Dark Souls

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1574 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,343 out of 1574
  2. Mixed: 87 out of 1574
  3. Negative: 144 out of 1574
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  1. HSuke
    Jul 31, 2020
    7
    This game is brutal, and it doesn't always feel fair.

    On the positive side, the lore of this game is gorgeous, and the interconnect map is awe-inspiring. On the negative side, DS1 is less polished and evenly-paced than its 2 sequels, and the design in certain areas is sometimes questionable. This game is 100x harder playing offline without a guide, and that's how I did it during my    This game is brutal, and it doesn't always feel fair.

    On the positive side, the lore of this game is gorgeous, and the interconnect map is awe-inspiring. On the negative side, DS1 is less polished and evenly-paced than its 2 sequels, and the design in certain areas is sometimes questionable.

    This game is 100x harder playing offline without a guide, and that's how I did it during my first run. Don't do this. Just play online. You get so many hints playing online.

    Many parts of this game are masochistically difficult but very rewarding once you figure them out. Enemies and environmental objects are specifically placed to cause maximal frustration. You can spend 5 minutes to reach a certain point, dodging dozens of attacks, only to die from a random giant pendulum that pops out of nowhere. You then reattempt it 20 more times, dying in the same spot every time. By the time you finally get past it a frustrating hour later, you only venture another minute further before some minion skeleton jumps out of nowhere and pushes you off a cliff. There is little consistency to figuring out the location of hidden walls, so you can spend an eternity wasting time swinging at every wall.

    If you want bleak and brutal, but fair, go play Dark Souls 3 or Hollow Knight. Save points/bonfires in DS 1 are extremely spread out. Everything in the world, especially the environment, wants to cheese you and can single-handedly do so on your first encounter with it. There's no teleportation between bonfires for most of the game. Many bosses are cheesy. Just stay away this game unless you're a masochist like me.

    Though after you've finally beaten it, it'll feel like you've spent an eternity living in its bleak, depressing world. You'll realize that you've become part of it, and it just won't let you go. You'll choose to linger around as a soulless Blade of the Darkmoon, punishing others who are just starting their journey ... others who are just like who you once were.    … Expand
  2. Andremax
    Sep 10, 2018
    5
    As everyone knows, Dark Souls brings a totally different proposal comparing any other game for its generation, bringing challenging that is too much missed in any other videogame. But the PC version is too much better than consoles. Computer version has been enhanced about playabiliy and few about graphics. The game, not being hard enough, its simply unplayable in X360 because ofAs everyone knows, Dark Souls brings a totally different proposal comparing any other game for its generation, bringing challenging that is too much missed in any other videogame. But the PC version is too much better than consoles. Computer version has been enhanced about playabiliy and few about graphics. The game, not being hard enough, its simply unplayable in X360 because of difficulty of moving character and rolling on the combats. To play this worthwhile game, come and buy the PC "Prepare to Die" or "Remastered" versions instead of console's common.… Expand
  3. Kire_92
    Mar 21, 2018
    5
    At first I really liked this game but the more I played it got less and less interesting.

    The setting and the difficulty of the game was really appealing. But the more I played it started to feel very repetitive. .Sure the game got different environments and enemies. But the overall gameplay and combat became stale and repetitive. And after a few hours of gameplay new bosses didn’t seem    At first I really liked this game but the more I played it got less and less interesting.

    The setting and the difficulty of the game was really appealing. But the more I played it started to feel very repetitive. .Sure the game got different environments and enemies. But the overall gameplay and combat became stale and repetitive. And after a few hours of gameplay new bosses didn’t seem interesting to me and the magic that had hooked me to the game wore off.

    If I could have stayed as interested as I was at the start throughout the whole game I would give this game a very high score. But that was not the case. But at the same time I can understand why others would love this game. Tough in the end it was not for me.    … Expand
  4. iamevilhomer
    Jan 2, 2017
    7
    I never give 10's because nothing is perfect. Perfection does not exist. Anything can be viewed as flawed depending on who you talk to. For example a FF7 nut would think that it's perfect. While some one with a brain can see that there is a lot of boring stuff there too.

    So lets start the review. It's a pretty awesome game for the most part. The world of the game is a Picasso painting    I never give 10's because nothing is perfect. Perfection does not exist. Anything can be viewed as flawed depending on who you talk to. For example a FF7 nut would think that it's perfect. While some one with a brain can see that there is a lot of boring stuff there too.

    So lets start the review. It's a pretty awesome game for the most part. The world of the game is a Picasso painting on crack that's all interconnected. Very trippy but also very kool. Players will want to explore but at the same time will have a sense of fear since this game has a way of tricking the player constantly. No human being could possibly beat this game on their first try unless they knew what to do at every part and even that's a stretch.

