Dark Souls was hard for me because I didn't really get what the fuck was going on. After watching some video coverage I was able to walk through the parts of that game that I cared about playing.
I think that was my major problem with it. It was so abstruse that it kind of required some sort of peripheral research or guide, but that inevitably destroyed the air of mystery. It wasn't satisfying to just do what I was told, and it was too frustrating to decipher what the game wanted from me with what was given. I didn't have a community or a friend giving me only the right details, so I had to rely on Giant Bomb's coverage or other guides. I think a lot of the problem was that I didn't jump in immediately, so I wasn't there to learn with the community. By the time I got to it, the game was clocked, and I could have every detail I would ever want about making it through it unscathed.
I really loved watching most of the Souls coverage here on Giant Bomb, and I've been really jealous of the experience people have been able to have with it. So when I finally decided that I was going to give the series another shot with DSII, I went on media blackout. I only picked up minor details from what I've overheard about the beta, or stuff Vinny and Brad mentioned off hand during the Bombcast. I avoided the preview coverage, the articles, and the Quick Look. The only video I watched was to confirm that the menu system wasn't an unintelligible mess. And now that I am finally having the Souls experience people were able to have years ago, I think I get it.
You die a lot, but that's not the hard part. Who cares? You just walk right back to where you were, re-stab the dudes you already proved you could kill. You get way better at the combat because of how much practice you get. Within the rules of the game, the short trek to makeup progress isn't even really that punishing. The punishment is when you get sloppy and lose four or five runs worth of souls. The difficulty comes from the mystery. Is there going to be an enemy around that corner? Three? Or maybe a healing item or bonfire? You have to always be on your guard and on the lookout. You have to be willing to make mistakes and take risks. Hard isn't really the right word for it, because if you're playing this game not to die, then you don't really understand what it is. That's like saying that playing Super Mario without jumping is hard. No shit, that's a massive mechanic in the game, use it. Death isn't the enemy here, it's a safety net. Impatience is the enemy. Mystery is the enemy. That mother fucker hiding around the corner with fire bombs, that's the enemy.
Do I die a lot? Yes, absolutely. Do I think it's difficult? Yes, it's presenting a unique challenge. Do I think it's this impenetrable beast that some people love to pretend it is? No, absolutely not.
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