User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2451 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Sep 9, 2023
    8
    A video game that sets a before and after in terms of world-building and level design, its unique and immersive storytelling, along with its well-crafted atmosphere, make it a game full of personality.

    Its level design is something I had never seen in another video game. Every corner of the environments, every enemy and their placement leads you to devise ways to overcome each obstacle.
    A video game that sets a before and after in terms of world-building and level design, its unique and immersive storytelling, along with its well-crafted atmosphere, make it a game full of personality.

    Its level design is something I had never seen in another video game. Every corner of the environments, every enemy and their placement leads you to devise ways to overcome each obstacle. All of this makes it an incredibly fun video game.

    Its only negative point is the poor performance in certain areas where it is not stable at all and can be a bit frustrating, especially in the Infested City, as it's a rather challenging area in combination with its poor performance.
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  2. Sep 7, 2023
    9
    the classic but it has aged a lot

    words words words words words words words words words words words words
  3. Sep 4, 2023
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While I understand it's normal for people to like the first game of a series they play the most, I'll take my nostalgia goggles off and respectfully disagree, I find the original Dark Souls to be the weakest in the series.

    Pros:

    - First half of the game for the most part is great. While some of the bosses are fairly terrible, the enemy and zone design is still S tier.

    - The graphics and detail of environments is crazy for a 2011 game.

    - There's plenty of enemy variance and for the most part each biome contains enemies which feel suitable to the location.

    - Some of the music slaps.

    - The DLC is S tier

    Cons:

    - The back end of the game is clearly unfinished and much less effort was put into it. E.g. Firesage demon is a 2nd reskin of the tutorial boss, Demon ruins and Lost Izalith have insanely lazily placed re-used enemies. 9 Taurus demons just plopped into a corner of the zone, 5-6 capra demons strewn across the other side , 9 bounding demons placed anywhere in the lava before bed of chaos.

    - None of the 4 intro cutscene bosses feel as good as Ornstein and Smough or even Quelaag. Bed of chaos the gimmick of gimmick bosses. Nito moves like a slug and his attacks are just as slow. His entire boss fight is the adds. Seith is the most boring dragon fight in any RPG hit a sword behind him and attack him while moving back when he summons spikes, otherwise hug him. He doesn't fly or move. 4 Kings feel like bosses designed for the early game with laughable damage.

    - Some of the other bosses are poorly designed. Capra demon's entire gimmick is the 2 dogs with him. Taurus demon's entire gimmick is to drop attack, Ceaseless Discharge entire gimmick is run to entrance and attack. Iron Golem entire gimmick is to wait for him to exhaust himself, attack or wait for him to attack and fall off the platform. Gaping Dragon's entire gimmick is to bait a charge and attack over and over. Pinwheel is far too easy for the difficulty of the mobs prior to fighting him. Seems anti-intuitive to make Gwyn, the final boss so easy to parry. Like pinwheel, Priscilla is far too easy in comparison to the zone she resides in.

    - I understand it's popular for people to gatekeep the story of the game by saying that the story is amazing but you need to look into it more to be able to interpret it. I could not disagree more. Making the story a compilation of 100+ item descriptions is not a good story.
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  4. Aug 24, 2023
    0
    Perhaps the most overrated game in history next to Zelda. The difference is that Zelda has more colors. They are games of the same style, based on memorizing the moment to dodge the monster's attack by rolling with your character, and then attacking to dmg the life of the same enemy.

    Games simply made easy with just two buttons for a target audience that doesn't like difficulty. The
    Perhaps the most overrated game in history next to Zelda. The difference is that Zelda has more colors. They are games of the same style, based on memorizing the moment to dodge the monster's attack by rolling with your character, and then attacking to dmg the life of the same enemy.

    Games simply made easy with just two buttons for a target audience that doesn't like difficulty.

    The story in this game is simply non-existent. It copied several previous games, but because it was so accessible for ease, it became more popular and rightly named after a perjorative genre called “SoulsLike”.

    If you don't want to play easy games, when you come across this Tag, stay away. It is aimed at players who got tired of Nintendo's repetitive knight saving the princess stories and decided to play with less colors on another platform.
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  5. Aug 5, 2023
    8
    Really good game, but the second half is dog water. It's a damn shame they didn't have enough time to flesh out the later areas of the game, but the first half and DLC more than make up for it.
  6. agq
    Jul 28, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the closest any game will ever come to in terms of true art. The story is told through rare bits of NPC dialogue, descriptions of items, and the world around you. The enemies, bosses and world design feel intricately designed in a way that makes the world feel real and lived in. This game-play can go from dreadful to fearless depending on where you are, the trip into the Depths and down to Blighttown always gives me a unique sense of dread that not even a horror game could give me. But you persist and move on through the game, unveiling the ending leaving you thinking that you have played the greatest game ever to be created. Expand
  7. Jun 28, 2023
    10
    Best level design I have ever seen and I dont think it has been topped yet. Atleast the part until Arnor Londo.
  8. Jun 13, 2023
    9
    The beginning of a legend! Since the first part, I'm hooked to the series. Played the Prepare To Die Edition. Overall rating: 9.3.
  9. Mar 20, 2023
    10
    Few games hit as hard as Dark Souls when the end credits roll. This game was a journey. A very deep, personal journey full of danger, death and darkness, but overcoming those obstacles gives you the strength to move forward. It might not be for everyone, but those who triumph in the hostile world of Lordran will cherish this experience as something truly special.
  10. Mar 7, 2023
    9
    Este juego aún no lo eh jugado o completado, así que pondré una reseña y nota diferentes cuando lo haga.
  11. Feb 17, 2023
    10
    Dark Souls 1, simplesmente maravilhoso e uns dos melhores games da década passada! e o melhor jogo "Souls" pra mim ao lado de Elden Ring e Demon's Souls!
    foi o game que mudou minha vida pra sempre e se tornou uns dos meus favoritos de todos os tempos ao lade de Ocarina of Time e Super Metroid.
  12. Feb 15, 2023
    10
    The best souls game and hardest (after Sekiro). The entire game world is mostly self-contained and interconnected like a dollhouse.

    There are flaws: The sidequests are non-intuitive and pretty random. Crafting is really annoying and tedious. Some levels were clearly rushed. But even with these flaws, it is the only souls game you need to play, all the sequels (except for Sekiro) are
    The best souls game and hardest (after Sekiro). The entire game world is mostly self-contained and interconnected like a dollhouse.

    There are flaws: The sidequests are non-intuitive and pretty random. Crafting is really annoying and tedious. Some levels were clearly rushed.

    But even with these flaws, it is the only souls game you need to play, all the sequels (except for Sekiro) are just rehashing more of the same.
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  13. Feb 14, 2023
    10
    it's udisputable 10/10; Btw DS got an Ultimate game of all time by GJ. I'am agreed with that. Such emotions, much atmosphere, solid challenge, git gud.
  14. Jan 31, 2023
    9
    masterpiece

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  15. Jan 26, 2023
    10
    From Software's masterpiece that partly redefined the video game industry..
  16. Jan 15, 2023
    8
    This is a great game with a great difficulty it says on the back prepare to die and which I was prepared I don’t how I beat this game 10 years ago unfortunately I lost my copy but about 2 weeks ago I went to a video game store and said to myself I should get dark souls again it was pretty easy to find because I found it after 2 minutes and I wasn’t even looking for it at that time overallThis is a great game with a great difficulty it says on the back prepare to die and which I was prepared I don’t how I beat this game 10 years ago unfortunately I lost my copy but about 2 weeks ago I went to a video game store and said to myself I should get dark souls again it was pretty easy to find because I found it after 2 minutes and I wasn’t even looking for it at that time overall I think you should get the remastered version I only got the PS3 version for nostalgia both are pretty good but if you’re looking for an elden ring experience get Dark Souls 3 or stick with Elden ring Expand
  17. Jan 6, 2023
    10
    I never had the patience and never will to play a fron software game, but this game is very good. I don't have the patience to play but I had to watch the entire campaign on Youtube
  18. Dec 9, 2022
    10
    A classic. That I have enjoyed more after it first came out, I think, I didn't understand how good it was because I had not played anything like it before.
  19. Dec 7, 2022
    5
    I really tried to enjoy Dark Souls and made some decent progress over the time I played it. Unfortunately, the more I played it the less and less appeal the game had to me. Gameplay and progress are painfully slow there was little to no story to keep me engaged. I'm glad I tried it though as now I'll be sure to steer clear of FromSoft and Souls-likes moving forward.
  20. Nov 28, 2022
    10
    The most impactful game of its generation and a game that From Software still has not exceeded.