    The characters. Very mysterious is the way to describe it. The story isn't really there and needs to be pieced together in a way that ultimately is left up to the player. Basically the story is whatever the player wants it to be. Interesting but lets get real here. That can easily be looked at as lazy story telling rather than a genius approach.

    Combat. This is some of the best and worst stuff about the game. Rolling, shield blocking, attacking, different weapons up the ying yang, magic, archery type stuff, bombs, weird items all over the place. Very deep is the word I would use to describe it. But in the end there are only about 10 things that any smart player would stick to lol. So a lot of stuff in the game is next to useless.

    Online servers are trash in this game. Getting coop to work is already a nightmare and because of the servers being trash... Good luck. Some parts of the game don't even work for coop so you will have to find out which parts of the game are good for this sort of a thing. And while you're trying to get coop to work a invading player that's op or just plain cheating with mods can show up and crap on you which is always a bummer. Hilarious... But a bummer if you're actually trying to just have fun with your buddy in coop. You can play offline if you don't want to deal with invading players who are often cheaters but there is no way to play coop without having to worry about invaders. This is a huge disappointment with the game. Some defend it by saying that dark souls is just that sort of a game... But honestly... Why can't we have the best of both worlds? Maybe the game on PC can fix this problem with mods lol.

    Only certain areas are done with coop so don't think that you can play the game from start to finish with your friend. The game is lame like that. The game is designed to make players suffer in frustration essentially. Veteran players of the series will have a much easier time but even they too will be butt spanked by the game.

    The visuals are amazing as well as the music. Very good stuff here. It's also a game that's worth your money. It offers soooooo many secrets and areas to explore. The game has a lot of replay value and that's great. Controls are fairly effective as well. Once you get a feel for rolling, moving, and knowing when to attack and when to fall back you will truly start to understand what it feels like to be good at the game. Or you could just spam magic like crazy which basically turns the game into easy mode. JK lol... If you want to just spam magic it wont be that simple. You will still need to learn how to time things even if it is easier than using a melee weapon. A very challenging game and a game that's not for players expecting a easy game.

    Good game. But great? Nahh... maybe in some ways but because of limiting options for multiplayer, bad hit detection in some areas, OP stuff which takes out balance, frustrating areas like the 2 archers in the golden palace, story isn't really there, trash servers etc etc...

    It's hard to judge this game. I give the game a 7 to be the guy in the middle ground. Casual gamers would probably give the game a 6 because it's too hard for them and not what they are used to in a rpg. Hardcore challenge loving gamers would like it a lot because it's hard and deep (lolz). Everyone agrees though that the options for multiplayer/coop are weak and the servers suck. Everyone agrees that the story could be told in a more str8 forward way. Do it like skyrim. Have a bunch of little side stories to explore but the main story is still there. That satisfies both the casual and hardcore. Everyone agrees that there is OP stuff like Dark Bead. It's still a good game for the most part and a little different from your usual rpg that you have been getting for the past 20 years. I highly recommend at least experiencing the title just to see how rpg's can evolve these days. I liked it a whole lot but this review is for all gamers so I'm looking at it in a way that all gamers would. Obviously most players would have some gripes so this is a 6-8 depending on who you are really. Giving it a 10 is impossible for obvious reasons and giving it a 9 is being too nice.    … Expand
  5. Sunykamey
    Jun 17, 2015
    6
    Unforgiving this game doesn't hold your hand explains nothing at all and asks from you to figure everything out by yourself. If you like this than maybe it's for you. But beware the gameplay gets repetitive and the enemies just stronger and more unfair.
  6. Daelus
    Feb 17, 2015
    5
    The Good - fun combat and a big world to explore. Good customization.

    The Bad - It's a long list, but the main ones: 1. The Cult-like fanboys of this game claim it is the hardest game out there....BS. The only truly difficult part of this game is the beginning bosses aren't scaled. The later bosses are the same toughness, but you are leveled with better equipment making the vast    The Good - fun combat and a big world to explore. Good customization.

    The Bad - It's a long list, but the main ones:

    1. The Cult-like fanboys of this game claim it is the hardest game out there....BS. The only truly difficult part of this game is the beginning bosses aren't scaled. The later bosses are the same toughness, but you are leveled with better equipment making the vast majority a cakewalk (and parry/ reposte is so op broken that anything less than a boss, and even some of them, is laughable). That lack of scaling (both ways) is a huge fail. I was as disappointed with the incredible toughness of the first few bosses as I was with the lack of challenge of the last 2/3rds. (Bed of Chaos....what a joke).

