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. Avin
    Nov 12, 2011
    0
    I have never written a review for a game before but I feel that in this case I need to. If nothing else than to lower the user score of this game ever so slightly so that someone else won't have to go through what I did. In short the game is unplayable and I would like to explain why so as both not to get flamed and just banished to the bottom of the pile as another person who says "itsI have never written a review for a game before but I feel that in this case I need to. If nothing else than to lower the user score of this game ever so slightly so that someone else won't have to go through what I did. In short the game is unplayable and I would like to explain why so as both not to get flamed and just banished to the bottom of the pile as another person who says "its too hard waaaaaah". I do not deny that the game is hard and I have no problem with difficult games, I went through battletoads, Ninja Gaiden Series and Devil May Cry on the hardest of difficulty settings. However Dark souls is not a game end of. There is no reason this game has a score as high as it does but I suspect that it is where it is on metacritic because of very clever marketing ie One guy says this game sucks his friend says no its just hard you are being a **** its the same as saying "I can't punch my way through this wall" "well clearly you aren't trying hard enough and are just too weak". Thats what Dark Souls feels like to me. One of the main things is wrong with the game is the controls and the lag from pressing buttons to the character actually doing something. There is simply no reason for this kind of lag not on a console game. I have designed games before and the point is to make the character an extension of the player, the closer you come to that point where the player ceases controlling the character and the character becomes an extension of that player the better. Please take a look at this game and ask yourself why is it difficult is it because it requires me to think more about my actions, requires me to have lightning nay superhuman reflexes, or is it simply because the games bad game mechanics shoe horn you into a play style that goes against every natural instinct.… Expand
  2. 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
  3. Neian
    Oct 5, 2011
    2
    Horrible. That is the best way to sum up this game. Extremely difficult to the point of complete insanity. Make one mistake and you have to repeat an hours worth of play to get back to the same area. No story line what-so-ever. No explanation of what different symbols, stats, etc mean on your character. The game was definitely banking on previous reputation. Controls are very buggyHorrible. That is the best way to sum up this game. Extremely difficult to the point of complete insanity. Make one mistake and you have to repeat an hours worth of play to get back to the same area. No story line what-so-ever. No explanation of what different symbols, stats, etc mean on your character. The game was definitely banking on previous reputation. Controls are very buggy with multiple button combos almost pointless because you can never get them to work.… Expand
  4. ohboy382
    Nov 10, 2011
    2
    This game is simply not worth playing. it contains a decent amount of flaws, such as, the lack of multiplayer and co-op as the devs have promised that it would be included, you are unable to change your difficulty and the character creation is horrible. there is no beauty in this game so if you want a dead or broken game with horrible voice acting, then this game is for you.
  5. TooGoods
    Nov 19, 2011
    4
    Good game, but the cheap deaths is a very negative aspect to this game, and there's a lot of it. The story is not as good as Dark Souls and the absence of a central "Nexus" also ruins this game for me. I feel that the bosses are also not as memorable as Dark Souls. Another negative thing is that the game is full of people who spam "soul" glitches to reach levels that are far too highGood game, but the cheap deaths is a very negative aspect to this game, and there's a lot of it. The story is not as good as Dark Souls and the absence of a central "Nexus" also ruins this game for me. I feel that the bosses are also not as memorable as Dark Souls. Another negative thing is that the game is full of people who spam "soul" glitches to reach levels that are far too high (300-700) to even challenge against when you are in certain covenants such as the Darkmoon covenant.… Expand
  6. Bizmal
    Nov 9, 2011
    4
    Simply put they advertised a game with Co-Op and Multiplayer. The game has none of that. Once again peer to peer networking is the bane of gaming,. They say the multiplayer is working as intended. Here's my stats.
    72 Hrs of gaming I have summoned someone twice and I have been invaded once. My friends all have the same issue. This is pretty much a single player game. It is no Demon Souls.    Simply put they advertised a game with Co-Op and Multiplayer. The game has none of that. Once again peer to peer networking is the bane of gaming,. They say the multiplayer is working as intended. Here's my stats.
    72 Hrs of gaming I have summoned someone twice and I have been invaded once. My friends all have the same issue. This is pretty much a single player game. It is no Demon Souls. Ps3 did it right the first time with DEDICATED SERVERS.    … Expand
  7. Rb420
    Mar 29, 2019
    0
    Game lacks the shine of bloodborne and I played this after so it’s very jarring expiernce
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. Theguyoffire
    Nov 18, 2012
    8
    Extremely hard and frustrating yet addictive and fun. It is a much better game then skyrim.
  12. 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.
  13. Silverbow
    Dec 22, 2012
    9
    I had this game for 14 months, in that time I played it on and off for 8 hours total game time. Something kept bringing me back to it, but 30 mins into a session I would rage quit without fail. Then I spent some time online and read every single last piece of advice on the game. Where do I find the best armor, where do I find a good starting weapon (drake sword), where is the firstI had this game for 14 months, in that time I played it on and off for 8 hours total game time. Something kept bringing me back to it, but 30 mins into a session I would rage quit without fail. Then I spent some time online and read every single last piece of advice on the game. Where do I find the best armor, where do I find a good starting weapon (drake sword), where is the first blacksmith (upgrade your starting weapon ASAP), how do I kill this dude... you get the idea.