    Interestingly, it is Demons Souls, and not Dark Souls, that invented the Souls genre. Dark Souls merely polishes every aspect of Demons Souls design. In terms of atmosphere, gameplay, sound design and lore, this is a magnificent game. But in one aspect it is far beyond any other game, and
    The most impactful game of its generation and a game that From Software still has not exceeded.

    Interestingly, it is Demons Souls, and not Dark Souls, that invented the Souls genre. Dark Souls merely polishes every aspect of Demons Souls design.

    In terms of atmosphere, gameplay, sound design and lore, this is a magnificent game. But in one aspect it is far beyond any other game, and that is level design. No game has ever done it better, and From Software have yet to replicate the incredible feeling of loneliness when your character is stuck far away from Firelink Shrine. Linearity and fast travel have taken that feeling away from From Software games, as the games have become more focused on action than adventure.

    And so, this remains the best Souls game, and probably the best game of all time.
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  21. Nov 24, 2022
    10
    a true masterpiece, it revolutionized the world of video games by inventing a new genre, it has inspired and continues to inspire everyone. the gameplay is extremely satisfying and the level design is the best that has ever been seen in the entire history of video games
  22. Nov 10, 2022
    10
    From Software vio la historia de los videojuegos y dijo: ahora me toca a mí. Esta vez sí.
  23. Nov 10, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. JOYAAAAA Realmente me encantó el juego. FASCINANTE LA AMBIENTACIÓN Y LA JUGABILIDAD Expand
  24. Nov 4, 2022
    10
    Um dos melhores jogos que já joguei, sem dúvida merece ser o melhor de todos os tempos. Nunca será esquecido.
  25. Oct 27, 2022
    10
    Best game ever made (Tied with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mass Effect Trilogy).

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

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

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

    I got Assassins Creed Odyssey the other day for 10 bucks, and I had to get a refund because it feels so poorly made when you're used to Souls games.
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  26. Oct 24, 2022
    8
    85/100
    Dark Souls is undoubtably the best game of the seventh console generation. The fallen kingdom of Lordran is a both terrifying and beautiful corpse that perpetually enchants with its twisted, atmospheric ruined landscapes. The journey through its dilapidated castles, mystical forests and infernal caves constantly surprises and keeps you on your toes challenging in constantly
    85/100
    Dark Souls is undoubtably the best game of the seventh console generation. The fallen kingdom of Lordran is a both terrifying and beautiful corpse that perpetually enchants with its twisted, atmospheric ruined landscapes. The journey through its dilapidated castles, mystical forests and infernal caves constantly surprises and keeps you on your toes challenging in constantly shifting ways your sense of direction, observational skills and combat prowess, with a ruthless challenge that only on rare occasions becomes truly unmanageable. The bedazzling, sheer variety of locations, with everchanging ambience, level structure, environmental hazards and enemies, makes the experience delightfully heterogeneous as the player finds its own way in the masterfully constructed map of Lordran, beautifully interconnected as it intricately branches and twists around itself with superb level design as exploration is constantly rewarded with branching pathways, countless shortcuts to unlock, secret pathways to open and hidden areas to discover. Many NPCs throughout the map can also be found and befriended, as their storylines provide a nice, moody narrative breather to exploration while also providing insight to the game's hidden lore. Sadly, the beauty of the level design doesn't last the entirety of the experience as it dwindles in the second half of the game, where the map structure isn't as brilliant and often lacks that same depth. Combat, on the other hand, mantains the same level of quality all the way throghout, with amazing enemy variety and depth of systems all the way throghout, as the player is provided with a plethora of different weapons, armors, tools and mechanics to suit their playstyle or experiment, and enemies continuously change their attack patterns challenging quick reflexes and adaptability, while progression demands thoughtful healing resource management, but even upon failure the game gives you the chance to learn from your mistakes offering you the possibility to reclaim your lost EXP if reaching your place of death, making for an extremely rewarding, gratifying experience. Bosses are the ultimate test of skill of the game, and their quality is somewhat fluctuating. The majority are amazing, beautifully stimulating duels with varied attacks and interesting twists that demand quick thinking and mindful positioning, while the others are less polished, with simple repeated, dull attack patterns and/or a faulty technical side, namely claustrophobic arenas or a confusing camera. The greatest flaw of the game is a decisively lacking balancing, as the overpowered magic build makes the majority of the game dramatically easier.
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  27. Sep 2, 2022
    10
    A genre defining masterpiece with excellent combat and challenging enemies and bosses. A must for for people who like to be challenged.
  28. Aug 31, 2022
    10
    Если в Sekiro глубже боевая система, в Bloodborne сильнее стиль, лор и атмосфера, в DS3 лучше боссы и саундтрек, в Elden Ring грандиозней мифология и мир, то в первой DS есть всего от этого понемногу, плюс самое впечатляющее строение мира и наиболее трогательная история. Единственная игра Миядзаки, титры которой я встречал со слезами на глазах. И, к счастью, это не от техническогоЕсли в Sekiro глубже боевая система, в Bloodborne сильнее стиль, лор и атмосфера, в DS3 лучше боссы и саундтрек, в Elden Ring грандиозней мифология и мир, то в первой DS есть всего от этого понемногу, плюс самое впечатляющее строение мира и наиболее трогательная история. Единственная игра Миядзаки, титры которой я встречал со слезами на глазах. И, к счастью, это не от технического состояния проекта или его хардкорности. Expand
  29. Aug 15, 2022
    10
    People say that your first souls game is your favorite one in the series this may not be the case for everyone but it's definitely true with me. I know how much this game is flawed but for me, this game is the closest one to a masterpiece out of the souls-borne games. I will start with the flaws. Firstly, lost Izalith just terrible level design boring enemies, and a majorly disappointingPeople say that your first souls game is your favorite one in the series this may not be the case for everyone but it's definitely true with me. I know how much this game is flawed but for me, this game is the closest one to a masterpiece out of the souls-borne games. I will start with the flaws. Firstly, lost Izalith just terrible level design boring enemies, and a majorly disappointing boss battle at the end of it. Secondly, blight town I dreaded every time I had to go through it everything that you hate about the souls game is present at this place poison, frame rate drops, a simple mistake and you fall to your death, flying enemies that are extremely hard to hit, and believe me I could keep going. The last flaw for me is magic it's just too op it's like playing on normal difficulty in this game. Now moving to the great things about this game. The level design is amazing for the most part. Firelink shrine is the best hob world in the series. Just like what we expect from fromsoftware amazing boss fights. I think that dark souls showed companies and game devs that people still enjoy really difficult games and those games could go mainstream. A truly game changer that is a must-play. Expand
  30. Jul 31, 2022
    10
    A very hard game. The mechanics are great. The history is very good. You have to learn the mechanics if you want to progress. The most bosses are great. It's a very good action game and a great RPG game.
  31. Ygs
    Jul 14, 2022
    9
    Undoubtedly, it was one of the most memorable experiences that I had in my whole life, special boss fights with great designs, great music, but without a story, unfortunately, there are bugs and Ai problems.
  32. May 6, 2022
    10
    One of my all time favourite games ever. The world is the best I have ever experienced. Difficulty feels challenging but fair. The locations are varied and unique (world feels very believable as well). This game has changed my life forever, a fantastic experience.
  33. Apr 23, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Story :
    The current scenario in the game is not really incredible, no long cinematics to explain the Story except the first one which is very enigmatic, the game takes place in the kingdom of Lordran, we play as the "Chosen Undead" our goal is to link the fire so the world won't be consumed by darkness, or we have the choice to let the world be devoured by darkness and abyss, the reason why i'm saying that the game is so particular is because it doesn't give all the pieces of the puzzle, if you want to know more about the Story/Lore you need to explore the world by yourself, reading item's description, talking with npc's and give attention to the incredible environment, the Lore is so profound and fantastic.
    in Dark Souls everything have a meaning, like Dying and Respawning and the Healing system everything is explained, it makes the game so much stunning and it makes it stand out from all the other Games.