    2. Whomever designed this basically single player game to include live mp content was a moron. You can't pause the game for any reason (bathroom) or some "committed" fanboy will invade your realm and kill you (if you are human)....and that's in 2015...I can't imagine how annoying that would have been when the game was popular.....unbelievable fail. Many games have a mp component to a sp game....BUT THEY'RE SEPARATE!!!!!!!

    3. Story really, really sucks. In truth there really is no story as you could "complete" the game without ever knowing what you were doing or why. Again, the fanboys claim that is by design and that the game doesn't "hold your hand" like all other RPG's....joke on both fronts. Outside of Fable, I have never encountered an RPG that holds your hand more than this game....every 5 feet there is an unmissable note on the floor telling you exactly what to do right in that exact spot...even though you have no idea why you are doing it.....the lack of story is why this game has so many player communities on the net as nobody knows what to do or why.

    4. Inventory system is the worst I have ever experienced.....you can't sell your junk and by the time you figure that out, simply dropping the stuff (and no, dupes are not stacked!!!) takes forever...what the ^%& is the point of 25 broken swords!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  7. Tanis70
    Dec 5, 2014
    5
    I won't deny it's technically irreprehensible.
    If the only thing that interest you in a game is a high level of challenge, you're welcome, and you'll find plenty here. Along with a ridicuolous plot, nice graphics and... uhm nothing else.
    If you're the kind of people that believes "it's cool to eat roasted spiders because it's challenging and something only for the brave", well... it's    I won't deny it's technically irreprehensible.
    If the only thing that interest you in a game is a high level of challenge, you're welcome, and you'll find plenty here. Along with a ridicuolous plot, nice graphics and... uhm nothing else.
    If you're the kind of people that believes "it's cool to eat roasted spiders because it's challenging and something only for the brave", well... it's the game for you (if you have also the time to go through a steep learning curve.
    If like me, you will always like a good, honest, everyday steak over roasted spiders, well maybe it's not the game for you.    … Expand
  8. Artomoz
    Aug 17, 2014
    6
    Disclaimer: Dark Souls is not made to suit the average gamers. Disregard all those bad reviews made by players who could not survive the first few fights of the game. I myself was frustrated in the beginning, until I realized if you play this game with an MMO mentality, you'll do well. If an area is difficult, grind, level up, try again, if it's still difficulty, grind level up, repeat.Disclaimer: Dark Souls is not made to suit the average gamers. Disregard all those bad reviews made by players who could not survive the first few fights of the game. I myself was frustrated in the beginning, until I realized if you play this game with an MMO mentality, you'll do well. If an area is difficult, grind, level up, try again, if it's still difficulty, grind level up, repeat.

    The game boasts about difficulty, in the end, it's not the difficulty of the game, it's being patient and studying your enemies, knowing what level certain areas require and once again, being patient. Average gamers expect a Skyrim experience where you can just take on a mob, that's not the case with Dark Souls, the game will punish you for bad decisions.

    The game itself is a broken mess, which adds to the "difficulty." The game suffers from: bad frame rate, terrible game mechanics, bad hit detection, bad button input response and recognition. Hence why the 6 is being given, bad game development does not yield a difficult game, it's just lazy development.

    Aside from the negatives, the lore of this game is very interesting and will keep you going through out the game. The areas a player visits are interesting, while very linear, the developers did a good job in giving it a pseudo free roam feeling.    … Expand
  9. gabriot
    Apr 21, 2014
    5
    The only reason this game is hard at all is because hp is pretty much useless - you're going to die in 3 or less hits no matter what health you are. If they'd just be more forgiving in the game it'd be something i could enjoy, but instead what I get is a game that is far more frustrating than it is enjoyable. Call me crazy, but the reason I play games is to have fun. I suppose that'sThe only reason this game is hard at all is because hp is pretty much useless - you're going to die in 3 or less hits no matter what health you are. If they'd just be more forgiving in the game it'd be something i could enjoy, but instead what I get is a game that is far more frustrating than it is enjoyable. Call me crazy, but the reason I play games is to have fun. I suppose that's not the point of this game, because it certainly isn't that fun when you die and lose literally everything you accumulated (and if you used any consumable items, they've now gone to waste).

    Basically the only reason this game has the hype that it has, is that they just made the default and only selectable game mode the "insane" difficulty option. It sucks because I feel there's actually a good game here waiting to be played, unfortunately I have neither the patience nor mad skills to experience it. They should have just had an "easy" mode or something for players that don't enjoy playing the same section of a level 50+ times just to get that "perfect" run where you play absolutely perfectly and don't die.

    Hardly anything in the game is explained either, so unless you google things, you will never know what half the stats or terms in this game mean. Even with the in-game tooltips, it doesn't explain anything.

