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. 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.....................................................................
  2. Be_Objective
    Sep 22, 2015
    10
    Simply a masterpiece. Some technical issues on certain areas are easily forgiven thanks to the addicting gameplay and a masterfully realised level design. Dark Souls is unlike any other game that came before it (except Demon's Souls of course) and a perfect example of what a game can do in terms of narrative that movies and books just can't. It's not for everyone and that's ok, but if youSimply a masterpiece. Some technical issues on certain areas are easily forgiven thanks to the addicting gameplay and a masterfully realised level design. Dark Souls is unlike any other game that came before it (except Demon's Souls of course) and a perfect example of what a game can do in terms of narrative that movies and books just can't. It's not for everyone and that's ok, but if you like role playing games and challeging gameplay then this is a must buy. Dark Souls is one of those games that you don't just "play" but you also "experience".… Expand
  3. flattyfour
    Sep 19, 2015
    8
    Understand the hype, the history, and the limitations before calling this game what it isn't. Play with patience or not at all. I play cause I'm bored.
  4. Hardgames
    Sep 6, 2015
    10
    Positive:
    - Enemies variety;
    - Levels design;
    - Boss battles;
    - Hardcore experience;
    - NPCs;
    - Dark Story;
    - Soundtrack;

    Negative:
    -Framerate and Bugs (but the game is too good for negative)

    10/10.

    GOTY 2011.
  5. xxx_Joe_xxx
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    PLEASE DO PLAY THIS GAME!!!!

    Or at least, give it a second chance, like I did. I bought this game in 2011, played some hours and hated how much difficult it was. I could not understand why the enemies were respawning, why the bosses were so hard, why I had to keep dying... And I could not understand why so many people liked it. Then this Summer, I decided to give it a second    PLEASE DO PLAY THIS GAME!!!!

    Or at least, give it a second chance, like I did.

    I bought this game in 2011, played some hours and hated how much difficult it was. I could not understand why the enemies were respawning, why the bosses were so hard, why I had to keep dying... And I could not understand why so many people liked it.

    Then this Summer, I decided to give it a second try... and now I am loving it!!!

    It is so damn fun to go around, scared by death to die because you have lots of souls in your bag and the next bonefire is god-knows-where, and you simply do not know what to expect next. Then you get invaded by some badass player that backstabs you before you even understand what's happening. You bite the dust, and there you are back up again. You learn from your mistake, and it is hard to describe the pleasure when you win your first PVP game, or when you kill a damn boss.

    And yes, you die. A lot. but thrust me, it is really fun, you just have to watch it from the right angle.

    (by the way, even if this game starts to be old, there is still quite a lot of people playing online. I guess this will change with Dark Souls III next year, so hurry up!!! Without PVP and CoOp I guess it is half as fun!)    … Expand
  6. MushyBird
    Jul 4, 2015
    9
    Don't be fooled by all of the people saying the game is difficult, it's really just a matter of comfort. Dark Souls takes a bit to get used to, but once you've got the controls down and you've figured out how to dodge, parry, and so on, the game turns into a straight up amazing RPG. Once you've gotten comfortable with Dark Souls, the only thing you'll be worrying about is what build you'llDon't be fooled by all of the people saying the game is difficult, it's really just a matter of comfort. Dark Souls takes a bit to get used to, but once you've got the controls down and you've figured out how to dodge, parry, and so on, the game turns into a straight up amazing RPG. Once you've gotten comfortable with Dark Souls, the only thing you'll be worrying about is what build you'll be making for your next play through.

    The level design is top notch, as is the atmosphere. The world is incredibly well built, with everything making geographical sense. Not to mention, there's nary a single impossible space in this game.

    My only real complaint, and a very light one at that, is that the lore and story may be TOO well hidden. Don't get me wrong, both the plot and lore of Dark Souls is great. I still find myself tearing up over Artorias and Sif. However, the only reason I know the plot and lore of this game is because of dedicated Youtube uploaders such as EpicNameBro, TeraMantis, and VaatiVidya (Pre-Patreon, that is...). Although I guess that just goes to show the amazing community around this game.    … Expand
  7. Megaben02
    Jun 16, 2015
    9
    For a long tine i had this game sitting on my shelf waiting for me to play it. But when i did, i knew there was no going back. Right off the bat this game does feel like a old school hard rpg. This is most evident in the games tutotial which serves as the test. It will make or break the game for you. Once you escape the tutorial, you are free to explore this game's open world. WhileFor a long tine i had this game sitting on my shelf waiting for me to play it. But when i did, i knew there was no going back. Right off the bat this game does feel like a old school hard rpg. This is most evident in the games tutotial which serves as the test. It will make or break the game for you. Once you escape the tutorial, you are free to explore this game's open world. While exploring you are likely to find shortcuts to a boss, this serves as the games "checkpoint" system, allowing you to quickly get back to the boss with having to go through the level entirely. But the difficulty is where this game shines, gence the feeling of emmense satisfaction after finding said shortcut. The bosses will punish you if you dont take the time to learn their attack patterns. Even the low level enemies, when in a group, can easily overpower a player ten levels ahed of them. This games multiplayer is simple, if you are in human form you can summon another player to help, or if you are human and decide to take a stroll you might find yourself invaded by a red shade. Now, lets talk about this game's graphics. Even in 2015 the graphics still don't look to bad especially when going in the more visually stunning areas of the game, like Anor Londo, or The Painted World. But, the only problem with this game is the framerate. The framerate commonly drops below 15 when i play, especially in places like Blighttown or during the Great Grey Wolf, Sif boss battle. But besides that if you pay attention the Dark Souls lore is great, however you REALLY have to pay attention as this game tends not to blurt thing out like Demon's Souls did to an extent. So in the end the only things that really makes this game sink are the framerate drops and the way to the story is hidden in tems details to the point where it feels almost overdone. But aside from that, this game as you probably figured out, get a solid 9 out of 10.… Expand
  8. nosebeagle
    Jun 2, 2015
    7
    I know I must be missing something, but I do not understand why a game that re-spawns the same enemies with the same moves after leaving an area and returning can get such epic reviews. This game is based on grinding (always reminds me of South Park when they have to kill boars in the woods for days to get to a high enough level to do anything). I realized I am not a real gamer afterI know I must be missing something, but I do not understand why a game that re-spawns the same enemies with the same moves after leaving an area and returning can get such epic reviews. This game is based on grinding (always reminds me of South Park when they have to kill boars in the woods for days to get to a high enough level to do anything). I realized I am not a real gamer after getting bored with this game after a few hours, and if being a real gamer means not having a life outside of gaming so you can kill the same enemies over and over again...then I am happy being a non-real gamer. If you game for a casual escape from reality, this game is not for you. If you haven't seen the sun in months or have forgotten what year it is in the real world, fire this game up and let the boar slaughter begin!… Expand
  9. Snodog
    Apr 29, 2015
    5
    I'll be fair, this game has a truly amazing world, huge in scale and scope. Different paths can lead to different areas where you've never been and exploring and finding new things is amazing. The RPG element is solid, a solid level up system with your choice of stats and how you want to build your character. There are a staggering amount of items and some do hidden things that you mustI'll be fair, this game has a truly amazing world, huge in scale and scope. Different paths can lead to different areas where you've never been and exploring and finding new things is amazing. The RPG element is solid, a solid level up system with your choice of stats and how you want to build your character. There are a staggering amount of items and some do hidden things that you must discover by yourself. This game is hard. It takes me back to the SNES days of Super Ghosts n' Ghouls difficulty. The game and all of its bosses are very beatable, even if you're the worst possible build for it.

