I don't think I inherently enjoy Souls-type games. High levels of difficulty are not something I actively search for when deciding which games to play, and of course these types of games wear their difficulty on their sleeves. I definitely don't think that these games hold disdain for the player or itself, but simply existing in a difficult state with stylized creature designs and environments is not enough for me to latch onto and really care about what I am doing. The story to this game is something that takes a backseat to exploration and trial and error fighting styles, allowing the player to progress through the sprawling yet linear game at their own pace and in their own style. The game doesn't quite live up to even this meager consistency either since it is a game meant to be played fast and aggressively due to the HP system and lack of any real armor or protection from shields. A step away from the occasional sluggishness from the actual Souls games was definitely welcomed with open arms by those who cannot get enough of them, but I like to think that my play style is more methodical than the game would like to allow.
But I digress, even if these issues were resolved I still think there is a true lack of inspiration in what you do. The atmosphere of the game is what sells it to most, and the combat is the cherry on top. I could never get ahold of the atmosphere in a way where I could wield it in a helpful or hopeful way. The few NPCs scattered throughout the game are often faceless people behind doors which you see in passing when warping in and out of a central location. They don't provide much to be fighting for and lack personality to the point where even when I saw them physically, they still felt faceless. I played a lot of this game with a friend who really loves it and talked to other friends who also greatly enjoyed this, and their many opinions seemed to all stem from the fact that YOU the player were an agent of hope amidst a sea of bleakness. This is something I could get behind if I felt as though anything I did was ever for a good reason. The first boss you fight is a man pushed to his wit's end who kills his wife and it is your duty to not only put him out of his misery, but to inform his daughters of their parent's demise which effectively kills them. This is one of the only real NPC interactions you have, and it is steeped in a great amount of misery and chaos. The entire game feels just as unrelentingly bleak and oddly self-serious, never using the fact that it is a video game to do anything besides challenge the player on a gameplay level. I just wish these challenges were linked to thematic material in a way that didn't constantly beat you down and seemingly punish you for doing what you think is right.
The cyclical and dream-like nature of the overarching plot even denies you of any real closure in the three endings it provides, rendering all that you do a footnote in the grand scheme of "getting good". I find this wholly unsatisfying and ultimately not worth my time to explore any further due to a lack of any real stakes, character, or inspiration. The combat itself is incredibly fluid, the bosses look cool and are challenging in ways that definitely don't feel unfair, and there is no shortage of enemies to defeat and places to explore. My main question at the end of this is...why should I do that even once, let alone again and again?
(These many issues could be amplified by the fact that I picked this game up IMMEDIATELY after getting 100% completion in Death Stranding which is one of the most life-affirming works of art I've ever experienced, but also one that speaks against violence.)
Edit (8/31/2021): After more closely acquainting myself with these Souls games [even becoming a pretty big fan of most of them!], I can now recognize this as interference from Sony imparted on Miyazaki. He has stated that this is his favorite game he's ever made and its easy to see why from an aesthetic and technical standpoint as both are stunningly engaging, but thematically it still leaves a LOT to be desired for me. After all, it was Sony's idea to have everything story and quest-wise in this game result in death and misery, not Miyazaki's.
But I digress, even if these issues were resolved I still think there is a true lack of inspiration in what you do. The atmosphere of the game is what sells it to most, and the combat is the cherry on top. I could never get ahold of the atmosphere in a way where I could wield it in a helpful or hopeful way. The few NPCs scattered throughout the game are often faceless people behind doors which you see in passing when warping in and out of a central location. They don't provide much to be fighting for and lack personality to the point where even when I saw them physically, they still felt faceless. I played a lot of this game with a friend who really loves it and talked to other friends who also greatly enjoyed this, and their many opinions seemed to all stem from the fact that YOU the player were an agent of hope amidst a sea of bleakness. This is something I could get behind if I felt as though anything I did was ever for a good reason. The first boss you fight is a man pushed to his wit's end who kills his wife and it is your duty to not only put him out of his misery, but to inform his daughters of their parent's demise which effectively kills them. This is one of the only real NPC interactions you have, and it is steeped in a great amount of misery and chaos. The entire game feels just as unrelentingly bleak and oddly self-serious, never using the fact that it is a video game to do anything besides challenge the player on a gameplay level. I just wish these challenges were linked to thematic material in a way that didn't constantly beat you down and seemingly punish you for doing what you think is right.
The cyclical and dream-like nature of the overarching plot even denies you of any real closure in the three endings it provides, rendering all that you do a footnote in the grand scheme of "getting good". I find this wholly unsatisfying and ultimately not worth my time to explore any further due to a lack of any real stakes, character, or inspiration. The combat itself is incredibly fluid, the bosses look cool and are challenging in ways that definitely don't feel unfair, and there is no shortage of enemies to defeat and places to explore. My main question at the end of this is...why should I do that even once, let alone again and again?
(These many issues could be amplified by the fact that I picked this game up IMMEDIATELY after getting 100% completion in Death Stranding which is one of the most life-affirming works of art I've ever experienced, but also one that speaks against violence.)
Edit (8/31/2021): After more closely acquainting myself with these Souls games [even becoming a pretty big fan of most of them!], I can now recognize this as interference from Sony imparted on Miyazaki. He has stated that this is his favorite game he's ever made and its easy to see why from an aesthetic and technical standpoint as both are stunningly engaging, but thematically it still leaves a LOT to be desired for me. After all, it was Sony's idea to have everything story and quest-wise in this game result in death and misery, not Miyazaki's.