Dark Souls. Why should I keep playing?

[Ragsnstitches]

So I`ve been playing Dark Souls lately, I really wanted to know what all the fuss was about, and I`ve gotta say it`s just stupid.

People keep praising it it`s good because it`s hard, but that`s not really difficulty, it`s just game design made to waste your time.

I want to make it clear, I`m not BAD at the game, I can do all the moves easy, all the counter kills, kicks and jump attacks, I don`t mind at all that I have no map, I can remember an area without difficulty.

I don`t mind that basically any enemy can kill me if I make mistakes, that`s fine.
I don`t mind that I lose all my souls if I die, you should lose a lot if you die.

What IS NOT fine is that I have to grind to the same area 100 times if a boss kills me.

I`m at the early Taurus Demon and I can get to him and clear all the 30 or so minions before him without even being touched if I`m careful, but WHY do I have to do it EVERY TIME HE KILLS ME?

It`s just boring and stupid and a waste of my time.

Even worse is the fact that if I were willing to be a mindless drone and just grind this area forever I can get to any level, just kill minions, go to fire, make them respawn, kill again, FOREVER, and get to any level I want.



So I wanted to ask all of you who like this game and got to really high levels in it, Is it worth it? Is the later game content good or just the same boring grind all the way through?

Well I would say you should because I thought it was great game... despite not finding it terribly difficult myself. But I also didn't find it a grind either, so my point is somewhat biased.

EDIT: Have you experienced any of the Multiplayer features? That's where the game really offers something unique.

 

[dancinginfernal]

I don't like it because it's difficult, I like it because it requires skill. If you start the game, miserably fumble learning the concepts, and start a new characters, you will breeze through the game.

People enjoy the game because it is unforgiving, requiring you to learn and adapt to situations in order to survive. Are you wrong for disliking it? No. Just realize that once you get the game's concepts and controls down you will enjoy the hell out of this game. Just don't expect to finish it quickly, because it took my first playthrough a few weeks because of both anger and continuously getting stuck at Sen's Fortress (fuck that place, man.).

It's a good game. Once you pass Blighttown, the second "area" of the game, you'll appreciate it more.

 

[Burst6]

OP, the taurus demon is the worst, but for all the other bosses it becomes a lot easier (getting to them i mean).


Every boss afterwards comes with a shortcut or they have a bonfire within close range. After Taurus demon you can cut down heavily on the return time and get to the boss really quickly once you open the shortcuts or find the last bonfires on the maps. This is for every boss after Taurus. Sometimes the shortcuts and bonfires are hidden so you have to search around for it.


Of course you still have to be good at the game. If the enemies kill you before you open the shortcut you're going to repeat. This game rewards you for being careful and methodical and punishes you heavily for being reckless. That's what it is with this game. You need to be very careful. It's like one of those old S.W.A.T or rainbow 6 games except in third person with swords.


Also i never got stuck in sens fortress. It didn't take me long to figure out how to beat those snake men (lead them into the pendelum traps or push them off the ledges. If you have enough space backstab them a few times), and i managed to get to the second bonfire in about 2-3 tries. Blighttown though.. fuck that place.

OP. If you get pissed off at the capra demon, the depths, or blighttown there's a shortcut that lets you skip all of that and lands you right in front of the blighttown boss. You do miss a few things but nothing you can't come back for easily when you get stronger. Sewer levels can go die in a fire.

 

[Hosker]

I just run past all the enemies after the second or third time. Never had much problem doing this.

 

[K1CKER]

I think i first passed the Taurus demon at level 16, though that was when the game first came to Europe so im not entirely sure anymore.

Well I was level 5-6 when I finally beat him so it might be why he was annoying.

 

[Aeonknight]

Dude, you're stuck on the Taurus demon?

Yeah, I don't think you should keep playing. Just for different reasons. ;P

dont mock dude, i got stuck on that guy for a while

Question: did you ever play Demons' Souls?

 

[SmegInThePants]

i'm waiting for dark souls pc before I play it (though i played it a bit on a borrowed copy, enough to see that I want to get it). I did play demons' souls.

Like the game. But I think the op has a point that death isn't as meaningful as it could be, you don't lose everything which allows you grow stronger despite dying. I'm used to roguelikes (1 life, 1 chance, 1 death = lose everything and start over from the beginning). Would love a true hardcore mode. This game seems in between (which is still better than 99% of such games do), in that it is hard and death is common, I just wish death meant more. But it is heartening that a game that doesn't just hand you easy combat wins on a platter has become so popular, and i'm definitely getting it when its out (on pc). Just because its not exactly as I would design it isn't enough to make me lose interest.

 

[Simonoly]

You don't like the game? Don't play it.

These are facepalmingly dumb topics, really. "Why should I play/love/hate *?", like the opinions of a certain group are the definitive ones and there is something wrong somewhere because you don't feel the way you want to, and then you go on about how this opinion or mindset should be sold to you... I don't even.. ah, fuck it.

