Dark Souls is EVERYTHING I Miss About Video Games

[@cybroxde]

If you're not content with the idea of a player missing half of your game, you rob them of any kind of worthwile exploration and satisfying discoveries.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

Exactly!

[@ccaprice8595]

As much as I love elden ring, I miss the more linear souls games. Dark souls world was such a masterpiece.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

No matter matter how many fromsoft games we navigate through, we always find our way back to firelink shrine

[@MatthewPridding]

I would love a dark souls 4

[@brotbrotsen1100]

I mean, i get it but elden ring was the only more Open world game they made. No reason to miss anything yet since we dont know what they plan in the Future. Altough with the whole sony thing....yeah kinda scared now

[@Elohim100]

I don’t see the appeal with Elden Ring, really just feels like they took the pacing and progression away from the original DS series and it’s become some fast paced button masher meant for instagram reels.

[@lumeronswift]

I adore Elden Ring. And Dark Souls. I'm glad we have both. Always keen to see Miyazaki's take on genres.

[@williamhououin]

Devs are so afraid nowadays that player will stop playing the game at any choking point, or that players might miss content that took hours to make, they're making sure they spell it out. Definitely remove a lot of the magic, and when i look at trophies, it's not very effective, as 90% of players don't finish games...

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I've always hated achievements and trophies because they can incentivize people to play in unfun ways, but they do make for a great analytics tool. People were able to use the achievements in elden ring to track the player retention rate, and it was something like 80% of players returned to play the dlc. That is massive! It's almost as if those 90% of players you mentioned already know what a video game is. Even as a small child playing megaman x for the first time, the game told us nothing about how to play, yet we all figured out how to charge our arm cannon and wall jump through clever game design.

[@spectralshark]

One of the first things I do these days on a new game is find a high ledge and try and jump off it. If the game allows me to fall to my death, then I know the games is expecting me not to be an idiot and I feel much more in control of the way I play.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

@spectralshark I do the same thing. 😂 Also, if I see a waterfall and there's no secret behind it, I'm automatically skeptical of the world design

[@Doublepulse]

I think when you mentioned Open World and Level Design have me me think when exactly were open world games invented? I always reference the first Legend of Zelda because everything is pretty connected and nothing holds your hand very much. The immersion of collecting a map piece and even looking through old game manuals to find the answer you were looking for. It was all integrated into the gaming experience. Gaming back then felt more community driven than it is today in some ways. All open world means to me is the whole world is just one big level, but most games are pretty open world or at least open environment, if all the levels or stages are interconnected in my opinion. The other magic that is lost as of lately is the experience when everyone is figuring out the game at the same time. I remember playing Demon's Souls on PS3 for the first time, and it was almost like an MMO seeing all the souls wander around putting soul signs down to cooperate with eachother. The games are hard for that purpose! To bring people together. Most of the industry seems to forget that these days.

[@randychristensen1028]

I've also heard that open world games could even be considered going back as far as Adventure on Atari 2600

[@ItzSuperFella]

im a younger fella that never got to experince dark souls on the 360 and its still in my top 10 games of all time alongside sekiro, elden ring, and ds3 that has to say something about ds1

[@ozanozkirmizi47]

Dear friend @ItzSuperFella Try to put Dark Souls first in the line. As you know, it is the "ultimate game of all time" (not just by my conviction, but also by the Golden Joystick's) It will help you to enjoy, Dark Souls 3, Elden Ring, Demon's Souls, The Surge, Nioh 2 and other souls games more...