    On top of that, the game itself has some serious flaws. First off, you can't change the control scheme, which is completely unacceptable, first on the principal of it all, but furthermore for the fact that the default scheme makes zero sense and half the time you make a mistake it's because of the AWFUL control scheme. None of it is intuitive.

    The lock on mechanism is completely broken too, it never locks on to who you need it to, and you can't just cycle through enemies, you have to unlock on, then relock on and hope the game magically chooses the correct. All the while this is happing, you are getting peppered with fire bombs, the camera is swinging around in all manner of horrible directions, and your block direction will be compromised and you will probably get hit, which will take half your **** hp away.

    All in all it's a gimicky game that should be thankful as hell that it's hype train went "viral" and allowed a pretty mediocre broken game to sell tons of copies, and gather rave reviews that it absolutely does NOT deserve.

    Avoid this game unless you are a hardcore gamer that loves playing games on insane difficulty from the get-go.    … Expand
  10. tdebug
    Dec 23, 2013
    5
    Though game play is reach and interesting, difficulty is what really killing this game. By difficulty I mean not difficult enemies they are great. Unfortunately really a lot of dump repetitive actions involved in the gameplay. You die really often and respawn really far from that point. I wish they have save and load option, allowing to save at any point.
  11. Krawbeard
    Nov 24, 2013
    5
    Definitely mixed with my review on this. I want to simplify this without going into a novel.

    Combat is slow in this game. I understand this a game where you have to learn from your mistakes, so i'm not going to rip on the difficulty of this game, infact that's why people love this game so much. The story is a good one that'll keep you wanting more, but to me the game just lacks.    Definitely mixed with my review on this. I want to simplify this without going into a novel.

    Combat is slow in this game. I understand this a game where you have to learn from your mistakes, so i'm not going to rip on the difficulty of this game, infact that's why people love this game so much.

    The story is a good one that'll keep you wanting more, but to me the game just lacks.

    I think the reason its not for me is because I'm an adult with several responsibilities and a full time job along with a Girlfriend I love to spend time with.

    I'm more of a casual gamer so to say. This is my opinion.
    If you're a casual gamer that loves to play for the fun of games then I wouldn't play it if I were you.

    Now if you're somebody who feels like they need to feel like they accomplished something in life then this game will make you feel so after you rise up to the top of this challenging foe.

    However real life itself to me is very challenging/frustrating where I learn from my own mistakes and feel accomplished when I complete something impeccable, so I don't need Dark souls to give me that sense of accomplishment.

    Definitely a perfect game if you're an expert gamer who devotes most of their life to games. In fact for hardcore gamers I would give it a 10 but for someone like me it gets a 5.

