# Dark Souls



## tommers (Oct 1, 2011)

Comes out Friday. It's the 'spiritual successor' to Demon's Souls,  which was only on PS3.

Supposed to be fantastically difficult but also described as one of the most rewarding games ever. Read the ign review, I can't figure out how to link on my phone.


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## Sunray (Oct 1, 2011)

Does difficult equate to dying 100's of times to figure out the correct sequence of button presses because that is the equivalent of the Laser Disk game of yore called Dungeons Lair.

Now I think of it, I must one day just watch that from the beginning to end.


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## tommers (Oct 1, 2011)

Yes. This is exactly like dragon's lair.


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## Sunray (Oct 1, 2011)

Dragons lair, thats it.




			
				ign review said:
			
		

> You will die, a lot. You will die on the end of a sword, on the edge of an axe, crushed by a boulder, impaled on fangs; you will be poisoned, eaten, stabbed, assassinated and pushed off cliffs. Death is everything in Dark Souls. It's education, it's progress, it's the recurring stylistic and thematic motif that runs through all of its spectacularly varied, decaying and depraved environments.



That fits Dragons lair quite well, every single joystick movement moment had a different death scene attached to it.

Clearly a 2011 A list game is a bit further advanced than DL, but you do die a lot in DL.


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## tommers (Oct 1, 2011)

I don't think that's how it works! I'm intrigued by it but I'm not sure I have the time any more that it obviously demands.

I like that it completely ignores all the trends in modern gaming.  It's fucking difficult right from the start. Games aren't a challenge any more, they hold your hand, tell you what to do and restart you from exactly the same place if you still manage to fuck it up.  At least this is different.

It reminds me of the hells in Iain M Banks.


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## tommers (Oct 3, 2011)

Review in the Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/video-game-reviews/8803351/Dark-Souls-review.html

I'm going to pre-order.  F**k it.


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## Sunray (Oct 7, 2011)

Hmm, might get it as its for the 360 now.


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## tommers (Oct 7, 2011)

Yeah.  Released today.  my pre-order hasn't turned up. 

I am really excited about it.


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## tommers (Oct 8, 2011)

Got it. Installing. Here we go!


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## tommers (Oct 8, 2011)

Just beat the first boss.

You meet him about 10 mins into the game. You have no shield, no spells and a broken sword.  He is a 15ft tall horned demon with a stone club the same size as you.

I spent ages not even getting close enough to hit him.

But fuck him,  he's dead now.


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## tommers (Oct 9, 2011)

I realise I am talking to myself on this thread but I've played about 5 hours of this now and a few things come to mind.

1.  it could really, really, really do with a pause button.
2.  I had to turn it off for a little bit cos I was knackered.  It's fucking scary, or tense anyway.  You're waiting for an ambush or an instant death everywhere you go.  In fact I've seen very little apart from the first boss which justifies this - in fact that's really good.  You can be in a fight and get absolutely twatted, no chance of winning - but if you go back knowing what's coming then you get past it no problem at all.
3.  As an example I just opened a door which led to a spiral staircase going downstairs.  I went down the stairs for ages.  As I was getting to the bottom all I saw was a shape moving quickly across and up the stairs.  I shat it, and legged it back to the surface.  Whatever it was it hit the door frame as I got out.  I am now too scared to go and see what it is.

It's been a fuck of a long time since a game has done that.

One of the reviews described it as a survival horror, I think that's quite true.


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## Epona (Oct 9, 2011)

I like the sound of this as a concept, but tbh in practice I'm not really into difficult or really scary adrenalin rush type games - I like a pause button, I like to be able to have a choice of save games to reload if it goes tits up, and I don't like to feel tense while playing - I suffer from a touch of anxiety and play games to relax and take my mind off worrying about other shit, I don't find a game fun if it ratchets up my anxiety level. It does sound like a great concept though and I hope it does well just because it breaks the mold, even though it's not for me.


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## spawnofsatan (Oct 9, 2011)

We


tommers said:


> Just beat the first boss.
> 
> You meet him about 10 mins into the game. You have no shield, no spells and a broken sword. He is a 15ft tall horned demon with a stone club the same size as you.
> 
> ...


Well done! if you explore further on that level, you get a long sword and a shield, I had a go at him last night, but could only get his health bar down to a 3rd, he kept killing me as I was taking health potions.


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## tommers (Oct 9, 2011)

Ah, somebody else is playing it.  I did it with the sword and shield (axe in my case) but I didn't want to let on cos I spent ages trying to fight him with my broken sword before I realised the gate was open. 

There is a trick to killing him that takes down about half of his health.

Did you figure out how to get the treasure on the 2nd floor?  I couldn't.

I'm in the Undead Burg now, it's cool.

Do you like it?


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## spawnofsatan (Oct 9, 2011)

tommers said:


> Ah, somebody else is playing it. I did it with the sword and shield (axe in my case) but I didn't want to let on cos I spent ages trying to fight him with my broken sword before I realised the gate was open.
> 
> There is a trick to killing him that takes down about half of his health.
> 
> ...


 
I couldn't figure out how to get through the false wall at all, not found the axe yet either, got a bow, but no arrows.

What was interesting was my wife was playing it last night and half the message glyphs weren't showing as she hasn't got an xbox live account.


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## tommers (Oct 9, 2011)

I think I got the axe cos my character is a pyromancer, so I got an axe where you got the sword.


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## spawnofsatan (Oct 9, 2011)

Ah, I went for warrior, I like it so far, just hope I have the patience to stick with it, got far too many unfinished games.


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## tommers (Oct 9, 2011)

Agh, Taurus demon.  Fucking thing.

I went back to see what the thing was that chased me up the stairs.  Killed me with one hit. 

And I was blocking.


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## spawnofsatan (Oct 10, 2011)

That big fucker with the club is going down tonight


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## tommers (Oct 10, 2011)

Which one?


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## spawnofsatan (Oct 11, 2011)

The Asylum Demon, I kicked his ass


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## tommers (Oct 11, 2011)

Heh.  Nice one.  Did you 



Spoiler: trick



drop attack him?


  I tried him about 5 times before I read that again.

I'm loving it, it's a proper game and the combat is brilliant.  I must have done the run from the fireplace in Undead Burg to the boss about 20 times but it didn't get boring.

And I got a bow!  Bows are cool!


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## Johnny Vodka (Oct 11, 2011)

I'm really, really, really shit at games.  Should I get this?


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## tommers (Oct 11, 2011)

Depends.  Have you got a lot of patience? 

I'm only right at the start, probably in the first "main" area, but really the only hard bits have been the bosses and even they aren't impossible once you know what you need to do.  You can die pretty easily but you can also kill the enemies pretty easily if you concentrate and don't let your guard down.

One of the reviews said dying is a core mechanic and they're right.  It's only bad if you don't get back to where you left your souls.  Even then, you get more pretty quick.  Otherwise it's quite liberating - I'm seriously considering charging a dragon headfirst that has already killed me twice.  I can't think of any other way to do it.  I'll probably die but at least then I know that's what happens.

But you will go through the same areas over and over again, and you will die and you will lose souls but you will also shout rude words at the telly when you take that big fat b**tard down.


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## tommers (Oct 16, 2011)

This game has taken over my life.


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## fen_boy (Oct 20, 2011)

Fucking-cunting-shit-arse-wanking-twats.


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## tommers (Oct 20, 2011)

Can I ask what happened?


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## fen_boy (Oct 20, 2011)

Undead Burg over and over and over again.
Fucking Black Knight, Taurus Demon, that fat twat at the bottom of the Taurus Demon's tower, twats with firebombs and swords and spears, tar barrels on fire rolling down stairs and fucking falling off cliffs.


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## tommers (Oct 20, 2011)

Sounds about right.

I'm at the Belfry Gargoyle.  You've got some treats coming.  Every now and again you hear the bell tolling and you know somebody, somewhere has beaten it.  I think I've tried him about 10 times, including as a shade helping somebody else and never got anywhere near.  I've got hope for tonight though, 10 Estus Flasks and I'm human so I can summon some helpers.

I still haven't beaten that twat at the bottom of the tower.


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## tommers (Oct 20, 2011)

Ha! Fuck you and your mate!


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## tommers (Oct 20, 2011)

And you goat face!


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## fen_boy (Oct 21, 2011)

Killed the Taurus Demon.


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## tommers (Oct 21, 2011)

Well done!  How did you do it?