[@dominiumbrasilis]

If you dont know Gothic, its a good time to try it ! Its a very good game if want all things that you talk in your video. RIP Piranha Bites.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I don't, actually. I'm gonna check it out. Thanks

[@alessandrobaggi6129]

Gothic was really good 👍

[@hugelaser]

I have to agree

[@zachbjork]

Great video. I played Dark Souls the first time when the Prepare to Die edition came out. I didn't understand the game at all, tried going through the graveyard, and got stomped by skeletons. I thought Dark Souls was a dumb game for masochists. Fast forward a few years and Bloodborne is getting rave reviews and won game of the year. I saw it on sale and figured it was worth a shot. Then it "clicked" like so many Souls players talk about. I was utterly enthralled and did not put it down until those credits rolled. I didn't know it yet, but I was changed. So, I booted up Dark Souls, and was once again enthralled. I understood what the game's intentions were. They want to push you forward, see you succeed. Failure is just a hurdle in a great journey. If you don't taste failure, you won't savor success. Every single one of From Software's games understand this fact and do everything in their power to make your successes outweigh your failures.

[@ebergarcia1793]

That happened to me with demon's souls, played it, i got frustrated and left it, then I got Bloodborne in the ps+ I was hooked, but got stuck at the cleric beast, my subscription ended and couldn't play the game, decided to buy the game, finished it, even tho I didn't understand half of it, then finished demon's souls, still kinda lost on the mechanics, got lost on dark souls and refused to get help, but I needed guidance, not until ds 3 understood how the stats worked 😂😂.

[@antoniobanderas7426]

Bloodborne didn’t win game of the year 😊

[@themoabrigade]

I just recently played DS1R for my first time (it got me to buy Ds2 and 3, and I'm hoping Elden Ring will be on sale soon!) Also got the first SW souls game Loved DS1R if you can't tell by that, I got lost multiple times and had to use the wiki to figure out where to go like 3 times, so while I would have appreciated the "go here dummy" marker as an option, I do agree if the marker was forced on you, or even turned on by default, it would have ruined the experience Though didn't help that 90% of my playthrough I was fighting the bosses as a hollow, not realizing I could pop a humanity and get myself a summon NPC lol

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I played through dark souls like 20 times by now and never knew that 2 handing your weapon changes it's stat requirements. Anyone who tells you that you should go in completely blind definitely missed the point of dark souls being a community driven experience

[@themoabrigade]

@@Tenacityfromtheglass true....though I never needed that bit of advice cuz I didnt run strength based weapons.... I fell in love with the Scimitar, then later the Iato, and Uchigatana :) though I unfortunately ignored the sorcery system till I was 2 bosses from completion because the "power point" system was a major turn off for me, If I had known Magic Weapon, Dark Orb, Dark Bead, and Dark Fog were so good, I would have 100% forgone the 24 points I put into strength, and placed them into Intelligence! hell Im tempted to make a new character simply to do a dex/int or Dex/Wis split not dex/strength as none of the weapons I liked past the Gargoyle Halberd, scythe, and great scythe (and at the end black Knight Halberd) even needed much more strength than what I started with.

[@benYtocamelo2000]

“Accessibility for one player can dampen the experience for another”, absolutely agree man. I’m sick of “gamer dads” and other people bitching about needing games to be easier just because they can’t keep up. Devs need to implement toggles so neither side feels left behind.

[@hariman7727]

I found it hard to get into Dark Souls 3 because it became more console-y and gamified, with the block and special moves being toggled like you HAD to have a controller. Dark Souls though... I beat it on PC with Keyboard and Mouse WITHOUT the K&M fix mod/patch. I had to grind for souls, humanity, and multiple types of Titanite to upgrade the weapons I wanted. It was BRUTAL but it was also so much fun.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I definitely know what you mean about mouse and keyboard. Dark souls and Doom are the only games where I feel like I have to claw hand just to play them more efficiently on console. Blocking being toggled would be infuriating, constantly having to double tap and fight with stamina regen

[@Ghorda9]

@@Tenacityfromtheglass i play with controller and never felt the need to claw grip, you use shoulder buttons and triggers for a reason

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

@Ghorda9 I claw grip so I can use the camera while sprinting and dodging. There are a lot of fights I find easier without lock on all the time. Plus, you can only roll in 4 directions while locked, but mostly for sprint with camera control

[@Ghorda9]

@@Tenacityfromtheglass in DS1 i also don't lock on, i just don't need to move the camera all the time and keep it in a fixed position until i really need to adjust it

[@sn3p72]

Never had issues with k&b in souls games

[@BelowAverageJoeGaming]

I never leave comments, but I've just discovered your channel and subscribed. This is maybe the third vid I've watched all the way through and nearly every sentiment you've expressed about video games is identical to mine. Feel like I'm not the only one feeling this way. For bit I thought was going crazy lol you're doing some good work!

