How Souls Games Save You

Until 2 months ago, I was a stranger to souls games. As an outsider looking in, I understood two things… they are extremely difficult and they change you as a person. Time after time I saw people say that Miyazaki’s work, in one way or another, has saved them. Depression, anxiety, and the like are something that we all often deal with, but how could such a brutally unrelenting series remedy the mental health of so many? Today on Psych of Play, we dive into the psychology of how exactly this happens.
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▶Games Shown
Dark Souls (2011) - FromSoftware
Dark Souls II (2014) - FromSoftware
Dark Souls III (2016) - FromSoftware
Bloodborne (2015) - FromSoftware
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019) - FromSoftware
Elden Ring (2022) -FromSoftware
Demon's Souls (2020) - FromSoftware
Inscryption (2021) - Daniel Mullins Games
Hollow Knight (2017) - Team Cherry
Metroid Dread (2021) - Mercury Steam
NieR:Automata (2017) - PlatinumGames
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) - Nintendo
Ghost of Tsushima (2020) - Sucker Punch Productions
Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) - Square Enix
Pokemon Legends: Arceus (2022) - Game Freak
Before Your Eyes (2021) - Skybound Games
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019) - Intelligent Systems
Journey (2012) - That Game Company
Life Is Strange: True Colors (2021) - Deck Nine
Gris (2018) - Nomada Studio
Before Your Eyes (2021) - GoodbyeWorld Games
Celeste (2018) - Maddy Makes Games
Haven (2021) - The Game Bakers
Super Smash Bros: Melee (2001) - HAL Laboratory
Guilty Gear Strive (2021) - Arc System Works
Deltarune Chapter 2 (2021) - Toby Fox
Metroid Dread (2021) - Mercury Steam
Super Mario Odyssey (2017) - Nintendo
Super Smash Bros: Ultimate (2018) - Nintendo
Astral Chain (2019) - Platinum Games
Monster Hunter Rise (2021) - Capcom
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (2020) - Omega Force
BioShock (2007) - 2K Games
Octopath Traveler (2018) - Square Enix
Persona 5 (2016) - Atlus, P Studio
Kingdom Hearts 2 (2005) - Square Enix
Hades (2020) - Supergiant Games
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) - Nintendo
Resident Evil 4 (2005) - Capcom
Max Payne 3 (2012) - Rockstar
Cyber Shadow (2020) - Aarne Hunziker
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019) - Respawn Entertainment
Detroit Become Human (2018) - David Cage
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011) - Nintendo
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (2021) - Eidos-Montréal
Genshin Impact (2020) - miHoYo
▶Media/Clips/Considerations:
NakeyJakey - “Dark Souls Saved Me” - • Dark Souls Saved Me
Writing on Games - “Dark Souls Helped Me Cope With Suicidal Depression”- • Dark Souls Helped Me C...
Joe x0f - “Sekiro Saved my Life” - • Sekiro Saved my Life
Maestro - “Dark Souls Changed My Life” - • Dark Souls Changed My ...
ItsPara “How Dark Souls 2 saved my life” - • How Dark Souls 2 saved...
ItsPara “Dark Souls and Mental Health” - • Dark Souls and Mental ...
Mez - “How Bloodborne Helped With My Depression” - • How Bloodborne Helped ...
Chris Morris - “Dark Souls Helps My Mental Health But I Don't Know Why” - • Can Dark Souls Help Yo...
Other footage used: • Dark Souls Confidence
▶Music Sources:
Legend of Mana OST - World of Mana
Tenno - Imaginary ( • Tenno - The Inner Ligh... )
Sekiro OST - Emma the Physician
Unravel OST - First Steps
Rising Thunder OST - Dauntless Theme
Demon Souls OST - Character Creation (Souls of Mist)
Rising Thunder OST - Chel Theme
Dark Souls OST - Gwyn, Lord of Cinder
Tenno - Imaginary ( • Tenno - The Inner Ligh... )
Daydreamer - Dark souls 2: Longing // lofi remake ( • Video )
▶Research Articles Cited
docs.google.co...
#PsychofPlay

[@yuesu2325]

Someone once said this "after you beat a souls game, try creating a new character and go killing some bosses again, you will realize that it wasn't your character that got stronger, you did".

[@Rexsar813]

This. After I beat Elden Ring and started a new character, and the bosses and enemies I struggled with seemed easier. I'm a lower level than I was when I fought them the first time. I learned how to play.

[@halcy0n-585]

after struggling with Margit for over two hours, my first victory over him was at over level 50, with a +4 Somber weapon My second was at level 21, with a +2 (standard) weapon. and the Erdtree watchdog, which killed me 20 times in a row due to its janky movement, now barely ever gets hits on me (except when I get greedy after the slam move)

[@TizzmantineUK]

Going back and starting sekiro again. 11/10 we were told to get good and we did.

[@thewizardninja]

On my second Elden Ring run I tried heading straight to Margit just to see if I could do it. Only took 3 tries and it was a true solo as well. To think I spent like 5 hours the first time despite having better armour, upgraded weapons, a spirit distraction and twice as many levels.

[@lmgwinner6812]

@@halcy0n-585 jeez thats a rough first victory, I haven't really struggled with any boss except the one I'm on right now, hoarah loux/godfrey.

