With the Christmas break period upon us, I've decided to finally dedicate some time to playing this game in the light of my wonderfully immersive experience with the original Dark Souls. For those feeling particularly nostalgic, the first impressions thread can be found here: http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15214&highlight=dark+souls
I've since gone on to beat the first game in NG+ with a Sorcerer and also enjoy a single playthrough of Demon's Souls to its completion. My love for the series can be traced back to an enjoyment of the combat style and environmentally rich exploration found in the Gothic and Risen games.
I will generally be quite liberal in my descriptions, so I'd best give some forewarning now about any potential spoilers for those like myself, that haven't already played the game. By that same token, I'd like veteran players to feel free to post their own stories and accumulated battle tales or perhaps offer a gentle word of wisdom here or there!
I was initially intending to wait and see if the Season DLC Pass would become available at a slightly cheaper price by this time before I start, but alas that hasn't proven to be the case as yet, even if it's still early days in the Steam sales.
Considering I already purchased the Black Armour Edition on PC for $24 or so, I felt this was ample compensation! Aye, so let's get started.
My first hour with the game was relatively smooth though not completely devoid of frustration. I did my best to configure the keyboard controls to as close to my favorite setup from the original game as possible. I found the default settings baffling to say the least. I switched left and right click around and slowly but surely made my way through the tutorial section to get a feel for the game.
The frame rate is remarkably smooth and very polished feeling; everything seemingly moves with a greater degree of fluidity and yet there's also a slightly unwelcome sensation of speed about the whole thing. Still, it was a new environment with a wonderfully beckoning familiarity about it which my Sorcerer was eager to see in all its meticulous glory.
I made my way to Majula and started exploring what felt like was a section comparable to Firelink Shrine and the Nexus (Emerald Herald even talks a little like the Maiden in Black; yet without the same kind of poetic wistfulness).
I also let the underlying musical theme wash over me and tried to completely ignore everything I'd read about the game up to this point and merely attempt to experience it rather than over-analyse. I met familiar characters and pondered their losses (Saulden/Crestfallen Warrior) and encountered several interesting circumstances (gruff dwarven fellow with large green sword and a statue blocking access to an area) which demand I return when a more concrete solution is found.
After several hours of making my way through the first bonfire sections of the Forest of Fallen Giants, I couldn't help but feel an odd watering down and blending of the world design of both Dark Souls and Demon's Souls. Everything felt strangely disconnected and not fully realised, especially where the surroundings would change suddenly.
I also had a strong Bolletarian Palace vibe emanate throughout yet I wasn't quite encountering the same sense of awe and sombre majesty about the environments as I did in the first game. I'll no doubt try to keep these thoughts aside and not let them dominate or hinder my experience too much. Yet keeping these emotions and expectations in check is certainly one of my ongoing challenges; almost like another ongoing "boss" fight in an abstract sense.
On that note, after 18 hours of game-play, I have reached level 50 and yet have only defeated four bosses so far. I'm not using a shield; switching mainly between staff and dagger for finishing touches on wounded enemies. I've been caught by double-click dynamic a couple of times, but by and large the combat is familiar and I'm adapting to the changes from the first game relatively easily.
A small roll-call if you will of bosses conquered in order of defeat:
Final Giant (No real drama here; I took few risks, cautiously observed and got the job done without any hassles.)
Dragonrider (My first death was quite comical: caused by forgetting to raise one of the pillars here; one false roll and downwards to doom, my Sorcerer fell. The strategy here whilst intense, was relatively easy to implement second time around.)
The Pursuer (The first major hurdle and cause of much spirited anxiety in battle! I remembered the pain of making mistakes in this fight and suffered my first "mutual or simultaneous death" in a Souls game. Unfortunately, the game only remembers one death. There are distinct patterns you take advantage of, observation certainly pays off in the end - as does using your environment. (I was too slow to use the ballistae…)
Old Dragonslayer (aka Mr Ornstein Clone) I was pretty dismayed by this boss. It was certainly doing the memory of this great character a massive disservice to have a boss fight so early on and so eerily reminiscent of one of the signature encounters of the original game. I smashed him up good and proper, avoiding his attacks whilst thinking to myself "There can only be one!"
Notable NPCs:
Lucatiel (There's something enigmatic about her which has certainly captured my curiousity.)
Pate (Unhelpful bastard; hopefully he reappears!)
Aforementioned stocky fellow with humungous green sword
I must say that I have appreciated the death of respawning mechanic, as it does make the return trip to bosses after losing so much easier and rewards a player appropriately for diligence as well as preventing straight mindless grinding.
For my next adventure, I'm thinking of revisiting No Man's Wharf which is quite possibly my most favourite area in terms of overall atmosphere that I've found so far. There's a strong sense of hidden threat and eerie menace about the place; a true hive of villainy where one false step can lead to death upon an ambush or choking point.
I found in my first time here that I experienced that ol' familiar pulse-quickening dread in taking a deliberate slowness about exploration there. The bizarrely misshapen long-armed domesticated apes have a creepy aura about them too - with my character dying one particularly grim death, failing to adequately navigate in the area, with at least three of them in pursuit. Excellent stuff!