    However, that is also it's downfall. While the world is expansive, I've put upwards of 40 hours in this game and have only seen maybe a third of it. The co-op element is a joke, I couldn't find anyone to play with or help me out of those especially tough situations that maybe my build just wasn't right for. If you watch the speed runners of this game, you'll notice that they all have one thing in common, they skip the exploration, they skip massive amounts of game play and they all have the boss mechanics down to the letter. This game punishes you for trying to figure out its secrets and the rewards are very little to none. Amazing sets of armor are left just lying around with no one guarding them and the item behind the 15 boss clones are usually worthless. The story is tough to figure out too, you're spending so much time grinding souls and avoiding the harder areas of the game that you forget what your goal was in the first place. NPC's are scattered around and some seem to have little purpose until a very specific trigger is met.

    In short, if you're looking for a game to test you, this is it. If you're looking for a game to escape and relax, this is far from it. I do find the fact that you are not, by any means, powerful enough to kill everything by spamming the attack button like in a typical hack and slash refreshing. However, being the ant on the receiving end of a boot gets very old after a while as well. I, unfortunately, gave up on this game when I got to a point where one of the bosses has mini clones guarding absolutely nothing and got stuck behind them when I kindled the fire. I already killed this guy and he was tough enough, now I have to kill 5 for absolutely no reason? I gave it a fair shot, I farmed, I killed probably the first 1/3 of the bosses, and it just got old and boring after a while. I couldn't hoof the long haul but if you feel like you're up to the challenge, prepare for a time sink and grind fest.    … Expand
  10. PlatinumPlays
    Apr 17, 2015
    10
    The best of all the souls games, a perfect story for the perfect game. You just have to get over the amount of times you will die in this and all will be well.
  11. krispintin
    Apr 7, 2015
    8
    the only reason the score I've given is an 8 is because some of the environments and late game areas are incredibly lazy, lame and unfinished. (lost Izalith, demon ruins.)

    That said, It is a very very good game, especially if you ignore the glaring flaws later that come later on. the world design is unmatched with mind blowing short cuts connecting the environments to each other.    the only reason the score I've given is an 8 is because some of the environments and late game areas are incredibly lazy, lame and unfinished. (lost Izalith, demon ruins.)

    That said, It is a very very good game, especially if you ignore the glaring flaws later that come later on. the world design is unmatched with mind blowing short cuts connecting the environments to each other.

    The combat is top notch and introduces mostly positive additions to the game from the past title demon's souls.

    The boss fights are dramatic and exciting, fresh and challenging. O&S is possibly the best boss fight they have ever made.
    Though some of the later game bosses are incredibly easy though and less exciting I'm not sure why this happens (maybe the game was rushed a little too much during development).
    I won't fault From Software on the fact that many bosses and areas are just basically different versions of the ones from demon's souls e.g because they do hold up on their own and are unique experiences.

    But the biggest critique I have that prevents me from seeing this as a perfect game like many of the fanboy reviews post is that some areas late into the game like lost izalith are terribly bare bones and unfinished. And then a place like demon's ruins is ruined (heh) by the lazy reposting of previous bosses and making them mobs. They just feel copy pasted into the environment for no reason other than they were lazy or out of time developing the game. Also wtf is up the repost of the asylum demon not once but twice into the game as later bosses, only adding a minor flame affect and/or making him larger in size. It is just lazy in these aspects which lowers the score.

    That said it is still a solid game, only that it dips hard towards the end.    … Expand
  12. AlienSpaceBats
    Mar 31, 2015
    8
    I can't think of a single other game (other than Demon's Souls) that's so purposely challenging, oldschool and meticulously crafted. Forget quest markers, dull NPCs spouting novellas full of dialogue and even duller codices crammed with useless information, Dark Souls throws that all out the window, and we're back to player driven exploration, the necessity of using your brain and yourI can't think of a single other game (other than Demon's Souls) that's so purposely challenging, oldschool and meticulously crafted. Forget quest markers, dull NPCs spouting novellas full of dialogue and even duller codices crammed with useless information, Dark Souls throws that all out the window, and we're back to player driven exploration, the necessity of using your brain and your eyes as well as the most devilish risk/reward system I've seen in a game for a long time. It's not for everyone though, and an unsuccessful first few hours will drive away everyone who isn't utterly compelled by the game.… Expand
  13. BiribiriUC
    Mar 25, 2015
    10
    I LOVE this game, its fun, challenging and frustrating at times.
    And the replay ability in this is outstanding, A new build can sometimes feel like an entire different game
  14. Dionysus777
    Jan 30, 2015
    7
    Ill do pretty much the same thing i did for demons. I like it because of challenge and concept, and thats all i can reckon.People say it has good graphics. No not really at all. It has a good art style. Graphics suck, framerate sucks, hit boxes suck.But like i said the concept makes up for it. I believe it is improved over demons and theres more content and better bosses. Oh yea and youIll do pretty much the same thing i did for demons. I like it because of challenge and concept, and thats all i can reckon.People say it has good graphics. No not really at all. It has a good art style. Graphics suck, framerate sucks, hit boxes suck.But like i said the concept makes up for it. I believe it is improved over demons and theres more content and better bosses. Oh yea and you probably will only like it if your hardcore.… Expand
  15. disgruntlegame
    Jan 6, 2015
    6
    Not half as good as Demon Souls

    - Introduced a retarded poise system making like light armor all but useless

    -Took out the manna bar and replaced it with a D&D system which takes away from pure magic users

    -Took out the stealth system (No Thief Ring) Yes there is a chameleon spell but you stick out like a sore thumb

    -The new healing system is idiotic for grouping.
  16. mAceOfHearts
    Dec 4, 2014
    10
    Great graphics, great gameplay, great soundtrack, great story.
    One of the greatest games in the action-RPG genre, if not the best. Aside from a few issues regarding lag while fighting against other players and a few bosses being sub-par, I have no complaints. This game is amazing.
  17. CHEESEDBEEF
    Dec 4, 2014
    6
    I have put about 5 - 6 hours in and am still not sure about it myself... I haven't got far at all but I have played enough to realise why it is liked. A good sense of achievement after tough fights pushes you to go on even further, and the combat is great too! Lots of classes to choose from but most are for experienced players and not recommended for newbies.
    My main problem with the game    I have put about 5 - 6 hours in and am still not sure about it myself... I haven't got far at all but I have played enough to realise why it is liked. A good sense of achievement after tough fights pushes you to go on even further, and the combat is great too! Lots of classes to choose from but most are for experienced players and not recommended for newbies.
    My main problem with the game is how unfair it is. I didn't just pick it up with no knowledge about it, I have many games for most consoles and consider myself an avid collector/ gamer. I knew the game would be hard, and its not that which puts me off... Enemies pushing you off cliffs, backstabbers and losing your souls every time you die is what grinded my gears. Honestly I was planning to play more but just wasn't interested in going back after I left It a few days. Most gamers will enjoy this for its sense of achievement and great combat system, but personally I didn't find it as enticing as you guys. 6/10 because it was good for the most part, but I probably wont play it again for a while.    … Expand
  18. mrnice
    Dec 1, 2014
    7
    Overall, a nearly great game to spend 50 hours on (which it takes to complete). But after the last boss fights, it felt as empty and meaningless as any of the game's fights. The big takeaway never came. It's about the journey, not the ending cutscene. And the journey often felt like a grind. When I triumphed, it was rarely because of devious thinking, but because of brute-force. Leaving anOverall, a nearly great game to spend 50 hours on (which it takes to complete). But after the last boss fights, it felt as empty and meaningless as any of the game's fights. The big takeaway never came. It's about the journey, not the ending cutscene. And the journey often felt like a grind. When I triumphed, it was rarely because of devious thinking, but because of brute-force. Leaving an impossible area to grind somewhere else, and after that the impossible area is as easy as any in the game. The only time where I felt like I finally outsmarted the game was when I put on some lightweight armor to keep up with a fast boss. The secrets and the solutions are often readily available as soon as you find the right location. And that's where Dark Souls could have been something more. Letting the player reach goals fast by solving a problem. Instead, it's a bunch of largely linear paths that you MUST 'brute force', you only get to pick more or less convenient routes out of the bunch. This goes for both choice between areas and choice between for example two corridors. No matter what corridor you choose in Dark Souls, you will probably have to come back and examine the other one.… Expand
  19. bigboss1964
    Oct 9, 2014
    8
    Dark Souls

