Dark Souls is a pillar of gaming that reinvigorated the discussion of difficulty in modern AAA games, on top of presenting one of the most beautifully realized and intricately plotted game worlds ever designed.

The game very much intentionally obfuscates things like navigation and certain gameplay mechanics, leaving just enough hints in the game itself to point the way, with the novel player message and player ghost systems to try and allow players to help each other through shared knowledge. Without that knowledge however, the game is rather obtuse at times, which will be frustrating to people who want a more curated experience, exciting to those who like to explore, and terrifying to anybody looking for a casual experience.

For those willing to approach the game on its terms, there is so much to enjoy. From the beautiful game world, the teeth gritting combat, and the spectacular boss encounters, Dark Souls has earned its place of respect, despite the flaws that existed at release and the blemishes that are more visible past the rose-tinted glasses.

Not for the PC version: The game is a notoriously bad PC port, so if playing this version, you will be better off having the DSFix mod installed to improve stability. If playing the Remastered version, the fix is already included, and the port is much better.