Now this is one hell of a video game. Not perfect, I dont think. I feel it has some issues, like the pacing, some areas suck, some enemies suck, some bosses suck; but the game's strong points make up for it.

fantastic first half, chefs kiss. incredible vibes. fun combat system. intriguing lore and world setup. Also, you can't talk about dark souls 1 without acknowledging that some of its bosses are the most iconic in all of gaming. ornstein and smough - gwyn - sif - fucking knight artorias: some of the best in gaming. also, some setpieces are incredible. arriving at anor londo for the first time, turning out the sun, exploring deeeep into the depths of the game world and accidentally coming across fucking ash lake (one of my personal favorite moments due to atmosphere and intrigue alone)

I think it's one of those "flawed masterpieces" (ie xenogears, breath of the wild, mother 3, etc) but that does not change the fact that if I heard someone say this was their favorite game of all time, I would be completely understanding.