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. alien5
    Aug 25, 2012
    2
    Worst port I've seen this gen by far. You don't release a game on a new system without supporting the controller. This is bonkers, and more insulting given From KNEW they had a market before doing the port. Ugly, entirely unoptimized, and terribly KB&M controls. Going to have to wait for people who actually care about quality to fix this mess.
  2. xXMETALxGEARXx
    Aug 25, 2012
    1
    Despite the provided community fix in a mere >23 minutes, Dark Souls on PC doesn't really add anything to the already successful console version of the game. The developers didn't bother to remap the k+m keybinds, no graphics options and on top of all it uses GFWL for the online play that consists of people invading you and leaving meaningless messages at key points. A certain waste ofDespite the provided community fix in a mere >23 minutes, Dark Souls on PC doesn't really add anything to the already successful console version of the game. The developers didn't bother to remap the k+m keybinds, no graphics options and on top of all it uses GFWL for the online play that consists of people invading you and leaving meaningless messages at key points. A certain waste of money for me.… Expand
  3. l3wdandcr3wd
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    Definitely worth buying if you haven't played it yet. I would recommended getting a a gamepad and using montioninjoy. I emulated one of my ps3 controllers as an xbox controller and it is working flawlessly. I also downloaded a resolution fix to enhance the graphics, still haven't encountered any problems from that. I am using an nvidia card, I heard ATI cards are having some issuesDefinitely worth buying if you haven't played it yet. I would recommended getting a a gamepad and using montioninjoy. I emulated one of my ps3 controllers as an xbox controller and it is working flawlessly. I also downloaded a resolution fix to enhance the graphics, still haven't encountered any problems from that. I am using an nvidia card, I heard ATI cards are having some issues with the game. Money well spent 10/10 for me.… Expand
  4. drwebs
    Aug 25, 2012
    0
    This is the worst port ever, talk about a crap game that stacks on hype and a steaming pile of nasty ports. This game was supposed to kill diablo 3, what a joke. The developers failed at their life
  5. Taskmaster69
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    Pretty solid game, its a decent port due to it running the game even better than its console counter part not to mention having a nice res. Sure you need to mod it (its literally drag and drop) but there is indeed a decent res fix for the game. The only let down would be the keyboard and mouse controls but if you are like me and own the console version already you already have a gamepadPretty solid game, its a decent port due to it running the game even better than its console counter part not to mention having a nice res. Sure you need to mod it (its literally drag and drop) but there is indeed a decent res fix for the game. The only let down would be the keyboard and mouse controls but if you are like me and own the console version already you already have a gamepad handy to play the game because you do not limit yourself to one platform and pretend to be better than everyone else. TLDR stop being a casual and pretending to actually like video games because you have a pc that idles on tf2.… Expand
  6. GAAAAAAAAABE
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    Great game, knew it would be a bad port from the start since From can't do PC. And GFWL doesn't bother me since all you need to do is sign in. All the bad reviews are stupid entitled PC gamers.
  7. getsomepie
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    The game is amazing and very, very playable. The graphics/framerate "issue" is not a problem to me.

    My only gripe is that you have to use a controller to play the game.
  8. Drewster
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    Hopefully devs and publishers clue into the notion that they hold the power to shape the attitudes of their consumers, with that they need to put a disclaimer with the advertising and sales of their games that they are designed for game pads - a simple "Optimized for Game Pad" do you agree before clicking to purchase would bring a stop to all these numpties who refuse to buy a game pad forHopefully devs and publishers clue into the notion that they hold the power to shape the attitudes of their consumers, with that they need to put a disclaimer with the advertising and sales of their games that they are designed for game pads - a simple "Optimized for Game Pad" do you agree before clicking to purchase would bring a stop to all these numpties who refuse to buy a game pad for what ever principled and or stubborn idea they have around remaining elite (non console).

    PC gaming allows for the best of both worlds - yet there are so many small minded whingers in the community it is disgusting!! Don't you non game pad whingers see we on PC would not have half the games we have in our current library from last 5 years without console gaming feeding it.

    Dark Souls is a solid port that when played with a game pad (as it was optimized for) is a better experience than the console counterparts had served to them.    … Expand
  9. KachoCrits
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    Amazing game, if you're having difficulty with K+M just use a controller. It's either that, or you can adapt slowly just as I did. It takes a bit of dedication to the controls, but once you get it down, you've got it. The resolution can be easily fixed by using the neo-gaf fix made by a user named 'Durante'. It easily polishes the game, and you can hide your cursor with F9 to finally giveAmazing game, if you're having difficulty with K+M just use a controller. It's either that, or you can adapt slowly just as I did. It takes a bit of dedication to the controls, but once you get it down, you've got it. The resolution can be easily fixed by using the neo-gaf fix made by a user named 'Durante'. It easily polishes the game, and you can hide your cursor with F9 to finally give the camera that tight feeling. Fixes the textures, and gives your armor that shiny feel you wanted. All in all, even though it was a horrible port. There's still a community out there dedicated to it, that won't back down. Fixing the mistakes made by FS. Goes to show how passionate they are about the game. Definitely a steal at 40 dollars, and the on line community is just relentless. Really amps up the tension of reversing your hollowing and traversing hard landscapes in that state. Can't wait for future updates, whether they're made by the fans or the developers. Only time will tell, definitely a 10/10 on my end.… Expand
  10. Pierson
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    For those coming from the shiny generic tale of Diablo III, Dark Souls takes an approach to story in the same vein as Diablo II: The world has been created and populated with a great background, but it is up to you to find it, instead of it being shoved into your face with endless cut-scenes and minutes-long exposition. The game itself is strict but fair; any mistakes made will be punishedFor those coming from the shiny generic tale of Diablo III, Dark Souls takes an approach to story in the same vein as Diablo II: The world has been created and populated with a great background, but it is up to you to find it, instead of it being shoved into your face with endless cut-scenes and minutes-long exposition. The game itself is strict but fair; any mistakes made will be punished severely but the game will never cheat. Similar to Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, you will get to the end of the game not by brute-forcing it, but by becoming a better player. It is one of the most rewarding games to play on PC.

