Dark Souls

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2451 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,188 out of 2451
  2. Mixed: 103 out of 2451
  3. Negative: 160 out of 2451
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  1. ReSultZ
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    Simply point you have NEVER played a game like them as Dark Souls and Demon's Souls are on another level. The bad news is these games are so long and good, they ruin other games.
  2. w_underwood
    Dec 12, 2012
    10
    It's hard for a sequel to be better than the original but Dark Souls does. The open world set up is different than Demon's Souls but I actually found that to be a better experience. Bosses are just as difficult, and I would have to say much more challenging. Anybody who calls themselves a gamer needs to at least give it a shot.
  3. silentherosct
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    I love this game, and I didn't think I would.

    Let me explain. When this game was released, each review followed a similar pattern: praise the game, but warn people they may not like it. It's a fair warning--this game is difficult, and it ostensibly wasn't made for gamers like myself. I'm entering middle age with a demanding job and newborn daughter to whom I can't help but want to    I love this game, and I didn't think I would.

    Let me explain. When this game was released, each review followed a similar pattern: praise the game, but warn people they may not like it. It's a fair warning--this game is difficult, and it ostensibly wasn't made for gamers like myself. I'm entering middle age with a demanding job and newborn daughter to whom I can't help but want to devote all my time. So when one critic warned, "If you just play games for fun, this isn't for you," I dismissed this game as unreservedly being not for me.

    But something kept nagging at me. Maybe it was nostalgia for the days when I'd spend hours playing Ninja Gaiden, or Castlevania (for the NES). I remember honing my skills every play through, perfecting the timing on jumps, memorizing the location of enemies, figuring out boss patterns, all to die for the third time and have to start over at the beginning. Sounds sadistic, I know, but my friends and I had so much fun trading tips and secrets (I was the first on my block to find the upward thrust in Adventures of Link--no one believed me). And when someone beat a game, we'd all go racing to his house to see him repeat it. Out of adversity came triumph. I think in the end I wanted to experience this feeling again.

    And that's exactly what I got out of Dark Souls.

    Yes, this game is difficult, but I cannot stress enough how fair it is. Each time I die I truly feel like it was my fault. Plus, if you stick with it things do get better. The first few hours may seem impossible, but gradually you'll learn to play the game. Enemies that seemed impossible become remarkably easy. On more than one occasion I died in a boss battle several times before getting the pattern down just right. Once I learned the bosses timing and attack cues, I beat the it without getting hit--easy! And let me stress something--I am not very good at videogames. Seriously! I'm not! I think I used to be, once upon a time, but I just don't play games enough anymore. Yet, despite a lack of time and skill, I've been progressing through this game at a pretty fast pace (relatively speaking, of course). To be fair, having spent an entire childhood perfecting games like this is an advantage, but nothing compares to having time and total devotion. What I'm saying is that if I can succeed at this game, you can too.

    The critics were right--Dark Souls isn't for everyone. But if, like me, you cut your teeth on the NES, and the only thing holding you back from getting this is a lack of time, you may want to go ahead and give the game a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.    … Expand
  4. MWesthoff
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    I finished Dark Souls and then wandered around in Skyrim for a while before I developed this profound respect for From Software. I may not have enjoyed either one of them too much but at least I feel like I accomplished something after completing Dark Souls...like I broke through a major plateau and finally gained a personal level in gaming that I have been stuck on for years. I beatI finished Dark Souls and then wandered around in Skyrim for a while before I developed this profound respect for From Software. I may not have enjoyed either one of them too much but at least I feel like I accomplished something after completing Dark Souls...like I broke through a major plateau and finally gained a personal level in gaming that I have been stuck on for years. I beat Dark Souls offline with no spoilers (for me that's good). My left eye twitches a little bit every time someone who hasn't played Dark Souls mentions how majestic Ornstien and Smough look....BUT I BEAT IT!!!! I rerolled three characters just to get through Andor Londo but in the end I magicked their fat and skinny asses to death then sat in the corner giggling hysterically before proceeding to finish the game. If the two games (Dark Souls and Skyrim) were thought of as a music concert; Dark Souls just set the piano on fire and rocked the house leaving Skyrim with a very awkward silence for an introduction. Everyone's going to say, "you can't compare....you can't compare". They are correct, you can not compare perfection with mediocrity...it's apples and oranges. (Dark souls 10) (Skyrim 7).… Expand
  5. Marcvolta
    Jan 11, 2012
    10
    One of the best game of the year for me. I spent a lot of time, and i still playing and i'have not finish this game at this time after 95 hours. I love it and i take my time.
  6. PALAIFYTIANOS
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    READERS....BE CAREFULL...EXTREMELE ADDICTED GAME....This game is a brilliant surprise...with unforgetable enemies.., amazing landscapes..i dont have words to describe it.i ll say that the only negative for me,i think that graphics are very good but not excellent..
  7. darkwraith
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Dark souls has got to be a contender for rpg of the year 2011.
    It is an action adventure rpg with online drop in drop out co op plus pvp were you invade another persons game. The game may not be to everyones taste as the difficulty curve is sharp and very little is explained about the various ingame mechanisms. But a quick darksouls wiki search will tell you all you need and more as    Dark souls has got to be a contender for rpg of the year 2011.
    It is an action adventure rpg with online drop in drop out co op plus pvp were you invade another persons game. The game may not be to everyones taste as the difficulty curve is sharp and very little is explained about the various ingame mechanisms. But a quick darksouls wiki search will tell you all you need and more as a support website for the game it is invaluable. After just under 300 hours yes you read it right 300 hours ive finished the game once and started game plus were all youre items and stats carry over. And im still finding new story threads new suits of armor and the final rare weapons. There are 9 covenants or clans you can join for online play some encourage co op play others invite player versus player and more others offer objectives like fighting for rare stones that are needed to rank up in the clans. A beginner clan would be the forest clan which you join by talking to a cheshire cat and equip the ring she gives you this activates the online and you hunt for players in the forest. the game is not linear and you can take any route you want if you feel you can get past the enemies in that area. If struggling with the boss you can summon co op help easily. Before the latest patch there were a few problems with lag ala skyrim but after patch 1.05 darksouls runs great never any difficulty using the online multiplayer and there is no longer any lag. i could write a book about this game. But if you like rpgs and want to try a game thats a little different then pick up darksouls you wont regret it.    … Expand
  8. DSouls_guy
    Dec 9, 2011
    10
    This game is epic,

    if your an RPG fan and also have alot of time on your hands to get sucked into this Masterpiece then go for it this game won't let you down one bit.I also gotta add this comment,THIS GAME IS NOT EASY, OR FOR THOSE WITH ANGER PROBLEMS,you will die allot in this game and it will make you go nut's when you loose all those souls and Humanities you've collected,this game is    This game is epic,

    if your an RPG fan and also have alot of time on your hands to get sucked into this Masterpiece then go for it this game won't let you down one bit.I also gotta add this comment,THIS GAME IS NOT EASY, OR FOR THOSE WITH ANGER PROBLEMS,you will die allot in this game and it will make you go nut's when you loose all those souls and Humanities you've collected,this game is for true JRPG gamers who have alot of experience.the only thing I have to say is bad is that some times there is alot of frame rate drops when there are alot of things on screen and when you summon 2 people into your game,other than that Dark souls is my game of the year.    … Expand
  9. MountZionV
    Dec 16, 2011
    10
    Everything that was great about Demon's Souls is amplified in Dark Souls. The addition of an open world instead of the Nexus makes the game a thousand times more enjoyable. I can see how people new to the series view it as overly challenging, but its really what games should be. In Dark Souls you feel like crap when you die, where as in a game like Fallout all you need to do is reloadEverything that was great about Demon's Souls is amplified in Dark Souls. The addition of an open world instead of the Nexus makes the game a thousand times more enjoyable. I can see how people new to the series view it as overly challenging, but its really what games should be. In Dark Souls you feel like crap when you die, where as in a game like Fallout all you need to do is reload your save file. The unforgiving nature of the game makes its a perfect 10 for me.… Expand
  10. kirkkh
    Dec 25, 2011
    10
    This game rocks period. I won't blah blah you to death with why. Gameplay this, graphics that. Who cares. This game rocks. You don't rock. This game does. Play it.
  11. Cavissi
    Dec 25, 2011
    10
    My personal GOTY. Do not let the comments of difficulty scare you off. The combat is deep and punishes you, but it is never unfair. If you are dieing repeatedly, try different weapons and elements, or try going somewhere else and coming back later. I consider the souls games the new Castlevania games. The map is very large and lets you roam it pretty unrestricted, especially if you startMy personal GOTY. Do not let the comments of difficulty scare you off. The combat is deep and punishes you, but it is never unfair. If you are dieing repeatedly, try different weapons and elements, or try going somewhere else and coming back later. I consider the souls games the new Castlevania games. The map is very large and lets you roam it pretty unrestricted, especially if you start with the master key. The areas and bestiary are very varied, and each monster fights differently so you need to learn all of their attacks. While there are classes, It only affects your starting gear and stats, you can play the game however you want too.

    The combat is incredible. Each attack feels real and heavy, and you never feel like you are safe. The online is pretty good except for the failed to connect invasions. These have been improved with the patches and will continue to be improved as well. My only big complaint is the FPS slow down in busy areas. Specifically in blighttown, this can be really annoying, but compared to all the things this game does right, its rather small.    … Expand
  12. Ganbitsu
    Dec 26, 2011
    10
    Never thought i would still fall for a game that demands so much time (as i have really little free time) from the player. The graphics ain't spectacular, the story ain't clear but still the game sucked me right in. Ok got to go and repeat The Wolf for the 50'th time...
  13. KingKamor
    Dec 28, 2011
    10
    I played Demon's Souls, so I can't say how easy it is for someone to get used to the controls, but they are very much the same. R1/R2 for weak/strong attack, L1/L2 for block/parry, and O for dodging/running/running jumping. Personally, I feel right at home with them. During online PvP, however, there is always a certain amount of lag that will often be the death of you if you don't haveI played Demon's Souls, so I can't say how easy it is for someone to get used to the controls, but they are very much the same. R1/R2 for weak/strong attack, L1/L2 for block/parry, and O for dodging/running/running jumping. Personally, I feel right at home with them. During online PvP, however, there is always a certain amount of lag that will often be the death of you if you don't have some sort of star-crossingly fast connection. During the normal single-player aspect of the game, the game can be very difficult and even frustrating, but not because of the controls. It's your fault if you don't try to master the controls of ANY game before going out to later areas. The undead and monsters that you fight are difficult, but each one has a specific moveset that can be blocked, dodge, or parried depending on the attack. Some enemies require you to use a special tactic, such as some fireball-shooting undead that spew poison upon death and need to be killed from a distance or kicked away at the end of a backstab. Learning these nuances can be frustrating, but fist-pumpingly awesome once you take down something that had squashed you like a bug a couple deaths ago.