    Gameplay :
    the Gameplay is tough and challenging, also simple but effective, its a Dark Fantasy Action RPG yes but the Game also created its own genre the Souls-Likes, with the Stamina bar that you have to manage, the Parry and Backstabs, its not only a roll simulator like people say the Gameplay is very diversified, you can play with many classes you can also start with a Mage and end up playing as a Knight, the replay value is really good there are many weapons with their unique move sets.
    Let's talk now about the Bosses which is something well known of Dark Souls, they are awesome they are all unique, well there are some trash Bosses like Bed of Chaos and Capra Demon which are only a pain in the ass, but some of the trash ones got a very sad and good Story.
    Time for the Level/World Design, clearly its easily the strongest point of the Game, everything is connected and its not only connected its skillfully and intelligently done, from Firelink Shrine you can see like 4 Areas of the mid/late game, and you can go to like 9 Areas from Firelink Shrine its just so **** awesome.
    Talking about the Areas everyone of them offers something new and irreplaceable, some of them are gorgeous and other are... trash like Tomb of Giants, but in this Game you always have option to make something easier, or to directly skip an Area many things can be optional its up to you and your choices, even if the Game isn't an Open World you have a lot of freedom like you can kill the Four Kings in the early Game or kill Pinwheel to have the ability to kindle to 20 Estus Flasks, you have the choice to start wherever you want and that's amazing for a non-Open World Game.
    The fact that the player feels like he's lost and worried makes the experience so special, you must play the Game in solo to feel this of course.
    There's also the Humanity system which allows you to be human(lol), add more Estus Flasks and do many more tasks with Npc's
    You also have the ability to reclaim your lost "Souls" after dying, its your in-game "money" but be aware if you die a second time without reclaiming them, they'll be lost forever.
    And finally before i end this category i wanted to talk about the happiness and the appeasing feeling that you have after finding a hidden bonfire or winning a Boss Fight that you've been struggling against for many hours, its a feeling rarely matched in the Gaming history, Hidetaka Miyazaki wasn't trying to make the player suffer, he wanted him to experience a feeling of success.

    Sound Track :
    in Dark Souls there is only 4 places with music except for Boss Battles, and everyone of the 4 areas is important to the world, in your journey you'll only hear your footsteps, armor and your orgasms, and in my opinion it reinforces the immersion.
    Its a secret for no one the Bosses Ost's are **** epic some are sad for particular Bosses like Artorias, Gwyn or Sif, but in general they are all good.
    The Voice Acting is phenomenal without any doubt, it serves the immersion in a engraved world of sorrow and hopelessness.

    Graphics :
    Dark Souls got good Graphics it maybe not the greatest aspect of the Game but its playable, just don't wait for a very high budget AAA Game, but still the Game looks pretty and can charm you with its incredible Art Direction.

    Bugs & Problems :
    The Game have issues, it got Bugs it wasn't a big problem for me but yeah, it has some collision problems like there's no wall in the game, the hitboxes are sometimes "trash" against Black Dragon Kalameet or with Ceaseless Discharge.
    Dying because its my fault i can accept it, but dying because of some Bugs or **** Hitboxes is just Frustrating, but i assure you i mainly die because of my mistakes these **** Bugs aren't the main reason and happen very rarely.

    Conclusion :
    Hard, ruthless, entertaining and satisfying, Dark Souls oblige us to reach our limits for a pleasing feeling in the end, its definitely a must play if you go
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  34. Apr 6, 2022
    10
    There will always be mixed thoughts about the greatness of Dark Souls, where the ones who likes the game absolutely adores it and the ones who dislikes the game hates it to their entire core. Even though there are a majority of players who like the game it's still interesting to see why a minority of people hate it so much.

    The first criticism the game face is the difficulty and how
    There will always be mixed thoughts about the greatness of Dark Souls, where the ones who likes the game absolutely adores it and the ones who dislikes the game hates it to their entire core. Even though there are a majority of players who like the game it's still interesting to see why a minority of people hate it so much.

    The first criticism the game face is the difficulty and how it's not well crafted. To understand what makes Dark Souls difficult we have to look at how you progress, trial in error. The whole point is to loose on your first attempt until you learn not to, given you advance through learning patterns, improve stats, explore and gather strong and hidden items.

    Reading some negative reviews it seems people would like a variety of combat which has more depth to it and that's the correct way of adding difficulty. This is valid criticism, in wishing for a better combat, but I will advocate to say that the exploring is an unique way of adding difficulty. You will get punished for not only understanding the patterns of bosses, but also not exploring. Through exploring you will either find checkpoints (bonfires) and find game changing items or weapons who might make the game easier. Through exploring you will also farm xp (souls) to level up your character to also make the game easier. There is also the fact that you can summon online players who ALSO makes the game easier.

    As mentioned the combat is quite simple, you get awarded for patience essentially and putting all these other factors into equation the game can turn really easy with patience. Rushing this game for this reason might make Dark Souls less enjoyable and harder. The game is uninviting in the sense of colors and overall dark theme which is understandable of why people don't want to explore. There still is a sense of achievment that you're able to conquer such a dark scary world and uncover all the corners and secrets in the game. I often also see people say "Games are supossed to be fun, not torture!", and yes I agree. Dark Souls is able to constantly give us a feel of achievment after conquering areas and bosses, you truly feel proud of yourself after completing and discovering secrets on your own. With frustration comes joy, and beyond the fact no one would play Dark Souls if they truly didn't enjoy it.

