Dark Souls. Why should I keep playing?

[Saviordd1]

Meanwhile other games amuse me in 5 minutes from start to finish...
Guess which one I'm more likely to spend time in...

Personally, I'd rather have a game that is a pain for the first hour, than gets really good than a game that starts out sort of entertaining and stays sort of entertaining. Maybe that's just me.

Honestly I've had a bunch of games that "get better" but I can never get the point where they get better because THEY ARE SO GODDAMN ANNOYING.

Such as
The Witcher
Warhammer 40K Space Marine (Though it made up for it in Multiplayer)
Borderlands
Terraria
Uplink
Tropico 4
and so on and so forth.

 

[Winthrop]

snip

I read the whole thing. In hindsight my comments about countering were a little redundant. Also after rereading my post, I sounded more condescending and arrogant than I intended. I apologize for that. I did not intend to come of as a jerk and I appreciate you not reacting poorly to it. I had all the same issues my first time through and I'm not the best gamer in general.

Back on topic the boss isn't super over powered IMO which I thought was your point. I thought your point was that because he was overpowered and the walk to him took a while, it was artificially adding game length. What class are you rolling? Its a lot harder to handle bosses with low strength/dexterity so if you have a pyro, sorcerer, or cleric you might not be in the best position. Maybe thats just me, I dislike the spell casting in general. Fighters get new gear constantly but it takes a long time to get new spells (except for miracles that is).

Maybe I don't understand your issues with the difficulty. I thought you meant the difficulty came from wildly overpowering things. A lot of games have difficulty like that which is what I consider poorly done difficulty. Like any time enemies have a one shot kill I find it poorly done. I like that most of the difficulty in Dark Souls seems to come from a user mistake or distraction or something of that sort. I do hate when errors come from the targeting or camera angle which does happen occasionally, but for the most part I found the game fair. It gets wildly frustrating at points as there isn't usually a hint on how to best fight things, but I found the difficulty generally manageable with patience, caution, and a little flexibility with strategy.

Or is your issue with it just the grind to get back to where you were? Unfortunately most games with checkpoints have that issue. It might be a better idea to put one slightly closer to the boss, like at the base of the tower, but I don't think the journey is too bad. If its not your kind of game its not your kind of game though. Its fairly punishing and can be wildly annoying. I'm not super into it, I had sort of shelved it and only recently pulled it out again. I like how quickly you can die in it if you make a mistake but it has glaring flaws. As I said I REALLY hate the way they handle spell casting. I played a pyro first and ended up going melee anyway. Some traits are much less useful than others and sometimes you need to grind but I have that issue with all RPGs.

TLDR: It take a lot of patience, but it can be kind of fun if you are willing to cope with it.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I think the Taurus Demon has one of the worst placed bonfires in the game.

It`s good to know that was one of the worst ones, I really couldn`t take all of them being like that. Thanks! I might play more just for learning that others are better placed.

The Taurus Demon bonfire placement is fucking nothing compared to the rest of the game. Just wait till you get to Blighttown, Sen's Fortress, Anor Lando, and The Tomb of the Giants. Now those checkpoints will really stretch your sanity thin.

I thought the Tomb had enough bonfires... Sure, they were hidden and you really had to search for some of them, but there were more than one. Unlike in Sen's Fortress. Seriously, does that place only have that one, pretty nicely hidden fire? I remember first time going against the Iron Golem, dying because the area was so small and had to do the entire fortress again, since I didn't find the fire first.

Also, just asking, is there a shortcut in New Londo Ruins to the Four Kings battle? Killed them on my first try *cough* not bragging *cough* but now playing on NG+ and I would hate to walk all the way from Firelink to get there...

In New Londo after you've drained the water, you can jump down via a stone wall to get to the final area with the knights just before the Boss fight.

 

[gigastar]

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 having finished my first playthroughs at an average of about level 80, some of the later game content is worth it.

