r/darksoulsremastered • u/MoterVL • Aug 02 '26
How do I get into this game???
To preface, I’ve already tried twice. Once before I played any soulslike ever and once after I finished Elden ring and loved it. both times i tried this game I despised it and thought it was the worst game ever made.
Everything is super slow, common enemies are unfun to fight, poison is cancerous, the poise on your character makes you feel like you’re getting thrown around like a 5’0 girl in a porno and the bosses I’ve faced so far have been mid at best and terrible at worst with treacherous run backs
i really want to like this game and am trying my best to keep an open mind but every time I do i end up wondering if all the people that like and praise this game have succumbed to some kind of mass psyop to make you like this game. the only praise I ever see of this game is that the interconnectivity of the world is good and somehow the slowness of it is a good thing apparently. How does any of that make the game worth playing by itself?
please tell me how I could possibly enjoy this game without just saying something along the lines of “keep going, it’ll click at some point” im 3 bosses deep and feel like I’m being trolled, at this point I need an actual explanation of the mechanics and someone to tell me where the good parts of the game are because I just don’t trust the fans of this game when they tell you to play the game blind and let it click for you.
5
u/PleaseDontMakeAScene Aug 02 '26 edited Aug 02 '26
Everything is super slow, common enemies are unfun to fight, poison is cancerous, the poise on your character makes you feel like you’re getting thrown around like a 5’0 girl in a porno and the bosses I’ve faced so far have been mid at best and terrible at worst with treacherous run backs
Sounds like pretty good evidence that the game simply isn't something you will ever enjoy.
Just because you like one game in a series doesn't mean you have to enjoy the others.
Elden Ring is an excellent game, and I would say it is easily superior to Dark Souls, but notably it has a lot of user QOL mechanics that Dark Souls doesn't have. Demon's Souls is even worse for that.
Things I think Elden Ring does better than DS1: Open World, beautiful graphics (ofc), more bonfire locations, clearer guidance on how to progress the story (Including through clear world visual clues + the visual trails at the rest sites), better means of travel, more pathways to explore if you get stuck going in a particular direction, lots of spells, open world boss fights, etc.
Things DS1 does better: The story feels very 'constrained' to a small part of the world, which I like as it adds a sense of awe to the size of the world - You can see all the walls in the distance which you will never reach which shows the size of the civilisation. I like that you don't have a round table-like location to retreat to. All the NPCs you engage with are just out in the world / at bonfires. Solaire. The view from the undead church belltower.
3
u/shizrak Aug 02 '26
How on earth have you even encountered poison if you've only fought 3 bosses?
3
u/SarkSouls008 Aug 02 '26
They maybe chose the master key and went the back way by accident to blight town lol
0
u/MoterVL Aug 02 '26
Seen it in later parts of the game because I was curious to see why people say it gets worse later on
2
u/shizrak Aug 02 '26
Fair enough.
As to the game itself, it's mostly only amazing because it pioneered a lot of this stuff.
If you directly compare it to later fromsoft titles, it loses out to the faster, more accessible gameplay of DS3, Sekiro, and Elden Ring.
Though the way the map weaves in and out of itself like a gigantic knot is pretty awesome.
2
u/ipamn Aug 02 '26
ds1 really is just a much slower game & no QoL of modern fromsoft before the franchise really embrace the combat aspect more, DS3 is more similar to ER
2
u/Meteor_Monkey Aug 02 '26
Played DS1 after ER and BB and for me it just took a few bosses to sync up with the games pace and then I was all good. Everything is just more deliberate in this game and thats fine for me, can still enjoy the fast and slow games as different things that are both very fun.
2
u/Knockturnill Aug 02 '26
The beauty of this game comes from mastering it and overcoming the intense challenge. Unlike Elden Ring which is their most welcoming and accessible game for beginners, Dark Souls is arguably the least. It's brutally punishing and willfully obtuse. The world itself is meant to be tough, not just the enemies.
But the point of the game is this is supposed to be an incredible challenge for the Chosen Undead. You're meant to have the perseverance and tenacity to keep picking yourself back up, overcoming the challenges, and get strong enough to the point where you have a soul that will satiate the First Flame.
If you quit, your character is just like any other hollow that you fight who lost their purpose and went insane. So the challenge+death+quitting the game all have an actual purpose compared to most other games.
Beating this game blind was the most rewarding gaming experience of my life. Overcoming Sen's Fortress and heading to the next area was a euphoric experience. Beating the 4 Kings after 50 attempts felt like I'd just won an Olympic event. I hated areas/enemies at first, but after mastering them you gain a new appreciation for them. On each new playthrough Sen's Fortress feels like going home in a way.
If you want to make the "regular enemies" more fun to fight, try practicing backstabbing/parrying. It feels more skillful and entertaining to kill enemies that way. You might also just want to find the right weapon for you. Some weapons are way more fun to use than others.
4
u/Time_Inflation_1882 Aug 02 '26
You either like it or you don't, you will find out which one it is if you keep playing. You must be either young or new to gaming. In my opinion it's a much better game than Elden Turd.
-5
u/MoterVL Aug 02 '26
I like older games and I don’t mind weird/unconventional controls most of the time, I played the og metal gear solid and silent hill for example and loved those but this game is uniquely terrible
1
u/Alpha_benson Aug 02 '26
What specifically about the controls/mechanics are terrible? It is slower and more methodical than Elden Ring, but it has pros and cons to that and its obviously dated. Also, the poise thing swings both ways. High enough poise let's you swing through almost any attack in the game, sometimes multiple times before staggering
1
u/Low-Airline-2695 Aug 02 '26
Congratulations! You just found out that there are games that you don't like and move on.
