LTTP: Dark Souls (Remastered, PC)

[In Amber Clad]

I've been playing Dark Souls Remastered the last few days, and I think I finally get it.

Some background: I have played some Dark Souls before. I own the Xbox 360 Limited Edition, which I pre-ordered back in 2011, because I remembered reading all the excited import impressions for Demon's Souls a couple of years prior. I guess that chatter didn't excite me enough to try out Demon's when it eventually made its way west, but I decided the spiritual successor sounded right up my alley: I like RPGs, I like dark fantasy, what could go wrong?

So I played it. I found it frustrating and opaque. I had no idea what any of the enigmatically-described items did, and I hated inching forward for hours at a time, only to get flattened by some new enemy. In around ten hours, I made it as far as the Undead Parish Church, and got flattened again by a huge knight, and that was it. I quit.

But the game kept kind of gnawing away at me for years. I watched it become a huge phenomenon and felt like I'd missed out. I didn't get it then, but maybe I would if I gave it another go? In the run up to the release of Dark Souls 2, I bought the Prepare to Die edition on Steam, and tried again. I didn't even get as far as that church this time, and quit again after only a couple of hours. I decided I'd given it my best shot, and that was it. It obviously just wasn't for me, and I wouldn't try again.

So why have I been utterly absorbed by it these last few days, sticking about three hours a day, every day, into the game since Christmas Eve? Well, I recently replayed Jedi: Fallen Order; I loved that game back at release last year, adored it all over again this time out, and it put me in mind to try some other games that required a bit of thought and patience. I have a friend who is a huge fan of the Souls games, so I asked him what a decent starting point might be for someone who is basically a newcomer to the genre, and he suggested Code Vein, as it was about to enter Game Pass. I had been playing that for a couple of weeks, until the last few days, and quite enjoying it (I think I might be about halfway?), but it really, really made me want to go back to Dark Souls with fresh eyes. So I mentioned it to that same friend, and I guess he must have been like, "yes, got 'em!" because he then sent me a Steam code for Dark Souls Remastered as a Christmas gift. I started it immediately.

And now? I am hooked. I'm a tad under twelve hours in at this point, and I'm not finding it anywhere near as opaque as I had originally, let's be honest, imagined it to be. It does help that my friend has explained a couple of concepts that I found utterly inscrutable last time out, such as humanity, but I've generally been finding that if I just engage with the systems that are there, I can pretty much figure things out for myself, and it's all a lot more straightforward than I had thought. My friend has also been giving me the odd general hint here and then, such as when I couldn't find the door to the Depths. He told me "instead of going left to Gollum, go right" (I had previously said "I think I just met Gollum" when I found the moss vendor), and then told me, as I was about to venture down, "ember near the butcher." He's being deliberately vague so as not to spoil anything for me, and he won't volunteer any (vague!) information unless I ask, which I appreciate, given how much of the game's allure comes from pushing forward and exploring the unknown.

As for where I am in the game, I've just beaten the Gaping Dragon and opened the door to Blighttown, and am sitting at just under 12 hours. As I mentioned above, I hadn't even made it to the Bell Gargoyles in ten hours the first time out, so I feel like I'm going at a pretty good pace. Also as mentioned, I've been doing around three hours a day since Christmas Eve, and have found myself getting into a rhythm of beating a boss a day: Taurus Demon fell on Christmas Eve, the Bell Gargoyles on Christmas Day, The Capra Demon on Boxing Day, and now the Gaping Dragon today.

I'm also not really finding it frustrating at all this time. Imagine my surprise to find that Dark Souls isn't actually a hard, frustrating game, but just one that requires patience and observation. And, yes, a certain degree of perseverance, but it's certainly not a 'bash your head against the wall until something works' kind of thing. I guess I just wasn't in a patient frame of mind and willing to pay attention and learn when I had made my earlier attempts. This time out, I'm enjoying holding back, trying to work out a boss's attack patterns, and learning where I can get a few slashes in. The Gaping Dragon flattened me easily on my first two attempts, and then I beat him - with no more Estus left, mind - on my third attempt. I basically learned that fight in the second half of that third attempt - I'd whittled him down to half and used all my Estus, and then I took down the last half of his bar without getting hit. It was an amazing feeling when those famous words, "VICTORY ACHIEVED" appeared on my screen, and I felt like I could let out a breath I must've been holding for ten minutes straight.

