How Dark Souls was made

Dark Souls Design was hugely successful and revolutionary for its time.
This video delves into the design principles and philosophies that the developers took to create such a compelling and impactful experience which we've all come to love.
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Hawkshaw.

[@Hawkshaw]

Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/user?u=3372968 May grace guide us all.. ✨ Hawkshaw

[@thefebo8987]

Why the title change? Bad Idea for those who wanna rewatch

[@jackpfefferkorn3734]

Seeing Anor Londo for the first time: "This is the greatest game of all time!" Trying to get past the silver knight balcony archers: "This game Fucking Sucks!"

[@apophisstr6719]

After you parried the balcony archer and sent them down the abyss for the first time: "I'm best player in the world!"

[@lashed1980]

@Luis Martinez yeah anor London is a bit shit. Anor Londo is ace though.

[@lashed1980]

@Luis Martinez lol

[@UnderseaPumaKing]

This is an old comment but in case anyone sees, there is a way to not have to run up the ramp to kill them. Grab any bow and poison arrows. Stand at the back of the area you fight the two bat demons at right before the ramp. Its finicky figuring out where to aim to hit them but once you do keep shooting them until the poison affect is applied. You'll probably have to do it twice per archer. Takes a bit but way easier than running up to them.

[@Rubbish_]

Tis the philosophy. One second it’s the best game the next it’s made by psychopathic masochistic idiots

[@luckygozer]

One of the coolest aspects of dark souls to me has been the process of hollowing. Aslong as an undead has a goal, purpose and the determination, will to fulfill that goal they won't turn hollow. It is only when they lost their goal or their will that they go fully hollow. However the world does chip away at your determination. This is best seen in the player character going more and more hollow with each death. Yet never going fully hollow, never losing the will to continue on. But this also reflects in the player. We have a clear goal and determination to fulfill it. But each death not only chips away at our character but at us aswell. Each death adds to our frustration and slowly builds up to that point were you simply give up. You lose the will to continue, you go hollow.

[@angelandtheelfking2415]

Damoinw yes, very rare occasion when a game mechanic both matches the lore and the players experience... fucking genius.

[@ayy2193]

Yeah it's brilliant. It also reflects on humanity in general with living.

[@basedcringechad5640]

You only ever truly hollow by dropping the game completely. I like to think all the hollow enemies in the game are the people who complain about the game being too hard, given up before beating the boss of the area.

[@xhobixhoba9033]

Fuck how right you are... did not thought of it 😮 (Sorry to wright you on a two years old comment but i had to give you my praise)

[@omarmohanad9342]

Same in real life

[@mr.moonthegoon4178]

"Design a sword you would trust your life with" YES, This is why Miyazaki is the director.

[@TheApostleofRock]

Careful. If the gaming community at large gets wind of these videos, Dark Souls may just actually take its place as the greatest story ever told in a video game.

[@m.r.9127]

Heavy rain

[@justsomeguy8385]

The Legacy of Kain series take that title for me.

[@BansheeKing22]

@@justsomeguy8385 agreed. I mean I love the souls series but Legacy of Kain was and still is the best game ever made. The story, the writing, the philosophy. How every moment in the games could be a reflection of real life in general. No other game compares.

[@holysparkbatman]

The Darkness damn I remember playing soul reaver a bit as a kid but this makes me want to really go through them all

[@chagis100]

@@samurai641 cheers

[@Just.Kidding]

One line really sticks out to me - "Achieve greatness through simplicity; do simple fundamentals well, not complex things adequately, to achieve great results." It would be wise to take this to heart, both within Dark Souls and without. There is a certain Daoist spirit to this.

[@lazy2452]

I've seen so many videos about how dark souls saved people, or helped them start to come to terms their mental health. I absolutely agree that there is something profoundly zen (or Taoist) about the experience of dark souls.

[@RavagersPrey]

After watching your guys your lore video, on the way of white and undead curse I find myself fascinated with Dark Souls lore. I'm surprised this channel isn't more popular because the amount of work and time you put into your videos is truly astounding. Keep up the good work!

[@Hawkshaw]

Just seems KZbin doesn't like Hawkshaw! It's you guys who make sure it gets around I think. Hopefully more who appreciate it will find the vids in time

[@RavagersPrey]

When any of my friends ask me about dark souls lore, I just point 'em to your channel :)

[@darkslayer5240]

Hawkshaw hey I think dark souls 2 sotfs was best souls game as it brought so much refinement as well as good boss movement not to mention ivory king dlc man that was amazing, ds3 is good but relies too much on original to to bring in ties while ds2 itself was a story a unique own identity which was completed by dlcs also Aldia was by far best NPC of souls borne game ,he has most unique and strong opinions and actually makes us aware of impact we are going to make he was someone who peered into dark and light , almost got to true essence of soul but was banished by his own kin , he even used himself to achieve what he wanted, he is by far most interesting guy ever created in video games.

[@mountaineer2961]

Dark Slayer Yeah I have to agree with you on DS2 being it's own thing, it told a personal story that lead to something bigger instead of us being on a grand quest the whole time.

[@lashed1980]

@@darkslayer5240 I still belive it should have been called something else, ds didn't need a sequel. Ds2 would have been better understood away from the dark souls universe.

[@Hawkshaw]

Merry Christmas!!

[@vallgron]

fitting video for Christmas..... well I'm sure someone can make a decent connection for the 2 anyway

[@mothmantis0708]

You're the best, Hawkshaw. Incidently, I seem to remember that the specific fantasy book Miyazaki was inspired by was Fighting Fantasy, a choose-your-own-adventure book, as I understand. Apparently he read straight through it, with part of the language barrier being LIttle Big M not 'getting' that it was a game at first. When I read that and thought back to my first playthroughs of Demon's and Dark Souls I thought 'yeah, that makes perfect sense.'