[@AAA-dz1ur]

You know what makes me happy about these games? When I defeat a boss after hours of trying and I read the messages on the floor saying “I did it” or “good job” it makes me feel like I am part of a group that struggled together and made it through.

[@LIGHT-SEEKER]

Good job !

[@Dieselous]

the best one yet was "didn't expect weak foe" after the mimic tear fight

[@kevinburrell3359]

it helps make you feel good and boost your self esteem

[@Bittamin]

@@Dieselous yes that’s hilarious!!!

[@colehaney8836]

Seeing the “good job!”s just keeps me going, man

[@bman3977]

I don’t know why but hearing this story and hearing that community say “don’t you dare go hollow” brought me to tears. I’m not going through anything hard in particular but hearing the power behind those words just feels so powerful, thank you so much for this video

[@ultimaxkom8728]

Some people may call it corny and cheesy, but for me it is one hell of a good line that everyone should follow. *For losing a thousand times is not a sin, but giving up yourself is.*

[@mamamiab22]

Damn I was just hearing the video and heard those words, and immediately some tears fell of my eyes. Didn’t understand why at first. Now I understand how meaningful those words are for some of us.

[@mitchelltaff7255]

Same, started to get really emotional with that phrase

[@CaIypso5150]

LMFAO

[@teratoma.]

dark souls' world is absolutely genius from both thematic and gameplay standpoint

[@owenliboiron3762]

I just love how this game is set in such a depressing atmosphere of hopelessness, and yet the community is one of the most supportive and lively ones around

[@nimacyrus8444]

Because you must seek light or balance within darkness that's how life is. You must see the pain to be able to cure it rather forestall it .

[@Anonym-yr4qn]

Some can be very toxic by being overcompetitive and petty. But yeah... Most of them are good examples. ( I think)

[@talunae.8924]

Honestly, I can't play the Souls series (or Elden Ring for that matter) because of the dark atmosphere. It's too anxiety-inducing for me. I like watching other people play, but I'd really need a lighter version. Not easier, but less depressing.

[@Bot17....]

@@talunae.8924 struggling through it is what teaches you to overcome anxiety. I used to not like any souls games because it felt like I was less happy, but eventually forcing myself to beat one taught me that its about persevering through fear to be better.

[@Yorikoification]

@@talunae.8924​​⁠Yeah don't play Dark Souls, this video right here is biased as all hell. There are many other games that give you the same or more challenge with a greater hit of dopamine once you clear them. Play Dragons Dogma, it's a fantasy game, similar to DS in a lot of ways, also drawing upon the influences of Berserk. However it has a more fun combat system that actually lets you be cool once you master it. The story and themes it explores are fantastic If you're looking for a hardcore challenge in terms of combat you could try Sifu, it's a hand to hand martials game with some mystic undertones. As a veteran of many melee games, even I got my butt handed too me at first. However the satisfaction of overcoming adversity is unrivaled there. Story is straightforward, ye olde tale of revenge.

[@ZacTBH]

You don't lose when you die, you lose when you give up, dark souls taught me persistence.

[@Appreciateyo]

You people really need to stop exaggerating. Get a load of these bitches below me.

[@rendog9346]

@@Appreciateyour username is hating, ur comment is hating, why comment when u know no one is gonna take ur opinion seriously?

[@fameus4423]

@@Appreciateyo What exactly is the exaggeration here?

[@jkloveyourself]

​@Onepieceistheworstfuckinganime W username W comment

[@AToustic-user]

@@Appreciateyobased on your profile name and picture, I assume you are a very pessimistic person. I hope you can find some happiness in your life for you own sake and those around you. Spread positivity and be kind to everyone.

[@runfreeauto]

Back in 2020, i was diagnosed with Leukemia. For those who haven't witnessed the treatment process, it's brutal. Everything hurts, you get pumped with poison until the disease is gone, and then they double back. Friends and family came and went, but at the end of every day, all i had was DS3 and my thoughts. I remember when i finally beat Aldrich, and i audibly celebrated. When the battle music fades, you become so conscious of the hospitals silence. It was in that moment i realized that this battle was my own, the disgusting sludge that was the beast, was my disease. Gwnn succumbed to the mass, but i would not. With my confidence and Artorias' trusty blade, i went and kicked the Dancer's ass too. I am now 2 years in remission 🧡 Beautiful video!

[@SuperDeadRex]

I’m so glad you’re here to tell the story, you made your own Souls journey and here you are, even though life tried its best to knock you out, you just simply couldn’t go hollow. I’m proud of you, keep fighting the fight stranger, ♥️

[@runfreeauto]

​@SuperDeadRex thanks friend ❤

[@zade8586]

Well wishes!

[@Townes.VanZandt]

Damn man, pretty gnarly stuff. The strongest souls are seared with the deepest scars. Stay tough!

[@rydonwunali]

damn,made me tear up

[@renancoelho6831]

One ds2 quote (it was my first souls game) got me by surprise and still hits to this day: "My blade may break, my arrows fall wide, but my will shall never be broken". Truly inspiring.

[@Estoc_Bestoc_]

"Seeker of fire coveter of the throne. Seek strenght... the rest will follow"

[@Mr.Honest247]

EPIC.

[@CHRISTOSANESTI2023]

@@Mr.Honest247its why deep down, Dark Souls 2 is the best one

[@Appreciateyo]

Why are you people trying to make this franchise deep when I not? I played a few souls games but I really don't see the big deal so settle down.