    The story of the game is there for those who look for it. Like everything in the game, it doesn't hold your hand with the story either. Talk to NPCs after every major battle and they may say something different. Look for pieces of the lore in item descriptions and piece them together yourself. Depending on which of the two endings you pick, it may be underwhelming, but you can always begin the game anew in New Game + and take a different route.

    The graphics can be absolutely phenomenal, but only when looking at an area from a distance; up close, they can be sub-par. It isn't an open-world game for nothing, and damn if From Software doesn't provide us with some great views. The character customization... sweet Jesus the character customization. The face and skin tone choices at the beginning are not the greatest, but there is armor traditional for any and all builds, whether you're a magic-user, a warrior, a hybrid, or a holy cleric chucking lightning bolts. There is a way to craft any weapon to suit the needs of your character, although there are some game-breaking upgrades that the community generally looks down upon. Finally, there are more that sixty spells, divided into three different "schools" of Sorcery, Pyromancy, and Miracles. You can basically build any sort of character you want, from a healer focusing on cooperation with other players, a tank-like warrior, an nigh-invisible stealth fighter, a magic missile-firing sorcerer, a magic knight focusing on spells to enhance his melee combat, a half-dragon monk, or even a silly bugger who duel-wields SHIELDS.

    I got this game on release day and have been playing it ever since. It isn't perfect, but it doesn't deserve any of the 0/10 scores that users have been giving it. If you can handle it, then it can most certainly handle you.    … Expand
  14. TheDarkSoul
    Jan 5, 2012
    10
    What can I say? It's just epic! No game has ever been more frustrating but that works in Dark Souls favour. My favourite game of 2011 and a proud part of my PS3 collection.
  15. FrEaKsHoW73
    Jan 7, 2012
    10
    So, I accepted the challenge. The gauntlet was dropped with the term "prepare to die". We shall see, I scoffed. After all, I research games well before I buy 'em and I am pretty picky when it comes to my games collection. Having never played the first one (demon's) my initial thoughts were that it's a more beautiful Onimusha. Thump. The skeletons lance ended my killing spree like aSo, I accepted the challenge. The gauntlet was dropped with the term "prepare to die". We shall see, I scoffed. After all, I research games well before I buy 'em and I am pretty picky when it comes to my games collection. Having never played the first one (demon's) my initial thoughts were that it's a more beautiful Onimusha. Thump. The skeletons lance ended my killing spree like a marshmallow at a boy scout 'bonfire' picnic... fast forward. I have just finished the iron golem boss. I am totally hooked. Days flow into one another. I eat, dream, sleep Dark Souls, I strategize while nodding and staring blankly at my girlfriends banter. I have managed to find a seller of the original Demon's Souls (un-opened he says!). This is what gaming should be like. Should I switch on the internet? Nah, I'll wait for NG+, those souls and humanity were far to hard gained to risk it playing online with those robbers and thieves... for now.… Expand
  16. MoidReviews
    Jan 13, 2012
    10
    Some games are good for cathartic entertainment, with a bit of challenge thrown in. Sure, you can die a little, and there's no consequence. The game is there for your fun and entertainment. Dark Souls is not that kind of game. This is one that demands your attention. It's a lesson on mortality and how to avoid your untimely doom. It's strict. It's brutal. It will make you cry and thenSome games are good for cathartic entertainment, with a bit of challenge thrown in. Sure, you can die a little, and there's no consequence. The game is there for your fun and entertainment. Dark Souls is not that kind of game. This is one that demands your attention. It's a lesson on mortality and how to avoid your untimely doom. It's strict. It's brutal. It will make you cry and then shout in your ear to "GET THE F*CK OVER YOURSELF." And that is why it's amazing. The game is totally dependent on how you, the player, learn from your f*ckups. Unlike most games, you lose all of your souls if you die. Ergo, you have to desperately find a way to avoid it for next time. It's a simple formula, and it works fantastically, with each dungeon being a desperate bid to avoid dying horribly. Granted, some areas are just plain old infuriating (Blighttown can go to hell), but for the most part, it's a nice learning experience. Now, word of warning, don't expect the game to go easy on you. If you're not prepared for a challenge, get the hell out of dodge, lest you end up a bloody smear on the floor. Literally. Now that the gameplay's out of the way, I can talk about the presentation. Thank god it's gorgeous; the landscape is amazingly crafted. The monsters are varied and are, occasionally, terrifying, if just because they're as dangerous as they look. Then come the bosses. Good god, the bosses. The music's nice as well, as even Ornestein and Smough's music will make their fight worth dying through over and over again. If you're in for a beautifully crafted challenge, dive right in. If not...well...you're completely boned. Sorry.… Expand
  17. Loldude12
    Apr 29, 2012
    10
    To anyone that loves a good hardcore challenge, Dark Souls is the game for you, entering yourself a sadistic world where enemies are unforgiving and show no mercy to kill. The story line has an interesting detail to it, the combat mechanics is for people to learn, when you die, you lose some of you humanity and turns you into an undead, you can also try and assess the enemies location,To anyone that loves a good hardcore challenge, Dark Souls is the game for you, entering yourself a sadistic world where enemies are unforgiving and show no mercy to kill. The story line has an interesting detail to it, the combat mechanics is for people to learn, when you die, you lose some of you humanity and turns you into an undead, you can also try and assess the enemies location, find what weapon is best for killing them and how to approach them. From Software wanted to make a game which is really really hard for people, they have made it difficult for people because they didn't want to make a game which is too easy for people to play, it has 100 hours of gameplay and includes multiplayer, multiplayer can't be chosen, if you are signed in to PSN or SEN (they are the same thing, only named differently) you will have access to play with others, other players are phantoms, so they are with you, only they are a phantom. You can have an option to either help each other out on a hard situation and you can both become rewarded or you could become as sadistic as the NPC's and you could raid another person's session and kill the players that are there, you could become rewarded with a Black Phantom Soul, when you kill the player, they would try to strike you back, before you leave, make sure you forgive yourself from kill the player by talking to the person you see (not the player, the NPC character), if you struggle, there is a good advantage of having a PSN or SEN, you can write messages to others from your game, these messages can be read as advice and tutorials, you could rate these messages to recommend to others by rating them. Overall if you have money that you saved up and you want to get a RPG for the PS3, Dark Souls is recommended for you. And to say it once more, they have made it hard on purpose.… Expand
  18. EmAnYyYyy
    Jan 28, 2012
    10
    Dark Souls is a fantastic beautiful dark fantasy action role-playing game that requires patience and time to progress. The satisfaction you'll get from killing difficult enemies is unlike anything in any other game. The visuals and art design are detailed to the max and if you played the previous Demon Souls then you'll be surprised by the huge graphical overhaul this game has. Before IDark Souls is a fantastic beautiful dark fantasy action role-playing game that requires patience and time to progress. The satisfaction you'll get from killing difficult enemies is unlike anything in any other game. The visuals and art design are detailed to the max and if you played the previous Demon Souls then you'll be surprised by the huge graphical overhaul this game has. Before I end this review.. It's my strongest opinion that this game should of beat Elder Scrolls for the best RPG of the year.. Just Sayin'… Expand
  19. grungecloud
    Jan 31, 2012
    10
    For all Demon's Souls players [and most RPG fans i believe] Dark Souls was last year's most expected game. We all knew what kind of hardships we'd have to endure but i'm sure every single player died at least 30 or 50 times no matter how cautious...

    Dark Souls is an Action RPG mostly focused on surviving and learning to fight with caution and technique. The game punishes [really badly]    For all Demon's Souls players [and most RPG fans i believe] Dark Souls was last year's most expected game. We all knew what kind of hardships we'd have to endure but i'm sure every single player died at least 30 or 50 times no matter how cautious...

    Dark Souls is an Action RPG mostly focused on surviving and learning to fight with caution and technique. The game punishes [really badly] hasty gamers and you will die hundreds of times if you think you're playing a hack n' slash RPG. You can tell From Software has worked [A LOT] to improve Demon's Souls and many great ideas were put into Dark Souls. There are many more weapons, spells, armors, enemies, items and equipment. They improved the on-line mode with covenants and different ways to play against and along players from around the world. Also you can upgrade armors this time along with weapons and shields. There are new character classes like pyromancer, secret areas and a big [REALLY BIG] world connected in every way.

    To this point, there isn't much i can say about Dark Souls that you couldn't find browsing reviews on your favourite review sites, but I can tell you this: If you consider yourself a "hardcore gamer" there's nothing more hardcore than Demon's Souls & Dark Souls. If you love RPG's and you love the challenges, you'll surely fall in love with Dark Souls.

    My favourite 2011 game, no doubt about it.