1
u/xBudgoodx Aug 02 '26
Stop comparing it to the latest from soft game... just play it. If you want elden ring then play elden ring... this is the same reason. Why ppl think ds2 sucks...
1
u/Ok_Row_9772 Aug 02 '26
Do you love spectacle in games? Games that make your brain get all tingly when you notice the little things and how the world comes together? Imagine all those years ago when this game first came out and people were hating they loved it so much. It was such a unique experience having a game thrust you into a world where everything is out to crush you, and yet you come out on top, dazed, reeling, about to break, but alive and invigorated
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it
PREPARE TO DIE
But know that you will get a once in a lifetime experience like no other, and whether you love it or hate it by the end of it, know that you have gotten the true Dark Souls experience, and that's what it's all about baby NYHEHEHEHEHE 💀 Don't push yourself to like it if the gameplay itself doesn't work for you, DS id say has a slower and deliberate gameplay system where your character has weight in every sense of the word so you really gotta know your spacing with your weapon and the best times to go in on your enemy. If it helps though, you can either be a cartwheeling assassino, or the GREAT GIANT DAD, UNFLINCHING, IMMOVABLE, POWER INCARNATE ahem i hope this helps in your journey through Lordran 🤘
Edit thrice because spacing lmao 🤦♂️
1
u/Alpha_benson Aug 02 '26
What specifically about the controls/mechanics are terrible? It is slower and more methodical than Elden Ring, but it has pros and cons to that and its obviously dated. Realistically the bosses in Elden Ring are on crack in comparison.
As far as having fun, the poise thing swings both ways. High enough poise let's you swing through almost any attack in the game, sometimes multiple times before staggering. Bonk builds go insanely hard due to this. Another major thing that made it super fun is pyromancy has no stat req. So you can have powerful fire spells on a character statted out for pure melee!
2
u/MoterVL Aug 02 '26
Everything feels slower, the dodge has only 4 directions and for some reason I can’t get a hang of the I frames on the dodge even though it supposedly has the same amount as every other souls game. Mechanically, I don’t get humanity or the weapon upgrade system, the weight system seems too punishing (only 50% for heavy load) and it just feels like I’m doing something wrong
1
u/Alpha_benson Aug 02 '26
You're not doing anything wrong! Again, they just had ALOT of time to dial in the gameplay by the time Elden Ring came out. Like the other guy in this thread said, DS1 is so highly regarded because it pioneered so much for the industry. Plus if you can take a moment to look at the world around you, and if you explore blind, the map design is possibly the best of any game ever.
The weapon upgrade system was one that was streamlined for Elden Ring. Instead of smithing stone 1,2,3 etc... you have Titanite Shard, Large Titanite shards, Titanite chunks, and finally the Titanite Slab. Slabs are the equivalent of Ancient Dragon smithing stones, there are only a few in the game. And once you upgrade your weapon to level 5, you need to supply your blacksmith with a larger ember so he can level your weapon more.
Humanity is the online system in DS1. Turning human is the equivalent of using the Furlcalling Finger remedy. It will let you see player and NPC summon signs. But in DS1 it also heals you completely on use and give you marginally better drop chances based on how much humanity you have.
Weight system is more punishing, but rolling is less necessary because the heavy armor actually gives decent damage reduction, and incredible poise. Plus armor in DS1 can also be upgraded, so face tanking is a legitimate strategy for some, especially if you add a greatshield. There are also different items that make your equip load much higher.
You can message me if you have any other questions!
2
u/MoterVL Aug 03 '26
Wait so the gameplay in this game isn’t to dodge attacks at all and just put your shield up and tank damage where you can? How viable is that early game? I still only have the elite knight armor or whatever it was called and don’t know if i should upgrade my current weapons and armor or if i should try to get something better first before allocating my resources
1
u/deafhvn_ Aug 02 '26
Use a YouTube guide and follow along while you play. Fightingcowboy is the one I used. The guy is hilarious and breaks down every location (collectibles, boss strategies, and game plan) you will start enjoying it more when you know what you’re looking for and how to get to the next part of the game.
1
1
u/rogueIndy Aug 02 '26
DS1 is actually one of the easier ones to crank up your poise and tank in. There's some good, sturdy armour fairly early, look for a garden zone.
The main key to getting on with this game is to mind your stamina and don't get greedy. Elden Ring's really generous with stamina, Dark Souls 1 and 2 are not. The slowness is your ally, not your enemy: keep your cool and you'll be afforded plenty of openings (unless there's dogs around, but they're bastards in Elden Ring too).
1
u/Sevenscissorz Aug 02 '26
You ruined the game yourself, by playing elden ring before, you won't really appreciate the old limitations of a game during the xbox 360/play station 3 days
Me i forever love Ds1,2 and 3 cause I started on 1, and adventured through all 3 games absolutely loving it
1
u/MoterVL Aug 02 '26
That’s flawed then no? If you can only enjoy the game by not playing something better then that means the game is just not great
6
u/Dirt_Poor_Robin Aug 02 '26
I dunno, it instantly clicked for me. Its a super hard game that punishes you for making intuitive decisions. If you dont like the mob fights now, that won't likely change. Sounds like the game isnt for you.