Games That Hide Their Best Moments

A video about moments hidden and stories untold. Sometimes you just want to talk about video games.
From From Software's contemporary games to Disco Elysium to Suikoden 2, some of the best moments ever seen in the medium, were hidden - for one reason or another.
Spoilers for:
- Elden Ring
- Dark Souls
- Bloodborne
- Disco Elysium
- Suikoden 2
Suikoden 2 footage provided by Silent Longplays:
youtube.com/@SilentLongplays?...
Additional Merchant raw footage provided by:
Games From Mars: / @gamesfrommarsyt
Comfy Shelf:
/ @comfyshelf1731
Fresella:
youtube.com/@fresella?si=fg0-...
Tygoro:
/ @tygoro
BigRed!:
/ @93jb93
ASMR in Games:
/ @asmringames
Check them out and show some love!
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Thank you for watching!

[@brutusmagnuson315]

I think its indifference is the best aspect of it thematically. Games that turn you into a special chosen one, or mechanically treat you like you’re special feel like Disney rides, rather than an authentic adventure

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

I agree. This kind of illusion of indifference seems to be something Fromsoft excells in.

[@LunaRose1312]

Oh hey brutus

[@KieranSteeves]

I get what you're saying and I agree. But it is interesting that fromsoft games usually are about you being a special chosen one

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

@KieranSteeves This may sound nitpicky, though it's not intended that way: there's a huge thematic difference between "A special chosen one" and "THE special chosen one".

[@rockstar93795]

⁠​⁠@@KieranSteevesnot really cause you basically just happen to special enough to go through it and finish it. Hundreds have tried in front of you and hundreds will try after if you don’t finish the quest. That’s how souls story are. Your not really the “chosen” one cause to begin with you don’t even have a name. Your just a wondering husk that ended being strong enough to finish whatever quest given and asked of. Even in the end the cycle would continue(depending on the game and story endings) to loop itself when another random undead or souls or whatever is strong enough to take you position and continue the cycle him self so on and so fourth.

[@skrukken]

Coming from ubisoft RPGs, I was completely blown away by how rewarding missable content is. Actually finding content that I would otherwise have missed had I not checked a corner of the map by chance fires neurons in my brain like no other thing. Truly feels a gaming reformation.

[@yurilopes420]

me playing every single fucking open world 3rd person rpg type shit with my girl before i eventually decided to play the absolute masterpiece that is elden ring i swear, horizon, days gone, the other, that one and the other one. like so many games that i already forgot that just feel like fucking empty shells of games. so fucking boring and exploration is not "un encouraged", its actively frowned upon, it seems it's like the devs are literally saying "i mean if they're not going from main quest to main quest, wtf are they doing? yeah there's a little road there next to the river, but why bother, just auto fill that with random herbs that nobody gives a fuck about" then you play elden ring and even something that DOESNT look like a little path, may just be it. oh wait it's not a path its a well that goes to an underground area.. with omens? isnt the boss an omen? yeah morgott is an omen. and there are omens underground... hmm then you keep going. sewers. slugs. then you keep going. more omens.. then a big ass hole shows up what the fuck is this and where am i OH YEAH THERE'S A WHOLE FUCKING "NOT THE REAL BOSS BUT KINDA A REAL BOSS" BOSS THERE, THAT'S THE BROTHER OF THE DUDE UP AT THE CAPITAL, THAT'S JUST WAITING FOR YOU WITH A COOL ASS FIGHT OH AND HE HAS A CHEST BEHIND HIM WITH AN INVISIBLE WALL THAT LEADS MORE UNDERGROUND TO A SECRET ENDING WITH A BUNCH OF HIDDEN LORE AND SPECIAL ITEMS AND SPELLS AND PLATFORMING AND HYETTA IS THERE WAITING FOR YOU TO FIRE HER UP OH I went off, but this game TRULY TRULY stepped all this shit a couple notches in todays gaming and i literally cannot play anything else of this genre (yeah im looking at you lords of the fallen, you're fucking trash and dumb to smoke) because elden ring just loves its players that fucking much

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

Welcome to Fromsfoftware. Now all other games from other devs will be ruined for you because they can't possibly hope to compare.

[@AntiCensorshipGamer]

@@yurilopes420 cringe fanboyism at its finest.

[@jesustyronechrist2330]

I honestly think Ubisoft's games would be better if they'd just remove all those markers. Seeing a "?" on the map is a spoiler. It tells you "Hey, there is sooomeethiiing here..." But I have never enjoyed it, as it always is just another "activity" from 8...

[@jcdentongaming1304]

@@AntiCensorshipGamer You're one to talk with that kind of name

[@marvez9188]

My favorite hidden content is the fight with placidusax. It’s not as hard to miss but I find it to be the coolest and most awe inspiring hidden and optional content I’ve experienced!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

That was an awesome moment! I didn't follow the deathbed companion questline on my playthrough (atleast I didn't mean to), and I happened upon The Deeproot Depths through the hidden wall underneath The Subterranian Shunning Grounds. So to me, The Depths were yet another huge secret hidden underneath the sewers!