I'm in the depths.  It is fucking disgusting. Like really disgusting.


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## fen_boy (Oct 22, 2011)

3 or 4 drop attacks from the ramparts.

Did you get the drake sword?


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## tommers (Oct 22, 2011)

Yeah,  I just got it. Feel a bit cheaty though cos I only found out about it from the internet. I should stop reading up about it, I hate reading spoilers.

I take it you have too?

I'm using a winged spear +5 at the moment anyway...


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## tommers (Oct 23, 2011)

Have you fought the gaping dragon yet? Any tips?  Things are not going well...


I'm sure I'be seen it somewhere before too


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## bmd (Oct 27, 2011)

I'm starting it again tonight. Think I'm gonna be the dude in the loincloth.


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## tommers (Oct 27, 2011)

Ambitious.


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## bmd (Oct 28, 2011)

He's got some pretty good stats. I've already got me some armour. You know when you get dropped off by the crow after the tutorial bit at that fire with the knight next to it? You can go down and across that bridge and into the spooky town? If you did, did you get attacked by the two ghosts? If so have you tried one of those 'interact with ghosts' potions? Could you kill them? I don't want to waste one if not. You get them from dropping down into a place with three treasure chests. Not exactly a walkthrough but I'll post more if you haven't found them.


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## tommers (Oct 28, 2011)

Yeah, you can kill them with that. When I first got it I thought it meant you could talk to them, should have known.

You can buy them off a merchant later but they're expensive. 

I ventured down there at the start and killed a couple of ghosts but didn't really understand what I was doing.  Going to head down there next, I remember some loot that was just out of reach.


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## bmd (Oct 28, 2011)

Did you leave it cos it was too hard? Ventured into that Drakes Valley or whatever it's called and found the undead dragon. YOU DIED. Then I ran past him and found the other, smaller dragon and ran away. Then I went into that cave and found those two round blokes and ran away away. I'm going back there when I feel a bit more buff.


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## tommers (Oct 28, 2011)

Yeah I left it cos you get dumped at firelink shrine and there are about four ways to go so I tried all of them and figured that wasn't the way to the first bell.

How did you get to valley of the drakes? I only found that through was it the cave in darkroot bowl?  That's quite far from the start!


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## bmd (Oct 28, 2011)

I got to it from that first fire you get dropped off at by the massive crow, can't remember how though. I was mega excited to come on here and say I'd killed the Taurus demon but then I got toasted by the dragon. I ran half way across the bridge then bottled it and hid in that side bit and the dragon just landed next to me, turned its head and breathed on me. Awesome bit of gaming though. 

I joined that knight's covenant at the same fire and got a random summon just before the demon, summoned the knight and he just ran all over the map, kicking ass. He found this dude called the black knight and I got a sword off his body that has 285 damage. I can just about manage one that gives 90 ATM, so a way to go before I can use it but still. And we then went up against the Taurus demon and he just properly kicked its head in with me running up that ladder to plunge attack it a couple of times. I had nearly 3000 souls when the dragon toasted me too. Awesome game, love it.


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## tommers (Oct 28, 2011)

Yeah, it's great isn't it? That dragon had me stumped for absolutely ages. I was the same as you... killed the Taurus demon and got all excited, ran down the stairs and WHHOSHH. "You died" 

Is it the Knight by the fire that gives the covenant to you? I joined the white one but decided it wasn't for me. You meet a guy who can get rid of them for you.

That sword is a random drop. I just got one too. I need 1 strength to be able to use it 1 handed. I would recommend spears. At the moment I'm using a raw winged spear +3 and it's handled pretty much everything so far.

Just played for an hour. Started off back in the asylum with the aim of beating a fuck off boss there but got my arse handed to me every time. So went back to the ghosts... got killed.. and then went back to the swamp... and some big fuckers threw rocks on my head. Thing is you still make progress... you get killed but you improve something, which means you can go back and get a bit further, and so on.

It's brilliantly designed.

I want to go back and help people beat the early bosses but I don't know if you can?


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## bmd (Oct 29, 2011)

It's not the one by the fire, he's just up some steps next to a load of those big jars. 

I've read you can coop but I'm not sure if that's all of it or just some bosses. Not even sure how you do that although I did get some white chalk off that knight of the sun that seemed to be for some kind of online shiz. 

What's Hollowing about then? I've been human for a bit but couldn't really tell any difference unless you can only summon whilst human? Does Kindling give you access to more powers?


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## tommers (Oct 29, 2011)

Ah, that's the same covenant I joined.  Didn't get any summoning though!   Normally you leave a mark with the white stone and people can summon you.

If you're human you see other people's summon signs and you can summon them.

You get humanity as an item or sometimes if you kill lots of enemies. If you use the item then the number in the top left goes up. As that number goes up then your chances of finding items goes up, but it's left with your souls if you die.

You can spend one point at a bonfire to become human again.  This means you can summon helpers.  You can also spend another point whilst human to kindle a bonfire so that it gives you ten estus flasks.  I think you might be able to do that a few times so you get more?  You can also only be invaded if you're human.


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## tommers (Oct 29, 2011)

Oh and you can get humanity by helping people kill bosses.


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## bmd (Oct 29, 2011)

Ah! Got it, that's why I could summon that dude then.  I've just been back to the valley of the fire drakes. You get to it from near spooky town. If you go right when you get out of the lift bit that takes you down to spooky town its through a gate there but I'm not sure if I unlocked it as I got that master key as my special item.


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## tommers (Oct 29, 2011)

Ah right. Yeah, that's the way I do it. I thought that gate was unlocked from the other side.  I'm sure it was locked when I got there.  Then again it was open when I came out of the swamp and I haven't killed the boss there yet.

That's a shortcut that cuts out about 3 areas.

Weird.


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## tommers (Oct 29, 2011)

I just lost 9000 souls and 3 humanity.


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## bmd (Oct 29, 2011)

No way! Its almost worse losing the 3 humanity. Have you seen how many souls you need for the highest level? It's something like 90000. 

Im across that bridge. Was doing really well and had got that dog's health down to knack all by arrowing it from the bridge and then I panicked, fell off the bridge with my bow still in hand, couldn't remember what to do to get my axe back and the dog ruined me. YOU DIED. Best game ever.


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## tommers (Oct 29, 2011)

I only did it cos I'd summoned somebody and didn't want to bore them by going back to the fire.  So went to fight the boss instead. Got killed and then got killed again as soon as I entered the room the next time.  

Dog? Is it the things in the room at the end under the bridge?

Eta: just figured you mean the boar.  I love that boar.


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## bmd (Oct 29, 2011)

That's it, the boar. It seems quite easy but it's just learning it's attack pattern and getting killed a few times before I do. I keep going back to the bridge where the dragon toasts everyone on it. If. You wait at the top of the stairs, the dragon burns everyone and you get 300 souls. Have you bought any miracles yet?


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## tommers (Oct 30, 2011)

No my faith is 8 or something so I can't use any of them.  I've been using a lot of pyromancy - there are no restrictions.


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## bmd (Oct 30, 2011)

Who did you pick at the start? I'm thinking I might start again with an easier character, like the warrior dude.


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## tommers (Oct 30, 2011)

I took pyromancer. He has a fireball spell which is really useful against early big enemies, his armour is good against poison and curses but he doesn't take many hits.

You seem to find sets of the other classes' armour around anyway. I don't think it makes that much difference once you've gone up a few levels.


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## bmd (Oct 30, 2011)

Those big dudes in the cave in Valley of the Fire Drakes are well poisonous and even the rats cost me 10 estus if I get bitten at full health by them so I might try the Pyromancer. Although someone said you can get a glove a bit later on that does the fireball thing. I dunno, will try going a bit further before I make up my mind.

Tried spooky town and killed a couple of those ghosts but they have a kind of yoyo attack with this massive blade that I dealt with when there was two of them but further exploration revealed quite a few. I'm going back there when I've leveled up a bit.


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## tommers (Oct 30, 2011)

You're going to love the swamp!

You can find a pyromancer outfit later on.  They use a "pyromancy flame" which is a weapon, like the priests use a talisman and the sorcerers use that staff thing.

I tried the ghosts again and they killed me twice.  I only had 2 of those items that let you fight them. 

Have you rung any of the bells yet?


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## bmd (Oct 31, 2011)

Nope, not rung one yet, have you?

