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. Shadexx7
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    Dark Souls is an interesting game for today's generation, where games are usually much easier. I wasn't alive for the times when games like Battletoads came out, but I have gone back to play them. They are brutal. I am a glutton for punishment, playing games like Aban Awkins and The 1000 Spikes (etc.), but Dark Souls was one of the more enjoyable punishing games I've played.

    It's a great    Dark Souls is an interesting game for today's generation, where games are usually much easier. I wasn't alive for the times when games like Battletoads came out, but I have gone back to play them. They are brutal. I am a glutton for punishment, playing games like Aban Awkins and The 1000 Spikes (etc.), but Dark Souls was one of the more enjoyable punishing games I've played.

    It's a great fantasy game, there's no doubt about it. I like the "soul" system of currency, where you can either spend your hard earned money (which can disappear very fast) on new equipment or on levelling. It makes a guy think when he can either level a single attribute or buy that new armour from that creepy merchant, knowing both can help him. The combat is good, the system of having a left and right hand (and controlling them as such) is also good (I never played Demon's Souls). There are a few problems. Initially, the game was hard. Hard as hell. But then you realize, once you go through an area two, three, four, ten times, you just need to know where the enemies spawn and how to defeat them. Roll at the right time, attack. It isn't that hard once you go through the same area a few times. The bosses, on the other hand, are a mixed bag of emotions: they are very well thought out , and they're a blast to fight. Some of them do have very cheap tactics and moves that will see you killed without any warning or even knowing how something hit you. I also found some annoying parts, especially when starting, such as attacking someone by accident, having to kill them because they became aggressive, then losing out on a fairly important merchant early in the game.

    Dark Souls is not a bad game by any means. If you are a glutton for punishment, this is your game. I do have to tell you one thing though:

    Get TES: Skryim. It is a better game, especially if you're looking for a game that won't get you depressed considering how many times you die.    … Expand
  2. Kuzkula
    Nov 23, 2011
    8
    Criminy. Prepare to die. Simple as that.
    Well, I love this game. As always, I dip my toes in the Redbox and snag it on my night/s off. Got addicted. Returned RAGE and got this instead. Read my problems with that "masterpiece" in another review. To put it as others have, Dark Souls makes dying fun. :D
    Graphics: Dark Souls is beautiful. There's few if any clipping going on [dragon's tail],    Criminy. Prepare to die. Simple as that.
    Well, I love this game. As always, I dip my toes in the Redbox and snag it on my night/s off. Got addicted. Returned RAGE and got this instead. Read my problems with that "masterpiece" in another review. To put it as others have, Dark Souls makes dying fun. :D

    Graphics: Dark Souls is beautiful. There's few if any clipping going on [dragon's tail], weapons are just what you'd expect to be textured. You can see _forever_ in this game. If you find a high point you can easily turn around and either see the mass of corpses in your wake, or look forward and see certain doom waiting for you. Bosses are amazing, many moving parts and detail taken to make them truly terrifying. Don't believe me? Look up Gaping Dragon. That's not even the worst!

    Sound: Ahhh, dying in a eerily silent castle corridor has never sounded so realistic. There's hardly, if any, music going on at any time. Weapons sound like they're supposed to, and when you are slowly creeping the corridor of a dungeon, you know damn well to keep silent and LISTEN. The dry rasping of a hallowed will probably be all you have to tell you're walking into an ambush. Once again: Bosses - Terrifying.

    Controls: People keep complaining about controls. I don't see how. It's not a mash RT or X to win game, and people need to understand that. Armor and equipment load determine how well you move, and half of the fight of the game is learning how to inhabit this body as you try to survive hordes of enemies, traps, bosses, mini-bosses, and those damn black knights. Fighting is simple yet strategic. Basically this - never just run in swinging like an idiot. Block, strike, repeat til dead. Can't block that hit? DODGE, KNUCKLEHEAD. Oh wait, you've died because you can't understand the basic principle of not blocking attacks with your face. Here's your helmet due to your head being caved in for being an idiot.