    I just didn't have the time and patience to play something this challenging with real life knocking at my door. Perhaps if I had a good paying part time job and didn't have to pay bills along with other responsibilities I would love this game.    … Expand
  12. TundraFreeze
    Aug 19, 2013
    6
    If you are going to make a game this long have the decency to add a storyline to it, because this is not acceptable. Dark Souls features a fun and challenging combat system, with a plethora of weird and fantastic monsters to fight. The different zones or environments you travel through are equally as unique and fantastic as the enemy monster designs. So this game does some things reallyIf you are going to make a game this long have the decency to add a storyline to it, because this is not acceptable. Dark Souls features a fun and challenging combat system, with a plethora of weird and fantastic monsters to fight. The different zones or environments you travel through are equally as unique and fantastic as the enemy monster designs. So this game does some things really well. What it fails at is the storyline, which is far too thin to engage you, in particular for a game this long. I had trouble finishing the game because I simply stopped caring about it, it became boring because there is no real storyline in it. The storyline seems to have been attached as an after-thought. A thin storyline is acceptable in a short game, say 10 hours or so which is how long Demon's Souls was, but not in an 80 hour game. If I am to enjoy an 80 hour game I need some kind of storyline, something to hook me in and keep me interested. Dark Souls does not do that. It does not help that your character has no personality, he or she is just a killing machine, nothing more nothing less. Bottomline: if you want an action RPG with an engaging storyline and a protagonist with a personality I would think twice before buying this game, but if you just want to fight your way through some unique-looking monsters in equally unique environments you might enjoy Dark Souls.… Expand
  13. MelkorMorgoth
    Feb 13, 2013
    6
    The mixed bag of mixed bags, Dark Souls shines incandescently in some places while falling flat on its face in others. First come the graphics; the environments are stunning and detailed to perfection, but constant frame rate drops can ruin them at times. Combat can sometimes be a marvel and it can sometimes be a chore, at times (mostly boss fights) its fantastic, flows beautifully, and isThe mixed bag of mixed bags, Dark Souls shines incandescently in some places while falling flat on its face in others. First come the graphics; the environments are stunning and detailed to perfection, but constant frame rate drops can ruin them at times. Combat can sometimes be a marvel and it can sometimes be a chore, at times (mostly boss fights) its fantastic, flows beautifully, and is a ton of fun whilst playing CO-OP, but outside of that the combat consists of exploiting the AI of other enemies...mostly the criminally overpowered back-stab or the Parry--Riposte combo which is so powerful and easy it almost breaks the game. Story wise the lore of Lordran is rich and interesting... but the story your character is taken on is abysmal. the story ceases to tell what you are doing, why you are doing it, and why it will matter for the first half of the game.... and when finished with the first of your tedious tasks your then introduced to a character who tells you to do go on a scavenger hunt for reasons you won't understand unless you've delved deeply into the lore. the story doesn't really suck you in or even make you care about what your doing, and the pay off includes two extremely vague and lackluster endings and NG+ which boosts up the difficulty higher every time you complete the game...its good at first but after a while it really limits what you can and can't do whilst playing. while in the first playthrough you can really use any weapon you please to with only a few exceptions...the higher NG your on the more it limits how your going play (you find yourself using overpowered black knight weapons or overpowered sorceries constantly which make the game boring). its these polarizing qualities that the game has that made me give it this score, sometimes i have a blast while playing it, other times i contemplate selling it. if you haven't played it yet I'd recommend you rent it before buying it, there's a chance you'll like it...but its a very very small one… Expand
  14. Firemind
    Oct 27, 2012
    5
    Dark Souls is a good game in some ways. I like the way you fight and how you have to watch out for traps, attacks and so on. It's pretty cool, because you won't come far with button-smashing.That's something I really like about Dark Souls. Also there's nothing to say about the difficulty of the game: it's okay, but sometimes unfair. For example: you search the area for the next checkpointDark Souls is a good game in some ways. I like the way you fight and how you have to watch out for traps, attacks and so on. It's pretty cool, because you won't come far with button-smashing.That's something I really like about Dark Souls. Also there's nothing to say about the difficulty of the game: it's okay, but sometimes unfair. For example: you search the area for the next checkpoint and meet an enemy, that's much higher than you are. So you die, that's okay. But you lose all the Exp gained on the way to this enemy. So you've got two options: forget the Exp, farm everything again or you try to get it back, but actually there's no chance of getting it back, because you die again if you go there, where your Exp are. So what? You farm again and again and again. You spend hours and hours farming the same routes over and over again. If you like this, go and play World of Warcraft but in Dark Souls it's just annoying. I really want to like this game, but it's difficult to like it that way. Don't be fooled by all of these hype-guys, giving the game a 10. It's an average game, but nothing more. Dragon's Dogma is much more fun, nearly the same way of Gameplay and you have the choice how difficult that game is.… Expand
  15. holymoly
    Aug 13, 2012
    7
    Dark Souls is a good game, but not a great game. What makes Dark Souls a good game is the challenging difficulty, dark atmosphere, and haunting boss encounters.

    GOOD Dark Souls is one of the hardest games ever made. It takes a truly obscene time commitment and a strong gaming background to be able to progress through this title. If you're new to role-playing games, this isn't the one    Dark Souls is a good game, but not a great game. What makes Dark Souls a good game is the challenging difficulty, dark atmosphere, and haunting boss encounters.

    GOOD

    Dark Souls is one of the hardest games ever made. It takes a truly obscene time commitment and a strong gaming background to be able to progress through this title. If you're new to role-playing games, this isn't the one you should start with. The game punishes failure more than any other game to arrive in the last decade; every time you die (and you will die a lot) you risk losing a vast amount of progress. That can be a good thing, however, because it encourages you to persevere and become excellent. The boss fights, which test even the best players, will demand greatness from you. The feeling you get when killing a truly difficult boss is like nothing else. BAD

    Three key points. First, the game lacks narrative almost entirely. It's strange to have an RPG without a story component, but there you have it. Don't come to Dark Souls looking to be entertained by the storytelling. Second, the game comes without common conveniences like the option to pause the game or fast-travel between locations. You'll find yourself running back through hostile areas again and again just to get to another location on the (non-existent) map. Third, the game doesn't explain how to perform simple actions like upgrading weapons, invading other worlds, storing inventory items, or what your next objectives should be. Players will need to do a lot of reading online in order to even learn how to aim with a bow. Some will argue that this just adds to the challenge, but I disagree - challenging difficulty is one thing, but not explaining how to interact with the game world is another thing entirely; it's just sloppy game design. CONCLUSION