    It is just a shame that such an amazing game has been let down by one of the worst ports in memory, regardless of the player-made fixes available.    … Expand
  11. Carnifex
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    Action RPG's are a dime a dozen these days. Most tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to what they will toss at you. The developers don't want to alienate customers by making a game that might be *gasp* too challenging. Dark Souls brings the challenge in spades but does it without feeling unfair or overly cheap. You'll get punished. then adapt, and actually feel like you haveAction RPG's are a dime a dozen these days. Most tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to what they will toss at you. The developers don't want to alienate customers by making a game that might be *gasp* too challenging. Dark Souls brings the challenge in spades but does it without feeling unfair or overly cheap. You'll get punished. then adapt, and actually feel like you have achieved something. Unlike most games which reward you for accomplishing next to nothing. It's gameplay is Dark Souls' greatest strength, in how it ties everything together (much like a fighting game) with logical solutions so that you always know you can overcome whatever challenges you are facing, no matter how difficult. I wish more developers focused on gameplay first and everything else second. --- Technically speaking the game performs very well, however, this is a straight from console "no frills" PC port. It was a game that wasn't supposed to be on the PC after all, and the way the port was handled does show signs of inexperience and hesitation on the part of the publisher/developer to give PC support. The game must be played with a controller, m+kb support is limited as was stated by the developers months ..ahem ..months ago. Also the resolution is set way too low but there is already a fix for that and I'm sure more tweaks to come (gotta love the PC modding community). People want to label the game as a "bad port" but honestly this is still the best version available as far as performance is concerned. --- Darks Souls is all about stellar gameplay and a high degree of challenge. I'm not sure this game is for eveyone and will be a pretty easy target for critics and trolls, but for me who normally likes things sleek and shiny, Dark Souls is one hell of a rough gem.… Expand
  12. X19
    Aug 25, 2012
    6
    This will probably go down as the WORST PC port of all time...Ever... That said, DON'T get this unless you don't have access to the console versions. That might sound hard to believe, but it's really true. The graphical differences are minimal or even worse than the console versions. The controls are absolutely atrocious. (WHO USES THE "END" KEY TO OPEN A MENU?!) Madness, really. PlayingThis will probably go down as the WORST PC port of all time...Ever... That said, DON'T get this unless you don't have access to the console versions. That might sound hard to believe, but it's really true. The graphical differences are minimal or even worse than the console versions. The controls are absolutely atrocious. (WHO USES THE "END" KEY TO OPEN A MENU?!) Madness, really. Playing with a mouse is next to impossible. You will have to use the keyboard for everything. The button prompts are all based off a 360 controler, even if you don't have one plugged in. You'll get tips saying press RB to attack, instead of LMB or H; yeah, that's right "RB". At least the developers did warn us, but seriously? Couldn't they have hired third part support? Not to mention GFWL. If you can look past all of the many downsides then it's still Dark Souls, an excellent game. But if you've already played the console versions and just want this for +60 FPS (BTW, it's capped at 30) or the extra content you will be sorely disappointed because it's just not worth it.... Who knows? Maybe modders will make this a great game, but in the meantime stay clear. If you still want it just make sure to get a gamepad.… Expand
  13. voathun
    Aug 25, 2012
    3
    I don't mind that there are no PC exclusive high res texture options. Dark Souls isn't about graphics.
    I don't mind GFWL. Annoying, but whatever.
    I don't mind the 30 fps frame lock. The gameplay experience is smooth enough. I don't mind the limited resolution. On the first day someone already provided a fix for that. .. but what I do mind is the fact how insulting the implementation    I don't mind that there are no PC exclusive high res texture options. Dark Souls isn't about graphics.
    I don't mind GFWL. Annoying, but whatever.
    I don't mind the 30 fps frame lock. The gameplay experience is smooth enough.
    I don't mind the limited resolution. On the first day someone already provided a fix for that.

    .. but what I do mind is the fact how insulting the implementation of the controls are. Wake up. This PC version isn't a love-letter from the developer to the PC community. No, the management looked at the 100'000+ petition and thought... wow, easy money. Lets do a port with the least effort possible!

    The result is, that they didn't even bother do remove the windows mouse cursor from the screen while in game! The ingame hints are based on the xbox controller layout and cannot be changed. The keyboard / mouse control method is next to useless. You need to play it in order to see how abysmal the controls actually are.

    "So what? Get a gamepad!" some may cry. The default PC peripherals are mouse and keyboard last time I checked and if you own a gamepad then the chances are pretty decent, that you also own a console. So whats the point of a PC version in the first place? The Dark Souls DLC is coming to consoles later this year anyway.