    UI: Easy to navigate, but man they make you rush due to there being a lack of a pause menu. Pressing start opens a quick menu and keeps the game world running. Smart players would equip their items to the multiple slots for swapping out a weapon for a talisman or whatnot. The menus are a nice touch for determining what equipment is better thanks to a stat display. Lower bleed resistance but higher fire defense. Niiiiiice. Leveling up also keeps you on the verge of insanity, needing more and more souls to get that little stat bump to keep yourself from getting stuffed in a corner and... well... y'know.

    Gameplay: CHALLENGING. God. It's not a selling point as much as it is a fun factor. It's basically a huge game of find the weakness, except with two swords and your face. Riposte/slash/block/slash and repeat. Can get quite repetitive if you try to grab too much too quickly, typically leaving you farther than comfortable from a bonfire, making you go alllllll the way out there again to retrieve your lost souls/humanity so they're all not wasted. Bosses are, again, terrifying. Once you traverse the white light, it becomes very tense, then panic, and probably disappointment at dying yet again at the damn bell tower gargoyles. Sometimes it feels as though the enemies are unfair and just pummeling you into dust. Protip- try a different method. Experiment.

    Overall: Love this game. Harsh gameplay leading to many people quitting just makes me laugh, but it can be frustrating at times, so it's understandable. Go in with patience, caution, and just a bit of foresight, and you may die less than 100 times your first playthough.    … Expand
  3. Medevil9908
    Mar 6, 2012
    8
    Dark Souls is probably one of the most polarizing games ever made. You either love it or hate it. The main thing that makes this game difficult is its unforgiving gameplay. If you make a few mistakes during any fight, you'll most likely be killed. In addition to that, the items you can use to heal (estus flasks and healing spells) have a limited number of uses. Most enemies take a sizableDark Souls is probably one of the most polarizing games ever made. You either love it or hate it. The main thing that makes this game difficult is its unforgiving gameplay. If you make a few mistakes during any fight, you'll most likely be killed. In addition to that, the items you can use to heal (estus flasks and healing spells) have a limited number of uses. Most enemies take a sizable portion of your health away with each hit so chances are you'll run out of healing items.

    The game's environments are varied and either beautiful or intentionally ugly. The music in the game is very good. The graphics are good but they seem washed out at a distance (I think this was intentional). There are so many different ways to play the game. You can be either a magic caster or a melee-only tank. As you progress, you find many suits of armor (some of which look really cool) as well as weapons. The boss encounters are varied but they use the same enemy type 3 times in the game (the very first boss can be encountered two more times in different forms). It seemed like they ran out of new ideas for bosses which is odd considering that every other boss is different. The other two bosses are completely optional though.

    I understand that difficulty is that game's selling point but I felt that the difficulty should stay in combat and not in the menu/inventory system. The game explains what each button does, how to attack, block, parry, do critical hits, heal, equip/switch weapons, evade, how to use gestures, and how to bring up the start menu. Things that are explained easily in other games are not explained in this one. My first time playing this game I had no idea how repair/upgrade weapons, properly use a bow, or how to jump. Yes, jump. The manual only explains the bare minimum. Regardless this game is still a good buy. It has a unique online multiplayer component that I haven't seen in any other game (I believe it's in Demon's Souls but I didn't play that game). For new players: the game takes a few hours to get used to. If you're tired of easy games (Skyrim, KoA: Reckoning) give this one a try. It'll kick your ass. The best piece of advice is located right on the back of the game's box: PREPARE TO DIE.    … Expand
  4. Cabinutz
    Mar 12, 2012
    8
    Dark Souls is not a game for everyone. The gameplay of the game is similar to that of Monster Hunter in some aspects. You will die a lot. But the things that this game does well outshine the negative aspects of it. Customizability of your character makes them feel as if they are unique in nature. The ever changing areas as you progress through the game create a nice flow. The game isDark Souls is not a game for everyone. The gameplay of the game is similar to that of Monster Hunter in some aspects. You will die a lot. But the things that this game does well outshine the negative aspects of it. Customizability of your character makes them feel as if they are unique in nature. The ever changing areas as you progress through the game create a nice flow. The game is constantly scaling its difficulty to keep up with your levels, and for those who enjoy gameplay elements akin to childhood difficulty will be reminded of it. Gamers have become too catered to easy games where everything must be spoon fed to them. Its nice to find a game that goes back to its roots and teaches you the basic elements and allows you to wander out and discover the rest of it for yourselves. The story is very thinly laid out in Dark Souls, but everything else makes up for it. The only big problem I had when playing it was input lag, which made hard situations even harder.… Expand
  5. somethingguy912
    Dec 2, 2016
    8
    It might be a bit late for me to make a review on a game this old, but I had just completed the game's story just a few weeks ago, and do understand the appeal of this game, although, even with that in mind, it does have some flaws.