    Though Dark Souls will appeal to some, most gamers will be (rightly) inclined to steer clear. The game does one and only one thing well - it punishes mediocrity. It doesn't tell a good story, doesn't help you learn how to play, and doesn't make playing convenient. It just beats on you again and again. Some will love it; other will hate it. I'm somewhere in the middle.    … Expand
  16. thebrock
    Jul 22, 2012
    7
    There is no dought about the most difficult rpg game to be released on xbox 360. Dark souls is an absolute **** nightmare. It is time consuming, and very very repetitive. Also the storyline can be a little hard to follow if you dont use the internet as a guide. I however loved the leveling system in this game and felt the attention to detail was incredible. Will probably go back and haveThere is no dought about the most difficult rpg game to be released on xbox 360. Dark souls is an absolute **** nightmare. It is time consuming, and very very repetitive. Also the storyline can be a little hard to follow if you dont use the internet as a guide. I however loved the leveling system in this game and felt the attention to detail was incredible. Will probably go back and have another crack at this game. Nearly got to the end but not quite. If you like a challenge buy this game.… Expand
  17. MikeHammersmith
    May 24, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A completely original concept is hard to come by, yet the Undead lands of Dark Souls offer exactly that. Unfortunely, this game will alienate a lot of people, myself included, due to its odd take on gaming. What's so odd about it? You're expected to fail CONSTANTLY at this game. It's part of the misery the characters all live in, and you'll find yourself battling through the same scenario over and over to try and scratch out just another inch of ground before falling again. It's merciless, and I honestly enjoyed it to a point. Eventually though, I decided that it was just a hair *too* depressing to spend 3 hours battling, using up consumables, and actually be worse off than when you started. I'd recommend everyone that likes action RPGS to play it, as it's actually a great game, but it will certainly test how far you're willing to go to acheive success.… Expand
  18. FragCzar
    Mar 6, 2012
    7
    Finished the game. Rate it a 7. The game designer/producer describes the game as "spicy" yet "edible". I suggest the game is more "bitter" than "spicy", and having been "eaten" it leaves a bad aftertaste. Story is minimal, camera and controls are chaotic, frame rate is bad in many areas, and the game requires too much repetition in order to figure out how to progress. I substitutedFinished the game. Rate it a 7. The game designer/producer describes the game as "spicy" yet "edible". I suggest the game is more "bitter" than "spicy", and having been "eaten" it leaves a bad aftertaste. Story is minimal, camera and controls are chaotic, frame rate is bad in many areas, and the game requires too much repetition in order to figure out how to progress. I substituted that repetition with online walk-throughs (which I try to avoid but could not avoid in this case). I rate it a 7 because it is entertaining in parts, but overall it is not a game I would ever recommend or replay… Expand
  19. whitespider999
    Feb 13, 2012
    5
    Instead of falling into the love it or hate it category. I am kind of indifferent about dark souls. It's certainly challenging. And there is a serious sense of empowerment from overcoming a situation based on understanding it. The combat is well constructed, and certainly involves more elements of craft than something like skyrim's. However after 63 hours with this game. I really haveInstead of falling into the love it or hate it category. I am kind of indifferent about dark souls. It's certainly challenging. And there is a serious sense of empowerment from overcoming a situation based on understanding it. The combat is well constructed, and certainly involves more elements of craft than something like skyrim's. However after 63 hours with this game. I really have nothing to say about it beyond listing it's features. Nothing is memorable besides the difficulty. It's almost mathematical. With no emotion or sweeping adventure. It's cold. And kind of dead. And that might be the point of what is being presented - however it's moving parts don't create something fascinating or magical or emotional. But rather a construct for masochistic players. I don't like being punished. Or hated. I don't like mean spirited things. This game feels like a heavy metal listening programmer - He's cold and condescending, ferociously skilled and talented - however the more time you spend with him, the less you like him. I liked dark souls until I understood dark souls. Now I am happy to be away, smiling, and supporting people. Being a good person. In the nice fresh air. Free. Free to enjoy the world and smile. And smell flowers. And kiss, and hug. And love.… Expand
  20. SpunkyMonkey
    Dec 28, 2011
    6
    Whilst there's fun to be had in Dark Souls it is also a prime example of how dumb, sad and gullible it's core audience is as reading through comments and user reviews people seem to be more bothered about the fact that they can play a tough game as some kind of badge of honour than the game itself. You see, the game is actually very lazy - great graphics but naff all music, barely any RPGWhilst there's fun to be had in Dark Souls it is also a prime example of how dumb, sad and gullible it's core audience is as reading through comments and user reviews people seem to be more bothered about the fact that they can play a tough game as some kind of badge of honour than the game itself. You see, the game is actually very lazy - great graphics but naff all music, barely any RPG elements of which to speak (with hardly any plot or story to drive you on), and worst of all repetative gameplay that just makes the game DRAG. I don't mind fighting a tough boss 5, 10, 20 times to beat it, but when I have to run down an empty path for a few minutes just to get there first and then be killed in one hit it's hard to look back on the time spent travelling and finding any fun in it. Also, the game could get away with being to tough and merciless if it's mechanics worked well, but the camera gets stuck behind trees, you roll through solid walls, and most unforgivingly of all the targetting mechanic spins you round in the opposite direction if you're not close enough to an enemy - by which time the enemy has usually jumped you. Dark Soul's also doesn't allow you to pause the game....ever. Now, I don't know about you but sometimes I need to pee, eat or actually do things in real life such as answer a phone call, the fact that this wasn't included is beyond a joke. If you're batteries die mid combat? No pause screen, your man just stands there and dies. But, slap a tag on it that this game is for "real games" and the drongos will buy en mass *facepalm*. On the plus side the combat can be fun and once you're a bit tougher it isn't so bad - until you come to a new area which means hours grinding to get tough again. I've probably focussed a bit too much on the negative aspects of Dark Souls, but folk need to be warned that it's more than just a case of it being a hard game - it's a hard game that's mechanics are poor and doesn't allow for glitches or reality. Deffinately try before you buy.… Expand
  21. mikelink
    Dec 14, 2011
    7
    Let me start off by saying that this is not a bad game. I bought it day one and I really tried to love it like I loved Demon Souls but I could not. The graphics are wonderful, the difficulty is ramped up, and a lot of love went in to making this game ad you can see it everywhere. What made me trade this game in three and a half hours after I bought it was the fact that it was so repetitiveLet me start off by saying that this is not a bad game. I bought it day one and I really tried to love it like I loved Demon Souls but I could not. The graphics are wonderful, the difficulty is ramped up, and a lot of love went in to making this game ad you can see it everywhere. What made me trade this game in three and a half hours after I bought it was the fact that it was so repetitive I wanted to smash my head against a wall. In my opinion, Every single area is exactly the same and there is no variety in structure. It might be just because I didn't get far enough but that's how it seems to me. I know it's a hit or miss game but i urge you to try it yourself because at it's core it is REALLY god.… Expand
  22. Stfu_Noobs
    Nov 20, 2011
    5
    Played Demon Soul's fought through hours of death( I must have died a 1000 time) anyways i don't feel I gained anything for it, Even though i told myself i shouldn't get Dark Soul (I did anyways) well... I guess its just not my kind of game. I get on die, die and die again. Sometimes its not even my fault. And your character really has no goals other than to just get through alive. ThePlayed Demon Soul's fought through hours of death( I must have died a 1000 time) anyways i don't feel I gained anything for it, Even though i told myself i shouldn't get Dark Soul (I did anyways) well... I guess its just not my kind of game. I get on die, die and die again. Sometimes its not even my fault. And your character really has no goals other than to just get through alive. The game just wasn't rewarding enough for all the dying.… Expand
  23. scott13
    Nov 10, 2011
    6
    Dark souls is a good game if you like games to be really hard (like me) but it is repetative and ign thought it was going to destroy skyrim. not even close to as good as skyrim.
  24. AverageToaster
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    Great game but insanely hard, not for everyone I have to stop playing this game about ever hour after how man it makes me. Sofar I have put in a good 60 hours and just beat the first level.
  25. Frewp
    Oct 18, 2011
    5
    Dark Souls isn't a bad game, but it isn't great. I am a hardcore gamer, in fact I have been playing my whole life and I love challenging games, but this game has the sharpest difficulty curve anyone will understand. The first boss is probably one of the most easiest bosses in gaming history, but the second (which is probably 5-10 minutes right after the first) seems as if you played theDark Souls isn't a bad game, but it isn't great. I am a hardcore gamer, in fact I have been playing my whole life and I love challenging games, but this game has the sharpest difficulty curve anyone will understand. The first boss is probably one of the most easiest bosses in gaming history, but the second (which is probably 5-10 minutes right after the first) seems as if you played the final boss of Zelda: Ocarina of Time "Ganon" with your controller upside down, blinded. Then after THAT boss, theres even a harder one requiring lots of grinding just to defeat him. Then the next, then the next, then the next. Very repetitive grinding, any console RPG game shouldn't have grinding, at all. We're not playing World of Warcraft.