    If you're looking for a challenge and a game to play and replay dozens of times, you should buy Demons & Dark Souls.    … Expand
  20. tombo
    Feb 1, 2012
    10
    As an artist an ardent RPG gamer, I want to commend and thank the developers of Dark Souls. Many reviewers have praised the stellar combat; enigmatic suspense; level of challenge; memorable, strategic boss fights, etc. Perhaps there has not been adequate comment on the lovingly-crafted art design. This is a beautiful game. Locales consistently contain both wondrous grandeur andAs an artist an ardent RPG gamer, I want to commend and thank the developers of Dark Souls. Many reviewers have praised the stellar combat; enigmatic suspense; level of challenge; memorable, strategic boss fights, etc. Perhaps there has not been adequate comment on the lovingly-crafted art design. This is a beautiful game. Locales consistently contain both wondrous grandeur and meticulous natural and architectural detail. My favorite definition of art was by a renowned philosopher,"Art reflects reality but transcends it." Surely, evocative, beautiful games are art. 10 Tombo… Expand
  21. youngzen69
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Dark Souls is simply one of the best and one of my favorite RPGs of all time! That said its not for the faint of heart. Those players that like playing games on easy and zipping through the game, this game is not for you. Patience is defiantly a virtue when it comes to Dark Souls.
  22. i_L_Gunnerz
    Apr 24, 2012
    10
    I found the Visuals to be a bit weak compared to games released in the same time, stuff breaks, blood flows & characters are shiny & detailed but that's about it. but all the other aspects of the game are very very good indeed. it's fun, challenging, satisfying & addictive
  23. vanhaver
    Feb 18, 2012
    10
    I don't quite remember when I've enjoyed a game this much! The sheer terror of creeping around a corner, moving around with extreme care, the total enjoyment of sniping an enemy from afar with your bow inflicting critical damage and seeing him drop with an arrow through the eye. Never before have I cared so much about my character and what happens to him. This game is a masterpiece, andI don't quite remember when I've enjoyed a game this much! The sheer terror of creeping around a corner, moving around with extreme care, the total enjoyment of sniping an enemy from afar with your bow inflicting critical damage and seeing him drop with an arrow through the eye. Never before have I cared so much about my character and what happens to him. This game is a masterpiece, and punishes players who are impatient...at the same time teaching patience, as it is the only way to survive.… Expand
  24. yrnotyrkhakis
    Feb 28, 2012
    10
    I was skeptic about this game at first, especially with all the comparisons to Skyrim. However I bought it and started playing it. This is one of the best gaming experiences I've had since the days of the NES. They just don't make quality games like this anymore. If you are a real gamer who enjoys the challenge of games, this is for you. Not for the casual gamer. You'll need lots ofI was skeptic about this game at first, especially with all the comparisons to Skyrim. However I bought it and started playing it. This is one of the best gaming experiences I've had since the days of the NES. They just don't make quality games like this anymore. If you are a real gamer who enjoys the challenge of games, this is for you. Not for the casual gamer. You'll need lots of strategy and enemy analysis to get through the whole game. The game is fun, immensely satisfying, and addicting! I'm 70+ hours into this game and not quite finished (on my first playthrough). Go buy this game!… Expand
  25. YellowMegaMan
    Mar 7, 2012
    10
    Dark Souls is one of the most misunderstood games of this generation, reported by the media as being one of the most difficult games of all time, a game whose difficulty harks back to the 8-bit era of video games. These statements I have a hard time agreeing with. Does Dark Souls give you a limited number of lives? No. If you die right after finding that Sword of Awesome, do you lose it?Dark Souls is one of the most misunderstood games of this generation, reported by the media as being one of the most difficult games of all time, a game whose difficulty harks back to the 8-bit era of video games. These statements I have a hard time agreeing with. Does Dark Souls give you a limited number of lives? No. If you die right after finding that Sword of Awesome, do you lose it? No. You do lose your souls, of course, but this is not permanent! You merely have to progress to the same point again to retrieve them. You did it once, didn't you? Now do it again. Simple! No, Dark Souls cannot be summed up simply with the word "difficult". It can be a testing game, for sure. To master Dark Souls requires the one virtue many gamers seem not to possess: patience. Patience to carefully traverse the world, navigating past the seemingly weak creatures while not allowing your frustrations to get the better of you. Patience to replay the segment you played just a few minutes before. Patience not to rush, to always keep your shield raised, and strike when your opponent is off guard. Patience. You must learn patience! If you're the controller-throwing type, this game might not be for you. But it is not the game's difficulty that is your enemy, it is yourself. There are some moments that might seem unfair, but these are almost always one-off occurrences. For example, the dragon that fire-bombs the bridge after you defeat the Taurus Demon - this will almost certainly kill every player's first time here, but it only happens once. When you return to collect your souls, the dragon does not attack again. The poison dart blowers in Blighttown? Once dead they never respawn, even if you rest at a bonfire. Same goes for the infamous pair of archers in Anor Londo. Take them down once and the area is forever yours (at least until New Game+). Sure, there are some bugs and frame-rate issues, but Dark Souls is not unplayable for them, as some might have you believe. Why do I like this game? Because Dark Souls has given me the most memorable game experience of this generation. I revelled in the intense atmosphere, tip-toeing through dungeons and sewers with my shield raised, invading others' worlds and being invaded. I enjoyed the time I spent helping other players defeat their current area boss. The time I spent pouring over weapon upgrade statistics at the various Dark Souls wiki sites, and tweeting incessantly about my latest victory, and when it was all over, all I wanted to do was start all over and do it again. 10/10.… Expand
  26. DarkSoul89
    Apr 13, 2012
    10
    In a generation of **** this diamond shines bright. Bursting with creativity & viscerally satisfying combat Dark Souls will keep u hooked. I wish more games were like this. Rich in atmosphere & with a diverse range of magic (fire, poison, protection etc), diverse range of weapons (swords, meat clevers, axes, bows u name it!), property enhancing rings, armour, shields, locations (rangingIn a generation of **** this diamond shines bright. Bursting with creativity & viscerally satisfying combat Dark Souls will keep u hooked. I wish more games were like this. Rich in atmosphere & with a diverse range of magic (fire, poison, protection etc), diverse range of weapons (swords, meat clevers, axes, bows u name it!), property enhancing rings, armour, shields, locations (ranging from castles to blood curdling poisonous swamps, ghostowns) all makes for the definitive RPG. Its a gorgeous dark fantasy RPG that requires patience & rewards that patience with intriguing new scenery & items. Biased be thy name, a 10 this shall gain ^^.… Expand
  27. Dezuuu
    May 11, 2012
    10
    This game is as hard as it is amazing. Awesome and deep combat, great bosses, a great art style and very, very rewarding. Difficulty may turn some people off, and the camera can be annoying at times. Everybody looking for a challenge should play this.
  28. HorrorCoffee
    Jun 13, 2012
    10
    In my opinion Dark Souls is best RPG ever made its challenging and there is much to explore. Like many games in these days are pretty short and easy Dark Souls is pretty long if you dont know what to do and its hard. I think this game is easier than Demon's Souls but that is just in my opinion . There are many weapons to choose from and many armor sets. I really hope next Souls game isIn my opinion Dark Souls is best RPG ever made its challenging and there is much to explore. Like many games in these days are pretty short and easy Dark Souls is pretty long if you dont know what to do and its hard. I think this game is easier than Demon's Souls but that is just in my opinion . There are many weapons to choose from and many armor sets. I really hope next Souls game is even HARDER and it makes you more frustrated.… Expand
  29. Egexe9
    Jun 3, 2013
    10
    A superb game with excellent hard combat system that gives you all means to defeat enemies in the beginning. Of course it's extremely hard with not so good weapons. The story is awesome and has that epic feeling in it. The multiplayer is greatly embedded in the game like when you see messages that other players have left. The music fits game pretty good. I understand that some players withA superb game with excellent hard combat system that gives you all means to defeat enemies in the beginning. Of course it's extremely hard with not so good weapons. The story is awesome and has that epic feeling in it. The multiplayer is greatly embedded in the game like when you see messages that other players have left. The music fits game pretty good. I understand that some players with 0 patience quit the game soon cause the die a lot but the game is extremely rewarding if you keep playing it and beating the harder enemies of course you can always summon someone to help but be careful for invaders when you're in human form. … Expand
  30. hollowfication
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    this is best game ever i would like to play it once finish all off design so cool action so great i would get stucked into game with action design i hope this game will get another game like these
  31. selkies
    Apr 27, 2012
    10
    Dark Souls is a game for people that love a challenge. This game throws you into the fray with JUST enough tutorial so you know how to play the game mechanically, but still approach every corner with absolute horror and fright. The game's difficulty ramps up perfectly throughout the game, so that the more tricks and nuances you learn, the more the game throws at you and demandsDark Souls is a game for people that love a challenge. This game throws you into the fray with JUST enough tutorial so you know how to play the game mechanically, but still approach every corner with absolute horror and fright. The game's difficulty ramps up perfectly throughout the game, so that the more tricks and nuances you learn, the more the game throws at you and demands improvement. It's refreshing to see a developer make the game they want in today's game industry, rather than rehash games that did well before or make something mind-grudgingly easy for the kids. This game has, hands down, the most perfectly done multiplayer I have ever seen in a video game. I played this entire game with a massive nerd boner. Must-play.… Expand
  32. GiantTurkey
    Apr 24, 2012
    10
    The first true succesor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. That's not a compliment given lightly, since it was to date the best game I've played. All Dark Souls' other small flaws can be forgiven for its brilliant gameplay, sense of immersion and replayability.
  33. Greenmachine126
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    What a glorious experience. This game is the first to make me feel surprised, clueless, exhilarated, terrified, anxious, depressed, frustrated, unbelievably pissed off, ecstatic, gleeful, immensely relieved, and utterly content all in the span of an hour. Often all these feelings happen in the exact order listed above and make for a pretty unforgettable experience. If you don't mindWhat a glorious experience. This game is the first to make me feel surprised, clueless, exhilarated, terrified, anxious, depressed, frustrated, unbelievably pissed off, ecstatic, gleeful, immensely relieved, and utterly content all in the span of an hour. Often all these feelings happen in the exact order listed above and make for a pretty unforgettable experience. If you don't mind dying often, chasing down your fallen corpse only to die along the way and lose all your experience, and having to learn fights the hard way then this is the game for you. Dark Souls is an epic experience with incredibly streamlined and functional controls, a rich and immersive world, awesome enemies and bosses, and way more to do and explore than you could possibly figure out on your own. It also features a constant auto-save feature and will not let you make multiple saves of one character. The saving is functionally identical to WOW's save system, anything you do is permanent. This means no saving before a boss and loading it for a quick rematch. It also means no saving before killing or talking to an npc to ensure you make the right choice. You also cannot save before crafting or spending your souls (the game's experience and currency) to make sure you don't screw up. This causes you to really think and debate about simple decisions like whether or not to make a special weapon; you may after all find that special weapon worse than the base weapon used to make it. Ultimately it makes you emotionally invested in your character and what you do, something very few other games manage to accomplish. Bottom line, if you can handle dying repeatedly and some pretty severe subsequent frustration, you will experience an incredibly immersive world and intense satisfaction only the hardcore games of the past could bring (for example Super Mario bros, Mike Tyson, and Megaman).… Expand
  34. Teudys
    May 7, 2012
    10
    one of the most challenging games I play but well worth the time I put in Dark souls is one of the best game out there you die during the first few hours of the game but you steady get better until does enemy that gave you a challenge are a piece of cake but mess up and you will be right back to the bonefie
  35. AUslugger
    May 15, 2012
    10
    My favorite game of 2011. I've invested more time in this than BF3, CODMW3, and Skyrim combined. I don't know what it is about this game that I love, the difficulty, the dark environments, or all the insane armor and equipment combinations and spells that there are. Def pick this game up if you've got lots of free time and love a challenge.
  36. jbonz
    May 15, 2012
    10
    It's been a long time since a game drew me in and made me want to play for hours, days, weeks...you get the point. FROM renewed my faith in gaming and I hope other developers are taking notes.
  37. Aegrus
    Jun 28, 2012
    10
    Pros:
    It is open world, with roughly equal graphics and frame rate to Skyrim. However, Dark Souls has no load screens. It's all seemless. Characters are graphically worse than Skyrim, but lighting and textures are generally better. LOD is much better in Dark Souls. Never any pop-in anywhere.
    The characters are all killable, even the important ones. Some people might consider this    Pros:
    It is open world, with roughly equal graphics and frame rate to Skyrim. However, Dark Souls has no load screens. It's all seemless. Characters are graphically worse than Skyrim, but lighting and textures are generally better. LOD is much better in Dark Souls. Never any pop-in anywhere.