    I went back to it this weekend. On Friday evening Havel must have killed me 40 times, but eventually he fell :)
    It's been a joy ever since, this is quite possibly the best game I've ever played. You just need to be patient and use your brain, read advice on the net and open your eyes while playing. And NEVER panic.

    In the past I often felt that I would never get that feeling of power from this game. In something like Diablo 3 it is sooo easy to feel powerful, but that's because of your character and your gear, a blind monkey can play D3 if the character has good gear. The beauty of dark souls is that gear takes you only so far, it's your skill level (yes you on the couch fatty) that determines your success, and that is awesome.

    I hardly die at all anymore, unless I'm facing off against a proper boss, the mini bosses don't even scare me.

    The world design is fantastic, there is so much to explore in such a small area. The interface is terrible, but after a while you get things done very quickly, it's just not what we've come to expect from modern game interfaces.

    The heavy feel that combat has to it is so addictive, I think that's what kept me coming back. How I wish Skyrim felt like this.

    I love this game, but I don't recommend it to everyone. It's unforgiving if you are impatient or unwilling to learn from your mistakes. As stated earlier, it's your skill that makes you succeed, not your character stats or your gear. Sure, those things help, but you make the difference.    … Expand
  14. jeef1523
    Dec 14, 2012
    9
    This game takes the difficulty and challenges in a very different level, although it's not good for some people, that find the idea of learning with your mistakes over and over again disturbing, the challenges offered can make many other people dive into the greatness that the game offers.It's nothing but a shame that not everyone can play it and enjoy it the same way, it's not a game forThis game takes the difficulty and challenges in a very different level, although it's not good for some people, that find the idea of learning with your mistakes over and over again disturbing, the challenges offered can make many other people dive into the greatness that the game offers.It's nothing but a shame that not everyone can play it and enjoy it the same way, it's not a game for everyone, but it does a very good job entertaining those that are fit for it.… Expand
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. XzRecolz
    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.    … Expand
  24. Jellybean15
    Nov 13, 2015
    9
    Dark Souls is truly a unique experience. Releasing amongst a demographic of gamers who are used to playing games with little difficulty and little consequence for your failure, Dark Souls goes against the grain by not just making the player face tough obstacles and challenging gameplay, but also by punishing them every time they die or make a mistake. It takes you on a journey of pain butDark Souls is truly a unique experience. Releasing amongst a demographic of gamers who are used to playing games with little difficulty and little consequence for your failure, Dark Souls goes against the grain by not just making the player face tough obstacles and challenging gameplay, but also by punishing them every time they die or make a mistake. It takes you on a journey of pain but also great empowerment whenever you overcome its obstacles, and it’s certainly an experience I’ll never forget.