    All in all, this game is a masterpiece that has even created it's own genre "souls-like", still this game isn't for everyone. Music will always be opinions, but imo the soundtrack collection is also amazing. The world building in the sense that litterally every area is connected through shortcuts is genius. And last but not least, the difficulty feels rewarding, but it's of course going to depend on how you approach the game, if you rush the game or patiently trying to explore and understand the game.
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  35. Apr 2, 2022
    9
    This is the first souls game that I played, and my second favorite after dark souls 3. There are certain aspects of this game that are very good, and that I wish they kept in the later souls games, such as the perfect level design. The interconnectedness was much more prevalent here than the later souls games, and it felt very special. There are other factors that cause me to rate DarkThis is the first souls game that I played, and my second favorite after dark souls 3. There are certain aspects of this game that are very good, and that I wish they kept in the later souls games, such as the perfect level design. The interconnectedness was much more prevalent here than the later souls games, and it felt very special. There are other factors that cause me to rate Dark Souls 3 higher, but in my opinion, there are several superior features in this game that are lost in the later games. Expand
  36. Mar 31, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. القصة شرحها الطريقة المشاهد القليلة الشخصيات الطريقة الغريبة القيم البلاي المختلف الي قدم شي خرافي ما اكول شي غير Dark Souls Best Game Expand
  37. Mar 27, 2022
    10
    Dark Souls is the Dark Souls of games
    Spent OVER 600 Hours on PS3
    One of the best games, EVER
  38. Mar 14, 2022
    10
    I heard about Dark Souls series for the first time in times of Bloodborne, about its horrible dificulty, and about the good game it was. "Yeah, sure..." I thought and I bought it for PS3 as I like to play the games on its original console. The blow and attonishement this game caused to me can be compared with the best of the best of old generations (Ocarina, FFVII, Mario 64, Tomb Raider,I heard about Dark Souls series for the first time in times of Bloodborne, about its horrible dificulty, and about the good game it was. "Yeah, sure..." I thought and I bought it for PS3 as I like to play the games on its original console. The blow and attonishement this game caused to me can be compared with the best of the best of old generations (Ocarina, FFVII, Mario 64, Tomb Raider, Sonic, Street Fighter II....) and gave me back the hope I had lost in the industry. One of the best games in history. Expand
  39. Mar 14, 2022
    10
    Dark Souls takes the ambitious and challenging design of Demon's Souls and expands on it in every way imaginable. With one of the most ingenious interconnecting map designs, brilliant and deliberate combat, and exciting boss battles, Dark Souls is one of the greatest 3D games ever made.
  40. Mar 13, 2022
    8
    the game that started it all, although not perfect, but that is just enough to be listed as a must play
  41. Mar 6, 2022
    10
    One of the greatest rpgs of the last decade,this game has it all from hardcore boss design to good story.
  42. Mar 1, 2022
    8
    The first half is pure gold, the second half not as good, this game has bosses, enemies, and complex levels baked into the interconnected world. You figure out the lore and the story through the item descriptions and the interesting characters you meet along the way. I find the main reason I like this game as much as I do is because of the atmosphere generated by the lack of options, andThe first half is pure gold, the second half not as good, this game has bosses, enemies, and complex levels baked into the interconnected world. You figure out the lore and the story through the item descriptions and the interesting characters you meet along the way. I find the main reason I like this game as much as I do is because of the atmosphere generated by the lack of options, and how unforgiving the world is. This gives the game a personality of it's own, and I find this personality enthralling. The reason I don't think that this is a 10/10 game is because of a few levels, enemies, and bosses feeling boring, rushed, and lazy. 8/10 Expand
  43. Feb 24, 2022
    10
    Primeiro jogo da from que joguei lá no meu antigo ps3 , nossa que jogo maravilhoso adorei o estilo e a dificuldade que ele tinha, as lutas contra os boss são epicas , ele tinha seus bugs lá no ps3 mas nem ligava , a lore também é demais!!
  44. Feb 20, 2022
    10
    It feels like a souls-like game and it borrows way too much from the source.
  45. Feb 18, 2022
    8
    Honestly got so bored after 4 hours. It s just grinding, the combat is pretty simplistic. The exploration is **** because ur only swarmed with enemies. I m not gonna give it a 0 as some people might like challening themselves but its definitely nothing for everyone and some might find it unplayable
    EDIT: IT S STILL EZ AND MOSTLY GRINDING BUT OPEN WORLD PRETTY WELL DONE I JUST FINISHED IT
    Honestly got so bored after 4 hours. It s just grinding, the combat is pretty simplistic. The exploration is **** because ur only swarmed with enemies. I m not gonna give it a 0 as some people might like challening themselves but its definitely nothing for everyone and some might find it unplayable
    EDIT: IT S STILL EZ AND MOSTLY GRINDING BUT OPEN WORLD PRETTY WELL DONE I JUST FINISHED IT **** FOUR KINGS AND GWYN FIRST TIME
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  46. Feb 16, 2022
    10
    It was elected the best game of all time for a reason. The best gameplay that you can find is right here.
  47. Feb 6, 2022
    10
    Best game ever. Everything was impressive. I think FROM will remake this someday.
  48. Nov 16, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Podría decir que es mi juego favorito. Un mapeado excelente que nos muestra partes de la historia , la cual tambien es excelente , no por su calidad , sino por como está distribuida , el juego no te explica nada. Tienes que ir tu mismo descubriendola observando los mapas e incluso la colocación de los enemigos influye en la historia por ejemplo : aparece un extraño soldado encerrado en una torre , y luego te das cuenta de que era un viejo amigo de un dios qué fue encerrado en esa torre porque Estaba en desacuerdo con las actuaciones de ese dios . Este es un ejemplo de la escelente colocación de enemigos , los cuales te tienden elaboradas trampas que te pueden matar en 1 segundo si no estás . Este juego también es difícil, muy difícil , EXTREMADAMENTE DIFICIL. Expand
  49. Dec 24, 2021
    10
    Dark Souls was...

    - Winner of "Ultimate Game of All Time" at the Golden Joysticks Awards (2021)
    - Winner (1st) on Edge's special issue "The 100 Greatest Videogames" (2015)
    - Winner (1st) on GamesRadar's "The 100 Best Games Ever" list (2015)
  50. Nov 23, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Flawed Masterpiece......a fantastic game and a must play for anyone who loves action RPGs. Expand
  51. Oct 30, 2021
    10
    One of the best Games known to mankind.
    From Software is a safe heaven for the Gaming community.
    Especially in times where big Developers dissapiont us with theyr fraudulent intent.
    Praise the sun!
  52. Oct 13, 2021
    10
    One of the greatest games of all time. Before playing any other souls game, start here, you will have an amazing time.
  53. Oct 13, 2021
    7
    If one has the guts to try out Dark Souls, the game that has a "brutal" difficulty as one of its main selling points, they will be greeted with not only a game that is much more fair than it is made out to be online, but also an amazing work of art that goes very much beyond a simple "hard game".
    Firstly, yes, Dark Souls is challenging when compared to the rest of the gaming landscape
    If one has the guts to try out Dark Souls, the game that has a "brutal" difficulty as one of its main selling points, they will be greeted with not only a game that is much more fair than it is made out to be online, but also an amazing work of art that goes very much beyond a simple "hard game".
    Firstly, yes, Dark Souls is challenging when compared to the rest of the gaming landscape today, but it is almost never unfair.
    Enemies are deadly and aggressive, often catching you by surprise, and your attacks might be quite slow (due to a mechanic related to the weight you're carrying), so you can die extremely fast and often. But with just a little time and the patience to study your enemies and your timings, eventually every scenario, every foe can be mastered and faced with confidence. In Dark Souls, you will find yourself in many apparently impossible situations that will make you want to give up, but if you find the willpower to try over and over again, soon you'll realize that your enemy is much more predictable than you initially thought, and you'll slowly learn how to efficiently deal with every attack they throw at you, all the way to that satisfying victory where you overcome the struggle. That feeling, that satisfaction when your skill gets you to victory is where Dark Souls shines the brightest: fights are so masterfully crafted that you're always challenged but never aggressively. There's never need to grind levels because the game is an Action first and an RPG second: your skill alone can take you anywhere, no matter the level. But if you're really stuck in one place, then you'll surely be of the appropriate level for another area of the world, which leads us to the other thing that Dark Souls excels at: the Level Design.
    Exploring in Dark Souls is a true delight.
    Firstly, there's immense variety in how areas are structured: some have huge open spaces while others are claustrofobic labyrinths of stairs and ladders, some develop horizontally while other vertically, some have traps so you need to watch your step while others might require you to fight enemies on extremely scarce footing, risking to fall to your death.
    This variety maintains the experience fun all the way, making it feel like a real odyssey. Protagonist is the player, given full control of the adventure because the story doesn't point you in any specific direction: you are free to explore Lordran however you desire and carve your own path, deciding which road to take on first.
    The mechanic of losing EXP upon death and having only one chance to retrieve it it's also an extremely smart idea, providing an harsh punishment that raises the stakes but still offers a chance to players who have learnt from their mistakes.
    So this is was what Dark Souls does tremendously well, and defined it as a classic of the seventh generation. But there's also a side of the game that is not as pretty, and definitely not as brilliant. The dirtier, rougher parts of it.
    Starting with the technical stuff: slow combos and the input lag are deliberate design choices, and they make sense within this combat system, but the input queue that can generate doesn't, and gets a tad ridiculous at times. You might mash a little the attack button and then dodge, but if you pressed the attack button even one time too much, your character will still do the attack animation after dodging, even if one full second passed, leading to awkward frustrating situations that punish mashing excessively. Secondly, the game is simply badly balanced in regards of Magic. There's no other way to put it. Any veteran player will admit that the Magic Build is basically the "easy mode" of the game, removing not all but most of the challenge, particularly with bosses.
    Speaking of bosses, they are the highlight of the game as a whole. So when they fail they fail hard, and it's not a rare occasion.
    Be it too small arenas, a horrible camera that just can't handle huge enemies or boring movesets: the game has almost as many bad/plain bosses as it has great bosses. And there's nothing worst than having to do a long run from the checkpoint back to a bad boss each time you die, which is another issue: there's no benefit in putting the player through the tedious ordeal of doing the same path over and over again. Checkpoints closer to the boss or bigger shortcuts would've helped immensely.
    Last, but definitely not least: your swings can't go through walls... obviously. But your enemy's attacks can. For some reason. Go figure. Or, in other words: Dark Souls is an incredible experience that will test your reflexes and learning abilities with a fair challenge in a world that it's a joy to explore, rich of secrets and lore. While most of the experience is of extremely good quality, we can't ignore a substantial amount of mediocre or bad boss encounters, some very poor balancing and a couple of technical issues that leave an unwashable stain on this beautiful experience.
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  54. Oct 12, 2021
    10
    Unfinished? yes. But perfect, probably the greatest video game of all time.
  55. Oct 7, 2021
    8
    Dark Souls is above all else in my mind, an experience.