    Game-play:The game play is slow and realistic with lot of different classes to play with i loved it.The game is very difficult so if you are not a hardcore gamer just stay away. Story:The story is the weak point of the game it is awuful. Graphics:The graphics fit the game perfectly. Notes:This RPG is very good and have lot of item and different enemy types a great    Dark Souls

    Game-play:The game play is slow and realistic with lot of different classes to play with i loved it.The game is very difficult so if you are not a hardcore gamer just stay away.

    Story:The story is the weak point of the game it is awuful.

    Graphics:The graphics fit the game perfectly.

    Notes:This RPG is very good and have lot of item and different enemy types a great game a full price buy.    … Expand
  20. sacredbear
    Sep 10, 2014
    9
    This game is near flawless. Dark Souls tells you everything you need to know about it without saying a word. It is the definition of "show, not tell". Everything from the level design, to the enemies, item descriptions, boss appearances, gives you clues and tells you more about this universe. You can tell the makers of this game paid extremely close attention to everything that wentThis game is near flawless. Dark Souls tells you everything you need to know about it without saying a word. It is the definition of "show, not tell". Everything from the level design, to the enemies, item descriptions, boss appearances, gives you clues and tells you more about this universe. You can tell the makers of this game paid extremely close attention to everything that went into this game. The gameplay itself is very solid, and extremely rewarding. The game's sound design is possibly the best I have heard. I believe that anyone who comes with an open mind and invests some time and effort will find that is was well worthwhile.… Expand
  21. 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
  22. 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.
  23. 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.
  24. MLP_Simta
    Aug 18, 2014
    9
    A really good game that needs time and patience to learn. The cover does not lie to you in your first playthrough you will die a lot. The game itself is enjoyable and has a great combat mechanic that is easy to get use to. The visuals are great for example when you ring the first bell you can see where you came from and what's still waiting for you and the light effect are awesome.
    The    A really good game that needs time and patience to learn. The cover does not lie to you in your first playthrough you will die a lot. The game itself is enjoyable and has a great combat mechanic that is easy to get use to. The visuals are great for example when you ring the first bell you can see where you came from and what's still waiting for you and the light effect are awesome.
    The storyline is there but if you don't take your time you will miss it, so bear in mind that the item description is not just about stats and you can find stroy elements just by looking the scenery.
    The DLC is a must have so if you wish to purchase the game go with the Prepare to Die edition.
    The online PVP for me for the most time is a lagfeast but the online PVE is fun.
    Oh and skip Blighttown that place just kills your FPS on Xbox360 the PS3 is just a few FPS better.
    On PC beware the **** port so on that platfrom so a controller is a must have and don't forget to download a few mods that help the FPS issues on the PC.
    Overall a great game a must buy if you can find it, but be patient. The game helps you but if you rush you gonna have a bad time.    … Expand
  25. aspentitan
    Aug 10, 2014
    8
    Seriously, any game you have played over 100 hrs at least deserves an 8, 9 or 10 rating. I'm going to go with an 8 rating because up until a certain point I had a great time but then this game lost my interest. The reason I have a love-hate relationship with this game is because the more I play Dark Souls the more I realize how bad it is compared to its inspirational game, Demon Souls.Seriously, any game you have played over 100 hrs at least deserves an 8, 9 or 10 rating. I'm going to go with an 8 rating because up until a certain point I had a great time but then this game lost my interest. The reason I have a love-hate relationship with this game is because the more I play Dark Souls the more I realize how bad it is compared to its inspirational game, Demon Souls. Demon Souls was crafted as a very cruel but fair encounter and for that reason very enjoyable. A game which required you to get better and learn some moves and all the enemies. What was great about Demons Souls was you could wiggle your way through it eventually by varying your strategies and paying attention to detail.....I cannot say the same about Dark Souls. I do love love how they made this game more open world concept, this is far superior in that respect, and I love all the new enemies so kudos there. However, Dark Souls was crafted as super annoying and really very limited in your approach to enemies. This game for me was a grind as i felt so many of the stats were meaningless and there was only one super approach to most enemies and bosses. For me this made the game unbearably annoying and boring. Online was a joke as the game is based on fatique and speed and lag ruins all that....constant backstabs out of nowhere. Not only that but defensive damage taken seems quite similar at level 10 as at level 115 with better armor.....(hello stats??? wtf??). Every area had at least one developer cheese area even if you knew the trap by an initial suicide run you were doomed to repeat a cheap area over and over. I cant actually say much nice about Dark Souls except it seems similar to Demons Souls. I find the end result a turnoff. I put in 200 hrs and it was fun getting to the realization point that this game is not a better version of Demons Souls, it actually is a worse spinoff of platforming memorization and a grind more than rpg. I didn't find the controls and weapons responsive to the same subtle degree as Demons Souls and consequently I just ended up becoming bored of this game. Unlike Demons Souls I feel that Dark Souls makes you grind ahead of playing a patient style of your choice. True, you do have to be patient but my point is as you grind you improve far more as a character than your choice of upgrading. Offensive stats seem to matter, defensive stats do not. On top of this I felt the camera and false locks ons were annoyingly broken as much or even more than Demons Souls where it also needed a huge amount of fix, and screen tearing was an issue in many battles in tight areas. Overall, I really enjoyed this game until I uncovered how bad the repetition of the game was caused by cheapshots and lack of responsiveness towards character upgrades, then it dropped off like a rock into pure boredom. It just got so old grinding levels and getting stronger stats per level than actually learning better combat and feeling those loot runs pay out. I'm having a hard time describing my complaint but what I'm trying to get at is as you level up you automatically become better at the game rather than the effort you put into say finding and chosing better armor and putting skill points into strength for example. I just don't feel the upgrades, just the grind. For me the game is so close to my expectations of fantasy rpg but not so much that I don't feel the software and development is also lacking and could use some upgrading.… Expand
  26. Wade_VC
    Jul 14, 2014
    9
    Just a great game for those willing to spend the time to take things slow. If you are a "Hack & Slash" type gamer, or someone lacking in patience or simply hunting trophies, Dark Souls will eat you alive.

    As a general rule, if one enjoys solid game-play, great graphics, a good story-line and something that makes you think and keeps you on your toes, this RPG will offer that and more.    Just a great game for those willing to spend the time to take things slow. If you are a "Hack & Slash" type gamer, or someone lacking in patience or simply hunting trophies, Dark Souls will eat you alive.

    As a general rule, if one enjoys solid game-play, great graphics, a good story-line and something that makes you think and keeps you on your toes, this RPG will offer that and more.