[@joshjaguar713]

Hawkshaw youre back

[@ard1805]

It’s July, take it easy. 😃

[@gwyndolindarkmoon2402]

Ar D It’s Christmas now for the new Star Wars single is out

[@alejandrobagg2591]

New to the souls community because of elden ring, and can confirm that dark souls is my favorite game of all time. It's beyond phenomenal, the feeling of walking around each area never gets old. Truly some of the finest pieces of fantasy next to lotr..

[@CorIsFire]

I agree. I am pretty sure that Lord of the Rings is the one thing I like more than Dark Souls but I'm not sure.

[@f25mart]

So apparently these guys liked Dark Souls 1 huh

[@lucasphilip4822]

who didn't ? :)

[@kingofpain11111]

It is worth talking about.

[@joey.h14]

Dark souls 1 is the best imo

[@kitsune9076]

The core philosophy of dark souls bears many strong parallels with stoicism, the idea of self improvement over external improvement; victory not through equipment but through skill the idea that perfection is nearly impossible to attain but that it is still more than worth pursuing, and the results moments of perfection leading up to a conclusion where one can be proud of where you came from and how far you've gone

[@TheSuperRatt]

Well, considering how the "goal" of Dark Souls IS to transform the world, I'd say that parallel to stoicism falls flat. A stoic would blame the sufferer for their suffering. The World of Dark Souls blames the Lords and the Sin they committed to break the natural cycles and create a system of endless pain. In Dark Souls 3, we are given a glimpse into the true horror of what the Lords have done. The Fire Linking curse will destroy everything. Eventually, the First Flame will burn all things to ash. There is no amount of finding satisfaction in one's lot there. In fact, the most positive endings come about once the Unkindled Ash chooses to break the cycle. To break the curse imposed upon the world. To not change themself and find contentment in being a servant to the Lords, but to change their external conditions.

[@joey.h14]

I think the main “emotional connection” in this game is that, most of the people I know who’ve played darksouls, were in a *Low* part of their life, as was I. The game definitely left me happy in some dreadfully lonely nights

[@MetalSlimeDrummer]

Yes. If you are playing a masochistic game like Dark Souls fully invested you've got to have a little bit of it inside you to match

[@joey.h14]

GravityBlast yeah that is very true, I agree completely

[@elfboiezu2192]

hearing Andre was actually a sense of relief for me, i assumed it was a blacksmith and was so ready to upgrade ANYTHING

[@scott_chocolate]

Hey, just leaving a comment because every other youtube channel tells me to leave a comment to game youtube's algorithms. Usually too lazy to follow through, but Hawkshaw is legit as fuck. I've pressed all the user-engagement buttons and watched the video start to finish. Great video. Excited as all fuck for Ash Lake. Bring it on!!

[@dominikwusa3570]

Nice

[@ComicS390]

Scott Chocolate Agreeing and replying.

[@anonymous_9491]

he needs to know of his success. okay KZbin viewers expect that 5 years from now he'll boring as shit (like what the fuck happen to game theory it's all about fnaf and stupid game facts.) so hawk make sure you you take a path of not fame but reputation. just sayin because many KZbin's are just dead and never had a chance to go back to their roots

[@adityaachary7294]

@@anonymous_9491 yup

[@asmrchronicles4760]

Being honest. His enthusiasm for this game makes me want to play it more and more, and I just finished it.

[@TheTrueJuan]

With the level of depth these videos reach, I pray that you guys one day do Bloodborne's lore.

[@iPervy]

The thing I really like about the fromsoft games is that although its difficult its not insurmountable and with diligence, trials, help, or cleverness you can beat the games. The devs gives you options to cheese bosses, over level, change tactics to spell nuking/improve skills, figuring out cheese tactics, or summon help. The difficulty doesn't feel cheap, and no matter how difficult a section may be theres a way to make it through if you keep trying and that makes it all the more satisfying.

[@flamingmanure]

fantastic video. you are easily beyond vaati in lore analysis. the first time i saw your channel i binge watched all of your videos. you are easily above vaati in lore analysis. i cannot emphasize that enough! you should be more popular than him.

[@Hawkshaw]

KZbin doesn't like spreading the word it seems. It's too bad you discovered Hawkshaw so early- binge watching covers it all relatively fast!

[@Orthos4]

AH silver Thing is, in my opinion, and in the opinion of most high quality combined with medium quantity is superior to extremly high quality and extremly low quantity.

[@iWillWakeYouUp]

I think when he says "the four kings" he actually means the four lords. I think this is a japanes/english translation error, since there is a bossfight with "four kings" in New Londo. I don't think he means those four kings, but the literal "four kings" of the world, the four lords or the lord souls they inherited.

[@fateofrosegaming1104]

Happy 10 year anniversary watching all of your lore vids to commemorate it \[T]/

[@AnettKA89]

5 months have passed since this video was uploaded...and still no vid about Ash Lake : ( I hope you will come back soon, cannot wait to hear your fantastic lore theories! : )

[@piklface8902]

i watched all of these videos on one of my days off and i felt like i was almost emotionally invested in them, so much so that i didn't really know what to do afterwards except sit and think. Content of the highest quality and caliber Hawkshaw, keep up the good work, i look forward to all new uploads.

[@Rantaku]

"Putting so much life into the world even if no one noticed." Ah, the work of a Dungeon Master I see

[@LexIconLS]

Wooooooorrrrrrrrrd.

