Dark Souls without online

So according to IGN "It is impossible to overstate how crucial online play is to the Dark Souls experience. Without it, it's half a game (and about four times as difficult, too, which is really not what you want from a game that's already difficult enough to sap your will to live). Multiplayer is your get-out clause, the thing that stops Dark Souls from ever being straightforwardly impossible, no matter what your skill level."

Why is online so important? Since Dark Souls is now kind of old, are there still players online? Or would it not matter since their movements are kind of recorded already? How important is the online component?

So according to IGN "It is impossible to overstate how crucial online play is to the Dark Souls experience. Without it, it's half a game (and about four times as difficult, too, which is really not what you want from a game that's already difficult enough to sap your will to live). Multiplayer is your get-out clause, the thing that stops Dark Souls from ever being straightforwardly impossible, no matter what your skill level."

 

Why is online so important? Since Dark Souls is now kind of old, are there still players online? Or would it not matter since their movements are kind of recorded already? How important is the online component?

greengloop

It's just IGN being IGN.

So according to IGN "It is impossible to overstate how crucial online play is to the Dark Souls experience. Without it, it's half a game (and about four times as difficult, too, which is really not what you want from a game that's already difficult enough to sap your will to live). Multiplayer is your get-out clause, the thing that stops Dark Souls from ever being straightforwardly impossible, no matter what your skill level."

 

Why is online so important? Since Dark Souls is now kind of old, are there still players online? Or would it not matter since their movements are kind of recorded already? How important is the online component?

greengloop

IGN is just being crap. The game is perfectly fine without online, though you miss out on a few fun aspects.

I played through both Demons and Dark Souls the first time offline and loved every second of them. I play online sometimes but honestly prefer playing it offline

It's far from unbeatable without online. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I played the entire thing with no online and did fine.

I sunk 160 hours into the game and finished it without ever touching the online. 

It's perfectly playable offline.  Though I do agree that you lose a lot of the games nuances if you don't play online.  The messages other players leave are usually useless, but occasionally lead to hidden items or locations you would of strolled right past.  At this point however, you can just look up information for the game online.

The player interaction adds a whole other layer to the game that can't be denied.  Offering to help other players awards you with Souls and Humanity, which in turn allows you to summon other players to help you.  It also makes the game considerably easier.  I was more or less forced to play solo my first time through cause my router really didn't like my Xbox.  I've been playing again recently, and certain points in the game are far FAR more forgiving with even one other player, and the game does still have plenty of people playing it online.

Again I stress It's entirely possible to play single player and have fun doing so.  Though there are a few insanely frustrating sticking points in the game for solo players.  So I would suggest playing it online if possible, but if not It's still a fantastic game.

So according to IGN "It is impossible to overstate how crucial online play is to the Dark Souls experience. Without it, it's half a game (and about four times as difficult, too, which is really not what you want from a game that's already difficult enough to sap your will to live). Multiplayer is your get-out clause, the thing that stops Dark Souls from ever being straightforwardly impossible, no matter what your skill level."

 

Why is online so important? Since Dark Souls is now kind of old, are there still players online? Or would it not matter since their movements are kind of recorded already? How important is the online component?

greengloop

I played through the PC version recently and it was basically an online ghost town. I never once summoned another player and the few instances where I did experience online was someone being a douche and invading me just before Stein and Smough (multiple times). Game doesn't suffer from being played mostly singleplayer and the boss fights are all doable without summoning.DJ_Lae

This is it exactly.  The only time a phantom was actually useful to me was on my original playthrough fighthing Iron golem... Apart from that, I essentially solo'd every boss.  And I beat the game this way.  The game is far from impossible offline, you just need to approach it differently than if you were online.

Ive completed the game 4 times. The only time I ever summoned anyone was for smough and ornstein on my first playthrough.

Its also worth noting that there are Summonable NPCs for some of the harder boss fights.

So according to IGN "It is impossible to overstate how crucial online play is to the Dark Souls experience. Without it, it's half a game (and about four times as difficult, too, which is really not what you want from a game that's already difficult enough to sap your will to live). Multiplayer is your get-out clause, the thing that stops Dark Souls from ever being straightforwardly impossible, no matter what your skill level."

 

Why is online so important? Since Dark Souls is now kind of old, are there still players online? Or would it not matter since their movements are kind of recorded already? How important is the online component?

greengloop

I've never listened to much of anything IGN has to say, go with that.

Dark Souls is perfectly playable offline, in fact it's better that way. Most of the messages people leave are lies anyhow, and you can summon certain NPC's if you really need help at points. I've always thought the Souls games forced that aspect of the game, the 'online aspect' is kind of a joke. 

IGN must suck at video games to be honest, because the Souls games are challenging, they are not the only game in the world that has challenge and they are far from impossible. I've played games that are way more difficult. 

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

So according to IGN "It is impossible to overstate how crucial online play is to the Dark Souls experience. Without it, it's half a game (and about four times as difficult, too, which is really not what you want from a game that's already difficult enough to sap your will to live). Multiplayer is your get-out clause, the thing that stops Dark Souls from ever being straightforwardly impossible, no matter what your skill level."

 

Why is online so important? Since Dark Souls is now kind of old, are there still players online? Or would it not matter since their movements are kind of recorded already? How important is the online component?