I am still kind of feeling my way through things; I wasn't really sure how far to push upgrading my gear, as often in the early game of an RPG there's little reason to do so and risk wasting materials when you'll probably find a better weapon five minutes later. But here, I'm still using the longsword I picked up in the first hour of my game. My friend was slightly alarmed that I went down to fight the Gaping Dragon with just a +3 longsword (it did take a while to whittle him down, to be fair!), but I've since gone back to the blacksmith and pushed it up to +6 using that ember I found along the way, and I think I might farm some souls to upgrade my armour too, before I dive into Blighttown properly.

I was also kind of flailing around a bit with my stats for a few levels, including putting some into INT thinking it'd improve my fireball (I'm playing Pyromancer), or sticking some into RES thinking it'd give me better survivability, but which I now gather is basically a pointless stat. But for the last ten or so levels I've been mainly dumping them into VIT, DEX and END. I like being quite fast and mobile, so I guess it's DEX weapons for me. My friend told me I could get a good one by murdering a vendor, but I've decided not to, at least for now...

So yeah, I guess tl;dr I now get Dark Souls and think it's amazing, and I didn't need to "git gud" - I just needed to get patient and get observant. Also, I should probably take this opportunity to apologise to the rest of mod staff because I've been playing so much Dark Souls and not helping out modding as much as I should these last few days. Sorry, it's got it's claws into me!

 

[Hope]

Its a great game and I have countess hours over every platform I own. The sense of discovery is unmatched.

 

[Morrigan]

Also, I should probably take this opportunity to apologise to the rest of mod staff because I've been playing so much Dark Souls and not helping out modding as much as I should these last few days. Sorry, it's got it's claws into me!

Click to shrink...

Pffft. Apology rejected. Playing Dark Souls is a much better use of your time.... than babysitting this den of children :D

Congrats on your great progress! Your story is a familiar one, but it's also what makes these games so special and so great. Good luck with the rest, you're doing great!

 

[Red Liquorice]

" Imagine my surprise to find that Dark Souls isn't actually a hard, frustrating game, but just one that requires patience and observation. And, yes, a certain degree of perseverance, but it's certainly not a 'bash your head against the wall until something works' kind of thing. "

You got it. thumbsup :)

 

[ignata]

"Getting" Dark Souls, of which happens differently with everyone it seems, has been one of my best gaming experiences. It took me a few extra years and my third playthrough to realize it was without question my favorite game.

The sense of discovery is unmatched.

Click to shrink...

So many people focus on the combat but this sums up what is so special about the game.

 

[the-pi-guy]

I have been trying to play Dark Souls Remastered as well. But it still hasn't clicked for me. Right now I just keep wondering why I'm not playing Bloodborne instead.
The game feels fine to me, but it doesn't feel great.

 

[jotun?]

I first played it on PS3, and.. ugh. It felt so sluggish to control and I kind of hated it.

Then I got Remastered on PC, and it was like a night-and-day difference in how it felt at 60fps. Became one of my favorite games

 

[Deleted member 46493]

I have been trying to play Dark Souls Remastered as well. But it still hasn't clicked for me. Right now I just keep wondering why I'm not playing Bloodborne instead.
The game feels fine to me, but it doesn't feel great.

Click to shrink...

You can't compare it to BB. It just will never be that, even if you go for a light/DEX build. Dark Souls I and II are just slower games, not just in movement but approach. If you can get over that, it'll be easier to enjoy.

 

[In Amber Clad]

Its a great game and I have countess hours over every platform I own. The sense of discovery is unmatched.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, it really goes hand in hand with the constant desire to push forward, as well

Pffft. Apology rejected. Playing Dark Souls is a much better use of your time.... than babysitting this den of children :D

Congrats on your great progress! Your story is a familiar one, but it's also what makes these games so special and so great. Good luck with the rest, you're doing great!

Click to shrink...

Duly noted!

/clicks Steam icon

And yeah, haha, I gather this isn't a new story. I wrote this up, realised it was 1200 words and thought, "no one is going to care about another 'I finally get Dark Souls!' thread."

I had a lot rolling around my head the last few days though, so it's been good to get it down in words.

" Imagine my surprise to find that Dark Souls isn't actually a hard, frustrating game, but just one that requires patience and observation. And, yes, a certain degree of perseverance, but it's certainly not a 'bash your head against the wall until something works' kind of thing. "

You got it. thumbsup :)

Click to shrink...