    Now, this game is largely herald for it's absolutely insane difficulty curve and it's seamless environment, and half of that is true. Now, the game is    It might be a bit late for me to make a review on a game this old, but I had just completed the game's story just a few weeks ago, and do understand the appeal of this game, although, even with that in mind, it does have some flaws.

    Now, this game is largely herald for it's absolutely insane difficulty curve and it's seamless environment, and half of that is true. Now, the game is difficult, but it's difficulty is largely based on the fact that the game does not give you any pointers in terms of plot or combat other than the basic controls of the game. There's one thing to hand hold the players, and it's a whole other thing to not even give your players the correct means to progress through the game. Most if not all of your credentials are going to rely on looking up the wiki, which much like with Minecraft, completely takes the user off from the initial experience when you get ganked on and the game does not explain certain aspects. Did you know that you could talk to the daughter of chaos? You wouldn't unless you looked up the wiki. Did you know that Lautrec would kill the Fireseeker in Firelink Shrine, and that you have to go to a specific part in Anor Londo to get the soul back? Only with the wiki. The only story details the game tells you is the basic main story of lighting the two flames via ringing the two bells and retrieving four lord souls, and despite my expectations for some narrative twists - the only one is the fact that Gwyndolin has made an illusion of sunlight in Anor Londo - there is none. It's as straightforward as it comes: link the flame to continue the age of fire, or keep it selfishly to yourself. It's about as black and white as it gets. As a result of this forced piecemealing of the story, it does lose points.

    As for the environment and the gameplay, it is very solid, once you get the hang of it. Once again, the difficulty comes from the lack of explaining core details, the game still can be hard if you just come in rushing, unless you are overleveled against weaker foes. Blocking and timing attacks are key, and keeping your health and stamina pools is necessary for your success. You will in fact, die a lot, but dying is only a part of the learning experience of the game, as it does not give you any wiggle room on it's part. The world is built very well, as you can seamlessly travel through Firelink Shrine and bend towards New Londo, and make a backroad to the Valley of the Drakes and head towards Blighttown, and so on and so on. Even areas that aren't tied together, like Demon Ruins and Tomb of the Giants, still give you an opportunity to see these areas from a distance. But be careful about travelling to said areas, like with other open world areas, some places will be harder than others. Weapon variety is very well done, with a number of weapons that tie to certain builds, but be certain that your builds are the ones you want, as you cannot ReSpec in this game. Not to mention, miracles and sorceries, basically spells, can only be restored through bonfires and by no other means, so be careful with using them. Multiplayer is a bit flawed, as connectivity is sometimes inconsistent and lags horribly via Coop or even PvP matches, which is still well done since it is still based on the combat.

    So overall, Dark Souls is a well done game on exploration, observation, survival, and combat, but as for a story driven narrative, a lot of it is overly reliant on the items you find and the wiki you'll look up to realize you need to go to Scrumly the Crow and give him a Sunlight Maggot in order to get the Old Witch's Ring to talk to the Daughter of Chaos, which is completely irrelevant to anything.    … Expand
  6. 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.
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. jcarl663
    Feb 14, 2015
    8
    It's a very unique and fresh game, which is surprisingly difficult your first time through. The lore is drip fed to you, which can be a double edged sword. It leaves a LOT of room for interpretation, but in many cases leaves too much room. If you look closely at points, things just don't make sense. It's pretty clear that Miyazaki really loves reusing things, so he tends to cram the sameIt's a very unique and fresh game, which is surprisingly difficult your first time through. The lore is drip fed to you, which can be a double edged sword. It leaves a LOT of room for interpretation, but in many cases leaves too much room. If you look closely at points, things just don't make sense. It's pretty clear that Miyazaki really loves reusing things, so he tends to cram the same things into his games repeatedly, even if they don't have any reason to be there. It's a weird part of Eastern philosophy that things don't need to, and often don't, make sense literally, but can be traced to some philosophical concept that does make sense.

