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. coral2dj
    Sep 16, 2014
    10
    There might be kids raging and showing their big hate against this game. But ignore them, they are TOTALLY retarded. This game is the best of the best in my opinion, and will remain the best. I am currently in NG+7, and still not bored. I love this game. I don't care if this game is extremely hard. Its still fun, amazing, fascinating, enjoying. If you want a hard, amazing, interestingThere might be kids raging and showing their big hate against this game. But ignore them, they are TOTALLY retarded. This game is the best of the best in my opinion, and will remain the best. I am currently in NG+7, and still not bored. I love this game. I don't care if this game is extremely hard. Its still fun, amazing, fascinating, enjoying. If you want a hard, amazing, interesting game, Dark Souls is for you.… Expand
  2. notsoslimShayde
    Sep 11, 2014
    10
    This is the best game I have played in a long time. I would put it on my top 10 list. I played it for over 90 hours (more than any ever), and I would play it again if I had the time.

    What did I love? The strategy to build a character to finish the game, the intense encounters with bosses, the huge variety of enemies. This game throws everything at you - but is rarely unfair. An    This is the best game I have played in a long time. I would put it on my top 10 list. I played it for over 90 hours (more than any ever), and I would play it again if I had the time.

    What did I love? The strategy to build a character to finish the game, the intense encounters with bosses, the huge variety of enemies. This game throws everything at you - but is rarely unfair.

    An incredibly important thing to remember is that because of the leveling system, even mediocre gamers (like me) can ultimately win because we can make our characters more powerful and revisit the boss battles. This being said, you are never overpowering in boss battles. One or two hits can always kill you.

    I am a mediocre gamer, but I did complete this game - and thank you internet for all the assistance.

    Do I have a few complaints - sure... Sometime camera angles we mucked up; at times the grinding to level up or buy gear was boring; no fast travel between checkpoint until the end of the game; and the fact that save / respawn points to boss battles was sometimes too far.

    However, this game does so much right that I would still give it a 10    … Expand
  3. dodgingbullet
    Sep 9, 2014
    8
    Dark Souls is that kind of game that you pay for so you can feel idiot, miserable and incompetent about yourself. And although you pay gladly for those feelings you wind up having a great and marvelous journey.
  4. 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
  5. tmlorfing
    Aug 15, 2014
    9
    You better be prepared to die. Dark Souls is brutal: one screw-up can negate hours of progress. However, the reward for triumph is amazing. Nothing feels better than plowing through an area that killed you 10 times, or finally defeating that towering demon boss. Don't be deterred by the naysayers: This game will punish your mistakes, but it can be mastered and beaten.
    The story of Dark    You better be prepared to die. Dark Souls is brutal: one screw-up can negate hours of progress. However, the reward for triumph is amazing. Nothing feels better than plowing through an area that killed you 10 times, or finally defeating that towering demon boss. Don't be deterred by the naysayers: This game will punish your mistakes, but it can be mastered and beaten.
    The story of Dark Souls is minimal. Most of it comes from lore, dialogue, and little details. You are a cursed undead, and must find a way to break the curse. However, fate has given you another calling: and that calling will challenge you to the limit.
    The world of Dark Souls is beautiful and immersive. See that giant tower off in the distance? Often times, if you see an area in the background, you will end up going there. The game starts out somewhat linear, but soon enough the massive world is at your fingertips. Unfortunatley, some parts of the game struggle with major frame-rate issues. It's not game-breaking, but can get you killed if you aren't careful. But other than that, Dark Souls is graphically impressive.
    The Combat system works very well. Every class can use every type of weapon. You don't need to be a wizard to cast spells, and you don't need to be a knight to wear heavy armor. It is a system that lets you choose your own way to fight the brutal enemies the game throws at you.
    Multiplayer is refreshing and exciting. You can choose to invade other players' worlds, or you may be invaded yourself. The invader and the master will duel to the death: and the winner will be greatly rewarded.
    If you love RPGs, go pick up this game. If you prefer casual FPS games like Call of Duty or Halo, still go pick it up for a new, brutal experience. This is a game that I think should not be missed.    … Expand
  6. RussianPhil28
    Aug 12, 2014
    9
    Dark Souls is the kind of game in which your hopes on a productive day are diminished due to how engrossing the dark yet light world of Dark Souls turns out to be. Although it is very difficult each and every obstacle has a counter part to it which is up to the player to find. While other games use this scenario Dark Souls masters it. My amount of deaths in Dark Souls are more than myDark Souls is the kind of game in which your hopes on a productive day are diminished due to how engrossing the dark yet light world of Dark Souls turns out to be. Although it is very difficult each and every obstacle has a counter part to it which is up to the player to find. While other games use this scenario Dark Souls masters it. My amount of deaths in Dark Souls are more than my kills in Bf3 but that is what makes this game different. Death in Dark Souls is an element which sometimes yes sucks but killing that boss that killed you countless times is very rewarding. Making this RPG one of the best ever made the amazing combat and world design make Dark Souls excellent.… Expand
  7. yourfavcomedion
    Jul 17, 2014
    10
    This game is one of the few that actually have challenges these days. The last time I think I loved playing, and beat a game, like this was probably King's quest. I think this game deserves a lot more then 10 points. People give it a bad score because they probably suck at the game. You have to understand that this game is SUPER hard. Well if you don't understand that, go cry to someoneThis game is one of the few that actually have challenges these days. The last time I think I loved playing, and beat a game, like this was probably King's quest. I think this game deserves a lot more then 10 points. People give it a bad score because they probably suck at the game. You have to understand that this game is SUPER hard. Well if you don't understand that, go cry to someone who cares. I bought this 5 months before I actually beat the game. The bosses were really challenging, took more than 1 try to beat it. But what I don't understand is I got stuck on the easy bosses than the hard bosses. Like smough and orengstien, I beat them on my 3rd try, but the butterfly thing, I beat on my 15th try. Why that is? I don't know, but still these games are rare these days. That feeling you have after you work so hard on a boss then finally beat it, it is hard to say. Would I recommend this YES! It is the best game I have ever played.… Expand
  8. ninjanerd
    Jul 16, 2014
    8
    i think that dark souls is a good game. but im a noob gamer and i found dark souls to be incredibly hard and challenging and rewarding. the game looks good has a great combat system and has a large open world for you to explore. i dont think dark souls is a bad game it is just too damn hard for people like me who like easy games to blow through.
  9. Starkiller94
    Jun 14, 2014
    1
    When this game was made available to be downloaded for free with the 'Games with Gold' program on Xbox Live, I thought I'd go ahead and try it. (Available from June 1st, 2014 - June 16th, 2014) Believe me, it's not worth the 3.9 gigabytes it takes up on your hard drive. This game is the most repetitive, unforgiving piece of rubbish I've ever played in my life. Just compare it to The ElderWhen this game was made available to be downloaded for free with the 'Games with Gold' program on Xbox Live, I thought I'd go ahead and try it. (Available from June 1st, 2014 - June 16th, 2014) Believe me, it's not worth the 3.9 gigabytes it takes up on your hard drive. This game is the most repetitive, unforgiving piece of rubbish I've ever played in my life. Just compare it to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which was released about a month after this game came out. Does this game look like it was made in 2011, or 2006? You tell me... I know Skyrim looks like it was made in 2011 for sure. The graphics are mostly made up of dull grays, browns, and blacks, with a little puke green added into the mix. Low resolution images and screen tearing plague the game. The characters mouths don't even move when they speak. The voice acting is horrible too, sounding like the voices were recorded in a portable toilet. The controls are even worse... I found myself drinking potions and using items in the middle of combat because the control placement is so bad. Want to hear the real kicker?

    Everytime you die, all of the enemies in the stage respawn!!!

    Yes, I'm not kidding... Even if one of the small minion enemies kill you, the last 20 guys you just blew through are coming back. So basically it's a patience game... It tests to see how frustrated you get before you put your controller through a wall. Don't get me wrong, I like a challenge as much as the next guy. But Dark Souls takes it way too far... The checkpoints are placed miles apart from each other, causing you to be sent like ten to twenty minutes back when you die. So yeah, that aspect makes the game extremely repetitive... It just boils down to an half-baked RPG that could have been something interesting, but turned out to be a crock of ****

    I beg you not to download this game... By not downloading or purchasing it, you'll save yourself a lot of grief and turmoil.    … Expand
  10. Deathmonger
    Jun 12, 2014
    1
    In short, this game is really, really bad. I can't believe that it was recommended to me and that people actually like it. For people that say it is "challenging" and terrific, you don't really have a clue about video games. This takes video games back to 1999, and not in a good way. I have beaten over 140 video games, so I'm not just trolling here. Why did I pick 1999? Well that isIn short, this game is really, really bad. I can't believe that it was recommended to me and that people actually like it. For people that say it is "challenging" and terrific, you don't really have a clue about video games. This takes video games back to 1999, and not in a good way. I have beaten over 140 video games, so I'm not just trolling here. Why did I pick 1999? Well that is the year that Drakan: Order of the Flame came out. And Dark Souls is basically that game, without even getting to fly amazing dragons. Drakan was INCREDIBLE...when it came out. The combat was epic at the time. Graphics were amazing. Pathetically, Dark Souls is just about where Drakan was then, and that was 15 years ago, but Dark Souls actually has WORSE combat, CLUNKY controls, and TERRIBLE camera. And you will miss enemies 1 foot from you because the weapons don't hit where they should. People are confusing "challenge" and piss poor gamemaking. Funny thing about Drakan, is that half way through, it gets really freaking hard as well. You have to count your arrows, roll like a maniac against giants, dodge and run and arrow giants, sometimes even backtrack half a mile to where u left your dragon just to pull a giant to it so you can mount up and take it down. Drakan was hard and you had to use your brain sometimes. Dark Souls is hard because the controls and graphics and camera suck. Glad it was free on Xbox Gold, waste of money otherwise, and I still don't recommend playing it. And it isn't even that hard once you compensate for the poor controls and aim boxes, but you shouldn't have to.… Expand
  11. Arauggio
    Jun 9, 2014
    3
    Another overrated game! It is just hype. The game is well designed, but it lacks in history. There is no indication on what you must do (you just wake up and start walking around. There is no explanation; there is no motivation), and the difficult is unfair. You must stay hours doing repetitive things to gain levels and try to have a chance against a boss.

    Unless you are a masochist    Another overrated game! It is just hype. The game is well designed, but it lacks in history. There is no indication on what you must do (you just wake up and start walking around. There is no explanation; there is no motivation), and the difficult is unfair. You must stay hours doing repetitive things to gain levels and try to have a chance against a boss.

    Unless you are a masochist (AKA "core") gamer, avoid this title. It's just waste of time, literally.    … Expand
  12. milesprower06
    Jun 8, 2014
    1
    I too came to this game through Games With Gold, and was looking forward to how challenging it supposedly was.

    I want challenging due to gameplay, not challenging because they don't show you even the most basic concepts of HOW to play. I didn't even make it 30 minutes in because my time is more valuable than throwing myself at a boss endlessly because I have no clue how to equip and use    I too came to this game through Games With Gold, and was looking forward to how challenging it supposedly was.

    I want challenging due to gameplay, not challenging because they don't show you even the most basic concepts of HOW to play. I didn't even make it 30 minutes in because my time is more valuable than throwing myself at a boss endlessly because I have no clue how to equip and use spells. Sorry. Questionable design decisions if you think players can just figure stuff out like that by screwing around in the menus hoping they click the right thing.    … Expand
  13. Plasmaneedle
    Jun 7, 2014
    10
    To say Dark Souls is challenging is an understatement. Dark Souls is about as challenging as video games get. It's that challenge that will drive you to play the game through to the end and it's what makes it so satisfying to complete each challenge. Dark Souls is only for the hardcore but they will get a lot out of it.

    Alongside the challenge is an excellent combat system. It's fun and    To say Dark Souls is challenging is an understatement. Dark Souls is about as challenging as video games get. It's that challenge that will drive you to play the game through to the end and it's what makes it so satisfying to complete each challenge. Dark Souls is only for the hardcore but they will get a lot out of it.

    Alongside the challenge is an excellent combat system. It's fun and hard to fight the enemies. It preforms flawlessly and works well with the RPG system. The bosses are some of the best not only of this generation but some of them will go down as the best bosses ever. They aren't your typical bosses, in fact many of them are completely unique. They are all hard as nails and so very satisfying to kill. If you're a hardcore gamer looking for a genuinely challenging experience look no further.    … Expand
  14. sominex
    Jun 5, 2014
    2
    this game looks cool but you can't even save, can't even go back if you make a mistake, annoying. I don't understand why a video game wouldn't allow you to save.
  15. nosebeagle
    Jun 2, 2014
    2
    I heard the hype and tried dark souls...I do not understand the hype. The world is well rendered, and the concept is good. However, the wheels fall off quickly. Repetition galore is what this game should be called. Enemies reappear in the same number, formation, etc. after you leave an area and immediately return. They follow the exact patterns of attack, and the game slips intoI heard the hype and tried dark souls...I do not understand the hype. The world is well rendered, and the concept is good. However, the wheels fall off quickly. Repetition galore is what this game should be called. Enemies reappear in the same number, formation, etc. after you leave an area and immediately return. They follow the exact patterns of attack, and the game slips into mindless lather, rinse, repeat. Combined with the insane difficulty, this game becomes boring quickly. I like a good challenging game - I just like a little variety. Killing the same enemies with the same attacks after they use the same moves over and over again is mind-numbing.… Expand
  16. Dude_Largepants
    Jun 2, 2014
    0
    This game is hard. Not just "hard" but "throw your controller through the screen" hard. It's a modern game for people that somehow enjoy Megaman and Castlevania games. Endless trial and error and enemy pattern memorization are the key to success. You start the game with no real personal back story, no primer as to what the hell is going on and not even really any instructions has to howThis game is hard. Not just "hard" but "throw your controller through the screen" hard. It's a modern game for people that somehow enjoy Megaman and Castlevania games. Endless trial and error and enemy pattern memorization are the key to success. You start the game with no real personal back story, no primer as to what the hell is going on and not even really any instructions has to how the entire game works. A few words scribbled on the floor are you basic control instructions and anything beyond that is left to the player to figure out. I don't like 2 hours tutorials that are tacked on to games, but I would like to have a basic rundown of how everything works.

