Quite a few words rhyme with the Souls series. Challenge, despair, death... one that is not brought up very often in discussions is the concept of immersion. The feeling of being part of a game world, Of slightly touching the edge between spectator and observer. Through a list of clever design choices, FROM SOFTWARE created one of the most immersive game series to grace today's home computer entertainment systems. An art thought to be long-lost, if we are to take a glance at today's video games. They fill the shelves with their illusions and tasteless content. It's a known fact that developers these days tend to cater to laziness. Simple systems that pretty much takes the controller out of players' hands at very turns. Something that FROM SOFTWARE takes firmly in hands and gives a well-placed and deserved kick in its most sensitive area.
As the game starts, you're treated to beautiful pre-rendered cut-scene that follows a minimalist approach to storyline. It doesn't go in details and only gives the general idea. You are an Undead afflicted by a curse and so you travel to the great desolate land of Drangleic in hope of a cure. Not much else is said and you're left on your own. This is the point of departure and expecting the game to treat the player in any different way at any time is delusional. The introduction does its job at leaving you wondering. As such, it reflects FROM SOFTWARE's philosophy with this series : having trust in the players intelligence and will. Obstacles and walls are everywhere in Souls and FROM SOFTWARE goes to great lengths to ensure laziness and recklessness are not viable options. All measures of success in Souls are measured by equal amounts of effort. Patterns learned in other modern games such as mashing buttons or healing ad nauseum are one-way trips to failure.
For what Souls aims to achieve is creating a blank canvas for the players. You are given a vast amount of choices and how you make them interact, work and eventually succeed is entirely up to you. Options come in all shapes and sizes : melee weapons, ranged weapons, sorcery, miracles, pyromancy, hexes... it's an universe of choice against an universe of challenge. For everything in Dark Souls matters. Movement, position, equipment load, falling, health, death... especially death, which both serves as a physical and figurative reminder that you screwed up. It's this methodical and creative approach one has to take to survive, explore and succeed in the world of Drangleic that makes Dark Souls a tremendously immersive experience. It promotes observation and creative thinking, which is why success in Dark Souls is a very rewarding feeling. It respects the player's intellect.
From this point on, one doesn't even need to mention what else Dark Souls 2 does great, such as the intricate and hidden plot one will be left pondering about, the much improved and realistic animation, the lighting... Drangleic is a vibrant, intricate world filled with treasures and surprises, just waiting to be explored. It won't let you casually walk in and take everything it has to offer. And why would you? After all, Dark Souls is rarely an unfair player and as such you can expect it to play by the same rules as you. Where you have your wits and cunning, it has an ever-growing arsenal of terrifying but well-balanced cards in hands. It will not throw armies at you or kill you instantly without chance of recourse. The game is not out to kill you, it's out to play with you.
Are you up for the challenge?