    The characters are all killable, even the important ones. Some people might consider this a con, but I prefer realistic consequences and choices. It adds a new sense of urgency, caring, and caution that most games don't have. Voice acting is consistently good, and most npcs have informal, subtle quests attached.

    There are multiple endings, but the chocies that lead you to the endings are hard to find and complex. There is both co-op and pvp online. Both modes are very fun, and take place in the seemless open world.

    Variety- Dark Souls has a lot of it. Everything is unique. There are some very breathtaking set pieces, but everywhere in the game is a pleasure to look at in art direction and detail. Nothing is copy-pasted. Hidden areas- there are a lot of them, and they add replayability to the game, and stop backtracking from getting stale.

    Unique loot- Most weapons and armor sets in the game are unique, and very hard to get. This makes getting things feel very rewarding. Much of the gear also has interesting special affects. For example, the heavy attack of the gargoyle tail ax makes the blade curve in 360 degrees all the way around your character.

    Covenants- Basically online guilds that you can join (if you can find them in their hidden areas), they offer unique equipment and abilities in exchange for your services. Their special abilities are amazing. For example, one of them lets become a weird dragon-human hybrid thing and breath fire.

    Crafting- you can craft and upgrade many weapons along branching upgrade trees using a variety of items which you can find, or take off of dead enemies. Multiple styles of play- You can play as a melee character, an archer, assassin, mage, etc. The weapons and spells are all very unique. Dual wield is possible. Inversely, you can choose to use a one-handed weapon in two hands to improve its affectiveness. You can block or dodge as well- blocking is useful for tanks, dodging more so for lighter characters.

    No level restrictions- some items require you to have certain stats to use them well, but no items have actual level restrictions. If you get it, you can use it.

    Realistic equip burden- Equipping heavy items without sufficiently high strength will slow all of your actions down progressively more, making it harder to run and dodge if you're wearing a ton of things.

    Banking items- you can bank as many items as you want thanks to unlimited storage at bonfires. All bonfire storage areas are linked, so you can access anything from any bonfire.

    No glitches- never, in all my time playing Dark Souls, have I seen a gltich. Apparently there were a few at first, but they got patched out in about a day after release.

    No memory leaks- you can play for countless hours, and your frame rate will not lower due to memory leaks. Nice soundtrack- Music is rare in Dark Souls, but the music that there is is well-composed and never annoying. It conveys the intended moods perfectly. Great atmosphere- Tons of sound effects, small details, consistent colors, a great and unified art direction, and great lighting, and fluid animations on everything make the world seem vibrant and alive, even when everything is dead or trying to make you dead. :P

    It's a long game- On average, it takes 80 hours to complete, but completionists may spend upwards of 120 hours on each playthrough, and it's not possible to get all the content on one playthrough, because some choices open up some areas or items and close others. New game+ :You keep all your level ups and items, and restart the story from the beginning as many times as you want. Enemy variety- there are tons of different enemy types- far more than in any competing rpg. All of them require different strategies to beat.

    Optional bosses- Eight of the game's many bosses are optional, and some will even help you as long as the correct choices are made, but the game never tells you how to get out of fighting them. Neutral (Could be good, could be bad)

    No "real" quests- There are quests in Dark Souls, but none of them are journalized, so many people think there are none. You'll have to remember things, or write them down. Quests are very informal- they're more of requests from npcs than anything else. However, they are epic.

    No map- There is no map for Dark Souls. This would be a con, excepts, everything is so unique and the LOD is so good, you never get lost anyway. The game is VERY difficult, but never unfair.

    Cons:

    Pvp is quite laggy. (Co-op is fine.)    … Expand
  38. fep52
    May 25, 2012
    10
    Dark Souls is in my opinion the best game of this generation, a current day realisation of the classic gameplay experiences of the 8-bit era. It's a game that pervades your psyche; you'll find yourself running through levels and boss fights in your head as you go about your daily business wishing you were playing it with the curtains drawn.

    It is a difficult game, sure, but not unfairly    Dark Souls is in my opinion the best game of this generation, a current day realisation of the classic gameplay experiences of the 8-bit era. It's a game that pervades your psyche; you'll find yourself running through levels and boss fights in your head as you go about your daily business wishing you were playing it with the curtains drawn.

    It is a difficult game, sure, but not unfairly so- rather it rewards player discipline and mastering of the tight combat controls. If you are a new player who is considering picking this or it's predecessor Demon Souls up, if you can get through the initial despair of dying multiple times before the controller has even warmed in your hands, you will find one of the most rewarding and memorable gaming experiences of the last 15 years.    … Expand
  39. Redninja302
    May 26, 2012
    10
    Prepare to die. Prepare for the storm of the century because once you've seen the trailers you know that you're in for a real, Challenging, nerve racking RPG. Even if it's not as hard as they make it out to be. I have played this masterpiece of game for 200+ hours playing different classes and such and i've got to say that this game is what Role-playing games should be like. This game isPrepare to die. Prepare for the storm of the century because once you've seen the trailers you know that you're in for a real, Challenging, nerve racking RPG. Even if it's not as hard as they make it out to be. I have played this masterpiece of game for 200+ hours playing different classes and such and i've got to say that this game is what Role-playing games should be like. This game is puzzling at first but once you get to know the controls, the mechanics and the game itself, you'll get to have some real fun with dark souls. The bosses are beautifully rendered and somewhat hard at first but you do seem to breeze through them without worry once you strategize how to kill them. The real boss that you come across to be remotely harder then the others is Dragonslayer Ornstein and Executioner smough. These guys atleast for me were hard on my first try but once you've defeated them and other certain bosses you can't help to feel a bit of accomplishment and rush after killing them. Especially the infamous twosome. After seeing the "You defeated" pop up whenever you kill a badass of a boss it gets you excited for the next and very indulged in the game. It makes you think you can take on the damn world. The environment, characters, Voice work, Music, Art of this game is astonishingly beautiful. I can't seem to just rush into certain mobs without looking at it's wonderful scenery, and look at the epic game design. You also feel compassion for some of the other bosses, especially for poor Sif, the great grey wolf. When you strike him down to the last bit of health and he starts to limp, fighting unconsciously. Then you know that he was loyal to the end, protecting that grave with his life from trespassers and enemies. I think I've never wanted to kill a boss as much as I did at that moment. Especially with the beautiful violin in the background playing at his sad demise.. The online for dark souls is also very well done. I love the fact that they didn't stray too much from it's predecessor, demons souls' for it's online invading - get invaded, co-op quirk. Other then the chain backstabbing of course (which i really hate sometimes.) This game atleast to me is a perfect 10 and is a perfect sequel to demons souls. Anyone that's second guessing on getting this game, just get it. It's worth every penny for this wonderful Masterpiece.… Expand
  40. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    10
    One of my favorite games of all time. Favorite game this generation. This game is masterful. One of the best gaming experiences that will be remembered for a lifetime.
  41. Gow
    May 28, 2012
    10
    Don't let this game's reputation for "extreme difficulty" discourage you! I've never been a fan of very difficult games, but Dark Souls is one of the best PS3 purchases I've ever made. The combat is reactive and fun, but this is the sort of game where offense really isn't the best defence -- if you don't keep your shield up or dodge an incoming attack, there's no forgiveness. Even standardDon't let this game's reputation for "extreme difficulty" discourage you! I've never been a fan of very difficult games, but Dark Souls is one of the best PS3 purchases I've ever made. The combat is reactive and fun, but this is the sort of game where offense really isn't the best defence -- if you don't keep your shield up or dodge an incoming attack, there's no forgiveness. Even standard minions might take you down a few times, but the feeling of mastery you get in this game is rarely found in others. As others have stated, you do feel genuine pride after taking down some of the harder bosses (but don't worry, they're not all that daunting).

    On the aesthetical side, the graphics and creature/weapon/stage design are all top grade. The story of the game is told with little direct exposition, but fits well in the game world which really does feel very solid.

    My first playthrough took me close to 40 hours, most of which was exploration and doing optional side bosses. It's definitely doable in far less time, but there's so much well-designed content and fun little quirks in this game that putting in some extra hours is definitely worthwhile.    … Expand
  42. Subject98
    Jul 16, 2020
    10
    Dark Souls is... does Dark Souls really need an introduction at this point? Most people, myself included, eat sh** and die for the first dozen or so hours and then fall in love with it. So go play it and DIE!
  43. mondieu12
    Jun 16, 2012
    10
    It's really, really good. Combat extremely hard, but incredibly satisfying; parry repast takes a lot of practice, but once you have it down, nothing makes you feel more suav. Loads of classes for easy customisation, you can truly be whatever you want! Bosses grotesque and huge, again very, very difficult, but each death spurs you on to try again (last boss took about 8 tries)! Armour looksIt's really, really good. Combat extremely hard, but incredibly satisfying; parry repast takes a lot of practice, but once you have it down, nothing makes you feel more suav. Loads of classes for easy customisation, you can truly be whatever you want! Bosses grotesque and huge, again very, very difficult, but each death spurs you on to try again (last boss took about 8 tries)! Armour looks incredible, as do high-end weapons, amazing graphics, fantastic atmosphere, and the boss soundtracks are second to none. Just watch out for the four kings!… Expand
  44. Johnnybont
    Apr 17, 2013
    10
    As discussed before me, i can see this not being a game for everyone. The best advice that i can give is that you are meant to die, and it is about learning and accomplishing. You will not be able to take 50 hits before you go down, expecting your armour to take the flack, no no no, this is a game about being accurate and timing your moves correctly. Rushing through will get you killedAs discussed before me, i can see this not being a game for everyone. The best advice that i can give is that you are meant to die, and it is about learning and accomplishing. You will not be able to take 50 hits before you go down, expecting your armour to take the flack, no no no, this is a game about being accurate and timing your moves correctly. Rushing through will get you killed quite quickly, even by the easier enemies. Every battle could be your last, and you dont want to loose those souls that you've collected! The areas in the game are astonishing, be vastly different from the last and the bosses and truely unique. As per the IGN review, this game gets in to your head, and it really does. I have not thought about a game when away from my console for a fair few years now, and dark souls will do that to you... if you give it a chance … Expand
  45. Arti
    Jul 18, 2012
    10
    First of all i have to say that the story is not that good or epic. But the game play and the atmosphere is epic. First you have no clue where to go or what to do. No NPC that says go there kill X come back and then bla bla. You have all the choice's to make. The fight system is skill based so its very rewarding for skilled players and very punishing for lesser skilled people, but you getFirst of all i have to say that the story is not that good or epic. But the game play and the atmosphere is epic. First you have no clue where to go or what to do. No NPC that says go there kill X come back and then bla bla. You have all the choice's to make. The fight system is skill based so its very rewarding for skilled players and very punishing for lesser skilled people, but you get into it really quick. All in all its very good game for people who like this genre.… Expand
  46. SILENT_harrison
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    First things first this game is as difficult as people have been saying but never in my life have i found a rpg or even game quite like this not only i don't rage every time i die i learn from my mistake and overcome like at the start a powerful armoured knight was guarding something i died going head on but then i found out if i lure him to the building with the ladders i could safelyFirst things first this game is as difficult as people have been saying but never in my life have i found a rpg or even game quite like this not only i don't rage every time i die i learn from my mistake and overcome like at the start a powerful armoured knight was guarding something i died going head on but then i found out if i lure him to the building with the ladders i could safely bombard him with firebombs and arrows i am loving this game so far and recommend this as a must buy for rpg enthusiast's or gamers who like a challenge… Expand
  47. bronyexecution
    Aug 15, 2012
    10
    This game is a HARD 10, there is no other series like the souls series in terms of smart, connected level design, brooding ambiance, and consistent controls. I cannot stress the quality of the controls enough, they are absolutely perfect. This is a game that makes no concessions for BAD PLAYERS. Repeat, if you are a bad player who has been spoiled by the glut of hand-holding, cooing sissyThis game is a HARD 10, there is no other series like the souls series in terms of smart, connected level design, brooding ambiance, and consistent controls. I cannot stress the quality of the controls enough, they are absolutely perfect. This is a game that makes no concessions for BAD PLAYERS. Repeat, if you are a bad player who has been spoiled by the glut of hand-holding, cooing sissy games that let you save anywhere without any consequences whatsoever, then GO AWAY. I wish I could stuff you all into a box and launch you into the sun, unfortunately that box would have to be **** huge considering that the majority of gamers seem to consist of these sissy man-children.

