The flawed yet powerful framework for dozens of games to come.
Dark Souls was among the most influential games of the previous decade. The punishing difficulty, hands-off storytelling and RPG-fueled hack-and-slash combat would be emulated time and time again. Dark Souls laid that foundation back in 2011, and the game is still very enjoyable even now.
Lordran is vast. Flying through that desolate land for the first time is unforgettable, fighting through waves of unforgiving enemies as you unravel the tale of four corrupted lords and a destroyed empire. In addition to being a great entry-point for the series, the new game+ options and hidden lore details make a trek through Lordran worthwhile even ten years later.
Sadly, like many games before it, it can't maintain the same level of quality in the latter half of the experience. The Nito quest is plagued by lackluster boss fights and terrible level design, and the Witch quest suffers from lackluster level design and terrible boss fights. I see fit to deduct one point for each.
Dark Souls was among the most influential games of the previous decade. The punishing difficulty, hands-off storytelling and RPG-fueled hack-and-slash combat would be emulated time and time again. Dark Souls laid that foundation back in 2011, and the game is still very enjoyable even now.
Lordran is vast. Flying through that desolate land for the first time is unforgettable, fighting through waves of unforgiving enemies as you unravel the tale of four corrupted lords and a destroyed empire. In addition to being a great entry-point for the series, the new game+ options and hidden lore details make a trek through Lordran worthwhile even ten years later.
Sadly, like many games before it, it can't maintain the same level of quality in the latter half of the experience. The Nito quest is plagued by lackluster boss fights and terrible level design, and the Witch quest suffers from lackluster level design and terrible boss fights. I see fit to deduct one point for each.