[@CorporateClimbers]

You just dont take any effort to immerse yourself into the game. the same could be said for a game like assassins creed, that the game is not deep but when you truly try to ​immerse yourself into the game it changes the whole experience@@Appreciateyo

[@sirsatan6498]

you know, the fact that i tear up at the phrase "don't you dare go hollow" really shows how much of a impact this game had on me.

[@magmatic8445]

IM NOT THE ONLY ONE? I THOUGHT I WAS GOOFY AS HELL FOR DOING THAT

[@xanderskaggs5537]

if i remember correctly the quote comes from the pyromancer in ds1

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

​@@magmatic8445 It's a known, common thing

[@112523]

That shit still hits me to my core

[@HolyGarbage]

I haven't even played the game nor heard the phrase before, yet it had that effect on me hearing it for the first time in this video, because of what it implies.

[@caraldinho]

I know it sounds silly, but when i went to upgrade my weapons once again after 80 hours of ingame time and Master Hewg greeted me with: "I knew you'd be back" instead of assuming i'd died, i got a little emotional. It felt like someone actually believed in me after i have proven myself

[@srossiter81]

Master Hewg is the greatest souls blacksmith

[@DodgyDaveGTX]

Still doesn't make him any less of a dickhead though.

[@plugshirt1762]

@@srossiter81 this would be true if my main man Andre didn’t exist

[@WayneRoberts72]

@@plugshirt1762 He appears in the first and third.

[@plugshirt1762]

@@WayneRoberts72 yes he does

[@paulodanteneto1645]

I knew that "And Don't you dare go hollow" was coming, but It still hit me like an emotional truck. Loved this one.

[@lucashilcenko9165]

Same

[@gabrielvieiramoura5943]

I just finished the video and was going to comment that, and yours is the fisrt one. Damn... Such a powerful simple phrase

[@cherrydragon3120]

@@gabrielvieiramoura5943 its the same with Git gud. It is not only about getting good at the game. Its about learning from mistakes, getting mote confident in your own abilities and inteligence. If you figure out a bossfight and beat the boss. You didn't just git gud. You struggled and bested an otherwise permanent obstacle. But trough hardship and trial and error you managed to beat the boss. You got better. And next time, you know how to fight this boss. And perhaps write Bout it on reddit speading around how to fight the boss for those who weren't as fortunate to figure it out themselves. You just got gud.

[@cloudshifter]

@@cherrydragon3120 You don't need to git gud, you need to get smart. Most people willing or unwillingly severely handicap themselves and then wonder why the game is too hard when it can be a cakewalk as intended.

[@plugshirt1762]

@@cloudshifter I mean it’s not nearly as fun if you use everything available to you. The games all very directly let you choose your own difficulty so choosing to use everything available is the same as putting it on easy mode the same as playing soul level 1 would be hard mode

[@Ircaleonius]

The quote that hit me the most from the Souls serie was from Karla the witch in DS3. ''Oh, are you lost on your journey. No matter. today's lost are conquerors tomorrow. It only demonstrate the making of a champion.'' That quote made it's way back to me on the edge of suicide. Saved my life. Made me a better man.

[@buddhawasright]

better man/bitter man.

[@DepressedCrow]

​@@buddhawasright A better man is made from bitter men

[@buddhawasright]

@@DepressedCrow agreed.

[@bladelazoe]

Well said, champions are only Made from being lost on a journey of adversity.

[@matthird3961]

Karla hit you with the “todays tears lube the cheeks we clap tomorrow”

[@cryonix226]

I've been telling myself "don't you dare go hollow" for years now, I didn't know it was so widespread... I feel like a part of something bigger, thank you dark souls

[@cheese_vision5761]

I've been on both sides, except i've been numb for a while, i constantly tell people who ask for my advice not to follow my path, my path has turned me hollow, i have used the words "dont go hollow like me" to try to help my depressed friends

[@issue_1337]

@@cheese_vision5761 Hey man... I hope you are doing okay. As long as you still wake up in the morning, it is a good fight.

[@cheese_vision5761]

@@issue_1337 my body forces me 2 cary on, so its just basicaly a empty husk refusing 2 collapse

[@joe5959]

​@@cheese_vision5761find a reason beyond yourself. Youll do good.

[@bluevines1303]

​@@cheese_vision5761 what is an empty husk that refuses to die but one that still has even the smallest glimpse of light and life in it yet. Your not hollow my friend you still have that light fight to keep it

[@dianalawnder5282]

Ok but there's one interesting thing about the souls games that helped my anxiety that wasn't quite touched upon but I think is worth discussion. Dark Souls requires and fosters a healthy relationship with failure. The subtitle of the first game "prepare to die" is not a warning or a challenge, its damn good advice. You will fail at some points, thats unavoidable, but it's not always a bad thing, when you die and drop souls you're encouraged to go back there to collect them, to try again, sometimes when you struggle with a boss, it's good to have runs where you don't nessasarily aim to win but instead to learn their patterns and experiment. Failure can be devastating when you lose all your souls but you can't just load a previous save, you have to move on. And something I've taken surprisingly to heart, us that sometimes failure is unavoidable, that sometimes it will hurt, but we always need to keep moving, and most importantl of all sometimes failure is the first step to success Also I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about Taz the Tasmanian Devil sounds surprisingly a lot like the real world animal

[@Rexsar813]

Failure is a part of life, and finding peace with it and living with it is healthy. After all, there would be no victory without failure.

