As some of us have discussed before, I still maintain the notion that making Dark Souls easy, more accessible and more mainstream would actually mean a departure from its yay difficult very nature. You know, the core bit. The soul of the game. The bit that makes up quite a bit of the real estate that is the gaming wonderland of Dark Souls?
Because, as it is, it ain't that difficult once you've wrapped your head around it. See enemies from afar. Expect enemies around every corner. Move slowly, or try running once you know, or believe you know there to be a safer or safer spot to run to. Try not to get cornered by one enemy, try not to get cornered by a gang of half dozen enemies.
That sounds pretty simple, does it not? At least it seems simple enough to me.
Think Evil Dead or any horror flick that comes to mind. Be open, be ready, be wary, be scared. Expect anything. Expect the unexpected. Expect to get killed, at least once. Expect tress to attack you, be glad if they don't. The shrubbery is evil. Try something, it might work. If it won't, it might kill you. Try again. Something, you know, different. No dice? Try walking around it, then. Come back later. Imminent death might be less of a threat once you actually know what it is you're doing.
Things that shine from afar are certainly there to attract your attention, but don't expect them to invite you over for tea. Things that seem close might involve hours of scouting for the uninitiated and a five minute walk in the park for the New Game Plus adepts and masters.
It's just that kind of game. Think Pac Man.
It' also not the kind of game that really needs more exposition in intravenous dosages of FMV or QTE nonsense. When you run, you run and it usually matters and you normally have a reason for running around, even though it gets you the most attention of everyone and everything around. When you're sneaking and moving really, really slowly, you normally have good reasons to do so. Every new location you discover is well prepared to blow your mind, one way or another. Find the saddest yet loveliest beach to hang out on, steering clear of killer cockles and mussles! Find the most important hat tip to architecture shouting "I LOVE YOU!" in a modern game to date, come see Anor Londo. It also comes without friendly daylight for the emo and satanist bunch. Come meet foes small and large, come chop off their tails! Now, ain't that grand and spliffy all by itself? And that's just the tour guide headlines off the top of me silly head.
Don't make the tutorial any longer than the Asylum escape intro scene. Any longer than that, and we're catering to the Harry Potter target audience, and they're, what, 5 years old on average.
(badum-tish)