Thanks! It only took me the better part of a decade! Never too late, though :)

"Getting" Dark Souls, of which happens differently with everyone it seems, has been one of my best gaming experiences. It took me a few extra years and my third playthrough to realize it was without question my favorite game.

So many people focus on the combat but this sums up what is so special about the game.

Click to shrink...

I feel like they're kind of the two main pillars of the game. Both are incredible, and both are essential parts of the experience.

I have been trying to play Dark Souls Remastered as well. But it still hasn't clicked for me. Right now I just keep wondering why I'm not playing Bloodborne instead.
The game feels fine to me, but it doesn't feel great.

Click to shrink...

I do actually own Bloodborne - the setting really appeals. But I just think about playing it and I don't think I could deal with 30fps with uneven frame pacing. I was really hoping that PC rumour would turn out to be true, haha.

I first played it on PS3, and.. ugh. It felt so sluggish to control and I kind of hated it.

Then I got Remastered on PC, and it was like a night-and-day difference in how it felt at 60fps. Became one of my favorite games

Click to shrink...

Yeah, it has been really nice playing it at a higher frame rate. It does feel a lot better than my initial attempt on 360 did.

 

[Something Creative]

Remastered or DSFix?

I'd read that the former changes the look of the game for the worse? But DSFix has some glitches? Not sure which to go with...

Likewise I've had a couple Dark Souls playthroughs that I've never finished. Just sorta fell off. But it's a game that I love and really want to complete.

 

[Laurentius]

Remastered or DSFix?

I'd read that the former changes the look of the game for the worse? But DSFix has some glitches? Not sure which to go with...

Likewise I've had a couple Dark Souls playthroughs that I've never finished. Just sorta fell off. But it's a game that I love and really want to complete.

Click to shrink...

The Remastered version looks good and it's right way to play the game these days. Really the only thing that it changes that might be seen as negative is the look of the bonfires (but that's subjective). Pre-release they released some badly lit screenshots that got people worried, but in game it looks really good. Especially at 60FPS / 4K.

They also fixed all the 60FPS bugs that the original had with DSFix, and that's where you'll find the majority of people for online play.

 

[Morrigan]

I'd read that the former changes the look of the game for the worse?

Click to shrink...

It doesn't. The game looks essentially the same, with some extremely minor changes that only turbo nerds even notice or care about.

 

[Laurentius]

I do actually own Bloodborne - the setting really appeals. But I just think about playing it and I don't think I could deal with 30fps with uneven frame pacing. I was really hoping that PC rumour would turn out to be true, haha.

Click to shrink...

I think a PC version is pretty unlikely, but I do think we'll see some sort of Remaster on PS5. Fix the framerate, run at 4K, and add Dualsense haptic feedback, and they'd be able to sell a ton of copies for relatively low effort. (And we already know that going to 60FPS shouldn't be too difficult, given that Lance McDonald wrote his own 60FPS patch using just the decompiled code and a hacked PS4.)

I keep having the itch to replay Bloodborne, but keep telling myself to wait for news of a PS5 patch or Remaster, because it would be such a better experience.

 

[Deleted member 15311]

You're about to enter the best area of the game, Blightown and if you follow the normal path it is a very rewarding area in terms of discovery and exploration. There's so much there. I know people usually hate that area but i think the framerate problem had a lot to do with it.

 

[In Amber Clad]

I think a PC version is pretty unlikely, but I do think we'll see some sort of Remaster on PS5. Fix the framerate, run at 4K, and add Dualsense haptic feedback, and they'd be able to sell a ton of copies for relatively low effort. (And we already know that going to 60FPS shouldn't be too difficult, given that Lance McDonald wrote his own 60FPS patch using just the decompiled code and a hacked PS4.)

I keep having the itch to replay Bloodborne, but keep telling myself to wait for news of a PS5 patch or Remaster, because it would be such a better experience.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I don't think a PC release is particularly likely, it always struck me as a wishful thinking kind of deal more than anything else. It'd definitely make sense for Sony to give it a once over for the PS5 given what a fan favourite it is. If they do, it'll be one more reason for me to pick up the console at some point.

You're about to enter the best area of the game, Blightown and if you follow the normal path it is a very rewarding area in terms of discovery and exploration. There's so much there. I know people usually hate that area but i think the framerate problem had a lot to do with it.