    Point of note: this game isn't hard in the sense that you're constantly struggling. This game is hard to get used to. Once you do, it stops being hard. After the first few hours, you learn the majority of the mechanics and what the game expects of you. The gameplay, while difficult and rewarding, diverse and consistently fresh, is incredibly easy to cheese out and subsequent playthroughs offer little. Once you've beaten a new enemy, it's just a matter or repeating the pattern. There are many ways to play (many of which are entirely useless) tons of weapons and fighting styles (again, most of which are entirely worthless) but it can be fun.

    The biggest drawbacks I have for this game are that, for one, there are a few optimal play styles, from which any deviation is just wasting your own time and energy, and getting the play style you want often times means beating the game once just to get all the items.

    Despite these things, it is still an intensely fun game, offers a very unique challenge, a highly engaging world and a refreshing experience overall.    … Expand
  10. Jub
    Mar 2, 2015
    8
    This game was a much needed breath of fresh air into the gaming industry.

    It's not perfect and I did find that most of the difficulty is down to figuring out the game instead to player skill which is still fun but severely lowers replay difficulty. The setting, story and characters all come together to give this deep sense of hopelessness that will stay with you long after you finish    This game was a much needed breath of fresh air into the gaming industry.

    It's not perfect and I did find that most of the difficulty is down to figuring out the game instead to player skill which is still fun but severely lowers replay difficulty.

    The setting, story and characters all come together to give this deep sense of hopelessness that will stay with you long after you finish the game.

    One of the let downs for me was the PvP. There's really no sense of balance whatsoever.

    All in all this game has some really cool uniqueness about it and rewards the players hard efforts.    … Expand
  11. 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.
  12. swargo109
    Nov 5, 2014
    8
    Probably one of the hardest games I've ever played and I loved every minute of it. Combat is simple to learn but difficult to master. The lore in this game is super deep and will have you thinking about the world of Lordran. The only negatives is that the graphics look slightly dated now and that there is some issues with frame rate in places. If you can look past these small problems, youProbably one of the hardest games I've ever played and I loved every minute of it. Combat is simple to learn but difficult to master. The lore in this game is super deep and will have you thinking about the world of Lordran. The only negatives is that the graphics look slightly dated now and that there is some issues with frame rate in places. If you can look past these small problems, you can find a cheap gem at your local Gamestop.… Expand
  13. ManemanFTW
    Apr 18, 2015
    8
    is a very good RPG, what else can i say? oh the frame rate is **** in some parts but the game is so good that makes you forgive it very quickly. the combat is amazing and the pvp is actually very good. The only problem is that it is very difficult to play with a friend online. but hey, it is a very good game
  14. RllyCoolGuy
    Jun 10, 2015
    8
    Well, it's a really good game, it has its flaws, but i'll get there.
    At its core, it's an action-rpg, and it does that pretty well. When i first played, i thought that there was going to be a few classes. The usual tank-slash-melee guy, the casting-inteligence based-mage and the quicky-stealthy- dodgy(?) thief. All the classes are variations of the listed above, but thats kind of "cute"    Well, it's a really good game, it has its flaws, but i'll get there.
    At its core, it's an action-rpg, and it does that pretty well. When i first played, i thought that there was going to be a few classes. The usual tank-slash-melee guy, the casting-inteligence based-mage and the quicky-stealthy- dodgy(?) thief. All the classes are variations of the listed above, but thats kind of "cute" to see.
    Graphics and art design at all are pretty well done (except for blighttown, that was horrible).
    Speaking of blighttown, framerate drops EVERYWHERE, sometimes even if i'm just critting someone, the game just lags. It doesn't seem like so much problem, but later in the game, if it freezes or lags at you during a boss figth, you're completely f*cked.
    Overall, it's a good experience if you like rpgs, and a really good experience if you're masoquist enough to handle this game.    … Expand
  15. 11254man
    Jun 26, 2017
    8
    I really hate useless _/10 scores, but this platform forces one, so wait until the end for a recommendation on how much you should buy it for, as I feel it to be a more accurate representation of whether the game is, you know... worth it. Dark Souls is an Action RPG by From Software. Dark Souls is a game I enjoy quite a bit, and I'm going to spend the bulk of this review talking aboutI really hate useless _/10 scores, but this platform forces one, so wait until the end for a recommendation on how much you should buy it for, as I feel it to be a more accurate representation of whether the game is, you know... worth it. Dark Souls is an Action RPG by From Software. Dark Souls is a game I enjoy quite a bit, and I'm going to spend the bulk of this review talking about why, and what gave me pause even in my blind admiration. First off, the sound design on the whole thing is wonderful, from satisfying sound effects to amazingly orchestrated boss themes, the game excels in its sound design. Graphical design is the first thing I start to have a bit of a problem with. The game looks great for the most part, but some things are just hard to get over. The lava in the game quite literally hurts to look at, some of the backdrops aren't even slightly worked on (though others are to excess) and, one thing I really can't get over: there are some spots that are straight up unfinished. The stairs into the Lower Undead Burg straight up don't have anything to the left of them, just a gaping, lazy hole. Now, story wise, Dark Souls can't be touched. it's told through item descriptions and optional character dialogue, with very little laid out for you. This allows you to piece together an expansive and complete world. The gamplay is where this series shines, however. Rolling is responsive, blocking is responsive, combat is calculated but an adrenaline rush all the same. Some of the bosses, like Orenstien and Smough, are some of the best in all of gaming. However, other bosses, like the Bed of Chaos, are inexcusable, awful bits of the game I wish I could just skip. So, is the game worth it? YES! Get it now! at its current 20$ price point (For both the game and it's DLC.) it's a steal. Definitely one of my all time favorites.… Expand
  16. JRY69
    Aug 31, 2016
    8
    Ah, Dark Souls 1. I was so hesitant to get into the series because of this infamous game. Known for its ball-crushing difficulty made me such a **** to try it out. But, after beating Bloodborne and Dark Souls 2, I finally bought the game and gave it a try. And while I'm not nearly as in love with the game as some others are, I do think that this is a very solid, fun, and extremelyAh, Dark Souls 1. I was so hesitant to get into the series because of this infamous game. Known for its ball-crushing difficulty made me such a **** to try it out. But, after beating Bloodborne and Dark Souls 2, I finally bought the game and gave it a try. And while I'm not nearly as in love with the game as some others are, I do think that this is a very solid, fun, and extremely challenging RPG.