    As for the game mechanics themselves they're awful. There isn't much going on besides going from enemy to enemy dodging attacks and hoping that they somehow don't get in a cheap shot that usually kills you instantly. That's assuming you can even get any hits in at all. I can't describe much more as I didn't make it past the first enemy I came in contact with. I play all of my games on the hardest difficulty right out of the box and this is just too much.

    I get it, make a punishing game in a market that stagnant with games that offer little challenge at all. I get that people want a game that pushes their skill, but this game just goes too far. I'm not sure how it gained critical media acclaim and the gaming news outlets should be ashamed that they overhyped a game of this calibur. I also don't understand the point of this game as playing video games is meant as an escape from reality. This game offers no real game world to get lost in, it's graphics are on par with games like Divinity II(terrible graphics) and with its immense difficulty curve it takes all immersion out of the game. If a person really wanted that much of a challenge outside of their real life, why not take up a hobby like trying to solve the Hodge Conjecture?

    The happiest part of the experience is knowing that I got it for free no thanks to Games for Gold. I can only suggest that you read all the negative reviews if you're planning on playing the game, as the positive ones paint this game in a completely different and unrealistic light.    … Expand
  17. JustSumGuy
    May 28, 2014
    10
    If you've ever looked at the back of the box for this game, you probably saw the headline: "PREPARE TO DIE!" This phrase will leave a lasting impression on your mind, because if you play Dark Souls, you will die again and again. Players will be thrust into a cold, unforgiving world where almost everything you encounter wants you dead. While the game may sound intimidating, it is not unfairIf you've ever looked at the back of the box for this game, you probably saw the headline: "PREPARE TO DIE!" This phrase will leave a lasting impression on your mind, because if you play Dark Souls, you will die again and again. Players will be thrust into a cold, unforgiving world where almost everything you encounter wants you dead. While the game may sound intimidating, it is not unfair to players. Every mistake you make is your own, and not the fault of the game. Dark Souls is not for those seeking a leisurely gaming atmosphere. It is a challenging one that will test your skills. Surpassing the obstacles set before you will give you a sense of accomplishment that many games seem to lack these days.… Expand
  18. Icemastr
    May 24, 2014
    10
    One of my top five favorite games, 3 of which are Demon Souls, Dark Souls, and Dark Souls II. Dark Souls is challenging, the combat is fun, and levelling and exploring the world is addictive. The game isn't for everyone, but once you get into it you will be sucked in. This is by far the most time I have spent playing a single player game, more than 300+ hours just levelling up, taking downOne of my top five favorite games, 3 of which are Demon Souls, Dark Souls, and Dark Souls II. Dark Souls is challenging, the combat is fun, and levelling and exploring the world is addictive. The game isn't for everyone, but once you get into it you will be sucked in. This is by far the most time I have spent playing a single player game, more than 300+ hours just levelling up, taking down bosses, and having a blast.… Expand
  19. 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
  20. Scootsmen
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    A masterpiece of game, world and monster design, Dark Souls is an underrated gem of substantial quality. The game took me over a hundred hours to complete and I didn't even get a chance to complete everything the game has to offer. It boasts a Gothic world filled with creepy enemies, mysterious dungeons and brilliant boss fights. Dark Souls has a few glitches here and there and the Bed ofA masterpiece of game, world and monster design, Dark Souls is an underrated gem of substantial quality. The game took me over a hundred hours to complete and I didn't even get a chance to complete everything the game has to offer. It boasts a Gothic world filled with creepy enemies, mysterious dungeons and brilliant boss fights. Dark Souls has a few glitches here and there and the Bed of Chaos boss fight could have been better, but the good outweighs the bad so much that the game's flaws come off as minor. This is a dark and challenging game made with a burning love for role-playing games.… Expand
  21. JacobCleveland
    Apr 5, 2014
    9
    Now I will speak plainly about this game, and I won't go into excruciating detail. This is not for everyone. Hell, its not even for me. I enjoy a challenge, but this game gives you that strong sense of dread and the impossibility of the level. The game constantly tries to test your limits to the max, and I applaud the developers for that. However, this game has an acquired taste to it. TheNow I will speak plainly about this game, and I won't go into excruciating detail. This is not for everyone. Hell, its not even for me. I enjoy a challenge, but this game gives you that strong sense of dread and the impossibility of the level. The game constantly tries to test your limits to the max, and I applaud the developers for that. However, this game has an acquired taste to it. The graphics and art direction of this game is amazing, but it's just not for me. This game doesn't make the attempt to appeal to everybody, which I applaud. If you like excruciating difficulty and a interesting experience, play Dark Souls. If you want to shoot up 12 year old kids and call them campers, play COD.… Expand
  22. Gilgamesh
    Mar 30, 2014
    10
    Gamers who disregard this game too quickly should stick with Pokemon. Patience is rewarded with joy and sloppiness death at every turn. Controls take a bit to get used to (didn't even know I could parry until almost the end of the first run (duh, I know)) but once you lock down the concept of stamina and the cost of your actions the control you have is simple and simply amazing. FewGamers who disregard this game too quickly should stick with Pokemon. Patience is rewarded with joy and sloppiness death at every turn. Controls take a bit to get used to (didn't even know I could parry until almost the end of the first run (duh, I know)) but once you lock down the concept of stamina and the cost of your actions the control you have is simple and simply amazing. Few games, if given a chance, will provide you the raw emotions this game does both bad and good. Go borrow money and buy it...… Expand
  23. Nataraja
    Mar 17, 2014
    9
    This is a game sheer will power. Wonderful mechanics and hard as hell situations. The graphics are sub-par but the game play more than makes up for it. I die over and over... and just when I walk away in disgust and lay down for bed it hits me.... I need to do this and then that THEN THIS! Jump up, grab a drink, die a few more times and then VICTORY! The boss goes DOWN. Its now 4 AMThis is a game sheer will power. Wonderful mechanics and hard as hell situations. The graphics are sub-par but the game play more than makes up for it. I die over and over... and just when I walk away in disgust and lay down for bed it hits me.... I need to do this and then that THEN THIS! Jump up, grab a drink, die a few more times and then VICTORY! The boss goes DOWN. Its now 4 AM and I need to be up in an hour...

    Yes its that addictive. But if you do not have patience this is not the game for you. Great voice acting and incredible to play. Would love improved graphics, but game play always trumps graphics.    … Expand
  24. Axlyss
    Mar 16, 2014
    10
    The reason people mark this game down are as follows
    story and controls... Ill give you controls for a newbie the controls they some getting used too. But the story is here and its pretty damn good... Each zone has a hidden narritive that you would never see if you don't take your time and explore and you know READ, Each zone has far stretching lore each zone feels balanced (except maybe    The reason people mark this game down are as follows
    story and controls... Ill give you controls for a newbie the controls they some getting used too. But the story is here and its pretty damn good... Each zone has a hidden narritive that you would never see if you don't take your time and explore and you know READ, Each zone has far stretching lore each zone feels balanced (except maybe the ridiculous close bonfires in tomb of the giants)

    The graphics are fine and do the job, The gameplay is fun and addicting..    … Expand
  25. KingYellow
    Mar 12, 2014
    10
    - I picked up DS when I was a "freshman" at Okanagan College in my home town. The year was 2011. At that point in time I underwent a personal revolution, and because of my education, my worldview, critical thinking abilities, and creative and interpersonal skills all changed for the better. This game will forever be tied into that vital and enlightening time, and represents to me a part of- I picked up DS when I was a "freshman" at Okanagan College in my home town. The year was 2011. At that point in time I underwent a personal revolution, and because of my education, my worldview, critical thinking abilities, and creative and interpersonal skills all changed for the better. This game will forever be tied into that vital and enlightening time, and represents to me a part of the universe that strives to be all that it can be.

    -Over the past few years, I've struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse. My Dad's genetic code has locked within it a predisposition to addiction-- evidenced by the death of my Uncles. DS was and still is an escape away from the chaos of my life and the second law of Thermodynamics. I'd say that I've played the game for at least 500-600 hours, if not more. That fact in itself speaks volumes about the game's production values, replay values and overall design ingenuity.

    - There's a few disgruntled individuals who still think that video games are not art. The critical and logical fallaciousness contained within said belief is pretty unfortunate. I'm a musician, and I write songs-- someday, I hope my music will reach others and colour their worlds as it colours mine. Dark Souls is absolutely beautiful, and represents the palate of emotions we feel and the dilemmas we face every day of our lives. Fear, wonder, determination, surprise, discouragement, joy, light vs. dark, moral ambiguity, survival of the fittest, superstition, betrayal, camaraderie etc. DS has it all.

    -Philosophy is one of the most important areas of study in existence (trumped maybe only by science and the scientific method). Nietzsche famously said that if you stare long enough into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. In Dark Souls, there's almost a feeling like the game world itself is communicating with you, trying to tell you something, and this only grows stronger as your knowledge and playtime increases. There's a deep philosophical message implanted in the game, and players filter it differently through their respective lenses. At its core though, I think Dark Souls wants you to become an Existentialist Hero-- an individual who confronts the absurdity of existence and the certainty of death... and emerges victorious.    … Expand
  26. Havok1496
    Mar 9, 2014
    9
    Fantastic game that only has a few flaws. First the good news. The combat is great and challenging. The environments are beautiful and the enemies are varied. That said prepare to die a lot. Is the game impossibly challenging? no, but when just starting out the controls can be hard to get used to. I would say don't judge the game based on the first two hours, keep at it and you willFantastic game that only has a few flaws. First the good news. The combat is great and challenging. The environments are beautiful and the enemies are varied. That said prepare to die a lot. Is the game impossibly challenging? no, but when just starting out the controls can be hard to get used to. I would say don't judge the game based on the first two hours, keep at it and you will discover an amazing game. After the first few initial levels the game opens up and while challenging becomes a great adventure. The only issue i would have with the game is that the story is lacking. While the story is there its very basic and it would be great if there was more to it. The story sounds very interesting and yet the finer details are not really fleshed out as you go along. However, the gameplay makes up for this and ultimately this is one of the best games i have played in a long time. I could not put it down once i was able to begin to get a small grasp of the mechanics. Learning how to play this game is a challenge but over time you will learn how to approach certain enemies and defeat them. Is this game punishing at times with checkpoints yes, but the game is ultimately very rewarding. There will probably be moments of frustration while playing this game, I had plenty of them. I could not beat one boss until my tenth try. Still these moments will pass and will not ruin what is an amazing game. My advice to new players is to not be discouraged at the beginning. The game truly does get better. I have just finished my first playthrough and i cannot wait to dive into a second adventure.… Expand
  27. nox332
    Mar 9, 2014
    10
    So, Being a long time fan of playing rpgs, this really caught my eye, i couldn't believe so many people were claiming how good this game was, but these reviews coupled with claims of difficulty at the same time! I decided to give it a try, as usually not cranking game difficulty up very often, i really wanted to test myself!
    The game starts Quite slow, but i managed to persevere into    So, Being a long time fan of playing rpgs, this really caught my eye, i couldn't believe so many people were claiming how good this game was, but these reviews coupled with claims of difficulty at the same time! I decided to give it a try, as usually not cranking game difficulty up very often, i really wanted to test myself!
    The game starts Quite slow, but i managed to persevere into finally finishing the game. Yes there are moments when you may be put off continuing, but the feeling of triumph when you finally do beat a boss (Im looking at Ornstein and smough, after 20+ attempts!) is unbeatable, and is more satisfying than any game i have ever played. Only after a good number of hours played will you realise what a true masterpiece this game is. It is not only the difficulty that makes it good, the storyline, although minimalistic is broad and epic, and the game can be graphically brilliant at times too!
    Dont listen to the naysayers, give this a try and see for yourself, you will find yourself pleasantly surprised!    … Expand
  28. NAHT87
    Feb 25, 2014
    10
    One of the most challenging, creative, and rewarding games I've ever played. Also, some of the most hilarious negative reviews I've ever read. Let us have a moment of silence for the controllers broken to bits in the many moments of defeat/despair these poor souls endured before rage quitting... lol
  29. Smartacus
    Feb 10, 2014
    9
    I really enjoyed this game. Make no mistake. It is frustratingly hard and sometimes the grinding for souls gets a bit boring, but the satisfaction of beating the bosses and even the mini-bosses is well worth it.

    It is weird that the selection of character doesn't really make a huge deal as you can play however you wish regardless of what class. In a nutshell..... very hard and    I really enjoyed this game. Make no mistake. It is frustratingly hard and sometimes the grinding for souls gets a bit boring, but the satisfaction of beating the bosses and even the mini-bosses is well worth it.

    It is weird that the selection of character doesn't really make a huge deal as you can play however you wish regardless of what class.

    In a nutshell..... very hard and frustrating, but worthwhile.    … Expand
  30. oobergoober21
    Feb 8, 2014
    9
    What can I say about Dark Souls? It's ruthless, terrifying, and very immasculating...but it's addicting and great!

    Dark Souls is infamous for being known as one of the hardest games ever, which could be true, but we're so used to playing easier games with no real strategy like Call of Duty. Difficulty wise, Dark Souls does require skill, which can grow as you play the game, but you have    What can I say about Dark Souls? It's ruthless, terrifying, and very immasculating...but it's addicting and great!

    Dark Souls is infamous for being known as one of the hardest games ever, which could be true, but we're so used to playing easier games with no real strategy like Call of Duty. Difficulty wise, Dark Souls does require skill, which can grow as you play the game, but you have to play smarter and more carefully if you want to make it far.

    Visually, Dark Souls is gorgeous-I don't think I have ever seen a game with more beautiful level designs and originality. The graphics are also fairly top notch, aside from a few framerate issues and the occasional drunken camera.