    This game takes PATIENCE. There is no sprinting through levels, jumping around like a ****ing idiot collecting rings or coins or whatever, if you want to play one of those games, take your pick of the ump-dillion sonic and mario clones out there, this is a game for real people, this game will kick each and every poser's ass until they cry about it on metacritic about why they are such bad players.

    NOTE: In the beginning, you WILL suck at this game, but if you are smart, you can get up to speed in just a few hours of play. It is extremely helpful to watch a few videos on how experienced dark souls players play the game. Remember, patience is the key. When traversing a new area, WALK. Dont sprint like an idiot, there could be curse basilisks around the corner or some other variety of ungodly horror's waiting to eat your souls.

    Now if you'll excuse me, I'm busy finding out what lurks within the depths of this dark tomb.    … Expand
  48. MrRPG
    Aug 15, 2012
    10
    An amazing game, I've put in at least 500 hours into multiple different character builds, there is so much to do, so many little things to see, and so many different character builds to master..
    Although the Pvp is little broken, it's still great if you find a fair fight..
    Pve offers much more in the way of community play, item trading, Ng+ and regular game cross over (beware).. I've    An amazing game, I've put in at least 500 hours into multiple different character builds, there is so much to do, so many little things to see, and so many different character builds to master..
    Although the Pvp is little broken, it's still great if you find a fair fight..
    Pve offers much more in the way of community play, item trading, Ng+ and regular game cross over (beware)..
    I've got plenty of games, but this one keeps bringing me back to play it over and over again..    … Expand
  49. DeckardPain
    Aug 16, 2012
    10
    This was pretty much the best game to come out of 2011 all together, and let's be honest this is NOT a game for everyone. The fact that the game does not tell you where to go from the beginning gives you a sense of feeling lost or confused, but that also sparks an adventurous side of the player inspiring exploration of the game world. The boss fights were phenomenal, and the experienceThis was pretty much the best game to come out of 2011 all together, and let's be honest this is NOT a game for everyone. The fact that the game does not tell you where to go from the beginning gives you a sense of feeling lost or confused, but that also sparks an adventurous side of the player inspiring exploration of the game world. The boss fights were phenomenal, and the experience this game leaves you with upon completion is unmatched. Overall Dark Souls is uncompromising in its challenges and yet fair in its approach.… Expand
  50. jeffreycallahan
    Sep 24, 2012
    10
    Possibly the greatest game I have played in a long long time. The game play is so deep that you literally feel like you are fighting for your life. The graphics are amazing (some beg to differ) and the game seamlessly connects to every other area in the game without loading screens. Every boss fight is like a 1 on 1 death match, its him or you, leaving you the sweet taste of victory or thePossibly the greatest game I have played in a long long time. The game play is so deep that you literally feel like you are fighting for your life. The graphics are amazing (some beg to differ) and the game seamlessly connects to every other area in the game without loading screens. Every boss fight is like a 1 on 1 death match, its him or you, leaving you the sweet taste of victory or the bitter taste of failure. Every piece of armor/shield/weapon changes how your character moves around and attacks based on your play style. Its worth the 30 bucks for sure, but be warned, this game is not for the faint of heart. At times this game can be brutally hard and can seem downright unfair. 10/10… Expand
  51. Gabranth
    Sep 17, 2012
    10
    One of the most challenging games I have ever played, this game is hard, and you will die a lot if you do not learn from your errors, you need to adapt to your enemies techniques, and balance the the use of evasion movements, defensive approaches and attack patterns.///////////Enemies have their own, add they use to hide and make ambushes, cornering you and making you pay any recklessOne of the most challenging games I have ever played, this game is hard, and you will die a lot if you do not learn from your errors, you need to adapt to your enemies techniques, and balance the the use of evasion movements, defensive approaches and attack patterns.///////////Enemies have their own, add they use to hide and make ambushes, cornering you and making you pay any reckless behavior you can make, luck will save you a couple of times, but mostly, your skills and speed of learning will give you an edge to beat this game.///////////Mistakes are paid dearly but once you nail an enemy, you become stronger, not only you character, the game have some items that make you life easier, this bring up something very important, all in this game matters, that little herb, a little knife, all of them have their purpose and can make you have advantage over enemies and certain situations, spells, miracles, some may seem useless, but they can save your life in daring situations//////This brings up this game is not hack and slash as you may already guess, most times you will be attacking, but defending, hiding and running will make your day also.////////There is a deep character customization, as first glance is not noticeable, but you will learn that specialization is a good bet, you scale your stats, and some weapons scale with the stats you have the most, but others with stats you scale the less making them less effective, for instance, a knife can be more lethal in an assassin built than in a warrior one, there is no advantage of one class over another, the skill you have with them will make win online matches as well as in the single player.//////Music and graphics are average, but design is superb, scenery and enemy design are awesome, you feel there is a sense of uniqueness in each one of them, as for the story, it is lessen, there are not big cut scenes and long dialogues, almost everything is explained though the menu, where you can read the story of each item you have, this will not stop you from understanding the world you are playing in, each character as a real meaning history and an air of mystery you will have to research.////////////This game is part of the history of gaming, you can decide if you will be part of it or not.… Expand
  52. alexaxa
    Oct 30, 2012
    10
    This game is definitely not for everyone. It's hard, it's unforgiving but i like every minutes of it ! The boss fight are all epic and challenging and you'll keep wanting for more. One of my greatest PS3 game.
  53. Smartranga
    Nov 4, 2012
    10
    To say the least, get the combat of a action game with a few neat innovations, and without the combos. Get the character creation, customization and limitation, with every point counting from a tactical RPG.
    Get the world a large book series, complete with hidden intricacies, plots and characters and make people read between the lines to find out more. Then mash them together and remove a    To say the least, get the combat of a action game with a few neat innovations, and without the combos. Get the character creation, customization and limitation, with every point counting from a tactical RPG.
    Get the world a large book series, complete with hidden intricacies, plots and characters and make people read between the lines to find out more. Then mash them together and remove a tutorial. Take the hardest difficult, put it on steroids then repeat a few times. Prepare to die.
    This game then takes what a action RPG should be, and makes it perfect. Every fight, whether against a dragon, knight or un-dead feels challenging and worthwhile. Combat is about combining precision, tactics and execution. Lure out enemies so you don't get over whelmed, bunch them together for a fireball, all while watching your supply of potions and spells decrease. You shape your character how you want, with the story even offering flexibility its progression, as well as about 10 different stats to focus on for development (in comparison to certain RPG's with 2-3 development stats).
    But there's the beauty of the game. As you traverse the beautifully crafted areas of the world, you play as you character. And that's what makes it satisfying when you kill a normal enemy, sub-bosses releasing great happiness. After your character figures out how to beat a boss after dying to them a bazillion times you receive a sense of satisfaction and ecstasy that no other game can provide. And that's why you play dark souls.    … Expand
  54. ANONYMOUSGAMER
    Jan 27, 2013
    10
    I LOVE THIS GAME.. I'll admit, when I first bought this game, I got rid of it within days. I bought it a few more times and had the same outcome.. About a month ago I bought it once more.. I still died alot but I decided not to give up.. I just started progressing further and further with each win over an area or boss felt like a victory IN LIFE. This games is the most rewarding gamingI LOVE THIS GAME.. I'll admit, when I first bought this game, I got rid of it within days. I bought it a few more times and had the same outcome.. About a month ago I bought it once more.. I still died alot but I decided not to give up.. I just started progressing further and further with each win over an area or boss felt like a victory IN LIFE. This games is the most rewarding gaming experience I have ever experienced. If you are a VERY experienced gamer well honed in the art of defeat and overcoming that defeat this is the game for you. Its beautiful, sounds great and doesn't hold your hand one bit.… Expand
  55. saradush
    Jan 4, 2013
    10
    No doubt this is one of the best game I've ever played in a very long time.