Well, that's enough writing for now. Thanks for reading! Time for some more adventuring.
I've since gone on to beat the first game in NG+ with a Sorcerer and also enjoy a single playthrough of Demon's Souls to its completion. My love for the series can be traced back to an enjoyment of the combat style and environmentally rich exploration found in the Gothic and Risen games.
I will generally be quite liberal in my descriptions, so I'd best give some forewarning now about any potential spoilers for those like myself, that haven't already played the game. By that same token, I'd like veteran players to feel free to post their own stories and accumulated battle tales or perhaps offer a gentle word of wisdom here or there!
I was initially intending to wait and see if the Season DLC Pass would become available at a slightly cheaper price by this time before I start, but alas that hasn't proven to be the case as yet, even if it's still early days in the Steam sales.
Considering I already purchased the Black Armour Edition on PC for $24 or so, I felt this was ample compensation! Aye, so let's get started.
My first hour with the game was relatively smooth though not completely devoid of frustration. I did my best to configure the keyboard controls to as close to my favorite setup from the original game as possible. I found the default settings baffling to say the least. I switched left and right click around and slowly but surely made my way through the tutorial section to get a feel for the game.
The frame rate is remarkably smooth and very polished feeling; everything seemingly moves with a greater degree of fluidity and yet there's also a slightly unwelcome sensation of speed about the whole thing. Still, it was a new environment with a wonderfully beckoning familiarity about it which my Sorcerer was eager to see in all its meticulous glory.
I made my way to Majula and started exploring what felt like was a section comparable to Firelink Shrine and the Nexus (Emerald Herald even talks a little like the Maiden in Black; yet without the same kind of poetic wistfulness).
I also let the underlying musical theme wash over me and tried to completely ignore everything I'd read about the game up to this point and merely attempt to experience it rather than over-analyse. I met familiar characters and pondered their losses (Saulden/Crestfallen Warrior) and encountered several interesting circumstances (gruff dwarven fellow with large green sword and a statue blocking access to an area) which demand I return when a more concrete solution is found.
After several hours of making my way through the first bonfire sections of the Forest of Fallen Giants, I couldn't help but feel an odd watering down and blending of the world design of both Dark Souls and Demon's Souls. Everything felt strangely disconnected and not fully realised, especially where the surroundings would change suddenly.
I also had a strong Bolletarian Palace vibe emanate throughout yet I wasn't quite encountering the same sense of awe and sombre majesty about the environments as I did in the first game. I'll no doubt try to keep these thoughts aside and not let them dominate or hinder my experience too much. Yet keeping these emotions and expectations in check is certainly one of my ongoing challenges; almost like another ongoing "boss" fight in an abstract sense.
On that note, after 18 hours of game-play, I have reached level 50 and yet have only defeated four bosses so far. I'm not using a shield; switching mainly between staff and dagger for finishing touches on wounded enemies. I've been caught by double-click dynamic a couple of times, but by and large the combat is familiar and I'm adapting to the changes from the first game relatively easily.
A small roll-call if you will of bosses conquered in order of defeat:
Final Giant (No real drama here; I took few risks, cautiously observed and got the job done without any hassles.)
Dragonrider (My first death was quite comical: caused by forgetting to raise one of the pillars here; one false roll and downwards to doom, my Sorcerer fell. The strategy here whilst intense, was relatively easy to implement second time around.)
The Pursuer (The first major hurdle and cause of much spirited anxiety in battle! I remembered the pain of making mistakes in this fight and suffered my first "mutual or simultaneous death" in a Souls game. Unfortunately, the game only remembers one death. There are distinct patterns you take advantage of, observation certainly pays off in the end - as does using your environment. (I was too slow to use the ballistae…)
Old Dragonslayer (aka Mr Ornstein Clone) I was pretty dismayed by this boss. It was certainly doing the memory of this great character a massive disservice to have a boss fight so early on and so eerily reminiscent of one of the signature encounters of the original game. I smashed him up good and proper, avoiding his attacks whilst thinking to myself "There can only be one!"
Notable NPCs:
Lucatiel (There's something enigmatic about her which has certainly captured my curiousity.)
Pate (Unhelpful bastard; hopefully he reappears!)
Aforementioned stocky fellow with humungous green sword
I must say that I have appreciated the death of respawning mechanic, as it does make the return trip to bosses after losing so much easier and rewards a player appropriately for diligence as well as preventing straight mindless grinding.
For my next adventure, I'm thinking of revisiting No Man's Wharf which is quite possibly my most favourite area in terms of overall atmosphere that I've found so far. There's a strong sense of hidden threat and eerie menace about the place; a true hive of villainy where one false step can lead to death upon an ambush or choking point.
I found in my first time here that I experienced that ol' familiar pulse-quickening dread in taking a deliberate slowness about exploration there. The bizarrely misshapen long-armed domesticated apes have a creepy aura about them too - with my character dying one particularly grim death, failing to adequately navigate in the area, with at least three of them in pursuit. Excellent stuff!
Well, that's enough writing for now. Thanks for reading! Time for some more adventuring.
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