Click to shrink...

All I've ever heard over the years is about the terrible frame rate, so that's always been my impression of Blighttown, haha. I'm still a bit hesitant to go down there though, not gonna lie. The Gaping Dragon was already A Lot in design terms, what else am I going to find!

 

[super-famicom]

If you're playing aPyromancer, you don't need to put points into INT. All you need to do is upgrade your Pyromancer glove. Did you rescue the Pyromancer trainer? He's found near where the Butcher was in the Depths.

 

[In Amber Clad]

If you're playing aPyromancer, you don't need to put points into INT. All you need to do is upgrade your Pyromancer glove. Did you rescue the Pyromancer trainer? He's found near where the Butcher was in the Depths.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, luckily I was told this before I put too many points into INT. I imagine my friend was either laughing his arse off or headdesking when I told him that.

The guy in the barrel? I did!

 

[-Le Monde-]

I'm currently Playing DS2. And I just got the urge to play DS instead. :P

 

[super-famicom]

Yeah, luckily I was told this before I put too many points into INT. I imagine my friend was either laughing his arse off or headdesking when I told him that.

The guy in the barrel? I did!

Click to shrink...

I'm glad you stopped! Since you do have some points in INT, it might be helpful to pick up a sorcery spell like Magic Weapon, if you have enough spell slots.

Also, have you explored Firelink Shrine? People do drop some useful messages around there...

 

[Laurentius]

All I've ever heard over the years is about the terrible frame rate, so that's always been my impression of Blighttown, haha. I'm still a bit hesitant to go down there though, not gonna lie. The Gaping Dragon was already A Lot in design terms, what else am I going to find!

Click to shrink...

Blighttown really is brilliant from a game design perspective. And in ways that aren't even fully apparent until you play through the entire game a few times. I love the fact that people can now play it in the way From Software probably intended, rather than at a nearly single digit framerate.

The guy in the barrel? I did!

Click to shrink...

My Era namesake and avatar! Laurentius is one of my favorite NPCs in the series.

 

[DarkFlame92]

When you finish this game,you'll understand why it's the greatest game of the past decade,why is it praised for its level design and miyazaki is worshipped like a cult god.

I don't know if you can save manually on PC,but if you can,make sure you do before you reach the final boss,because you'll want to play the DLC after you beat him(it goes for NG+ automatically)

 

[Laurentius]

I don't know if you can save manually on PC,but if you can,make sure you do before you reach the final boss,because you'll want to play the DLC after you beat him(it goes for NG+ automatically)

Click to shrink...

You can back up your save on PC. (Or alternatively, you can play through the DLC before you fight the final boss, which is what I do)

And OP, you'll probably need to look up how to access the DLC, since it's one of the most obscure and weird things in the series, and nearly impossible to run into organically. But it's late game content, so you don't really need to worry about it yet.

 

[Fallout-NL]

This was me in 2013 OP.

3 times - as in three attempts to get into the game - was also the magic number for me.

It was Patrick Klepek's write-up that finally did it I guess.

 

[DarkFlame92]

You can back up your save on PC. (Or alternatively, you can play through the DLC before you fight the final boss, which is what I do)

And OP, you'll probably need to look up how to access the DLC, since it's one of the most obscure and weird things in the series, and nearly impossible to run into organically. But it's late game content, so you don't really need to worry about it yet.

Click to shrink...

Problem is that beating DLCs in FROM games before final boss,makes the final boss trivial,because they are usually the hardest lategame areas and you get overlevelled and overequipped for the final boss. DS2 and DS3 gave an amazing solution to that problem,making you beat main game without starting NG+.

These are my annoyances with DS1 and Bloodborne

 

[CloudWolf]

Problem is that beating DLCs in FROM games before final boss,makes the final boss trivial,because they are usually the hardest lategame areas and you get overlevelled and overequipped for the final boss. DS2 and DS3 gave an amazing solution to that problem,making you beat main game without starting NG+.

These are my annoyances with DS1 and Bloodborne

Click to shrink...

The good thing is that the final boss of DS1 is a pushover anyway, whether you do the DLC or not.