    The story is mainly told through the opening cutscene, item descriptions, and NPCs. This is either something that you'll love or hate. Personally, I feel that the game does well enough telling you why you're doing what you're doing so that you won't care about the deeper lore behind certain characters or locations. But, if you're into that sort of thing, you can get plenty of it here as long as you like reading (or just go to Youtube). What really makes the game stand out though it the gameplay. It feels like a slower yet more complicated style of From Software's previous game, Demon's Souls. Well timed dodges/blocks and knowing when to strike is the way to victory over most bosses and enemies, and damn if it isn't satisfying as hell taking down a crowd of enemies or a giant demon boss. However, this is when I begin to have problems with the game.

    The game is supposed to be hard, I know, but some enemy set ups can be down right brutal (especially later in the game). Some early game bosses are very poorly designed as well. For example, the Bell Gargoyles. A doable fight yes, but no one can deny that a boss that's just two enemies of the same type bombarding you with fire on a thin platform isn't the best boss design. Or what about the Capra Demon; a fast, aggressive boss thrown into a tiny crowded room with 2 fast aggressive dog enemies. Then of course theres the Bed of Chaos but, I'd rather not even mention it's name as it give me PTSD.

    That being said, there are some amazing bosses in this game both in terms of story and gameplay. The Great Grey Wold Sif is a tragic figure: a pet who only wants to protect her master's grave. And of course the infamous Ornstein and Smough; a boss so well designed and thought out that it's my favorite boss in the entire series.

    Areas range from god awful to breathtaking. Some highlights for me was Anor Londo and The Painted World. But theres also areas like Blighttown that are not only designed poorly, but also cause the framerate to drop significantly; causing frustration and broken controllers everywhere.

    The combat itself is simple yet complicated. Each boss and enemy as specific times where you need to roll in order to avoid their attacks, as well as certain times where it's safer to attack them. Learning these things will result in your death. And get used to the death screen, because on your first play through you're going to be seeing it a lot.

