After playing through Bloodborne and Sekiro, I decided I wanted to go ahead and give Dark Souls a try. I became a fan of the From Software games and the challenge they offered. Defeating a boss was always a massive reward and it's so much fun to learn the patterns and best them. Dark Souls wasn't the first game the developer did, but it's their earliest one I can play and I wanted to see what the iconic, genre defining game was all about.
I finally started up Dark Souls after completing Sekiro. I am a huge fan of the boss fights in the From Software games and I figured it would be fun to continue tracking these down. I was absolutely right. From my experience with the previous games, I was able to pick up Dark Souls quickly and advance fairly quick. The boss fights are easier than the other two of From games I played, but they were fun nonetheless. Only one fight in the game truly gave me a headache, which was Ornstein and Smough. From Software does a great job of making their boss fights challenging and fair, but that fight seemed to simply remove the fair portion of it. Other than that, the boss fights are fun and tough.
The game's combat is slow and methodical, which I found to be quite fun. After a while you figure out the flow of how to parry, how to backstab, and how to best handle enemies. At times, it can be difficult to take on some of the larger enemies, but by and large, they are fun to fight. The game's slow combat is truly a strength, it's not overly flashy and it does the job it needs to. It's such a pleasure to play.
The setting of the game is mysterious and beautiful. There are so many different areas and the whole map is a labyrinth. It's fun when you journey through an area for a while only to end up back in a familiar place. From the darkroot garden to the catacombs, each area is unique and offers it's own challenges. One area in particular was a bit frustrating because the only challenge was being unable to see, but after you get through it, it's a satisfying relief to say you completed it.
I played the Remaster of Dark Souls on a base PS4 and the game looked and performed superbly. I'd heard the tales of the doom that is blighttown and I am happy to say that the only problems I had there were my own failures. The 60 frames per second were solid and had nary a hitch. It also translated well to the super combat within the game. Some of the models look like they came from last generation and the mouths of NPCs don't move when they talk, but these are forgivable considering how great the game is overall.
Dark Souls is an iconic game that defined the "souls-like" genre. I am happy to say I was finally able to experience it myself and I think everyone should. The game is challenging, but it is not impossible. Play it and enjoy it, it's worth your time.