Spoiler

At least, if you know how to parry

 

[Noema]

I am still kind of feeling my way through things; I wasn't really sure how far to push upgrading my gear, as often in the early game of an RPG there's little reason to do so and risk wasting materials when you'll probably find a better weapon five minutes later. But here, I'm still using the longsword I picked up in the first hour of my game. My friend was slightly alarmed that I went down to fight the Gaping Dragon with just a +3 longsword (it did take a while to whittle him down, to be fair!), but I've since gone back to the blacksmith and pushed it up to +6 using that ember I found along the way, and I think I might farm some souls to upgrade my armour too, before I dive into Blighttown properly.

Click to shrink...

Dark Souls is unlike most RPGs in that pretty much every weapon is viable, and can carry you through the game. There are weapons that are better suited towards better builds, and there are of course weapons of higher caliber, specially early in the game.

But for the most part, upgrading weapons is the most crucial aspect of increasing melee damage for any build. It's more important than increasing stats, for the most part. Concerning a weapon, the biggest questions you should ask yourself are, "Do I like the moveset?" and "how well does it jive with my build?".

And upgrading Armor is generally considered to be a waste of materials.

 

[ghibli99]

Glad it's clicking for you! Took me years to get into the series as well, after having tried a few times here and there with both Demon's and Dark 1. Took getting through Bloodborne for the skies to open, so to speak, and it seems like something similar happened for you w/ JFO. Enjoy the rest of the journey and don't forget about the DLC!

 

[Lithium Flower]

Congrats, OP. At the time, it really was unlike any other game I had ever touched. Glad to hear you liked Code Vein as well - I feel like a lot of people look at it and immediately dismiss it due to the art style.

 

[Something Creative]

The Remastered version looks good and it's right way to play the game these days. Really the only thing that it changes that might be seen as negative is the look of the bonfires (but that's subjective). Pre-release they released some badly lit screenshots that got people worried, but in game it looks really good. Especially at 60FPS / 4K.

They also fixed all the 60FPS bugs that the original had with DSFix, and that's where you'll find the majority of people for online play.

Click to shrink...

Thanks

Unfortunately it isn't on sale on PC right now, though I would get half off since I have DSPtD. Was hoping for the double discount since I already own the original. Not eager to spend much money on the remaster.

 

[Laurentius]

The good thing is that the final boss of DS1 is a pushover anyway, whether you do the DLC or not.

Spoiler

At least, if you know how to parry

Click to shrink...

I wouldn't say the final boss is a pushover, at least for new players who haven't already seen footage of how to beat him.

Spoiler

He's extremely aggressive, and that can come as a surprise for people that either didn't play the DLC or one of the later games. He can be a real challenge if you're not good at parrying, which is the case for most players on their first playthrough.

Thanks

Unfortunately it isn't on sale on PC right now, though I would get half off since I have DSPtD. Was hoping for the double discount since I already own the original. Not eager to spend much money on the remaster.

Click to shrink...

If all you have is the Prepare to Die Edition, that's not bad with DSFix. The only main issue is the few 60FPS glitches -- you'll need to toggle it off to be able to make a few jumps (but that's easy to do, because you can bind a key in DSFix to turn 60FPS on or off). And the online won't be as lively. But otherwise, it's still a good way to experience the game.

 

[Something Creative]

The only main issue is the few 60FPS glitches -- you'll need to toggle it off to be able to make a few jumps (but that's easy to do, because you can bind a key in DSFix to turn 60FPS on or off).

Click to shrink...

Sorry, what do you mean by "able to make a few jumps"?

 

[Laurentius]

Sorry, what do you mean by "able to make a few jumps"?

Click to shrink...

Dark Souls has a somewhat awkward jumping mechanic, and the DSFix 60FPS reduces the length you can jump by a little bit. There's not a ton of places you need to jump, but a couple of them are almost impossible to make with 60FPS, so the easiest way around that is to just toggle it off for a second. There's really only one or two that I can think of where it's a problem. Oh, and sometimes sliding down ladders can make you clip through the world in 60FPS, although I never had it happen.

 

[In Amber Clad]

I'm glad you stopped! Since you do have some points in INT, it might be helpful to pick up a sorcery spell like Magic Weapon, if you have enough spell slots.

Also, have you explored Firelink Shrine? People do drop some useful messages around there...

Click to shrink...

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind, seeing as I did dump some points there.

I've explored Firelink a bit. Been down to the Firekeeper to boost my Estus, and there was a guy in gold armour there earlier that I let out of a cell in the church, but he's gone now...

