210°

Dark Souls is more Zelda than Zelda, more Metroid than Metroid

Zelda's and Metroid's embrace of open exploration and tantalizing discovery continues on in From Software's Dark Souls. But From Software may understand what makes Zelda and Metroid such revered classics more than Nintendo does itself.

We love these titles because they let us investigate alien worlds and discover hidden treasure with only our wits to aid us. The seductive embrace of open exploration drives our hearts to push further, dig deeper, and look closer. From Software reminds us how a game can titillate our imagination in ways that other mediums cannot.

NagaSotuva4563d ago

I actually like backtracking in games like Metroid and Arkham Asylum. Do previously explored areas in Dark Souls get locked out as you progress through the game? I heard you can miss out on many items if you're not thorough in your exploration.

illegalyouth4563d ago

No areas ever become locked out at all, but you could miss some items that are based on drop rates. The minibosses and and bosses don't come back until the next playthrough.

christheredhead4563d ago

illegalyouth is correct. the open world is open at all times. certain areas are locked at the beginning of the game if that's what you mean. yet once you open a door, gate, area, etc. you are free to go back to said area whenever you want.

Gungnir4563d ago

I'm constantly amazed how interconnected the world of Dark Souls is when I find a new shortcut.

FunAndGun4563d ago

for real! I want to know how they designed the levels. It all fits together like it's a real place.

Nevers4563d ago

I couldn't agree more. And that scenario happens alot. I'll get really far and then take an eleavator, staircase, or ladder only to find out that I'm right back where I was fretting about getting back to... when I opened the door in Darkroot Basin and found that armored dude with the club just on the other side I might have pooped myself... again. I'm pretty sure I at least sharted just a little. I think I've only now found my first true "dead-end" area with Ash Lake. I still have tons more of the game to traverse. (spoiler?)I haven't even ventured beyond the locked gate that was opened after ringing the 2nd bell.

I seriously love this game. I am very seriously thinking of postponing my purchase of SKYRIM because I'm so in love with playing Dark Souls. Don't get me wrong... I'll still get SKYRIM eventually... but people have really gotten me thinking more about the GoY edition.. Also proly doing that with Batman Arkham Asylum as well. I really want to play both but don't have the time while still working slowly through Gears 3 + possible DLC, Ico/SotC, Dark Souls and my go-to guilty addiction to FFxi.

My wallet and my freetime are just getting stomped by this huge season of awesome games I really want to play...

Captain Qwark 94563d ago

well then prepare for another shart, turn left from where you fight the hydra toward the waterfall and on the right of the waterfall you will find a ladder, now ash lake isnt a dead end either ;)

DARK SOULS FTW!!!!!! ( but fyi i still think skyrim will be the greatest RPG ever, DS is def up there though )

Nevers4563d ago

Nah... not the Hydra in Darkroot Basin. I already found/killed that one. I'm talking about the one at the bottom of the Great Hollow in Ash Lake. As far as I can find the only way out is back up the tree. Correct me if I'm missing something though.

(Spoiler)
I'm too weak to kill the Hydra or the killer clams down in Ash Lake... but the clams drop Twinkling upgrade stones I want for upgrading my Astora's Longsword and other armor. I found that I can get the Hydra to kill them for me when it switches sides of the sandbar to get to you. I've left messages regarding the best placement to get this to happen. Have fun.

Sadie21004563d ago

"From Software may understand what makes Zelda and Metroid such revered classics more than Nintendo does itself."

Youch!

SybaRat4563d ago

Funny, I tend to associate Dark Souls with something more along the lines of Wire Mother.

THR1LLHOUSE4563d ago

Why does comparing Dark Souls to the colorful fun of Nintendo remind me of the Sirens from Greek mythology?

Probably something about the impending death...

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80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

80°

Larian and FromSoftware Show The Secret To Making Good Games Is A Healthy Workplace

Danish from eXputer: "FromSoftware and Larian Studios have shown that a good workplace environment is what it really takes to make good games."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple1015d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref4d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde4d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander19724d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville4d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff21834d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos4d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
isarai5d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref4d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan4d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0073d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander19725d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

5d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19724d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

4d ago
4d ago
Zeref4d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde4d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander19724d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander19724d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier4d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto4d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff21834d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto4d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
Hofstaderman4d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts4d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts3d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic3d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

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