There's a nail with a head and you just hit the crap out of it. I like to pretend that these people aren't actually real and that the internet randomly generates these topics just to test our patience.

 

[Aeonknight]

Ahh, I love Dark Souls topics. It's always funny to see just how many excuses and justifications the fans can make for the game...

As opposed to believing the word of someone still stuck in the first area, who seems to think himself fit to judge the other 90% of the game.

 

[Itsthefuzz]

Anyway I don`t need tips for that boss, I`m asking the guys who finished the game: How does the later content look and if it`s worth it playing it more than I have?

Dark souls became my favorite game, but it pretty much stays the same with death and backtracking which can suck. I love it for unexplainable reason, but my main issue is probably this, MOSTLY because I'd die to one accidental movement then I'd have to backtrack for another few minutes (See: Getting out/Into blight town.)

 

[K1CKER]

I love how you're not allowed to criticize Dark Souls.

If you do, it's just because you suck at the game.

haha so true, love how all he "pros" came to tell me I suck but none of them bothered to read the whole OP or answer the question at the end.

what`s wrong guys, too hard actually making a useful post? trolling easier?

 

[Fat Hippo]

I think i first passed the Taurus demon at level 16, though that was when the game first came to Europe so im not entirely sure anymore.

Well I was level 5-6 when I finally beat him so it might be why he was annoying.

Wait, now you've confused me. First you claim to have fought through the area to the Taurus Demon loads of times, but you were still level 5? How does that work? Did you simply go through the fog after having used all your estus flasks, and not return to the bonfire to level up a single time? Because if so, it's pretty obvious that you are gonna get your ass whooped!

Honestly, I had a tough time with him when I first played the game (the game was even more brutal pre-patch) but I was more like level 20. Seriously, you were just absurdly underleveled.

 

[K1CKER]

no I was getting to him with ALL my flasks but he was killing me in 2 hits.

the problem was I had heavy armor on and couldn`t dodge fast, I am pyro so I started at lvl 1, not already 5 like the knight or others

when I killed him I used the very lame exploit of standing in his crotch where he just hits over me and can`t hit me. now is that difficulty?

anyway I decided to give the game more time and hope it gets better

 

[ColeusRattus]

I love how you're not allowed to criticize Dark Souls.

If you do, it's just because you suck at the game.

Well, that has most likely to do with the fact that most threads criticizing Dark Souls are from people whose problems stem from the fact that in fact they do suck at the game.

But they're not bad persons because of that. If something frustrates you, and thus is no fun for you, that's fine.

But to a select few it is the frustration that makes the accomplishment of finally overcoming it so great, thus for them (including me) it's actually the point of the whole game. Complainging about it is much akin to complaining about Modern Warfare 3 not having any option to diplomatically achieve victory.

So in short: if you don't like Dark Souls, don't play it. Just don't make whiny posts about it in a forum where a strong and vocal userbase loves it, because that obviously is trollbait.

Also, keep in mind that many once great series were ruined by people wanting to have more easily accessible experiences (Rainbow 6, Ghost Recon, Red Orchestra, just to name a few), so I personally tend to be rather hostile towards people wanting games that I like because of their complexity and difficulty to be easier.

 

[darron13]

If you think the Taurus demon is hard then boy are you in for a rough time.

 

[Project_Xii]

Hahahah serious? My god, this is like the fifth thread I've seen saying the exact same thing. "I'm at the Taurus Demon, I can't kill him, this game sucks. But I'm really good at the game, honest!" Taurus Demon: Seperating the real gamers from the wannabes, every time.

You're not good at the game, you're still learning. Dark Souls is a constant learning curve, every minute of the game. You're never going to hit a point where you can just breeze through the game in a whirlwind of invulnerabilty(though depending on your class you can get pretty strong). It basically comes down to "Get Better". And if that means trying new things, like new tactics or weapons or skills, do that. Don't just keep barrelling in and hoping you'll kill him this time.

People play Dark Souls mainly for the challenge of overcoming. The entire game is a series of trials that you must overcome, and if you get stuck at one and can't overcome it, you either keep trying, or you quit and call the game stupid. And then make a thread about it apparently. The good players will perservere until they succeed, and then revel in the glory.

And yes, it's worth it later in the game. There are some fantastic areas, and some truly insane fights that, if you can beat, makes you feel like a god. Make you fist pump and think "YEAH! I did it! That was an amazing fight, and winning it felt like an enormous achievement!". Not many games can make you feel that way. But if you're stuck at the Taurus Demon, I wouldn't get your hopes up. After all, that enemy becomes a "common" enemy later in the game, and there are dudes that dwarf him in required skill to beat. It sounds like you'd enjoy the gentle hand holding of an easier RPG. Fable perhaps?

 

[Enserric]

Nope, you will more than likely never enjoy the game if you cant stand the very beginning part of it. The game takes a mix of knowledge and skill, its really one big learning experience if you don't enjoy the process why are you playing the game? And really people he probably does suck at the game but that's just because he is new to it. So ya if you can't persevere and refuse to learn from your mistakes play a game you do enjoy.