I've also been back to the asylum on the insistence of my friend. He didn't tell me about the floor :'(

Blighttown really is brilliant from a game design perspective. And in ways that aren't even fully apparent until you play through the entire game a few times. I love the fact that people can now play it in the way From Software probably intended, rather than at a nearly single digit framerate.



My Era namesake and avatar! Laurentius is one of my favorite NPCs in the series.

Click to shrink...

I guess I'll need to track him down to buff my pyro, then. Wonder where he went...

When you finish this game,you'll understand why it's the greatest game of the past decade,why is it praised for its level design and miyazaki is worshipped like a cult god.

I don't know if you can save manually on PC,but if you can,make sure you do before you reach the final boss,because you'll want to play the DLC after you beat him(it goes for NG+ automatically)

Click to shrink...

You can back up your save on PC. (Or alternatively, you can play through the DLC before you fight the final boss, which is what I do)

And OP, you'll probably need to look up how to access the DLC, since it's one of the most obscure and weird things in the series, and nearly impossible to run into organically. But it's late game content, so you don't really need to worry about it yet.

Click to shrink...

Thanks both for the heads up, I'll definitely keep this in mind when I get further in.

This was me in 2013 OP.

3 times - as in three attempts to get into the game - was also the magic number for me.

It was Patrick Klepek's write-up that finally did it I guess.

Click to shrink...

Third time's the charm, eh? I am glad I've finally managed to make it stick.

Dark Souls is unlike most RPGs in that pretty much every weapon is viable, and can carry you through the game. There are weapons that are better suited towards better builds, and there are of course weapons of higher caliber, specially early in the game.

But for the most part, upgrading weapons is the most crucial aspect of increasing melee damage for any build. It's more important than increasing stats, for the most part. Concerning a weapon, the biggest questions you should ask yourself are, "Do I like the moveset?" and "how well does it jive with my build?".

And upgrading Armor is generally considered to be a waste of materials.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I haven't really found anything that seemed like a clear upgrade as yet, so I figured that was probably the case. I quite like the slash/thrust the longsword has

And thanks for the armour tip!

Glad it's clicking for you! Took me years to get into the series as well, after having tried a few times here and there with both Demon's and Dark 1. Took getting through Bloodborne for the skies to open, so to speak, and it seems like something similar happened for you w/ JFO. Enjoy the rest of the journey and don't forget about the DLC!

Click to shrink...

Yeah, it's weird how some games can make you look at others differently, hey? I guess it helps given Bloodborne is from the same team, while Fallen Order just lifts a lot of DS systems wholesale, haha.

Congrats, OP. At the time, it really was unlike any other game I had ever touched. Glad to hear you liked Code Vein as well - I feel like a lot of people look at it and immediately dismiss it due to the art style.

Click to shrink...

The artstyle was part of the appeal with Code Vein, honestly. I saw a lot of videos about the character creator when it came out and I almost wanted to buy it just for that! I'll have to get back to it soon and carry on, but I'm completely absorbed by Dark Souls at the minute.

 

[super-famicom]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind, seeing as I did dump some points there.

I've explored Firelink a bit. Been down to the Firekeeper to boost my Estus, and there was a guy in gold armour there earlier that I let out of a cell in the church, but he's gone now...

I've also been back to the asylum on the insistence of my friend. He didn't tell me about the floor :'(



I guess I'll need to track him down to buff my pyro, then. Wonder where he went...





Thanks both for the heads up, I'll definitely keep this in mind when I get further in.



Third time's the charm, eh? I am glad I've finally managed to make it stick.



Yeah, I haven't really found anything that seemed like a clear upgrade as yet, so I figured that was probably the case. I quite like the slash/thrust the longsword has

And thanks for the armour tip!



Yeah, it's weird how some games can make you look at others differently, hey? I guess it helps given Bloodborne is from the same team, while Fallen Order just lifts a lot of DS systems wholesale, haha.



The artstyle was part of the appeal with Code Vein, honestly. I saw a lot of videos about the character creator when it came out and I almost wanted to buy it just for that! I'll have to get back to it soon and carry on, but I'm completely absorbed by Dark Souls at the minute.

Click to shrink...

Oh, you already went back to the Asylum? That's what I was hinting at, but didn't want to spoil. The Rusted Iron Ring you should have acquired there will be very useful in Blighttown.