[@xANTHQNY]

taking shots aiming to fail but to learn the patterns along the way is the biggest one for me

[@BlakeTheDrake]

I kind of get this... I've never been good at dealing with failure, to the point where it's been known to send me into a mental downwards spiral all by itself. But once I started playing Elden Ring, I was forced to find ways to cope with it. Because sometimes, you ARE going to lose all your hard-earned runes. Even if you git gud at the fighting, you're gonna mess up a jump at some point and take an instant-death drop, and then do it again a bit earlier as you're trying to get back to where you died last time. What I learned was two things: Firstly, recognize when you're about to do something risky, and take steps to minimize how much you put at stake. (That is, spend your Runes so you can't lose them.) Secondly, I know where the game's prime grinding-location is, and if I lose a large number of runes, I go there and run a few rounds of it to make up for the losses - in other words, knuckle down and just work a bit harder to compensate for the loss. Both, I think, very applicable in real life as well.

[@DodgyDaveGTX]

The most irritating but also logical feature of Elden Ring on PC is its ability to circumvent simply pressing 'Alt-F4' and instantly killing the program the _instant_ you die in hopes of restarting back at the previous auto-save instead of dying, by somehow quickly autosaving while killing the process. It's sneaky, but clever: ALT F4 is a trick (well more like a lazy cheese) I often find myself falling back on in other games when I typically fuck up & promptly rage quit. But no. From Software have thought of everything - and I'm left with a mixed response of saying "FUCK YOU" to the devs while simultaneously tipping my hat at them.

[@Torpax_]

@@DodgyDaveGTX lol the "I hate you, but damnit I respect you"

[@ExeloMinish]

"These games provide a provocation. They insist that they can't be bested and they dare you to try and prove them wrong." This sentence is kind of hilarious because it's pretty much the same feeling leading to people complaining about how Pokémon rivals today are too nice and how they want a smug rival who rubs his ego in your face again. Dark Souls is the Gary Oak of video games.

[@4ncientGu150]

Underrated comment XD

[@nathancarter8239]

Very cool of you to turn "the Dark Souls of X" on its head like that.

[@thanquolrattenherz9665]

dark souls is the ripped 7 foot tall gary oak with an prostetic arm challenge you to a duell.

[@DarylTalksGames]

Absolutely, I also think it's a big reason people add difficulty to Pokémon thru nuzlockes and other self-imposed challenges. They want pokemon, but they also want beating it to actually mean something.

[@jirehtheprovider]

while agreeable, i believe that there is a reason why Miyazaki's game design philosophy is something that most other bigger publishers Do not dare to create and market to general audiences.

[@damariusmarkes1865]

There’s a reason why generally I’d say 80% of the fanbase is extremely friendly and helpful, it’s a certain type of person tht enjoys these games

[@YokoDavi]

Until Elden Ring now the fan base how some people that aren’t true fans

[@Ronam0451]

@@YokoDavi boohoo

[@Daniel-zg5mb]

I'd even say 90%. Unfortunately, it's the 10-20% that is loud enough to be the face of the fanbase

[@user-lr7fv6td5y]

it’s called “dark souls” for a reason

[@SaintsFan09-z3s]

@@Ronam0451 found one

[@abandoned__]

one thing i really like about soulsborne games is the messaging system. it reminds me that we're in this unforgiving world together and after beating a boss and reading a little "i did it!" message i just take a step back to appreciate everyone who came before and who will come after me. that mentality bleeds into real life and it genuinely does wonders

[@digitalon01]

Years ago when I got my chance to play and beat Dark Souls for the first time I had a profound realisation about the concept of hollowing in that game. The reason your character never goes full hollow in that game is because YOU as a player never gave up. So in essence all the players who ever played Dark Souls and eventually gave up actually became hollow. My personal head canon is that every player that quit Dark Souls is represented in the game by one of the countless hollow undead you encounter in it. Only by overcoming the challenges and beating the game can you escape that fate.

[@JPCabz]

fk thats dark, dont worry my guy I left on Ds1 due to elden ring, Ill be back for you after this

[@labakrapscalio451]

That's actual cannon. Facts

[@Mohobofo]

That's pretty much exactly the point

[@zvkronos]

Wow, thats right on the money

[@josephray6264]

I thought our character was already hollow because the look like beef jerky zombies

[@TheSpellShell]

“don’t you dare go hollow” I remember saying this to myself while escaping the worst job in my life and succeeding it. I've finished DS1 at that time. And while having a mild ptsd and having anxiety of looking for a new job I played and finished whole DS2.

[@apolloeggo3677]

Gonna make me cry man, godspeed

[@TheRiolan]

Literally the situation I'm in now. Seeing your message helps a lot.

[@theduckaholicgamer7976]

Struggle on, friend. Stay safe, and dont you dare go hollow.

[@chillplanet8269]

Stay safe friend don't you dare go hollow

[@invertebrado]

Oh mate, I feel really sorry for you, is something nobody should ever have to deal with. To play DS2 is, truly, the worst thing to happen to a soul

[@GluttonPeach]

“Don’t you dare go hollow” got me through the hardest part of my life so far, I’m so thankful for these games and the community we’ve built.