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

Thank you. A lot of these videos are just me trying to get a deeper understanding of myself and the games I love. I'm glad we're not all crazy people living in the past.

[@jhonayo4887]

If i can remove my memory of one game it would be dark souls. Such a magical experience.

[@ozanozkirmizi47]

+1 👍

[@nickl6373]

half life 2 was my favorite game before i played dark souls and seeing all these new videos for its anniversary got me thinking The two games have a lot in common a dark mysterious lore soaked world that's never fully revealed to the player an approach to gameplay and puzzles that treats the player like they have a brain a winding and narratively deep approach to level design that feels like a real place both are so good

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I played half life 2 after playing dark souls and I can totally agree with you. I want to add bioshock in there as well. These games never showed their full hand. I'll never forget how astonished I was, whether it was G man, the "would you kindly" revelation or seeing gwyn, this once powerful being who sacrificed his own body. His own sanity in order to keep the flame of life alive. These are unforgettable experiences

[@nickl6373]

@@Tenacityfromtheglass Definitely man 😄

[@nickl6373]

@@Tenacityfromtheglass yeah it's like why was the gman hiring humans? why did the undead curse exist to begin with? we'll never really know and that's what makes it so fucking cool

[@monsterhuntervideos4446]

I platinumed the game today. Was one hell of a grind.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I still have no idea how the quests work in dark souls. Nearly 15 years, and I still have no! damn! clue! Soon as I heard solaire has to be above a certain amount of hp during a boss fight, and how just entering certain areas at the wrong time can make you fail some npc quests, I was like, "not today. My head hurts."

[@nickl6373]

i played with no summons my first time through 11 years ago i honestly find the games themes have way more meaning when you play with summons "if you miss it you must be blind" and so on not saying you shouldn't do a solo run or that this is a bad video it's a real good video actually

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

The souls community wouldn't be what is today without that jolly cooperation aspect. This is just one of the many ways you can experience dark souls, and I wanted to touch on the accessibility dark souls has for letting players craft their own experience. I didn't have an internet connection back then and I think it's genius how fromsoft future proofed their game by allowing us to summon npcs and still get invaded. They didn't leave anyone out from having the full experience. Nowadays, games that have that online component to them just get delisted like with ubisoft and the crew. I can't deny how ahead of the times fromsoftware was. Playing without summons is absolutely not the intended experience, but the fact that it can still be done at all shows that they have huge respect for the players. I'm glad you still enjoyed the video. Thank you

[@nickl6373]

@@Tenacityfromtheglass i get it dude it's ok

[@iroquoiskaram8639]

I never summoned a single person in any FromSoftware game... And I am happy I didn't. The joy of beating a tough boss on your own beats watching someone else do it for you. Hell I never even used mimic tear in Elden Ring, and didn't even know it was a thing in the game until my 3rd playthrough. Shiiiit never knew Solaire could be summoned cuz I didn't even know you had to be human to see summon signs 😂

[@AnneALias]

Ds1 and halo 2 are some of my fave games ever

[@ozanozkirmizi47]

Those two masterpieces.... Oh man... 🙂👍

[@comradecatbug5289]

I agree with everything you said except the cost of games and playtime. Games don't cost 70$. Triple A games do, when they're full price. Don't ignore double A and indie games. Sales are also a better way to buy them. And playtime: no, playtime isn't the most important thing. Quality is far, far more important. So many games nowadays are focused on giving endless content (Triple A example: AC Valhalla, indie example: Dead Cells) and padding out the game, which just spreads what the game has to offer that much more thinly. Games take so long to complete I've started to avoid long games because I'd rather pay 50$ for 10 hours of QUALITY gameplay than 20$ for 75 hours of good/mid gameplay.