[@perseus3115]

you should do the fight Midir fight in ds3 i think its even better imo

[@rohannaik6275]

I think that fromsoftware games feel more like actual worlds because they hide content. Take the nature of the lore, its incomplete and you have to actively discover it rather than being passively told it. This world isn't made for you, you are merely in it and have to survive. So it feels less like a game and more like a real place not built around you in mind. I feel the same thing from the hidden paths. I even think that repeated bosses can evoke the feeling of being in a world rather than a game, as in a world you would expect that most creatures or bosses come from races that have more than 1 member.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

The notion: "This world isn't made for you" keeps coming up when I think about my favourite games. I think you're onto something here.

[@wikitiki209]

The Megamall x series does the same thing

[@jbkillinem2360]

I think this was only really captured in DS1. Later games felt inauthentic in how vague and mysterious/unexplained everything was.

[@diccchocolate416]

How so​@@jbkillinem2360

[@deadhookerproductions1068]

30 seconds in and i already know this will be great. Ending the elden ring merchant song in the middle of that bar, where you know the notes were supposed to ascend, just the quiet as the camera turns towards all the corpses, then just leaving the viewer in a quiet darkness when they expected something big was PERFECT. I know this will be one of my favorite video essays

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you! Hope you enjoyed the rest of the video aswell!

[@Rich_P_Anya]

🤮

[@prodwater334]

Boing boing

[@imperturbableDreamer]

Your essays are not really cheerful or uplifting, but they somehow manage to calm my soul every time. Thank you. As far as this topic goes, I think these stories are special because you need to care about them in the first place to experience them. It's a neat little storytelling trick, but more than that - I think - it reminds you that there's stories and beauty everywhere if you just look and try to understand. And that thought resonates with me a lot.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Beautifully put!

[@samuelbojko9929]

I believe you made me shed a tear. I first played Dark Souls when I was 10. I still do a run every now and then, on my old PS3, just to remember what it was like. Dark Souls shaped me into the man I am today. It helped me throughout the most difficult times of my life. Now I am 20. And I can't let go of this game. Thousands of hours, countless memories, immeasurable struggle. I've been playing this game for a literal half of my life. It's a part of me. Thank you for this video, Imma go play some dark souls now.

[@nvll7862]

i also first played darksouls one when i was 10 :)

[@humanratteler9760]

It’s like this big confidence of “I know what my story is worth. I know you wanna know and I know you’ll look for it.”

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Wow, nice to hear the video evoked those kinds of thoughts!

[@jarlwhiterun7478]

I love the sense of exploration in Elden Ring, finding huge areas that are hidden and totally optional. It's the best sense of wonder I've had since Hollow Knight and I wanted to see every inch of the world.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

It was the same for me! Not many games have matched Hollow Knight's elicit of intrigue for exploration, and ER was one of those few games. Also Blasphemous to some degree, but that game had a very different vibe and direction... Almost equally as captivating, though.

[@zaidlacksalastname4905]

Those 2 games really hit the spot for me. Unforgettable (bad thing because I'd love to explore them again lol)

[@Catwithsunglasses_]

You convinced me to finally play hollow knight now, ive had it in my steam libary for a while but never got to playing it 😅@@arcaneworkshop4323

[@allthe1]

So true! Hollow Knight was one of the reasons I wanted to try out ER. First time I even heard about "Souls" as an inspiration for another game, I loved how they would blend lore and game mecanics and incentives all in a seemless whole.

[@Griggboat]

Should I buy cuphead or hollow knight ? If any of y’all have played those 2. Been eyeing em for some time b got caught up buying RE series games

[@finalbreath15]

It's funny how in Ubisoft games, map markers and POI in their abundance turn people off of the "checklist" nature of the game, whereas Elden Ring and other FromSoft games literally have people scouring the entire games for the slightest little lore tidbit. Says a lot about people. We don't like to be overwhelmed, and map markers can be overwhelming. If something is interesting, people will find it, rather than the encounter being shoved in their faces. I would also add that people don't mind missing what they aren't aware of, because they are unaware. It's common to be upset that you missed stuff when it's right in front of you on that checklist, and if the checklist wasn't top tier then people feel not only robbed of their money but also their time.

[@allthe1]

I remember feeling exausted and bored even before completing Witcher 3. The world was so beautiful and exciting, and they went and killed all the joy of exploration by littering their beautiful map with quest markers. No exaggeration, it really discouraged me from exploring the game further. There was just too much information in advance, I knew there would be no reward nor surprise in another stupid monster of her quest, and how could you tell if this 40th questmark in the region would reveal an interesting plot point? I almost left the game there to never touche it again, until I decided I would just try and complete the main quest and forget about the rest. In ER, of course I got to the point I realized all catacombs are pretty much the same, but te fera ones I stumbled upon I tols myself, why not? I have no idea what's this one's reward. Well waddya know some of them had awesome legendary weapons, or epic boss fights, or plain hilarious puzzles.