    The gameplay is one-of-a-kind. It's a different feel of combat when compared to other more popular games, and that's a good thing. To achieve maximum combat potential, you have to be patient and smart, because going head-in and "balls-deep", for the most part, won't get the job done.

    Dark Souls is a much needed breath of fresh air in the world of gaming. Amazing visuals, dynamic gameplay...but the real reason to play is the excitement of defeating the many bosses. Each boss, aside from the beginning few, is very challenging-so much that you could die many times in attempting to finish. You might kick, scream, swear, and rage, but when you finally recieve the victory you have so longed for, the feeling is priceless. That is the main driving motivation in Dark Souls.

    Only a few bugs and maybe the rare repitition hold Dark Souls from getting the oh-so-coveted 10, but the game is extremely entertaining and shouldn't be missed.

    I give Dark Souls a solid 9 out of 10.    … Expand
  31. Mareus
    Feb 5, 2014
    10
    So most people who gave this game a low score seem to hate it because the game is too hard. To them I have nothing to say. If they like easy games that hand-hold you and treat you like you are an incompetent idiot, well... good for them, but that is really just a personal preference and is not a real argument about the quality of the game.

    However there are those who try to mask their    So most people who gave this game a low score seem to hate it because the game is too hard. To them I have nothing to say. If they like easy games that hand-hold you and treat you like you are an incompetent idiot, well... good for them, but that is really just a personal preference and is not a real argument about the quality of the game.

    However there are those who try to mask their hatred for the game with a valid argument, but their arguments are valid only if they are saying truth. So for those of you who say the game has bad control mechanics, I wonder if you have actually played the game or are you just plain trolling?

    The mechanics are superb and controls are very responsive, but everything depends on your equipment. So if you wear heavy armor and wear a heavy axe of course you will move slow and attack animations may look sluggish, but that does not mean the control mechanics are bad. It just means, you should perhaps choose lighter equipment. This amount of attention to detail can only be found in Dark Souls and it actually shows just how deep the game really is. Everything matters and you can fight however you want - with almost limitless options. Upgrading weapons also helps, so do not blame the game for your own failures.

    For those of you who say the game is repetative and boring, again I wonder where does such dezinformation come from? Every enemy can be killed in dozen of different ways and you can manage even the most difficult fights with a bit of brain and pretty basic movement.

    The story is subtle, it doesnt scream at you and it doesnt hand hold you. You have to figure out things yourself, but that does not mean the story is bad or lacking.

    The lack of pause and consolized inventory is probably the only valid argument as to why this game should not get a 10/10, but that is really just nitpicking in the end.    … Expand
  32. houyi111
    Jan 26, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Get this game now if you haven’t played it. Give this game a second try if you raged quit the first time!!!
    (English is not my native language, apologize beforehand)
    The best game I played on xbox360 and my first souls game!! Dark souls is not hard, it is just different. It has a learning-curve, and other games just don’t. I used to hate this game before actually played it, because 1: I am not a huge fan of cold weapon RPGs, I play online FPS heavily. 2: the game has a reputation of being difficult, and I play games mainly for fun not for stupid, ridiculous, hard difficulties, and secretly I was afraid that I won’t beat the game. 3. People bragged about it like "this game is for hardcore gamers only", somehow I find it offensive and arrogant. 4. I have two friends played it but gave up, I didnt ask why but it gave me the feeling that I should stay away from this game. Then two months ago, another friend highly recommended this game to me. And before I decided to buy the game I checked one 30 minutes walkthrough video on YouTube. The player didn’t die at all in that clip, so I was thinking this game really was not that hard if you just played with cautions. So I brought the game before Xmas and used the two and half weeks holiday (140 hours, farming a lot) to “complete” the game (1000/1000).

    I used at least two hours to know the basic controls including jump-attack, kick, run-jump. And the first 20 hours, I only managed to backstab 10% of the enemies, though I tried to backstab almost all the time. Never bother to parry in my first playthrough until I stuck at gwyn fight. So I am just a below average player. However, I “beat” almost all the bosses except dlc ones and gwyn on 2 or 3 tries in my first playthrough by summoning help. And finish the playthrough without trouble at all. And I am telling you again, I am not good!!! This game doesn’t have to be that hard like people claimed, e.g. if you checked guide beforehand. It may diminish that accomplish feeling (a lot) compared to dead at one boss for 30 times and finally beat it or spending two hours at wrong place until you found the right path. But you can surely beat the game in a non-hardcore gamer style. And at least for me, still felt quite satisfying after beat a boss at 1st try. So, compared to just give up and badmouth the game, I recommend checking the guide.

    Then on NG+, I decided to solo all the bosses. I died a lot but I was just enjoying it. Geez, I died 30+ times on soloing Smough&Orstine until I gave up and summoned Solaire (he changed everything). I was pissed and raged. But I cherish dark souls that even you’ve beaten it once, the game can still challenge you as hell. Now I have 300+ hours in this game (mainly white phantom), it made me quit BF4 and other games. And the only other game I want to play now is dark souls 2. This time I will definitely play it blind.

    What I like in dark souls:
    1. Combat. Well-done, neat, and responsive.
    2. Level design. Breathtaking, creative and unique.
    3. Boss fight. Epic, challenging and exciting.
    4. Lore. Simply the best, IMO.
    5. Enemies. Terrifying, huge variations and sometimes funny AI.
    6. RPG element. Builds. Weapons. Armors. So many things.
    7. Online. Co-op mainly. I might have a 0.1 w/l ratio in PVP…
    8. No loading during normal gameplay. (Slightly frame drop in two places, I guess due to in-game loading)

    Dark souls is simply the best game I played in recent years. Try it, don’t give up.    … Expand
  33. Chowda
    Jan 23, 2014
    10
    I have never played such a robust and addicting game. Everything from the armor down to the different weapon effects are brilliant. The atmosphere is dark and gloomy. It took me close to four hours to beat Ornstein/Smough, this is one of the hardest and fairest games. I am buying a PS3 just so I can play Demon Souls.
  34. SebastopolQueen
    Jan 18, 2014
    10
    I play this game for a year and a half,and this game is amazing and hard,its is my favorite game of all time,I played Demon Souls and it was harder.The combat is great,i like the graphics,Coop is great,multiplayer is good,there is lots of over level guys who kills you instantly when you're low level.I wish it could have more dlcs in this one,but Demon Souls does not have a dlc.The bossesI play this game for a year and a half,and this game is amazing and hard,its is my favorite game of all time,I played Demon Souls and it was harder.The combat is great,i like the graphics,Coop is great,multiplayer is good,there is lots of over level guys who kills you instantly when you're low level.I wish it could have more dlcs in this one,but Demon Souls does not have a dlc.The bosses is hard and easy if you don't rush,this game is a little bit better then Demon Souls.I can't wait for Dark Souls 2.… Expand
  35. ZzZ85
    Jan 13, 2014
    10
    Dark souls is my favorite game of all time. No other game comes close, period! Demons souls was really really awesome, but Dark souls is just amazing!
  36. JustBenjy7
    Jan 7, 2014
    9
    TL;DR I think Dark Souls is a great game, with a great setting, story and characters, it can be very rewarding, and has great character and combat systems that will keep you coming back, but can and will punish you if you do something dumb. All that said, it certainly isn't for everyone.

    I went from thinking "I might try Dark Souls, it looks like it might be good" to "I absolutely love    TL;DR I think Dark Souls is a great game, with a great setting, story and characters, it can be very rewarding, and has great character and combat systems that will keep you coming back, but can and will punish you if you do something dumb. All that said, it certainly isn't for everyone.

    I went from thinking "I might try Dark Souls, it looks like it might be good" to "I absolutely love this game" in under a day. Granted, I was about 2 years late to the party, but that hasn't spoiled my enjoyment of it.

    First off, I will say that Dark Souls is nowhere near as difficult as its reputation would have you believe... as long as you go in with the right attitude, some patience and a degree of skill. Charge into a group of enemies swinging your sword like a lunatic, and the game will punish you, but lure the enemies away from the group, and take them on one at a time, and you'll (hopefully) succeed. The way to play Dark Souls is carefully, with tactics and through trial and error.

    The game will not hold your hand. It will not tell you exactly where to go. It will punish you for doing something dumb. A prime example is something I have done, myself, seen friends do and seen in gameplay videos... fighting the first Black Knight. If you try and take on the Black Knight, at a low level, without only an hour or so of experience, you will probably die. I learned that lesson the hard way, and didn't try again until I was a higher level, and had better weapons and armour.

    I've played very few games that give you such a sense of adrenaline while fighting a boss, and such a feeling of victory upon defeating them. Each time I've faced a boss that I have no escape from, no choice but to fight up close and personal, I've felt my heart rate rocket and my breathing become shallow and fast. This happens with most of the bosses I've faced, and its the greatest thrill I have ever got from playing a game. But even better than the thrill is the moment that you conquer a boss (or maybe some other enemy) who has been giving you a lot of grief. Depending on the intensity of the fight, my reactions have either been a loud yeah" or sitting for a few minutes, breathing deeply, shaking a little.

    I've seen and heard many people talk about the story... no, it isn't given to you on a plate; you have to work for it. If you want to know about the world of Dark Souls, start exploring, reading item descriptions and talking to NPCs, or look online if you're stuck. If you don't care for the story, it can practically be ignored, as long as you remember what your goal is, because it won't be written down anywhere. That is something that they could have done differently, but its adds to the-- actually, forgetting where you're at is a real pain, and I won't try and defend that part. The depth of the story and the setting is incredible, and leaves many things to the imagination of the player.

    In terms of gameplay, I find the combat to be a good, solid system, and only the more advanced elements take an above average degree of getting used to. Weapons often have unique features, and there is no "best weapon" in the conventional way; how useful a weapon is, and if it is "better" than another weapon is almost always personal taste. And seeing as most weapons have a unique moveset, you can change up your style by just changing your weapon.

    Finally, Dark Souls is the only game that makes me want to playing it in 10 different ways, on simultaneous playthroughs. There is so much room for customisation and experimentation, that you may find yourself starting several new games before you've even finished your first go, and if you want more, you could try challenges, find one online ore make up your own.

    But even though I love it, I know Dark Souls isn't for everyone. Having read a few reviews, I disagree with some that say that Dark Souls is horrible, and there are some where the reviewer has clearly misunderstood (or failed to understand) a core element of the game, and that's fine, its just a difference of opinion.    … Expand
  37. xbonekilla
    Dec 29, 2013
    9
    Just a masterpiece. Deep combat, that isn't about memorizing long combos, rewarding exploration. A world that is slowly revealed to you. No reliance on gimmicky gameplay and long cutscenes. A gamer's game.
  38. 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.
  39. DarthKato
    Dec 8, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is single handily one of the best games I have ever played. Any one that says that this game is bad, probably didn't get passed the first or second boss and are butt hurt. DS as excellent graphics, solid controls, and a deep, engrossing story. Few games I have seen can compare to this game.

    When you firs enter the game, you are given a short tutorial and then you are left to figure everything else out. This kind of confidence in the player is a breath of fresh air. Most games today "cough"Skyrim"Cough", tend to hold your hand like a mother holds her child's. If that bothers you, like it does me, then this game is for you. You are taught how to play, pointed in a direction, and then its all up to you. Very few games now days do this. The only other game that does this, that I can think of, is Dragon's Dogma. In that game too, you are given basic information, and then you go off on a grand adventure.

    Speaking of a grand adventure, this game is as good as it gets. You start off, for unknown reasons, in a prison cell, and are helped out by a mysterious stranger. After making it out of your cell the tutorial begins in the form of messages on the grounds. As you learn each of these life saving skills, you are given a few scrubs to practice on These early enemies aren't too tough, but its best to still be careful. That is something that you need to learn early off, everything in this game can kill you quickly.After you get through the "starter Dungeon", you will face your first boss. Its not that tough and should be easy enough to beat as long as you take your time and stay behind it. After you are finished with him/her( not sure what it is) you are on your own. All you have is the equipment, the skills you learned, and a mystery to keep you going.

    As you are released into the world, you will notice how beautiful it is. The graphics in this game are amazing, and only get better in the later stages. Enemies are all unique looking and, in a word, terrifying. That is another thing about this game that may turn some off: the oppressive, grim nature of the world. Do not think that you will be going into Skyrim's inviting world. Dark Souls takes place in a literal "Hell on Earth." Nearly everything, and everyone, will try to end your life. From the plants, to the animals, to the former inhabitants that went insane. Only a few are friendly, and even thy may end up falling to your blade sooner or later.

    But don't let the deadly world scare you off. You will be able to craft your character into a fighting machine that only the strongest can stand up too. This will be accomplished by putting points into various skills( you can choose between several different classes, that each have different starting stats), and also you can craft and upgrade arms and amour. Also, the controls are so tight and responsive, that you will have no problem battling in this nightmare. The thing is though, don't go into certain areas until you are certain that you will be able to handle it, or you will die quickly.

    The problem with this game is the online play. Its kind of hard to get into a game with other players, and its nearly impossible if they are on your friends list. I have spent hours trying to get into one my friends games, only to fell every time. Its not as hard to invade other though( as long as you are just invading random players). This can be a fun and challenging activity for both new and veteran players. One problem though, don't count on all players to be honorable. A good deal will try to kill you right out the gate, while others will bow first.