[@riccardobarone384]

I think it is even more simple. In every other game you don't actually avoid an attack last second you just get out of the trajectory. It's static af and an obsolete vision of 3d gaming. Rolling+s with attacks that must be dodged within a precise time/space window stimulates the brains in ways other games simply can't.

[@noop9k]

I see somebody who haven't played DS2.

[@riccardobarone384]

​@@noop9kagi 105 problem solved

[@alessandrobaggi6129]

Pretty clear to me that Sony's keeping BB to remake as a launch title for the ps6... all stupid decisions: remaking it and keeping it back from players, or dumbing it down and change the style and art direction are all stupid decisions. Sony of 2000s would have hired From to make a sequel... 😢😭

[@ironghost935]

I think that there can exist both new God of War type games and Dark Souls, as someone who plays and enjoys both for different reasons, I don't have a problem with more cinematic/casual games, the problem became when games that don't want to be that are forced to change or not allowed to exist, like how Demon's Souls almost never was because of Sony.

[@NostriIdamus]

This is how I describe it. Dark souls/demons souls are elden ring light in a way it gives you the same sense of immersion without robbing you of all your time which at times feels like a job and that robs you of a sense of reward and progress just the perfect length imo

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I know what you mean. Games can still feel huge and open without actually being huge and open.

[@angelmeier4382]

I actually play with summons now xD I've already played Dark Souls 1 once, DS3 being my top I've completed multiple times and got 500h on Steam in it. Now I summon because I like social interaction and the sense of cooperation. And online isn't as alive as it should be so I summon to add more life to it. I have already defeated every single boss in both DS1 and DS3 so now I summon just to mix things up. Sadly these bosses aren't designed for being fought by more than one player. It's the same attacks and the same AI.

[@hawkbirdtree3660]

2:15 First, I'm thinking "What is he doing?". Then I'm like "He's dead", and finally I was like "How the heck did he walk away from that?"

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

Whats funny is I was thinking, "what am I doing? I'm not even going to use this ring I found up here." Then I thought, "yep, I'm dead, " and finally, "how did I manage to survive that!"

[@noop9k]

He's playing a Dex build with an OP weapon and plenty of s. He is not using the scythe to its full potential though. It's somewhat tricky but ignores shields and has good reach/area of attack.

[@Ianmar1]

I'm so frustrated that only Dark Souls Remastered is on Switch. I have been itching to pick up the Steam Deck to play the FromSoftware catelogue except for Bloodborne.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I've seen bloodborne emulation on steam deck that looked pretty good. They were even fighting the final boss at a steady 30 fps, but i dont know about the rest of the game, though. demon souls also looked to be running really well. Also, I've been playing elden ring on steam deck. Low settings at 45 fps looks way better than you'd imagine it. Looks more like a last gen title

[@randychristensen1028]

Here's to hoping that the Switch's successor is powerful enough to run From's entire Souls catalog 👍

[@SackoYT]

The Soulslike genre has become more hit and miss for me nowadays, and Elden Ring's DLC has made me not that excited for them anymore. But Dark Souls 1 will always be special to me.

[@splinterborn]

#1. Dark Souls #1. Bloodborne #1. Sekiro

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

Why can't they all be #1? 😅

[@splinterborn]

@Tenacityfromtheglass Watch this.