[@RicardoGonzalez-cp2od]

The moment i play a gane and the map is filled with markers i immediately sigh bc it gives me so much anxiety to feel like I HAVE to explore every corner rather than finding it organically

[@finalbreath15]

@@allthe1 I agree, the Witcher didn't do itself favors with all the markers, although they did at least make up for it with very good storytelling. I think that game might be one of few exceptions where map markers didn't ruin the game. I would recommend going back with the intention of following interesting characters, rather than going in for the exploration.

[@lilporky8565]

The overabundance of map markers can also feel like everything of importance is always accounted for, so the player feels no need to explore beyond where the game tells them to go.

[@cherrydragon3120]

Thats very true. Even in real life. Having a check list annoys you to no end. People thrived and got this far due to curiosity and exploration. 😊

[@dr_mercio]

Its the fact that its there. Those things are in that game, no matter how hard they are to find. The community coming together to find it out, fextralife existing, its all beautiful.

[@lilpullout]

fextralife is a terrible place considering they fake views by force embedding their shitty twitch stream but theres no other wiki thats better

[@bingobango8168]

Fextralife is trash lol

[@dr_mercio]

@@bingobango8168 I'm sorry you feel that way

[@bingobango8168]

@dr_mercio I was also ignorant about all the shady stuff they do before. Look up why fextralife isn't a good website, there's tons of videos on it.

[@joshua-we9xr]

I'd agree, but that's never the way it happens. Some dude just breaks into the code of the game, finds out everything, then posts a video for clout. 😮‍💨

[@YumiMinamiOgawa]

The sense of wonder I got and the fact that I never knew what would be next (a fight between humans and t-rex dogs, giant hands acting like spiders, Radahn suddenly jumping into space and so on and on and on) made me love Elden Ring to bits. Ever since I discovered Dark Souls the soulsborne games have been my favourites because I feel that they let me find out things for myself and also make those things worth finding out... Or stumbling upon. Instead of explaining stuff to death, like some other games do, these games make you wonder.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Well said!

[@ievaday]

Gah the sudden cuts when you start explaining/questioning those interesting scenes made me angry but I understand the cuts' purpose: each player should craft their own meaning. Amazing video, thank you for the wonderful 40 minutes

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for suffering through the frustration!

[@briarshard2871]

Endure, in enduring grow strong

[@fenrir3097]

Suikoden 2 is an unforgettable experience and I'm thankful that there are still people who remember it.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Only a couple of months 'till the remasters are out!

[@Ancient_Path]

As part of the launch day players, there was no wiki. Most of the time if you tried to google something you’d be ahead of where the wiki’s were. So my first play through I tried to do everything, my friends and I shared our experiences. But ultimately we missed half the game and it wasn’t until my second and third play through that I used wikis to find things I was missing. Which was much of the game.

[@allthe1]

"Go!" 😂 With this moment gazing at the blinding golden Eardtree, and all the subsequent hundred hours of headbashing, Elden Ring truly has changed my life and my love of video games. Before I even saw the Tree Sentinel I truly felt this was going to be the best game I ever played. Had it not been for ER, I probably would not have bought as many games as I did recently. Disco Elysium is another game that made me laugh and cringe and rage and cry. I found it profoundly hard on an emotional level, stopping to cry face in both hands and not picking it up for days. I ended up completing my first and only playthrough (except when I died to an inconfortable chair) with the phasmid moment. I cherish that moment as if I had been in Harry's shoes the whole time.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Fromsoft's games seem to elicit these kinds of experiences - for me it was Bloodborne! Your experiences with Disco Elysium also feel familiar; few games hit so hard and cut so deep - and are simultaniously as funny, beautiful and well-written. That game's a miracle.

[@cosanostra3530]

Near 40 yr old, genre diverse gamer here. Nothing hits the malaise of true existential crisis than DE.

[@gutar5675]

It's so much more rewarding to feel like you are actually discovering something rather than being led by a trail of breadcrumbs. It's why I fell in love with Dark Souls and also Breath of the Wild. Naturally, Elden Ring became one of my favorite games ever for this reason.

[@edwardnowakowski5990]

Playing elden ring at launch was a magical moment. Finding items and bosses that weren’t on the wiki for days to come was a blast. Honestly, I feel like those days were what the message system was made for.