Also if your issue is the Taurus Demon then what you should do is lure it back to the turret you came out of, climb the ladder thats to the left of the door then when its below the ledge jump off and do a plunging attack. Takes 3-5 tries depending on your weapon, and obviously dodge the hammer in between.

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.

 

[OrpheusTelos]

Dude, you're stuck on the Taurus demon?

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

 

[TilMorrow]

snip

dunno why u`re butthurt nor do I care. feel free to ignore this thread.

I thought that was what was going on. You deliberately created a thread on a subject which you knew you could anger some people with when the wiki might have got you your answer quicker. OP is troll people, move along nothing to see here.

 

[Thatrocketeer]

Meanwhile other games amuse me in 5 minutes from start to finish...
Guess which one I'm more likely to spend time in...

Personally, I'd rather have a game that is a pain for the first hour, then gets really good, than a game that starts out sort of entertaining and stays sort of entertaining. Maybe that's just me.

Its better than that. Unlike WoW and MW, Dark Souls is a game you can lose. These challenges and bosses aren't just some raid boss you can bash your head against until you get it right. There's a solid chance that some people who play the game will never beat it. That's what makes the sense of accomplishment so great.

But hey, let him wash out and go play games with auto regen and checkpoints all over the place. It only makes me feel that much more accomplished for having beaten the game.

I like seeing posts like this guy whenever I read threads like this. Its like whenever someone makes a Dark Souls thread there's always this one guy who feels like he's automatically better than others just because he finished a game and feels the need to treat all other games as easy with auto regen and lots of checkpoints just because people actually enjoys games from start to finish instead of having difficulty before enjoying it.

Hey, guess what, I finished IWBTG, it had a lot less checkpoints and a lot less health than Dark Souls. Some people never even beat it. But hey, I'll let you wash out and play your game with a lot more save points, actual health, and rolls with invincibility frames. It only makes me feel that much more accomplished for having beaten the game.

OT: If you're not enjoying the game. I'd suggest just taking a breath of fresh air and play it again if you're in the mood to be challenged/to grind. That's what I did in IWBTG, and it actually made me enjoy it and finish it when I was in the mood.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Meanwhile other games amuse me in 5 minutes from start to finish...
Guess which one I'm more likely to spend time in...

Personally, I'd rather have a game that is a pain for the first hour, then gets really good, than a game that starts out sort of entertaining and stays sort of entertaining. Maybe that's just me.

Its better than that. Unlike WoW and MW, Dark Souls is a game you can lose. These challenges and bosses aren't just some raid boss you can bash your head against until you get it right. There's a solid chance that some people who play the game will never beat it. That's what makes the sense of accomplishment so great.

But hey, let him wash out and go play games with auto regen and checkpoints all over the place. It only makes me feel that much more accomplished for having beaten the game.

I dunno, man, I only feel accomplished if I get lots of achievements and big +100 numbers popping up over my screen telling me how big my xbawks-peen is. What is this "sense of accomplishment brought on by overcoming a legitimate challenge" you speak of?

I like seeing posts like this guy whenever I read threads like this. Its like whenever someone makes a Dark Souls thread there's always this one guy who feels like he's automatically better than others just because he finished a game and feels the need to treat all other games as easy with auto regen and lots of checkpoints just because people actually enjoys games from start to finish instead of having difficulty before enjoying it.

You seem to think "fun" and "difficulty" are mutually exclusive. As someone who likes pac-man, roguelikes, and tetris (despite having never beaten pac-man, tetris, and the vast majority of roguelikes I've played) this confuses me.

 

[spartandude]

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

 

[Lethos]

Aw man wait till you get to the Tomb of Giants.

....The horror....

 

[Jdb]

I don't like Dark Souls either. I don't mind taking several attempts at an obstacle, but to make me go through a noticeable length of the level just for another try wastes my time. I'll only play a game with a checkpoint system like this if I'm allowed to make a lot of mistakes, or the levels are no more than a few minutes long.

 

[BENZOOKA]

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.

 

[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.