    You will die, a LOT
    You will loose all your stuff, a LOT
    You will start all over, a LOT

    ...and if you love a challenge, you will like this game, a LOT.    … Expand
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. Iluvatar21
    May 22, 2014
    8
    HOW I RATE: 10-9 score: perfect or near-perfect don't exist; 8 score: one of the best games ever. Top score; 7-6 score: great but not one of the best; 5-below score: serious flaws.
    ===========
    Do you like finding new things? Do you fancy the idea of no hand-holding? But do you hate starting all over again if you made a fatal mistake? Also do you hate grinding & repetition? But not the    HOW I RATE: 10-9 score: perfect or near-perfect don't exist; 8 score: one of the best games ever. Top score; 7-6 score: great but not one of the best; 5-below score: serious flaws.
    ===========
    Do you like finding new things? Do you fancy the idea of no hand-holding? But do you hate starting all over again if you made a fatal mistake? Also do you hate grinding & repetition? But not the kind of grinding where you are furious of having to go through the same things again but the kind where you feel you are going somewhere & want to continue deeper?

    If you answered 'Yes' to all of these questions then this game is for you.    … Expand
  31. JustSagan
    May 21, 2014
    3
    I do not get it. When I heard all the great things about this game, I immediately went out to buy it. I regret ever spending money on it. This game taught me to do more research on games. I honestly think the only reason people like this game is because of how hard it is. This game is hard, but to me its slow, and boring. I creating every type of class in the game, and played through theI do not get it. When I heard all the great things about this game, I immediately went out to buy it. I regret ever spending money on it. This game taught me to do more research on games. I honestly think the only reason people like this game is because of how hard it is. This game is hard, but to me its slow, and boring. I creating every type of class in the game, and played through the game with the different classes just to see if i was missing something. Every time I did, I did not have any fun. I do not have a problem with a hard game. I just have a problem with a boring game, and this is a boring game. so if you are considering getting this game then rent it first. Because what people are praising this game for may be to only thing they like about it.… Expand
  32. Jalopicus
    May 10, 2014
    3
    I did not like this game but I still finished it (which seems to be relatively unusual). Aside from the difficulty Dark Souls is pretty average. Yes, it is good-looking and atmospheric with a large catalog of combat-related items to collect and manage but no new ground is broken here. The PVP system is an innovative idea but ubiquitous latency issues have essentially transformed it intoI did not like this game but I still finished it (which seems to be relatively unusual). Aside from the difficulty Dark Souls is pretty average. Yes, it is good-looking and atmospheric with a large catalog of combat-related items to collect and manage but no new ground is broken here. The PVP system is an innovative idea but ubiquitous latency issues have essentially transformed it into a griefing mechanic for invaders who like to exploit the laggy netcode.

    The difficulty can indeed be refreshing but reaches diminishing returns when deaths that have little learning value start to pile up. These include, but are not limited to, frumpy hit boxes, oddly-clipping cameras, misinterpreted lock-ons and other things that are basically normal in an RPG engine but are occasionally pushed to the forefront in Dark Souls. Some areas and bosses become more tedious than challenging which takes away from the satisfaction of getting through.    … Expand
  33. 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.
  34. nonchalantgamer
    Apr 27, 2014
    9
    At first glance i didn't like dark souls because i played demon souls at a friends house once and got demolished so much it turned me off but years later i gave this game a shot and im glad i did. this is one of the most challenging games ive ever played, and as a hardcore gamer i can appreciate that because the feeling of accomplishment you get from beating enemies and progressing forwardAt first glance i didn't like dark souls because i played demon souls at a friends house once and got demolished so much it turned me off but years later i gave this game a shot and im glad i did. this is one of the most challenging games ive ever played, and as a hardcore gamer i can appreciate that because the feeling of accomplishment you get from beating enemies and progressing forward is indescribable. i get a physical adrenaline rush when i finally take down a tough boss that killed me 10 times over and its so satisfying. there is plenty to do in this game to, with numerous places to explore and things to collect within the beautifully designed environment. overall this game is one of the best ive played with a extremely challenging but rewarding system with great mechanics and beautiful level design. death is the ultimate teacher, and im willing to learn from it.… Expand
  35. 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
  36. JudgeMathew
    Mar 31, 2014
    6
    While there may be a lot more content and more action involving online aspects compared to Demon's Souls, there's the feeling that Dark Souls is an incomplete game, and this is due to the fact that almost a third of the game is completely rushed due to time constraints. The hyped up difficulty also seems to vary from person to person. Dark Souls is essentially a more opened world Demon'sWhile there may be a lot more content and more action involving online aspects compared to Demon's Souls, there's the feeling that Dark Souls is an incomplete game, and this is due to the fact that almost a third of the game is completely rushed due to time constraints. The hyped up difficulty also seems to vary from person to person. Dark Souls is essentially a more opened world Demon's Souls with a lot more content, though there are many issues involving frame-rate and glitching throughout the game. Although Dark Souls is a good game, it does not hold a candle to Demon's Souls.… Expand
  37. 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.
  38. 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.
  39. 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!
  40. Caestus
    Mar 9, 2014
    9
    The bonfire system is an improvement to the nexus system from demon´s souls, which I did not like that much. The frame rate drops, especially in Blighttown, are annoying but the battle system plus the dark and intense atmosphere are really well-made and the soul of Dark Souls itself.
  41. 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.
  42. 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
  43. Bossuk
    Feb 20, 2014
    5
    This game is a must have for those that like a challenge, and as has already been said, experienced player or not, you will die a lot.
    - It has great atmosphere, put the kids to bed, send the wife out for a night, lower the lights and crack on. It really does drag you in.
    - graphically, while not perfect, they are very dark and forboding, the lighting and character animations are cool.    This game is a must have for those that like a challenge, and as has already been said, experienced player or not, you will die a lot.
    - It has great atmosphere, put the kids to bed, send the wife out for a night, lower the lights and crack on. It really does drag you in.
    - graphically, while not perfect, they are very dark and forboding, the lighting and character animations are cool.
    - large range of character types to choose from
    - nice little things like the game sharing your frustration when you die a lot with glyphs/prompts like "i can't take this" and others like "I did it", when you finally kill a Boss are nice little touches

    However, despite the deluge of 10's that this game gets, it is not without it's faults.

    - Those glyphs are everywhere, and over 1/2 are useless things like "praise the sun". the problem is some are helpful, warning you of ambushes or bosses, so you have to click them all. but after a while, it does get tiresome.
    - Camera angles, especially when in enclosed spaces are annoying resulting in you looking at a brick wales when trying to move, especially if you are moving in a rush.
    - the targeting system sucks. If you click on an enemy but you are out of range, the camera centres instead of doing nothing, or at least it should target, but change the colour to show you are out of range. If you are running away/towards an enemy and targetting fails, the camera angles just flips to straight forward, which just becomes confusing, risking things like falling of edges and dying, or even running into an enemy you are trying to run away from.
    - As a sorcerer, you have only 1 spell..and then eventually you get a second spell but it looks exactly the same as the first..then a third..same again. Seriously, it's the most unimaginitive spellbook in the history of RPG's. Mages in RPGs make things go bang in wierd and wonderful ways.. DS just did not bother.
    - Risk of accidentally attacking NPC's. you rescue an NPC in a room, but the room has boxes you want to destroy. a swipe in the wrong direction and you end up in a fight with someone you don't want to fight.
    - This game is not caster friendly, at least in the early stages. Simply put, if you die or rest at a fireplace, all enemies respawn. If you are melee based then this is fine,as you can fight your way through to where you want with little cost in terms of resources. But as a sorcerer, your spells have a limited cast count, which means if you use your spells (which as a sorcerer you are supposed), you will run out of spells to cast very quickly. This means that you have no choice but to Melee as well, which as you have little strength and health, makes your job very difficult. Especially if there is a Boss at the end of Level you are getting to and need to save your casts for, you have to melee through a lot of enemies.
    - When you dies you drop all your souls. Ok, that's fine. but if you die again before collecting these souls, all the souls from the first kill are lost. This is especially tiresome if you have just killed a boss got 10k souls, but then continue on, die, then die again before getting to those souls, you've just lost over 10k souls, thats a lot.
    - Also, because you have died you have no souls, so you cannot restock on items or repair your armour so you are ready to face a boss again. It means you have farm some more enemies, then go back restock and eventually..try again. It is not hard..just annoying, boring and tiresome. Killing the same enemy 20 times so you can restock is boring..not hard.
    - Invaders. When in human form, a player can invade your game and kill you. If they are higher than you in level(despite the balancing) you are still in a weaker position, giving you a disadvantage. If you die you have to respawn but you have lost the humanity you used to turn human(which is rare). I'm playing a PVE game, not a PVP game so i should be able to play as such, especially when I have an obvious disadvantage when being invaded by a player 10 lvls above me, in much better armour/weapons.
    - No instructions on character creation on what the various things mean aka gifts. in the end i googled them and got to master key, but I should not have too.
    - Very little tuition for new players. i'm an experienced RPG player, so worked it out pretty quick, but no menu with controls. i mean WTF.
    - No pause button. Seriously???