[@caldale4941]

The reason I play Fromsoft games is for their unmatched sense of exploration. Much of the magic in these games lies in their invisible premises. Once you know that a wall can hide something, every single wall in the game becomes pregnant with potential and so my eyes are constantly "thinking". Their ability to conceal a small entry point or door at strange angles or in shadowy crevices makes the geometry itself pregnant with potential, and so my eyes no longer look at basic geometry the same way, vertical and horizontal space becomes tangible and again - pregnant with potential. The enemies are difficult to best, and so simply stepping through an area carries a feeling of weight and progression, I'm sure many of you have felt it. No one has really dived into these more subtle but highly effective techniques. This combined with all the other features that are more often spoken of, the amazing level design, the interconnectedness, the muted colour treatment that plugs perfectly into the games overall theme of a "fallen place" and a fallen peoples, the strange and eccentric characters with whimsical voiceovers that are far more European than they are expressed by Western counterparts, the difficult combat that leverages elements that are inherent to fights in reality, where spacing and distance, timing and reading your opponent are very important, the drip fed lore that seems unconcerned with informing you, the amazing bosses and the spectacle of it all etc. I could go on and on but you get the picture. What this creates to those of us who are most sensitive is the closest experience you will ever have to exploring a mysterious and magical place, a place that could exist outside of a game but could also only exist in a game. Every game has the specter of the company that made it hanging over your shoulder, they think that immersion is simply an aesthetic venture, but that's just surface level stuff, a truly authentic world exists under its own terms and rules and would have no care or place for an outsider, and Fromsoft has managed to achieve this through combining all of these elements. When I was a child I collected many of the great fantasy illustrators books (Frank Frazetta and Patrick Woodroffe being an example), and I always used to imagine what existed beyond the borders of those artworks, or looked at an old castle atop a hill in the background and wonder who lived there, what would it be like to enter that world alone? Because these artists weren't connected to corporate fantasy ventures like LOTR they felt far more mystical and profound in their mysteriousness. And thanks to Fromsoft I can now experience this, and I feel there is a larger conversation that needs to happen regarding how "games" can facilitate the modern man/womans sense of exploration. The feeling of exploring these worlds transcends gameplay and basic entertainment, it is more akin to the sublime, to the profound.....

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

This was a joy to read! Thank you for sharing this!

[@JimFaindel]

Superb editing and storytelling, I am so glad we can share these hidden paths with one another after traveling in such a lonely manner the first time through.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Lovely way to put it! Thank you for watching!

[@Fmakegeo6]

Because Fromsoftware wants you to experience these games like a live "archeological" discovery where wonder and new worlds are presented. This breaks the gaming "illusion" and somehow creates a ephemeral intense pleasure and awe. One underated aspec of Fromsoft and one of its core principles is philosophy and psychology.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Well put!

[@pieterfaes6263]

I think having (so much) content that is missable also can exist to make the experience of a player more personal. If all quests are indicated, many people will just try and complete all of them, basically resulting in the same experience. If they're not and harder to spot, encountering and finishing a quest can just occur because you happened to stumble upon it in the right way. Unlike with random events, though, missable content would invoke player agency. You encountered this stuff because something _you_ did, not the game happened to grace upon you by RNG. Using RNG can impress a lack of agency, which in capable hands can be used for its own kind of narrative texture. And of course you can mix the two, like in Disco Elysium.

[@MrChewtastik]

The first time a video essay ever made me cry. Really well made thanks

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Always a pleasure!

[@mikedelgrande5296]

This video is incredible. The editing is masterfully done. All incredible games. Thank you

[@therealforestelf]

this video spoke to me on a way deeper level than I would have anticipated. I could have just clicked another video, found some other means of entertainment or whatnot and walk past this piece so effortlessly. yet, I have to admit that the closing words moved me to tears. I found a great amount of comfort in them. sometimes doubting that forging your own path is even worth it. I appreciate the brief encouragement. it may have found me in a time where I needed it more than I can describe with mere words :')

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Glad to hear you enjoyed the video and thank you for taking the time to write this. I't means a lot.

[@bengiles8021]

Wow you've made something that you should be proud of. I spend most of my time on youtube trying to find videos like this that make me think in a deeper way about the things I love. I was tearing up at the end which is basically all I need to know this was a great video. I look forward to seeing what you can do in the future.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@graysonflows]

I'm about halfway through this video, and I don't normally watch lore videos on fromsoft, but this is fantastic. You're voice is so calm yet ethereal and the editing is beautifully done. Great work dude. Gonna watch the rest now...

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you! I'm glad you found it worthwhile!

[@shyy2103]

Great video essay. I love how you express your thoughts in a profound way. Instant subbed. Going to watch your other content now.

[@DylanOByrne]

Man. This work (this isn’t just a video) needs to be seen by as many people as possible. How beautifully done this was and an absolute delight (frustrating at times) to watch. Thank you! And quick edit: when I went to check the comments and I saw how many views this had, and how many subs you have I was like “wow, found myself a hidden gem.” Hope you don’t stay hidden down a path only a few find my friend!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for watching and I'm glad you bore through the frustration!

[@highstoner4207]

Let chaos take the world 😊

[@Shadowbanned4Lyfe]

I’ve got the 100% trophy in every dark souls and Elden Ring and I still run into things I haven’t seen in Elden Ring.

