people would prefer not to use this weapon, or it typically doesn't spawn often enough, whichever the reason, I took it all the way to the end. I spent all my souls and items to upgrade it as high as it could go, I wore armor that was far too heavy, but provided all the protection I'd ever need, I found a "Stone armor" shield and used that for the majority of major battles. I believe all I ever upgraded was "Strength" statistics in regards to my own character. I felt impervious, really the only times I didn't were sections of the game that purposefully slow you down, put you in terrible positions, or squares you off against two bosses at the same time. Otherwise, I felt like my victories were undeserved and while this was going on, I also felt as though the game was missing something. Huge vantage points showed a massive world built for giants! Enormous structures lay about almost everywhere, but it was so spread out that the rest of the world seemed almost dead, almost silent. Many might argue that it created a more foreboding atmosphere, but I would argue that developers who designed such large open spaces, had neglected to place anything in them. While I don't believe Dark Souls is a bad game, I believe it is an acquired taste in the genre, to be fair their isn't much out there like it, but it lacks a kind of polish, it lacks a dimension of real proper design. I admit, I'm am just a casual fan, but even after spending hundreds of hours playing, even as the hollowed figure rose up from his imprisonment, after those credits had rolled for the first time, after everything had been defeated, even I had to set the controller down and walk away. Dark Souls possesses a kind of charm, that we don't see in many things anymore, and I do believe it is special, but it seems a shame that its uniqueness doesn't quite cover up its many glaring flaws. I think to this day it was one of the few games that had me utterly transfixed on its own pointlessness by the end of it.… Expand
  19. ChunkySaurus
    May 24, 2014
    7
    I reviewed this poorly before but after seeing footage for Dark Souls 2, i decided to give this another try. If you press beyond the PC port issues there is some rewarding content later on. As long as you go the right way and have a walkthrough open most of the time.
  20. jcalberta
    Dec 5, 2012
    5
    If the idea behind the difficulty was to exclude a huge number of gamers .. then they succeeded. Not every person is born with the ability or dexterity ... plus other handicaps and factors that make this game unplayable for many. For instance, I am 64 years old - I was not born the Nintendo Generation - I can barely type properly. There are several games I've been forced to regretfullyIf the idea behind the difficulty was to exclude a huge number of gamers .. then they succeeded. Not every person is born with the ability or dexterity ... plus other handicaps and factors that make this game unplayable for many. For instance, I am 64 years old - I was not born the Nintendo Generation - I can barely type properly. There are several games I've been forced to regretfully abandon over the years (Prince of Persia ... ) that I would dearly have loved to play. But there was no difficulty level that would permit me. To deny any option that will allow ALL people to enjoy a game is purely shortsighted. And frankly ... stupid.… Expand
  21. Pork_chops
    Oct 10, 2013
    5
    As a game, it's pretty good. It's hard, it's challenging, it makes you want to come back for more. As a PC game? It's about on par with mashing your hands with a hammer. Blah blah, they had to port it on such a short time frame! Sure, but how long has it been out? Games can be updated y' know. And why does it look like ass no matter what I do with the settings?

    I then bought a control    As a game, it's pretty good. It's hard, it's challenging, it makes you want to come back for more. As a PC game? It's about on par with mashing your hands with a hammer. Blah blah, they had to port it on such a short time frame! Sure, but how long has it been out? Games can be updated y' know. And why does it look like ass no matter what I do with the settings?

    I then bought a control to play it, and sure, the control helps, but the targeting system makes your character look at the sky like a retard, and God forbid you want to change the controls a little to make it easier to play. The lack of support for PC is atrocious, and any attempt at an excuse of "It was a forced port" is a load of It's a game, an exercise in business, you made it to sell it to make money. It wasn't one man in a shed with a hammer, a magic box shaped thing with people inside, and a ton of LSD.

    If Dark Souls is anything to go off, Dark Souls 2 will be great on consoles, a disaster on PC. Go buy something else, like... Diablo 3, Mass Effect, or hookers.

    Really, really poor form in just rushing it to a PC. Would have expected better from what I heard and saw.    … Expand
  22. BladeStrike
    Apr 7, 2013
    6
    Simply put it is overrated. It can be challenging but there are plenty of harder games out there that have difficulty settings. This games difficulty is over-exaggerated greatly. Having played this myself I have to assume it only gained popularity because its not "mainstream". Fight the power, kids..!