    But if you already own a gamepad or you're willing to invest into one, then ignore the user ratings, because with a gamepad the gameplay experience is as it should be. Read the official critic reviews, hype yourself up and enjoy one of the best mature RPG experiences that there is out there.    … Expand
  14. dopehat
    Aug 25, 2012
    0
    This is the worst port I have ever played in my entire life - Yeah, I am not kidding. They didn't even bother changing the ingame hints from keybinds from the Xbox controller to PC keyboard, so every time the game asks you to press a key to loot, open a door or whatever, its showed as if you were using an Xbox controller, and lets you sit and guess which botton that was again. - CameraThis is the worst port I have ever played in my entire life - Yeah, I am not kidding. They didn't even bother changing the ingame hints from keybinds from the Xbox controller to PC keyboard, so every time the game asks you to press a key to loot, open a door or whatever, its showed as if you were using an Xbox controller, and lets you sit and guess which botton that was again. - Camera swings around horribly annoying when using the mouse. I cant believe this game was ever, and I mean ever released for the PC, I would feel ashamed as a developer here. I can't believe people are poking this to a anywhere near positive rating, it's unacceptable to release a game that cant run with decent controls unless gamers invest in an xbox or playstation controller, - if players wants to use that, they would have gotten the game for their consoles. Wake up people, this is not acceptable. - I was stuck at some point trying to figure out how to open the main menu to check my controls, but I never found it after pressing every damn key on my keyboard. - Don't support this - Don't buy this game...… Expand
  15. Species
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    i dont understand people which rate this game low due to worst keyboard mouse control ever. It suck and it is fact. Bad graphics? Not the edge of technology but playable. I tell you Mount and Blade is bad graphics not this one. The main thing is that there are no glitches freezes and so on what usually people call bad port. it works fine. It is great game indeed. And be honest - you lowi dont understand people which rate this game low due to worst keyboard mouse control ever. It suck and it is fact. Bad graphics? Not the edge of technology but playable. I tell you Mount and Blade is bad graphics not this one. The main thing is that there are no glitches freezes and so on what usually people call bad port. it works fine. It is great game indeed. And be honest - you low rate this game not cause of port, you do it cause you dont like it overall :) but as always this game doesnt care… Expand
  16. seuche
    Aug 25, 2012
    0
    im playing games since years and sometimes portations from the consoles to the pc are cheap and annoying, but this game.... this is the most terrible portation i have ever seen in my life! everything is just so cheap portated and without concideration of the requirements of the pc plattform, that it kills the whole game experience. everything there fails - the ui, the controlls, theim playing games since years and sometimes portations from the consoles to the pc are cheap and annoying, but this game.... this is the most terrible portation i have ever seen in my life! everything is just so cheap portated and without concideration of the requirements of the pc plattform, that it kills the whole game experience. everything there fails - the ui, the controlls, the graphics, the settings, everything. its so poorly done, that even a random guy from the street was needed to improve the graphics a bit. tl;dr
    ITS A PURE RIP-OFF!    … Expand
  17. 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
  18. kofelovr
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    Great game with a basic port. It is well worth whatever minor inconvenience the port poses to be able to play this unbelievably great game. Personally, i just got a gamepad and all problems were solved. Thanks so much to the developer for bringing this to the PC platform.
  19. aaaaaaa
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    The atmosphere of this game is amazing, with a minimalistic plot everything in the world is excessively dark. I can't imagine Dark Souls being less difficult, unforgiving, it teaches you that life is more suffering than pleasure, more failure than success. But if you are persistent enough you will be awarded with a pure sense of jubilation. Nothing else in gaming compares to this experience.
  20. Chesanita
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    This game is great, graphics problems already solved with 3 hotfixes and controls with keyboard/mouse are OK, it just takes little time to get used, so i dont regret for the money ive spend.
  21. PC-Gamer-Fan
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    Superb game & decent enough port what are you waiting for buy it now. PC version is way better than the console versions its the definitive version of this superb game. There is a lot of misinformation about this being a poor port its not at all. Its certainly not the best looking game ever made but also with the upscaling graphical mods (check the neogaf forums) now available it looksSuperb game & decent enough port what are you waiting for buy it now. PC version is way better than the console versions its the definitive version of this superb game. There is a lot of misinformation about this being a poor port its not at all. Its certainly not the best looking game ever made but also with the upscaling graphical mods (check the neogaf forums) now available it looks very good in places & is very well optimised on PC. The higher resolution alone makes it look a lot better than the console but throw in the mods, AF filtering, instant load times, vsync & smooth FPS combine to make it a decent enough technical experience. Its designed around the MS 360 gamepad & wokrs very well with that. KB+mouse is not the best way to play this but still possible. This game has superb atmosphere, art direction, voice acting & creature/work designs. One of the best games ever made & also one of the hardest its not an easy game but also not as challenging as others its more about exploration & making the right choices. GFWL works very well here but most of the time you will not even notice its present apart from the achievements appearing onscreen (you can even disable these notifications if you do not want to break atmosphere). Ignore the BS & hate campaigns against this game its one of the best ever made & just has a unique & superb atmosphere. Only a 3.7GB install as the game is so well optimised & the textures highly compressed. No pointless lengthy FMV here or dialog to waste disc space its so the install size is small but the game world is still pretty large.… Expand
  22. Lysh
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    This game is not a great port, but it's not a terrible one either. Despite what some people would have you believe, you don't have to have a controller to play this PC game. Having analogue sticks would certainly make controlling a bit more precise, but I've had no problems playing with keyboard alone. The default config is working fine for me, but the keys are completely remappableThis game is not a great port, but it's not a terrible one either. Despite what some people would have you believe, you don't have to have a controller to play this PC game. Having analogue sticks would certainly make controlling a bit more precise, but I've had no problems playing with keyboard alone. The default config is working fine for me, but the keys are completely remappable in-game, so there's really no excuses to complain about the controls. It's true that the in-game prompts don't display the keyboard keys, but if you can't even be bothered to read the manual and see what the controls are before playing a game you're not qualified to write a review for it in my opinion. Despite the minor issues I feel this game is fully deserving of a 10/10 based on the gameplay alone. This is the sort of thing all games should aspire to be.… Expand
  23. JMILTON
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    This has got to be the worst PC port I ever had a displeasure to endure. The graphics are horrible, combat controls are clunky at best, non responsive at worst, there is no real story attached to this game and the game difficulty that has been heralded as the savior of the challenging gaming is nothing but an over inflated trial and error garbage. To make things even worse it's not evenThis has got to be the worst PC port I ever had a displeasure to endure. The graphics are horrible, combat controls are clunky at best, non responsive at worst, there is no real story attached to this game and the game difficulty that has been heralded as the savior of the challenging gaming is nothing but an over inflated trial and error garbage. To make things even worse it's not even that difficult. I killed the first boss by dying once, and the whole "combat" experience could be described as just being tedious. Avoid at all costs, watching plants grow is more fun than this overhyped trash of a game.… Expand
  24. Groshonee
    Aug 24, 2012
    9
    Well, us PC gamers asked for it and we got it. Dark Souls - Prepare to Die is just as fun as the original console game, with the added bonus of several hours worth of new content. However, it's dragged down somewhat by quality of the port. Granted, this is the first ever PC port From Soft has attempted, so they ported it with the intention that it was to be played with a PC gamepad.Well, us PC gamers asked for it and we got it. Dark Souls - Prepare to Die is just as fun as the original console game, with the added bonus of several hours worth of new content. However, it's dragged down somewhat by quality of the port. Granted, this is the first ever PC port From Soft has attempted, so they ported it with the intention that it was to be played with a PC gamepad. Keyboard and mouse controls are kind of clumsy, but still tolerable.… Expand
  25. kitoro
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    It's Dark Souls, on pc and it's a 10. It's an exact port of the best console game/ game of this generation. Seriously ignore the high pitched girlyman resolution/keyboard/mouse/gfwl/consoleportomfgshtuup background whine and just buy an xbox gamepad. I really really wish i could be playing it again for the first time just to experience it with fresh eyes. It has a game world full of weirdIt's Dark Souls, on pc and it's a 10. It's an exact port of the best console game/ game of this generation. Seriously ignore the high pitched girlyman resolution/keyboard/mouse/gfwl/consoleportomfgshtuup background whine and just buy an xbox gamepad. I really really wish i could be playing it again for the first time just to experience it with fresh eyes. It has a game world full of weird mystery, memorable characters and some of the most awesome and imaginative bosses and combat ever. It hints where other games crap exposition over you, and a winding twisting design to the levels that really impresses once you understand what is going on.