[@ghost_limit]

I hadn't seen your channel before so I thought I'd check the video out for a little bit, but then I just couldn't stop watching. Great video, looking forward to your next one!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sants182]

I love your voice, the narrative, and the moments where you decide to put music

[@beckstheimpatient4135]

This video was a wonderful watch - your editing is very poignant, and truly adds to the experience of watching it. You make a great point, and I know how it feels. I remember finding that place, and nearly crying. I remember hearing the singing harpies and (because I know a little Latin), also nearly crying - and feeling special. Feeling like I found a little moment that many might just walk past. I spent so much time crouching in bushes just listening to her sing...

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

I met the harpies first time on the northern mountain path, near the crumbled chruch. I must've stood for more than a minute just listening her sign. I especially remember the moment because when I approached her, she instakilled me by ripping my face off in a one fell swoop. A pure Fromsoft-moment if there ever was one. Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@grigorikarpin]

Easily my favorite aspect of FromSoft’s games, that feeling of “omg how did they hide this whole section away behind a secret wall (etc)” They have a way of getting into your head, and making the player turn into secret hunters (in between all the frustrating deaths) I love the first playthrough, but I adore the NG+ where you look everything up and watch lore videos etc. no one quite does it like them, but I do love other examples like you mention… currently playing BG3 on my second playthrough and I literally missed multiple party members the first time, cutting myself out of whole quest lines and dungeons. Now it feels like an entirely new game. (Also don’t worry, I’m right there with you with Simon’s Quest - I’m old enough too, and had a similar experience)

[@austincole8863]

This video moved me. Made me feel things, hard things, sweet things, sobering things. That’s more than I can ask. Great work

[@SneakyBeaky430]

I love that this came up in my feed, great video

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-gr7xf9hh4d]

Excellent video. Great writing and editing. Really liked the part where you ke

[@elliottwood5423]

Talk about beauty off the beaten path, this video was a masterpiece, I hope your channel gets more traction

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for the kind words, they mean a lot!

[@DaisyAzuras]

I’m glad there are still others that remember Simon’s quest and that stupid cliff.

[@YouDonWannaKnoMyName]

did not expect to walk away from a youtube video feeling anything other than joy. this was powerfull man. especially the last message.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@notreallydavek7237]

Well if you wanted to leave a positive first impression on anybody first discovering you than videos like this are definitely how to do it. Aside from the subject matter which was already enough to draw me in the editing, music selection and a downright pleasant voice to listen to really gave this video a haunting beauty to it that makes it honestly better than some of the lore videos I've seen covering the areas you mentioned. Just a very very well made video all around.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Wow, thank you! I know it's not cool to enjoy compliments but this really made my day!

[@SaaitanK]

What a great video! KZbin algorithm recommended something good for once. Now, I will binge watch through your videos, as they seem right up my alley.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@meditationforhumanswithpro4893]

The tone and pace of your voice and the pacing of the video makes this feel like a warner Hertzog documentary and its amazing! great video!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for the kind words! Hertzog has been brought up multiple times now so maybe that is something I have to check out.

[@meditationforhumanswithpro4893]

He is the GOAT documentary film film maker! Love you work man! @@arcaneworkshop4323

[@TupDigital]

This is superb work. Love this video and wish I had endless more.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you!

[@bossanova8856]

Atmospherically, missable content fits DS1 so perfectly. That sense of wandering around in the ruins of a grand world is so elevated by finding sections of the game tucked away in corners.

[@Maffo__]

I know it was already mentioned at the beginning of the video, but man. When that "the insulidian miracle" title card popped up, with that music... almost teared up. Disco Elysium is such a special game. Incredible video

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

And the boat scene leading up to the Phasmid! Great times. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@ellentheeducator]

I think there's an important and interesting difference between stories you could walk by, and ways the story could have gone if you had made different choices. Cause when you mentioned the moment in Disco Elysium, it made me think more of various scenes in Mass Effect, especially 3. The ceasefire above Rannoch lives in my head rent-free because it relies on choices you made in Mass Effect 1. But it's interesting that that scene doesn't come from making hidden choices, but just being someone who cares.

[@Ramt33n]

love your narration style and how you kept hiding the conclusion part over and over, lol!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching!

[@DemonKingHiei]

It amazes me still how much is in the game vs what is required to beat it -2 shard bearers -Dragonic tree sentinel / Fias Champions -Godfrey’s Shade -Morgot -fire Giant -Godskin Duo -Malikeith -Godfrey -RadaBeast Now everything you miss by just doing that is insane!!!! In most games that would be all there is but FS decided that wasent enough

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

I think behind the curtain FromSoft just made Dark Souls IV through VI with new lore by HRR Martin and crammed it all into a single game.

[@DemonKingHiei]

@@arcaneworkshop4323I mean the Elden beast Arena looks a lot like ash lake.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

I think I made a fumble in the script; isn't Ofnir The All-Knowing also a mandatory boss?