I kept getting bitten by the poisonous rats under the dragon bridge and then realised that if I Iocked on to the one I'm fighting that makes it a lot easier. Then I got surrounded by a load of undead soldiers, spear men and crossbow dudes and that massive boar. YOU DIED. Gonna go back tomorrow and take them one at a time. It is all about trial and error this game innit.


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## tommers (Oct 31, 2011)

Yeah sure is. Try to lure them out.  Get em to notice you and then leg it to a spot where you can defend it easily.  At the very least keep them all in front of you.

I spend most of my time saying 'what the fuck is that??' to be honest.


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## tommers (Nov 1, 2011)

Here it is Kabbes...

http://killscreendaily.com/articles/reviews/review-dark-souls


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## bmd (Nov 1, 2011)

lol

I'm gonna kill that boar tonight. It's going down!


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## tommers (Nov 1, 2011)

Do it. Mine just disappeared when I fought it. I was dodging, turned round and it had gone.  I was really disappointed.


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## fen_boy (Nov 1, 2011)

tommers said:


> Do it. Mine just disappeared when I fought it. I was dodging, turned round and it had gone.  I was really disappointed.



It probably wandered into the fire.


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## tommers (Nov 3, 2011)

I spent last night invading other people's worlds.   I got killed a lot.  I'm in a covenant that makes you do it. It's cool seeing what everybody else has, makes me realise my stuff is rubbish.

I also found a lake with about 10 Taurus demons and loads of Capra demons.  Again, I got killed.  A lot.


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## revol68 (Nov 3, 2011)

I'm going to have to get a copy of this once I''m through fapping over BF3.


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## tommers (Nov 3, 2011)

Get it, it's the perfect example of what you're talking about on Shippy's thread.

The transition from "oh my god, how on earth am I going to beat this?", to "hang on, what if I...?" to "in your fucking face you motherfuking demon twat!" is fantastically well done.


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## kabbes (Nov 3, 2011)

I'm quite impatient for this now.  RDR or no RDR.


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## bmd (Nov 4, 2011)

tommers said:


> Do it. Mine just disappeared when I fought it. I was dodging, turned round and it had gone. I was really disappointed.



I took it from behind.

There's a lot of dudes now and they seem to be getting progressively harder, so where I used to not worry too much about taking the odd hit I'm having to jump back and dodge and roll a lot more. It's the first game I've ever played where you can't just button mash your way through it. Classic.


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## tommers (Nov 4, 2011)

Yeah, you really have to change it around.  I usually sit there with my shield up, let em overbalance and then whack em, but recently I've had a few people where it's been better to have a 2 handed sword, no shield and just dodge like a mommajomma.

Have you met the fellas with the red cloaks yet?  I had some proper epic battles with them.


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## bmd (Nov 4, 2011)

Not sure if it's the same ones you're talking about but I just met someone with a red cloak and they're where I'm stuck atm. I'm fighting them in a corridor and there's a bloke with a spear behind him and a load of corners and barrels and shit. I keep panicking and rolling back into stuff and get stuck there and then swear loudly whilst dying.

I tried a spear but it wasn't really my style. I'm using a reinforced club with 97 hit points atm and an axe with 85. I upgraded my shield with a Titanite (or whatever they're called) shard and that's +1 now, whatever that means. I got it reinforced by that bloke behind bars in a cave near spooky town, he's down some stairs that end in mid air. He sells some good stuff too.

What kind of strength do you need to be to use a Claymore or that Black Knight's sword? I'm 14 atm I think.


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## bmd (Nov 4, 2011)

After looking at the IGN Wiki I'm thinking I need to start again. Just their section on what to level up has completely blown my strategy out of the water. I was levelling every stat equally as I wanted to use magic and miracles later on but it's looking like I'm handicapping myself more than benefiting by doing it that way.


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## tommers (Nov 4, 2011)

Yeah, I think you have to pick.  I'm kind of regretting not doing sorcery now but I've increased endurance (so I can carry more and have more stamina), strength (so I can hit harder and with bigger weapons) and dexterity (just cos I always do in RPGs).  Strength seems to be more important than Dexterity but I have just found somebody who'll sell me loads of really cool Dexterity weapons (curved swords, claws, Katana.)  I haven't bothered with Faith or Intelligence.  Vitality has had a bit but I figured that really your life is your estus flasks and they only replenish a set amount so adding more basic hps only helps at the start of a fight.  Resistance is useful at one point in particular.

I know exactly where you are.  I would run into the corridor and then immediately retreat backwards.  That way both of them will have to come down the same corridor at you and you can make sure you're not flanked.

I'd forge your weapons, rather than the shield.  It only adds to the damage you do with it I think, maybe stability too.  Who hits with a shield?  Get your weapons up and it makes things loads easier.

I think it's 21 strength for the black knight's sword, I don't have a claymore.


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## kabbes (Nov 4, 2011)

RPGs very rarely reward the Jack-of-all-trades approach.  Which always pisses me off, because it's what I most naturally want to play.


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## tommers (Nov 4, 2011)

It's my problem with there not being classes in Skyrim.  You become reactive rather than (being forced or encouraged into) having a plan.  It's very easy to think "oh look, I've got this cool axe but I can't use it cos it's too heavy so I'll stick points into strength so I can use it" and then "oh look, a cool spell but I can't use it so I'll..." etc etc.  You end up with a character that is nothing in particular.

It's better to play in a certain way, you have to adapt, it makes you think.

With this game though you need to be able to switch it about... or maybe need is the wrong word... it gives you an advantage.  Some bosses will attack with magic or fire or be vulnerable to lightning and so you can change your armour, weapons etc to combat that or take advantage.  You could probably still do it without that but it would be a lot more difficult.


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## bmd (Nov 5, 2011)

tommers said:


> It's my problem with there not being classes in Skyrim. You become reactive rather than (being forced or encouraged into) having a plan. It's very easy to think "oh look, I've got this cool axe but I can't use it cos it's too heavy so I'll stick points into strength so I can use it" and then "oh look, a cool spell but I can't use it so I'll..." etc etc. You end up with a character that is nothing in particular.
> 
> It's better to play in a certain way, you have to adapt, it makes you think.
> 
> With this game though you need to be able to switch it about... or maybe need is the wrong word... it gives you an advantage. Some bosses will attack with magic or fire or be vulnerable to lightning and so you can change your armour, weapons etc to combat that or take advantage. You could probably still do it without that but it would be a lot more difficult.



That's exactly what I do. I had a Black Knight's sword (have started again as a Pyromancer but I'm not sure about him either) that was something like 250 damage and I really wanted to use it but I was nowhere near strong enough. Then I wanted to use miracles and then magic so I was fannying about upping stats here and there and not really focussing on a playing style. I think I'll probably go through a few characters before I get to know what my style is.

I quite like the Pyro but you have to get so close to use a fireball. I imagined it being rather like an arrow and toasting things from a safe distance. I'm wondering what the soul arrow is like now...

I attempted the Taurus Demon again. On my way there I worked out this strategy where I'd stand on the top of tower and rain down fireballs on him but he just leapt up and smeared me along the parapet, bless him. I need to go back and get my 2000 souls and 2 Humanity.


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## tommers (Nov 5, 2011)

Come on mate, you should know by now that it's not going to make it easy!  It's a long animation for the fireball too, so you need to time it just right.  You can adjust your position after you press the button though, which makes it slightly easier.

let me know how you find the different classes, and what you decide on.  I've just stuck with pyromancer but I'm interested to know.

I would like to say that Sen's fortress is doing my nut in.  10 foot tall snakemen, narrow bridges, giant swinging axes and the boulder scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I must have died about 15 times already.


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## tommers (Nov 8, 2011)

I lost 32000 souls last night. And I was right next to a bonfire too. I got over confident.


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## bmd (Nov 9, 2011)

tommers said:


> I lost 32000 souls last night. And I was right next to a bonfire too. I got over confident.



I am crying for you, right now.

I did something similar only not with anywhere near as many souls. I went to fight that Taurus Demon again and I could see my souls and Humanity on the bridge but thought I'd just kill the those two on the tower first. I must have killed them ten million times (at least) but this time I forgot to Estus up and they killed me. Lost 2000 and 2 Humanity. Gutted.