[@DominusNoks]

Great and touching video! However, as much as I love DS1 and as much as I agree with 99% of what you said, I must object to some statements. Despite doubtlessly being a masterpiece, DS1 is not flawless. And I'm not necessarily blaming its creators. I'm sure that there were objective reasons for that. In fact, some flaws here and some missed opportunities there are unavoidable - nothing is perfect after all. That's not to accuse you of something or to say that you're in any way wrong, I just believe we shouldn't become zealous in our praise for this really great game. I hope you wouldn't disagree that despite the evident strive for perfection on the side of developers, some things could be better. I also think that sequels to DS1 didn't do it a good service. In my opinion, DS3 sometimes shows how developers struggle to tie all these little fine details into a larger picture, especially in contrast to DS1. I feel like it ruins the magic a little bit and takes DS1 from the state of a self-contained story with huge, fascinating but never explicitly shown grander enviroment surrounding it to being just a part of a larger narrative which has too many gaps to fill in. As if it violates the 'less is more' principle. But that's just how I feel about it.

[@Hawkshaw]

Well put- we definitely don't mean to say there is nothing to improve. Exactly- the more details they try to add in the harder it becomes to have it all so tightly knit as before

[@spiralistichope9216]

This is a great point, and part of the reason why I'd be totally fine if Bloodborne remains without a sequel, by comparison. I think it managed to hit the heights of Dark Souls 1 for similar reasons (although with some significant differences), and them stretching the universe further may unravel some of that self-contained brilliance both DaS1 and BB hold.

[@MyCoxAfloping]

A lot was cut from the first game and it still ended up just being amazing

[@ryrez4478]

DominusNox bro go outside more...

[@deepism]

@@ryrez4478 ???

[@hannahshark8080]

I love that you've played some of my favorite tracks alongside this video. Twin Princes, Maiden Astraea, Abyss Watchers, Gwyn Lord of Cinder and the Dark Souls closing credits. Beautiful and solemn, encapsulating the beauty of the story of the fading Fire.

[@abigcupofwater]

Rewatching this is making me unbelievably hyped for Elden Ring

[@alejandrobagg2591]

I'm from the future. Elden ring is phenomenal

[@abigcupofwater]

@@alejandrobagg2591 I am playing it right now 😀

[@thomasdeane4072]

I don't know about you guys, but I always enter any dark souls philosophy/explanation/here's what the developers wanted to portray video with a sizeable amount of skepticism...but my god did this video blow me away. I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best representations of the love story dark souls fans have with this game. So many things made me just smile, with that no words necessary I understand exactly what you mean smile. And your opinion on how "immersive"(for lack of a better word) it is resonates with me so much, there is no other game like it and I think it's for all the reasons you mentioned and maybe one or two more. For example..something that is so small and natural to us all now that's it's easily overlooked is not being able to pause the world, that one tiny detail means from the second you select continue or finalise you are inn the world and any distraction from the real world can have disastrous effects lol when with any other game you would just hit the pause button. I doubt a sandwich has ever been made faster than a hungry man or women playing dark souls lol. My point is...Books films music games art are all created as some sort of escape from reality, it's the whole basis of fantasy and there are not many things I've came across that work better for me and clearly thousands of other people

[@neptune3326]

"Dark Souls is the greatest game of all time." aged like fine wine

[@Warrior_Zith]

You need to make more videos.... you are significantly more in depth than your competition....

[@BlackLightAttack]

It aint competition, though I guess that aspect always exists. But I see them more as peers or counterparts. Dark Souls so deep we have Dark Souls scholars

[@Warrior_Zith]

@@BlackLightAttack responding to a 3 year old comment ?? Why??? 😂

[@BlackLightAttack]

@@Warrior_Zith because i also want people to watch hawkshaw videos. just hushhhhh and help contribute to the algorithm

[@karozoronah146]

@@BlackLightAttack And it caught me. Just recently found this channel thanks to the algorithm.

[@arsenal4444]

@@Warrior_Zith i also want people to watch hawkshaw videos. just hushhhhh and help contribute to the algorithm

[@erikreddington461]

You mean show don't tell. This is the definition and it's why I'm obsessed

[@erikreddington461]

It's why I'm commenting 6 years later

[@YONE.MIE.]

I just started my first ever soulsborne game with the first title and I completely agree with the intro line that; once you start playing Dark Souls it pushes all the others games you had for nostalgia into 2nd place. I’m on day 7!! 😎

[@TimeHopMonk]

I'm really excited for this. I've been wanting an honest and in depth analysis of the philosophy of Dark Souls *cough* wISECRACK *cough*

[@Vini-zv3lr]

they applied Freud 101. You never apply Freud 101

[@flamingmanure]

their video was laughable at best. wisecrack aren't as good as they think.

[@CentipedeM]

Yeah, it was a pity that they analyzed the whole series using DS2. It' like analyzing Divine Comedy on example of Dante's Inferno. Or Stocker's Dracula on example of Twilight -_-

[@illjudgeyou4301]

Пётр Гогешвили I'm just now realizing how much of a pleb I was I thought dante's inferno was divine comedy in total.

[@CentipedeM]

hey, i meant a game of that name, no need to be sarcastic, aight

[@hkprx6911]

I'm sorry but I absolutely disagree with you, everyone creates their own version of lore, and any casual player is as legitimate as Miyaeaki himself. If he has given interpretation keys it is so that everyone can make the version of the lore he wants, and Miyazaki has simply created his own version. It is one thing to want to get closer to his version of lore, to think that it is the only true version of lore is another. And it is precisely because they make it a public work, not a sacred test, once we have launched the game, the lore belongs to us, and if we want to ignore even obvious evidence it does not doesn't mean that our version of lore is wrong, it's just our own version of lore. Your videos are excellent and highlight a lot of details that are overlooked by the majority of players, but you still demonstrate enormous subjectivity. Whether you like it or not, absolutely every piece of information in Dark Souls is an interpretation, you talk about logic as if using "perfect logic" would get to the truth, it is luckily wrong. Dark Soul has inconsistencies, has plot holes, and isn't a perfect game, and that's why it's so awesome. I hope you will continue your videos and thank you for the road already traveled, I discovered all this very late but you did a huge job!