    This is a good game, the atmosphere is great. i don't even have an issue with a difficult game, but the game should differentiate between difficulty, boredom and bad mechanics, and I do not think DS has got this quite right.    … Expand
  44. Legion455
    Feb 17, 2014
    9
    What can i say about Dark souls well its a excellent and tough game but the difficulty shouldn't be why you play this masterpiece, The lore,story and music are why along with its nasty multiplayer you always feel a rush when someone invades you in the middle of a horde of enemy, along with players helping with that tough boss or leaving messages that could lead to treasure or your doom isWhat can i say about Dark souls well its a excellent and tough game but the difficulty shouldn't be why you play this masterpiece, The lore,story and music are why along with its nasty multiplayer you always feel a rush when someone invades you in the middle of a horde of enemy, along with players helping with that tough boss or leaving messages that could lead to treasure or your doom is always fun

    The game is not for everyone so please take cation in buying it unless you like to practice the game alot to beat some of the boss's    … Expand
  45. 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
  46. 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
  47. 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
  48. 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
  49. Dorje
    Jan 10, 2014
    10
    Today, children don't have a healthy fear of crossing the road, or rickety bridges. This simulation game will guarantee they will learn to respect water, bridges, ledges, and anything that might be around a corner, or behind a door because if they don't, they will DIE!! This game may save our society as we know it.
  50. 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
  51. 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.
  52. chrisse989
    Dec 30, 2013
    8
    First of all to be clear, I am a huge fan of the predecessor, Demon's Souls. It's for me the game that showed the power of the capabilities (not just graphically) of a PS3 versus a PS2.

    Dark Souls is wilder, more beautiful and more technically advanced (esp for the multiplayer part) than Demon's Souls, so it definitely improves on the formula. It's a great game, which has challenging    First of all to be clear, I am a huge fan of the predecessor, Demon's Souls. It's for me the game that showed the power of the capabilities (not just graphically) of a PS3 versus a PS2.

    Dark Souls is wilder, more beautiful and more technically advanced (esp for the multiplayer part) than Demon's Souls, so it definitely improves on the formula. It's a great game, which has challenging bosses, great customisation options and is overall a great adventure.

    There are for me however two issues which ruin the experience a bit:
    - There are a lot of secrets in the game, but they are hidden a bit too well. You will need to read up on internet to discover them, especially since they hide some of the more interesting items. If you want to survive the multiplayer aspect of the game (ie when invading or invaded) and you face someone with items/spells you don't know (other people do read up), you will most likely lose most of the time.
    - The damage you receive can be very arbitrary, which doesn't make sense for a game that wants you to learn from your mistakes. Example: I fight a boss. I see the boss is going to hit so I raise my (very strong) shield. As my stamina was low, the boss his hit breaks through my shield and deals 800 hit points and KO for me. On the next try on that boss, when attacking him, he also hits me three times consecutively dealing only 400 hit points together... Some balance is lost within the game versus Demon's Souls, which is a pity.

    Overall, still a fantastic experience though.    … Expand
  53. JaimeGarcia
    Dec 20, 2013
    3
    Terrible software. Masochism shouldn't even be marketed as fun, which is what somehow happened with this game. Unbelievable to read the amount of 9's and 10's this game got when it is nothing but pure frustration. The worst thing about it are its fanatical followers that just won't see through a thick curtain of bought reviewers and artificial hype.

    A game shouldn't be unforgiving in    Terrible software. Masochism shouldn't even be marketed as fun, which is what somehow happened with this game. Unbelievable to read the amount of 9's and 10's this game got when it is nothing but pure frustration. The worst thing about it are its fanatical followers that just won't see through a thick curtain of bought reviewers and artificial hype.

    A game shouldn't be unforgiving in order to be difficult. Dark Souls isn't only unforgiving but it also shows the middle finger to the player by forcing a sluggish character with pretty consistent input delays into a world filled with enemies that can kill you in the most absurd and random ways.

    Spent hours trying to like this game but couldn't. I got really good at it but had to quit since I realized I was starting to feel really upset since it wasn't really my fault but the game's that I was making little to no progress.

    It is ridiculous and games that push their difficulty in such cheap ways shouldn't be scored that high. According to several people, gamers are masochists and love horrible gameplay mechanics coated with gorgeous graphics.

    Oh wait. That's actually true these days.