    There is nothing remotely close to this on pc.    … Expand
  26. Q8eZy
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    Pc gamers give pc gamers a bad name. One of the best games of all time down voted because it is the exact same as the console (not entirely true, extra content + durante's rez fix + better frame rates make this the ultimate version). Just goes to show that PC gamers dont actually like great games, they like epeen things like $1000 video cards and 3-monitor setups. Meh, their loss.
  27. Masterhummel
    Aug 24, 2012
    9
    Well, i was also a little bit disapointed by the stright port. But to be fair, From Software communicated it months ago: Get a controller. Now i'm playing the game with the resolution fix and my ps3 controller and i have to say it really, really looks amazing and runs pretty stable. However, i have a nvidia card. Ati user maybe experience other circumstances.
  28. Carrot556
    Aug 24, 2012
    2
    There is no excuse for this port. Not a one. At first glance it seems like something someone at Namco ported this during a lunch break. There are bad PC ports where the game menus are keyboard only and are rough around the edges, and then there is this. In my first minutes of playing the game I ran into several problems. Right off the bat there is the FPS lock, the 720p resolution, theThere is no excuse for this port. Not a one. At first glance it seems like something someone at Namco ported this during a lunch break. There are bad PC ports where the game menus are keyboard only and are rough around the edges, and then there is this. In my first minutes of playing the game I ran into several problems. Right off the bat there is the FPS lock, the 720p resolution, the lack of options in to "options" menu. The options menu has a grand total of five options. Resolution, refresh rate, full screen, AA, and motion blur. What about texture quality or MXAA or particle effects? Jumping into the game there is a prompt to "press 'a' to pick up dungeon key". Now unless the use key is actually bound to the "a" key there is no reason to have the xbox key prompts instead of actual keys. "Press 'Start' to open menu and arms icon". After impotently face rolling my keyboard, I discovered "end" was the start key. Not escape. End. People claiming that this was meant for a game pad are delusional plain and simple. The majority of people who play on PCs use a keyboard and mouse and expect to have indicators that can be easily understood. That isn't entitlement, that is a fundamental right for a gamer. It would be just as surprising to me if an imported game was still in the native language and considering this port I'm surprised it isn't , in fact, in Japanese. There was no excuse to pay for a port as poor as this. After seeing how well crafted and great Dark souls was, I patiently waited for this port. It is such a shame such a beautiful gem was weighed down by such abysmal work in a port rendered this game frustratingly bad.… Expand
  29. Donkaban
    Aug 24, 2012
    2
    Bad port. No bindings for mouse, bugs and graphics flickers. From console developers to console boys.
    Resolution is capped, FPS are capped, keyboard and mouse controls are a nightmare, video options are inexistant ... I think is damn timemachine from Skyrim to dark 2005 ages
  30. shingouki
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    For all the users that are complaining about Keyboard and Mouse not working ideally for this game, let me lay this on you for a second, because this is how you guys sound:

    You have a box of nails you want to hammer into the wall. (Dark Souls) You have measuring tape. It has a flat side. (Keyboard) You don't have a hammer. (Gamepad) Instead of going out and buying a hammer to hammer in    For all the users that are complaining about Keyboard and Mouse not working ideally for this game, let me lay this on you for a second, because this is how you guys sound:

    You have a box of nails you want to hammer into the wall. (Dark Souls) You have measuring tape. It has a flat side. (Keyboard)
    You don't have a hammer. (Gamepad)
    Instead of going out and buying a hammer to hammer in the nails, you start hammering nails with THE MEASURING TAPE.
    You then start complaining "Holy crap these nails suck. They don't work well with the measuring tape. This is so difficult!"
    "Screw nails! Nails are terrible! I'm gonna write a review about how bad these nails are because they dont get hit into the wall well with my MEASURING TAPE."

    The reasons you guys don't have hammers, is probably because you're either broke, or you're lazy, or you have some personal vendetta towards hammers. BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE NAILS. It's not the nails' fault you are too lazy, broke, or have developed some deep racism towards hammers. That's on you! The nail is made for hammers! Hammer it in with a hammer and stop complaining!

    So really you guys giving it a 0 for not playing perfectly with keyboard is really unfair. I can give maybe half a point for it not matching up with the keyboard controls and using xbox icons, but that's about it really. It's made to be played with a gamepad. So play it with one, and stop giving this game a low score because of your own personal issues with gamepads.

    ----------------------------

    Dark Souls is a console port. From Software said that. They made it very clear when the game was coming out. "This is mostly a console port. No surprises!" That means the game is structured from the bottom up in a console fashion. Why would it be so different from what was promised? So that means, you run it with a console controller, it plays at a console resolution with a console speed, with hopefully better console performance. That's what was promised, and that's what From Software delivered. I personally don't see anything wrong with that. PC Fans requested a game that was console exclusive and got it on their platform. It works! It's non buggy! It looks like the console version! It's just as great as it originally was (Fantastic and amazing game!) What else is there to say? It's a great game. I love it. The graphics are amazing, the frame rate is BETTER than console. The story is incredible, the gameplay is on point and very responsive. The game isn't choppy or has hiccups, or anything like that. Game plays smooth like butter at 30 FPS. Honestly, it plays better than most PC games I've messed with lately with twice the frame rate.

    Plus Durante modded it recently to increase the resolution past the initial renderer limit, so that's just the icing on the cake. This is a great game and I'm glad this game is finally on PC!    … Expand
  31. JosephR
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    To all people who are downrating it because the game because it is a port. I have to ask, what did you expect, Fromsoftware is an EXTREMELY small company who barely had the manpower to make the game for ps3 and xbox. If they wanted to make a perfect pc port, they would have had to rewrite the entire code for the game, by themselves, which would have been impossible. Fromsoftware gaveTo all people who are downrating it because the game because it is a port. I have to ask, what did you expect, Fromsoftware is an EXTREMELY small company who barely had the manpower to make the game for ps3 and xbox. If they wanted to make a perfect pc port, they would have had to rewrite the entire code for the game, by themselves, which would have been impossible. Fromsoftware gave the information that it would be a port from xbox before it was released and anyone who didn't know this, or rather is downrating because of it, shouldn't be a little **** about it… Expand
  32. victorRic
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    Great game, not a great port but the PC community will come with mods and high res packs. its way cheaper than console, DLC comes for free, runs better and there is already a mod to fix resolution and textures day one, you can't go wrong.
  33. Xen-Masta
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    This is exactly what we were promised. If you are disappointed, then that is your fault. The game looks and basically plays the same as it did on the 10 year old console hardware that it was originally developed for. Of course it doesn't look like a new state of the art PC game. Also, if you came into this thinking that you were going to play on a keyboard, and are now complainingThis is exactly what we were promised. If you are disappointed, then that is your fault. The game looks and basically plays the same as it did on the 10 year old console hardware that it was originally developed for. Of course it doesn't look like a new state of the art PC game. Also, if you came into this thinking that you were going to play on a keyboard, and are now complaining about the controls...you're an idiot, straight up. Did you know/read nothing about this game before purchasing it? Thanks to From-Software for listening to it's consumers and actually releasing this.… Expand
  34. 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
  35. 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
  36. cmoyano
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    the game is amazing. amazing enough to get a 9 or 10. the port is crap, but the resolution fix from durante has saved form software from a catastrophe and it may as well make them some money. i have seen plenty of people double dipping just because of this resolution fix. myself included. if thats what it takes to get this game to have good sales, thats fine. maybe we can all hopethe game is amazing. amazing enough to get a 9 or 10. the port is crap, but the resolution fix from durante has saved form software from a catastrophe and it may as well make them some money. i have seen plenty of people double dipping just because of this resolution fix. myself included. if thats what it takes to get this game to have good sales, thats fine. maybe we can all hope about a good next game in the series coming to pc. dark souls gets a 10. port gets a 5.… Expand
  37. LtVanzi
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    The game itself is a great RPG, it is however quite difficult - the combat system will get you killed pretty often, the boss fights are tough (assuming you play without reading spoilers), there are also no maps in game and every death puts you back at last checkpoint while also respawning all monsters. Now, keep in mind this is a CONSOLE PORT. It was meant to be a console port and it is aThe game itself is a great RPG, it is however quite difficult - the combat system will get you killed pretty often, the boss fights are tough (assuming you play without reading spoilers), there are also no maps in game and every death puts you back at last checkpoint while also respawning all monsters. Now, keep in mind this is a CONSOLE PORT. It was meant to be a console port and it is a console port. You need a gamepad (I used Razer Onza) to really enjoy the controls. Also make sure to get the Durante's mod that unlock internal buffer size - it's a must have! Out of the box the game looks horribly on 1080p screen, after switching the buffer size to 3840x2160px it's a completely different game!… Expand
  38. Mathute87
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    LOL at those giving it a bad score just because you suck at it. Ungrateful PC players trashing a game that the DEVELOPERS THEMSELVES already said that they weren't fully developing for PC. It's a decent to bad port, but plays just like on console with a Xbox Controller. Areas where frames used to drop don't drop anymore (Blighttown, Demon's Ruins),