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## tommers (Nov 9, 2011)

Mate, it was all my own fault.  I was at the top of Sen's fortress, had just beaten the boss and there's a run down to a bonfire that involves killing 1 (one) numpty with a crossbow.  On the way there I saw a shortcut down to the bottom of the level and thought "oh, I'll just try that, see where it goes".  Of course it drops me on a narrow bridge, with a tough enemy next to me and another one above me firing lightning.  Then there are a succession of progressively worse deaths as I try to retrieve my 32,000 souls, which end up with me dropping off the bridge into a pit full of water, surrounded by mini bosses.  I was so pissed off.  All my own fault.  Idiot.

It's all relative though, isn't it?  At the start 2,000 souls is 3 levels and 2 humanity is a kicker.  By where i am it's 16,000 to level up.  And really those 32,000 came from killing 1 boss (it was a good fight though )

That's really the beauty of it.  If you don't concentrate then even those stupid idiots on top of the tower can kill you and you lose all your progress.  Pretty much anything can kill you if you relax too much.

I thought it was getting easier.  I've got some decent weapons and equipment and was starting to be able to get through areas pretty easily and beat bosses in 1 or 2 attempts... but the last couple of areas have been absolute mofos.

Bird women.  Skeletons with spiked wagon wheels.  That is all I am saying.  You'll know what I mean when you get there.


----------



## kabbes (Nov 9, 2011)

In the best games, it's _always_ your fault.  And it carries on being your fault time after time after time...


----------



## tommers (Nov 9, 2011)

There is a mechanic at the heart of it where you constantly have to make a choice of whether to go back and cash in your progress but essentially start the level again, or carry on in the hope that you can either reclaim your stash if you die or that you reach the next checkpoint.

If you go back and cash in then you're stronger for the next run and you know where the enemies are, and you've disarmed the traps, but you have to do it all over again.

But if you never go back then you will never really progress because the chances are you will lose your souls many times over before you reach the next bonfire. You need to level up to stand a chance.

So you're constantly making decisions on how to progress through the game.


----------



## kabbes (Nov 9, 2011)

That's genius.  It's a real-rife risk-reward mechanic -- progress versus security.


----------



## bmd (Nov 10, 2011)

It _is_ genius, really great gaming that keeps you thinking and retrying different strategies every time. Keep trying the same thing keep dying the same way. I've lost count of the number of times I've thought "ooh, I'll just see what's down there" and then a a second too late thought "Oh, hang on". I was watching a video the other day of someone playing and it made me smile because everywhere they went, new rooms, up stairs, through doors; they had their shield up and were really cautious advancing. That's how it is, think think think and always keep your guard up.


----------



## 100% masahiko (Nov 10, 2011)

I'm swapping my Fifa 12 for this!!!


----------



## tommers (Nov 10, 2011)

God yeah, I'd swap FIFA for it.


----------



## tommers (Nov 10, 2011)

Bob Marley's Dad said:


> think think think and always keep your guard up.



About sums it up.


----------



## tommers (Nov 27, 2011)

http://www.gameranx.com/features/id/3595/article/dark-souls-a-time-to-grind/

I wish I had 2 lots of time.


----------



## bmd (Dec 3, 2011)

This article says it all for me about Dark Souls - http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/110506


----------



## tommers (Dec 3, 2011)

Are you still playing? I've just gone back post-skyrim. Spent the first twenty mins dying cos I was pressing the wrong buttons. 

Good to be back though.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 3, 2011)

I now own this game...


----------



## tommers (Dec 3, 2011)

Tommers likes this.

Have you sorted out your connection?


----------



## bmd (Dec 3, 2011)

kabbes said:


> I now own this game...



Have you started yet?


----------



## bmd (Dec 3, 2011)

Yeah, still grinding away. 





tommers said:


> Are you still playing? I've just gone back post-skyrim. Spent the first twenty mins dying cos I was pressing the wrong buttons.
> 
> Good to be back though.



Yeah still grinding away. Put a couple of hours into it this aft and got a few levels up. I still havent got past that Taurus Demon right at the start. I could probably do it now but I'm enjoying grinding atm, which is something I never thought I'd say.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 3, 2011)

Bob Marley's Dad said:


> Have you started yet?


No, I am still on holiday in Suffolk.  Impatient and on holiday.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 3, 2011)

tommers said:


> Tommers likes this.
> 
> Have you sorted out your connection?


No, I haven't quite had enough incentive to start pulling the wires out of their neat placement behind the cupboard to try to fix the problem.  One day...


----------



## tommers (Dec 3, 2011)

I'm frustrated for you. 

I want us all to be playing it.


----------



## bmd (Dec 4, 2011)

The sodding DVD drive has gone on my 360. I've ordered another so hopefully it will be here early next week. I'm gonna paint YOU DIED on the old one and have it as an ornament.


----------



## tommers (Dec 5, 2011)

I had the best game ever last night.

I got summoned and helped some guy kill the area boss.  That gave me enough humanity to kindle the bonfire and be human.  And, in return for helping him, the guy gave me a hint about how to get past the bit I'm stuck on.

As soon as I turned human I was invaded but I killed the wraith.  Then some other weird wraith invaded and killed me. (He was blue, not red and had no name and I couldn't indict him?)  I think he may have been one of the blademoons or whatever they're called.

And then I met this hilarious American fella who kept dying and messaging me to say he was a waste of space and would I summon him again?  He was mental.

Anyway, by the end of it I managed to almost get past the bit I was stuck on, which was good.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 5, 2011)

I have now made a start!

And I don't have the first clue what any of that means...


----------



## tommers (Dec 5, 2011)

That's part of the game. I've done about 66 hours and I still have no idea who the blue fella who killed me was. It was obviously another player but I don't know why he was blue and I couldn't see his name. 

Sort out your connection. It adds a whole other dimension cos you can see all the hints people leave.


----------



## tommers (Dec 5, 2011)

We could just leave you hints here in the same format.

"Be wary fatty"


----------



## tommers (Dec 5, 2011)

I was playing yesterday and there are loads of stairs and at the top there are 2 giants.  Both about 12 foot tall, with shields and halberds bigger than me.

And, at the bottom of the stairs, somebody had written "be wary of giant".

No shit.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 5, 2011)

Incidentally, my character is a woman.  This has become a tradition -- always roll up a woman.

Pyromancer as well.  Hope that wasn't a mistake.


----------



## tommers (Dec 5, 2011)

It doesn't really matter as, after a while, you get access to all the different armours, weapons and whatever.

Pyromancer was my choice at the start.  It's good cos you get the fireball which is powerful in the early stages.


----------



## bmd (Dec 6, 2011)

Seriously, fireball them. If they have a shield up then throw it at their legs. You only get 10 or something like that though, so use them to get past points you're stuck at. There's a good grind place near the second fire you're dropped off at. Loads of people who don't attack you until you attack them and if you keep swinging they're dead before they can hit you. If you miss though...

Oh and don't attack skeletons.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 6, 2011)

How do you actually use the fireball?  I've not come across any instruction for it, nor any indicator that I have it.

I did kill the asylum demon last night though, which was nice.


----------



## 100% masahiko (Dec 6, 2011)

I want this game.


----------



## tommers (Dec 6, 2011)

You should have a "pyromancy flame" weapon. Equip that in your right hand.

And then you can "attune magic" at a bonfire and allocate the fireball to a slot. (select slot, select fireball)

Then you attack with it by pressing "quick attack", strong attack is a punch with the actual flame.

Well done on killing the asylum demon. He's a great first boss. Did you try to fight him with the broken sword hilt to start with?


----------



## Yetman (Dec 6, 2011)

I'm not usually into games like this with XP and magic and stuff like that (except FFVII) but this is pulling me by the balls toward the local game shop....


----------



## kabbes (Dec 6, 2011)

tommers said:


> You should have a "pyromancy flame" weapon. Equip that in your right hand.
> 
> And then you can "attune magic" at a bonfire and allocate the fireball to a slot. (select slot, select fireball)
> 
> ...


Great, thanks!

No, I killed him by dual-wielding my hand-axe.  It took me a good 7 or 8 attempts, mostly because the first few times I kept dropping down next to him and immediately getting walloped.


----------



## tommers (Dec 6, 2011)

Bob - have you been killing those poor hollows in new londo ruins?

You monster.


----------



## tommers (Dec 6, 2011)

kabbes said:


> Great, thanks!
> 
> No, I killed him by dual-wielding my hand-axe. It took me a good 7 or 8 attempts, mostly because the first few times I kept dropping down next to him and immediately getting walloped.





Spoiler: killing asylum demon



did you do the plunging attack?