When you rescued Laurentius, he offers to teach you and then hangs out at Firelink Shrine when you accept. Have you seen him there?

 

[PumpkinPieAddict]

I ended up actually playing Dark Souls Remastered for the first time over the summer. It clicked with me fairly early on what Dark Souls was/is. Pushed myself to complete it but the overall traversal didn't interest me. I ended up using a guide getting point A to B and facing the boss myself - unless I got stuck.

I was warned before hand that the story was very passive in a way I strongly don't respond to. Watching youtube story videos might help once you're done.

If anyone is on the fence, give the game a shot. It's worth running through at least once. I'll probably play the whole Souls franchise but after a long enough break.

 

[In Amber Clad]

So a short update. I killed the titanite demon earlier, so decided to go and see what he was guarding. I did a little bit of exploring around Darkroot Garden and Darkroot Basin, killed some crystal things (one of which dropped blue titanite), all the while getting water shot at me from something I couldn't see.

I noticed a doorway and wondered where it led, and as I took the master key, I was able to open it. I curiously poked my head in, only to have it flattened by Havel.

Oh. So that's where it leads!

That's it for today though, it's late. Tomorrow though...

 

[In Amber Clad]

Oh, you already went back to the Asylum? That's what I was hinting at, but didn't want to spoil. The Rusted Iron Ring you should have acquired there will be very useful in Blighttown.

When you rescued Laurentius, he offers to teach you and then hangs out at Firelink Shrine when you accept. Have you seen him there?

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Yeah, I went back there yesterday, as I was told I'd get a ring useful for Blighttown.

I didn't see him there just now, but I just ran past without paying much atttention. I'll look for him tomorrow, thanks!

I ended up actually playing Dark Souls Remastered for the first time over the summer. It clicked with me fairly early on what Dark Souls was/is. Pushed myself to complete it but the overall traversal didn't interest me. I ended up using a guide getting point A to B and facing the boss myself - unless I got stuck.

I was warned before hand that the story was very passive in a way I strongly don't respond to. Watching youtube story videos might help once you're done.

If anyone is on the fence, give the game a shot. It's worth running through at least once. I'll probably play the whole Souls franchise but after a long enough break.

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Yeah, I do feel like I'd like a bit more indication of what's going on. I remember people talking about environmental storytelling and item descriptions, but I haven't really been able to glean much. It's not really affecting my enjoyment as yet though.

I probably will look up some story summaries when I finish.

 

[Laurentius]

I noticed a doorway and wondered where it led, and as I took the master key, I was able to open it. I curiously poked my head in, only to have it flattened by Havel.

Oh. So that's where it leads!

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Love it, never gets old.

 

[In Amber Clad]

Love it, never gets old.

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Yep, looks about right :D

 

[halcali]

Its a great game and I have countess hours over every platform I own. The sense of discovery is unmatched.

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Never felt anything quite like it. <3

 

[Tokyo_Funk]

Going to admit, the first time I played Demons/Dark Souls I did not get it. Then I started to discover more and more, piece by piece and it started to come together.

Now it's easily in my top 5 series of all time.

Fuck Lost Izalith andBed of Chaos though.

 

[ghibli99]

I noticed a doorway and wondered where it led, and as I took the master key, I was able to open it. I curiously poked my head in, only to have it flattened by Havel.

Oh. So that's where it leads!

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Love moments like these in DkS, of which there are several that still make me smile. :)

 

[Something Creative]

Dark Souls has a somewhat awkward jumping mechanic, and the DSFix 60FPS reduces the length you can jump by a little bit. There's not a ton of places you need to jump, but a couple of them are almost impossible to make with 60FPS, so the easiest way around that is to just toggle it off for a second. There's really only one or two that I can think of where it's a problem. Oh, and sometimes sliding down ladders can make you clip through the world in 60FPS, although I never had it happen.

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Hah ok I'll keep an eye out. I wonder if I already came across this since I put in a good chunk with DSFix already.

On another note I just tried to load my old save file (from when I had played on my older PC) and it immediately kicks me back to the desktop and closes the game. Keeps happening. Will have to investigate, but I'm guessing I'll need to re-install DSFix or something.

 

[toadkarter]

My absolute favourite game of all time (pushed out Super Metroid for me for the top spot) and easily my most replayed single player game. I actually had a similar experience to you OP where I didn't "get it" the first time round - think I quit at Capra Demon in 2012 or so.