    Sad times for gamers.    … Expand
  54. 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
  55. 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.
  56. 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.
  57. peite
    Nov 7, 2013
    6
    Dark Souls is over-rated IMO. Graphics: Very dark and boring character designs and animations. Dead monsters look hilariously like rag dolls. Doesn't look good compared to Dragon's Dogma which, like most PS3 games, installs on the hard drive and has fast loading-times thanks to my installed SSD but Dark Souls doesn't use the hard drive but when you are PLAYING and that's why you willDark Souls is over-rated IMO. Graphics: Very dark and boring character designs and animations. Dead monsters look hilariously like rag dolls. Doesn't look good compared to Dragon's Dogma which, like most PS3 games, installs on the hard drive and has fast loading-times thanks to my installed SSD but Dark Souls doesn't use the hard drive but when you are PLAYING and that's why you will encounter a lot of slow downs. Music is quiet boring and the scenery is claustrophobic, and full of meaningless crates which doesn't hold any items. I would prefer if it was less wannabe western fantasy and more crazy Japanese! It's crazy difficult though! Much of the dying is due to that the enemies shift from doing usual moves you can follow to start doing subtle Mortal Kombat-"finish him!"-looking-animations which are quite impossible to evade/parry. They suddenly jumps behind you and cuts your throat! The small areas also makes it hard to move and sway your weapon. I don't like the lock-on system with R3 clicking, since if you don't lock on it changes game play and the enemies becomes more difficult. Fighting with R1 and R2 and L1 L2 is nice but strange.
    The director Miyazaki says his next non-Souls game will be a brighter one he said that the Souls-series was a bit too dark! I approve!    … Expand
  58. 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.
  59. 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.
  60. 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.
  61. 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
  62. dannydans
    Oct 5, 2013
    2
    who wants to play the same level for a day just because its too dam hard to finish....waist of time and a big waist of money there is no joy in dying 10000000 time .....maybe for you very good gamers out there this is good but otherwise dont get it
  63. boshi
    Sep 30, 2013
    9
    a nearly perfect game. really challenging, in a good way, and the boss fights are incredible. there isn't much in terms of story, but you can learn about the world by reading the descriptions of items. it isn't much, but it's there. the only bad part of the game is, some areas lag, and in one area, the majority of the level is laggy. it's difficult, but a lot easier than demon's souls.
  64. 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.
  65. 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
  66. PriceyPants
    Aug 28, 2013
    8
    Dark souls is a great game, it has a great rpg feel to it and a constant sense of danger when away from the bonfires. first off let me say this is no game for people without patients so many times i have heard "I cant beat this boss i quit" when all they have to do i level up a few times. dark souls is a hard game to start off with but after you get a certain quest item the game just getsDark souls is a great game, it has a great rpg feel to it and a constant sense of danger when away from the bonfires. first off let me say this is no game for people without patients so many times i have heard "I cant beat this boss i quit" when all they have to do i level up a few times. dark souls is a hard game to start off with but after you get a certain quest item the game just gets easier. Sure you still lose your souls when you die and PvP can be unfair but that is what Dark Souls is all about, you can't just go into this game expecting not to die trust me you will die Over and over. If you love games where you can fight giant bosses and have a huge amount of loot to find you will absolutely love dark souls, if on the other hand you play games like Call of Duty i recommend you don't even think about touching dark souls because all you will do is and cry.… Expand
  67. Jakallov3
    Aug 27, 2013
    8
    I am an absolute fan of the franchise, the game is challenging and brutal, teaching me something new every time I died. I loved experimenting with new builds, weapons and armors, making this game great for re-playability. PVP is brutal, especially if you do not know what to expect, and also gives the game a lot of uniqueness. However as much as I love this game, there are some issues, suchI am an absolute fan of the franchise, the game is challenging and brutal, teaching me something new every time I died. I loved experimenting with new builds, weapons and armors, making this game great for re-playability. PVP is brutal, especially if you do not know what to expect, and also gives the game a lot of uniqueness. However as much as I love this game, there are some issues, such as frame drops and some bugs and glitches, but you ignore it once it has consumed your soul.… Expand
  68. 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
  69. 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
  70. dcl2000
    Aug 6, 2013
    4
    In order to like this game you'll need to like tedium and frustration. Each time you die you respawn quite far from where you die and have to fight your way through enemies, obstacles you've already surmounted to get back to the part where you died.

    On top of this the game forces you to take time out because e.g. you might get cursed, or need a new weapon. This means you have to do    In order to like this game you'll need to like tedium and frustration. Each time you die you respawn quite far from where you die and have to fight your way through enemies, obstacles you've already surmounted to get back to the part where you died.

    On top of this the game forces you to take time out because e.g. you might get cursed, or need a new weapon. This means you have to do soul farming, killing and respawning lots of times to do the required amount of kills to win the necessary souls. then you go traipsing across the levels you've already completed to find the guy selling the rock weapon whatever before traipsing all the way back. then if you're unlucky, you might get cursed again or your weapon might break again and get to do all this again. not my idea of fun    … Expand
  71. 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
  72. JudgmentJay
    Jul 23, 2013
    10
    After putting almost 500 hours into Dark Souls, I decided to rewrite my review (for a 3rd time).

    The first thing I'll touch on is the world itself. The level/world design is outstanding. The elimination of a hub world in favor of an open world was a good choice. A seamless world feels much more alive. The way the areas interweave themseleves into each other is genius. I do, however,    After putting almost 500 hours into Dark Souls, I decided to rewrite my review (for a 3rd time).

    The first thing I'll touch on is the world itself. The level/world design is outstanding. The elimination of a hub world in favor of an open world was a good choice. A seamless world feels much more alive. The way the areas interweave themseleves into each other is genius. I do, however, wish that Firelink was a bit more interesting. As a hub it doesn't compare to the atmosphere of the Nexus. The game puts a bigger emphasis on exploration than Demon's Souls did, and there are plenty of nooks and crannies to uncover. Along your journey you might find hidden paths, areas, and even bosses waiting for you. Also worthy of note is the fact that Fromsoft did an amazing job in telling the story of Lordran through level design alone. Item placements, enemy placements, enemy design, etc all have meaning.

    While the graphics are showing the PS3's age, the aesthetic is amazing. Each area is unique and varied and there is plenty of eye candy to keep you interested. Anor Londo is especially breath-taking. The world has more color and doesn't feel as bleak or lonely as Demon's Souls'. Whether or not that's a good thing depends on the individual. Sound and music is top-notch. From epic orchestrated boss scores to the near absolute silence of a pitch black cave, you'll find your state of mind completely in sync with the game world.

    Combat is similar to its predecessor, though I find it slightly tweaked and optimized. Many of the weapons have unique movesets which is a nice touch. Overall, the controls feel a tad more responsive compared to DeS.

    The story is minimalistic, but the lore is deep. If you actually take the time to read item descriptions, listen to what NPCs have to say, and "listen" to what the environment can tell you, you can piece together the very interesting backstory of the world of Lordran. I like this method of storytelling. It's there if you want it and invisible if you don't.

    Like Demon's Souls, Dark Souls is a dark and challenging dungeon crawler with a minimal story (but deep lore). If that's your thing, you can't go wrong.    … Expand
  73. Glowguy
    Jul 11, 2013
    8
    While Dark souls is a great game there is nothing really revolutionary about it. All the major gameplay elements were already in place in the previous installment and I think Demon's Souls is the better game in terms of innovation and execution. I played Dark Souls first and I was shocked at how much of the game's content was outright lifted from Demon's when I went back and played itWhile Dark souls is a great game there is nothing really revolutionary about it. All the major gameplay elements were already in place in the previous installment and I think Demon's Souls is the better game in terms of innovation and execution. I played Dark Souls first and I was shocked at how much of the game's content was outright lifted from Demon's when I went back and played it (from bosses to level design to game mechanics and online play). I can certainly see why the retained the basic mechanics since that was such a strong point but transferring actual game content just seemed lazy to me. I'm not sure why the developers did this but it seems like maybe they rushed things a bit at the end. So while I was kind of blown away with Dark Souls at first the game seemed much less impressive after playing Demon's Souls.

    Dark Souls really shines in the two areas level design and monsters. I thought From did an awesome job creating an interconnected world with more variety and it was a blast getting lost in the world itself. I thought the bonfire dynamic was a nice touch and a slight improvement over the prior nexus design.    … Expand
  74. 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
  75. 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
  76. 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
  77. TheFairCritic
    May 30, 2013
    9
    This game is truly a masterpiece. A modern classic if i can say so myself without sounding like a pretentious douche. It combines the oh so perfect controls with the monster slaying loot hunting action. The games main focus is on the "learn from your mistakes" pattern. The controls handle perfectly and i have not encountered any moments of "yanky" controls. Why this game has not been wellThis game is truly a masterpiece. A modern classic if i can say so myself without sounding like a pretentious douche. It combines the oh so perfect controls with the monster slaying loot hunting action. The games main focus is on the "learn from your mistakes" pattern. The controls handle perfectly and i have not encountered any moments of "yanky" controls. Why this game has not been well received by users and/or popular critics alike is because they think they are going to breeze through the content to see whats so hyped and fun about the game, but ends up laying face down in the mud due to lack of patience/concentration and then basically saying that the game is because they did not have patience enough to interpret the enemies actions and patterns. As long as you learn what that you are fighting is doing then the game suddenly becomes a cakewalk. I have beaten the game several times and even a couple without any armour and just a starting dagger.
    The reason the game does not get a perfect score is that in some parts of the game Blighttown in particular) the framerates drop on console. The multiplayer feature can also be buggy sometimes due to connections interrupting. Despite the bad reviews and the minor errors i give this game a solid 9.    … Expand
  78. 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
  79. CatsPawDigital
    May 19, 2013
    9
    Dark Souls, like Demon's Souls before it, is a truly wonderful game. There is (excluding Demon's Souls, of course) no other game out there now quite like it.