    Its not a bad game though, just overrated, and my score of 7 suits it perfectly. I    Simply put it is overrated. It can be challenging but there are plenty of harder games out there that have difficulty settings. This games difficulty is over-exaggerated greatly. Having played this myself I have to assume it only gained popularity because its not "mainstream". Fight the power, kids..!

    Its not a bad game though, just overrated, and my score of 7 suits it perfectly. I didn't have any real problems with this port either.    … Expand
  23. Baraquel
    Jan 1, 2013
    6
    An average game. Can not understand all the highly positiv reviews. The gameplay on Pc isnt very good but after the first hour and an graphic patch its ok and i dont want to complain about it. But the game it self isnt as good as it could be. The first hours of the game are very hard as u expectet sometimes its frustrating to die this often but before u bought the game u knew it. But afterAn average game. Can not understand all the highly positiv reviews. The gameplay on Pc isnt very good but after the first hour and an graphic patch its ok and i dont want to complain about it. But the game it self isnt as good as it could be. The first hours of the game are very hard as u expectet sometimes its frustrating to die this often but before u bought the game u knew it. But after the first 3 bosses the game gets to easy in my oppinion. Enemys get weak and ure Charakter getts too strong. I killed the final boss without losing half my hp.… Expand
  24. Wivers
    Apr 28, 2019
    7
    Je suis assez déçu, au vu de sa notoriété je m’attendais à mieux. En deux mots : certain combats peuvent être difficile mais surtout le jeu est TRES laborieux.

    Alors y’a des trucs cool bien sur : l’ambiance, les combats exigeants, le design des ennemis… la violence ! C’est toujours cool de découvrir les environnements pour la première fois. Mais malgré toutes ses qualités, c’est trop    Je suis assez déçu, au vu de sa notoriété je m’attendais à mieux. En deux mots : certain combats peuvent être difficile mais surtout le jeu est TRES laborieux.

    Alors y’a des trucs cool bien sur : l’ambiance, les combats exigeants, le design des ennemis… la violence ! C’est toujours cool de découvrir les environnements pour la première fois. Mais malgré toutes ses qualités, c’est trop long : la duré de vie est rallongée artificiellement par la « difficulté » et autres choix douteux (voir merdique) de game design.

    Cote Technique :
    - faut faire des manipulations sous windows pour avoir du 60 fps. Et en plus on est obligé d’enlever l’antialiasing pour ca… wtf ? Ce n’est pas un petit détail ! Je vois beaucoup d’évaluations qui parlent de portage raté, et ca doit être une des raisons. Mais heureusement que y’a la communauté qui fait le boulot a la place du studio…

    - Ce jeu n’a PAS DE PAUSE. WOW, alors ca c’est du design de merde ! Votre femme vous appelle pour quelque chose ? Mieux vaut pas qu’il y ait d’ennemis dans les parages, ou c’est elle qui va devenir le votre ! Coup de téléphone ? Envie de pisser ? On sonne à la porte ? Le chat a vomi sur vos genoux ? Le bébé pleur ? Imaginez un jeune parent jouer a ce jeu… la galère que ce serait!

    - Interface menu perfectible.

    -Les contrôles aussi

    - système de sauvegarde qui fait chier plus qu’autres chose.

    - la camera qui fait chier régulièrement

    - Le jeu n’est pas clair sur beaucoup de mécaniques et le manuel n’apporte pas assez d’indications. Quand on joue pour la première fois on bite rien. Obligé d’aller voir un wiki bordel. storytelling quasi-inexistant. Combien de joueurs ont tout pigé seulement en jouant au jeu ?

    - le perso reste parfois bloqué dans les montés (escaliers/rampe) et cours sur place, c’est TRES pénible.

