indigo-cyclops
Member
Just got my first weapon trophy last night, occult uchigatana +5, gliding through dudes like nothing, bigger enemies in 2 hits usually. It seems weapon trophies won't be as annoying to get this time around!
For the most part, it's Demon's Souls. It feels like Demon's Souls, it controls like Demon's Souls. And that is an absolutely wonderful thing. Demon's Souls's combat just felt so good. The hit detection was damn near perfect, the player and enemy move sets were all really good, and it was just the most rewarding and fluid combat I've ever seen in an Action-RPG. The new, additional moves like leaping, plunging and lunging attacks are a nice touch. Excluding one particular change, that is how I would describe Dark Souls; Demon's Souls an extra nice touch.
However, the changes to world design absolutely blow Demon's Souls out of the water. While the level design is very similar to Demon's Souls, the way the world is constructed and connected is simply genius. I cannot praise it enough. It is similar to a 3D Metroidvania game like, for example, Soul Reaver 1, but without the permanent upgrades that open up new areas. It is, excluding the Tutorial level, Anor Londo and the Dukes Archives, simply one huge world with branching paths, hidden passages, and a crazy amount of secrets. I think Dark Souls is going to go down in gaming history as arguably the best, most realize gaming worlds ever devised. FROM Softwares decision to make Dark Souls's world a single, flowing interconnected world provides this game with a sense of scope and scale that was simply impossible for Demon's Souls hub based, level select design.
The environments themselves are better both graphically and artistically. The decrepit and weathered Undeadburg is definitely a set up from Demon's Souls Boletaria Palace. The vines and plan life in the first stages of overtaking the city really help it "pop" more than Boletaria Palace. Blackroot Forest is amazing, and a unique departure from traditional zones while still feeling appropriate and well made. Not only that, the games levels are for the most part, MUCH more well lit. You will usually be able to see your surroundings very clearly. Demon's Souls, while a beautiful game, was often way too dark. Dark Souls strikes a much more appropriate balance.
Almost every aspect of Dark Souls can be described as "Like Demon's Souls, but improved upon." The music? Like Demon's Souls but heads and shoulders above its spiritual predecessor. The Bosses? Like Demon's Souls but heads and shoulders above its spiritual predecessor (Speaking of which, bosses dropping special loot under certain circumstances similar to Monster Hunter was an absolutely amazing addition, although they should have gotten more creative than Cut off the tail.)
anyone?Lost Izalith, dealt with. The Bed of Chaos was a fun boss. It's a real shame about THAT giant annoying room beforehand, because really a few tweaks could have made the area another genuinely fun section. Now all that's left is the Tomb of the Giants.
Two things:
Is there a shortcut back to TOTG since I've bet Pinwheel?
Where is the light emitting helmet?
toddhunter said:Nice, but there is a bonfire in Sen's fortress. Once you find it, it makes the whole second half of the level pretty easy (but I agree the blood pressure does rise in the circumstances surrounding it)
Actually,Motrialus said:Sens Fortress
There is something truly special about this area. In Demons Souls, you couldnt level until you had completed 1-1. It was a real, sink or swim, make or break level. If you were really dedicated, grinding in Demons Souls and Dark Souls could make the game significantly easier. Sens Castle definitely recreates a feeling of grinding being completely useless. No matter how high your Vitality is, if you take three arrows from a booby trap, youre probably going to die. If you get hit by a pendulum, youre most likely going to die. There isnt a bondfire to be found here so you either conquer the level or the game is officially over. This area definitely raises the stakes. The area looks great, as does the vistas you can find here. There is also that attention to detail as well. Finding the giant who opened the gate, as well as seeing the boulders actually being loaded onto a machine by a giant helps the area seem alive. I still dont know who Sen is though.
Yoshichan said:Very nice Mortrialus !
Really? I never found it. Man this game is awesome. So many secrets.toddhunter said:Nice, but there is a bonfire in Sen's fortress. Once you find it, it makes the whole second half of the level pretty easy (but I agree the blood pressure does rise in the circumstances surrounding it)
Good review but I thought there was a bonfire at the top of sen'sMortrialus said:Alright, having played through the game and almost all of NewGame+, Im going to do a full on review, discuss at length my thoughts on all the zones, the new mechanics in Dark Souls, the covenants and how an additional entry to the series could improve upon what Dark Souls accomplished. This is inspired by someone who also shared their thoughts on all the zones so I figured Id do the same. Most of my thoughts on Dark Souls havent changed from my first impressions, so Im going to just quote what is still relevant. Hang on boys and girls, this is going to be a long one.
Sens Fortress
There is something truly special about this area. In Demons Souls, you couldnt level until you had completed 1-1. It was a real, sink or swim, make or break level. If you were really dedicated, grinding in Demons Souls and Dark Souls could make the game significantly easier. Sens Castle definitely recreates a feeling of grinding being completely useless. No matter how high your Vitality is, if you take three arrows from a booby trap, youre probably going to die. If you get hit by a pendulum, youre most likely going to die. There isnt a bondfire to be found here so you either conquer the level or the game is officially over. This area definitely raises the stakes. The area looks great, as does the vistas you can find here. There is also that attention to detail as well. Finding the giant who opened the gate, as well as seeing the boulders actually being loaded onto a machine by a giant helps the area seem alive. I still dont know who Sen is though.