    Well, I hope that I have helped to sway you to at least try Dark Souls. Its a fun and challenging game, that looks as good as it plays.    … Expand
  40. JoeMc
    Dec 6, 2013
    3
    It's not a tough game just very very poorly executed. The following; no pause function whatsoever, majority of boss fights rely on pure luck to overcome, soul/recovery system is deeply broken, 'pvp' involves very advanced levels killing low levels attempting to overcome game content, the lowest of enemies is always able to fully kill you and remove all your hours of 'work', it feels likeIt's not a tough game just very very poorly executed. The following; no pause function whatsoever, majority of boss fights rely on pure luck to overcome, soul/recovery system is deeply broken, 'pvp' involves very advanced levels killing low levels attempting to overcome game content, the lowest of enemies is always able to fully kill you and remove all your hours of 'work', it feels like 'work', the distance between 'bonfire' checkpoints and excessively glitchy/poorly designed bosses is erratic, no story to speak of for the first 10 hours, dull slash-block-slash methods, casters/mage etc can't function below 15+ hours, environment hinders player while enemies slash through solid walls, enemies have friendly fire turned on and are unable to harm each other at all. I could go on but I'm aging here.
    I came up in the MegaDrive era, and all the folks here saying it's old school tough are sadly mistaken, it's simply very poorly put together, with very little 'challenge' worked in. The developers have simply found the games mechanical flaws and refined them, that does not really present the paying public with a progressive experience. I really disagree with it being a marmite type game, love it or hate it, I loved the idea, but the execution is frankly unforgiveably poor.    … Expand
  41. 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
  42. Ebelon
    Nov 20, 2013
    9
    I played this game a year after Skyrim came out and i can say that dark souls sure gives skyrim a run for its money. Skyrim is still my favorite RPG of all time but Dark souls is a very close second. It has a very mysterious allure that just begs to be explored. The fluid movement and combat feel very realistic, and the swing of a sword has the "umpf!" that really lets you feel likeI played this game a year after Skyrim came out and i can say that dark souls sure gives skyrim a run for its money. Skyrim is still my favorite RPG of all time but Dark souls is a very close second. It has a very mysterious allure that just begs to be explored. The fluid movement and combat feel very realistic, and the swing of a sword has the "umpf!" that really lets you feel like there's power in your attack. The pvp is also very intense but its ruined by hackers and cheaters (so best to wait for Dark souls 2 to play online). The punishing difficulty may be intimidating but the reward of overcoming a a very hard enemy is like no other. If you are weak at heart don't play this game, but if you're looking for a genuine challenge that rewards you for perseverance then buy this bad boy and prepare for hell.… Expand
  43. TheEman2459
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    This Game has taken 300+ hours of my life and i regret nothing. A challenging game with great music, visuals, and gameplay, a Must buy from a $20 dollar bin at Walmart. The frame rate gets really bad at the beggining of some stages but other wise my Favorite game of all time.
  44. melongod
    Oct 21, 2013
    10
    One of, if not the single best RPG released in recent years. This game is designed to be difficult, but it's not as difficult as some users may make it out to be. While it definitely IS difficult, the game rewards you for trying, learning and fighting your way through the massive world of Lordran, fighting your way through the slums of the Undead Asylum, all the way to the PrimordialOne of, if not the single best RPG released in recent years. This game is designed to be difficult, but it's not as difficult as some users may make it out to be. While it definitely IS difficult, the game rewards you for trying, learning and fighting your way through the massive world of Lordran, fighting your way through the slums of the Undead Asylum, all the way to the Primordial Flame, surrounded by a massive kingdom burnt to ash. On top of the amazing world and fantastically deep lore, the game features some of the finest combat to ever be featured in any RPG, with weapons and armor that can be customized to your play style, allowing you to be a swift thief one moment, stabbing your enemies in the back, to a bulking tank of a knight, crushing your opponents with massive weapons made of steel, dragons teeth or even a basic club. It also features some of the most rewarding and finely tuned Player Versus Player combat to ever be featured in a videogame, allowing you to invade the worlds of other players, or be summoned to assist friends and strangers alike in the deadly world of Lordran. Any way you look at it, this is the perfect RPG, and would be a daunting pass to surpass.

    Prepare to die...    … Expand
  45. Lucky-Jinx
    Oct 11, 2013
    4
    I bought this game under the impression that it was an open-end world-- and technically that may be true. Go left for instant death, go right and die in 5 seconds, or go straight ahead and take a few hours memorizing the bosses moves so you can kill him in the best AI exploiting method you can uncover.

    No character customization, no real plot, just a string of progressively harder boss    I bought this game under the impression that it was an open-end world-- and technically that may be true. Go left for instant death, go right and die in 5 seconds, or go straight ahead and take a few hours memorizing the bosses moves so you can kill him in the best AI exploiting method you can uncover.

    No character customization, no real plot, just a string of progressively harder boss fights with a mediocre combat system. However I did give this a 4 because when you DO beat that boss you feel that you really did accomplish something which is where the majority of the fan-base is coming from. If you enjoy punishing yourself, this is the game for you.    … Expand
  46. naiski
    Sep 19, 2013
    10
    A breath of fresh air for the “non-casual” gamer.
    Nowadays most game developers' target audience is the “casual gamer”.
    The casual gamer is like a normal human being, except incredibly stupid. The casual gamer has the patience and mental capacity of a four-year-old. When presented with a choice, such as two possible paths, and not provided blatant evidence implying the consequences of    A breath of fresh air for the “non-casual” gamer.
    Nowadays most game developers' target audience is the “casual gamer”.
    The casual gamer is like a normal human being, except incredibly stupid. The casual gamer has the patience and mental capacity of a four-year-old. When presented with a choice, such as two possible paths, and not provided blatant evidence implying the consequences of each path in advance, the casual gamer will panic. They will begin to foaming at the mouth, shaking violently, and sobbing. If the casual gamer encounters a challenge and fails, they do not learn from their failure. They will continue trying to employ the same strategy, and failing, until they grow old and die, because the casual gamer lacks the basic human facilities to recognize signals and patterns that are necessary for human beings to exist and function in the world.
    Souls games are not made for the casual gamer. If you're sick and tired of excessive hand holding, objective markers, shallow can't-go-wrong builds, constant cinematics, linearity, typical multiplayer mechanics, and general lack of difficulty, look no further. This is a game made for gamers who can learn from their mistakes and enjoy a challenge. It's also one of the most innovative and unique games ever conceived. It's developers like From Software that keep gaming alive for those of us with brains.
    Dark Souls takes what Demon's Souls did right and refines it beautifully while making some major changes that really improve the quality of the game. The open world is fascinating, beautiful, and fun to explore. There are a lot less “cheap tricks” in the levels while still maintaining relatively the same degree of difficulty. In general, I found that the levels were a little easier (mostly due to the lack of the aforementioned “cheap-tricks” like sudden hard-to-spot death pits and balancing on tiny ledges) while the bosses were a lot harder. The improved healing system eliminates a lot of boring grinding/farming and makes PvP much more competitive. Dark Souls expands on the innovation of Demon's Souls, providing new interesting ways to interact with other players and NPCs. I also found the story a little more engrossing. The mechanics are deeper, the builds are more varied, there are more spells/miracles, and more NPCs.
    This is the game of the decade.
    My only complaint is that when leveling up, I preferred the maiden in black whispering about touching the demon inside her with a sexy accent to bonfires.    … Expand
  47. jubileeo
    Sep 17, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls makes me want to break my controller and scream every time I play it I love it. Wasn't sure at first while getting used to the controls. Its great because its really challenging right away you can't just breeze through levels without effort. Definitely a game you can put lots of time into.
  48. Itz_Rhino
    Sep 9, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls is hands down, the single best game I have played in my entire life. Now, I know that is a HUGE claim, but I can say it without hesitation. I am 26 years old... I've played games since I was 3. Yes, I have played all the greats that Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Microsoft have thrown out there over the past few decades, but in mu humble opinion... nothing compares to my experienceDark Souls is hands down, the single best game I have played in my entire life. Now, I know that is a HUGE claim, but I can say it without hesitation. I am 26 years old... I've played games since I was 3. Yes, I have played all the greats that Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Microsoft have thrown out there over the past few decades, but in mu humble opinion... nothing compares to my experience with this masterpiece of a game.

    Where to start... The game is flaunted as this bastion of the hard-core gamer. It's super difficult and only a masochist sitting in a dark room on a bed of nails could handle it. Yes, the game IS difficult, unforgiving, and doesn't give you much direction or advice... but that is the BEAUTY baby! You are left to figure things out on your own, find and blaze your own path, and take a few bruises along the way. A game should be an experience, and Dark Souls is just that. And unlike any other RPG I've come across, skill is more rewarded than time spent playing (although time spent playing DOES affect skill). Allow me to explain; on my first play through, I played for about 90 hours before I finished the game. On the second character I created, it took me about 50 hours, and my third took me about 20. I was achieving the same level or higher that I reached on my first play through, discovering MORE about the game than my previous play through, and STILL finishing faster... MUCH faster. Now, I can get to level 70 in five hours or less, I can beat the game in less than 2 hours, and I can beat the game as a level 1 character. This is the only game I can think of that has allowed me to progress in this way. Usually I am forced to do a bunch of crap to level up enough to advance through a particular section. Dark Souls removes the MANDATORY leveling and replaces it with SUPPLEMENTAL leveling. Leveling WILL make the game easier for you, but it is not a necessity. This is where most players who hate this game fail. They run into a challenge, and instead of changing tactics, they think they need to level up, so they grind... and grind... and grind. You have now turned the game into a chore. Blocking attacks and hitting between blocks not working? Try rolling. Getting whooped up close? Try ranged. Mix it up and you will succeed. You can play this game any way you want, and it is possible to succeed in every situation. The combat mechanics allow you to take advantage of your opponent's openings with precision, and you develop that precision through time and death. You develop as a player over time and death, and the development is extremely rewarding and obvious. You'll discover new tactics that you never knew about, constantly come across a new play style, and discover new things about the game for hours and hours and hours. I am at over 1500 hours between my PC and xbox versions of this game, and there are STILL things I learn. The multiplayer is extremely organic and fluid. The fact that putting yourself in a position to get help from another player also opens you up to being invaded... genius. There is always a dark side to every seemingly good event, and it's only a matter of time before you discover it. IMPORTANT NOTE: This game is NOT for the feint of heart. If you are easily frustrated, impatient, or not keen on the idea of having to discover everything about the game on your own (not like Elder Scrolls "Hey, I've never been to that area on the map before, let me check it out" but like, discovery in EVERY aspect: combat, weapons, enemy abilities, the world, the lore, etc.), then STAY AWAY. I'm serious! I'm not trying to put down anyone that is like that, I'm just warning you that you will not like the game. You will most likely quit after the first few hours (if that). I can talk about Dark Souls for hours, but I'll spare you the pain. I hope you enjoy it!    … Expand
  49. DarthRevan2552
    Sep 5, 2013
    2
    I went into this game with high hopes, just to have all of those hopes smacked down to the ground. I have heard multiple people praise it as if it were the holy grail of gaming, but I call BULL CRAP. First off, the story makes absolutely NO SENSE. Secondly, the tutorial doesn't explain nearly enough for the player to do an adequate job at anything in the game, it pretty much dooms you toI went into this game with high hopes, just to have all of those hopes smacked down to the ground. I have heard multiple people praise it as if it were the holy grail of gaming, but I call BULL CRAP. First off, the story makes absolutely NO SENSE. Secondly, the tutorial doesn't explain nearly enough for the player to do an adequate job at anything in the game, it pretty much dooms you to failure for the unfair difficulty. Yes, I said UNFAIR. Now, I'm not saying difficulty in a game is bad. In fact, a game without difficulty is the only thing i can think of that's worse than this. This game doesn't give you a chance at success. Cheap enemy placement, simply overpowered enemies, and a terrible death system. The game is basically saying, "Oh, you didn't see the 40,000 skeletons around the corner and now you're dead? Well TOO BAD, we're gonna take all your experience away!" Which brings me to another point, the experience and leveling systems are TERRIBLE. Scenario, you leveled up one of your class' main skill and want to level up one of the lower skills. WELL GUESS WHAT, YOU NEED TO SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE TO LEVEL UP A LEVEL 2 SKILL AS A GOD DAMNED LEVEL 18 SKILL. And also, while the game looks good, it suffers from horrendous frame rate issues on consoles, and the animations just look stupid. No matter what you hear from other people, this game is NOT the great game everyone has made it up to be. You need to be a masochistic in order to get any entertainment from this game.… Expand
  50. Guedryan
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Definitivamente o melhor RPG de ação dessa geração de consoles, somente podendo ser superado pelo Dark Souls 2 que será lançado, contudo esse um desafio que nenhum jogo se propõe a fazer, pois não existe facilidades, um jogo que lhe frusta por pegar um jogador mal acostumado com checkpoints, saves e etc, e faz o jogador parar com a realidade que a morte a melhor forma de aprender... jogoDefinitivamente o melhor RPG de ação dessa geração de consoles, somente podendo ser superado pelo Dark Souls 2 que será lançado, contudo esse um desafio que nenhum jogo se propõe a fazer, pois não existe facilidades, um jogo que lhe frusta por pegar um jogador mal acostumado com checkpoints, saves e etc, e faz o jogador parar com a realidade que a morte a melhor forma de aprender... jogo incrível.… Expand
  51. 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
  52. IRMedia
    Aug 13, 2013
    10
    Lets get straight to the point about Dark Souls. It is a game designed with the gamer in mind. You play Dark Souls, from the very moment that it loads to the bitter end of the game and it's many cycles (if you can get that far). By removing most of the common traits found in todays high budget "AAA" titles, things like: Pointless walking to places or boring exploration segments, talking toLets get straight to the point about Dark Souls. It is a game designed with the gamer in mind. You play Dark Souls, from the very moment that it loads to the bitter end of the game and it's many cycles (if you can get that far). By removing most of the common traits found in todays high budget "AAA" titles, things like: Pointless walking to places or boring exploration segments, talking to pointless NPC's for useless information, a regenerating health bar, persistent save points and all the things that a casual gamer holds dear.

    Dark Souls begins as it means to go on and it starts you out within minutes of a boss fight, one of many boss fights that you will encounter through out the game. In fact, the boss fights are the main crux of this game, everything else you do is done in preparation of the boss fights. These often gargantuan enemies will put to test your build and skills in a way that few games will ever replicate.

    And your build, your characters development and advancement through Lordran is core to the games mechanics and it's beating heart. Finding the right combo of armour/weapons and Magic feels empowering as the game becomes that little bit easier when you nail it. Enemies that would repeatedly kick your ass now can be taken down in a few hits of your new sword.