2-handing helps against him cos, let's face it, you're not blocking anything are you?


----------



## kabbes (Dec 6, 2011)

I repeatedly attempted the plunge attack but I could never make it work.  Very odd, I gave up in the end.


----------



## bmd (Dec 6, 2011)

tommers said:


> Bob - have you been killing those poor hollows in new londo ruins?
> 
> You monster.



I felt pretty bad for a minute then I was ok with it.


----------



## tommers (Dec 6, 2011)

I couldn't do it.  They looked so miserable already.

Even the one who's praying?


----------



## bmd (Dec 6, 2011)

tommers said:


> I couldn't do it.  They looked so miserable already.
> 
> Even the one who's praying?



Was that what he was doing? He was more prepared for death than the bloke on his knees, crying. They're just souls to me my friend, souls. I've ground quite a few levels out of them too so I've stabbed them all to death quite a few times. Worrying.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 7, 2011)

Can you only level up once per bonfire?

When wil I be able to do something with these human souls I am pillaging from corpses?


----------



## fen_boy (Dec 7, 2011)

kabbes said:


> Can you only level up once per bonfire?
> 
> When wil I be able to do something with these human souls I am pillaging from corpses?



No, you can do it multiple times. 
If you use the souls they get added to your soul count. Do that when you're about to level up at a bonfire.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 7, 2011)

Cheers.

Am I missing some tutorial that tells you all this?  Or should I have read the manual?


----------



## bmd (Dec 7, 2011)

There's no tutorial but try the Dark Souls wiki, that's pretty comprehensive but it doesn't actually tell you stuff like that. It's trial and error most of the time. 

You use souls to level up and buy stuff. If you choose that option at a bonfire it takes you to a stat screen where you pick which one you want to raise. I recommend reading the wiki to get an idea of what's what with your stats.

Don't forget to use those soul of a lost soldier type things. They look like a white flame in your inventory and contain up to 1000 souls, maybe more, but use them at the bonfires just before you level up so you don't lose them.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 7, 2011)

Important information!


----------



## tommers (Dec 7, 2011)

I think it's deliberate that there's so little information.  All part of the 'lost soul' thing. Working it out is half the fun.

Wait till you try making weapons. It's an absolute fucking mystery.


----------



## tommers (Dec 7, 2011)

Anybody fought ornstein and smauth yet?  They're a um... good team...


----------



## tommers (Dec 10, 2011)

I lost 80,000 souls today.

I walked off an invisible walkway.  And then got killed heading back.

The worst thing is that I have just read on the net that there was a bonfire IN THE SAME FUCKING ROOM that I didn't see.  Gutted.

I suppose I only got them cos I summoned somebody who showed me where to go and killed the boss for me basically.

Still... sob.


----------



## bmd (Dec 10, 2011)

I don't think I've collected that many yet. I will hold a vigil at dawn for you. It's the least I can do.


----------



## tommers (Dec 12, 2011)

I got a msg saying "disasters have stopped as the gravelord has been killed".  Anybody know what happened?  I'm lost.


----------



## bmd (Dec 12, 2011)

Was the Gravelord the blue dude who was invading your world?


----------



## tommers (Dec 12, 2011)

No that was a blade of the darkmoon!  I think they're another covenant. It's so confusing.


----------



## Yetman (Dec 15, 2011)

I may well be bedridden for a while in January. I think I might have to get this to satisfy my thirst for blood - getting out at night will probably be difficult so this will have to suffice


----------



## 100% masahiko (Dec 15, 2011)

I should have got this instead of skyrim.


----------



## tommers (Dec 15, 2011)

I feel bad about recommending it cos it really isn't for everybody.  The difficulty level is high right from the start and it can be frustrating and you do the same bits over and over again.

But it's GOTY for me, by a mile.  Maybe even in the top 5 games I've ever played.


----------



## bmd (Dec 15, 2011)

tommers said:


> I feel bad about recommending it cos it really isn't for everybody.  The difficulty level is high right from the start and it can be frustrating and you do the same bits over and over again.
> 
> But it's GOTY for me, by a mile.  Maybe even in the top 5 games I've ever played.



Absolutely the same for me. One of my favourite games ever. So fucking frustrating and scream at the telly hard too.


----------



## tommers (Dec 18, 2011)

Just finished it. Buzzing!  Now going to do it all again on new game +.

What a game. Genuinely nervewracking. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 18, 2011)

What would you say are the key principles for levelling up?  What are the most important stats?


----------



## tommers (Dec 18, 2011)

I think, like we said before, that you need to pick a strategy.  I don't want to give anything away though.

There are lots of different approaches, even in a melee character.  You can be big with heavy armour or light and dodging about.  Both work in different situations.

I've just made a new cleric cos some of the miracles look interesting and I didn't have high enough faith to use them.  Same with magic.

Just pick one and go with it.  I finished with 40 dex, 32 str, 25 end, 20 vit and not much of anything else.


----------



## kabbes (Dec 18, 2011)

No, I demand easy answers!


----------



## tommers (Dec 18, 2011)

There are none!  It's personal choice for a lot of it.  I think my fave style is light armour with 2 handed kickass weapon.  Especially against some big fucking thing that thinks it's all that.  Dodge, dodge, dodge, stick that in your fucking pipe.


----------



## tommers (Dec 18, 2011)

Oh, and also levelling up affects how easy it is to summon or be summoned. You can only summon people +/- 10% of your level. So if you're way ahead or behind everybody else then it can make things difficult.

Some areas can be accessed at lots of different times though, so there's a bit of a range.


----------



## tommers (Dec 20, 2011)

I spent last night helping people get past belfry gargoyle. It was a great laugh.  Things are much easier when you have done it before. I think I died once or something before ringing the first bell.

I'm going to try and join the sunbros but that involves getting past that effing dragon.

Oh, and the backstab animation for a club is cool.


----------



## Sunray (Dec 21, 2011)

Started playing this and I am unsure if its got legs.

What makes it difficult is the time it takes to load after dying.  Someone should have played Super Meat Boy on how to make dying fuck loads a bit less frustrating.  The fact that your opponents respawn and take fucking ages to kill and the slightly unresponsive controls are a side issue.

So, instead of trying to get anywhere at the start, I've taken to accepting death and practising the combat to get the timing of the riposte and the back stab as perfect as I can. They look like it will make combat less tedious and victory more assured.


----------



## Sunray (Dec 21, 2011)

Did you know that those ghouls at the start take 8 ripostes to kill with your bare hands.  Realised that the dagger I thought I was using wasn't equipped.

Now I am master of the riposte.


----------



## tommers (Dec 21, 2011)

I didn't even know you could parry without a left hand weapon.

Is this in the northern undead asylum?


----------



## Sunray (Dec 22, 2011)

tommers said:


> I didn't even know you could parry without a left hand weapon.
> 
> Is this in the northern undead asylum?



Yup.

I had the shield, but no dagger.


----------



## 100% masahiko (Dec 22, 2011)

This sounds so much better than Skyrim


----------



## bmd (Dec 22, 2011)

Sunray said:


> Did you know that those ghouls at the start take 8 ripostes to kill with your bare hands.  Realised that the dagger I thought I was using wasn't equipped.
> 
> Now I am master of the riposte.



You is hardcore. Barehanded in Dark Souls.


----------



## tommers (Dec 31, 2011)

Anybody been playing this? I still am. Obviously.  

Now spending my time co-oping at ornstein and smough.  140 odd hours I think.


----------



## kabbes (Jan 5, 2012)

Not been able to play as much as I would have liked over Christmas, owing to the continual presence of family and friends (damn them!)  However, I have certainly made progress.  I am currently at the bonfire with the first blacksmith.  I have created a +5 halberd and am trying to use it to kill the demon with the lightening bolts that is next to the blacksmith.  I have had him down to minimal health but not quite managed to nail him -- he takes a hell of a lot of punishment.


----------



## tommers (Jan 5, 2012)

What's your XBL tag Kabbes?  If you want help with the gargoyle then let me know your level and I can get a character up there tonight.  I think that is my favourite bit of the whole game.  Apart from maybe Ornstein and Smough and Gaping Dragon, but it seems more difficult to get summoned for them.

I'm quite jealous, it's a completely different game when you first start.

How long did it take you to figure out the dragon?


----------



## kabbes (Jan 5, 2012)

I have only had one encounter with a dragon.  It immediately killed me.  Next time I tried to cross the bridge where it had been, it was no longer there.