[@spiralistichope9216]

I think you guys were spot on with a great deal of the philosophy of Dark Souls, and what makes it such a masterful game and work of art in general. I enjoyed the way you split it into those three components and made them intertwine, and I feel like you captured some of the more special elements of the game's uniqueness, which is indeed what takes it a step above as a video gaming experience and allowed it to innovate within the medium and have such a lasting effect. However, I also think your analysis is not without some flaws, in terms of both over-zealousness and your strong emphasis on objectivity towards the end. Dark Souls is one of my personal favorite works of fiction in any medium, least of all video games, and I really do see it as a work of art like you guys clearly seem to, therefore most of what I end up doing is also gushing about how much I adore it. It is definitely flawed, however, as some comments here have already extrapolated upon. Your focus on perfection as an aim or ideal instead of a reality is the way to go, but even then, sometimes your praise was a bit too extreme, even if I share your love for the game. Games like Dark Souls 3 and especially Bloodborne showed that refinement was still possible for Dark Souls, even if the latter does still hold a special place for me (though Bloodborne comes extremely close in my books). So "perfection" is a term I would personally use more lightly than you do, but the points regarding your discussion of the reaching towards perfection are still very valid, it's what allowed for the amazing attention to detail that we see across Soulsborne games! My other issue is with your emphasis on the concrete objectivity of the storytelling and lore. While I agree with you that there is definitely a story (and the lore of the Soulsborne games is in fact my favorite aspect of them, it's so well done!), and the concrete elements as envisioned by Miyazaki and From Soft are all too often ignored for the hand-waving of "it's just a make-your-own-story type of tale," I ALSO believe quite a huge part of what makes Soulsborne lore so riveting is some of its inherent subjectivity. I agree with you guys regarding the concept of Miyazaki having a concrete, or "objective" structure regarding his core story, but he himself has also made very clear (in the Bloodborne Guide interview, I believe, for reference) that much of his storytelling style is also geared towards being purposefully open-ended to willfully allow for various interpretations without ever truly having a conclusive answer, even for him. Even if he did have a preference as far as interpretation and theories, I think much of the Soulsborne lore and storytelling thrives on having many possible interpretations regardless, and Miyazaki specifically said that's what he wants to an extent, for players experiencing the game to, in part, formulate their own narratives and perspectives, for the story to, at least partially, be forged by us as much as him (which fits into the artistic value of video games as an interactive medium and art-form brilliantly, the audience helps shape the work too, beyond the author). The overriding plot and history of the worlds he creates certainly have structure and concreteness as you postulate, yes, but there is still a strong subjective element to the storytelling style throughout as well, it's what allows for the longevity and depth of much of the characters, plotlines and overarching tales that we come across in these games, and Dark Souls 1 arguably does this best (again, Bloodborne is almost on par for me, and better in some ways thematically). What I'm ultimately saying is that much of the game's story is always going to be purposefully convoluted and without an answer, and Miyazaki, at least in some instances, actually prefers that, as opposed to truly having a correct answer for everything as you guys seem to imply. Not all interpretations are equally valid or backed up with the same amount of evidence, naturally, but sometimes, there are various relevant interpretations for sure, that's the beauty of it all much of the time, and that's not something to be ignored! That's my take on it, anyway. So yeah, brilliant analysis of the philosophy, especially the way you guys structured it, I really liked it. The way you talked about the gameplay and the notion of Dark Souls being a game that you need to work for, pour yourself into, to find answers and truly love the experience really rang true in particular! I just wanted to throw in my two cents regarding my view on how you see it all, even though I mostly agree with the main points of your video! All the best!

[@Hawkshaw]

A well thought out, mature analysis. Thank you. Apologies if the tone was slightly missed in the video- we certainly don't think Dark Souls isn't without its flaws. There are many and they can be huge. The perfect was more intended for the aspects of the game that hit the nail on the head in every way- Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne have refined a lot of previous flaws but there is a difference between being flawless and being actively impressive I feel. The philosophy and aim behind the design is what we felt is not flawed. Had there been no hinderances such as time and money then perhaps the flaws we all threw controllers because of wouldn't have happened. Again, I agree with you. The allowance for such subjectivity with the analysis of the lore is something that really helped make Dark Souls become such a cult success of the internet. Miyazaki certainly wanted there to be subjectivity within the experience of the game. But we still think that there is a concrete plot- even if he actively doesn't want it to be know and has refused enough information to be able to be certain. A bit like authors that want fan fiction to expand upon the story they have in books they publish. Often they have written about a character and know what that character thinks and does and believes, but the fan fiction is far more entertaining and rewarding than simply having an answer and losing the sense of mystery. I hope this clarifies it slightly

[@spiralistichope9216]