    Most importantly with Dark Souls is the genuine feeling of achievement when obstacles have been climbed over. You have to work out for yourself (or with one of the many DS Wiki's) how to navigate each area of Lordran. Whether your crawling the Depths or marauding through the Dark Root Basin you are constantly in danger, and it's this constant threat which makes DS the nerve shredder that it is. When you die you get punished for it so you do your best to NOT DIE!!!!

    There is also one element of the game which often gets overlooked. It has PvP, glorious, brutal and downright brilliant PvP. You can't jump right in however, as with everything in this game you need to earn it. Once you earn it, you can invade another players game and kill them, take their souls and Humanity (rare in game item essential for PvP). You can do this at any level and the game matches your character to similar skill level players. I can say for certain that the PvP in Dark Souls is one of the best and most engaging MP games out there right now.

    If your into adventure games and RPGs then I would recommend this. Its not for the faint of heart, it is difficult at first, but once you get used to it and your character gets harder so does the enjoyment of the game. Which goes up exponentially.

    Play Dark Souls, Love Dark Souls. It's better than everything out there.    … Expand
  53. notalltogether
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    This game is easily the best game I've ever played. That does not mean this game isn't frustrating, and it does not mean the game is for everyone, however, it is perfect for me.

    I did not play Demon Souls and had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. Starting out, the game gives you little to go by. You read the messages, and just sort of start learning by doing. This is    This game is easily the best game I've ever played. That does not mean this game isn't frustrating, and it does not mean the game is for everyone, however, it is perfect for me.

    I did not play Demon Souls and had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. Starting out, the game gives you little to go by. You read the messages, and just sort of start learning by doing. This is easily one of the most frustrating parts of the game. The first boss must have killed me like 20 times before I downed him. But that's one of it's best selling points. Every boss, every fight, everything about this game is one giant puzzle. You experiment, you learn a little bit, you try again. You learn, you learn, you learn... and you get better. And as you get better, the game gets easier. It throws new twists at you, new turns, new strategies you have to adapt too. But just like the rest of the game; you learn, you adapt, you get better, and you win.

    I rage quit about 12 hours into my first playthrough after I had just gotten to Blighttown. I started over and got to the same point in the game in 4 hours. I tell you this just to illustrate how much the game is about learning. The first time through the game, every fight every area was a challenge, but after I figured out the areas it became much easier.

    After you've learned the game, another beautiful aspect of the game becomes true. The replayability of this game is amazing because there are so many ways you can approach it. The main hub is a true spider, allowing someone who knows what they are doing to be able to fight bosses out of order, skip bosses they didn't know they could in their original playthroughs. There is an infinite new game plus system allowing you to fight the same enemies, just stronger versions, to test your skills.

    Some people may complain about the story, but the game has great depth if you are willing to look for it. The user is forced to come to their own conclusions about most of the world, from the experiences they have in the game, the small tidbits of dialogue, and the descriptions of the items that lay everything out for you.

    To me the worst part of the game... is that it ends. When the game was done, I wanted more bosses, more enemies, and I greatly anticipate the sequel.    … Expand
  54. darkheart86
    Jul 25, 2013
    10
    How can I describe this game? To put it in short, it's a frustratingly difficult dark fantasy adventure full of anguish and rage that at the same time is so beautiful and rewarding that you simply can't put it down. Combat is very weighty, unforgiving and difficult but at the same time it is fair, pragmatic and rewarding. If you approach this game as something you can just fly through withHow can I describe this game? To put it in short, it's a frustratingly difficult dark fantasy adventure full of anguish and rage that at the same time is so beautiful and rewarding that you simply can't put it down. Combat is very weighty, unforgiving and difficult but at the same time it is fair, pragmatic and rewarding. If you approach this game as something you can just fly through with no problems and should be able to win without dying once on your first playthrough, you are going to either change your viewpoint very quickly or you are going to never play the game again after the tutorial and miss out on a can't-miss experience.

    The core mechanic of this game is trying to figure out an enemy's strategy first-hand by taking all the punishment yourself, dying, returning to where you fought the beast and exploit whatever weaknesses you were able to pinpoint. Bosses are incredibly difficult and hard to take down, but once you get the strategy on how to beat it (and after dying at least a few times), the feeling you get when you finally kill that boss is the most rewarding, beautiful feeling you can ever experience, and no game has ever given me this feeling so many times. Oh, and yes, every boss is like this (well, save a few poorly designed ones, but that's two or three compared to the twenty-something there are to fight).

    The story is very vague and left up to your own interpretation. The entire plotline revolves around the fact that you don't know who to trust and what to believe and you have no idea what the right thing to do is as NPC's will lie to you and tell you half-truths. Without giving the plot away, I will say that in the end you will have to make a very important decision, and both sides have very ambiguous arguments and it's very hard to tell which you should do. After making my decision, I sat for a good 5 or 10 minutes pondering whether or not I made the right choice as the screen faded to black immediately afterwards. That's right: You don't get to see what really happens after the choice is made.

    Multiplayer is fun and useful, and New Game is a very wonderful feature that will add another 50+ hours to your total game time as you do the entire story over again with all of your levels and equipment facing monsters that are twice as hard as the first time, and if you complete that, the +'s stack endlessly, at least from what I have seen. You can up the difficulty time after time again, making the challenge of this game never go away.

    If you really want a challenge and are not afraid to get your hands dirty and die a few hundred times, this game is a must-buy.    … Expand
  55. DirtySnackage
    Jul 24, 2013
    9
    Dark Souls is an amazing game. From the enemies, to the lore, to the environments, everything SCREAMS originality. The world of Dark Souls is a very bleak one, but one you could be lost in for hours. The game gives you what you put into it. Don't expect cutscenes or narratives to explain the story, its up to you to do the research by reading item descriptions, talking to npcs, and evenDark Souls is an amazing game. From the enemies, to the lore, to the environments, everything SCREAMS originality. The world of Dark Souls is a very bleak one, but one you could be lost in for hours. The game gives you what you put into it. Don't expect cutscenes or narratives to explain the story, its up to you to do the research by reading item descriptions, talking to npcs, and even drawing your own conclusions. The gameplay is exeptional, even though many people mistake it for being "stiff". The gameplay is very responsive, and almost every weapon attacks differently. On the topic of weapons, you can craft your weapons to a great extent to fit your exact playstyle. Even online, there is not just one way to go about playing. You can do whatever you want. And the game, contrary to popular belief, is NOT that hard. This is not to say it is not challenging, but it doesn't have artificial difficulty. Even if you have 1 hp, enemies and bosses are still beatable, with the right amount of skill. Each move is appropriately telegraphed just enough for you to get out of the way. But if the game does end up being too difficult, there is a way to make it easier. Git Gud.… Expand
  56. Shadowlink839
    Jul 21, 2013
    10
    Firstly, before I say anything else, I must say this: Dark Souls is not for everyone. That should seem obvious based on its reputation, but when I say "not for everyone", I don't just mean that this isn't for first time gamers. It takes certain personality traits to want to play Dark Souls. I would recommend borrowing it from a friend first to see if you like it.

    Character Creation:    Firstly, before I say anything else, I must say this: Dark Souls is not for everyone. That should seem obvious based on its reputation, but when I say "not for everyone", I don't just mean that this isn't for first time gamers. It takes certain personality traits to want to play Dark Souls. I would recommend borrowing it from a friend first to see if you like it.

    Character Creation:
    Dark Souls didn't just stick with the standard warrior, rouge, wizard. There are 10 classes to pick from, each of them utterly unique, and allowing for a wide range of play styles, non of which are necessarily "better" than any other. Should you have any friends that play this game, endless fun can be had chatting about the different ways you both played the game.

    Story:
    Dark Souls has a reputation for having a bad, or even non-existent plot. I disagree with these statements. Your character's story is very minimalistic, whereas the story of the world around you is immensely detailed. It must be kept in mind that this was intentional. This is just another case of the game letting you know that you, the player, and thus, your character as well, are meaningless nothings. Millions before you tried, and failed at the very same task you are trying to complete. But as I said before, the story of the world you are in is huge, and the majority of it is told without dialogue. Much of world's history is slowly pieced together by occasional item's whose flavor text contains lore, and by merely exploring and looking at the once thriving and now desolate society around you. The unorthodox way of story telling doesn't always work for games, but Dark Souls pulled it off beautifully.

    Combat:
    Practically every weapon has two unique basic attacks, and 3 special attacks that are essentially the same regardless of what weapon you're using. You would think that having such a small number of attacks would make combat dry and repetitive. However, you would be wrong. Combat will always keep you on the edge of your seat for three reasons. Firstly, your extreme desire to stay alive. Secondly, Dark Souls probably has the largest number of different enemies I've every seen in a game. In my playing it I can only recall 3 types of enemies being reused in different areas. It's hard to explain in words just how many types of enemies there, and each of them is a new problem to be worked out. Thirdly, The level design in Dark Souls is just like the monsters. That is to say, it has incredible variety and is immensely different everywhere you go. Not only is combat thrilling, but your class does not bind you to wear certain gear and use certain weapons. Literally any armor or weapon can be used by any class as long has you have the stats to wield them, which you get by leveling up. This means two things. One, it means that your proficiency with weapons/armor is largely based on your actual skill/experience using it. And two, it means that you will constantly be switching out gear and experimenting to see what works best in the current situation. Everything about the combat makes it anything but boring and repetitive.

    Sound/Graphics:
    This deserves special mention. Dark Souls without a doubt is one of the most beautiful looking games ever created, and it's excellent sound design compliments that. Dark Souls generally leaves you without music to intensify the lonely feeling you get while playing the game. However, there are a few key areas, such as Firelink Shrine, which is essentially your base of operations, where beautifully written music kicks in. The only other times where there is music is during boss fights. And again, the music is just flat out fantastic.

    Non-artificial difficulty:
    One of the things I love most about Dark Souls is that it's difficult, but doesn't employ what I call artificial difficulty. This is when enemies are given more health or deal more damage. Dark Souls is hard because once you beat one area you move on to completely unknown territory. There could be anything there, even a boat.

    Victory and Death: The crowning jewel of Dark Souls is this: when you die, it means something. It's a visceral ache in your heart. When you win, it means something. Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to the feeling of finally killing that boss that's halted your progress for so long.

    Problems:
    I first started played Dark Souls with my brother, who had played a bit of the game already, watching be play. I'm glad he was, because there are several extremely important game mechanics that are either explained poorly, or not explained at all. I would recommend playing the first hour or so of the game with someone who has played Dark Souls before. However, if you can't, I will save you some time and tell you to look up these things online: equip load, humanity, reverse hollowing, kindling, parameter bonus, durability, two handing weapons. Honestly, this is my only complaint.

    ADD version: Great gameplay. Great story. Absorbing world and atmosphere.    … Expand
  57. ThyRavenWings
    Jul 18, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls has driven me to the brink of madness with frustration, but it's just so damn good that i HAVE to give it a recommendation. I can't honestly recommend it enough
  58. Orangegod39
    Jul 11, 2013
    9
    Dark Souls punishes you. Whether or not you like this game; you have to admit that it punishes you. Severely. How you reacted to the punishment directly affects the score you gave the game. If the uncountable deaths doused any passionate flame for challenge you had for this game, you are (sorry to say) weak. You couldn't do it. No matter how you look at it, you could not beat this gameDark Souls punishes you. Whether or not you like this game; you have to admit that it punishes you. Severely. How you reacted to the punishment directly affects the score you gave the game. If the uncountable deaths doused any passionate flame for challenge you had for this game, you are (sorry to say) weak. You couldn't do it. No matter how you look at it, you could not beat this game because you weren't strong enough. If you didn't want to, that's a different story. If the insane challenge fueled your drive to defy From Software and you continued, you were rewarded. For those who haven't bought the game and have no idea what I'm talking about I say this: You will never know how strong you are until you play this video game. If you beat games on easy... Stay away. Save the money. Buy Skyrim and stun-lock dragons for all I care; I'll be testing skill. Not my aim with a dual-casted firebolt.… Expand
  59. Trickytyfly
    Jul 8, 2013
    10
    This game is probably one of my favorite games ever created. It brings back the feel of a challenge, while have the modern graphic capabilities. There are thousands of different combinations of weapons and armor. An extremely rich history and mind-numbing lore. It is not for the casual gamer.
  60. greenblackman
    Jul 6, 2013
    10
    Very in-depth combat and leveling system. You don't simply invest all your points into strength, and expect to bash your way to victory! What are you, casual? No, you have to play smart, not hard. Learn from your mistakes, and you WILL make mistakes. The artificial difficulty will constantly have you second guessing your every step.

    The lore is by far one of my favorites of any game,    Very in-depth combat and leveling system. You don't simply invest all your points into strength, and expect to bash your way to victory! What are you, casual? No, you have to play smart, not hard. Learn from your mistakes, and you WILL make mistakes. The artificial difficulty will constantly have you second guessing your every step.

    The lore is by far one of my favorites of any game, not simply because of the content, but how it is presented. The only narration is at the beginning of the game to give you the basic set up of the world. The rest is up to you to discover and put the pieces together. This dark and hellish land has so many stories to tell if you have a keen eye and the ability of deduction, which is unlike any other game I have played before. Time is convoluted in the land of Lordran. So you have to pay attention and keep track of what is happening now, what has happened in the past that is happening now, and what will take place long after your character is dead... Which is also happening now! Past, present, and future are all involved in the lore, and sometimes even the armor, weapons, and other equipment you find have stories.