My usertag is, I believe, kabbes7.  I probably won't be on again until the weekend though.  Next week the kabbess restarts her dog training club, which will give me some evening hours to kill.


----------



## tommers (Jan 5, 2012)

Hmmm .. that shouldn't happen.  I'd be careful on that bridge in future if I was you!


----------



## tommers (Jan 11, 2012)

Just finished it for the 2nd time.  I had decided that that would be it but then I changed my mind and will do NG+ as a black knight.  (i.e. only with black knight equipment.)

There is a certain breed of person who keeps their level low but goes through the game and gets all the good equipment.  Then they come back and invade people right at the start (i.e. at belfry gargoyle) when they are completely inexperienced and have shit weapons and armour.  This is a cunt's trick.  It makes a game that is hard at the start anyway loads harder.

Somebody tried it just then and got me, level 98 and in full black knight outfit.   Must have been a bit of a shock.


----------



## kabbes (Jan 11, 2012)

I'm in the Dark Forest.  It has taken me a while to get the hang of killing those big giant guys, but now I'm farming them a bit (since they regenerate each time you return to the bonfire).  I haven't managed to get through all 5 necessary to pick up the goody they are guarding yet though.

Level 27 now, IIRC.

I did lose all my humanity in the Dark Forest, unfortunately.  So I'm back to being hollow and with an unkindled bonfire.  Annoying.


----------



## tommers (Jan 11, 2012)

So you've rung the bell then?  I think that is probably one of my favourite bits of the whole game.  Great feeling after struggling for so long.

Have you summoned / been summoned yet?


----------



## kabbes (Jan 12, 2012)

No, not rung the bell.  Not that far through yet! 

I'm grabbing the odd half-hour here and there, so slow progress.  Plus my tendency is to be very cautious anyway, so it's all very slow going for me.


----------



## tommers (Feb 3, 2012)

did you get any further?


----------



## kabbes (Feb 3, 2012)

For one reason and another, I've not turned on the xbox in a few weeks.  I'm sure I'll get back to it soon though!


----------



## tommers (Feb 3, 2012)

Probably getting a bit old.


----------



## kabbes (Feb 3, 2012)

Dark Souls is blates a game for kids.


----------



## tommers (Feb 23, 2012)

I have written some things on my blog about dark souls.  There are 4 bits.  Be gentle, I'm just practising.

http://thebaneofqueequeg.blogspot.com/


----------



## tommers (Jul 27, 2012)

Up now for pre-order on Steam.  With all new areas and things.

I really cannot stress enough how absolutely fucking brilliant this game is.


----------



## kabbes (Jul 27, 2012)

This month's Edge magazine has a retrospective feature about the setting of Dark Souls.


----------



## tommers (Jul 27, 2012)

I don't understand what that means.  Why is it retrospective?

Welcome back kabbes, though.  What happened?


----------



## Sunray (Jul 27, 2012)

tommers said:


> Up now for pre-order on Steam. With all new areas and things.
> 
> I really cannot stress enough how absolutely fucking brilliant this game is.


 
I have this for the XBox, but the controls and the respawn were pissing me off. I can do repetition to some extent, but it annoys me a lot when I have fought hard to get somewhere and know that to get back I have to do it all again. Its just a bit dull.

I might give it another go to see if I can get better at the fighting, its all about the timing of your defence/attacks to their movements.  If I know that I have a modest chance to not die 100's of times a glimmer of hope is installed.


----------



## bmd (Jul 27, 2012)

tommers said:


> Up now for pre-order on Steam.  With all new areas and things.
> 
> I really cannot stress enough how absolutely fucking brilliant this game is.



I'll be getting this at some point. I loved it on the Xbox but I bet kb and mouse will make for a better experience.


----------



## tommers (Jul 27, 2012)

Sunray said:


> I have this for the XBox, but the controls and the respawn were pissing me off. I can do repetition to some extent, but it annoys me a lot when I have fought hard to get somewhere and know that to get back I have to do it all again. Its just a bit dull.
> 
> I might give it another go to see if I can get better at the fighting, its all about the timing of your defence/attacks to their movements. If I know that I have a modest chance to not die 100's of times a glimmer of hope is installed.


 
It might just not be for you mate.  The respawn is one of the main things which makes it great - the trick to it is that not everything respawns.  Enemies do, but bosses don't, neither do traps and any items you get stay with you.  The difficulty is also what makes achieving anything such a rush.  The game is all about overcoming what at first seems impossible, and the respawn is part of that.

You're right that the combat is all about timing, but you also have to learn the moves of the thing you're fighting.  You can spot each move after a while.  And the weapons REALLY influence how you fight.  A spear is completely different to a sword.

But, at the end of the day, it's all personal choice.  I love it because it's the antithesis of modern games where all you do is follow an arrow on a map until you inevitably win (yes, hi skyrim) but I accept that for loads of people it's just not fun.

All I would say is that it gets easier once you get past the first couple of areas.  Or at least you get better at it.


----------



## tommers (Jul 27, 2012)

bmd said:


> I'll be getting this at some point. I loved it on the Xbox but I bet kb and mouse will make for a better experience.


 
From have kind of said that they don't really know what they're doing with the port, so it might not be great.  I hope it is but....


----------



## Sunray (Jul 27, 2012)

In Skyrim, i don't and didn't follow the arrow on the map for 70 hours or more.  I went looking for words of power and discovered many of those were great to do as they were double quests. Often went wandering at things in the distance and stumbled on stuff. Terrible example but I hear what your saying.


----------



## tommers (Jul 28, 2012)

Sunray said:


> In Skyrim, i don't and didn't follow the arrow on the map for 70 hours or more.  I went looking for words of power and discovered many of those were great to do as they were double quests. Often went wandering at things in the distance and stumbled on stuff. Terrible example but I hear what your saying.



Yeah probably not the best one I could have picked. All I meant was that there are no quest markers, no signs on a map to indicate a side quest or in fact any map at all.  Nobody tells you what to do, where to go or who to speak to.  The tutorial is some vague instructions scratched on the floor.


----------



## tommers (Aug 24, 2012)

This made me chuckle.  PC Gamer put their review up today.  Gave it 89, recognised the port is bad but the game is good.  Cue loads of comments "waaah!  They've locked it to 720p and it's only 30 fps!  I refuse to give them my money!  Waaah!  Waah!  We deserve to have a free cake and a big medal saying PCs are great!"

So far, so normal.

But!  Somebody has already modded it to take away the 720p resolution, updated it and given the whiny little bitches what they wanted.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/08/24/dark-souls-mod-fixes-prepare-to-die-edition-resolution-problems/

I can't get the "before and after" images to come up here but jesus christ.


----------



## fen_boy (Aug 24, 2012)

I'm going to have to get this on PC now


----------



## tommers (Aug 24, 2012)

fen_boy said:


> I'm going to have to get this on PC now



I'm going to wait until the dlc is available on Xbox (and avoid all forums until then.)

Did you complete it first time round?


----------



## fen_boy (Aug 24, 2012)

tommers said:


> I'm going to wait until the dlc is available on Xbox (and avoid all forums until then.)
> 
> Did you complete it first time round?


 
No I completely shat it, didn't even ring the bell.


----------



## tommers (Aug 24, 2012)

fen_boy said:


> No I completely shat it, didn't even ring the bell.


 
  So what's going to be different this time?


----------



## Johnny Vodka (Aug 26, 2012)

Just ordered this for the X-box for ~£11. Not sure how I'll get on with it...


----------



## golightly (Sep 4, 2012)

Just got Dark Souls on Steam.  Sooo... frustrating.  Kind of addictive though.


----------



## tommers (Sep 4, 2012)

golightly said:


> Just got Dark Souls on Steam.  Sooo... frustrating.  Kind of addictive though.



The start is the hardest bit. Just cos you don't know what you're doing.  Lots of bits later are loads more difficult but you're used to it by then.  Let me know if you need any tips.  

Just remember - dying isn't important.  It's just an illusion.


----------



## golightly (Sep 4, 2012)

I might take you up on the offer.  I want to figure it out for myself, but I often seem to make progress by accident.  I've still not worked out what to do with the souls and humanity and stuff.


----------



## tommers (Sep 4, 2012)

It's better working it out for yourself tbh but if you get stuck....


----------



## tommers (Sep 5, 2012)

I was just tidying up my blog and I found this.  It doesn't fit in anywhere else, so I thought I'd put it here.