[@YokoDavi]

Literally Man

[@perenti666]

same here

[@МихаилЖелев-й2х]

Nobody in MY LIFE made me as proud of myself as the Nameless King. The feeling of conquering that mountain after 150+(i stopped counting) deaths was like nothing I've ever felt. Thank you Miyazaki for your works, for as much as you are hated by scurbs you are loved by those who beat the games.

[@Mafia18822]

I felt the same beating Ishin Sword Saint in Sekiro. Absolutely transcendental experience being able to surpass something that seems absolutely impossible at first. And the first victory over them is always so sweaty, your heart pounding in your chest as you see the boss' HP reaching lower and lower, the adrenaline coursing through you because you know that this is it, after all this suffering THIS TIME is the one you will be able to beat it. Absolutely divine

[@Villager-]

This is me except its pontiff sullyvahn. I never had a hard time with nameless king because i know how to engage and disengage camera which makes the fight 80% easier.

[@zeehero7280]

Someone needs to make fan art of Nameless King the supportive big bro! OH maybe draw him like Kamina! Believe in the me that believes you can beat me!

[@VoidySan]

God bro, the nameless king fight is so awesome.

[@dandykuma]

I showed this to my mother who has Multiple Sclerosis and despite the fact she doesn’t play any video games it seemed to truly lift her spirits. I explained to her the meaning of “don’t you dare go hollow” and she seemed to really resonate with the concept. I’m usually not so open when it comes to sharing these sort of things but I just wanted you to know all your hard work has had a profound effect on both me and my mother. Thank you Daryl

[@SOMNIUM.]

Wish your Mother and you an amazing life ahead mate!

[@dandykuma]

@@SOMNIUM. thank you 😊 we are taking it just one day at a time.

[@eduardozenobio3081]

The SoulsBorne games, or the from soft games, are an amazing example of how a game doesn't need to rub its message in your face and actively explain it. The message is absorbed by the player in the experience, while overcoming the challenge. Great video as always

[@GoGoTomoko]

dont go hollow

[@Feloplip]

@Zinc Deficiency Stop making me try to defeat the goat demon thing my pc would die Edit, cause dumb: Playing darksouls has made me try a little harder. While, well, I was playing it- I can say I stopped trying to do a lot of stuff once I dropped dark souls because of, well, dying everytime i saw the caprademon and those damn dogs and how I need to use someone else's pc to play it. Drawing is hard and living too, guess I got hollow once I stopped trying so hard in darksouls Not that much But a bit, for sure

[@Feloplip]

@Zinc Deficiency Yeah, it's pretty much on the "no pain no gain" path I believe? The more you try, the more chances of getting what you want or need. Killing a boss in dark souls gives the same energy of finally finishing some job irl, at least for me

[@Researcher_Jim]

You need to make the mother of all omelettes Not sure why I wrote this, I think it was because I was looking at metal gear rising revengance memes and happened to stumble upon this video. Not sure what it was in response to.

[@UnaturalShadows]

It's called "ludo narrative"

[@SurveyingBTS]

"Don't you dare go hollow" has always felt like a warning for real life. With depression, you feel hollow. The correlation almost feels intentional.

[@leocheung8860]

imo "going hollow" is more like losing yourself in the process, rather than being depressed itself. In most souls games each character has their own struggles, just like how each one of us have our own difficulties in life. Whatever our struggles are, what's always the most important is to not give in to the hollowness, to not give up our very own soul in the process. You can fight, you can grieve, you can be sad, you can feel lost and not know what to do, but you can never give up. Once you give up for good, you are gone. Lost to the nothingness that is hidden deep within every single one of us. You must fight, you must struggle, no matter how hard it is. Only then you will persevere. It's a common struggle within the souls universe, and it's a struggle we all share in the real life. It's a reminder for us that it is ok to feel sad, it is ok to feel helpless, it is what defines us, what makes us human after all. But no matter what we do, we must NEVER let the hollowness take us. Do whatever to maintain the struggle, for if we give up, if we become numb, and, hollow in the process, the very definition of our humanity is truly lost.

[@SurveyingBTS]

@@leocheung8860 Well said. That's pretty much how I feel about it myself.

[@HasegawaRayven]

So far as I remember it, in the lore of (At least the first) dark souls, Hollows are still just like you, dying and resurrecting at bonfires constantly. The key difference being that they've eventually "given up". That the trauma of constantly dying, being beaten down by the world, and seeing the madness all around them constantly got to be too much for them, and their resolve broke, losing their sanity in the process. To paraphrase a JoJo reference, "...Eventually, stopped thinking." Hollows aren't just some mystically raised zombie, they're people that gave up on their rationality and stopped existing as a thinking person because of the horrors they were exposed to. People hanging on to their memories by their metaphorical fingernails, as each death makes a little more slip away from them, until they no longer care enough to keep trying, and all that's left is a shell that operates on animal logic and instinct.

[@chainclaw07]

It's literal in darksouls, when an undead loses purpose it loses itself and over time becomes hollow. Which is literally the feedback loop that people with depression often find themselves trapped in. In darksouls 1 the undead find themselves in the land of the gods. Where there is purpose and obstacles to overcome. So look around and pick a purpose and make it your own. Make your soul burn as bright as the grossly incandescent sun.