    That said, this game is not for everyone. Call of Duty and God of War this is not, and if you try to run through the game and mash buttons at your undead adversaries, you will have your behind handed to you in short order, and    Dark Souls, like Demon's Souls before it, is a truly wonderful game. There is (excluding Demon's Souls, of course) no other game out there now quite like it.

    That said, this game is not for everyone. Call of Duty and God of War this is not, and if you try to run through the game and mash buttons at your undead adversaries, you will have your behind handed to you in short order, and you'll deserrve it. If you have no patience, if you're easily frustrated, if you have a habit of throwing your controller when your character dies, this game is probably not for you.

    On the other hand, for those who can brave the game's challenges, the rewards are nothing short of amazing. I'm not talking about what the game gives you, although the souls of bosses can be used to make some pretty nice weapons and armor; I'm talking about about the truly wonderful sense of accomplishment that comes from mastering the games challenges, and the unparalleled bragging rights that come from finally beating the game.

    The story, such of it as there is, is forgetable, but this isn't actually a problem; you make the story yourself, going where you want and doing what you want, limited only by your ability to survive the denizens of whatever area you're exploring. This is actually a clever way to guide the player down a certian path; you are almost never limited in your choice of paths by the games scripting, its simply that unless you go a certian way you simply will not survive. This doesn't mean the game punishes exploration; quite the opposite, in fact, but it does require a change of tactics. Often a suicide run will reward players with a rare weapon or armor set, costing nothing but whatever souls the player happened to be carrying at the time. Death, you see, is never permanent in Dark Souls and you can even regain the souls you lost- provided you can fight your way back to your bloodstain and touch it.

    There is no challenge within the game that cannot be overcome with patience, skill and -like any good RPG- a little grinding. Or, if you play online, you can enlist the phantoms of other players to help you. You can join covenants to earn rewards- and sometimes be summoned to fight off or hunt other players. If you're feeling evil, you can invade another player's game as a black phantom and try and make off with that player's souls or humanity.

    There is no voice chat or messaging system in dark souls, and players may only communicate directly through gestures and this leads to a curious code of conduct where black phantoms bow to their defeated victims, a far cry from the indecencies and obscenities often directed at the vanqished in cames such CoD and Halo. Indirect communication is possible via an item called 'soapstone' which allows a player to leave a message in a certian spot that anybody playing online can see. Caution must be exercised, however, when one comes to a message that says something like 'treasure ahead' at the edge of a cliff. Not everyone is honest.

    Dark Souls doesn't try to be anything other than what it is, and what it is is an experience that (once again, excluding Demon's Souls) is quite like anything else you've played, an experience that you will either love or hate. But no game is perfect, and Dark Souls is not without a few glitches. During my first playthrough, two minor bosses simply committed suicide, one of them while was half of the in-game world away. An undead rat got stuck in a wall, pieces of broken boxes were left suspended in mid-air and sometimes the bodies of defeated enemies got stuck around my character's feet for a few seconds as if they were rag dolls. Victory in one particular boss fight, Bed of Chaos, although not a bug in itself seemed to rely less on skill than simple dumb luck (although I persevered and was eventually victorious) and I came close to throwing my controller myself.

