Why Dark Souls is the Perfect Art Game

GameStatics - "While I can't personally speak for how many gamers believe games are art, it's generally true that when you do find a proprietor of games as an art form, they believe one of two things--that games have the potential to be art, and only a few existing games realize that potential (Usually indie games, such as the works of Thatgamecompany), or that all games are art in their own way. And usually, when this split in beliefs is exposed, a qualifying statement follows--namely, what either of these two schools of thought consider "art" to be."

[Blastoise]

About three quarters of the way through my second playthrough now. A brilliant game, not perfect but one of the best Iv played this generation. Annoys me that games like Xenoblades get praised A LOT for their art design but nobody ever talks about Dark souls. The scale of the world, the colours, the enemies design, the atmosphere, the way every place has a unique feel, the architecture, the bosses, the armour sets and the music. Its these things that give gamers an experience that none other game (besides Demons souls) can.

[ThanatosDMC]

Not perfect?! I think, that's how you got your disagrees.

[EmperorDalek]

I'm getting tired of these "games are art" articles. I don't care if it's art or not, a game could be about gameplay, story, graphics, or all three. It doesn't matter. It doesn't NEED to be defined as art.

"Artistic integrity" was Casey Hudson's poor excuse for the ME3 ending... Would you rather they keep the ending for the sake of art? Or would you prefer it if they scrape the ending, and made a new one that did the series justice, with the cost of artistic integrity? I know what I would choose.

[SeekDev]

Depends on a person's definition of art. I think some games are art because to myself, art is something that can change someone's view or opinion, it can teach you. Games have the potential to do that, and that represents the maturing of the gaming industry, which to me is important. If it's not important to you, what do I care? That's your opinion so stick with it. Just to clarify though, I don't need a game to be art to play it.

Hudson's excuse is poor. There's good art and bad art. According to the general opinion of the gaming community, the ending of Mass Effect 3 is an example of bad art. I've never played the game so I don't know.

[pandehz]

Perfect and Art are two words that never go together

[8bit_Nes_Rambo]

Best game this gen this side of MGS4.

[Sino]

In the game,When you died..you actually died! not like most game that does the "lets pretend that didn't happen and start over"
that itself made the game stands out from the rest

[malypso]

I'm sorry but this should be titled, "Why Dark Souls is the perfect game"! I love Dark Souls, along side with Demon's Souls, it's the best game this generation. Dark Souls is in a league of it's own and should set a benchmark in how games shouldn't be afraid, to let go of your hand and figure things out by yourself; also, the gameplay is a perfect! Every time I ever died in a fight was strictly my fault, because the combat mechanics are so tight, that I have no one else to blame but myself when I died. But it never felt like a punishment for dying, it felt more like a learning experience. I just can't get enough of the artistic direction Fromsoftware chose on this game. Every single area has such a unique feel and NEVER gets stale. I hope they continue to create and expand on this title. IMHO, it should've sold way more than what is has, but I guess people don't like to lose or enjoy figuring out things on their own. I loved it so much that I bought both the PS3, and the 360 version, and am proud to say that I beat the PS3 version twice, and the 360 version once!

[YoungKingDoran]

... Beat me to it. lol, just joshin. Well said!

[DivineAssault]

best game series this gen.. Absolutely fantastic game.. Sure it was plagued by system limitations but if created for nx gen, im sure it will score PERFECT 10