[@DepressedCrow]

​@@chainclaw07 well said friend \[T]/

[@Menachii]

I’m a 19 year old kid that struggled with depression for the last 5 years. I was a loner, I denied party invites, hangouts, a few relationships and even friendships all because my mental health was absolutely at its all time low. And sure, I’ll admit that I’m not fully healed. But souls games have saved me. I was close to quitting on my first play through of Elden Ring because of the difficulty the game put into their bosses and even minions. But it taught me that it’s easy to give up. But those that keep on trying. Those that give it their all and push forward. Those people are the ones that truly live. I was so lost in my own head that I honestly believed I was meant to be alone. I didn’t feel like a leader nor a follower. I felt like I was just there. But fighting these bosses multiple times and constantly stressing made me realize that I had a fire in me. A passion for wanting to keep on trying until I get better. It showed me that I was more than just a hollow. This world is cruel, there’s no denying it. But the fact that it allows you to constantly lose until you win is just so amazing to me. There’s beauty in the struggle. It’s a gift to be able to try again. Realizing this, truly made me a happier and more grateful person. I’ve gained the ability to feel. To cry. To be sad. To be happy. A quote that also opened my eyes was, “Every man has two lives, and the second starts when he realizes he has just one” - Confucius. I’ll always be grateful to souls games for saving me.

[@EricGranata]

❤️ 💪

[@beeela5787]

There’s Beauty in the struggle. Very well said.

[@mts4651]

Beautifull message Now a new Souls game is started and thats your life. Anyone can have the chance to win but never give up ! 👍

[@hawkshot867]

You should read Berserk, if you want to follow this train of thought more. It was also the inspiration for pretty much all of the Souls games, both emotionally, philosophically, and artistically.

[@Igor_Kru]

"don't you dare go hollow" is one of the greatest lines to come from a video game

[@Dark_Peace]

Is it from the game itself or the community ?

[@Igor_Kru]

@@Dark_Peace it's from the first Dark souls. One of the npc's says it and now its been used by the community. Its amazing

[@Dark_Peace]

@@Igor_Kru i see thx

[@jordanhatt6824]

@@Dark_Peace I believe it's a line by siegward an npc friend

[@jironamos7650]

@@jordanhatt6824 Actually its Andre the blacksmith, usually he says that when you are leaving the shop.

[@LordZeebee]

Another huge contributing factor is, at least in my mind, the very particular way Souls games handle multiplayer and how that's weaved into the narrative. In all Souls games, while the world as a whole is lonely you are yourself never truly alone. It's your journey and it's your victories but there are always others, fleeting ghosts from other worlds, passing by on their own journeys. Souls games are a surprisingly communal experience. Even when you're not actively summoning other people into your world the landscape is filled with notes from your fellow Chosen Undead, guiding you and cheering you on. The asynchronous multiplayer features of Souls games build a sense of shared suffering, a sense that the world may be dark but together we can carve our way towards the light, that there are always others who are on the same journey as you. Even the lore reinforces this, you are not the only Chosen Undead, not the only Bearer of the Curse, not the only Ashen One. You are but one of many and are given the tools to help your fellow travelers succeed. It's not by accident that the item used to enable online features is "Humanity". Because that is what's at the core of being human, to care for each other. To help those in need, to pass down knowledge, to survive *together*. Depression often results in loneliness and often times that loneliness is precisely what's keeping you from healing. You have no one to lean on, no one who can help you. Souls games can remind you that there are other people out there, that they want to help you, that this world does not need to be braved alone. Don't you dare give up, don't you dare go hollow. We've got your back if you need us, you can do this.

[@airhead3409]

Beautifully written.

[@Duplicitousthoughtformentity]

Don’t give up, skeleton!

[@GluttonPeach]

Fuck yeah man, couldn’t have said it better myself

[@chuckled125]

I'm playing through dark souls 1 right now, sad that the network is disabled so I'm actually alone

[@scarzs69]

Thank you for the beautiful words fellow Tarnished.

[@unyielding.entertainment]

I just beat Dark Souls for the first time and I literally cried tears of joy. Because I realized I was so happy because of my own actions, not because of drugs, not because someone else was propping me up, but because I actually did something. And I know it's just a game, but it really does put things into perspective. You can accomplish anything if you just keep trying, never give up, never go hollow.

[@leightstadb9164]

The point is… its not ‘just a game’. Well done.

[@bowichan2407]

This comment made me tear up a little.

[@narfdc2043]

Honestly it’s such a good game. I used to be such a quitter, in a lot of ways. I just didn’t try, didn’t put effort in. I remember my first souls game I put myself through in a last ditch effort to try. Dark souls remastered. God how I raged. And when I got to ornstein and smough. 13 hours. It took me thirteen hours to beat them. After that fight, I was a changed man. Really, I was. I’d never put so much effort into anything. I always ran and hid from my internal pain, my emotions and problems, because it hurt too much to face it. And most of all, I ran from my sexuality because embracing it meant losing people close to me. dark souls taught me to face my problems down head on, and to never stop until I have overcome it. It’s helped me heal, because I’ve faced the darkness from my past. I was never depressed or suicidal, but it affected me in a different way. And it also made me proud, like you, of accomplishing something. I’ve beaten most of them now, a series most people fear to even try, and I’ve beaten them all.

[@relevation0]

​@@narfdc2043😂

[@antoni1201]

“A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but because of its persistence.” James N Watkins.