Thank you for reading and replying, I really love this channel for how well you guys delve into the lore of Dark Souls, it's a level of depth that's hard to find, and many people definitely appreciate it, me included! As for your clarifications, thanks for that too, it did help elucidate on your tone for sure. Dark Souls definitely stuck to a very tight and effective philosophy even with the limitations in execution at times, and you guys spell that out very well, so as I said in my initial response, I mostly agree with you guys in regard to that point anyway, you hit the nail on the head as well in that sense. As for the concrete plot that's definitely there, yup, I also agree, as I said in my post above. My point was more about there being nuances of subjectivity within a superstructure that is overall rather "objective" within the creator's mind, with plenty of evidence to back it up much of the time. I agree that the plot, at least at its fundamental core, is always there, and both Dark Souls and Bloodborne showcase this well if you delve deep enough and take all the evidence into consideration. However, I also think there are certain plot points or ambiguous areas where one of two or three or four (et cetera) interpretations can be equally valid, and this is the intended purpose. The literary idea of the "death of the author" is what comes to mind when I think of Soulsborne games as works of art, because I believe, at least in part, the great appeal that we both pinpoint comes about from that ability of the story to be open to interpretation by the audience beyond Miyazaki. Sometimes, even Miyazaki's view isn't definitive with certain enigmas and lore mysteries or possibilities, even if he does have some idea of what he wanted to portray. He himself says so, as I mentioned. However, this is only with some questions in the lore, I think with others, there is indeed an answer of some sort hidden beneath the convoluted storytelling and uncertainty. Dark Souls is definitely a story in-itself, and Miyazaki has a definitive plot to uncover throughout much, maybe even most of it, but parts of it thrive and resonate by never truly having an answer, allowing for rumination, fanfiction, or other more varied ways of appreciation beyond just being right or wrong about some plot point. That's the clarification I wanted to add to that second point. I get where you're coming from completely though, I just really love the subjective/relativistic nature of the storytelling in this game so much as well, so I felt like that needed a little defending too, haha!

[@Hawkshaw]

Also at 3 50 we say "barring some exceptions which we are sure they regret deeply" while showing the bed of chaos on screen. We never said it was perfect.

[@spiralistichope9216]

Oh yeah, I got that. Bed of Chaos and Izalith in general were certainly the most obvious examples of the imperfections of the game. I guess the word "perfect" itself is just something I'm not a big fan of, especially where art is concerned, since in that realm I don't think anything is truly perfect in the literal sense of the definition. Dark Souls definitely showed a mastery of their philosophy and approach that is nigh on unrivaled, however, and that's what I think you guys were ultimately getting at, and what I most concur with!

[@raptorbadger3131]

there's no such thing as "the greatest game of all time". dark souls is fantastic, but perfection can never exist.

[@Hawkshaw]

Yes there can be the greatest game. We don't say it's perfect. Listen more carefully. We say they strive for perfection: huge difference. You can't be a perfect runner, but you can be the fastest.

[@Gnurklesquimp]

I took the statement with a grain of salt, but we all assign different values to different aspects of something we judge, you can only really judge something with a goal in mind, I think. At that point it's still complex but your statements can have more meaning as I see it.

[@Gnurklesquimp]

I also think it's great btw., I think that there's no other game that achieves what Dark Souls does at all.

[@filippogrimaldi7228]

Just a month ago Dark Souls 1 was declared the "greatest game of all time" at the Golden Joystick, lol

[@mkultra2765]

so thankful for uploaders that release videos over xmas!!!

[@Hawkshaw]

Had to make up for the long wait somehow!

[@npc_N8]

I didn't get to pick up dark souls until 2012, and I remember that well before I got to anor Londo I remember forgetting that the controller was even in my hand... Of all the games I had ever played even as far back as the PlayStation 1 and N64 days, no game had ever made me completely forget that I was even holding a controller, the control scheme just feels so organic

[@Tgruss]

Yo, I am here 5 years later to say that Dark Souls won an award at the Golden Joystick for "The greatest game of all time"

[@BossDrSample]

Yeah! Hawkshaw! Happy Holidays guys!

[@anevilstripper6095]

I want swing from your moustache. Especially when Frampt was upside-down, it was so tempting, to just, grab them and swing around.

[@trenbolone007]

Good stuff, really good stuff. Everything you mentioned and discussed brought back memories of that very first time I played, struggled, died and died again, and eventually finished DARK SOULS. Thank you for taking the time to create and post this video.

[@Hawkshaw]

And that is exactly why it was worth it. Ah the first play-through...

[@trenbolone007]

Hawkshaw Yeah... Really wished a Remastered Edition of Demon Souls & Dark Souls were done for the PS4. One can only wish.

[@Hawkshaw]

Guess it would be too upsetting to have it remade without fixing some things (Izalith!) to an extent... which is a lot of work... who knows indeed

[@wyattmorelock5832]

This is a truly wonderful video, one I would recommend to anyone who wanted to understand dark souls weather they have played it or not!

[@GtheMVP]

I'm glad I found your cahnnel. I just sat through your hour and 30 min Dark Souls lore video, when I was supposed to be working lol. Like I said there, Ihope you bring your excellence to Dark Souls 3 and 2, 3 first though, pretty please :)

[@spicygriffith8419]

Dark Souls is a Tragedy. It is its Genre. Not Action or Drama. And its what makes it stood out.

[@zoisantonopoulos7999]

Its unavoidable that sometime in the future generations will study video games just like we do know with music , film and poetry. Dark souls will surely be a game that will be examined.

[@LexIconLS]

There's a reason Fromstoft worked with GRR Martin on the world building of Elden Ring. They all pay so much attention to detail there are subplots you will completely miss the first time. I had absolutely zero idea about the plot against the gods until I saw your video on it and it's completely changed the way I see the Undead Burg and the Black Knights around Lordran.

[@Philiquaz]

I get more and more tempted to try build a lore site where theories and evidence can be compiled and linked en mass; a theory built on other theories built on unreliable evidence can be automatically marked as unlikely- but those with evidence can be agreed upon. And ideally, filtered and sorted for maximum comprehension. Problem is I'm lazy lol. Good luck with the next video mate, love them.