    This is the part where I just gush about how much I love the game, feel free to skip. THIS GAME IS SO AMAZING! ON MY TOP 5 GAMES THIS IS NUMBER 1, 2, AND 4, BUT NOT 3- NEVER 3! THE WAY EVEN THE MOST MINOR OF CHARACTERS HAVE SUCH A HUGE BACKSTORY AND INTERTWINE IN YOUR JOURNEY! IT'S JUST SO FREAKIN' COOL... Okay, I'm done. No. Seriously. Get out of here.    … Expand
  61. shprea
    Jun 27, 2013
    10
    At first, you'll think to yourself that Dark Souls is the hardest game ever. Every enemy can kill you in a few seconds, the world is covered in Bosses and booby traps, and you continue to die frequently. However, after about 5 hours, you realize that the game really isn't difficult: It's strict. It's not like the deaths are unfair. The game just has a set of very specific rules that itAt first, you'll think to yourself that Dark Souls is the hardest game ever. Every enemy can kill you in a few seconds, the world is covered in Bosses and booby traps, and you continue to die frequently. However, after about 5 hours, you realize that the game really isn't difficult: It's strict. It's not like the deaths are unfair. The game just has a set of very specific rules that it wants you to follow, and if you don't, you will die. In that regard, the game is masterful. It teaches you how to play the game with every death you have rather than with the use of extended tutorials and menus. You begin to develop strategies, calculate risks, and explore further. For this reason and many more, Dark Souls is one of the best games around. It's a must play.… Expand
  62. RA1NMAN
    Jun 1, 2013
    3
    This game, to me, is dated, repetitive, and boring. It felt like it was only hard at times because the controls were so bad. After getting killed by a boss because of those clunky, unresponsive controls, spending 30 minutes having to fight all the re-spawned enemies to try again is not enjoyable, it's annoying. Some people enjoy this game, and that's fine, but these high ratings areThis game, to me, is dated, repetitive, and boring. It felt like it was only hard at times because the controls were so bad. After getting killed by a boss because of those clunky, unresponsive controls, spending 30 minutes having to fight all the re-spawned enemies to try again is not enjoyable, it's annoying. Some people enjoy this game, and that's fine, but these high ratings are ridiculous. I liked Deadly Premonition, loved it ,in fact, but I would never score it higher than 3-4. Here's a tip for everyone, most games have high difficulty settings in the options, if that's what you're after.… Expand
  63. DAvierence
    May 26, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The most challenge you will get... ever.

    I could have ended my review from there, but despite being the hardest game of 2012, it's not when you get used to it.

    Story wise, you are the chosen undead, set out to fulfill a prophecy,you ring two bells of awakening and head onto the place of the gods.And I summed it up for a casual gamer.the game has a lot of back story with the world, characters and the events in the game also,but its not there in front of you and requires interpretation and that's why this game is so awesome.Not much to say but moving on.

    The game play is a open world experience where there are no such things as loading screens(only when using homeward or re spawning).Everywhere you go, there is always something brand new to explore,and and every corner is a challenge, literally, even the rats pose a threat.you can also join covenants, which can benefit you for the better good.There is no choice of difficulty, because it is not needed otherwise it will eradicate your experience.The bosses are also challenging, but requires a strategy to deal with them.In fact, the entire game relies on your strategy.Don't be afraid of death, because you must 'prepare to die' to succeed.Blame the game and yourself for the destruction for your controllers(100% guaranteed) .There is online, where you invade players(which is fun to torture them further more), see where fellow hallows died on the spot and player messages on the floor, giving hints or tricking you to death.the controls are very fluent and need to get used to to proceed to the very end. Like every other rpg, you level up your character with souls, which is used as currency and maintaining humanity, to make your character into a human being, befitting your curse resistance and chances of items dropped from your victims.And of course, you can customize you character too.

    Graphically, the game is beautiful,where you travel to the depths of the lost izalith or venturing though Anor Londo and fighting drakes in a valley.Barely any texture pop in, but some characters don't move their mouths though nor have any convincing mouth expressions(not required for the record) and the sound department is full of epicness in a nutshell.

    This game, like i said, is a challenge.And i going to end it right here.overall,This game is a perfect gem for everyone!if you're don't like death,this game is not for you. if you want an FPS or a popcorn action flick, go play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.I found nothing that is bad,but i do recommend you purchase the prepare to die edition of Dark souls if you are new to the series!    … Expand
  64. D4RKNESS-360
    May 25, 2013
    9
    I found this game to be an enjoyable experience, although occasionaly frustrating due to its challenging difficulty. .

    Gameplay I personally found the combat to be mostly skill and reflex based. You have to learn when to strike, dodge and parry each type of enemy, and you also have to strategicly use the bonfires, which are the checkpoints of Dark Souls but when ever you use it, the    I found this game to be an enjoyable experience, although occasionaly frustrating due to its challenging difficulty. .

    Gameplay I personally found the combat to be mostly skill and reflex based. You have to learn when to strike, dodge and parry each type of enemy, and you also have to strategicly use the bonfires, which are the checkpoints of Dark Souls but when ever you use it, the hords of enemy that you just passed through will respawn, meaning back tracking will be harder incase you need to.

    Graphics I found the graphics to be more than what i initially expected out of this game, and found the dark and gritty art style to be very fitting to the gameplay, difficulty and the focus on "dark things."

    Story Ever put a puzzle together? If you don't look for the pieces of the puzzle then the puzzle will always be incomplete, and that what the story feels like to me. You get an introduction video introducing you to the lore and sometimes in the beginning you will be refered to as the chosen undead, but you were never told why you were chosen and for what. Most of the lore you will get are from the item descriptions and loading screens.

    Multiplayer I was very excited by this feature only to be dissapointed by how hard it is to play with my friends. It isn't like most games where you just invite your friends and they join. No! you have to jump through hell of alot of hoops that shouldnt be there. Me and my friends never get to play co-op because of how difficult it was.    … Expand
  65. JoeyMoey91
    May 19, 2013
    9
    Positives: Incredible scenery, awesome graphics, tons of variation with weapons, armor, in-game items, so much to explore, and seriously in-depth story (although not exactly clear to the player, but if you read everything and explore everything, you'll see the story, and what a story.), so much choice available to the player right from the beginning of the game. Able to replay this gamePositives: Incredible scenery, awesome graphics, tons of variation with weapons, armor, in-game items, so much to explore, and seriously in-depth story (although not exactly clear to the player, but if you read everything and explore everything, you'll see the story, and what a story.), so much choice available to the player right from the beginning of the game. Able to replay this game again and again and again and still be given a challenge. It's one of the more difficult games out there, but that's what I like about it. With the intense difficulty that this game provides (damn you FromSoft), the sheer jubilation you feel when you accomplish something in this game is what it's all about for me. And the added fact I've managed to get all achievements is something I never thought I'd achieve with this game (not that it was a simple task). You can also summon other players to your world to help you with boss battles, and to help you clear the area up until that point. There's no option to change difficulty, so you gotta learn from your mistakes and strategise how you're going to do things.

    Negatives: The lag you get when doing PvP (not so bad with co-op play) is ridiculous, it's pretty much impossible to fight an invading/invaded player-enemy as it will almost always lag out (for the majority of us). I personally don't consider this next point a negative, but a lot of people will find this game extremely hard and will be off-put by it.

    9/10 because of the huge amount of fun I had playing this, searching every rock and every corner of every area to find something new, even on my 50+ playthrough (not new game +50, but you get the jist). Extremely challenging game, which made it all the more sweeter once I completed it, and then completed it again to claim all 'ending' achievements. You will always find something new, very few people on earth know every little detail about Dark Souls, so you'll definitely get your money's worth.    … Expand
  66. scottmiller82
    May 4, 2013
    9
    This game is as rewarding as difficult. Every enemy in the game is a challenge, it's great to spend time learning how to beat them. For a strange reason, it's highly addictive too.
  67. SuperFloorMat
    Apr 28, 2013
    10
    Punishment at one of the fullest, But Victory at it's best. Dark Souls continues to receive a very demonic challenge with a lot of hours to spend developing your skills and training how to fight specific enemies. A large amount of weapons and monsters will keep you in for the adventure.. Just be warned this game is not meant to be easy and raging will occur
  68. Raizulee1
    Apr 22, 2013
    0
    This game is the most overrated ever! Let me Explain why I think this game is bad.......1st: There is no choice of difficulty settings, instead you were force to be challenge all the time (which I hate).......2nd: Its exactly the same game as Demon Souls, only difference is the place, environment and the monsters, people was mad that "COD" always being a rip off from its previous gameThis game is the most overrated ever! Let me Explain why I think this game is bad.......1st: There is no choice of difficulty settings, instead you were force to be challenge all the time (which I hate).......2nd: Its exactly the same game as Demon Souls, only difference is the place, environment and the monsters, people was mad that "COD" always being a rip off from its previous game every time but what about Dark Souls rip off Demon Souls?..... 3rd: Its not "open world" type like Skyrim or Fallout 3 but instead your were force to go on a linear path anywhere........4th: There is very few dialogue choices while communicating with several NPCs (infact there were very few NPCs) on a game which its genre has being called an "RPG" game........5th There is no "cheats" or what so ever for players who are so frustrated by the game and doesn't want to be challenge.......6th: There is no storyline to it, just a linear dialogue and cutscene to push you forward? To me gaming is about "fun" and I find this game isn't about "fun" but "challenges". For me who has less "free time" and a busy person, I find this game a horrible game for me...... If I want to be challenged, I'll do it in real life like challenge myself in sports or any competition that benefits me in real life and not on a nerd virtual videogame that was made by someone who is successful at making money from giving others "challenges".… Expand
  69. mazonik
    Apr 17, 2013
    10
    El mas grandioso, melancólico y tenebroso juego de la historia, direccion de arte y de enemigo derivados de una auténtica inspiración demoniaca de los autores, y lo mejor este año sale el 2.
  70. Ghost736
    Apr 15, 2013
    10
    This game is really something else. If you ask anyone for a game like Dark Souls, they will all tell you Demon Souls. You will then be prompted to ask is there any other game like those two. The answer is no. There is not one game in the world that is at least 51% similar to this game, and man does that piss me off. I love this game so much, that I spent months looking for a similarThis game is really something else. If you ask anyone for a game like Dark Souls, they will all tell you Demon Souls. You will then be prompted to ask is there any other game like those two. The answer is no. There is not one game in the world that is at least 51% similar to this game, and man does that piss me off. I love this game so much, that I spent months looking for a similar experience.

    The experience that I got from this game was more of a thrill than any other game ever. Let me start with the fear factor. This game is NOT a horror game. Sure the enemies look horrific and are very detailed, but it is an action RPG. With all this in mind, it will scare the out of you. The constant fear of dying looming over your head is menacing, and trust me, you will die. It is like a Rubik's cube that if you don't solve in time explodes and kills you on impact.

    So what about it makes it so difficult? The controls are extremely simple. A two year old can get its control scheme, and that same two year old could figure out the menus. Does this make the game easier? The answer is not really. All it does is force you to rely more on skill rather than luck. Everything is super tight and responsive, where if you make a mistake, you can't blame the controller or the game for screwing you over. You made the mistake, and you alone. So with an easy layout and controls, what makes it hard? People who have played the game remember that first fight. THE FIRST FIGHT IS A BOSS WHO KILLS YOU IN TWO HITS. Should you get past him, you fight some normal guys which are the bare minimum. Wanna swing that sword around and try to breeze past? JOKES ON YOU, THAT WIMPY THING ALREADY KILLED YOU. Oh and you lost all of your experience because you probably died twice. When you die you have a chance to redeem what you have lost during that set time. In order to reclaim what you lost, you need to return to where you died and pick it up. If you die before you get there BOOM the Rubik's cube exploded. You die a lot due to its unforgiving enemies. This is what makes this game amazing. Each enemy is a puzzle, and you need to learn the enemy before you can kill it. This usually means that you die in the process of finding out its weaknesses. Bosses obviously take a lot more time, because the window of opportunity is smaller, and they do way more damage.

    To help you out, the game has bonfires which give you life and you can apply all of the rpg elements of the game like a huge amount of upgrading. Weapons and armor can be upgraded through materials gained through the monsters you slay and the chests you open, and new items can be crafted. The currency is universal and used for basically everything. You can get the currency by killing monsters and using certain items.

    There is also a chance to individualize your character by upgrading different attributes which truly paves the way. You are given a different puzzle depending on what you upgrade, meaning you will have to approach things differently if you are magic heavy than if you are a guy that uses a sword and shield. Each approach is VERY different, adding a large amount of replay ability. WARNING: some approaches are harder than others.

    This game is long for some and longer for others. I beat on my first play through in about 35 hours, but it can go up to 100 hours easily. The place is huge and there are lots of things to discover when in the world. Each place you visit you will definitely go back to at least ten times either for progression's sake, or to farm materials for upgrades and items.

    Now onto what a ton of people dock points because of: the story. It is very convoluted into the game. There is one, you just need to look for it, making EVEN THE STORY a Rubik's cube. If you actually put time into noticing it (which is very very hard but indeed possible, like the game) the story is actually very good. It follows the high fantasy genre of storytelling and is very cool. It is in fact one of my favorite things to do. Finding the lore in itself is like defeating a boss, but that is just me, and considering this is a niche game, I don't expect people to like that factor. Everything about this game includes a selective audience, but if you are willing to give it a try, you will be part of either extreme. Hate it or love it, this game is a one of a kind experience    … Expand
  71. BlueDuck
    Apr 13, 2013
    10
    One of the most engrossing and challenging games of this generation. Don't let the motto "Prepare to Die" deter you. Yes, death will come in many forms, yet there is such depth and beauty in the world that you can't help but to face death over and over again in order to experience one of the most invigorating senses of accomplishment any game has to offer.

    There are many reviews and    One of the most engrossing and challenging games of this generation. Don't let the motto "Prepare to Die" deter you. Yes, death will come in many forms, yet there is such depth and beauty in the world that you can't help but to face death over and over again in order to experience one of the most invigorating senses of accomplishment any game has to offer.

    There are many reviews and videos showing the gameplay and online system of the game. And these things are very enjoyable and add a lot to this game (the combat is fun and responsive, the online system works wonderfully, and the weapons are diverse and fun). But I think I will focus on my favorite and less-covered aspect of the game. The depth, beauty of the world and its characters.