[@KillerPsycho101andGames]

When i was homeless during covid lockdowns i had dark souls on my switch and after work every night id play that game. It helped me keep going and made me feel like even though life was hard at the time i can get through it. I have found my career as both a handyman and a chef. I live in a house (renting better than having one). And im happy. Thank you Miyazaki for your masterpieces.

[@lewisf2098]

Demons' Souls Stockpile Thomas had a line that stuck with me. "You have a heart of gold. Don't let them take it from you." It's my favorite version of the motivation the souls games put in you. I believe whatever souls game you play first you'll appreciate the quotes from most.

[@Morraak]

Definitely one of my favorite lines too.

[@DravenThegloriouscat]

Ds 2 “Seek strength, seek adversity, the rest will follow” stuck with me since I was 16

[@EGH666]

@@DravenThegloriouscat you mean "Bear.. seek. seek. lest.."

[@_krbrs_]

DeS was my first Souls, before i really loved Souls. I remember vividly Stockpile Thomas's quote.

[@swordsaintbrie]

mine was dark souls 2, but the first one i beat to completion was ds1. "don't you dare go hollow." that shit stuck with me.

[@654kyu]

I don't know why, but the last part with "don't you dare go hollow" is exactly what i needed to hear right now. Never could i imagine that i needed someone to tell me those words. I feel relieved and that i am not alone to struggle. Thank you

[@thesunthrone]

You only lose when you give up. Keep marching forward!

[@biggie2chainz]

Don’t give up, skeleton😉

[@1234dptk]

Surprisingly I found this video on the top of my recommendations exactly when I needed to hear those words.

[@maximusdiximus-4827]

You are never alone.

[@CreateAmazment]

I won't lie. My first ever playthrough of DS1, when Laurentius said "don't you dare go hollow", I cried. Because it perfectly encapsulated how I was feeling at the time. I was in a really bad depression, and it truly felt like I was hollow. Emotionless, just kind of existing. But those words not only pushed me to win, and beat the game, they forever changed my life. I still struggle with depression, but now I have a tattoo of those words on my arm, as a constant reminder that no matter what mountain lies ahead of me, I can always overcome it.

[@az-cv1ql]

Talking to Laurentius still hits me in the feels every time I replay DS1 :')

[@Adraas410]

Good luck as well, don't you dare go hollow

[@redmotto5415]

“Praise the sun” :)

[@zorkhan9695]

The line literally had me crying too cause it was the moment I understood what the game was really trying to say. Ill never forget the moment I got dark souls, it changed my life

[@Gelato41_]

just take xanax

[@Spariteo]

"dont you dare go hollow" is the most wholesome quote that is applicable to so much and normal people would probably get something out of it but it can always make a souls player crack a smile

[@BroLuk83]

Crack a smile with tears in eyes!

[@Ookamisieshin]

I teared up a few times while watching this. Like many other, the Souls games have had a profound impact on my life and my worldview. Don't you dare go hollow friends.

[@Felipemelazzi]

14:43 "There is no luck" The Ultra Greatsword I got from that Black Knight on my first playthrough begs to differ on this specific point.

[@NekoTiTan3]

F U G S

[@Almighty_Mage]

Yeah there is still a good amount of luck involved

[@waleed.197]

You just get your reward for beating a hard mini boss in the game you will still die to some boss but you will learn there attached and overcome them and believe me when you play multiple souls games you will get better at the next one without you even notice (happening for me right now in elden ring ) and when you see yourself beating bosses faster then anyone else you will build your self efficacy even more then before cuz you now know that this wasn't just about luck it's also a pure skill you got

[@plumbummusic2051]

I spent at least 3 hours when I took upon fighting the tower black knight in DS1. Don't even remember if I killed it or had to come back the next day. Luck can only come through once you are able to defeat it.

[@lethalweeb4415]

T R U E It also doesn’t automatically win the game. You still had to be good to make it through

[@ahmeeklegend7393]

I have recently learned that I will be permanently injured and in moderate pain for the rest of my life. It's been really hard to cope. I can't do many of the things I enjoy anymore. This video really helped me with my mindset. It won't be easy, far from it, but I have to keep going. I'll do my best not to go hollow.

[@SoulReaperIsHere]

Don't give up skeleton!

[@Syenthros]

Try finger, but hole Oh wait, shit, wrong message! Uh... Don't you dare go hollow!

[@cherrydragon3120]

Stay strong mate.

[@mustaqimhassan7824]

chest ahead

[@jotaiyokai]

be well friend, and know that you are loved

[@cosmojelly]

This video made me cry. Thank you for putting words to a feeling I didn't know how to explain anytime someone asked me why I liked Souls games. It really made me think about how every time I went into a Souls game it was to escape reality but when I came out it was to confront reality.

[@dabeeramir1407]

Honestly, I was feeling super depressed lately and kept doubting music and couldn’t even be in public with breaking down, but after watching this video, I actually feel a lot better. Dark souls was never a game that I thought I would like but your videos always have something about them that make me feel relaxed and feel like I can do anything

[@SystemBD]

Keep going, keep trying. I am researcher who often has to give presentations in front of a public composed of experts in my field... I often fail, but thanks in part to having played all SoulsBorne games, I recover and get progressively better. And if there is something out of my control that destroys my plans (say, a pandemic or a war), I cry/scream for some hours, go to bed... and the very next day I start again with another mental "build".

[@deathless2554]

Don't you dare go hollow friend

[@adude235]

Don't give up, skeleton!