[@mirayoquese8608]

​@@arcaneworkshop4323yes he is

[@DemonKingHiei]

@@arcaneworkshop4323 yes, I forgot aswell.

[@user-vi4zw6zu4c]

Amazing video. There are maybe only a few games that evoke similar feelings to those I have when playing Souls games. It cannot be explained to someone who hasn't experienced it. Keep it up, you have an amazing narrating voice!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for watching! And thank you for the encouraging words! As someone who's always been quite self-consious about his voice, that means a lot!

[@Moe90rules]

This is why I play video games. Exploration, secrets, a captivating world, a rewarding gameplay. From Software delivers this. And that's why the three From Software games that you mentioned in this video are in my top 5 of all time (and maybe they even make up the top 3). Dark Souls is also the game that brought me back to gaming. I never was completely out of it, but I had grown tired by many of the simple and non-rewarding games back in the early 2010s. Dark Souls resparked the fire in me! Disco Elysium is another game that consumed me. I just couldn't stop exploring the world and characters of Revachol. And that final moment was just magical. Thank you for making this video!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for watching! And thanks for sharing that story, it was a joy to read! Bloodborne was a similar game for me; brought me back to video games.

[@RadishAcceptable]

You can hear the NPC hiding in the pot when you're on the main path. It's not so hidden. Having internet access also lets you see other player's messages, so only one person needed to hear him. Afterwards, that one player drops a message and gets massively upvoted which spreads the message to more users. This holds true for basically all of the very hidden elements of the game. And they give us the tools to make things clear. In the marshes, there's a quest to find a guy who stole something from an NPC. I was one of the earliest players to finish that quest, I think, as when I got there no player markings were seen. I planted one down that said something like "Bandit, over here!" and it had my ghost point straight towards where to find him. Six months later on my second playthrough, I saw dozens of those. So basically, the games can be so cryptic because the players guide one another. Things can still be somewhat cryptic, but it's much easier to piece together with the help of the online systems they provide in game.

[@digitaldrgn]

this was very well done and i've queued up your video on hyper light drifter! definitely one of my favorite games of all time

[@Vaenivo]

Well done, sir. Thank you for bringing an added emotional component to gaming. I've been thinking about exploring Elden Ring again, and this video may have given me the inspiration to take it slower this time through.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

That's a high praise in my books! Thank you for watching!

[@kildidar]

Phenomenal dialog that really captures the feeling of playing darksouls games that I know I wouldn't be capable of putting into words. Thank you sir.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for watching!

[@leonpetit8798]

A lot of good points, first video on your channel for me, it’s really good

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks!

[@thedarkgenious7967]

Alwyas love it when a random video in my recommended gives me a new channel to subscribe too.

[@YaBoyYeti]

This was beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for watching!

[@GudokiArt]

gorgeous work! loved it

[@Pdidit09]

I could write an essay about how fantastic, moving and thought provoking this video is… but then i guess it will be diluted through my limited filter - as all interpreted art is to its observer. Thank you.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for watching and for taking the time to write this down! It means a lot!

[@jmh8817]

I have FINALLY beaten ER and can now actually watch this video that had been recommended to me for like all of last month. One thing I've learned to get comfortable with is that not all great media is for everyone. Some people are just averse to some genres or aesthetics and no amount of telling them how great the rest is will make them give it a chance. And that's fine. Optional great content is a lot like that, I think. Some people just want to roll credits and put the thing away, or have a very specific playstyle that will make them miss out on things, or roleplay a specific personality that means they will get an ending appropriate to the character but maybe not the one they'd like best. It's because people have their own unique tastes and quirks that a conversation about different viewpoints can be enriching, even if it means sometimes those tastes and quirks keep us and others from experiencing things in the first place . Good video, cheers.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it and took the time to share your thoughts! It means a lot!

[@chuexsy672]

I love From Softs approach to story telling. I wish more games did it their way.

[@themikep82]

In Simon's Quest, I believe the Deborah/whirlwind cliff had better clues from NPCs on how to progress there in the original Japanese version of the game. A lot of the detail was lost when translated to English

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

That makes sense!

[@alexpage4355]

Not really. Even in the original Japanese, the NPCs in Simon's Quest were a bunch of cryptic bastards or even outright liars. The translation didn't help, but in this case, it can't really be blamed, either.

[@GemayelDaniel]

before watching i'll say that if you hide your best sceneries/bosses/stories/areas, it makes the player WANT to seek them out and explore to discover. that is literally the essence of adventure. far too many devs forgot about that

[@chucheeness7817]

I never really cared much about the story in gameplay-focused games. I think, though, that Fromsoft got to their sweetspot in the balance of cryptic to straightforward storytelling with Elden Ring and AC6. There are enough dialogues and cutscenes to clue you to what's the bigger picture but still has enough environmental storytelling to fill sizeable missing context and answer mysteries if you care enough to investigate. The inclusion of the investigator mage (forgot his name) in Elden Ring actually makes a great audience/player stand-in so that you have a 'relatable' friend that also has a lot of questions, giving you more motivation to look around.