    All in all, considering what Dark Souls is intended to be it is very hard to actually criticize it, and I loved every frustrating, agnoizing minute of it. And, in the end, if someone tells me "I beat Halo 4 on legendary" I'll reply "So?" But if they tell me they beat Dark Souls offline, their skills as a gamer will have earned my honest and instant respect.    … Expand
  80. 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
  81. MDG397
    May 4, 2013
    9
    I love a good challenge in a video game, but this game is not a challenge. It's an attempt to drive you insane by making you feel like you're nothing. People argue that the extreme difficulty will make you feel satisfied when you beat a hard boss or a hard level, but I didn't feel satisfied once while playing this game. I did maybe for the first thirty seconds after beating a boss, butI love a good challenge in a video game, but this game is not a challenge. It's an attempt to drive you insane by making you feel like you're nothing. People argue that the extreme difficulty will make you feel satisfied when you beat a hard boss or a hard level, but I didn't feel satisfied once while playing this game. I did maybe for the first thirty seconds after beating a boss, but that didn't last long because you're forced into another hard level afterwards. The game isn't even fun, mainly because of its combat system and level system. When you level up, your stats are hardly even increased, and you need a lot of souls(currency) to level up. Let me add that once you die, all of your souls are gone, but you can get them back by going back to where you died. If you die again without getting your souls back, they're just gone forever and there's no way to get them back. I know that your equipment is more important than your stats, but to play the game and not die every five minutes you'll need some really good equipment, and that's not easy to find. The combat system is seriously among the worst that I've ever seen in any video game, and it gets really repetitive. Block, attack, block again, attack again, repeat. Progressing in this game is a nightmare, it's entirely composed of trial and error, which is a horrible way to make a game. Needless to say, with constant trial and error and constantly dying, the game is no fun at all. The online features are also bad and completely unnecessary, you can either summon someone to join your game, or someone will just join your game automatically and mess everything up for you. Being allowed to let someone else join your game to help you is a nice feature, but just having someone butting into your game without you wanting them is just a terrible decision, and I really can't stress that enough. They'll just try to kill you, and mess everything up. They'll most likely have the best equipment and kill you like nothing, like the game wasn't already terrible enough without that feature. As an attempt to make the game a little easier, the developers put in a feature where you can leave messages to help other people, but most of the time what the messages say isn't helpful at all. Most of the time the messages I saw said "praise the sun!" which isn't the slightest bit helpful. I also saw things like "jump" at an edge of a big drop. I also saw stupid things like "I did it!" in random places, none of those things are helpful at all. The game is also completely absent of a story. So to summarize, the game has an unfair, brutal difficulty, terrible combat, poor level system, bad and unnecessary online features, progression that consists entirely of trial and error, annoying messages, gameplay that just isn't fun, and a nonexistent story. The one online feature that actually works is letting other people into your game to help you, which is the only reason I gave it a 1 and not a 0. Dark Souls is possibly the most overrated game of this console generation.… Expand
  82. 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.
  83. BonalsII
    Apr 27, 2013
    4
    This is not a horrible game, that being said it is not a good game either. It has very minimal story and once you get going you realize that its basically a grind fest. The difficulty is overrated, its not hard because your opponents are smarter than you, and you need to figure out tactics to beat them,its difficult because the are stronger than you, the game plays like this. Get killed byThis is not a horrible game, that being said it is not a good game either. It has very minimal story and once you get going you realize that its basically a grind fest. The difficulty is overrated, its not hard because your opponents are smarter than you, and you need to figure out tactics to beat them,its difficult because the are stronger than you, the game plays like this. Get killed by a big strong guy 10 levels stronger than you, grind out 11 levels, beat strong guy, go two feet, rinse repeat. It just gets really boring really fast. One thing that is a major nuisance is the lack of a pause feature, for people who get telephone calls or occasionally have someone knock at their door or simply have to take a piss, you have to either find a relatively safe place to stand, die, or use an item to transport to your campsite, i guess the reasoning is that it makes it more difficult where in reality it's just annoying.… Expand
  84. KarjoTheCat
    Apr 26, 2013
    9
    I would like to start off with my positive thoughts of this wounderful game called Dark Souls. Firstly I am going to talk about the single player, Dark souls is very hard but a very easy game at the same time for you see that the game teaches you to play it very well, but punishing you if you don't try hard. My second point is about the story or lore of the game which is done in a goodI would like to start off with my positive thoughts of this wounderful game called Dark Souls. Firstly I am going to talk about the single player, Dark souls is very hard but a very easy game at the same time for you see that the game teaches you to play it very well, but punishing you if you don't try hard. My second point is about the story or lore of the game which is done in a good way, it makes the community work together to find the meaning by hind this dark story and how characters desive you to to their will ect. Thirdly is the gameplay which is spot on. Weapons sound and move like you would expect and the enemies are effect by you attack as you would expect. My last point is about the muilt player, there are two modes where one is to help another player though an area and the second is to kill them, they are both balanced and very fun. Unfortunately with all good games they have bad parts to them and Dark souls is no exception. Firstly is the terrible FPS lag in some areas of the game, and I am not going to lie and say I don't know why it is laggy there. Second point is that is very laggy online for Australians such as my self, but I do not know how it is in other places such as the USA or Japan. Due to the negitive points above I have to give Dark Souls a 9/10 but I recommend it to every one who has the rage suppression skills to cope with it. Thanks for reading, KarjoTheCat.… Expand
  85. 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
  86. iOnlySam
    Apr 16, 2013
    5
    This game is NOT for a wide ranged audience. It is for loved true RPG fans. It has a detailed system of weapons spells and armour. Good graphics and a long winded campaign. It isn't a game for me, but for someone who likes RPGs and strategic massive open world games, it's a seller.
  87. chrisjones914
    Apr 11, 2013
    7
    Pretty good game... but definitely not for everyone! Including me haha! but still there is no denying that this is a good game and i probably would have enjoyed it alot more if it were not for the crazy difficulty and frustrating save system
  88. MisterNoodles
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    This game is very fun and well designed. It is the first time I have ever died in a long time. Sadly most recent games like Skyrim or Fable 3 are far too easy. When I walk into a room I instantly know I can clear it. And just this morning when I was playing Skyrim I sat there being bored out of my mind as the same poorly designed and easy to kill NPCs charged at me. I than pulled out DarkThis game is very fun and well designed. It is the first time I have ever died in a long time. Sadly most recent games like Skyrim or Fable 3 are far too easy. When I walk into a room I instantly know I can clear it. And just this morning when I was playing Skyrim I sat there being bored out of my mind as the same poorly designed and easy to kill NPCs charged at me. I than pulled out Dark Souls and got killed within the first five minutes by a fire breathing dragon. This game is beyond hard which makes it so interesting. It may lack side quests and a main storyline, but I have rarely played a game where it actually tests your ability not to die. Most games these days make combat as simple as press one button. This is one of my favorite games and deserves some credit.… Expand
  89. Jcelsius
    Mar 27, 2013
    10
    The game is almost entirely skill based. UNTIL YOU LEARN HOW TO PLAY WELL YOU WILL DIE A LOT. A lot of friends I recommend this game to get frustrated at the first real boss/area. I tell them to power through and the ones that do have come to absolutely love the game. Once you learn how to exploit the game mechanics you will stop dying so much. Don't get me wrong, you will die still, butThe game is almost entirely skill based. UNTIL YOU LEARN HOW TO PLAY WELL YOU WILL DIE A LOT. A lot of friends I recommend this game to get frustrated at the first real boss/area. I tell them to power through and the ones that do have come to absolutely love the game. Once you learn how to exploit the game mechanics you will stop dying so much. Don't get me wrong, you will die still, but not nearly as often. Sometimes the game is "cheap" as in it instakills you out of nowhere. Just know this, anything you can do to the enemies they can and will do to you. So in that respect, I don't consider it "cheap" but rather a more immersive experience. The story is there if you really want to explore it, but generally speaking it takes a backseat to gameplay. The map is designed in such a way that will blow your mind. So, the game is awesome. End of story.… Expand
  90. 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!
  91. Anarchy_Reaper7
    Mar 24, 2013
    9
    This is the best game ever hands down! The difficult of this game remind me of what old school games in the 80s and 90s used to be like including Castlevania, Contra, Ninja Gaiden, etc. The people who gave this game a low score must be casual gamers that want every game to be easy like Call of Duty for example. This game may not be for everyone but it mostly for hardcore gamer like me,This is the best game ever hands down! The difficult of this game remind me of what old school games in the 80s and 90s used to be like including Castlevania, Contra, Ninja Gaiden, etc. The people who gave this game a low score must be casual gamers that want every game to be easy like Call of Duty for example. This game may not be for everyone but it mostly for hardcore gamer like me, that want a challenge and the long length of the game and that are sick of modern games going water down and give us 4-6 hours single player length and getting rip off from 60$ games. This game has everything what hardcore gamer want. If you want a hard enemies, then you have it. If you want hard bosses, then you have it also. Struggling to see what items or weapons that is useful to you, then you have it. I love the dark atmosphere of this game. It make you feel like that there is no hope and everything want to kill you. After killing the boss that you have hard time on, it feel satisfies and rewarding. Anyone who never played Demon Souls like me, you haven't missed a thing but it take time to get used to the control and the game play. If your hardcore gamer like me who looking for a challenge, i would highly recommend to pick this up and also pick up the DLC of this game.… Expand
  92. Muuvinki
    Mar 14, 2013
    8
    Good game but you better be prepared to die alot. This game has a huge difficulty right from the start and bosses and enemies are tough. You might feel huge frustration while playing this game but if you can overcome that, then this is easily one of the most best games to ps3.
  93. 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
  94. infamaniac23
    Feb 20, 2013
    9
    This is the absolute best RPG of this generation. Story the story is very interesting and deep, it isn't told to you, you have to discover it by yourself, which increases the replay value by a lot. gameplay absolutely amazing if I were to explain everything now it would take way too long. Graphics on an artistic view beautiful on a technical view ok. Sound voice acting is fine but nothingThis is the absolute best RPG of this generation. Story the story is very interesting and deep, it isn't told to you, you have to discover it by yourself, which increases the replay value by a lot. gameplay absolutely amazing if I were to explain everything now it would take way too long. Graphics on an artistic view beautiful on a technical view ok. Sound voice acting is fine but nothing special but the music is just amazing from boss themes or just laying around a bonfire it's subtle and epic at the same time. Overall easily a 10/10… Expand
  95. juicejuice
    Feb 3, 2013
    8
    Pretty awesome but Demon's Souls level design is a touch better
  96. Morfiss
    Jan 29, 2013
    8
    This game is so awesome! I love how this game is so brutal to noobs and it punishes you for not strategizing before a boss fight. Almost all the bosses are really fun to fight (not the Bed of Chaos). Theres heaps of cool items to collect. Every boss you kill rewards you greatly. The Lore is great if you ever look up the lore on youtube. This game can be really unpredictable. The graphics,This game is so awesome! I love how this game is so brutal to noobs and it punishes you for not strategizing before a boss fight. Almost all the bosses are really fun to fight (not the Bed of Chaos). Theres heaps of cool items to collect. Every boss you kill rewards you greatly. The Lore is great if you ever look up the lore on youtube. This game can be really unpredictable. The graphics, landscape and detail is amazing. The NPCs have their own character and the decisions you make on how to approach things can effect the rest of your gameplay however the PVP is terrible. Most PVP in this game involves some sort of cheap tactic such as: Super OP Magic, Lagstabbing, Hacking and Ganking.… Expand
  97. 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
  98. 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
  99. 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
  100. 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
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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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