    FIrst of all, the world is beautiful. There are large epic castles, deep dreary, yet magnificent, tombs, and mysterious and intriguing forests. The scenery draws you in and the amount of detail put into it is astounding. The same goes for the enemies, they are creative and unique. There is a lot of detail to each one of them as well. And I don't just mean visual detail

    Almost every spec of armor, weapon, or item in the game has a story or description behind it. This includes the items owned by the enemy. It is this level of detail and depth that really makes dark souls a masterpiece. For each item tells a little bit about the story via a written description in the menu. If the player wants to dive farther into the world, they have to read these descriptions. And they are well worth it. The game does such a good job at drawing you into the world, that it doesn't feel like a chore to read every description, it feels rewarding.

    The characters in the game also add that as well. Each character you encounter has their own story and adventure transpiring the same time as yours. As you progress in your quest, they do the same in theirs. Sometimes these paths cross. Sometimes there are rewards for interacting with characters, sometimes there are major set backs. Think of character interaction like side quests, they don't drastically change the main story, but they can greatly help you out or add a whole new level of depth to the current story. And all of it is optional. But since each character has such well written dialogue, you may find yourself becoming attached to them and yearning to interact with them as much as possible. You may start to feel bad about certain character circumstances, and you may start to hate certain character actions. Overall, It is rare to find a game that can get you this attached to computer characters. This is why dark souls is one of my favorite games.

    Dark Souls is a masterpiece. It has an extremely deep and rich world covered with beautiful scenes, terrifying enemies, and complex and intriguing characters. All of this is layered between a responsive and fun combat system along with a unique online feature. It is one of the best games of the generation and a personal favorite of mine. The difficulty and complexity is not for everyone. However, I do recommend that everyone should try this out.    … Expand
  72. magee
    Apr 7, 2013
    10
    while the difficulty level of this game is high, every time you die its your own fault. the combat feels so good it never gets boring because every enemy is a enemy that can kill you not like in other games where you spam 1 key to win. this game just draws you in this world its so fun and rewarding to play it was my game of the year
  73. lpsyco
    Mar 29, 2013
    9
    Backstab the most supid and cowrd thing in this game....it all the experience.!!!!
    please do a favor to yoursels and reset this stupid thing in the game,or make a thing more har to take energy...
    Backstab the most supid and cowrd in this game....it all the experience!!!! please do a favor to yoursels and reset this stupid thing in the game,or make a thing more hard to take    Backstab the most supid and cowrd thing in this game....it all the experience.!!!!
    please do a favor to yoursels and reset this stupid thing in the game,or make a thing more har to take energy...

    Backstab the most supid and cowrd in this game....it all the experience!!!!
    please do a favor to yoursels and reset this stupid thing in the game,or make a thing more hard to take energy...

    the next game if I know that this continues
    do not buy, do not admit a game with a hard blow so easy to take power
    I and most people think the same
    I do not do because I'm not a coward!!
    .    … Expand
  74. johnh23
    Mar 22, 2013
    10
    Absolutely my favorite game of all time. I recommend it to everyone i know that loves gaming. The boss fights are the best I've ever experienced in a game, the armor is beautiful, and you have so much freedom in building your character. This game spoiled me and set the bar so high for everything else i play, i love it,.
  75. GildaTheGriffin
    Mar 17, 2013
    9
    I like this game. I managed, barely to not die just yet. Weapons are fun and can be upgraded several ways, but the direction and characters look... odd. Like it threw me out of the immersion with a giant head thing that grabs you by his teeth and that is a form of transportation to some near end of the game? Really? I just started and love it's variety, but character models need toI like this game. I managed, barely to not die just yet. Weapons are fun and can be upgraded several ways, but the direction and characters look... odd. Like it threw me out of the immersion with a giant head thing that grabs you by his teeth and that is a form of transportation to some near end of the game? Really? I just started and love it's variety, but character models need to feel human and or real, rather than some Japanese oddities of characters. I guess Americans like art styles that immerse you. Rather than be random and unique. It's odd, but fun and challenging. Can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't wait to see how I die.… Expand
  76. Lambanog
    Mar 13, 2013
    10
    In 2011, majority of the game review websites awarded the Game of the Year to Skyrim. Although Skyrim is a good game, I think Dark Souls is the game which deserves the Game of the Year Award (for 2011). It has a better combat engine (which ultimately makes it the "better" game). You always have to think of "how" to slay your enemy and not simply point at it and slash away. EverythingIn 2011, majority of the game review websites awarded the Game of the Year to Skyrim. Although Skyrim is a good game, I think Dark Souls is the game which deserves the Game of the Year Award (for 2011). It has a better combat engine (which ultimately makes it the "better" game). You always have to think of "how" to slay your enemy and not simply point at it and slash away. Everything revolves around this making it a very engaging game from start to finish. Some would say that Dark Souls is too difficult and does not appeal to mass audiences. It is true that it can be a difficult game but if all games were easy then that would make gaming very boring and lifeless. Dark Souls stands out because it is one of the unique games among the masses. Prepare to die!… Expand
  77. Purrphect
    Feb 26, 2013
    10
    This is the single most important, and the best RPG ever made, IMO.
    you will not find a more Challeging game, i love how you have to figure everything out yourself, no guidelines, just pure use of your own mind, i love it!
    And the weapons and armors, OMFG i have never seen such cool looking weapons and armor in anygame before, daaaamn you can look so goddamn epic! (pardon my language).    This is the single most important, and the best RPG ever made, IMO.
    you will not find a more Challeging game, i love how you have to figure everything out yourself, no guidelines, just pure use of your own mind, i love it!

    And the weapons and armors, OMFG i have never seen such cool looking weapons and armor in anygame before, daaaamn you can look so goddamn epic! (pardon my language).

    if you haven't tried it yet, it's a must buy, it's hard, but it's worth it!

    and there is so many things to this game, that you'll have 200+H's fun!

    Best RPG Ever made Period!
    JUST BUY IT! you will never regret it!    … Expand
  78. 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
  79. Kimogaku
    Feb 12, 2013
    8
    Darksouls is one of the most amazing Games out there. I've never played Demon Souls because i hadn't got the console there yet and i truly regret that. This Series throws you into Bloody Battles that you might think are Challenging... Looking deeper in the Game you will begin to understand, that this Game resembles a real War, not only for your Live but it show whats most important inDarksouls is one of the most amazing Games out there. I've never played Demon Souls because i hadn't got the console there yet and i truly regret that. This Series throws you into Bloody Battles that you might think are Challenging... Looking deeper in the Game you will begin to understand, that this Game resembles a real War, not only for your Live but it show whats most important in actual Battles: Experience!
    Its an achievement to get to the first Bell true but its an even greater achievment to play the game again and do the same in just an fifth of the time. Dark Souls is not a Game for everyone and especially not people who go Head first into Battles not thinking about how to fight.

    The Game would have gotten a 10 from me, but the Graphics are too Old, The Multiplayer System sucks and it got some bugs and problems here and there. Still its an awesome game and i spend way more than 100h on this game trying to get an even higher Level. Its fun and addictive and even though the Graphics are beautiful they are full of little Details here and there. You really feel as if you are in the world. Unfortunately that is not something everyone gets to Experience but this game is one of my All time Favorites    … Expand
  80. LegionPichon
    Feb 5, 2013
    10
    The game that made my video game addiction return. My GOTY by far, never thought that a game could give such a feeling of accomplishment. The game challenges you and punishes like no other (except Demon´s Souls maybe). Totally recommended for the hardcore gamers!
  81. trevor2ooo
    Feb 4, 2013
    10
    i have never claimed that any game was the best I've played before I played this, I love it, the weapon customization the deadly bosses the vicious enemies, very hard but amazingly rewarding and the online is unique and very well done, wouldn't recommend for the casual gamer but anyone else should love it.
  82. subsided
    Jan 29, 2013
    9
    This game is pretty awesome and a huge improvement from the original. It still keeps its crushing difficulty but fortunately it works for this game. the end
  83. martjan
    Jan 29, 2013
    10
    I had to give this game few shots before I finally started enjoying it. The learning curve is very steep and you will die A LOT but once you get a hang of it, this is one of the most rewarding games on the market. I am not a stranger to rpg's and hard games but this is the only game that will make my heart beat faster in some intense moments. You are being constantly challenged andI had to give this game few shots before I finally started enjoying it. The learning curve is very steep and you will die A LOT but once you get a hang of it, this is one of the most rewarding games on the market. I am not a stranger to rpg's and hard games but this is the only game that will make my heart beat faster in some intense moments. You are being constantly challenged and reminded that you can die at any second be it by a monster, a trap or in some instances another player. Do yourself a favor if you buy this game. Take a look at some of the tutorials for combat and exploration, they will do you a lot of good. To summarize this game is not for people who are used to play games that hold you hand. Once again you will die a lot, you will get frustrated and you will try to break your controller into million pieces but it is all worth it at the end. As soon as I can I am pre-ordering Dark Souls 2.… Expand
  84. AbsoluteDiscord
    Jan 19, 2013
    10
    This game is good, really good. Not just like "oh nice game you got here" it is like "ZOMG ITS A DARK SOULZ" I have had more fun with this game then I ever had with any game ever. Maybe it is just because I am sick and tired of games hold our hands to guide us through, because a real adventure does not have that. A real adventure is for you to draw your own conclusion from, not have theThis game is good, really good. Not just like "oh nice game you got here" it is like "ZOMG ITS A DARK SOULZ" I have had more fun with this game then I ever had with any game ever. Maybe it is just because I am sick and tired of games hold our hands to guide us through, because a real adventure does not have that. A real adventure is for you to draw your own conclusion from, not have the game flat out tell you, when I beat the game and did the link the fire ending I was confused in a good way, not the wtf way, more of the "I wonder..." way. I was able to draw my own conclusion about why this or that happened,and it made it more of an experience than anything.Overall it was one of the best games I have ever been given the pleasure of exploring through, I would totally recommend it to anyone who plays games like this.… Expand
  85. crawlord
    Jan 19, 2013
    10
    SO i thought i was a good gamer until dark souls . I had to die over and over to rethink gaming and strategy. Now i despise games that hold your hand. While the game cheats a little,i have noticed where you can take damage through some walls and arrows that curve slightly towards you ..... all is fair game . I love the game and i am going to start on demon souls to see what i missed.
  86. Auktopus
    Jan 17, 2013
    10
    Dark Souls is a genre in itself, and is an absolute must play for anyone who has the patience to reward intense punishment with intense accomplishment. Over a year after its release, and with another sequel in FROM Software's universe on the way, I still find myself booting up to PvP, make new characters - and watch the tears of pain and joy flow from friends playing it for the first time.
  87. fox294
    Jan 15, 2013
    10
    This game made me rethink the way that I play and enjoy videogames. --------------- TES: Skyrim was released very shortly after Dark Souls. At the time, Skyrim had been heavily hyped and advertised and Dark Souls slipped right past my radar. I do recall seeing it right next to Skyrim on the Metacritic chart but dismissing it. So I played through Skyrim and enjoyed it thoroughly ,This game made me rethink the way that I play and enjoy videogames. --------------- TES: Skyrim was released very shortly after Dark Souls. At the time, Skyrim had been heavily hyped and advertised and Dark Souls slipped right past my radar. I do recall seeing it right next to Skyrim on the Metacritic chart but dismissing it. So I played through Skyrim and enjoyed it thoroughly , thinking it was a 10. But even then I understood that Skyrim is a game where you walk around without any risk. This isn't a knock and it isn't unusual - most games these days present no actual risk, no heart-pounding moments. In Skyrim, after you slog your way through mission after mission you eventually build yourself into an unstoppable juggernaut. So whereas at the beginning of the game all you had to do was run or reload, by the end the only way you're going to die is if you hurl yourself off a cliff. At that point, it… Expand
  88. DRVPereira
    Jan 7, 2013
    10
    Probably there's no point in writing a review more than a year after the release date, but I felt the need to write about one of my favorite games of this generation, as I only created my Metacritic account a couple of months ago. There are many things which may be listed as reasons for liking this game: the story, the gameplay, the difficulty and the multiplayer, for instance. Although itProbably there's no point in writing a review more than a year after the release date, but I felt the need to write about one of my favorite games of this generation, as I only created my Metacritic account a couple of months ago. There are many things which may be listed as reasons for liking this game: the story, the gameplay, the difficulty and the multiplayer, for instance. Although it may not appear, Dark Souls has a great, dense story, which is not told directly to the player. You must go after the elements that explain the story and the world of the game, reading the description of items and talking to every NPC that you'll encounter. The story is so rich that you'll even may find many videos on YouTube dedicated to explaining Dark Souls lore. The gameplay is awesome: the controls are very simple, yet extremely effective. The difficulty is just about right: the game is hard. It does not allow mistakes, you'll die many times and you'll die dozens of times more if you don't learn from your mistakes. But there's no reason in being hard just to be hard. There's also an amazing feeling of compensation when you can finally beat a challenging enemy. It's hard, but also very rewarding. The multiplayer is probably the most original that I've ever seen. You can interact with other players in many ways, such as PvP, cooperative gameplay, or just leaving messages on the ground to help (or confuse) others. I've played over 120 hours and I'm on the first third of my third playthrough.… Expand
  89. Rufousjet
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    I absolutely love this game but I can see how some don't . when I originally bought it I disliked it, not knowing what I was doing so after a few frustrating hours I returned it. But it lingered. That urge to just see what was beyond that tiny bit of progress I had made was so tempting that I got it again this time with the help of friends, forums and wikis to guide me on my way. AndI absolutely love this game but I can see how some don't . when I originally bought it I disliked it, not knowing what I was doing so after a few frustrating hours I returned it. But it lingered. That urge to just see what was beyond that tiny bit of progress I had made was so tempting that I got it again this time with the help of friends, forums and wikis to guide me on my way. And that's when it struck me how good it was , 9 hours in after killing a once intimidating boss. It struck me, that this game was perfect. How? The story: as intriguing as it was mysterious it has a decent set up which winds into a interesting yarn about this long since abandoned land. T.he graphics and atmosphere are both superb, no it's not the technically most stunning game and the atmosphere is second only to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R franchise (personal taste though) but it still fills me with that craving to return to its bleak yet beautiful word to see what it had to offer. The gameplay is where it shines though, its just top notch. You can tell its meant to be job just that, that it had weeks of fine tuning each element (carries over from demon souls). The boss fights, some of the best moments of gaming and I've been gaming for a decade. The only thing I can understand why someone who is a fan of the genre or of games in general might not like this is the sheer bare bones intro into it. The game doesn't hold you hand, its not meant to but it does provide a sleuth of options to intelligent players (and despite what you hear it is an open world some people just aren't looking hard enough). Its not that hard, if your discouraged, farm some of the easier enemies, practice your move set, look around, ask a friend, look on a wiki- the game just gets better the more you play and believe me, its something you should play...… Expand
  90. Nahguacm
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    There is only 1 place this game does badly (Blighttown). The rest IS hard, but not in a cheap way, in a "I should have blocked" way. it has fantastic graphics, nonexistent loading screens,and VERY well implemented Multiplayer. The controls are not slow and clunky, as some say, unless you are wearing heavy armor, and the feeling of satisfaction as you finally beat a boss is notThere is only 1 place this game does badly (Blighttown). The rest IS hard, but not in a cheap way, in a "I should have blocked" way. it has fantastic graphics, nonexistent loading screens,and VERY well implemented Multiplayer. The controls are not slow and clunky, as some say, unless you are wearing heavy armor, and the feeling of satisfaction as you finally beat a boss is not replicated in any game I've played. Get. It. Now.… Expand
  91. Princevalvick64
    Dec 21, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "The difficultly isn't what makes Dark Souls unique, but its wide combat system and amazing lore/story makes Dark Souls truly, a one of kind game." Despite what I said there, Dark Souls is diffidently not for everybody. Prepare to die and yeah, your gonna die a lot from its (At first) starting difficulty until you understand its learning curve. For some players, after half way through the game, the game doesn't seem all that hard anymore. I really enjoy the combat system, I'm always creating new builds to just try out different play styles such as Light wight dexterity being my favorite and heavy strength builds with faith magic just to mix things up. There's no best armor or weapon as its all custom to your play style as every weapon, magic, or armor always comes with its pros and cons. Dark Souls is an open world game allowing players to explore in their own risk; with its well done level design, your rewarded for finding shout cuts making exploring and getting to a boss easier and quicker. The story soft-of hard to understand. Instead, your told lies through the whole playthrough and to understand the truth behind the horrors of dark souls is by reading the lore left in item descriptions. As the player, your discovering the story on your own and going back to some of the memorable areas will seem to be more understandable in how it became what you see and how it wasn't before you got there. Dark Souls is an amazing game and I'll never get tired of it but it does come with it short comings and some disappointment after Demon's Souls. The game comes with a unique multiplayer that works half the time. you can leave messages for other players to discover and help or troll. When you are human(You start as an Undead) you can summon random players to help you defeat an area and its boss but as human, other players can invade your world and kill you for half your souls and humanity. Dark Souls is an amazing and unique game but isn't for everybody. After really getting into Dark Souls, there are very few problems that can limit the player into its world and its multiplayer but overall, your getting huge and complex game that's filled with content and a DLC that wasn't even planed. Despite the rude community outside of Dark Souls, they are really supportive with each other.… Expand
  92. Sneetches
    Dec 19, 2012
    8
    TL;DR A great RPG that'll have you raging one moment and cheering the next.