    Dark Souls gameplay is hack and slash in its nature, but it doesn’t bode well to play it like one. In a game where getting hit three times by a standard enemy can kill you, Dark Souls is less about fast paced reactionary gameplay and more methodical planned out strategy. Scanning your enemy for an opening, striking when the time is right, learning how many hits he’ll take, how he reacts and finding out how to react to his counter is all key.

    So many factors go into effecting your strategy as well. How resistant is your shield to physical and magical damage? Is it effective enough, or should you roll out of the way? Is the armor you're wearing light enough to allow me to dodge quickly but also strong enough to protect me? In Dark Souls unforgiving world, sometimes the only way of knowing if you’re strategy works or if you’re progressing is to go out into the world and see if you survive. In fact, in an area of three different branching paths, the only real way to find out which way is the correct way is to see which one doesn’t kill you within the first 60 seconds.

    But, when you do die, Dark Souls is not afraid to let you know that you messed up. Killing enemies grants you souls which acts as both your experience points and your currency for buying items and weapons. Die, and you’ll have to travel back to your dead body to retrieve the souls you lost. Die before that happens, and they’re gone forever.

    What makes Dark Souls so different is the game’s very own checkpoint system. Checkpoints are linked directly to fireplaces, which are your safe havens from your enemies. What I’m glad to see is that unlike Demon’s Souls checkpoint system of opening up shortcuts, Dark Souls’ fireplace system is so much more consistent. I never found an area where there was not a fireplace within two minutes running distance of another one, and often times, levels are smartly designed to incorporate shortcuts or opening paths previously locked off to you to make some fireplaces more accessible from multiple areas, and that’s the beauty of Dark Souls level design. Most of Dark Souls feels like one big cohesive level of multiple paths and areas, and by the end of it, you’ll easily have the whole map laid out in your head.

    However, Dark Souls is not without its caveats. Even things that seem purely beneficial usually have some draw back. Even fireplaces, which do keep you safe from enemies and refill your healing flask, also revive all of the common enemies. It’s not a game that will hold your hand. For example, you can go around and try to find weapons, but you’ll soon discover the only real way to make a truly descent weapon is to find one that fits your play style and find a blacksmith to improve it using found or bought materials. Most of the time, the only way to proceed in Dark Souls is to truly pay attention to its environment, what it tells you, and you must adapt.

    Overall, Dark Souls has it all. Challenge, unique gameplay, awesome boss fights, and smart enemy and level design which compels you to push forward despite your frustrations. So is the game perfect? No, it isn’t. Dark Souls does have its flaws that its fan base is all too quick to ignore. For example, one of the biggest annoyances is the lack of a pause feature. I understand Dark Souls intentions of removing this feature, but there were a few times during play, I had to get up immediately and walk out. A couple of those times I was in the middle of a battle and died as a result. From Software needs to realize that real life does get in the way of gaming sometimes, so a pause button is a must.

    The other real complaint I have is the game’s promise of being challenging but fair, and I do applaud From Software for accomplishing that feature most of the game. I’d say 95 percent of the deaths were my fault, but there was the occasional cheap hit or badly designed level piece that got me killed unfairly. The lock on for example, causes a lot of camera issues when up against walls or low ceilings, and makes seeing your enemies difficult. They’re rare occasions, but they do happen.

    However, any complaints I have don't dampen the experience and I did really enjoy Dark Souls. However I do conclude that it is not a game for everyone. It has its audience, and if you’re not into this kind of game and its particular style, that’s perfectly fine, but I – and a lot of other people – will remember Dark Souls for quite a long time as a really special game.    … Expand
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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.
  28. 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
  29. 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
  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
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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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