    it's easy to start waxing poetic when talking about Soulsborne games because the concepts found within the lore are generally pretty philosophical, take the endings for example, is it better to let the flame die out and allow nature to take its natural course, ending one civilization and ushering in the next? Or to cling to the way
    Dark Souls is above all else in my mind, an experience.

    it's easy to start waxing poetic when talking about Soulsborne games because the concepts found within the lore are generally pretty philosophical, take the endings for example, is it better to let the flame die out and allow nature to take its natural course, ending one civilization and ushering in the next? Or to cling to the way things are and try to preserve our current age? Embrace modernism or tradition? See what I mean?

    Anyway now to talk about the actual game itself. Dark Souls is a game made by Hidetaka Miyazaki and FromSoftware in 2011 as a spiritual successor to the Sony owned Demon's Souls, and yes, that is an incredibly annoying name to say out loud. Dark Souls takes many of the ideas found Demon's Souls and makes them better for lack of a better word. From a linear level structure to an interconnected world that, with a few exceptions, all exist in the same place, taking the elevator from the Undead Parish back down to Firelink Shrine is an unforgettable feeling. Dark Souls also went pretty hard on the pain when it came to boss design, where Demonses Soulsies has... Phalanx... Dark Souls has the Taurus Demon, which is... ya know... a real fight. Not to say Dark Souls bosses are objectively better or anything, there is pretty much every boss in Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith which all kinda suck, but hey, there was an attempt.

    Story wise Dark Souls is very basic; you're an undead and you're tasked with ringing two bells, one above, one below, which eventually leads you to find that you're special, you're the Chosen Undead, now tasked with making your way to the Kiln of The First Flame and kindling the First Flame to prolong the age of fire that's fading away, or if you do some sequence breaking, you can embrace the dark and become the Dark Lord, letting the flame die out and ushering the age of dark, or "The age of man" as man is said to thrive in the dark where Gods thrive in the light. But as for what you actually DO in Dark Souls, you run around cool looking places and kill bosses, and that's kinda it for like 40 hours. It's a simple gameplay loop but a very addictive and fun one.

    The gameplay of Dark Souls is equally simple, you attack with R1 and R2, block and parry with L1 and L2 if you have a shield, dodge with O and drink your Sunny D with Square. In writing, Dark Souls combat is very... boring, it's basic, simple and not very flashy, compared to other action games like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, what makes Dark Souls standout however, is not YOUR attacks, but your enemies. There are a variety of foes in Dark Souls, some are giant, axe wielding Bull demons, others are tiny Lizards that will inflict horrific status effects on you, and others are f*cking dogs... god I hate the dogs in Dark Souls. All these enemies have different attacks and different solutions to fighting them, some are best fought defensively, waiting for your time to strike, while others require speed and precision, kicking away an enemies shield and cutting him down before he can regain his composure. The game makes you think on your feet and doesn't let up until you make it to one of few safe spaces like Firelink, or another area with a Bonfire.

    The way I've described it makes Dark Souls seem like a harsh and cruel world full of big as*hole dogs, lizards and men, but it's not all bad. Where there's dark there's light, and you'll meet many a friend in Dark Souls, be it a friendly Blacksmith who will upgrade your gear for the coming threat, a happy man with a bucket helmet who just wants to find his own sun and partake in some jolly co-operation, or a Onion Armoured adventure, ready for anything the world throws at him, you're not alone, you never really are in Lordran, especially in Online. There'll always be a Summon Sign, always be a Phantom walking by or resting at a bonfire, always a friend to watch your back.

    Not all is good with Dark Souls however, like I said, with dark comes light and with light must come dark. Dark Souls is home to some of the most infuriating, BS, asinine design I have ever witnessed. From The Bed of Chaos and her horrifically unfinished design, to Ceaseless Discharge and his unreadable hitboxes, and Blighttown... ugh. A lot of the latter half of the game is pretty bad, Lost Izalith is notoriously bad and frankly I recommend joining the Chaos Covenant to skip it completely. They reuse the first boss two more goddamn times, and Sens Fortress... just don't even bother unless you have Fast Roll. The latter half falls into unfairness bit which is a shame to say for a game that otherwise encompasses "hard but fair". Stuff like falling down and losing 40% for the Gravelord Nito fight, before it can even begin comes to mind.

    It's hard for me to say I don't love Dark Souls, because it's brilliant but it's also heavily flawed. But nonetheless I recommend it wholeheartedly.

    Stay safe friend, and don't you dare go Hollow
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  56. WPB
    Sep 21, 2021
    9
    Amazing game, but too easy, very atmospheric and calming, didn't get stressed once while playing, very chill vibes, put me to sleep at night. Reminded me of games like animal crossing and Minecraft with its relaxing aura.
  57. Sep 16, 2021
    9
    It's brilliant how they got the "die and try again" formula to be one of the most fun (and frustrating) experiences ever. The gameplay, the lore, almost everything in this game is awesome.
  58. Aug 30, 2021
    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
  59. Aug 9, 2021
    9
    juegazo 20/10 y god, ya en serio, el juego tiene varios jefes muy zzzz y armas muy zzzz, pero los que son los buenos jefes estan geniales y son de los mejores de la saga, decente banda sonora, armaduras bien, lore espectacular, yo le pondria un 9/10
  60. Jul 25, 2021
    10
    Amazing game, in depth review of Dark souls and the Remaster on my Dark Souls Remastered review,
  61. Jun 13, 2021
    10
    Story and Lore: 10/10
    Gameplay: 10/10
    Graphics: 9/10
    Multiplayer: 10/10
    BOSSES: 11/10

    GG EZ
  62. Jul 14, 2021
    10
    The masterpiece that spawned an entire genre of games and inspired countless others. A masterclass in both worldbuilding, storytelling and gameplay. A test of one's endurance and patience that also makes you grow as a person!
  63. Jul 9, 2021
    0
    Kskdjeoqjfkahwie he oqjdjeoqjw eiaheoqkqjeowie sowheiwjwiwjriwiw eorjeoqbr9wbq.
  64. Jun 3, 2021
    0
    This game is truly something magical.
    It was my first souls game.
    It gave light to my love for fromsoftware in general, it made my days, whenever I came back from a sad, disappointing or annoying day, I always get happy again, knowing ill get to play this masterpiece again. From the atmosphere of the game, the enemies, the bosses, level design, how everything is intertwined, and you can
    This game is truly something magical.
    It was my first souls game.
    It gave light to my love for fromsoftware in general, it made my days, whenever I came back from a sad, disappointing or annoying day, I always get happy again, knowing ill get to play this masterpiece again.
    From the atmosphere of the game, the enemies, the bosses, level design, how everything is intertwined, and you can see the previous area, and the next from any point.
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  65. May 28, 2021
    3
    ah yes, the infamous game dark souls, the one outdone by all of its sequels, I played the second one before playing the first, and it's clear where this game is dated, it's slow, rolling is clunky, and constant frame drops,blighttown was a complete nightmare at 15 fps, it's easy to get lost in general, and limited fast travel is inconvenient, if your going to play this game, play it firstah yes, the infamous game dark souls, the one outdone by all of its sequels, I played the second one before playing the first, and it's clear where this game is dated, it's slow, rolling is clunky, and constant frame drops,blighttown was a complete nightmare at 15 fps, it's easy to get lost in general, and limited fast travel is inconvenient, if your going to play this game, play it first so ds2 feels like an actual improvement Expand
  66. May 22, 2021
    9
    While Demon Souls was the first to establish the core formula for the Souls series, Dark Souls was the follow-up that not only perfected, but solidified the series identity and appeal. This is THE ORIGINAL GAME that spawned a new genre of games: the Souls-like genre. This is a genre defined by gameplay systems that are immensely difficult, soul-crushingly frustrating and punishing in everyWhile Demon Souls was the first to establish the core formula for the Souls series, Dark Souls was the follow-up that not only perfected, but solidified the series identity and appeal. This is THE ORIGINAL GAME that spawned a new genre of games: the Souls-like genre. This is a genre defined by gameplay systems that are immensely difficult, soul-crushingly frustrating and punishing in every possible way - AND people love this sort of thing because "modern videogames are just too soft, easy and forgiving". While that previous sentence may seem sarcastic, I actually really appreciate what Dark Souls is and what it does - even if it sometimes brings me to my wits end and makes me question why I'm wasting my time trying to fun by playing something that was designed with the deliberate intention of being downright difficult and just plain UNFAIR.