    Dark Souls is a highly debated game with one side crying of "artificial difficulty" and the other being fanboys defending it. However, if you're in the middle (hopefully), you'll realize that its a great game that still has its flaws. Addressing one of the most argued point(s), pertaining to the "artificial    TL;DR A great RPG that'll have you raging one moment and cheering the next.

    Dark Souls is a highly debated game with one side crying of "artificial difficulty" and the other being fanboys defending it. However, if you're in the middle (hopefully), you'll realize that its a great game that still has its flaws. Addressing one of the most argued point(s), pertaining to the "artificial difficulty", learning curve, or anything in between, I can say that there are legitimate and also illegitimate complaints. For one, those mainly complaining of the difficulty either tried to A) Blow through the game and got their **** promptly slapped, then complained. or B) Don't understand how to fight or address the different enemies/situations in the game, and would rather not go through the "trial and error" process. Don't be fooled, there is a LOT of trial and error at times. Outside of that highly debated topic, the game is interesting. The beginning and end cutscenes are the only story related scenes, the rest of the story is to be figured out through the player's exploration (another unpopular feature among the modern gamer). The world feels vast, being that you can actually see a lot of the zones from within each other, and they seem so large in view. The characters, while eccentric, aren't exactly memorable, but they aren't very bad either. The game has a depressing atmosphere to it, and it can be felt at times. The art design is great, and really fits the theme, along with the enemies of the world.

    The combat is another learning curve that definitely takes some getting used to. Parrying is an interesting mechanic that isn't reliable to the average player, but getting better at it makes dealing with small minions a breeze, but unfortunately it ruins one very important fight in the game. All the classes seem rather balanced although mage/ranger are play styles that seem better suited to the more experienced player, but being proficient at 2 is a big plus. The stats system holds true to any traditional RPG, and while gear doesn't make a world of difference (unless you're worried about your roll...), there is still a lot of customization.

    The PVP, while being a very large part of the game, still has its flaws. Summoning is unreliable at best, and doing Co-op with friends isn't exactly easy. Another problem arises with twinks (experienced, very low levels who have beaten the game and NG+ and have their best possible setup) will easily make any newcomer confused and angry at their first online invasion experiences. Lag turns any fight into a "who gets the lucky backstab" duel, and gankers can get very annoying.

    I'm not really sure how in-between you can be with Dark Souls, its either something you love, hate, or your friends are making you play to torture yourself with. Despite what many naysayers will complain about, the game still has its strong points, and I would argue that these will outweigh the complaints of "artificial difficulty" and other excuses.    … Expand
  93. thx4thc
    Dec 14, 2012
    10
    4 me BEST GAME EVER (prepare to die edition). It is very SMART game. Pure gaming, best fantasy world, adult. You can not stop or pause single play! Revolutionary concept, adult aesthetics. Even Sony do not understand... Not for average gamers... In present times of average, nonconsistent games shines like a DIAMOND. Bugrim killa. In comparison with present games 15/10!
  94. RoosterCogburn
    Dec 9, 2012
    10
    I can't remember the last time a game forced me to forget all my preconceptions about video games and adopt totally new expectations and mindsets. This game throws away the rule book and writes a new one. Go into this experience with an open mind, don't let yourself be discouraged by setbacks, and find out what people who aren't willing to give Dark Souls a proper chance are missing!
  95. PWNS74R
    Nov 29, 2012
    4
    My experience with Dark Souls was terrible, now the reason why I say that, is that the game is flawed! So, first of the all lets get the graphics out of the way, it looks good but the textures look flat... Done! The A.I. offends me as not only is your character slow at recovering... but once you've been hit, say goodbye to your souls, as the A.I. WILL NOT STOP HITTING YOU! Plus, onMy experience with Dark Souls was terrible, now the reason why I say that, is that the game is flawed! So, first of the all lets get the graphics out of the way, it looks good but the textures look flat... Done! The A.I. offends me as not only is your character slow at recovering... but once you've been hit, say goodbye to your souls, as the A.I. WILL NOT STOP HITTING YOU! Plus, on top of that the A.I. will disregard it's own safety and fall off a cliff to get you! The controls feel slippery and awkward... why would you attack with the triggers, this isn't a first person shooter! The camera is awful, often getting pushed upwards against a wall, and I'm unable to see my character until I manually move itl As for story and music, I don't care... it's bland and unimportant. However, I do have to praise From Software for the art direction!

    So yes, the game is difficult.. but for all the wrong reasons, it's called Fake Difficulty, and thats what dissapointed me, if it all genuine... I would of enjoyed it! But is it worth playing? Not if you want a fair challenge... only resort to it if other games aren't difficult enough for you, and you want to push yourself!    … Expand
  96. Kermie
    Nov 22, 2012
    9
    Absolutely terrific. There is no game quite like Dark Souls. Uniquely challenging yet ultimately rewarding, this incredible action RPG proves that superior design and unique world building triumphs over the simplicity of modern gaming that we have been force fed over the years. It has its blemishes (terrible frame rate in an area, strange clipping issues) here and there, but you'll letAbsolutely terrific. There is no game quite like Dark Souls. Uniquely challenging yet ultimately rewarding, this incredible action RPG proves that superior design and unique world building triumphs over the simplicity of modern gaming that we have been force fed over the years. It has its blemishes (terrible frame rate in an area, strange clipping issues) here and there, but you'll let it slide. I have yet to play another game that is both terrifying to play yet so strangely addicting. This is for the hardest of the hardcore gamers out there, and you have to be a glutton for punishment. But once you beat that boss, get through that area, find that incredible weapon, or simply make it to the end of this sprawling, minimalistic, and epic adventure I guarantee you'll be hooked. 9.5… Expand
  97. Jribs
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    It's not the challenge of Dark Souls that is so refreshing; it's more that the game treats you like you are a veteran. It holds your hand in so few ways, but the exploration and learning is the best part anyways. The world is one seamless area with no central hub. It's a nice system, but the directions are lacking too much in my opinion. Getting lost is a bit too easy when you don't knowIt's not the challenge of Dark Souls that is so refreshing; it's more that the game treats you like you are a veteran. It holds your hand in so few ways, but the exploration and learning is the best part anyways. The world is one seamless area with no central hub. It's a nice system, but the directions are lacking too much in my opinion. Getting lost is a bit too easy when you don't know that you should backtrack to an area in order to advance in the game. I could just be a baby. I'm not quite sure. Other than that gripe, this game blew my mind. From Software, on a mediocre budget, produced this sixty+ hour masterpiece with gorgeous graphics. The music is tense and rare, but the silent moments of this game are almost what I look forward too the most. Defeating one of the many well-designed bosses leaves me feeling accomplished more than I have felt in any game before it. Just traversing a small group of enemies can feel accomplishing, because of how difficult this game can be at points. The combat is smooth. Really smooth. It's not like Skyrim, where hacking away at enemies is just a matter of smacking the right trigger and occasionally blocking. It's an art that has to be mastered by memorizing the moves of all of the enemies around you. Don't be too turned off by the magic system either. It's not the greatest system, but it actually works pretty well. I just wish it took more skill sometimes though to kill enemies with magic. It's fair and requires strategy, but it's a little easy to kill some enemies with (many bosses). This is one of those games that I just try to get everybody to try out because it seems so different from what the video game world is used to. It has a minimalist plot and is hardcore, yet somehow, a major video game company chose to make it this way. Against the odds, this game was made and I don't see many hardcore rpgs coming in 2013. Pick this up.… Expand
  98. xXCoD4LyFXx
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    wat i booght this gaym and WAAT!!! no guns??????? wat kynd of game has no guns?!?!?!11/

    ryt anywaiz, teh game is just so terible. u do lyk NO DAMMAJ to mostners srsly?? do tey evn want ppl to win? lolol is it hard?? no its just super unballanced sword does 10 dammag??! in cod knyf kills 1 hit always so sord shud do like, 0-shot some1! okey so after playin sum more i got atacked by    wat i booght this gaym and WAAT!!! no guns??????? wat kynd of game has no guns?!?!?!11/

    ryt anywaiz, teh game is just so terible. u do lyk NO DAMMAJ to mostners srsly?? do tey evn want ppl to win? lolol is it hard?? no its just super unballanced sword does 10 dammag??! in cod knyf kills 1 hit always so sord shud do like, 0-shot some1!

    okey so after playin sum more i got atacked by some **** and tey killed me evn when i hit em! wat a peece of sheet. review: bosses lol dun bovver tey kill u cause tey ****s, all plaayurs are knyfer ****s an dun fyt faare and just evrythin wong wit it. by cod an enjoy kilin ****s in one-go wit ur knyf lolol oh and cod has gunz!!!! like, so mutch coller than ****gy swords    … Expand
  99. XboxGamerGuy
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    This is one of my all time favourite games of all time.
    This game demands a level of patients and thought that many games will never have!
    Do I a random computer nerd recommend this game? Oh yes I do.
    Revisit the Glory days of hard games.
  100. StllBreathnButY
    Nov 11, 2012
    10
    Understand, this game is not made for everyone to enjoy. It is hard, unforgiving, it never holds your hand. Hard is not a bad thing, it's what makes this game so addicting and rewarding. Gameplay is so fine-tuned and fair, if you grasp the fundamentals and put them into practice, nothing is too hard. The game never gives you more than a slight hint as to where to go next, leaving it up toUnderstand, this game is not made for everyone to enjoy. It is hard, unforgiving, it never holds your hand. Hard is not a bad thing, it's what makes this game so addicting and rewarding. Gameplay is so fine-tuned and fair, if you grasp the fundamentals and put them into practice, nothing is too hard. The game never gives you more than a slight hint as to where to go next, leaving it up to the player to explore everything to find out where they can go. Here's the genius behind this, after you've played the game thoroughly, when you play it again, you realize you can go pretty much anywhere you want at anytime, the key is just being good at the game and knowing where valuable items are. Theres no level grinding necessary. For your first time through however, with the experience system the way it is, that being earn xp from killing things, use it at checkpoints to level up, lose them all if you die, it makes every inch of the world dangerous and tense. Bosses are incredibly fun to fight. They are epic, challenging, and awe inspiring, just what boss fights should be. The gameworld is so enigmatic, it does a fantastic job sucking you right in. online functionality is creative as well. Players cannot talk to each other, there is no party chat while playing this game. Everyone is a stranger, another lost soul stuck in this purgatorial hell. Players can leave somewhat cryptic notes anywhere in the world to help guide or mislead other players on their journey. You may also summon other players into your world to give you a much needed edge. Or you can invade another players world and hunt them down and kill them for their experience and humanity, making the world all the more frightful. For hardcore gamers who welcome challenge, this game is one of the most rewarding and exciting games out there. I haven't truly loved many games in the last several years, but I LOVE this game.… Expand
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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

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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.
    Read full review
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