[@tylercafe1260]

The issue with this perspective is that most RPGs, before Dark Souls, were under relentless criticism they made too many secrets and arbitrary quest lines just to artificially incentivize players buying guidebooks. The most infamous example was Monster Hunter. The game told you literally nothing and that's because Capcom deliberately made it so you had to get the guides or you're not getting anywhere or even understanding a what a basic combo should actually look like. Dark Souls is the easiest form of adventuring because it actively encourages you to seek help through the player messages which can tell you information you might not know. Like marking a hidden wall or saying what item you need to progress. Even the act of placing a message gives you a chance to get free heals. I never agree with the communities assessment on what Dark Souls was trying to do and how well it accomplished them. I don't even think the Master Key is honestly that interesting when you consider just how small the entire the map is. Oh cool I get to Blight town slightly faster. The Master Key legitimately just skips one boss. The minotaur. That's all it does. Very worthless item on normal playthroughs

[@skippertheeyechild6621]

Everytime I see a Dark Souls is amazing video I just think 'this is sub farming'. I don't blame you, it's probably a very wise thing to do.

[@GrumpyCat97]

is it possible to play Dark Souls in co-op?

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

@GrumpyCat97 I'd say about 90-95% of the game can be played in co-op. As long as the boss isn't defeated in the area. It's not a traditional co-op experience, but it's a very good time

[@alessandrobaggi6129]

12:00 Why would you be a glass cannon just for going dex? 🤨🤔🤦

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

@alessandrobaggi6129 because with the low poise of my character, I was way more mobile but easy to stagger and knock down. I was basically dumping into scaling the great scythe, too. It definitely felt like a glass cannon build for sure

[@duhsasjekirom555]

Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro are awesome. I'm not a fan of Elden Ring.

[@simply_maple]

I'm not really a fan of Souls game, I think they're overrated but I'm here to listen to your thoughts

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

@simply_maple that's perfectly fine. If you boil it down, my main points were a gripping narrative, good level design, organic exploration, and engaging gameplay. We all that one game that nails all of those. Dark souls is not some anomaly or anything like that. I appreciate you still stopping by

[@simply_maple]

@Tenacityfromtheglass I appreciate the honest vids as well. & Yea, I see how Dark Souls is a great analogy for your points Games these days could use a little less handholding

[@noop9k]

Souls are certainly not overrated and contain plenty of almost genius level game design. They are a bit of an acquired taste, you must have indeed have some mental strength to engage with those games. And yes, they have some jank, but it's nothing, compared to how bad the combat or exploration or physics are in some of the clones that boast better graphics or (supposedly) better narratives. You really have to try the clones to understand how hard is it to beat Fromsoft game design.

[@simply_maple]

@@noop9k I just see a lot of people sing its praises but for me personally I don't see it. They praise about combat, but what I find it is very repetitive, the basic flow is quick attack, roll, quick attack. There's not much variety after that. & Yea, some people prefer that reactive playstyle, personally, I'd like more variety. People always rave about how difficult the game is, but I think some of the hard parts rely on cheapness & rely on the player knowing before hand what's coming. In other words, trial and error. Also, a lot of stuff that could one shot you despite having the best armor. They should make the manner of fighting the boss difficult, not just juice up its damage numbers because I think that is very cheap. Anyway, those are just my opinions & it may all boil down to preferences. I think Dark Souls are good games, but it's not the second coming of Christ as the fanboys makes it out to be.

[@noop9k]

@@simply_maple Yes, IMO souls games are the second coming among action RPGs. They changed the gaming and by now have not dozens but probably 100s of imitators. And, if you think it's about damage numbers, you don't get it. Trial and error - yes, that's the core gameplay, trying and dying and learning and persevering. That's the core gameplay loop. But the amount of trial and error required is very much dependent on the intelligence of the player. Some people just never learn and they will have to abandon the game.