[@s-c-goodwill]

This was one of the best videos I've ever seen.

[@MaybeT0XIC]

I love your editing, and just how your video made wtf. Why dont you have more followers haha Subscribed.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for the encouraging words! Glad to have you!

[@riukenavatar8625]

I found the great hollow and ash lake on my first playthrough without looking anything up, and I just stopped there for what must have been a solid minute shocked at what I found. I obsessively poke around games, always have, but usually my reward is another potion or a bit of currency. Not here. I felt truly rewarded for pushing and exploring. I was hooked in that moment.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

That must've been an awesome moment!

[@mosiahmendoza6846]

I just found your channel. You deserve so much more audience man. Keep it up!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the videos!

[@maazali8456]

Absolutely fantastic video

[@BasicallyBreezy]

What an incredible video you made. Just subbed ❤

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you! Glad to have you aboard!

[@spyonthewater]

First of all, such an amazing video. From start to finish. Your voice, the narrative, the bits you left out, the pieces you left in. Fromsoft’s daddy Hidetaka Miyazaki san would be proud. Truly, such an inspirational video even. I’ve personally been wanting to tell stories of my own for this way for so long through the illustrations and things I’ve made over the years. Stories that just leave things out. The worlds I’ve built in my mind, in my sketchbooks, journals, physical post its, notes in my phone, all have that overarching theme of unexplained-ness. You know what I mean. And if you don’t take another hit and tell your damn kid to go back to bed, haha. Anyways. It’s the way you talk about these stories. Elden Ring, Fromsoft as a whole. Disco (if ya’ll haven’t played it, GO!). And fucking Suidoken II even. For gods sake, I have literally for the longest of years, thought I was one of the only motherfuckers to have ever played that fucking game. Started to feel like it was a goddamn Mandela effect in my own mind. Sinbad was Shazam. Anyways. Back to the point: thank you for making this video. You can tell a lot of time and thought went into it and it’s something to be proud of.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Wow, thank you for this message and thank you for watching! It means a lot you took the time to write down something this kind and personal.

[@heysamesam]

In the sea of content uploaded to KZbin every second, this video is easy-to-miss. Nonetheless, it stands with the greats. Beautiful, somber, yet wholesome video.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@KaedNinescarred]

This video is so good I subscribed

[@analyticsystem4094]

Fromsoftware has mastered the formula for creating an engaging open world. The worlds of these games are so intriguing and intricate that it encourages you to explore to learn more about these unfamiliar surroundings. Elden Ring was my introduction to the Fromsoftware games and at first, I was a little overwhelmed by the scale of the world. When I got used to the exploration aspect of the game, I started to enjoy it more. I started to explore the area more carefully, testing for hidden walls far more frequently, exploring the more dangerous areas in hope that I would be rewarded with something. My favorite part about open world games is the exploration aspect, I love exploring these huge and expansive worlds. I love being rewarded with story hints and cool weapons or items to further aid me in my journey. Elden Ring is definitely one of my favorite games of all time!

[@SoulsNThings]

Thanks KZbin for this amazing recommendation, and thank you for an incredible video!

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@met-galah5763]

Wow great video. Loved the Disco Elysium portion, gonna go play again

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for watching!

[@Nagram_]

Just started the video and I must say you sound like an old war torn veteran from a war in a fantasy realm that is now guiding the new adventurer with his wisdom so he does not get himself killed in his travels, and I say this in the best way possible.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Wow, thank you! That might be one of the nicest things someone has said to me!

[@Saltbreather]

Excellent video and storytelling. The way you leave dead space between sentences at times, and cut/start the music in unexpected ways, makes it seem to me like you’re incredibly proficient at your craft.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for the encouraging words! Happy to hear it comes out that way!

[@cllaay]

Very cool video, your storytelling has a unique voice and you convey the somber scenes very nicely

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@aussiegecko1892]

I have never watched one of your videos. I don't stray too far from my designated, subscribed path. But when I decided to take a peak at what you had to offer, I didn't expect to be captivated unlike I have been in years. The style is thrilling. The writing is enthralling. I am shocked and delighted. Sometimes the best moments are only enjoyed by those willing to find them. However, they only exist because someone decided to craft them. Till your next creation.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for these words, it means a lot! And thank you for watching!

[@androsh9039]

Great video and editing.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you!

[@moritzbayer5658]

Beautiful video, your voice really fit the tone of those games.

[@joshuajones5858]

Hey man, I rarely take the time to comment on here but just wanted to say thank you for this video. What started out as me just wanting to check out the latest souls video the algorithm had brought me to end with me contemplating on the path I have walked in life and the times I’ve had both good and bad thanks to choices I’ve made. I ended the video feeling that bittersweet kind of nostalgia. Thanks again for writing something that resonated so much with some random guy on the internet.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for writing this! It means a lot that you, a random guy from the internet were compelled to write something so genuine in response to something I'd written. I'm glad you took the time to share this.

