gam3r.it » Review: Dark Souls

Is Dark Souls the masterpiece that everyone is expecting? No, it is not. It is not because difficulties are purely in numerical setting instead residing in the evolution of action rpg genre, advanced artificial intelligence and character development.

[DBergmark]

Though I don't agree with the score, I agree with what was said during the review which was well-written! +1

[gam3rit]

Initially we totally did not want to give a vote

Then we decided to give a vote for all the players and explain in the review all the appropriate caveats

is very difficult to make a review for a game like this, almost as much play it eheheh

edit:
ops, apologize for the disagree vote... wrong click :(

[sdtarm]

30+ sites have given dark souls scores 9+ out of 10.

what makes you so special or mentally challenged to give Dark Souls a 6/10?

[gam3rit]

we reason with our brain, may be different from the others, I dont see the problem, it's nice to have so many different opinions when they are well argued

[Spenok]

It's called an opinion. Everyone is entitled to it. This person believes Dark Souls deserves a 6/10.

While I also disagree with the score, as it seems the reviewer doesn't seem to understand part of what the game is about. But again, its all opinion. Just because they didn't like it as much as the rest of us, doesn't make them special or mentally challenged.

[gillri]

good to see a review go against the grain, although the average score is alwasy more accurate IMO in any case and thats about 9/10

[JoePrime]

The more you hate yourself the more you'll love Dark Souls.

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

I'm impressed with this article. The score is something I disagree with, but many of the points brought up were solid. This was a really fair review, and this is coming from a HUGE fan of the Souls series.

[chadachada123]

I was going to just post an angry comment without first reading the article, but after seeing the comments already posted, I opted to see just how this article was written so that I would not pass judgement too quickly.

I'm quite glad I did. While I find Dark Souls to be one of, if not the greatest, game to be released in at least several years, he made some great points. The issue with sometimes pressing attack but not starting the attack animation for up to a second can really break the immersion (especially when the same happens for parrying), and I see how it could be argued that numerical difficulty in itself does not equate to true difficulty (even if I disagree myself).

Nice article.

[DaTruth]

"The issue with sometimes pressing attack but not starting the attack animation for up to a second"

I hate this particular problem; sometimes it takes up to five seconds, I've died a few times over this!

Also, open-world games always benefit from a day/night cycle! I can see how it would break this particular game, but at the top of the tower it's day and running to the bottom in 3 seconds, it becomes night!

But none of this warrants a 6/10, especially when the good points are soooo good!

[modesign]

the noob that reviewed this most likely had a very low endurance lvl, that why the animations are sluggish, it all depends on your skill. if you button mash, the game will only recognize the first press, after that its a waste on his part to button mash

[bangoskank]

While I love the game it does have its share of glitches. The most frustrating that I've discovered is when I press the R1 button once with the intention of just attacking once. Sometimes, especially when I'm surrounded, my character will lung twice which leaves him vulnerable for the enemy's attack. I'll accept responsibility for all my other deaths but this is an obvious bug.

[chadachada123]

I'm guessing you haven't experienced the particular glitch that I was describing...Because button-mashing has nothing to do with it. Sometimes, you will press the attack button or parry button, but your character will take longer, sometimes far longer, than usual to start either of those animations, even when there is nothing else going on and no other animations happening.

On top of this, though, the article is describing when this scenario happens: You press attack just as or just after you are hit, the hit knocking you down. When you get up, you start off with that attack that you pressed seconds ago. Those kinds of things are also a problem. Not a giant problem, but one to be addressed.

What does endurance even have to do with this? The article was talking about the engine and problems concerning that (like delays in reaction some of the time), not the gameplay design.

[DaTruth]

My endurance is 91.2. I can even wear the stone giants armour with the rest Elite knight, without going over the half threshold!

[bangoskank]

@modesign
I'm actually a thief and level up my endurance every chance I get. This happens to me often as well. It's a glitch that From needs to fix.

[LightofDarkness]

It's true, really. The difficulty in this game does not come from any truly advanced design, it is only achieved by buffing enemies' stats and nerf-ing the player. The enemies aren't smarter, really, the challenge isn't in a particularly deep combat system, movement is intentionally clunky to limit the player so fighting the controls becomes part of the difficulty, the inventory selection and inability to pause the game are ridiculous design choices (people do have lives that sometimes need tending to, you know) and many areas are set up to encourage grinding (a facet of gaming that I hate).

These are just initial impressions after about 5-6 hours of play time. I'm not having a TERRIBLE time with the difficulty just yet, but the way it's achieved does not strike a chord with me.

Ninja Gaiden on Master Ninja is how I believe a truly difficult challenge that is rewarding and fun is best presented. The enemies don't have super long health bars, or super powerful attacks, their AI just goes into "I no longer give a f**k" mode and attempts to rape you constantly. It forces the player into an almost zen-like trance of artful dodging and skilful mastery of the game's outstanding controls and combat system.

Regardless, I shall keep playing for now and hopefully my feelings will change, as I quite like the setting, design and atmosphere presented.

[Spenok]

While I understand where you are coming from, the way this game is designed is on purpose. It's meant to be difficult with pretty much everything you mentioned. Not allowing you pause, enemy ai, etc.....
Of course the lag in you character actually doing the animation expected should not be there, and I really hope it gets fixed.

More or less I'm saying I disagree with you, while respecting your opinion. Oh and your analogy of how a game should be difficult, relating it to Ninja Gaiden was well stated. I love it when I get into that Zen state and just wreck some enemies in any game really.

Which brings me back to DS. I think its completely possible to hit that state within the game, the core designs behind it are there to prevent you from getting there. Ie dieing doesn't make you restart from thr beginning while loosing everything. But it does make you loose what you have fought for up until that point. Or not being able to pause (you can't pause real life xD) etc etc.

Sure, the game could use a little bit of polish here and there. But I think that's where it gets some of its character.

[SnakeShady]

A well written article translated from Italian?
C'mon are you fucking kidding me?

[Heishiro__Mitsurugi]

stupid review. Its seldom that real gamers and mainstream reviews agree on scores, but dang Dark Souls deserves the 90+ percentages its getting.

[topgeareasy]

trying to get hits much lol

[Pintheshadows]

I haven't purchased it yet. I want to get a second controller first. During my Demons Souls experience I threw my white ds3 at a wall.

Also, here is a hint. Play after a couple of spliffs. It reduces the anger of dying.