[@cagobello9412]

I'm reading comments on YT and even Reddit but I just can't see, what others love about this game. Maybe souls games aren't for me, I don't know. Having to look for stuff on wiki, is not fun (like npc quests). Most of the bosses are pure lame. And I'm saying it as someone who started souls genre this year and began with ds1. People say, it changed their lives and yada yada. Well, I feel like the same fucktard as before. Pretty much forced myself to finish ds1. There are some good areas, like the Depths or the Library. But other than that, I was pretty annoyed by everything. And I dont't feel like I'm ever gonna do 2nd play. What I dont like the most is how you need to "pick" a build and stick to it for the rest of the game. Everything is locked behind stats. And honestly, game is hard only 1st time. Once you know all the bullshit instakill mechanics (which people praise, for whatever reason) you have such an easy time and the game feels much worse

[@johnjohnson7743]

Whilst you make a lot of very good points, your assumption that sony would transform fromsoft into a cinematic or live service studio is kinda dumb. They did get them or make bloodborne and remade demons' souls. They have a decent enough relationship with them and whilst I'd rather fromsoft be more independent, sony is a better owner rather than Microsoft, tencent, or embrace.

[@casualjay909]

absolutely wrong

[@johnjohnson7743]

@casualjay909 would you care to elaborate, or are you incapable of discussion and talk like a toddler.

[@jamesmick-zy4ip]

Why does bro sound like a gpt rant?

[@AnneALias]

😂

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

I know, right! I bet he's some introverted baldy alone in his room talking to himself in a microphone. 🤣

[@monsterhuntervideos4446]

Questlines on Dark Souls are aweful. I don't like quests that hold your hand, but neither do I like quests in souls games that require you to be psychic to complete them without a guide. Lies of P nailed side quests perfectly.

[@yeahyeahwowman8099]

Is tons of retro games that did this, tons of indie games that do this, hell even triple AAA games thst do this, it didn't go anywhere, its just people like dropping on their knees and sucking Dark Souls crystal halberd.

[@randychristensen1028]

One game I used to play way back in the day that reminds me of the Souls games intricate level design is Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

[@tylercafe1260]

Being praised as a "Metroid" game is actually a low-key insult because none of the Metroid games sold well. None of them.

[@edwardlashley3572]

Dark Souls is everything I hate about video games. The idea of prioritizing a game’s difficulty over a game’s fun factor doesn’t make sense. Playing a game that causes you to pull your hair out & damn near cry isn’t fun. A game where progression equates to some type of relief. Like “god I’m glad I got past that part” isn’t fun. Especially when all you do is rinse & repeat that same ask thing & that’s literally the entire game. Dying a dozen times or something while fighting one boss isn’t fun. It’s a form of masochism if you find this “enjoyable” that’s like a sickness. Maybe you should seek help for that. lool. I would not invest significant time in a dark souls game or a souls-like game to save my life. You could not give this rubbish to me for free. God knows Microsoft has tried via game pass. Uh, I don’t think so. Get that outta my face.

[@danyjoms13]

The difficulty is not the point, the point is that the game feels aunthentic. The point is the exploration and figuring out things by yourself.

[@lunaticcultist4057]

If my therapy and source of fun is dying over and over in a difficult videogame, I will take that (Which actually is the case for me most of the time) It's fine if you don't have the strength to push through, let your madness out, as long as it makes you feel better. But you also can't say that you do have the strength, unless you really show it to yourself.

[@edwardlashley3572]

to each their own in the end but these games are clearly intentionally abusive & I can’t comprehend gaining some measure of enjoyment from abuse. I see plenty of clips on social media of ppl getting abused by this stuff but if they content creators then it’s easy content & they are parlaying said abuse into a paycheck. Submitting yourself to abuse as a measure of a hobby is…. Something else.

[@Tenacityfromtheglass]

This is just my opinion, but I'd rather feel anger than nothing at all. Playing games that demand my full attention is what makes them memorable for me. In dark souls, losing your souls upon death wasn't meant to arbitrarily punish the player. It was meant as a teaching tool. Plus, let's be honest, dark souls difficulty can be broken to a Ludacris degree. You can have 20 charges for your estus flask. If you die from a boss 5 times, that means the game gave you 100 chances to learn from your mistakes.

[@slenderMax28]

this sounds a lot like a complaint from someone who has not actually played Dark Souls lol