[@thomasdeane4072]

Philiquaz You can kinda find that on Reddit but I know what you mean, that would be nice.

[@tovea.3704]

The Abysswatchers theme song caught my immediate attention

[@effthree7227]

hell yeah man, you said it all. best philo of ds is this one. 3000+ hrs. 24 characters across 360 and ps4. "Dark Souls" was something special

[@andersjensen7348]

Alot of what makes the dark souls universe seem so vivid and real is the same as the lotr, all that is explicitly told to the audience, the secrets kept, the hidden lore. It feels more real to not understand everything, we dont understand everything in our own lives.

[@st3ppenwolf]

Fantastic videos man... I hope you have success and can keep making more of these!

[@Little_Lepus]

Sure, Dark Souls is hard. Y'just need something worth fighting for! Something worth staving off going hollow for. For me, it was Solaire.

[@jakehization]

haaaaawkshaaaaw we miss you :( plz make a video​

[@ShyanTheLegend]

hey fellas how the progress for the new vid? hope its going well, would prefer a good one than a rushed one

[@Ivan_1791]

If Dark Souls didn't have any mistakes it would have beem by far the best game ever, perfection itself, and I doubt it could have been overcome.

[@mikeyvvagner842]

NOT ALL LORE INTERPRETATION IS EQUAL. *** unsubscribes from all other lore channels***

[@jreaganmorganchannel]

The end of Dark Souls seems to have existentialist undertones. What I mean is that you are given a large choice, the implications of which remain largely unknown despite two sequels. The reason is that the consequences of the choice is beside the point; the point is that you have a choice.

[@mrtetristime]

You really hit the nail on the head with this one. Can't wait for your Ash Lake video

[@slothhq1929]

This is the best Christmas present

[@HouseOfBrickOne]

Do you have any plans on releasing more Dark Souls lore videos with the revelations given in The Ringed City? You and SmoughTown were my favorite lore-guys, I only wish you posted videos slightly more often

[@patrickn.4113]

I agree with your comment and your name!

[@donda2111]

You know, I always wondered what that giant skull in ashen lake was. Its very out of place. I never heard anyone really point it out but now that I think about it, it stands out so much that I'm surprised I never heard anyone talk about it. Is there even any implied lore behind it?

[@core-nix1885]

Watch "Havel, Ash Lake, The Plot against the Gods" by the same channel.

[@Rubbish_]

There is 1 time I can remember crying because of any game, movie, show, or any media. And it was from when I heart The Nameless Song play after defeating Gwyn.

[@lanasrj]

I started with Demons' and even though I thoroughly enjoyed the first section, the thought of putting that much effort into the rest of the game seemed sadistic on the developers' side. I actually sold the game after 6 hours or so, probably mostly because I thought losing souls was more dire than it really is. Months later I was talking to a friend about the game and he convinced me to try it again. He didn't spoil anything, basically just said, "It's got a story. It's just weird." and convinced me the difficulty curve turned at some point. So glad I kept going, and so happy I played it before games were covered so extensively. I had the joy of discovering the game myself. Though unfortunately I missed out on the online play b/c I didn't really understand how it worked and didn't always have my console online in those days. Fast forward to Dark Souls, and I was ready for a great experience, which it delivered. Of course, it's way longer and more complex than Demons'. More importantly, because Demons' was a one-off I assumed Dark Souls was the same and didn't look much into its story. It wasn't until about two years later that I noticed lore videos appearing, and when I heard some of the theories I was floored. Then I started looking up secrets in the game, and went back and replayed it many times (I only played Demons' twice up until then, though I've replayed once more since). Anyway I could go on and on, but suffice to say Dark Souls will always be special to me, both on its own and as the anchor of an incredible series!

[@Nimno74]

I sincerely hope that before I die, Miyazaki releases a book full to the brim with all the real lore and stories of his worlds. Then I will get my grandchildren to read it to me.

[@ajgarcia9826]

Love your work and can't wait to see more of your in depth lore vids!

[@trenbolone007]

Excellent and Well done video. Give us more please. Thank you for the taking the time in making this great & informative breakdown on "Why I play DARK SOULS?" I look forward to more and may this message find you well. Cheers.

[@lazy2452]

Hey, I know I'm late to the party but I seriously adored this video and I have to make it known. This game is a beautiful work of art and yall really did capture and explain some of that intangible beauty here. Much love and support ❤️

[@joshchidester1256]

Yo that Maiden Astraea! Almost didn't recognize it there. Straight up truth through here man. Love yer work, keep on keepin on.

[@omarmohanad9342]

I love video games and I played alot of games but Dark Souls is without a doubt the best game to me

[@counterculturecocks]

I've dabbled with quite a few videos on your channel and while I may be late to the party, this sure is one helluva channel! Thank you for your dedication, time and energy! You've earned another sub!

[@everlastilngsilver9086]

Not yet? Come on man it 's been 5 months now. We are hungry for the lore. Give it to us.

[@OdotheusTheMighty]

if this dude never makes dark souls 2 and 3 videos i will go completely hollow

[@Magakix1]

I have to admit, when I saw you uploaded a video I was excited for some lore and felt somewhat disappointed but still watched anyway. I however was pleasantly surprised. Pretty good video. Speaking of lore, are you planning on releasing a lore video concerning Nito soon ? I'm currently working on a pretty big theory that might explain and tie everything in the catacombs and Tombs of giants and I would to hear your thoughts on the whole place so far as I'm running into some issues concerning the actions of Leeroy and Rheah in the tomb of giants. it's fine if it's only in written format too.