    Just because you're bad at the game,    LOL at those giving it a bad score just because you suck at it. Ungrateful PC players trashing a game that the DEVELOPERS THEMSELVES already said that they weren't fully developing for PC. It's a decent to bad port, but plays just like on console with a Xbox Controller. Areas where frames used to drop don't drop anymore (Blighttown, Demon's Ruins),

    Just because you're bad at the game, and because it isn't shiny, don't whine. Ungrateful PC players :) as usual. Go play Battlefield 3 or Skyrim (easy games that hold your hand and have a no-need-to-think gameplay). You weren't even supossed to get this game. Ever. Now I hope next time you don't get nothing at all. Whine some more.    … Expand
  39. Ezekial
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    This game is a direct console port. They didn't even remap the Xbox buttons to interact with things. But that's ok, they still released a PC version by community request. I highly recommend playing this game with a Xbox controller, or a PS3 controller using MotionJoy DS3 Tool to emulate a Xbox controller--this is what I do, and it plays perfectly like the PS3 version. Next thing IThis game is a direct console port. They didn't even remap the Xbox buttons to interact with things. But that's ok, they still released a PC version by community request. I highly recommend playing this game with a Xbox controller, or a PS3 controller using MotionJoy DS3 Tool to emulate a Xbox controller--this is what I do, and it plays perfectly like the PS3 version. Next thing I recommend is to get the community made resolution fix located here: http://blog.metaclassofnil.com/?p=108

    The difference is unbelievable, and will make your game look phenomenal.    … Expand
  40. necropsie
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    This is the holy grail of all console ports to the PC: The worst of it all. Trust me, it is that bad. Default key mapping is a joke. Graphics are **** even 5-6 year old games look much nice. Sound effects are so simple and bad. And controls.. Oh, controls. They are.. stupid. Yep. Dont waste your time even with a pirated version, i think this gives an idea of how bad this game is. It isn'tThis is the holy grail of all console ports to the PC: The worst of it all. Trust me, it is that bad. Default key mapping is a joke. Graphics are **** even 5-6 year old games look much nice. Sound effects are so simple and bad. And controls.. Oh, controls. They are.. stupid. Yep. Dont waste your time even with a pirated version, i think this gives an idea of how bad this game is. It isn't even worth of pirated download..… Expand
  41. Bledwings
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    Its strange that this game was release in only 720p, a shame really.... don't let that discourage you though.
    you see this game is still just as amazing as before and the new content is every bit completely worth it! although im obviously not going to spoil that.
    Let me add that there is a patch that puts this game into 1080p and i have to say the game looks amazing now that Ive applied    Its strange that this game was release in only 720p, a shame really.... don't let that discourage you though.
    you see this game is still just as amazing as before and the new content is every bit completely worth it! although im obviously not going to spoil that.
    Let me add that there is a patch that puts this game into 1080p and i have to say the game looks amazing now that Ive applied this patch hopefully the developers will release it as an official patch now that its been created.    … Expand
  42. Tata
    Aug 24, 2012
    8
    It's all Bulletstorm again, where GFWL ruins an otherwise great game. Now, add the console port issues to that and you've got one of the biggest mess of a game this year. If I had to rate the vanilla game, I'd give it a 0 or 1. They absolutely took ZERO time to make this run better on the PC. What's funnier, a group of game developers (console experts or not) can't do, what a modder can doIt's all Bulletstorm again, where GFWL ruins an otherwise great game. Now, add the console port issues to that and you've got one of the biggest mess of a game this year. If I had to rate the vanilla game, I'd give it a 0 or 1. They absolutely took ZERO time to make this run better on the PC. What's funnier, a group of game developers (console experts or not) can't do, what a modder can do in 23 minutes, at all. The game itself is good, though the combat is almost identical with The Witcher 2's difficulty and combat, it's just as enjoyable. Cinematics are good, so is exploration and character customization, but god, the menus and the tutorials are atrocius. The guy who had the idea to make the End button the one which brings the menu up instead of Escape should be fired. I actually had to Alt+Tab and search how to open the menu, just like the inventory menu in Skyrim.
    To make this short, it's a great game, but GFWL and the issues I mentioned make this game very unfriendly. If you are patient enough to wait until modders fix the game or the developers use the modders' works as patches, then wait. If you're completely fed up with GFWL, I suggest pirating is the way to go. I swore that Bulletstorm will be the last game I buy that uses GFWL, and sadly, I had to keep this promise, since there is no DRM free version. It's sad that Namco Bandai choose to go EA's way, meaning the DRM and no optimization.    … Expand
  43. MrImmoli
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    Wow. This game. FPS is locked at 30 (same as on console), which by itself isn't a HUGE problem, but throw in FPS drops due to the engine and suddenly you're looking at much lower framerate in two areas (maybe more if the new content adds any). Naitively the game does not support resolutions higher than 1024X720 (though that was somewhat fixed by some random guy in about...23 minutes.Wow. This game. FPS is locked at 30 (same as on console), which by itself isn't a HUGE problem, but throw in FPS drops due to the engine and suddenly you're looking at much lower framerate in two areas (maybe more if the new content adds any). Naitively the game does not support resolutions higher than 1024X720 (though that was somewhat fixed by some random guy in about...23 minutes. Apparently 23 minutes is just too much time for From to put into the game. Keep in mind he had no experience with the game nore a source code). And the controls. The windows mouse arrow is in the middle of the game screen. That is just pathetic. Oh and instead of the mouse controlling the camera (like, ya know, practically all other PC games with a moveable camera) the mouse only acts to control a virtual joystick, and this virtual joystick move the camera slower than it is moved on the PS3 or 360 version. Mouse accerlation (which is a bad thing already) was reveresed and as a result if you move the mouse quicker it actually slows down the camera. And then the game uses GFWL...