> When I first encountered Havel the Rock I was edging carefully down the stairs in his tower and I had a vague sight of something grey moving swiftly across the floor.  I panicked, turned, and ran back up the way I had come.  I may have been screaming, I can’t remember.  I heard him hit the doorway just as I reached safety.  I had no idea what he was, I hadn’t even seen him clearly, but I was scared.  It took me ages to build up the courage to go down there again.  And, when I did, he killed me in one hit.  Whilst I was blocking.  That made me laugh, just at the sheer front of it.  I went back.  He killed me again.  I tried him again and again and eventually I learned how to beat him.  That felt great.  Havel the Rock isn’t even a boss.


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## Johnny Vodka (Sep 22, 2012)

Enjoying this, though just in the Undead berg bit.  I can't quite put my finger on what's so good about it.  The combat's good, but I figure I may need to brush up on my moves a bit before any really tough enemies come along.  Thankfully, it's not as difficult as I was expecting.  Can you equip fire bombs so as you can throw them easily in battle?  I can only throw them by going through the menu system.


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## tommers (Sep 22, 2012)

Through the menu system 

You can equip them.  On the equip screen there is a group of 5 circles in the top right.  You can assign items to them (like your estus flask, the various soapstones, firebombs, humanity, homeward bones or whatever.)  Just put your cursor on the circle and select it, it brings up a list of items.

For Xbox you then use down on the d-pad to cycle through the items.  Press square to throw (same as drinking an estus.)


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## Johnny Vodka (Sep 22, 2012)

Cool, thought there must be some way of doing it!


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## Johnny Vodka (Sep 24, 2012)

I've been going back to the same bonfire God knows how many times, but I'm still kinda pissing about to see what works.  Realised I have different weapons, so messing around with them - and have also just realised, thanks to the offer of a repair weapon item, that weapons are only good for so long.  Not liking the fact that some weapons just go through the shield - do I need a tougher shield or do I need to work on parrying?!


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## tommers (Sep 24, 2012)

Do you mean weapons are knocking your shield out of the way?  That depends on your stamina (which comes from endurance) + the shield stability value (+ what's doing the hitting.)  A greatsword will knock a small shield easily.

Shields also stop a percentage of the attack. Bucklers and the cracked shield or the wooden shield won't stop all physical damage. Look at their stats and it will tell you.

Don't worry about getting past that bonfire. You're learning how to play the game. That's probably the hardest time. There comes a point when it clicks. 

Just explore and try different stuff. Different weapons play in really different ways.

http://thebaneofqueequeg.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/much-ado-about-nothing.html?m=1


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## Johnny Vodka (Sep 24, 2012)

tommers said:


> Do you mean weapons are knocking your shield out of the way?


 
Not sure exactly.  It's the guys with the big spears that cause me trouble, but I can still get them with a bit of dodging and equipping a longer weapon.


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## Cid (Sep 29, 2012)

This is really good... Been playing about 17 hours now. Don't think I'm very far in though. Spent a lot of time scoring H off some rats. I like the complete lack of guidance... Main indication of going the wrong way being a rapid death or fleeing down a passage from some _thing_ you only caught a glimpse of but definitely sounded bad.


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## Johnny Vodka (Sep 30, 2012)

I'm still in the undead bit (though haven't played for a week).  Not sure whether I should be fighting the demon on the bridge or the black knight first.  Both have kicked my ass...


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## tommers (Oct 1, 2012)

The demon is compulsory.  The Black Knight is optional.

Wait till you meet the dragon.  You'll like the dragon.


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## Johnny Vodka (Oct 1, 2012)

It's annoying that there isn't a save point just before that demon.


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## tommers (Oct 1, 2012)

Yeah, that run to him from the bonfire is probably the bit of the game that you do the most times.

Have you got the master key?


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## Johnny Vodka (Oct 1, 2012)

tommers said:


> Have you got the master key?


 
I have some keys.  Can't remember off the top of my head which ones, tho.


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## Johnny Vodka (Oct 1, 2012)

tommers said:


> Have you got the master key?


 
I have some keys.  Can't remember off the top of my head which ones, tho.


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## tommers (Oct 1, 2012)

If you're a thief then you get it anyway.  Or you can pick it as your gift when you start.

Won't help you get past the demon but it opens up the door at the bottom of his tower, so you can access somebody else who can kill you.


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## Cid (Oct 2, 2012)

I ran away from the bloke in the tower. Then, later on, I went through a random door when exploring and met him again. Extremely briefly.

The black knight will be a pain to fight at the moment, but the boss demon just requires strategy.


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## tommers (Oct 2, 2012)

Cid said:


> I ran away from the bloke in the tower. Then, later on, I went through a random door when exploring and met him again. Extremely briefly.


 


That's why he's so brilliant.  That was the first encounter in the game when I absolutely shat it.  I actually panicked and that was the moment I realised that this was an amazing game.  I haven't panicked in a game for years.  Everything's just a procession these days.


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## tommers (Oct 31, 2012)

DLC is out now for consoles. You get to fight artorias.  They've also changed lots of game balancey type things.


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## tommers (Nov 11, 2012)




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## Johnny Vodka (Nov 11, 2012)

game balancey type things?  Not played this in a while.  Still need to defeat the Taurus demon.


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## tommers (Nov 11, 2012)

Nerfed the eagle shield and the hornet ring. Made it so enemies can't repeat backstab you. Got rid of some of the exploits people were using. 

Stuff like that.

The dlc is great but, in true dark souls fashion, you could play the whole game without seeing it. In fact it's pretty likely you would.


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## drewg (Jan 7, 2013)

Stuck in Anor London
Started again as cleric
Learning the value of staying human and summoning others to fight 
people are so sweet and happy to kill on your behalf
Thanks everyone


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## tommers (Jan 7, 2013)

The co-op is one of the best things about Dark Souls.  Although it can make stuff a bit too easy... but if you want to get through areas quickly then nothing beats it.  I love it that people are willing to just help you out....

Wherabouts are you?  And are you on Xbox?  I can lend a hand tomorrow if you like.


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## drewg (Jan 7, 2013)

Yes on xbox
Now exploring darkroot basin 
Will message you if online tomorrow
Cheers


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## tommers (Jan 8, 2013)

Cool. Have you got the dlc?


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## Shippou-Sensei (Apr 28, 2016)

Bump for jolly co-operation

Currently  stuck on





Sen's Funhouse


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## tommers (Jan 11, 2018)

From have just announced a remastered version for PS4, XBox 1 and... Nintendo Switch.

Cannot wait to buy it again.


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## Johnny Vodka (Jan 11, 2018)

tommers said:


> From have just announced a remastered version for PS4, XBox 1 and... Nintendo Switch.
> 
> Cannot wait to buy it again.



Meh!  Like the idea of it, but gave up on that troll on the bridge, even after watching videos of how to kill it.


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## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Jan 12, 2018)

tommers said:


> From have just announced a remastered version for PS4, XBox 1 and... Nintendo Switch.
> 
> Cannot wait to buy it again.



I'll be onto that. Just finished a second playthrough of DS3 last night.


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## mwgdrwg (Jan 12, 2018)

Will be getting this on Switch.


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## tommers (Jan 13, 2018)

SOmebody is doing a speedrun of Dark Souls 3 here:

Twitch

It's pretty amazing. Should be over in about an hour. 

Edit 1:01:45


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## Ming (Jan 20, 2019)

Just bought the remastered version. Never played it before. I assume it's as tough as people make it out to be. Thing is i'm a 'pause and re-evaluate' or 'pause and save regularly' type gamer. I'm quite intimidated by its reputation (lol!). Still in we go.


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## cybershot (Jan 20, 2019)

FWIW a trilogy 3 disc set is on the way on 1st March which may prove good value. Especially once it’s price itself no doubt drops after 3 months.  All 3 games separately still retail about £25+ each

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bandai-Namco-Entertainment-113834-Trilogy/dp/B07MG7Y4CB


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## cybershot (Feb 20, 2019)

£39 for the trilogy on base. PS4 and xbone. Released March 1st. 

Dark Souls Trilogy (PS4)


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## tommers (Feb 21, 2019)

Ming said:


> Just bought the remastered version. Never played it before. I assume it's as tough as people make it out to be. Thing is i'm a 'pause and re-evaluate' or 'pause and save regularly' type gamer. I'm quite intimidated by its reputation (lol!). Still in we go.