    It's not a bad game, but before going deeply into difficulty, you have to give players a more grip of the game before giving them a near-impossible boss for a beginner. Yes, I did beat it, I love challenges.    … Expand
  26. zenmechanic
    Oct 15, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I wanted very much to like this game. It just didn't give me an opportunity to. After your initial tutorial, you have a boss fight that would be the equivalent of the last boss encounter in most games. The trash mobs that follow?.... killed me about 20 times in a row. That just isn't fun. Dark souls is for the hardcore only, and they will likely enjoy the hell out of it, but if, like me, you play most games on the 'normal' setting? you wont last ten minutes playing this game before you give up in frustration. Save your money for Skyrim.… Expand
  27. rykeith
    Oct 13, 2011
    6
    Borderline terrible controls and hit detection at times. Framerate suffers immensely when the screen is full of characters. Multiplayer is probably the worst I have ever experienced, tried for over an hour multilpe times to join other people or have them join me met with failure save for one time. Difficulty is as stated, but the game flirts with completely unfair/borderline impossibleBorderline terrible controls and hit detection at times. Framerate suffers immensely when the screen is full of characters. Multiplayer is probably the worst I have ever experienced, tried for over an hour multilpe times to join other people or have them join me met with failure save for one time. Difficulty is as stated, but the game flirts with completely unfair/borderline impossible with some of the enemies in the game. Overall, it's an ok game, nothing to write home about.… Expand
  28. ShadeKirby
    Oct 10, 2011
    7
    The game, while not as technically impressive as other games on the market, is still a visually appealing game with interesting dark fantasy designs, plus a precise and deep combat system. However, its punishing difficulty will almost certainly be a discouraging element for some players, and definitely not for the wrong mindset, the ill-tempered, the impatient or the easily misplaced.The game, while not as technically impressive as other games on the market, is still a visually appealing game with interesting dark fantasy designs, plus a precise and deep combat system. However, its punishing difficulty will almost certainly be a discouraging element for some players, and definitely not for the wrong mindset, the ill-tempered, the impatient or the easily misplaced. Everyone else will have fun dieing.… Expand
  29. lolholm
    Oct 9, 2011
    7
    I like this game in spite of the obvious and frustrating flaws that has me rage quitting every so often.