Yeah the painting guardian sword has the same animation that the shotel does, which looks awesome. I have been using it as my left hand weapon for a little while now because of its A dex modifier.maomaoIYP said:Different weapon classes also have different riposte and parry animations. The parry animation for curved swords are exceptionally cool. Not all weapons in the left hand can parry though, hammers can only block and attack.
K' Dash said:I read on the guide I can make a Cursed Great Sword of Astorias with Sif's Soul, what do I need?
kyubajin said:Help!? Apparently I can't repair my Crystal Straight Sword at bonfires, can Andre of Astora repair it? He's the only blacksmith I have available.
Mortrialus said:True Great Sword= Use broken sword
Cursed Great Sword = Use non broken sword.
kyubajin said:Help!? Apparently I can't repair my Crystal Straight Sword at bonfires, can Andre of Astora repair it? He's the only blacksmith I have available.
Mortrialus said:True Great Sword= Use broken sword
Cursed Great Sword = Use non broken sword.
Woot! It was my best weapon... how am I supposed to deal with Gaping now...Zzoram said:Don't think Crystal stuff can be repaired at all.
Zzoram said:What's the difference? Which is better?
Mortrialus said:Alright, having played through the game and almost all of NewGame+, Im going to do a full on review, discuss at length my thoughts on all the zones, the new mechanics in Dark Souls, the covenants and how an additional entry to the series could improve upon what Dark Souls accomplished.
Zzoram said:What's the difference? Which is better?
Zzoram said:What's the difference? Which is better?
FUCK. I used the soul of Sif to create the shield, geez i didn't know this. =|K' Dash said:You can kill ghosts with the cursed one, I'm going to new londo with it.
Rez said:anyone?
I read everything in this thread!Mortrialus said:Thanks. I actually wasn't expecting anyone to read through the thing. It's stupid long.
Thanks for all the opinions, man. I love reading this kind of stuff.Mortrialus said:I can't edit it into my other post, it makes the entire thing far too long.
rance said:Instead of getting a weaker version of a boss soul weapon, you guys should really just use Transient Curse. You only need two to get through all of New Londo.
MechaX said:That's true. You should only need 3, maybe 4 curses tops to brute force your way through all of the ghost sections. And you can run through a lot of the areas too.
But on the other hand, the Artorias Sword in general kind of sucks and has asinine pre-reqs to wield effectively, so you might as well just make it into a version that kills ghosts without a hassle.
Rez said:How do I fight this Darksun guy?
What's the stat bonus for faith on a fully upgraded occult weapon?INDIGO_CYCLOPS said:Just got my first weapon trophy last night, occult uchigatana +5, gliding through dudes like nothing, bigger enemies in 2 hits usually. It seems weapon trophies won't be as annoying to get this time around!
electroshockwave said:What's the stat bonus for faith on a fully upgraded occult weapon?
I thought that occult weapons were supposed to get a bigger bonus from faith. My Divine claymore +5 is a C.Mortrialus said:
It might be slightly better.electroshockwave said:I thought that occult weapons were supposed to get a bigger bonus from faith. My Divine claymore +5 is a C.
Phat Michael said:need some quick help. just joined the cat covenant. gone down to the blight town and shiva/ninja/merchant isnt there? i know where they are supposed to be but how come they are not appearing? i want the wood grain ring...
You'll get to Patches soon enough after the Pinwheel fight. Just follow the embers and walk very, very slowly. Don't try to get cute and fall off of anything either.deim0s said:Wen't back to the Catacombs after Ornstein and Smough. I still have an unlit bonfire there - where you could see it thru the cracks... any hints to get there?
I've already killed Pinwheel... but haven't met Patches yet here or remember encountering him with the bridges.
deim0s said:Heard you have to speak to Shiva once inside the forest, before he/she appears in blighttown.
ssolitare said:So the crystal ring shield can't be repaired right? I wonder if I should even bother getting it.
Also if I'm in human form on the Anor Londo boss will be able toSummon a NPC?
rance said:True>Cursed. Super effective in Catacombs/Tomb of Giants since it does high divine damage (overall as well iirc) and looks better.
finalozzo said:fuck the Demon Firesage. Wtf is your problem? Not enough bosses in that area? Really game?
It killed me 7 times, i would like to summon someone but there is NO SIGN.
K' Dash said:I don't want to be cursed when I do New Londo, what's other good choice for divine? I was thinking maybe a divine Uchigatana
Yeah, Transient Curse is the way to go. The ghosts drop plenty of them and the effect is fairly long. I think I finished the area with 10-12 leftover.Mortrialus said:Transient Curse has no negative effects. Using them does nothing except allow you to attack the ghosts.
Mortrialus said:"Review of Bosses"