How did it go Ming?


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## Ming (Mar 5, 2019)

tommers said:


> How did it go Ming?


I still haven’t played it yet. There’s a guy at work who reckoned its the best game he’s ever played but i’m Genuinely intimidated. I’ve got 2 cultural roadblocks im being a pussy over at the moment for the same reason. This one and ‘Infinite Jest’ by David Foster Wallace. I’ll let you know how i get on.


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## tommers (Mar 5, 2019)

Ming said:


> I still haven’t played it yet. There’s a guy at work who reckoned its the best game he’s ever played but i’m Genuinely intimidated. I’ve got 2 cultural roadblocks im being a pussy over at the moment for the same reason. This one and ‘Infinite Jest’ by David Foster Wallace. I’ll let you know how i get on.


I preferred Dark Souls I've got to say. Infinite Jest wasn't my thing. I got about halfway through and gave up. 

Your mate is right though. Dark Souls is the best game.


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## InfoBurner (Mar 5, 2019)

I got Dark Souls II, with a humble bundle, about a year ago. Must get a game controller for my PC. 

And overcome my fear of it being an immensely frustrating experience.


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## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Mar 5, 2019)

InfoBurner said:


> And overcome my fear of it being an immensely frustrating experience.



It's surprising how it's not, IMO*. It wasn't the sort of thing I expected to like but I love them (actually Bloodborne first but it's part of the same series really). It's so well designed that even though you do die a lot you're still progressing, rather than just dying at the same spot over and over again. You just start to accept it.




*OK some bosses can be, a bit.


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## tommers (Mar 5, 2019)

Sekiro out soon


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## ruffneck23 (Apr 1, 2019)

Got the trilogy this weekend on ps4 , got surprisingly further than I expected but that's down to muscle memory more than anything else.

I will complete it before starting DS2, damnit


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## tommers (Apr 1, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> Got the trilogy this weekend on ps4 , got surprisingly further than I expected but that's down to muscle memory more than anything else.
> 
> I will complete it before starting DS2, damnit



Have you played it before?


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## ruffneck23 (Apr 1, 2019)

Yeah played the first one a few times but only got as far as blight town on ps 3 but loved it


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## ruffneck23 (Apr 8, 2019)

so beat the bell gargoyle yesterday , found it much easier once I summoned the solaire bloke, let him do most of the work, although did get its tail, then kept out of the way of the flames of the other , was over surprisingly quickly .

The discovered the bloke at the bottom of the tower and got the poison-bite ring ready for blight town.

Id missed him on every other play through ive done


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## tommers (Apr 8, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> so beat the bell gargoyle yesterday , found it much easier once I summoned the solaire bloke, let him do most of the work, although did get its tail, then kept out of the way of the flames of the other , was over surprisingly quickly .
> 
> The discovered the bloke at the bottom of the tower and got the poison-bite ring ready for blight town.
> 
> Id missed him on every other play through ive done



Yeah that is definitely helpful there.

I still think about the journalist who, when Dark Souls first came out, killed Solaire for his armour.


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## cybershot (Apr 9, 2019)

Dark Soul III for a fiver here on XBONE, have used the proper game collection site before and its very good. The stock is French, but it plays in English as per the item description

Dark Souls III 3 (Xbox One)  BRAND NEW AND UNSEALED - IMPORT - SEE DESCRIPTION 3391891989657 | eBay


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## ruffneck23 (Apr 16, 2019)

so , I cant put the game down, This is the 3rd ( possibly 4th ) time Ive tried to play the game but over the weekend I've got further than ever and discovered far more than before

Killed a few bosses , attempting Sen's Fortress, its taking a while but think I'm going to over-come it this evening.

Discovered snuggly's nest ;-)

Finally discovered how to use my bow properly , making life a lot easier.

And poison arrows , FTW

I really love this game and am already making plans for the next playthrough even though I've still got loads to do


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## tommers (Apr 16, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> so , I cant put the game down, This is the 3rd ( possibly 4th ) time Ive tried to play the game but over the weekend I've got further than ever and discovered far more than before
> 
> Killed a few bosses , attempting Sen's Fortress, its taking a while but think I'm going to over-come it this evening.
> 
> ...



It's great when it clicks.


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## ruffneck23 (May 8, 2019)

Completed it , was a struggle but loved it.

Now do i play again and try and work out the sorcery or onto DS2 ?


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## tommers (May 8, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> Completed it , was a struggle but loved it.
> 
> Now do i play again and try and work out the sorcery or onto DS2 ?



Well done!

Play it again with the sorcery.  And then play DS2.


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## FridgeMagnet (May 8, 2019)

Every Dark Souls Boss, Ranked By Kissability


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## ruffneck23 (May 10, 2019)

so my ps4 has benen playing up , so i decided to start dark souls2 on the pc, its great but im not sure its as tough so far , maybe because my brain is now wired in a dark souls way now


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## tommers (May 10, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> so my ps4 has benen playing up , so i decided to start dark souls2 on the pc, its great but im not sure its as tough so far , maybe because my brain is now wired in a dark souls way now


I think it's both. 

It isn't as hard. I killed the first boss without dying once. I remember being a bit disappointed.

But you've also just done all the training in the first one so you know what you're doing. They aren't actually that difficult once you know what's going on.


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## ruffneck23 (Sep 12, 2019)

so , started a new game (not NG+) armed with about 130 hours experience on my warrior build to play as a sorcerer / pyromancer , and it seems much easier , still tough if I'm not concentrating (or had more than 1 beer)

Still loving it, dont think this will be my last playthrough..


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## tommers (Sep 12, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> so , started a new game (not NG+) armed with about 130 hours experience on my warrior build to play as a sorcerer / pyromancer , and it seems much easier , still tough if I'm not concentrating (or had more than 1 beer)
> 
> Still loving it, dont think this will be my last playthrough..



I think I did four in the end - Cleric, Black Knight (in NG+), Sorcerer and one without going up a level.  Didn't finish the last one, couldn't beat the last boss. 

I'm considering buying my fourth copy of it.


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## ruffneck23 (Sep 12, 2019)

do it !!!!

I think after playing all 3 that 1 is my favorite, with 3 in a close second,  weirdly as soon as I completed 3 , I couldn't wait to get back to 1.

I'm actually thinking of sacking off this game and doing a pure sorcerer build from scratch, as I think I could become a lot more powerful ,more quickly , with a bit of thought.

I have never in 36 years of gaming found a game that I want to go back and play again, so much.

My mate at work is nagging me to go and get a cheap ps 3 so he can lend me demon souls as he knows I'm a glutton for punishment


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## tommers (Sep 12, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> do it !!!!
> 
> I think after playing all 3 that 1 is my favorite, with 3 in a close second,  weirdly as soon as I completed 3 , I couldn't wait to get back to 1.
> 
> ...



Yeah, I'm the same. 1,3,2. I think 3 is only "worse" cos I played it after 1 so I knew what to expect.


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## tommers (Sep 14, 2019)

Started it up again.  Still good.

I think about the journalist who killed Solaire for his armour every day.


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## Shippou-Sensei (Sep 14, 2019)

our sweet sun boi  killed for his cosplay armour.


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## ruffneck23 (Sep 22, 2019)

tommers 

You can play Demon's Souls on PC at 60 fps now, and mods make it even better | PC Gamer


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## tommers (Sep 22, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> tommers
> 
> You can play Demon's Souls on PC at 60 fps now, and mods make it even better | PC Gamer


Yeah I saw that. Fancy delving into the world of emulators?


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## ruffneck23 (Sep 22, 2019)

yeah im definitely looking into it, just to play this , not sure where to find the binaries for demon souls though, but ive only been looking for about 15 mins


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## tommers (Sep 22, 2019)

ruffneck23 said:


> yeah im definitely looking into it, just to play this , not sure where to find the binaries for demon souls though, but ive only been looking for about 15 mins


If you sort it out let me know. Like to play it but never used these things before


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## ruffneck23 (Sep 22, 2019)

tommers said:


> If you sort it out let me know. Like to play it but never used these things before


yes mate of course, but a bit busy farming and doing up my armour and wepaons for my battle against gwyn and Ng+ at the moment


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## ruffneck23 (Sep 22, 2021)

Dark souls is 10 years old today 🥳


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## ruffneck23 (Sep 22, 2021)

.


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## tommers (Sep 22, 2021)

Game of the decade 😁


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