    Beyond it's obvious difficult gameplay, Dark Souls has fantastic combat and world design - both structurally and narratively. In this regard, the game is peerless. The overall vibe and aesthetic is brilliantly oppressive and (you guessed it) dark. This makes Dark Souls feel like a survival horror game instead of a dark fantasy RPG.

    The only pitfalls of this fantastic genre establishing game is, of course, the gruelling difficulty. While not as difficult as its sequels and spiritual successors (and other games that pay homage to it), the original Soul-crusher is still mightily challenging, sometimes to its own detriment. There are moments in this game where it feels like FromSoftware implemented certain elements just to frustrate gamers with things that require more luck than skill OR unparalleled amounts of patience.

    Nevertheless, this is (somehow) revered as a modern classic and the ones who persevere through this experience with great skill receive nearly equal amounts of reverence. Alas, I am not one of them because I not only think that videogames should be played for fun, but also because I'd prefer not to waste my time, and potentially risk my mental wellbeing, by trying to play something that is deliberately designed to frustrate me.

    Here's to you, Dark Souls - the darkest rose with the largest thorns.
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  67. May 20, 2021
    9
    Mi juego favorito, el que hizo que me enamorase de los juegos de rol. Gameplay muy bien hecho y muy entretenido, zonas impresionantes, enemigos y bosses icónicos y una gran historia, aunque seguramente tengas que ver vídeos y leer mil descripciones para enterarte de esta. Tiene sus defectos como la segunda mitad del juego que baja un poco la calidad o los gráficos que creo que hanMi juego favorito, el que hizo que me enamorase de los juegos de rol. Gameplay muy bien hecho y muy entretenido, zonas impresionantes, enemigos y bosses icónicos y una gran historia, aunque seguramente tengas que ver vídeos y leer mil descripciones para enterarte de esta. Tiene sus defectos como la segunda mitad del juego que baja un poco la calidad o los gráficos que creo que han envejecido bastante mal. Aún así es un juego que le recomiendo a todo el mundo. Expand
  68. May 14, 2021
    10
    No BS, only fun! Pure, exciting and mesmerizing game play from the beginning to the end with exeptional game play mechanics. No extensive cutscreens and unnecessary storytelling. Just great old school gaming!
  69. May 6, 2021
    10
    My favorite game in my opinion dark souls 1 has the best lore the best story the best npc the best voice acting the best music the best Music k the best World
  70. May 5, 2021
    9
    El juego que mas disfruté sin multijugador de Xbox 360. Lo terminaba una y otra vez intentando sacar todos los logros... y lo consegui !
  71. Apr 19, 2021
    9
    Um aprimoramento e polimento do que já conhecíamos em Demon's Souls, oferece um desafio elevado e tem muitos chefes marcantes.
  72. Apr 12, 2021
    10
    El juego es hermoso, execelente jugabilidad, dificultad alta eso sí pero quién le dedique tiempo y esfuerzo superará los retos igual que en la vida real. La historia que nos cuentan es asombrosa con personajes memorables que seguirán trascendiento aunque pase el tiempo porque no cualquier juego gana el título de juego de culto solo me queda recomendarlo a todos los valientes que quieranEl juego es hermoso, execelente jugabilidad, dificultad alta eso sí pero quién le dedique tiempo y esfuerzo superará los retos igual que en la vida real. La historia que nos cuentan es asombrosa con personajes memorables que seguirán trascendiento aunque pase el tiempo porque no cualquier juego gana el título de juego de culto solo me queda recomendarlo a todos los valientes que quieran tener una aventura como ningún otra(11/10) Expand
  73. MYP
    Mar 27, 2021
    10
    I recently bought a ps3 and X360 and played both versions in my free time (if there's anything remaining called free time) and the ps3 version was lacking a bit but it still offered the good old dark souls experience that we all know and love.
  74. Mar 27, 2021
    10
    One of the most, if not the most important video game of all time. Just like Super Mario Bros. In 1983, Dark Souls Saved gaming back in 2011.
  75. Mar 26, 2021
    10
    This is my personal favourite from software game. Amazing boss fights, some incredible areas, amazing level design, excellent combat, great customisation variety and build variety and great replay value. The second half of game at times feels rushed however with some poorly designed areas but the Dlc makes up for it undoubtedly.
  76. Mar 18, 2021
    10
    Fromsoft's masterpiece still today. Later titles are more polished, but no world has stacked up in quality to the original. Most interesting lore of the franchise, and incredibly memorable. Every nitpick I have for the game isn't enough to drop it from a 10. (Lost izalith and Bed of Chaos suck though. Really bad area.)
  77. Mar 12, 2021
    0
    I ate this game up like an anchovy free pizza when it was released back in 2011.
  78. Feb 22, 2021
    8
    Positive
    - Overall Graphics
    - Pre-Rendered Citscene
    - Good Challenge
    - Battle System
    - Lore
    - Environment Design
    - Amazing Atmosphere
    - Creature Design
    - Level Design
    - Build Costumization
    - Script

    Negative
    - Empty Protagonist
    - Unacceptable Lore
    - Level Curve
    - Item UI & Storage
    - Anemic Ending
  79. Feb 6, 2021
    10
    This game is a true classic that still holds up to even today's standards through creativity, gameplay, playstyle, and other aspects like scenery an example being at the drop-off spot of Anor Londo. The rewards and satisfaction for beating a boss you struggled with for hours upon hours heavily fills what Dark Souls was meant to be. The amount of weapons, armor, magic, etc. that you can mixThis game is a true classic that still holds up to even today's standards through creativity, gameplay, playstyle, and other aspects like scenery an example being at the drop-off spot of Anor Londo. The rewards and satisfaction for beating a boss you struggled with for hours upon hours heavily fills what Dark Souls was meant to be. The amount of weapons, armor, magic, etc. that you can mix and match with to create your perfect vision of a character either for lore wise or PvP wise. One of the huge aspects of Dark Souls is the online system of either being the host or the different phantom factions which is an excellent and creative way to build an actual online mode. With things like invaders or actual difficulty, there comes the generic stereotypical game critic that tries to tear Dark Souls apart by saying "waaah this game is too difficult!!!" when it's literally a simple solution of just "git gud", with their entire purpose being to just get people to stay away from the game and treating it like some sort of hellspawn. The skill and gear scaling of invaders is one of the only actual flaws this game has, which you could just flat out avoid by not playing online mode, "twinked" invaders could have stuff ranging from overly upgraded weapons, armor, or just use dark magic and essentially one-shot every host at a decent level range. The OST throughout most of the game is absolutely superb but lacking at a very few spots of the game. The design of most bosses is something you'd slightly expect from the genre Dark Souls comes from, but other than that, the design for the bosses and even some enemies in general look flat out spectacular from unique designs to some really good coloring. The whole lore and story part of Dark Souls is unique which you can learn portions of it through NPC dialogue and looking at the description of some weapons or just flat out beating certain parts of the game. Which brings back to the stereotypical game critic who tries to bash the game in by just flat out being too lazy to take anything in or explore the game for themselves and only uses the people that unironically read their reviews to spread their opinion as a crutch to continue hating on a "TOO HARD" or a "TOO BLAND" game when Dark Souls in reality can be taken as something insanely simple to something incredibly complex and deep. This also branches the online community into sections, examples being the new (or ganking) host and the jack-of-all-trade phantoms who could extremely vary in skill or equipment. These sections can also be broken down into either nice, ruthless, or the generic crybaby who'll cry until the world itself ends. With all of these game aspects in mind, this game is a complete masterpiece in the eyes of the people who spend enough time, dedication, and thought. Expand
  80. Jan 20, 2021
    10
    Very challenging game. Demands of the player a high level of focus and timing. The world layout is all interconnected with bonfires as checkpoints. The multiplayer aspect of the game is one of the most interesting mechanics I've ever seen in gaming. The four-way rolling system is a bit antiquated. I recommend playing the game at 30 FPS, the reason being is thats the intended design.Very challenging game. Demands of the player a high level of focus and timing. The world layout is all interconnected with bonfires as checkpoints. The multiplayer aspect of the game is one of the most interesting mechanics I've ever seen in gaming. The four-way rolling system is a bit antiquated. I recommend playing the game at 30 FPS, the reason being is thats the intended design. Changing the framerate to 60 (in my opinion) takes away from the cinematic effects that give the game its nuance. I recommend this game. Its frustrating, challenging, and rewarding. Its not for everyone but if you have even a slight interest, I think it is well worth your time. Good luck out there. Expand
  81. Jan 18, 2021
    10
    Epic game !!! a must play.