    LE point noir pour moi : Ce n’est pas si difficile, c’est surtout laborieux ! . Ma principale critique porte sur la façon dont le jeu vous fait parcourir de NOMBREUSES fois le même chemin, notamment celui entre le bonfire et un boss balèze. . Pour un combat de 2-3 min qui vous intéresse, vous devez perdre 5-10 min par tentative… Difficile de faire moins intéressant.
    Pourquoi ne pas avoir mis un point de sauvegarde juste avant le bosse ? Pas même un bonfire, juste une quicksave ?
    Ca ne créer pas de la difficulté mais seulement de la frustration et beaucoup de temps perdu.
    Et donc, la solution ? Tu cours ! Puisque ces combats sont inutiles, mieux vaut les éviter. Tu zigzags entre les monstres jusqu’au bosse comme si tu faisais un speedrun. Ca transforme ces 5-10 min en 3. Ces 3 min sont toujours aussi chiantes mais au moins c’est un peu plus court. Paradoxe du golf : le but est de jouer le moins possible.
    Heureusement que j’ai un deuxième écran ou je pouvais regarder netflix pendant ces périodes de sprint… Parce qu’on s’y fait bien chier !

    Le jeu n’est pas du tout débutant-friendly. De manière générale on ne sait pas toujours ou on doit aller. J’ai facilement perdu plusieurs heures à cause de ca, et ca participe au problème du rythme.

    aspect multijoueur: bofbof (pas assez de caractères pour élaborer )

    Deuxième point noir : un problème conceptuel que j’ai avec d’autres jeux : l’expérience infinie.
    contre la difficulté : farmer ! Le dilemme que pose le jeu est le suivant : est-ce que vous préférer perdre du temps à parcourir plusieurs fois le chemin entre un challenge bien corsé et un bonfire, ou vaut-il mieux perdre du temps à farmer d’abord?
    Et comme on le sait tous, « farmer » c’est le cancer du rpg. xp infini = challenge déséquilibré. +