    But be ready to throw in at least 10+ hours before you could feel the beauty of it
  56. Skals
    Jan 6, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls is a true masterpiece, in my eyes the best game of this decade so far.
    The game is notorious for it's difficulty, and a lot of people seem to down rate it just because they become frustrated whilst playing it. When playing Dark Souls, you need to be in a set of mind that the game is SUPPOSED to be difficult, in this game, clearing an area or beating a boss is a true    Dark Souls is a true masterpiece, in my eyes the best game of this decade so far.
    The game is notorious for it's difficulty, and a lot of people seem to down rate it just because they become frustrated whilst playing it. When playing Dark Souls, you need to be in a set of mind that the game is SUPPOSED to be difficult, in this game, clearing an area or beating a boss is a true accomplishment, it's something you worked hard to achieve... And whilst it is true that Dark Souls is very difficult at first, it is never unreasonably difficult, if you are dying on a boss, it's because you are doing something wrong, not because the game is too hard. Each boss requires a certain strategy, there's never an enemy that's a pushover. This is a game, where you need to use your brain to progress, the weakest enemies in the game can kill a character that's cleared the game with only a few strikes, but then that wouldn't happen, because you would have learned to evade them so well. It's a game where you're constantly forced to say, what if I tried this, or what if I dodged this way instead, till eventually you figure out the proper way to defeat an enemy or boss.
    The difficulty in Dark Souls lies not in overwhelming enemy stats or bad balance, it lies in the level of skill required to play it; the game is perfectly balanced.    … Expand
  57. iOFTHESTORM
    Jan 7, 2013
    10
    In my opinion as a gamer one of the best crafted games of all time... classic solid action/rpg gameplay with a slightly retro feel, inspired worlds, characters, and lore. Tough challenging gameplay which never feels cheap, repetitive, or unfair. Brilliant pacing, hidden boss encounters, awesome loot will keep you exploring. This is a game for the true gamers, there's a reason why this gameIn my opinion as a gamer one of the best crafted games of all time... classic solid action/rpg gameplay with a slightly retro feel, inspired worlds, characters, and lore. Tough challenging gameplay which never feels cheap, repetitive, or unfair. Brilliant pacing, hidden boss encounters, awesome loot will keep you exploring. This is a game for the true gamers, there's a reason why this game is still top 10 most discussed games on GameFAQ's folks. That being said, this game isn't for everyone, to put it simply, this game is hard and requires good patient pacing to play effectively. If you die you're returned to the nearest bonfire you rested at,which acts as a minimalistic hub of sorts and allows you to access some of the games features like level up which aren't available while roaming, bonfires also restore HP and relieve most status ailments amongst other things. Catch is that resting at a bonfire resets the world around you, so all the monsters you just killed? They're back. Leveling up requires souls, which are collected throughout the world mostly by killing enemies and bosses, say you've accumulated 5,000 souls, you're ready to level up, but you can't until you reach a bonfire, say you lose before you reach a bonfire, you will be returned to the previously rested at bonfire with 0 souls and you must travel all the way back to where you died to retrieve your souls. If you die a 2nd time before retrieving your souls then they're gone forever. So as you can see, the game can be pretty darn grueling. The game punishes you for making mistakes and you might find yourself cussing up a storm once or twice (I know I did), but for those wiling to endure the trials and to anyone who likes being challenged and immersed- If you're ready for it, Dark Souls is ready for you.… Expand
  58. mbx
    Jan 9, 2013
    10
    This game is not meant to hold your hand. There is a plethora of strategy and fun to be found in this game, even while you are trudging your way along bowels of the world. It's lonely, yet it's not - the co-op and pvp make you feel like there is always somebody else struggling along, and the boss fights are simply amazing. This game is all about survival, and if you do survive, the gameThis game is not meant to hold your hand. There is a plethora of strategy and fun to be found in this game, even while you are trudging your way along bowels of the world. It's lonely, yet it's not - the co-op and pvp make you feel like there is always somebody else struggling along, and the boss fights are simply amazing. This game is all about survival, and if you do survive, the game rewards you and makes you feel like a true champion. Quite simply this is one of the best games ever.

    Controls - 10
    Story - 10 (if you can piece it together (check out EpicNameBro's vids on youtube))
    Gameplay - 10 (tailored to your playstyle, 100%).    … Expand
  59. dxxiii
    Feb 21, 2013
    10
    Don't be fooled by people who give this game a low review, or anyone who said they played this game once through and where done with it. Anyone who has stuck with this game til the end knows that this game is a masterpiece deserving nothing less than a 10. Also note it is impossible to play it once and be done, because of new difficulty and how many things you will miss in one playthroughDon't be fooled by people who give this game a low review, or anyone who said they played this game once through and where done with it. Anyone who has stuck with this game til the end knows that this game is a masterpiece deserving nothing less than a 10. Also note it is impossible to play it once and be done, because of new difficulty and how many things you will miss in one playthrough (I am talking who new areas with bosses, covenants and equipment) not to mention also the multiplayer.… Expand
  60. Aedrone12
    Feb 7, 2014
    10
    I give this game a 10 due to the fact that it satisfied my need for a new, challenging, and role-playing video game. Although this game exceeded my hunger for difficulty, it is still the best RPG game I've set my sights one. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a crazy, awesome, and difficult RPG video game to play with your spare time throughout the day. Good luck and I hope thisI give this game a 10 due to the fact that it satisfied my need for a new, challenging, and role-playing video game. Although this game exceeded my hunger for difficulty, it is still the best RPG game I've set my sights one. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a crazy, awesome, and difficult RPG video game to play with your spare time throughout the day. Good luck and I hope this review helped!… Expand
  61. Nizerifin
    Mar 26, 2013
    10
    This is the best game of this generation. It nails gaming on so many levels. Yes, it's difficult for new players, but it gives the best feeling of success once you finally finish. Then play it through 100 more times!
  62. sekko2
    Sep 1, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dark souls is the best game ever.You may need to learn some stuff before you understand that.Dark souls is not for those expect easy game that holds your hand.Dark souls is usually fair (expect for bed of chaos)so when you die it is usually your own fault.I always remember my first time playing dark souls or demon's souls,in my first demon's souls walk-trough i hol-ded my shield always up.The lore of the game is really good.I am looking forward to dark souls 2 it's looking even better than dark souls 1 (not only in graphical mind)… Expand
  63. SpeakingWaters
    May 4, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls is a beautiful, fascinating game with a lot to explore and many deep ways to draw your attention. Brilliant game play systems, complex immersion elements, and a player-reliant approach to gaming put this far above any game I've ever heard of.
    It has taken up much of my life since its release and I eagerly await more games of the franchise.
  64. Resist
    May 14, 2013
    10
    This is an absolute amazing game. The combat is revolutionary--with the required timing of a parry and a followup riposte, the satisfying jab of a backstab, and the excellent customization system. Additionally, the multiplayer aspect of this game is wonderfully unique with the ability to play with other friends cooperatively or to engage in one of the most intense and rewarding Player vsThis is an absolute amazing game. The combat is revolutionary--with the required timing of a parry and a followup riposte, the satisfying jab of a backstab, and the excellent customization system. Additionally, the multiplayer aspect of this game is wonderfully unique with the ability to play with other friends cooperatively or to engage in one of the most intense and rewarding Player vs Player experiences on the PS3. This game may seem difficult at first but once you get the hang of it, it is exhilarating! I would recommend this game to anyone.… Expand
  65. unluckydice
    Jul 4, 2014
    10
    A truly unique game, that throws you into this mysterious world with no guided quests, or waypoints, it just lets you fend for yourself, while cowering round every corner in fear not expecting what to expect, Newcomers to the franchise may think the Game is weak with story, but it actually is filled with TONS of Lore (if researched), The games flawless combat makes you actually fightA truly unique game, that throws you into this mysterious world with no guided quests, or waypoints, it just lets you fend for yourself, while cowering round every corner in fear not expecting what to expect, Newcomers to the franchise may think the Game is weak with story, but it actually is filled with TONS of Lore (if researched), The games flawless combat makes you actually fight instead of just button mashing. The games strongest features are it's game design, everything seems connected as in I could still see previous places i visited from a distance.

    A few issues were the menu's navigatation as you advanced further in the game it can get confusing    … Expand
  66. Andyr42
    May 27, 2013
    10
    I don't begrudge people rating this game as a 1 out of 10, I can completely understand why they would. It's hard, tricky and progress is very slow at first. But, then again, I wouldn't give a snazzy sports car a 1 out of 10 review just because I don't have a driver's license. Dark Souls is a very difficult game at first. If you've played Demon's Souls before it, then you shouldn't haveI don't begrudge people rating this game as a 1 out of 10, I can completely understand why they would. It's hard, tricky and progress is very slow at first. But, then again, I wouldn't give a snazzy sports car a 1 out of 10 review just because I don't have a driver's license. Dark Souls is a very difficult game at first. If you've played Demon's Souls before it, then you shouldn't have any troubles picking this one up as well as the game engine, combat and movement is more or less the same.

    I paid less than €20 for this as I bought it a year or so after it was released. I am still playing it to this day and have racked up an astronomical amount of hours during multiple play-throughs. There is a wealth of items, armour, weapons, magic, enemies, bosses and environments to discover and mixing this in with an intriguing online play option, you are looking at a minimum of 70 100 hours per play-through.

    Unlike in Elder Scrolls for example (which by the way I love as well), when you level up in DS the enemies don't. That gives you an incredible sense of progress, of becoming powerful, of slowly mastering the unrelenting world around you. You start to feel that those excruciatingly frustrating hours you'd put in have finally born fruit.

    It's a challenge and will take up a lot of your time. It is hard though, it isn't for casual gamers. Buy the game if:

    1 you want a unique challenge
    2 you want to experience a different kind of game to anything you've played before
    3 you have time and patience to invest

    Do not buy it if:

    1 you get frustrated easily
    2 you're looking for fantasy-themed hack n' slash action
    3 you're a casual gamer looking for something to pick up and play once in a while

    Best of luck and remember, Praise the Sun!    … Expand
  67. hsapin
    Mar 3, 2014
    10
    Simply, the best game of the generation. Dark Sous is a combination of incredible game and level design, a deep and interesting story, perfect combat, amazing art and sound direction, and infinite replayability. Any true video game fan owes it to themselves to get this stunning masterpiece.
  68. dorkwraith
    Jun 19, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls isn't just a contender for the best game of its generation (it wins that accolade by a significant margin) but also for the best game of all time.
    It would appear that the vast majority of game developers today think that the average gamer has the IQ of a glass of water. Games have over-long, unnecessary tutorials, on-screen objectives so we don't get lost, pointless and    Dark Souls isn't just a contender for the best game of its generation (it wins that accolade by a significant margin) but also for the best game of all time.
    It would appear that the vast majority of game developers today think that the average gamer has the IQ of a glass of water. Games have over-long, unnecessary tutorials, on-screen objectives so we don't get lost, pointless and immersion-breaking exposition via lengthy cut-scenes, bolted on multiplayer that most people ignore etc etc etc.

    Dark Souls is a game that not only refuses to hold your hand but one that pushes you, blind, into a hostile universe with help you actively have to search for (via messages and NPC dialogue).

    Dark Souls is a game that rewards careful, thoughtful and intelligent combat. It will severely punish the unwary, the over-confident and the unprepared.