Blueresident87

I've never listened to much of anything IGN has to say, go with that.

Dark Souls is perfectly playable offline, in fact it's better that way. Most of the messages people leave are lies anyhow, and you can summon certain NPC's if you really need help at points. I've always thought the Souls games forced that aspect of the game, the 'online aspect' is kind of a joke. 

IGN must suck at video games to be honest, because the Souls games are challenging, they are not the only game in the world that has challenge and they are far from impossible. I've played games that are way more difficult. 

This too. Once you learn your preffered way of playing and learn the many tricks and subtle nuances of the game, Dark Souls becomes far more than manageable. As long as you play careffully they are not unbeatable.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to get the PS3 version (on which I will have online access) or the Xbox 360 version (where I will not have online access but I prefer the controller). Which one would you recommend?

Thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to get the PS3 version (on which I will have online access) or the Xbox 360 version (where I will not have online access but I prefer the controller). Which one would you recommend?

greengloop

Also, more content on the basic PC version compared to basic console version. Widescreen mod plus already a possible higher resolution than console allows. 

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to get the PS3 version (on which I will have online access) or the Xbox 360 version (where I will not have online access but I prefer the controller). Which one would you recommend?

ShadowJax04

Also, more content on the basic PC version compared to basic console version. Widescreen mod plus already a possible higher resolution than console allows. 

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to get the PS3 version (on which I will have online access) or the Xbox 360 version (where I will not have online access but I prefer the controller). Which one would you recommend?

ShadowJax04

Also, more content on the basic PC version compared to basic console version. Widescreen mod plus already a possible higher resolution than console allows. 

[QUOTE="ShadowJax04"]

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to get the PS3 version (on which I will have online access) or the Xbox 360 version (where I will not have online access but I prefer the controller). Which one would you recommend?

Zevvion

Also, more content on the basic PC version compared to basic console version. Widescreen mod plus already a possible higher resolution than console allows. 

[QUOTE="Blueresident87"]

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

So according to IGN "It is impossible to overstate how crucial online play is to the Dark Souls experience. Without it, it's half a game (and about four times as difficult, too, which is really not what you want from a game that's already difficult enough to sap your will to live). Multiplayer is your get-out clause, the thing that stops Dark Souls from ever being straightforwardly impossible, no matter what your skill level."

 

Why is online so important? Since Dark Souls is now kind of old, are there still players online? Or would it not matter since their movements are kind of recorded already? How important is the online component?

turtlethetaffer

I've never listened to much of anything IGN has to say, go with that.

Dark Souls is perfectly playable offline, in fact it's better that way. Most of the messages people leave are lies anyhow, and you can summon certain NPC's if you really need help at points. I've always thought the Souls games forced that aspect of the game, the 'online aspect' is kind of a joke. 

IGN must suck at video games to be honest, because the Souls games are challenging, they are not the only game in the world that has challenge and they are far from impossible. I've played games that are way more difficult. 

This too. Once you learn your preffered way of playing and learn the many tricks and subtle nuances of the game, Dark Souls becomes far more than manageable. As long as you play careffully they are not unbeatable.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to get the PS3 version (on which I will have online access) or the Xbox 360 version (where I will not have online access but I prefer the controller). Which one would you recommend?

greengloop

[QUOTE="greengloop"]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to decide whether to get the PS3 version (on which I will have online access) or the Xbox 360 version (where I will not have online access but I prefer the controller). Which one would you recommend?

Minishdriveby

its better online.. random invasions make it more intense

[QUOTE="turtlethetaffer"]

[QUOTE="Blueresident87"]

I've never listened to much of anything IGN has to say, go with that.

Dark Souls is perfectly playable offline, in fact it's better that way. Most of the messages people leave are lies anyhow, and you can summon certain NPC's if you really need help at points. I've always thought the Souls games forced that aspect of the game, the 'online aspect' is kind of a joke. 

IGN must suck at video games to be honest, because the Souls games are challenging, they are not the only game in the world that has challenge and they are far from impossible. I've played games that are way more difficult. 

Minishdriveby

This too. Once you learn your preffered way of playing and learn the many tricks and subtle nuances of the game, Dark Souls becomes far more than manageable. As long as you play careffully they are not unbeatable.

True. Dark souls really isn't that brutally hard. It's all about the learning curve. It feels really difficult at the start, but eventually you learn how to fight and the game essentially hands you every tool for the job, you just need to learn where or what it is.

Edit: that's not to say game is easy but once you've cleared it all the first time your second playthrough should be signifigantly easier, as in, Dark Souls isn't as much about unfair difficulty as much as it is about learning how to effectively counter enemies.

Don't listen to IGN. Ever if you can help it. Dark Souls is perfectly playable offline. MonoSilver

its worth it without online.

I'd definately recommend playing offline. The game is really immersive and nothing breaks immersion more than some jackass player who thinks he's funny with a complete and unnecessary hint. Besides, beating the game without any sort of hint feels much more like an accomplishment.

Online is great when you've beaten the game however.

The game is perfectly playable without online but you will lose out on quite a bit the experience and what makes Demon/Dark Souls unique. It will also be more difficult as you'll have one less method of being revived and no way to summon Blue Phantoms (other players) into your world if you're having a tough time.

If you're not playing online, then it's not worth it, it really is half of the experience.