    Finalement je ne sais pas si c’était vraiment utile que le jeu soit aussi punitif. Qu’on retire juste l’humanité a la mort, ca me semble être une motivation suffisante pour retourner la chercher. Mais toute l’xp ? C’est vraiment juste pour faire chier et ralentir la progression du joueur. C’est un système à la con. Ils auraient pu faire perdre un pourcentage, et ca aurait évité aux joueurs d’aller farmer pour compenser. Le rythme du jeu en aurait été amélioré.    … Expand
  25. Jackiel
    Aug 24, 2012
    7
    The game is definitely worth playing, but sadly it's a really lazy port to the PC platform. The camera control is horrendous whether you are using the keyboard or mouse. If you are using mouse, the camera just jitters around which makes you miss your normal attacks sometimes, or even lead you to drop in a dead pit. If you use the keyboard, well it feels more smooth, just like when you areThe game is definitely worth playing, but sadly it's a really lazy port to the PC platform. The camera control is horrendous whether you are using the keyboard or mouse. If you are using mouse, the camera just jitters around which makes you miss your normal attacks sometimes, or even lead you to drop in a dead pit. If you use the keyboard, well it feels more smooth, just like when you are using analog sticks, but then it's too slow to sway the camera to a correct angle to do anything (console players can probably be good at this, but as a pure PC gamer, I simply can't stand it). Movement control wise, it feels a lot better than the camera, but still suffers from random problems, such as sometimes my character would just execute some actions which I completely did not order him to do so, like random rolls, random jump attacks, random stab towards a completely reversed direction, but I do not know if it is the game or is it just me not being used to this controlling scheme. Besides the control problems and several other port problems, the game itself is actually quite amazing, and definitely one of the most challenging yet rewarding games these years. The art style and the graphic rendering just completely fits with the setting and the tone of the world, and the combat system is also very complicated and worth exploiting, plus intelligent level design and enemy AI configurations, with those HUUUUGE epic bosses, so overall, it's a great game, but badly ported.… Expand
  26. rattlehaed
    Aug 26, 2012
    5
    Terrible port, the graphics are abysmal, using the mouse for camera control is not smooth at all, and the instructions for the game use xbox 360 controller buttons, WHY!?
  27. murut87
    Aug 25, 2012
    7
    It means to be playable using Controller,if playing Keyboard Controller,its freaking impossible.Worst Console Port Ever,with Lack of Tweaks,Capped FPS and Frustratingly Hard-To Play this game.But the game core is good on every possible so,i don`t recommend this game if you wanna play using Keyboard+Mouse because its all messed up....I really wanted to play this game because it looks fun toIt means to be playable using Controller,if playing Keyboard Controller,its freaking impossible.Worst Console Port Ever,with Lack of Tweaks,Capped FPS and Frustratingly Hard-To Play this game.But the game core is good on every possible so,i don`t recommend this game if you wanna play using Keyboard+Mouse because its all messed up....I really wanted to play this game because it looks fun to play even through its Difficulty was way impossible...… Expand
  28. StavrosDim
    Aug 26, 2012
    5
    I got this game because of all this hype I heard from its fans,that it's a super-duper game that is very challenging and rewarding. Unfortunately I can't say I like it.
    It suffers from frame rate issues in AMD graphics cards too much. I have an AMD HD 6850 Vapor X edition that allows me to play Crysis and Battlefield 3 at Ultra,yet I get frame drops lower than 30fps with this game which    I got this game because of all this hype I heard from its fans,that it's a super-duper game that is very challenging and rewarding. Unfortunately I can't say I like it.
    It suffers from frame rate issues in AMD graphics cards too much. I have an AMD HD 6850 Vapor X edition that allows me to play Crysis and Battlefield 3 at Ultra,yet I get frame drops lower than 30fps with this game which is rediculous. I have a better frame rate playing Metro 2033 at High settings with DX11 on,than in this,which is crazy.
    Its controls are broken,and I'm not talking about the console button prompts or the mouse support.
    I play it with Xbox360 controller,and I can't say it controls well. Often the actions have latency so I might press the button to attack but my character will stay staring at the enemy for many moments,and when he will finally decide to attack it will be too late because the enemy will already have gone to another direction,have approached me,and attacks me the moment the attack animation is finally initiated.
    The game's lock-on system is broken. It rarely locks the enemy you want,because if there are many enemies on the screen it locks on random target,so there might be an enemy standing 1 foot away from you and another one 100 feet away,and the game lock to the enemy 100 foot away while the enemy 1 foot away slashes me in pieces. If you already have locked on the wrong enemy and you press the lock button again,sometimes the lock turns completely off and other times it locks on the other enemy,so you can never know what will happen,and once I got killed because I wanted to lock a different enemy and instead the lock function was turned off meaning my character also stopped backpedaling and instead turned his back to the enemy,and other times I wanted to stop having the lock function on 'on', so I can sprint away from an enemy I couldn't block with my shield,but instead the game locked to another enemy and I died again.
    In this game you are not fighting the monsters,which are not really that big deal,but you are fighting the controls.
    These broken controls make playing the game more like a chore and less like entertainment.
    I wouldn't have a problem with a game that would offer pure genuine and fair challenge,but this is beyond rediculous,getting killed because the game's mechanics sometimes work and some don't isn't exactly fair or intriguing. It's so bad I don't know if I will ever finish it. I will give it one more try,but I'm not sure.    … Expand
  29. GeorgeA
    Oct 6, 2012
    6
    Played for several hours and I can't see the big deal. This game is painfully mediocre and bad port doesn't really have to do with that. After several community fixes and patches, Dark Souls is more or less playable on PC with mouse and keyboard. But the real problem lies within the core design of the game. First, there is no story, just lore. Some may say, that it allows you to make upPlayed for several hours and I can't see the big deal. This game is painfully mediocre and bad port doesn't really have to do with that. After several community fixes and patches, Dark Souls is more or less playable on PC with mouse and keyboard. But the real problem lies within the core design of the game. First, there is no story, just lore. Some may say, that it allows you to make up your own story or something like that, but it seems nothing more than an attempt to hide developers' laziness. The sound design is great, though and music is all right, but the voice acting is uninspired. Graphically it won't blow you away, but unless you are one of these "no DirectX 11, no tessellation, this game sucks!"-type, there's nothing terrible about how the game looks thanks to great architecture and visual design, as long as you have the resolution fix. As for, the gameplay, I have mixed feelings . The fighting itself is reasonably hard and dynamic, forcing the player to constantly be on guard and pay attention to every small detail in order to beat incredibly overpowered enemies. The role-playing elements, though scarce, are flexible enough to allow you to create your own character. There are 10 classes and pretty big selection of weapons and armor. All of these positive elements are ruined by two huge flaws, which for some reason are considered as "hardcore". The first one are the checkpoints. When you die (and you will a lot, even if you are the most skilled gamer out there), you are taken to a checkpoint, you lose all of your souls (XP) and you"ll have to travel to the place you died to retrieve them. The distance may be pretty long and it will feel like waste of time. Was adding manual save function after you have beaten your enemies (and deactivating it while you are fighting) really that hard? The second and by far the greatest flaw is the enemy respawn. Not only they respawn after you die, the SAME enemies respawn at the SAME place the game designers have put them and you have to fight them again. This becomes incredibly frustrating and repetitive. Even if you don't die, you HAVE to visit the bonfires (checkpoints) if you want to upgrade your stats with souls and guess what? The enemies respawn again! This sucks all the fun from the intuitive but, ultimately, unoriginal fight system and makes this game more like a chore to play. Again, was putting random respawn that hard? Also, the absence of the world map (not mini-map, by the way) makes it hard to navigate and you'll probably need a guide in order to find out which hub is connected to which. I don't mind not having a mini-map, but in my opinion a game should have at least some navigational mechanic. The supposed open-world design is fake, as in Dark Souls there are nothing more than linear hubs connected with even more linear paths , in Kingdoms of Amalur fashion. Final slap in the face are lack of ANY facial animations. This is unforgivable for a 2011 triple-A third-person action game title. In all, the game is better than recent Bioware and Bethesda garbage, but the design flaws basically kill it. I'll give it a try some other time later, but doubt I'll like it. Rent it before buying.… Expand
  30. Orctownorc
    Aug 22, 2013
    5
    The opening cinematics hint at a truly remarkable game. The rave reviews of fans are encouraging. However my PC version of this game remains unplayable for two key reasons: (1) Games For Windows Live. Why in the seven hells, did they have to append this horrible DRM on the game? This refuses to log in, refuses to allow saves in game, and refuses to even allow the game to be quit out ofThe opening cinematics hint at a truly remarkable game. The rave reviews of fans are encouraging. However my PC version of this game remains unplayable for two key reasons: (1) Games For Windows Live. Why in the seven hells, did they have to append this horrible DRM on the game? This refuses to log in, refuses to allow saves in game, and refuses to even allow the game to be quit out of without alt F4! (2) The controls are even worse than you heard. From Software chose the most ridiculous keys they could think of for their key mapping. "Buy a controller?" Hell, WHY! This is clearly a console game. As PC software it clearly earns 0/10. I suggest those who want to enjoy it do so on console.