[@Hawkshaw]

Fair enough. The next video shouldn't disappoint however, when we do get round to it. I'm afraid the next video won't be on Nito. I can't say with certainty for those after...

[@Magakix1]

Hawkshaw Ahh I meant that I thought it would be disappointing but i was wrong and was pleasantly surprised in the end. Looking forward to the next video though. Also, is there some other way to contact you guys or maybe another place where fellow lore hunters hangs around ? I would like to share my thoughts with people still digging for lores but don't really know where. As for Nito, have you found any explanation linking the catacombs, pinwheel, the room with the baby skeleton and Nito himself ? I believe that I got a pretty interesting one but I'm looking for different opinions on this subject.

[@fateofrosegaming1104]

Do you think you might be able to make these into podcasts? I’ve found that your visuals while incredibly appealing are not required for your lessons in dark souls lore

[@encure]

nice voice beautiful content, iam a dark souls fan since the beginning and just discovered ur videos. immediatly subscribed. greetings from germany @Hawkshaw

[@Hawkshaw]

Greetings, friend!

[@i1bike]

zahnpastaschaf i think u meant turkany*

[@JuliusCaesar103]

This video is great, and I agree with your sentiment that it might just be the greatest game of all time. I think the og Demon's Souls can also take that title pretty easily.

[@JuliusCaesar103]

@@danjoredd a ps3 is super cheap and Demon's Souls is 20$ on the Ps Store.

[@sunepedersen8537]

Merry Christmas! Great content, Hawkshaw. Please do more. I miss your lore videos

[@Hawkshaw]

The next should satisfy, just bear with us this time!

[@davidbinns1604]

It was the mystery of it all for me, cryptic npcs, not much to go off of, and the difficulty/satisfaction of finally beating a boss.

[@tkong6465]

I recall It I see it true… I just got my Nintendo switch and was looking for more games for my physical collection my buddy highly recommend dark souls for switch…. I got super high as fuck and put in dark souls remastered… when I saw that intro cinematic I instantly feel in deep love thank you Miyazaki you changed my life and truly made me regret not pursuing my dreams as a video game designer

[@debtfreesolution2101]

And this is why I will never forget dark souls. it is a game ive poured so many hours into, that to forget it, would be like to forget a life long inspiration...... sorry i cut my wrist on this edge.

[@kwazhims3lf]

17:55 -- yup.. passed me by... after completing it the first time i waited breathlessly eyes glued to the end screen, to which my only comment was "you fucking kidding me? I burnt myself? after all that? why" dont get me wrong, i love dark souls

[@DogoodPOG]

Man I love your guys work

[@drmaniac5763]

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please never stop making videos

[@MFZBitch]

I honestly never move my mouse so often during a video to check how long of this greatness i got left, hoping itll never end. Amazing work you guys, keep it up ;)

[@Hawkshaw]

That honestly made me chuckle, what a great image! Sorry it wasn't a longer video then, the next should be more satisfying in that sense...

[@MFZBitch]

yeya, already looking forward to it

[@gamerlost526]

oh pls no XD i have a hard time trying to complete this lecture because it's so long it's discouraging XD but yes its fulfilling to finish

[@JonnyPStone]

Hawkshaw, the 2 of you talk more truth than the majority of all the other lore channels out there- and there's an awful lot of them these days! Keep it up, already excited for the Ash Lake video! Hawkshaw for President

[@ozanozkirmizi47]

Dear Hawkshaw! You nailed it again... Thank you...

[@getmotivated1707]

Hopefully this has spawned a new literary gaming genre. It definitely qualifies as literary to me at least.

[@Graff-z4x]

Beautifully said, and all so on point as usual. I would like to offer what I see as the base philosophy of Miyazaki's world building that I believe could have strong implications for the future. Historical evolution, and the Derridian pharmicon are key components. Dark Souls has a loooong history, so long much is forgotten or distorted in its own time. It also shows that history does not simply march forward in a positivist direction, but can stagnate and even degenerate if it does not continue forward at its due pace. In the Age of Ancients, nature was seemingly in its neutral state; but within this state, lords found the power and will to drastically change their environment, indeed master it. The birth and presence of lords, within the Age of Ancients, caused its very end. The Age of Fire saw prosperity, and disparity. Those at the bottom, with lowest status, were therefore inevitably determined to rise up, within, the Age of Fire, to bring it to its end. We are aware of 3 Ages. Ancients, Fire, and Dark. Conflicting elements produce change. Nothing happens within a void but in development from what came before. This is integral to From's philosophy of world building. Moving on to speculation, I believe this lends itself greatly to the argument of a joint-timeline. With early examples of blood consumption seen, for instance, in the Abyss Watchers and their beast-blood pact, we see the source of power changing. In a later stage we see the currency in the Age of Dark shifting from souls, toward a human/animal-centric currency, blood. Within this theoretical Age of Dark as seen, if we allow ourselves, in Bloodborne, we now have the development of a new form of being potentially dominating existence. They were beckoned to our Age of Dark from the Cosmos. Could the cosmos be synonymous with the Abyss? This would further lend credence to the early practices of the Abyss Watchers. The odd insect-like creatures we paid little attention to, and the manipulative qualities of the Abyss were seemingly born from the culmination of growing and pervasive Dark within humanity. In the end of the Age of Fire, we have the choice to either link the flame and sustain the age of lords, or snuff the flame and usher in the Age of Dark, the age of humanity. Similarly, in Bloodborne, nearing the end of our theoretical Age of Dark, we have the choice to work against the Great Ones, and sustain the age of humanity. Or, we can assist the Great Ones in their propagating a future Age of... the Cosmos/Abyss?? Perhaps this age is the cycle closing. Perhaps it is nature becoming neutral once again, absorbing and returning everything to some beginning state; and the Great Ones are a sort of new form of Dragon inhabiting this state. Or perhaps, I would argue, it is a 4th and even possibly the final stage in the cycle, if there is indeed a cycle. And the absorbing/terraforming qualities of the cosmic/abyssal Great Ones could indeed bring about the conditions that usher in a neutral state of nature. Perhaps nature itself would have to fight back for this state of existence in order to survive such an invasive force. The rise and revival of the Arch-trees lol. Should there manifest an Age of the Cosmos, this would most certainly be an interesting future ip that could introduce an entirely unique sci-fi entry to the soulsborne universe. Grant us eyes!!! (I have now seen all of your amazing videos and have appreciated them so much. Please consider doing a lore video on Velka, should it please you 🙏)