    Story: 8
    Gameplay: 10
    Music: 10
    Visuals: 10

    Personal score: 10 a master piece !!
  82. Dec 28, 2020
    10
    this game's difficulty is overrated.... It's not so difficult as everybody is saying.. It just has it's own original style, pace and approach to a gamer and gaming itself.. If You're the fan of God of War style games where You rush through the game with your brains not involved in the process but only buttons snapping - this game is not for You..
    To be successful and enjoy the process
    this game's difficulty is overrated.... It's not so difficult as everybody is saying.. It just has it's own original style, pace and approach to a gamer and gaming itself.. If You're the fan of God of War style games where You rush through the game with your brains not involved in the process but only buttons snapping - this game is not for You..
    To be successful and enjoy the process You have to think and plan the route and tactics - and as a result You will be awarded with the great joy and sense of achievement.
    10 with no discussions!
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  83. Dec 26, 2020
    10
    Eines der besten Videospiele aller Zeiten. Miyazaki und co. haben mit dem ersten Dark Souls-Spiel ein zeitloses Meisterwerk geschaffen, dass die Videospiellandschaft nachhaltig verändert und in Sachen Atmosphäre, Schwierigkeitsgrad, Gameplay, World-Design und Lore neue Maßstäbe gesetzt hat. Auch wenn es kleinere Schwächen, insbesondere in der zweiten Hälfte gibt ist dieses Spiel ganz obenEines der besten Videospiele aller Zeiten. Miyazaki und co. haben mit dem ersten Dark Souls-Spiel ein zeitloses Meisterwerk geschaffen, dass die Videospiellandschaft nachhaltig verändert und in Sachen Atmosphäre, Schwierigkeitsgrad, Gameplay, World-Design und Lore neue Maßstäbe gesetzt hat. Auch wenn es kleinere Schwächen, insbesondere in der zweiten Hälfte gibt ist dieses Spiel ganz oben im Olymp der Videospiele und man kommt nicht darüber hinweg, jedes Videospiel, was auch nur ansatzweise Parallelen zu Dark Souls hat damit zu vergleichen. Doch dieses ganz spezielle "Dark Souls Feeling" vermisst man in den meisten Spielen, Dark Souls hat dieses Feeling nicht nur im Überfluss, sondern hat es auch erfunden. Praise the Sun (and Dark Souls) Expand
  84. Dec 17, 2020
    10
    FromSoftware are masterminds for making this game, Thank You Hidetaka Miyazaki for this masterpiece!
  85. Nov 27, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dark souls es de mis favoritos y la verdad no sabría de donde empezar ya que casi todo en este juego esta rozando la perfección pero preferiría empezar por los escenarios por que los escenarios escenarios de la saga Dark Souls son realmente hermosos y únicos que cada uno de ellos son realmente únicos y destacan por si mismos, y mas aun destacan sus armaduras que realmente son mas que únicos y hasta algunas como las de ornstein o la de artorias, el diseño de las armas en un videojuego es importante eso esta claro, y este juego sobresalta en ello con armas que tienen movimientos y diseños mas que excelente, jefes con diseños sobresalientes que para algunos son mas difíciles o mas fáciles para algunos por que alfin y al cavo Dark Souls es un juego que depende de tu habilidad, algunos se pasan Dark Souls con la espada rota o con nv1 y es que si algo me gusta de este juego es que es puramente habilidad y eso que no eh contado ni la mitad de sus virtudes,pero le doy un 9...... Dark souls es difícil y no por eso le bajo la nota si no por que aveces puede ser injusto y eso puede llegar a joder y bastante, me ah pasado mas de una vez el que un arma haga hit a la pared cuando si o si debería tocar el enemigo y el apuntado de los arcos es nefasto pero la abalanza de las cosas buenas y las cosas malas es 99-1 y es que las cosas malas casi ni se notan y las cosas buenas brillan por su ausencia de verdad vale muchísimo la pena por que no eh dicho ni la mitad de las cosas buenas de este video juego que para mi es el mejor se su saga y de los mejores de la década pero veran.... Dark Souls es de esos juegos que te gustan o los odias, en juegos como Dark Souls no hay punto intermedio, si eres de esos que juega para relajarse pues obviamente puede que Dark Souls no sea para ti y de eso estoy un 99,37% seguro pero si eres de esos que quiere algo distinto, algo que no se sienta igual a lo demás, querer algo mas fresco para jugar en vez de jugar los shooters o battleroyals que salen cada 10 horas, puede que te guste si eres de esos que no les importa mucho la dificultad pues no pierdas tu tiempo y agrégalo al maldito carro YA YA YA! o te parto las jodidas piernas! de verdad vale muchísimo la pena Expand
  86. Nov 22, 2020
    10
    One of my favorite games of all time. DS has one of the coolest boss designs ever, it's so dark and mystical world that i have hard time describing it, you just have to try it. Absolute 10/10.
  87. Nov 18, 2020
    10
    The best game i have ever played. Lore is huge and told nicely for the people interested and the world is one of the most immersive ever. The RPG elements are done amazingly both with the level up system and customization. The level design is perhaps the best i have ever seen for the first 2/3 of the game and even late game it is still and enjoyable experience that i didnt want to end.The best game i have ever played. Lore is huge and told nicely for the people interested and the world is one of the most immersive ever. The RPG elements are done amazingly both with the level up system and customization. The level design is perhaps the best i have ever seen for the first 2/3 of the game and even late game it is still and enjoyable experience that i didnt want to end. Controls and gameplay is great despite what people say as long as you are playing with a controler and the bosses are great. The pvp is really bad so dont get your hopes up but coop can be pretty fun yet i do discourage summoning others for help as it can ruin the experence. The DLC is masterful in both storytelling and gameplay with one of the best bosses in gaming history. The game with the DLC will likely last around 40 hours or so depending on the player. There are pretty much no bugs in the game, only glitches that are performed intentionally by players. Overall as long as you play with a controller and are not afraid to face a bigger challenge than usuall i strongly suggest this game Expand
  88. Nov 16, 2020
    8
    es muy divertido jugarlo graficos buenos para la epoca historia un tanto profunda si hablamos con los personajes y vemos que historia hay detras y lo mismo va con los objetos que obtenemos dificultad desafiante no obtante esa dificultad la generamos nosotros si suben de nivel elegen su arma armadura ideal podran comvertirse en un paseo eso sin mencionar que se puede jugar comperativo aunes muy divertido jugarlo graficos buenos para la epoca historia un tanto profunda si hablamos con los personajes y vemos que historia hay detras y lo mismo va con los objetos que obtenemos dificultad desafiante no obtante esa dificultad la generamos nosotros si suben de nivel elegen su arma armadura ideal podran comvertirse en un paseo eso sin mencionar que se puede jugar comperativo aun mas facil todavia , por si se los preguntan tiene un modo facil es tu forma de jugar que lo crea su difucultad es un pincel en blanco nosotros lo hacemos, mi puntuacion final es un 8 de 10. Expand
  89. Nov 16, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat Expand
  90. Oct 8, 2020
    10
    A Piece of Master. One could only dream of more games being this satisfying.
  91. Oct 4, 2020
    10
    Yes this game is not for all, but I'm one of those who really liked it, for me this game is really cool.
  92. Sep 18, 2020
    10
    GREAT GAME WITH A YOU DIED BADASS SLAP CERTIFIED