    The graphics haven't aged gracefully, but it remains a pretty game in its own right. I never saw any texture pop in or low res textures in my many playthroughs of the game. I encountered a couple glitches when it came to the sound in the game. Namely the opening cutscene voice being extremely quiet, but that may be my own fault with sound settings on my Xbox.

    Overall, the game is extremely solid. And while I do have legitimate complaints with the game, it doesn't stop it from being a solid RPG that will kick your ass. But once you overcome the game's challenges, your confidence will reach new heights.    … Expand
  17. BlakDak666
    Mar 9, 2017
    8
    Dark Souls is an important game that should be played by everyone. It is a game that challenges the person on thinking outside of the box and becoming more attuned to its world as a result. It punishes but also rewards with all sorts of gear, items and lessons. It has a wonderful atmosphere, some amazing boss fights and a DLC worthy of your time. Of course it is not perfect; the first halfDark Souls is an important game that should be played by everyone. It is a game that challenges the person on thinking outside of the box and becoming more attuned to its world as a result. It punishes but also rewards with all sorts of gear, items and lessons. It has a wonderful atmosphere, some amazing boss fights and a DLC worthy of your time. Of course it is not perfect; the first half of the game is outstanding, but starts to falter by the second half. The network connections are too long and tedious, making online coop or pvp an issue. Framerate drops often in large scale areas and some bosses are absolutely awful (esp. in the second half). Otherwise, a well done game that succeeds in dark fantasy and difficulty in games done right.… Expand
  18. Charlybs
    Jan 22, 2018
    8
    Yo diría que lo mejor del juego es la ambientación deprimente y esa sensación de soledad que hace que vayas con el culo apretado en cada paso para no morir. Puede llegar a desesperar no encontrar el camino correcto o morir 300 veces en el mismo jefe pero cuando consigues pasarlo la recompensa lo vale. Una vez te lo pasas tiene la opción de NG+ que está muy bien.
  19. ZXSth
    Apr 15, 2019
    8
    As everyone and their grandmother has probably recognized by now, Dark Souls is a legendary game franchise. This entry in the series is the one that many people see as the pinnacle of that experience - I think this is a prime example of nostalgia blindness, but am willing to validate the multiple things this game gets right.

    Dark Souls is a game in which you really must earn everything.    As everyone and their grandmother has probably recognized by now, Dark Souls is a legendary game franchise. This entry in the series is the one that many people see as the pinnacle of that experience - I think this is a prime example of nostalgia blindness, but am willing to validate the multiple things this game gets right.

    Dark Souls is a game in which you really must earn everything. It also tells you very little about what you need to do - some will adore this lack of forced direction, while others will be enraged by it. Additionally, the game has a phenomenally high learning curve that is rewarding to overcome, but hell to try and manage in the beginning (or at least, it was for me). This approach to game design is truly love-it-or-hate-it, with most players falling into the 'love it' category, if its rabid cult following is to be believes (key word being 'cult' - ergo 'niche').

    While Dark Souls is a great game with many environments that are undeniably beautiful and impressive, some areas of this game (and some of its bosses) present a kind of frustration that is incredibly off-putting and alienating. Specific examples include: The framerate-killing Blighttown; the visually staggering brightness of Lost Izalith (and its utterly infuriating puzzle-style boss, the Bed of Chaos); the egregiously dark and overwhelmingly difficult Tomb of the Giants; and the ragequit-inducing battle against the camera that is the Capra Demon boss fight (which invites cheesing the boss instead of fighting it).