[@VillainViran]

My friends value the method because their experiences are unique. I value it because I barely miss anything and feel better than them for it

[@Writh811]

The truth is there is more value in finding something yourself than being guided to something in videogames. When you are following a guide or a map marker you are just going from one place to another, your mind is mostly turned off because all that matters is the markers or what the guide tells you. Once you've gotten there and completed the task you have some shallow opinion of it but it honestly just feels like you crossed another item off the grocery list. When you are wandering around a game that doesn't tell you where things are and you notice something for yourself you are more engaged. You are asking yourself questions "Why does that look like that? Is it a secret cave?" Then when you get confirmation there is a sense of excitement and accomplishment. You could have missed that "cave" which means others might have missed it so you are doing something special. After you complete the process you feel good because YOU noticed this. You'll tell your friends about it and then if any one of them missed that cave, all those good feelings come rushing back as you get to tell them about YOUR discovery. This causes the whole experience to actually stick with you because you were more actively engaged and it came with a sense that you had a somewhat special and unique experience from other players.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Well put!

[@ross1577]

Incredible video :)

[@Slick_Tails]

This was a fantastic video. As others have said here, you clearly deserve more views! My personal interpretation of why certain developers choose to hide great things in their games is that sometimes a game experience can feel artificial or forced. They either force you down a premeditated path with very little room for exploration, or they make the rewards for exploring so trivial and unnecessary that you might as well not have bothered. In a game like Elden Ring, when you stumble across something, whether it be a new area, quest line or weapon, you feel as though you have truly discovered it. The very fact that you could very well have walked right past it makes the discovery feel legitimate. (Funnily enough, I did find that guy disguised as a pot by myself, as I was searching that area thinking there might be a way to the land on top, maybe a ladder or something, and was hitting at the walls looking for an illusory wall when I heard a voice. And then I got the other piece of the secret medallion and it felt amazing! I probably missed a whole bunch of stuff, (I killed the Dung Eater in the dungeon and took his armour, for instance. I also killed Rykard before finishing the Volcano Manor quests and was then somehow surprised that they were no longer open to me. 😂) but that's okay. I had my own experience, my own discoveries, my own unique playthrough, and at no point did any of it feel like I was being railroaded down a set path.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for the kind words! I know what you mean! Very few games make you feel like it's your journey, and not a sequence of scripted sequences. It's a delicate illusion of course, but something Fromsoft excels in like very few do...

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

The community helping each other and all having to go through the same struggles because there's no difficulty settings makes you feel like you're not alone. Watching a vaati video while reading the comments can't be beat. These games are special

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

I know what you mean. I think it was Vaati who got me into FromSoft's games to begin with!

[@TriforceWisdom64]

Your voice and this script are fantastic! Instant sub.

[@mhiggs8001]

I found the second half of the lift key organically by exploring, but most everything else I’d never have found. I still like it this way though, it just makes it feel more intriguing to me.

[@jesseroberts5728]

You have a great sense of wording and philosophy that I greatly appreciate.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you!

[@johnharmon5905]

Well, you drew me in. I didn't expect this video from a content creator unknown to me to draw me into a contemplation of art, beauty, and meaning hidden in the world. Very well done. Thank you. I had originally just planned to stick around long enough to say that it's pronounced "hi-per-bo-lee". 😊

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thanks for the kind words! It's much appreciated! And thanks for pointing that out, I'll try to remember it the next time. 😅

[@newbnooby6438]

Its been a while since I see someone discuss about Suikoden 2, my most favorite game of all time. Im shedding tear rn 😢 what a masterpiece Good video. Still waiting for BB to be ported to PC so I can play it in 60 fps.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Still waiting impatiently for the Suikoden 1+2 remakes!

[@surface3122]

This is fantastic mate. Your voice is awesome.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@BKPrice]

You know what really makes a person feel old? When they hear someone say that having played Castlevania means they are "that old" when the person themself was a gamer when Pac-Man and Tetris first came out. When that person was wowed as a kid by text adventures on the Commodore 64. When that person's first console was an Atari 2600. That's how you truly feel old.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Well, "it's just a number" and all that...

[@dynamiczero]

I also think that hiding not only the story, but massive gameplay additions, rewards the player even more. Like finding secret weapons that change how you play, or in this case new original bosses and levels, it really makes you feel special when you happen upon them

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

True, everybody loves the feeling of their time and effort being rewarded.

[@itzRemixd]

Excellent video

[@HSG4meR]

I love hidden content, to be honest. I like going back to a game to find out new stuff. I hate when a game forces you to explore everything so you won't miss out from anything, it feels like receiving a wrapped present and the person just tells you what it is before you open it.

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Nicely put!

[@drfcmike7023]

Great video man

[@arcaneworkshop4323]

Thank you!