    This port is just horrible. It is **** Do NOT buy it you would be wasting your money on a pile of **** and telling developers and publishers "Hey, I'm cool if you release broken **** I'll still eat it up nom nom nom!" The people giving it 10 stars or anything higher than a **** 5 are either fanboys or marketers being paid to do so. Hell, the two "professional reviewers" gave this **** an 92 and 89. I bet you almost anything they happened to get a little gift from Namco or FromSoft, that are the reviewers themselves are fanboys. Now, port aside. This game really is great, it is unfortunate that the port is such utter **** If you have a PS3 or 360 or if the PC version gets fixed then I do highly recommend you buy the game, but do not buy this port so long as it is a steaming pile of ****    … Expand
  44. Elsje
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    Do not buy this game.

    The game starts out with a terrible intro which reminds me of games from the 90's and from there everything gets progressively worse. The menu interface is bad and lacks mouse settings. Even on the lowest dpi-setting, my mouse moves too fast. When you start the game you get cues for which games to press.. on a gamepad. No idea what to press on my keyboard. The    Do not buy this game.

    The game starts out with a terrible intro which reminds me of games from the 90's and from there everything gets progressively worse. The menu interface is bad and lacks mouse settings. Even on the lowest dpi-setting, my mouse moves too fast. When you start the game you get cues for which games to press.. on a gamepad. No idea what to press on my keyboard. The graphics are really ugly and worst of all.. the game runs jittery on my core i7 980X w/ Geforce GTX 570. When I encountered the first enemy, I died because apparently the character hitbox extends beyond the visible body.    … Expand
  45. Getterac7
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    Dark Souls has been one of the worst PC game experiences I've had in years.

    First off: all help messages are given for the Xbox360 controller, even though I don't have a controller plugged in. I spent 5 minutes mashing every key on the keyboard trying to figure out how to get to the options menu before finally hitting "End" to open the options. What the hell? End? Really? Couldn't    Dark Souls has been one of the worst PC game experiences I've had in years.

    First off: all help messages are given for the Xbox360 controller, even though I don't have a controller plugged in. I spent 5 minutes mashing every key on the keyboard trying to figure out how to get to the options menu before finally hitting "End" to open the options. What the hell? End? Really? Couldn't use the Escape key like EVERY OTHER GAME?

    So I find out the D-pad corresponds to the arrow keys, then when I pick up my sword and shield, it tells me to use the left and right on the D-pad to switch to my sword, so I hit left and right arrow keys a few times and nothing happens. I have to dig through some inventory menus to equip my sword first I guess. Why not tell me that?

    While we are on the topic of controls: I use a non-QWERTY keyboard, so where the W key should be, is actually a comma. I tried to remap the move forward key and it would not let me set the W key (which is the comma character). Why on Earth would it not accept the comma character is beyond me. This is the first game I have EVER encountered (of the hundreds and hundreds I have played) that wouldn't let me do that.

    Let's get to the menus. They are absolutely not friendly to a mouse pointer at all. Some widgets you can click, some you can't; you never know what's going to happen when you try to click on something. The only reliable way to use the menus are with the arrow keys.

    Playing through the first area I noticed the camera felt pretty difficult to control and then it hit me: the camera is not moving based on how far I move my mouse! Moving the mouse simply makes the camera move at a fixed speed. Excuse me? I feel like I'm trying to play Doom 1 over here. While we're talking about the mouse: I constantly see my Windows mouse cursor over top of the game and it is incredibly distracting.

    Sound: I have a 5.1 sound system, but I play using headphones at night out of respect for my neighbors and roommates. There are no audio options to switch to stereo mode, so with headphones I could not hear any voices in the game, even while subtitles were playing.

    Graphics: I can accept the 30 fps cap and I can accept the 720p upscaling, but come on, this is 2012. At least try.