    Dark Souls is a game that tells a story in a way unlike any other videogame before it. One needs to explore every location, talk to every friendly NPC and read every item description if you are to have any hope in unravelling the mystery of who you are and what your role is in the gameworld.

    Dark Souls is game with a brutal multiplayer mechanic. Players gain the ability to invade other players and when that happens to you as a beginner prepare to die. Fortunately the risk of invasion is tempered somewhat with the ability to summon other, perhaps stronger or better equipped or more skillful players for a limited time. Interactions are essentially randomized and the lack of voice chat means that friendships forged in Dark Souls are unique.

    Dark Souls is a hard game for beginners of this there is no doubt and it takes most mortals upwards of 30 hours to get to grips with the intricacies of combat. But patience is rewarded and, from what I've heard or read, it appears that players wo lack patience simply cannot cope. Their loss.

    The best game of the current generation? Absolutely. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING comes close to engendering the levels of emotion that Dark Souls does on a regular basis.

    The best game of all time? Maybe.    … Expand
  69. Guit88man
    Jul 9, 2013
    10
    Da ya prosto shatal etu igru, i luchnikov Anor Londo tozhe shatal, i Kalameeta tozhe shatal, i tolstogo s tonkim shatal, i svoyu komandu v lole ya voobshe ezheminutno shatal, a vot Priscillu ne shatal ona mirnaya :3
  70. Laleksi
    Jul 24, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls is definitely one of the best games I've EVER played. Persuaded by few of my friends, I was a bit reluctant first. The thought of getting killed and frustrated over and over again didn't sound too exciting. I bought it, however, due to the fact that I was getting tired of playing Call Of Duty hours per day. And I gotta say that it was a good decision. That feeling after gettingDark Souls is definitely one of the best games I've EVER played. Persuaded by few of my friends, I was a bit reluctant first. The thought of getting killed and frustrated over and over again didn't sound too exciting. I bought it, however, due to the fact that I was getting tired of playing Call Of Duty hours per day. And I gotta say that it was a good decision. That feeling after getting killed by the first bosses many times resulted in many rage quits but that gloomy atmosphere and interesting way of telling about the lore made me keep going. After the completion of the game I started again and eventually even bought the DLC on the day it was released. Almost everything about the game is perfect and I'm really looking forward to the sequel. If there's something negative to say about this game, it is the somewhat common connection problems when trying to summon a friend. But, because I'm not much of a co-op-person, I have to give this game 10 out of 10.… Expand
  71. GlobalNightmare
    Aug 18, 2013
    10
    I feel sorry for some gamers. Its a shame that some people will shy away from this title because of its difficulty, because Dark Souls is one of the greatest video games ever made.
    Sure, Dark souls is difficult, but its only as difficult as you make it. You have to plan your movements throughout the world of Lordran with care and patience; if you charge through the world swinging your    I feel sorry for some gamers. Its a shame that some people will shy away from this title because of its difficulty, because Dark Souls is one of the greatest video games ever made.
    Sure, Dark souls is difficult, but its only as difficult as you make it. You have to plan your movements throughout the world of Lordran with care and patience; if you charge through the world swinging your sword like a maniac, you will be handed your backside over, and over again.
    Even the more hardcore gamer will die often, but that's a part of dark souls charm. It teaches a harsh lesson to the impatient and unprepared, but in return offers an overwhelming sense of achievement unlike no other game I can think of.
    You will cheer, you will laugh, you will scream at your television in anger, you may even cry a tear of frustration, but you will never forget Dark souls.
    With over 100 hours of gameplay, a unique multiplayer and communication system, solid combat and interesting locations to fight your way through in your quest to end the undead curse, do yourself a favour and pick this up and prepare to die.    … Expand
  72. TheTruePatriot
    Aug 12, 2013
    10
    One of the best RPGs I've ever played. After playing tons of boring RPGs designed for the "modern audience" this was a great break. That being said, this game really isn't that difficult. It's all about waiting for an opening and keeping your shield up basically. Some parts of it are a bit badly designed (Blighttown for the FPS problems) but I never found myself stuck on anything. ThatOne of the best RPGs I've ever played. After playing tons of boring RPGs designed for the "modern audience" this was a great break. That being said, this game really isn't that difficult. It's all about waiting for an opening and keeping your shield up basically. Some parts of it are a bit badly designed (Blighttown for the FPS problems) but I never found myself stuck on anything. That being said, the bosses were so much fun to fight and see. The combat is smooth and fun. And the controls are very tight. It's a great game and I'd recommend it to anyone.… Expand
  73. Rumblefish
    May 9, 2016
    10
    A turning point in the history of the modern RPG. Unparalleled atmosphere, character, environment, diversity and brutality. Simply put, one of the very greatest games that has ever been made on any platform.
  74. mattlarkin
    Oct 11, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls, like its spiritual predecessor Demon Souls, has a reputation for punishing difficulty. This reputation kept me from trying it for a long time. I don't enjoy frustration. Then I found some friends online raving about its atmosphere and story, and I raised the issue. My friend said something along the lines of, "you know, it's not really all that hard, you just have to beDark Souls, like its spiritual predecessor Demon Souls, has a reputation for punishing difficulty. This reputation kept me from trying it for a long time. I don't enjoy frustration. Then I found some friends online raving about its atmosphere and story, and I raised the issue. My friend said something along the lines of, "you know, it's not really all that hard, you just have to be careful."

    So I figured, why not? The game was cheap now, so I ordered it. And my friend was right. There was only one place in the game I felt the difficulty was frustrating (a platforming section in Sen's Fortress that went too long between bonfires).

    The first thing you're going to notice about Dark Souls is its atmosphere. It is dark, creepy, and does a good job of making you paranoid about what lurks around the corner, especially at first. It is wonderfully atmospheric. Now I personally would not praise its story--while it does seem to have a compelling dark narrative, this is presented so sparsely, and in such an indirect manner, you can complete the game without really understanding what's going on. What's an indirect manner? Imagine piecing together the story if you should so happen to choose to read the detailed description on different pieces of armor you may get. Only a handful of NPCs have more than a few lines to say to you, and these lines only hint at what's going on.

    Normally, this would irritate me, but somehow the compelling game play, thick mood, and awesome leveling system kept me coming back for more without ever truly feeling I was missing something.

    In Dark Souls you can start the game as a number of classes, but this only effects your initial gear and stats. From here, you can level your character however you want by spending souls of your fallen foes at a bonfire to raise stats. Each stat you raise increases your character level, which increases the number of souls needed for the next level. You also spend souls to buy gear or enhance your weapons and armor. The trick, however, is not to carry around more souls than you need. Because when you die you lose your souls. You have the chance to reclaim those souls, but only if you can get back to your body without dying again. Sometimes this is easier said than done.

    Almost any monster in the game can kill you if not treated like a threat. In groups, monsters can easily overwhelm you. But this difficulty, famously punishing, can be overcome by practice, or simply by going out to get better gear and/or level up a bit. That I can deal with. The ease with which you can plunge to your death I found a bit less fun, but there was only that one spot that really pissed me off. And by that point in the game, I was immersed in the experience, I couldn't walk away.

    Combat is responsive and rewards timing and planning over button mashing (a quick way to die against stronger enemies). Combined with the leveling system I mentioned, where it always feels like, just one more level might make the difference, creates a highly addictive play experience.

    And did I mention the beautiful, gothic world? It seems partly inspired by Welsh mythology, but infused with a perpetual sense of dread and inevitable decay. You know the world is dying, but to know more than that requires some serious digging beyond the narrative presented to you.

    If you like action RPGs and have patience to learn the game, and the caution to approach challenges slowly, I highly recommend Dark Souls.    … Expand
  75. nosoupforyou
    Sep 12, 2013
    10
    Not as hard as it's hyped to be. People are just babies these days. This is the return of games that have an actual challenge that's all. Some people just can't handle having to eat for themselves.
  76. 1falcone
    May 4, 2014
    10
    Edge magazine listed this as a retrospective 10/10 in a recent article along with games like n64 goldeneye, and they are correct, I spent the same amount of time trying to crack this one, unmissable.
  77. SasukeFuumetsu
    Mar 21, 2018
    10
    Esse jogo é o clímax da série Souls, de longe o melhor Dark Souls de todos. É o mais completo, bem trabalhado e bonito (mesmo não tendo os melhores gráficos), esse é um jogo que todos os fãs da From Software deve jogar.
  78. arcazeronus
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    Yes, it might be difficult. But it won't prevent this game from being a masterpiece. Every single place has it's own storyline, the music is awesome and the gameplay is improved from Demon's Souls. Many people complain about the graphics, but it's great, imo.
    Only bad thing about this game is frustrating multiplayer PvP system. Servers might get cheesy and it gets even more frustrating.
  79. DemonSoul
    Dec 18, 2013
    10
    Wow, what a game. Do yourself a favor and play Demon's Souls before you start this game. I promised you'll thank me for it. Has the best combat and an amazing atmosphere with a perfectly balanced difficulty from the days of old like the castlevania on the NES. A masterpiece realized.
  80. BerserkToast
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    Little to no other experiences make you feel so in control. You'll hate yourself and shudder over the thought of that boss you were so close to defeating. You'll be in despair of how close you got. But when you succeed you know it was all because you kept at it and I challenge you to find a better gaming feeling.
  81. DudePakas
    Feb 25, 2014
    10
    Best game I've ever played in my entire life.You should play this.But remember: the game is harsh at the beggining,MAKE SURE TO PAY ATTENTION IN THE TUTORIAL
  82. b_timofte
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    This game is simply a masterpiece, incredible world dark-horror atmosphere, a sense of dread and beauty permeates the world, you are compelled to push forward through the brutal world of the game die and strangely come back for more. After i finished the game after 100 hours i re rolled another character straight away and continued on game+.... MASTERPIECE.
  83. TheAlgerian
    Oct 27, 2022
    10
    Best game ever made (Tied with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mass Effect Trilogy).

    Do you remember these old Choose Your Own Adventure books? For those of you who did, this is basically that, but in videogame form, so basically a dream come true. Check out the size of my Steam library, so you can understand what I mean when I tell you this hands down the best game I ever played. Fair    Best game ever made (Tied with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mass Effect Trilogy).

    Do you remember these old Choose Your Own Adventure books?
    For those of you who did, this is basically that, but in videogame form, so basically a dream come true.
    Check out the size of my Steam library, so you can understand what I mean when I tell you this hands down the best game I ever played.

    Fair warning:
    You might hate it at first if you're used to sub-par games (like recent Assassin's Creed games for instance). I know I did, I hated Dark Souls for three years after my initial purchase of the non-remastered version. But when it does click, you can't go back.

