angrod14
Member
Let me preface this by saying that a well designed game shouldn't require ANY sort of external guide. It should be self sufficient, a whole in itself, and the player should be able to organically discover things as he progresses, providing he puts in a REASONABLE amount of effort and patience.
Souls games just don't cut it in this regard.
These games are kind of a mess, and currently playing Demon Souls have just confirmed that to me. Right from the get go the game overwhelms you with possibilities (builds, stats, weapons, special item of choice, etc.). I assume any choice should be viable since there's nothing indicating the new player one is better than the other. However, in Dark Souls, for example, it wasn't quite as straightforward.
As my "special" starting item, I chose the Master Key, since I assumed it would be the most useful, allowing me to enter areas that otherwise would remain inaccessible (a perfectly reasonable assumption). Turns out, it is quite the worst starting item a beginner can choose, because you're NOT SUPPOSED to access certain areas early. I ended up going to a "late game area" where they ripped me apart.
You would probably say to me that the fact that I was getting my ass kicked should've been sufficient sign that I wasn't supposed to be there that early, but the thing is, every fucking area you go at the beginning you get your ass kicked, so how in the world is the player supposed to know which one is the correct? Why would a game allow me to enter an area I'm not supposed to be in yet? It's just terrible game design.
In Demon Souls things are even worse. I entered the first area of the first world, obliterated everything there and defeated the Phallic boss or whatever that chit is. Then there was the bridge section, which I did immediately after. I can't begin to describe how frustrating it was, how long it took me to get to the Tower Knight and defeat him. I progressed to the second world and couldn't advance too much because I was getting crushed.
I started watching Fighting Cowboy in YouTube and, turns out, you aren't supposed to do the bridge section that early. You're supposed to jump to world II, grab some items, but not do the whole level, then jump to the LAST world and do it complete, then return to the bridge area in world I, then go finish the World II, etc. Again, how the F am I supposed to know all that? Shouldn't the second world be the logical path after finishing the first world? It is just terrible, terrible design.
Then there are so many finicky aspects in the traversal and combat that are just ridiculous. Bridges going down out of nowhere as you cross them, in areas full of enemies, incredibly narrow hallways that barely allow you to hit enemies with your sword, dragons that come out of nowhere and torch everything, items located in pits which you're supposed to "traverse" by letting your character fall in an exact position, and I can go on and on.
And the games are just so... esoteric. Jesus, did Aleister Crowley directed this? What in the world is "tendency", "faith", "intelligence", 100 different items, many of them with obscure descriptions. It feels like I'm going to summon the devil or something. "This weapon levels with this, but this other one with that, etc.". "In order to get X sword you must shoot that dragon with arrows 500 times in X angle as he flies". I just want to slay some mofos, cut with all the crap.
Bloodborne, on the other hand, was a bit special. Things were much simpler. It didn't feel that overwhelming. The game is more or less linear and while you can go certain areas sooner or later, it isn't as critical as the other games. Combat is direct, raw. It still suffered from shitty level design in certain areas (that Memphis bs, then the other late area with the hidden bell-ringing hoes), but the art style and presentation is so eye candy that makes those headaches worth it. I ended up getting the Plat and 100% of BB. But as far as From games, I'm done with them forever. They're just not worth the amount of time and frustration. I don't know how in the world they're so successful critically and commercially.
Souls games just don't cut it in this regard.
These games are kind of a mess, and currently playing Demon Souls have just confirmed that to me. Right from the get go the game overwhelms you with possibilities (builds, stats, weapons, special item of choice, etc.). I assume any choice should be viable since there's nothing indicating the new player one is better than the other. However, in Dark Souls, for example, it wasn't quite as straightforward.
As my "special" starting item, I chose the Master Key, since I assumed it would be the most useful, allowing me to enter areas that otherwise would remain inaccessible (a perfectly reasonable assumption). Turns out, it is quite the worst starting item a beginner can choose, because you're NOT SUPPOSED to access certain areas early. I ended up going to a "late game area" where they ripped me apart.
You would probably say to me that the fact that I was getting my ass kicked should've been sufficient sign that I wasn't supposed to be there that early, but the thing is, every fucking area you go at the beginning you get your ass kicked, so how in the world is the player supposed to know which one is the correct? Why would a game allow me to enter an area I'm not supposed to be in yet? It's just terrible game design.
In Demon Souls things are even worse. I entered the first area of the first world, obliterated everything there and defeated the Phallic boss or whatever that chit is. Then there was the bridge section, which I did immediately after. I can't begin to describe how frustrating it was, how long it took me to get to the Tower Knight and defeat him. I progressed to the second world and couldn't advance too much because I was getting crushed.
I started watching Fighting Cowboy in YouTube and, turns out, you aren't supposed to do the bridge section that early. You're supposed to jump to world II, grab some items, but not do the whole level, then jump to the LAST world and do it complete, then return to the bridge area in world I, then go finish the World II, etc. Again, how the F am I supposed to know all that? Shouldn't the second world be the logical path after finishing the first world? It is just terrible, terrible design.
Then there are so many finicky aspects in the traversal and combat that are just ridiculous. Bridges going down out of nowhere as you cross them, in areas full of enemies, incredibly narrow hallways that barely allow you to hit enemies with your sword, dragons that come out of nowhere and torch everything, items located in pits which you're supposed to "traverse" by letting your character fall in an exact position, and I can go on and on.
And the games are just so... esoteric. Jesus, did Aleister Crowley directed this? What in the world is "tendency", "faith", "intelligence", 100 different items, many of them with obscure descriptions. It feels like I'm going to summon the devil or something. "This weapon levels with this, but this other one with that, etc.". "In order to get X sword you must shoot that dragon with arrows 500 times in X angle as he flies". I just want to slay some mofos, cut with all the crap.
Bloodborne, on the other hand, was a bit special. Things were much simpler. It didn't feel that overwhelming. The game is more or less linear and while you can go certain areas sooner or later, it isn't as critical as the other games. Combat is direct, raw. It still suffered from shitty level design in certain areas (that Memphis bs, then the other late area with the hidden bell-ringing hoes), but the art style and presentation is so eye candy that makes those headaches worth it. I ended up getting the Plat and 100% of BB. But as far as From games, I'm done with them forever. They're just not worth the amount of time and frustration. I don't know how in the world they're so successful critically and commercially.