    So all in all I rate this 0/10 because, although it may have a cool story and fun gameplay, I couldn't experience it because of the shoddy nature of the port.    … Expand
  46. raidet
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    Disgracefully blatant score-bumping from the developer/publisher here. As every other legitimate customer is saying - this port is dire. Given the enormous control issues, It's not in a playable state. I am not happy.
  47. kappamerc
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    Due to the bad port, I'd give this 8/10. However, adding the graphical mod and using a controller make both of my main issues with the game a non-issue. Since there are people out there giving 0's I am making this a 10.

    Assuming you are playing with a controller (first time I've ever hooked my xbox controller up to my PC but totally worth it) -The controls feel great. -The graphics    Due to the bad port, I'd give this 8/10. However, adding the graphical mod and using a controller make both of my main issues with the game a non-issue. Since there are people out there giving 0's I am making this a 10.

    Assuming you are playing with a controller (first time I've ever hooked my xbox controller up to my PC but totally worth it)
    -The controls feel great.
    -The graphics are good once modded.
    -The gameplay is solid, not once did I die and think, "Well that was unfair."
    -Combat has weight and strategy.
    -The world is dark medieval fantasy at its best.
    -Boss fights are grand, epic, challenging, and rewarding once taken down.
    -Armor is interesting.
    -Weapons look neat and feel distinct.
    -Difficulty is just right.
    -Death is an expected teaching mechanic. -You are punished for making bad decisions but through those decisions you come up with new ideas. -This game punishes you with death for making bad decisions but it rewards you for playing smart.
    -Each encounter is consistent, deliberate, and gives the player plenty of opportunity to make the right decisions.

    At the end of the day, Dark Souls delivers the same experience as consoles but with some extra content, a faster framerate, cheaper price point, and the potential to pickup a mod for higher resolution textures.

    Play this with a USB controller, my xbox controller had no issues syncing up for this game. I highly recommend people play this game on any system they can get their hands on. Just make sure your have a controller if you get the PC version.    … Expand
  48. Chapa9dj
    Aug 24, 2012
    4
    Overrated, uninspiring and boring. So this is the game that my friends pictured to me as the ''Panacea of Gaming'' and turned out to be completely wrong. The gameplay is clunky as hell, especially when you engage in a boss fight.. The map design feels bland and very empty, not to mention that the graphics are downright terrible. Is this 2012 or 2004? Ok, continuing with this, its not openOverrated, uninspiring and boring. So this is the game that my friends pictured to me as the ''Panacea of Gaming'' and turned out to be completely wrong. The gameplay is clunky as hell, especially when you engage in a boss fight.. The map design feels bland and very empty, not to mention that the graphics are downright terrible. Is this 2012 or 2004? Ok, continuing with this, its not open world as some people told me, its completely linear and boring and the character lacks personality and charisma. Also, it has GFWL. That is enough for anyone to stay away. I don't even know why companies still use this. I'm glad i got it as a birthday gift, but sometimes i wish my friend didn't have to spend that amount of money. I'm not ungrateful, on the contrary, but this game is definitely not my cup of tea. Definitely one of the most disappointing games of 2012.… Expand
  49. fickett
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    This has to be the worst pc port ever. The only reason they shelled this out is because pc gamers petitioned for it and they gave us a bad quality product. This is going to lead them to believe that if you make a pc port then pc gamers won't buy it but in reality pc gamers won't buy bad quality products.
  50. Stormcrow666
    Aug 24, 2012
    4
    This easily could have been made into one of the better computer games this year, instead it is a terrible port that need a lot of work. The graphics are just plain terrible. 30fps limiter with dips to 20fps is just atrocious. This game uses approximately 10% of my gpu power. The camera is shaky and annoying. The controls are obviously ported. I was smashing buttons trying to figure outThis easily could have been made into one of the better computer games this year, instead it is a terrible port that need a lot of work. The graphics are just plain terrible. 30fps limiter with dips to 20fps is just atrocious. This game uses approximately 10% of my gpu power. The camera is shaky and annoying. The controls are obviously ported. I was smashing buttons trying to figure out how to do simple things like access my inventory. It is a real shame since this game could have been something so much better than this poor port. I understand that the console version is great but sometimes ports are not meant to be ported unless there is additional work done to make it a better experience for the PC user.… Expand
  51. Dimuscul
    Aug 24, 2012
    2
    Worst port ever. Resolution is capped, FPS are capped, keyboard and mouse controls are a nightmare, video options are inexistant ... in general it make me feel like I'm playing on a PS2 emulator.
  52. Noolah
    Aug 24, 2012
    3
    I'm wishing I'd spent my money on Darksiders II instead. This game is just dire. The story is let down by graphics that wouldn't have looked out of place on my original Xbox. Yes, I can set the resolution to 1920 x 1080, but it's obviously still intended to be played on a big screen. Don't get me started on the control system; if I'd wanted to use a gamepad to play a game, I'd haveI'm wishing I'd spent my money on Darksiders II instead. This game is just dire. The story is let down by graphics that wouldn't have looked out of place on my original Xbox. Yes, I can set the resolution to 1920 x 1080, but it's obviously still intended to be played on a big screen. Don't get me started on the control system; if I'd wanted to use a gamepad to play a game, I'd have bought it for my 360 instead. You can customize the keyboard controls and even use a mouse (mouse support is just terrible), but all of the on-screen prompts assume you're using a game pad. So you're left either mashing keys until you get the right one, or having to look it up on the cheat-sheet you've probably had to print out to stand any chance of even being able to press the correct button. The camera controls are also extremely annoying. TL;DR - If you want this game, get the console version.… Expand
  53. aksu113
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    Bad Pc port and hard controls but still i really enjoy of this game
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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.
    Read full review
  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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