Ended up buying Bloodborne on a whim later and I think that that game's pared down RPG mechanics made me finally understand how the gameplay loop in this series is supposed to work (i.e. I was no longer worried about making a proper build / getting the right equipment and just had fun exploring).

I would definitely recommend replaying the game with a different build later on!

 

[Xiaomi]

In a way, dark souls 1 is better if you hit the wall and give up once or a few times before you "get" it.

If you saw all the "seams" and gameplay mechanics/tricks right away, it would lose some of that sense of despair and uniqueness as you went down to the depths, and then blight town, two seemingly impossible areas at first, where the game stops fucking around and will outright screw you over with curses/falling if you're not paying attention, and the whole time you're not sure if you're even supposed to be there, or if you've stumbled into something meant for the late game. You only have one first souls game, and I think ds1 is the best one to start with for these moments.

 

[DvdGzz]

The giving up happened to me but with Demon's since it was my first. I came back to it two more times after I quit the first time. It finally clicked and I love the series all the more because of it. It stands tall above the rest of the games out there. Ohhhh, Elden Ring, please hurry.

 

[Strings]

Souls LTTPs always make me happy. Glad you're enjoying it OP.

 

[In Amber Clad]

My absolute favourite game of all time (pushed out Super Metroid for me for the top spot) and easily my most replayed single player game. I actually had a similar experience to you OP where I didn't "get it" the first time round - think I quit at Capra Demon in 2012 or so.

Ended up buying Bloodborne on a whim later and I think that that game's pared down RPG mechanics made me finally understand how the gameplay loop in this series is supposed to work (i.e. I was no longer worried about making a proper build / getting the right equipment and just had fun exploring).

I would definitely recommend replaying the game with a different build later on!

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God, I don't think I'd blame anyone rage quitting at Capra. The first five or six times I tried that fight, I just got cornered in the doorway and immediately killed because of those dogs. The final attempt, I think I basically just got lucky in getting past them and then ran up the stairs. I didn't waste that luck!

Yeah, I think you're onto something there. Fallen Order is definitely a very stripped-down version of this, but the combat can be very similar when you get down to it, and I guess that just got me in the right mindset. Although I was able to parry pretty much everything in Fallen Order, but fail it nine times out of ten here. I guess the timing is a lot tighter. More practise needed!

As for trying a new build, I guess that's what NG+ is for?

In a way, dark souls 1 is better if you hit the wall and give up once or a few times before you "get" it.

If you saw all the "seams" and gameplay mechanics/tricks right away, it would lose some of that sense of despair and uniqueness as you went down to the depths, and then blight town, two seemingly impossible areas at first, where the game stops fucking around and will outright screw you over with curses/falling if you're not paying attention, and the whole time you're not sure if you're even supposed to be there, or if you've stumbled into something meant for the late game. You only have one first souls game, and I think ds1 is the best one to start with for these moments.

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I think there's something in that, yeah. It also helps that I managed to really avoid any spoilers over the last nine years - pretty much all I knew about Dark Souls (outside of the opening hours that I'd played previously) was the memes, so there's still plenty to discover for myself.

Souls LTTPs always make me happy. Glad you're enjoying it OP.

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Thanks! Off to Blighttown today...

 

[Shake Appeal]

I finally finished Dark Souls this month. My story was similar: bought it at launch for 360, enjoyed it up until Sen's or so but got distracted, went back a year later and got as far as beating O&S, but still didn't love it.

It took falling deeply, deeply in love with Sekiro (my favorite action game ever) and a feeling of having missed out to finally go back this year with Remastered. I'm glad I did. I still think the game is flawed and unnecessarily obtuse, and I still think fans of the series will crawl over broken glass to make flimsy defenses of some of its jank and cruelty, but it is a remarkable game. The DLC bosses, in particular, are superb.

I'm now about a dozen hours or so into Dark Souls 2 and enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would, based on its general reputation. Looking forward to the third game, too, and maybe by the time I've got through the trilogy we'll finally have news of a Bloodborne port...

 

[Jimnymebob]

Thanks! Off to Blighttown today...

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Have fun lol.
I really struggled with Blighttown. Not so much the difficulty of the area itself, but the frame rate coupled with the fact I basically slipped off a platform and skipped like 50% of the area made it super confusing when it came to figuring out where the hell I was supposed to go. It was one of the rare times I had to ask for help with the game.