    Story: 10
    Gameplay: 10
    ost: 10
    Characters: 10
  93. Sep 18, 2020
    4
    So I had recently beat the game on my PS3 and leaving the game I came away from it being disappointed with it. The normal enemies aren't fun or interesting to fight and the bosses were a mixed bag you had some good bosses like the four kings and Gwyn but you had some really horrible bosses like nito, the iron golem, and the bed of chaos and compared to later games dark souls 1 is lacking,So I had recently beat the game on my PS3 and leaving the game I came away from it being disappointed with it. The normal enemies aren't fun or interesting to fight and the bosses were a mixed bag you had some good bosses like the four kings and Gwyn but you had some really horrible bosses like nito, the iron golem, and the bed of chaos and compared to later games dark souls 1 is lacking, one of the best examples is character creation witch in the first game was super basic but in the other games is really cool and in depth. the game runs really bad on consoles capping at 30 fps and having alot of dips namely in Blighttown. the world thought inter connected isn't fun to traverse and you can only warp from the bonfire after getting the lordvessel witch is about halfway through the game. there are shortcuts in the world but most of them are dumb and won't get used very much, plus the warping is annoying and doesn't work well because you have to sit at the bonfire or if you die it will send you to the one you warped from. so at leased to me dark souls 1 is somewhat a relic of the past and if you want it start the series you should go with dark soul 2 or 3 Expand
  94. Sep 16, 2020
    10
    Dark Souls es uno de los mejores juegos de "TODOS LOS TIEMPOS". Cuenta con un gran combate estratégico en el cual tendremos que enfrentar enemigos difíciles. Desde el inicio hay que ir con cuidado para no morir aunque si morimos no hay problema este es un juego de probar nuevas maneras de afrontar el reto.

    La ambientación y diseño de niveles es de lo mejor que se ha visto en los últimos
    Dark Souls es uno de los mejores juegos de "TODOS LOS TIEMPOS". Cuenta con un gran combate estratégico en el cual tendremos que enfrentar enemigos difíciles. Desde el inicio hay que ir con cuidado para no morir aunque si morimos no hay problema este es un juego de probar nuevas maneras de afrontar el reto.

    La ambientación y diseño de niveles es de lo mejor que se ha visto en los últimos años, el juego cuenta con muchas trampas en todo el mapa y esto hará que estemos muy alerta a lo que se avecina siempre. Hay gran cantidad de enemigos y todos son diferentes y agresivos pero tendremos una gran variedad de escudos para protegernos y armas que podremos mejorar bastante y de diferentes maneras para que las adecuemos según creamos que sea lo mejor para derrotar a tal enemigo. Adicionalmente obtendremos hechizos y piromancias que básicamente lo resumo en magia estos se obtienen de diferentes maneras los mas fáciles son de pago con almas dentro del juego pero serán los mas básicos, al final de cuentas esto hará los combates muy divertidos y variados.

    Algo que hace especial a este juego es que desde que encontremos nuestro primer ítem nos revelara partes de la historia del juego como un gigantesco rompecabezas, ya que la misma se narra atreves de los NPC´s que nos encontremos en el camino las pocas cinematicas y los ítems así que aquí todo es importante.

    En resumen tenemos un juego solido con grandes combates finales, gran historia y ambientación, divertido a mas no poder, y con componentes online que lo hacen mas original ya que podemos ayudar a jugadores que ni siquiera conocemos o podremos quedar de acuerdo con nuestros amigos o podremos estropearle la aventura a otros jugadores invadiéndolos y estropeando su avance, esto se escucha sencillo pero hay unos "PACTOS" que haremos dentro del juego con NPC´s que nos darán recompensas según lo que decidamos hacer o ayudar o eliminar a la persona online.

    NOTA: No esperes mas y juega a esta obra de arte!!!
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  95. Sep 16, 2020
    8
    일본 게임 역사에 남길 가치가 있는 문화유산. 만능열쇠가 있으면 게임이 너무 쉬워지는게 흠이긴 한데, 그 자유도가 이 게임의 매력이기도 하다. 수많은 유저들이 스테이지1을 넘기지 못했던 데몬즈 소울과 비교하면 많은 면에서 진화한 작품.
  96. Sep 1, 2020
    9
    Dark Souls stands for rock-heavy gameplay with fascinating visuals. Sure, it`s difficult but after some hours into the game, you`ll realize it`s always fair. Besides you get one of the most intense gaming experiences of the last decade! I recommend the Prepare To Die Edition.
  97. Aug 30, 2020
    2
    This game is not good. I do not understand how everyone is so high on this game. FromSoft games are overrated in general, but decent (only great one is Bloodborne), but this game? Seriously? This is a 10/10? A standard for all games? Piss off. Get a better taste, please.

    This game plays like it came straight from the 90s, it has awful design choices, combat is extremely clunky with
    This game is not good. I do not understand how everyone is so high on this game. FromSoft games are overrated in general, but decent (only great one is Bloodborne), but this game? Seriously? This is a 10/10? A standard for all games? Piss off. Get a better taste, please.

    This game plays like it came straight from the 90s, it has awful design choices, combat is extremely clunky with absurdly awful hitboxes, world is ugly looking, and some of the worst bosses Ive ever seen. If this was developed by any other gaming studio it would have gotten panned by everyone. IDK what the deal with FromSoft is. Stop sucking their dicks, they are decent, nothing more. How that company developed a masterpiece like Bloodborne, with other titles so mediocre is beyond me.
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  98. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    Dark Souls is a masterpiece and well made Action RPG and the best game of 2011. This is a perfect example of the perfect game by FromSoftware, simple yet satisfying gameplay, great music, amazing atmosphere, attractive environments, and is one of the video games with the best bosses. Dark Souls is very challenging but is fair along with it, the bosses all have their own set of attacks andDark Souls is a masterpiece and well made Action RPG and the best game of 2011. This is a perfect example of the perfect game by FromSoftware, simple yet satisfying gameplay, great music, amazing atmosphere, attractive environments, and is one of the video games with the best bosses. Dark Souls is very challenging but is fair along with it, the bosses all have their own set of attacks and defenses, forcing the player to use strategy. Exploration in the world of Lordran, and NPC interaction is also what makes this game interesting, as it brings out more of the story and some NPCs even fight with you through summoning. This game is a must have for any gamer who enjoys PC/PS3/X360, every gamer must try this game before they die. Dark Souls is without a doubt the best game of the year, and a perfect successor to the already amazing predecessor Demon’s Souls, sure there are frame rate drops while exploring a certain area sometimes, but that gets excused by the great gameplay and doesn’t stop this from getting a 10 out of 10 rating, a masterpiece. If you enjoy action RPG games with amazing dark atmosphere, and a great interconnected world like this, then this is for you. Expand
  99. Aug 11, 2020
    10
    Incredible boss battles and a fascinating story, a hard but rewarding game.
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 54
  2. 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. Jan 5, 2012
    90
    At the end of the day Dark Souls succeeds in producing a game that is both incredibly challenging and fair.
  3. Nov 29, 2011
    85
    All in all, Dark Souls is a more difficult, but less enjoyable (and less accessible) Demon's Souls.