    I got Assassins Creed Odyssey the other day for 10 bucks, and I had to get a refund because it feels so poorly made when you're used to Souls games.    … Expand
  84. Xplaced
    Nov 15, 2013
    10
    What an awesome game. It makes the player feel like they are living in a dream world and experiencing awesome environments and challenges the whole way. The combat is great, and the level design is excellent. The DLC for it is awesome as well and really worth it. Just an overall great game. I rank this on up evenly with Skyrim as one of my top 3 favorite games of all time.
  85. BioAniz
    Dec 20, 2013
    10
    This game gives you everything you want; fun,story,challenge etc. Especially the story part but you'll probably don't get the half of the things that happened in the Dark Souls universe. If you want to learn this great story, you'll better off watching the lore videos on Youtube or if you want to learnt it by yourself, you can always check the item descriptions etc. So yeah, as i said,This game gives you everything you want; fun,story,challenge etc. Especially the story part but you'll probably don't get the half of the things that happened in the Dark Souls universe. If you want to learn this great story, you'll better off watching the lore videos on Youtube or if you want to learnt it by yourself, you can always check the item descriptions etc. So yeah, as i said, this game gives you everything you want. So what else do you want from it?… Expand
  86. smerickson89
    Jan 2, 2014
    10
    Will likely remain my favorite game for a long time to come. I couldn't get the online component to work for me when it first came out. That being said, nothing elated me more then unlocking shortcuts or defeating a boss without a summon.
  87. JohNathan_Drake
    Jan 10, 2014
    10
    This game took me 86 hours to complete!The first 10 hours of the game weren't very challenging so I haven't had any bad experience(losing many souls) .The next 20 hours were really challenging for me.I gave up the game for about 7 months because I was losing all the time.The reason that I couldn't continue the journey was especially my weapon(astora's straight sword not upgraded).When IThis game took me 86 hours to complete!The first 10 hours of the game weren't very challenging so I haven't had any bad experience(losing many souls) .The next 20 hours were really challenging for me.I gave up the game for about 7 months because I was losing all the time.The reason that I couldn't continue the journey was especially my weapon(astora's straight sword not upgraded).When I equipped another weapon and upgraded that weapon on a blacksmith I realised that the bosses weren't so difficult at all.So don't forget to visit the blacksmith and upgrade your weapon & armor in dark souls.And the best part of the journey was the next 40 hours.The game was simultaneously challenging and very exciting.The final 16 hours I was just farming for materials and playing online against other players.The 2 things that impressed me most in Dark Souls were the gameplay(very real and exciting) and the environment(when you hit the second bell you will understand what I mean) .I recommend this game to players with patience and some experience in rpg games.But before you begin the game just "prepare to die" (in the game of course).… Expand
  88. Ghost105
    Feb 4, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls is a unique experience, what it's predecessor Demons Souls tried to do Dark Souls did amazingly. To the casual crowd, this game will be extremely hard and terrifying, resulting in a rage quit. But a more experienced group of gamers, this game will be a diamond in the rough. Featuring a dark and disturbingly beautiful world where just about everything can and will kill you, aDark Souls is a unique experience, what it's predecessor Demons Souls tried to do Dark Souls did amazingly. To the casual crowd, this game will be extremely hard and terrifying, resulting in a rage quit. But a more experienced group of gamers, this game will be a diamond in the rough. Featuring a dark and disturbingly beautiful world where just about everything can and will kill you, a creative mix of exp and currency called souls and a dark and detailed lore coupled with detailed mechanics and stats this game offers an unforgettable adventure that you can play time and time again.… Expand
  89. carlost
    Feb 8, 2014
    10
    El mejor juego que he jugado en años, al principio lo dejé, no entendía su dificultad, lo retomé al tiempo (después de leer cientos de artículos donde se elevaba a las nubes), puse una guía online a mi lado y se convirtió en la mejor experiencia de juego que he tenido en muchos años. Supongo que a su segunda parte jugaré sin guía, pero la primera vez que te enfrentas a un souls laEl mejor juego que he jugado en años, al principio lo dejé, no entendía su dificultad, lo retomé al tiempo (después de leer cientos de artículos donde se elevaba a las nubes), puse una guía online a mi lado y se convirtió en la mejor experiencia de juego que he tenido en muchos años. Supongo que a su segunda parte jugaré sin guía, pero la primera vez que te enfrentas a un souls la necesitas.… Expand
  90. kameratyp
    Feb 9, 2014
    10
    one of the most unique games you will ever see, concerning gameplay, storytelling, interaction and atmosphere. compare it to Skyrim and you will see who truely rules the rpg genre. But it has to be aid that this is no game for everyone. But i think there is no person who has finished it and dislikes it. give it a shot. you will hate it first, but there will be a point where it makesone of the most unique games you will ever see, concerning gameplay, storytelling, interaction and atmosphere. compare it to Skyrim and you will see who truely rules the rpg genre. But it has to be aid that this is no game for everyone. But i think there is no person who has finished it and dislikes it. give it a shot. you will hate it first, but there will be a point where it makes *click* and you will be completely into this game!… Expand
  91. chelonia
    Mar 12, 2014
    10
    Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun! Praise the Sun!
  92. SGT_HAM
    Mar 19, 2014
    10
    Best RPG I've ever played. game has it all. Best level design, nice graphics, Multiplayer, even tho I didn't like it. weapon crafting system is the beast. a ton of weapons and items. I correct what I said. Best game I've ever played. thank you From Software for this work of game.
  93. LolTacoBell
    Mar 23, 2014
    10
    I can't even begin to express the level of intricacy this game has to offer. The level of exploration in this game is one-of-a-kind, with a high punishment/reward system you get into the groove of! This was the game I kept crawling back to, MONTHS and MONTHS after I had gotten the platinum trophy on it. You owe it to yourself to buy this title.
  94. Zulos
    Apr 12, 2014
    10
    This game is truly awesome when you play through the game your first few times but afterwards it gets boring very quickly. In comparison to Demon's Souls it doesn't really come close to how fun the PvE is but the PvP is what kept me playing Dark Souls for 2500+ hours. But after a couple years some **** stick created the "Mega mule" for PS3 and then everyone could make a character withoutThis game is truly awesome when you play through the game your first few times but afterwards it gets boring very quickly. In comparison to Demon's Souls it doesn't really come close to how fun the PvE is but the PvP is what kept me playing Dark Souls for 2500+ hours. But after a couple years some **** stick created the "Mega mule" for PS3 and then everyone could make a character without playing the game, basically taking the RPG element out of the game. And towards the release date of Dark Souls 2 hackers started coming out of the woodwork even though that is unheard of on PS3. Other than the fact that so many people ruined the PvP fun this game had really fun PvP and a good first time experience for the PvE aspect.… Expand
  95. MaxPayneIsGod
    Jun 21, 2014
    10
    Gaming perfection. I put over 100 hours into my first playthrough and literally cannot wait to start again. Dark Souls is huge, its hard, and its hell. It offers a sense of accomplishment that no other game has given me. Immense bosses and hundreds of weapons to dispose of them with. A game world like nothing you have seen before. Artorias of the Abyss DLC is up there with the best DLCGaming perfection. I put over 100 hours into my first playthrough and literally cannot wait to start again. Dark Souls is huge, its hard, and its hell. It offers a sense of accomplishment that no other game has given me. Immense bosses and hundreds of weapons to dispose of them with. A game world like nothing you have seen before. Artorias of the Abyss DLC is up there with the best DLC ever, and it'll test even the most seasoned players. There is a story there if you want to take your time and pay attention to everything that you can read and everything you hear. I love it, yes its not for everyone, yes its hard, yes its unfair but god damned is it rewarding. 10/10… Expand
  96. Ragna_belmont
    Jul 9, 2014
    10
    THIS is what you call game, an old school unforgiving difficulty and totally rewarding, a vast connected world and cool boss fights, sure the story is simple and don't have much to say about but who cares when you get a game to PLAY rather than WATCH and get emotions, a very cool RPG game and one of the finest, totally worth my money, and yours :3
  97. cyclogenisis
    Sep 1, 2014
    10
    This game and Demon souls are the best games ever created. For ppl who can endure the struggle, it's worth the reward ten fold. I don't know any other game that can claim that.
  98. AlvaroMev
    Sep 2, 2014
    10
    Dark Souls its a unique experience with all the tasty feel of reward that all we felt playing the classic action adventure games.
    Prepare to sweat; Dark souls is a difficult experience, but is not that hard, all you need is to be straight to surpass the learning curve, once you have dominated the gameplay, there is no boundaries to be the maximum undead in Lordran.
  99. deathschemist
    Sep 4, 2014
    10
    never have i played a more beautifully executed masterpiece- this game takes me right back to when games were difficult by default. i have sunk so many hours into both this and its sequel that it's invading my dreams, most of my thoughts pertaining to strategies, and how i'm gonna get through the next area, how i'm gonna fend off invaders and bosses alike and not since devil may cry 3 hasnever have i played a more beautifully executed masterpiece- this game takes me right back to when games were difficult by default. i have sunk so many hours into both this and its sequel that it's invading my dreams, most of my thoughts pertaining to strategies, and how i'm gonna get through the next area, how i'm gonna fend off invaders and bosses alike and not since devil may cry 3 has a game made me feel so good about getting that little bit further. it controls beautifully, encouraging careful play and varied tactics...
    there are only two problems i can think of with this game: framerate issues in blight town and oolacile township (DLC area) and poor multiplayer netcode, however, on the whole i would call this game near-perfect. a lovingly-crafted masterpiece of gaming, and it's a crying shame that the difficulty will turn some people off.    … Expand
  100. XxSoULxMaNxX
    Oct 24, 2015
    10
    One of my favorite games of all time, especially the PVP fight clubs on twitchtv and other community events. This review was long overdue.....................................................................
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Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best PS3 Game of 2011
6
#6 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
4
#4 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 54
  3. Negative: 0 out of 54
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Mar 6, 2012
    80
    It would be foolish of us to pretend that Dark Souls is a game for everyone. It's perfect at what it does, but a big part of what it does is make you suffer for your mistakes. It is a harsh, uncompromising task master and you will have to work to win its approval, because it certainly won't work to win yours. [Dec 2011, p74]
  2. RPGamer
    Jan 5, 2012
    90
    At the end of the day Dark Souls succeeds in producing a game that is both incredibly challenging and fair.
    Read full review
  3. Gamer Limit
    Nov 29, 2011
    85
    All in all, Dark Souls is a more difficult, but less enjoyable (and less accessible) Demon's Souls.
    Read full review
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