I recently picked up Dark Souls Remastered for the switch, and I’ve become obsessed with how fun it is. Dark Souls is known across the internet for being one of the hardest games of all time, even being sold with the subtitle “Prepare to Die”, but the game’s fun is only a small part of why the game is a classic. The game is deep. You can have right-handed, left-handed, dual-wielded weapons, and almost any weapon an enemy uses you can eventually pick up to use. The weapons have different weights and swing styles, some using slashing, and piercing attacks which have different levels of effectiveness against different enemies. Armor also has different resistances, allowing you to move at different speeds depending on what you are looking for. The levels are knotlike and loop back on eachother, making just exploring its own language which multiplies your power as a player. You figure out shortcuts and different nooks and crannies. This all rests on a foundation of a challenging combat system. The combat has blocking, rolling, and rhythmic dance of dodging or blocking your opponent and attacking. The enemies can do massive damage, but once you figure them out, you turn into metal-covered ballerina in incredible time. The game turns all parts of the game into a challenge that makes you stronger and stronger, even without your character improving.
Mechanics, Summarized:
- Large, knotlike levels filled with tons of treasure
- Deep, intricate player customization and immersive equipment and styles/weapons
- A rhythmic combat system that encourages you to learn and sticks with you.