    The graphics are ugly and look ancient, the controls are clunky, the menu is in annoying, the targeting is awful and the camera is downright terrible. All these flaws angers me, but I live with them because Bandai Games understand that having to repeat a section does not kill the joy    I like this game in spite of the obvious and frustrating flaws that has me rage quitting every so often.

    The graphics are ugly and look ancient, the controls are clunky, the menu is in annoying, the targeting is awful and the camera is downright terrible. All these flaws angers me, but I live with them because Bandai Games understand that having to repeat a section does not kill the joy of a game. Repetition also means you don't have to create slow and soft sections of the game purely for players to learn the game. It's do or die as soon as you start up this game. I also love that there is one difficulty, which is Nightmarish and it uses checkpoints instead of free saves.

    I will never give a game with this many serious flaws 10 and I'm settling on 7. I think Bandai Games can make a third installment, that is 3 points better than this one.    … Expand
  30. godofallu
    Oct 7, 2011
    7
    Dark souls has a decent enough opening trailer, and the starting tutorial/prison is pretty fun. After that the game gets serious. A lot of people complain about the difficulty, but it isn't just that the game is hard. The game is cruel.

    Let me explain further, after the tutorial ends you are dumped at a campfire with 4 paths to take. 2 of those paths are the wrong answers, and if you go    Dark souls has a decent enough opening trailer, and the starting tutorial/prison is pretty fun. After that the game gets serious. A lot of people complain about the difficulty, but it isn't just that the game is hard. The game is cruel.

    Let me explain further, after the tutorial ends you are dumped at a campfire with 4 paths to take. 2 of those paths are the wrong answers, and if you go down them the game is impossible to beat. Not just hard but literally impossible due to you being the wrong level. Of course there is no way to actually know that at first, since enemy levels are not shown. Once you find the right path the game gets decent again, until a new boss to get stuck on or a red dragon who seems to be impossible to get past.

    If you are looking for a hard game this is it, but be careful since the game isn't just hard but unfair.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
7
#7 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
8
#8 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 66 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 66
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 66
  3. Negative: 0 out of 66
  1. Gamer Limit
    Nov 29, 2011
    85
    All in all, Dark Souls is a more difficult, but less enjoyable (and less accessible) Demon's Souls.
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  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Nov 15, 2011
    90
    Dark Souls' world is dense with something new around every corner. [Issue#78, p.76]
  3. Xbox Achievements
    Nov 15, 2011
    90
    Dark Souls makes no bones about being unrelenting in its difficulty though, although it's by no means insurmountable. It's a rare game that's unlike anything else, refusing to pander or compromise in any way, shape or form. In this day and age, Dark Souls is hugely refreshing then, and well worth the time and effort.
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