    Despite being what I would call 'unrefined,' Dark Souls' interconnectivity between its areas, its challenging but rewarding combat, its vicious bosses and its overall artistic design are absolutely enthralling. The game has such a storied status in the video gaming world for a reason despite its flaws.    … Expand
  20. Cafe_8bits
    Nov 14, 2019
    8
    Dark Souls is not just a game, but an entire experience. Dark Soul is not your average RPG, where you grind your character untill you can destroy the world, but you as a player grow to master the mechanics as a whole. Levels matter here, but your handle of the game matter the most.
    The melancholic atmosphere and great narrative choices made this game an unforgettable experience for me,    Dark Souls is not just a game, but an entire experience. Dark Soul is not your average RPG, where you grind your character untill you can destroy the world, but you as a player grow to master the mechanics as a whole. Levels matter here, but your handle of the game matter the most.
    The melancholic atmosphere and great narrative choices made this game an unforgettable experience for me, and everyone who likes RPGs should play it.    … Expand
  21. Arya977
    Jan 11, 2021
    8
    Gameplay..........Good.
    Graphics............Mediocre.
    Score.................Amazing.
  22. Khazar2
    May 5, 2020
    8
    A hack n slash game that actually provides a challenge unlike many of the others.
  23. prussii
    Dec 31, 2020
    8
    Poorly optimised and wacky, but hey it's dark souls and it's awesome. Memorable locations and bosses. Great world and unique storytelling.
  24. Fr0styFeet
    Nov 12, 2022
    8
    Picked up dark souls for the 360 as my first souls game, and what a great game it was. It has some rough edges compared to the later entries in the series, but is still a great game with its magnificent world design, and the ability to actually make you feel proud of yourself for overcoming the game
  25. godofallu
    Oct 7, 2011
    7
    Dark souls has a decent enough opening trailer, and the starting tutorial/prison is pretty fun. After that the game gets serious. A lot of people complain about the difficulty, but it isn't just that the game is hard. The game is cruel.

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

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

    If you are looking for a hard game this is it, but be careful since the game isn't just hard but unfair.    … Expand
  26. FragCzar
    Mar 6, 2012
    7
    Finished the game. Rate it a 7. The game designer/producer describes the game as "spicy" yet "edible". I suggest the game is more "bitter" than "spicy", and having been "eaten" it leaves a bad aftertaste. Story is minimal, camera and controls are chaotic, frame rate is bad in many areas, and the game requires too much repetition in order to figure out how to progress. I substitutedFinished the game. Rate it a 7. The game designer/producer describes the game as "spicy" yet "edible". I suggest the game is more "bitter" than "spicy", and having been "eaten" it leaves a bad aftertaste. Story is minimal, camera and controls are chaotic, frame rate is bad in many areas, and the game requires too much repetition in order to figure out how to progress. I substituted that repetition with online walk-throughs (which I try to avoid but could not avoid in this case). I rate it a 7 because it is entertaining in parts, but overall it is not a game I would ever recommend or replay… Expand
  27. thebrock
    Jul 22, 2012
    7
    There is no dought about the most difficult rpg game to be released on xbox 360. Dark souls is an absolute **** nightmare. It is time consuming, and very very repetitive. Also the storyline can be a little hard to follow if you dont use the internet as a guide. I however loved the leveling system in this game and felt the attention to detail was incredible. Will probably go back and haveThere is no dought about the most difficult rpg game to be released on xbox 360. Dark souls is an absolute **** nightmare. It is time consuming, and very very repetitive. Also the storyline can be a little hard to follow if you dont use the internet as a guide. I however loved the leveling system in this game and felt the attention to detail was incredible. Will probably go back and have another crack at this game. Nearly got to the end but not quite. If you like a challenge buy this game.… Expand
  28. lolholm
    Oct 9, 2011
    7
    I like this game in spite of the obvious and frustrating flaws that has me rage quitting every so often.

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

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

    I will never give a game with this many serious flaws 10 and I'm settling on 7. I think Bandai Games can make a third installment, that is 3 points better than this one.    … Expand
  29. ShadeKirby
    Oct 10, 2011
    7
    The game, while not as technically impressive as other games on the market, is still a visually appealing game with interesting dark fantasy designs, plus a precise and deep combat system. However, its punishing difficulty will almost certainly be a discouraging element for some players, and definitely not for the wrong mindset, the ill-tempered, the impatient or the easily misplaced.The game, while not as technically impressive as other games on the market, is still a visually appealing game with interesting dark fantasy designs, plus a precise and deep combat system. However, its punishing difficulty will almost certainly be a discouraging element for some players, and definitely not for the wrong mindset, the ill-tempered, the impatient or the easily misplaced. Everyone else will have fun dieing.… Expand
  30. AverageToaster
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    Great game but insanely hard, not for everyone I have to stop playing this game about ever hour after how man it makes me. Sofar I have put in a good 60 hours and just beat the first level.
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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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