[@reggiemaron6310]

twin princes ost best ost god damn

[@aoneko6813]

I was so touched by your thoughts in this video that i shed tears halfway in. Thank you.

[@Williamfuchs420]

My theory is that the events of the first dark souls are combined as an apotheosis event the birth of a new god. A god for the most part must be at least partially omniscient i think every character that plays the game including the npcs are all collectively becoming one a new god this is why you can see them why time is broken. The various endings when thinking this way cancel each other out the dark lord ending canceled out by the igniting the flame ending, i think though theres a third unseen ending and it reveals the identity of the god being birthed. If you follow Solares storyline to completion he will fight with you against The lord of cinder if you fall in this battle maybe he dose not and kills him and takes your place as the new lord of cinder combining all the experiences of every possible play through into this new being

[@Tengu125]

Let's all make sure to remember Dark Souls, even if we ever lose personal interest in playing, so that it and its legacy will never, ever die.

[@chancecall2832]

They should have your name posted in the menus of dark souls. Your videos enhance the experience

[@camrnjurena]

Keep up the great work guys!!!

[@t.j.aarons889]

"it is not death a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." -Marcus Aurelius When a specific hallow heard the tale of the Chosen-Undead from Oscar of Astora, he jumped at the opportunity of becoming the Chosen-Undead. He knew he would probably die, hell he knew he would probably suffer a thousand deaths but he didn't care. There was one thing he feared, and it wasn't a demon or any sort of god. His fear was being forgotten. The scariest thing he could truly think of was sitting in that empty cell and waiting for the end of the world...being forgotten and useless.

[@fantasyskeep]

Dark Souls IS the GOAT.

[@leifivarhalas5901]

How I long for more of your videos. I appreciate the quality to such an extent that it calms my patience, which is no easy feat. So please keep up the high quality and keep producing videos in your own pace. Gotta admit that your (in my opinion) overly poetic script makes me doubt your objectivity at certain few short moments, but your conclusions are without a doubt very well reasoned. Love it! :)

[@diddymelone2265]

another great video, please make more, we lore enthusiasts are many and you´re our guru ^^ by the way, one thing that bugs me: as you know we can view many NPC´s without their helmets, although some we can not, and Ciarans face isnt her real face, but merely a placeholder. We can however see Havels face and as it is actually detailed, I don´t think its a placeholder, so why is it not hollow at all? Is Havel not hollow or is it an oversight? I can accept Oskar not looking hollow, since other NPC´s also seem to go from "human face" to "hollow face" in one swift turn, but Havel should really be looking hollow, shouldnt he?

[@everlastilngsilver9086]

How much longer until the next video? I ve watched these too many times already.

[@corn3335]

i always come back to watch this video. good stuff man. it would be awesome if you do something on the rest of the games

[@odolwa099]

When I bought a PS4 a while back the first game I got was Dark Souls 3. The second was Bloodborne. I've been following this series going all the way back to Demon's Souls where I found myself intrigued enough by the premise alone that I was willing to get the Japanese version when there was suggestion that it would never see the light of day here in the West. I mention this for the simple reason that, while there is no disputing Dark Souls contribution to gaming overall, I feel that labeling it the single greatest game ever may be something of a misnomer. The fact is that Dark Souls is as great as it is because of and not in spite of all the other games that preceded it. The progression of gaming down the years is as broad and complex as Dark Souls own lore. The latter speaks in terms of ages, kingdoms and the lords who ruled each and, in kind, gaming has had its own generations, platforms and stand out titles. Just as one could say that Civilization is the greatest turn based game, almost single handedly coining the phrase 4X, Dark Souls has also carved out its own substantial niche wherein so many games these days are often described as being "Souls-like". Two radically different games, offering completely different experiences and yet both could, quite rightly and independent of the other, be hailed as the greatest game ever. Younger generations of gamers may view Dark Souls as something never seen before but for those, like myself, who had been gaming since the '80's, growing up on the kinds of books Miyazaki read and factoring in all the other media that predates that, whether it be the works of Azimov, Lucas, Tolkien or Gygax, a game like Dark Souls, much like the fading of the flame, wasn't simply probable, it was inevitable. In the end, all that was ever needed was someone with a great idea, a great team to realize it and, perhaps most importantly, not treating the audience like children who wouldn't be able to appreciate the challenge of a complex and compelling story told well; a major mistake a lot of publishers make these days where they want to water the experience down in order to shift more copies. If I didn't value the amazing work you guys have done on this fantastic series of games I wouldn't have bothered commenting. Keep up the great work and, of course, Praise the Sun!

[@Hawkshaw]

An interesting read. We never meant to make it sound as though it is an island. It of course built upon and learned from many previous works, and certainly shouldn't be hailed as a God above games, but rather a pinnacle of gaming. Hawkshaw.