    THE GROT REVIEW CRITERIA: After a long time writing reviews like an anus, think its time to set a few bad habits straight: Stop insulting designers. Show some respect for the design process and getting games in circulation. Hence (1) No Red scores. (2) Game scores as follows: Bad Game 5/10. Poor Game 6/10. Mediocre Game: 7/10. Good Game 8/10. Great game 9/10. Stella Game 10/10. To get 10/10 it must be a game that can be (theoretically) play-able for 1000+ hours. Not only great but near endless fun. Games may be bad or poor but making them should earn respect. Thus even the worst POS will still be a 5/10. 0/10 no longer exists in my vocabulary. Yellow is the new red. For the sake of accountability: you can reply if needed: Orctowngrot: Tim Rawlins: timtimjp@yahoo.com    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best PC Game of 2012
10
#10 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
20
#20 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 42
  3. Negative: 1 out of 42
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    72
    The irony is that the PC version could have been much better than the PS3/360 ones, with higher resolutions to make the textures look better, a cornucopia of mods and/or an active (in theory at least) community. But FROM ruined it all (with the assistance of Games for Windows Live). It’s a shame really, if we at least had just a decent port (or a better infrastructure for a less appalling multiplayer mode), Dark Souls could have been one of the best RPG for the PC. [November 2012]
  2. GameFocus
    Nov 19, 2012
    80
    Not often do you see a game that is equally rewarding as it is frustrating; and it's not because the game is unfair.
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  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 29, 2012
    80
    Dark Souls returns the hardcore elements back to action RPGs – heavy focus on uncompromising fight mechanics and absolute freedom in hero profiling. The price of this game is not for everyone. [Oct 2012]
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