I can't speak for anybody else of course, but to me, Dark Souls is a game best played when you literally don't know anything upon starting to play, including the "basic game mechanic". By not knowing these, and going in blind, you are able to achieve a greater sense of exploration, as you slowly uncover the various mechanics through consistent trial and error. By not having any knowledge other than what is supplied literally within the game, you retain the sense of vulnerability that is almost certainly intended when playing the game the first time. This intention is derived by the lack of the game mechanics actually being explained within the game, being left to you to uncover on your own.