[@TheBillNye]

This fanbase is incredibly supportive. They remind me of the type of people that won’t criticize an overweight person for going to the gym, but instead feel proud of them for going.

[@k1xnt]

but when you stop showing up to the gym for a few weeks and they see you at Walmart buying garbage food they give you that look that says 'come on bro, you're better than that'

[@Forsen807]

Git gud casul

[@randomdude4946]

@@Forsen807get good at spelling 😂

[@caketits2723]

​@@Forsen807 Lol this is actually the fan base.

[@onliner_]

@@k1xnt this is a metaphor for summon users right?

[@BleachedGhostfiles]

For me, I didn't get these games until I started watching a streamer so challenge runs off dark souls 3, I love the atmosphere and the music, and having grown a lot since trying dark souls 1 I have it a try. The feeling of being able to see my growth with each boss as I got better, and having a sense of agency at a time in my life where I had almost no agency, it helped me get through a lot, and so these games will always have a special place with me. As always this was an awesome video and I look forward to what's next.

[@tommistheeldredgeone3006]

How did you comment 18h ago

[@BleachedGhostfiles]

@@tommistheeldredgeone3006 Patreons get access to the videos a day early, plus a bunch of other great things like Daryl mentions in the video.

[@MsCunningLinguistic]

I'm the exact same! Soulsborne games seemed like everything I would hate in a video game until I watched Ellen from Outside Xtra play Dark Souls for the first time, with guidance from her fellow streamer (and longtime Soulsborne fan) Luke. Watching her start out unsure and mildly terrified of the hostile world of Lordran, growing steadily in confidence until Luke was more of a passenger than a guide, it felt wonderful to be a part of. It's a huge reason why I bought Elden Ring when it came out, and what do you know, I absolutely ADORE it.

[@spliter88]

Sekiro or Bloodborne are a better starting point into souls games than the souls themselves. Especially the first Dark Souls, they yeach you to play very passively/defensively since they start you off with a shield, meanwhile thes games are at their most fun when you put yourself at risk and either parry or roll dodge, which is something Sekiro and Bloodborne teach you from the start.

[@danieldeforte3703]

Hello,,,so,,, I'll get vulnerable with ya,,,,,I'm a recovering alcoholic and addict,,,, shortly after my wife left me and took my daughter I stumbled upon Dark souls. Here we are years later and I'm still sober and crushing life. Dark souls in my time of need gave me something to focus my mind on and yes,,,,, when I finally beat Dark souls 3 I felt as though I can apply this same type of focus to everything else I struggle with!! Thank you so much for this video and letting me know I'm not alone! Peace out

[@adude235]

Don't go hollow, friend!

[@opedromagico]

Well.. Have been dealing with a debilitating illness for 6 years which is getting progressively worse, guess I'll give Elden Ring a try. Hope it helps me better deal with my mental health. Thanks for such a quality video, Daryl!

[@LADoesVideoGames]

This game series saved me in my life more than I’m willing to admit. I really hope you enjoy it!

[@LeTtRrZ]

Good luck. Elden ring taught me patience above everything. It’s going to feel shitty but that’s part of the therapy.

[@GeekRaj]

Just don't get mad or get yourself to rage over dying. Just keep thinking you are learning the boss moves more and more as you keep dying and failing. Failures are the pillars of success and this game teaches you that.

[@rustmw2459]

This game genuinely makes my want to end mine and others, especially the race of the devs.

[@Vapor.Steve77]

dont you dare go hollow

[@ForeverMasterless]

"Souls games save souls," literally made me tear up. Beautiful. I think this goes beyond just the difficulty, though. It's not just overcoming a hard boss that is part of the confidence building, but learning how to even play the game and figure out the story. The game gives you nothing for free, you have to earn everything, and you have to spend a decent amount of time being confused and just carrying on anyway. I think that translates to real life quite well, as it's often confusing, full of uncertainty, and we usually don't know what the best answers are but we HAVE to carry on regardless. I think a lot of mental health issues today stem from how comfortable most of us in the western world are in terms of our basic needs being met. Mere survival isn't really a struggle anymore. Yeah, we have to go to work and grind, but pretty much everyone knows where their next meal is coming from and only 0.2 percent of the US population is homeless. We've got it pretty fucking good. Dark Souls helps mental health for the same reasons that hitting the gym hard, or choosing to take a walk in sub zero temperatures, or taking a cold shower, or writing a novel, or fasting, or building a bookshelf from scratch, etc. does. Humans are DESIGNED TO STRUGGLE. We NEED to be exposed to healthy levels of stress that we are capable of pushing through and overcoming. Being comfortable is literally killing us. It's making us fat and it's making us fucking depressed. As someone who has struggled with depression my entire adult life, my best advice is always just go do something difficult. Run a marathon, climb a fucking mountain, hit the gym really hard every single weekend, go build something, go practice talking to women, and yes even beat a difficult video game. You need to forcefully assert your agency upon the world, you need to punch the fucking universe in the fucking face as hard as you goddamn can to say, "I'm here, I exist."

[@Mr.BlurryEyes]

Perfectly said. Also atmosphere certain areas to me almost accurately depict depression, suicide, anxiety ext.

[@Skyjengi]

Beautifully said

[@canyongamble8487]

"Just who the hell do you think we are"

[@kanseidorifto2430]

Well stated.

[@askiia8713]

@@canyongamble8487 PIERCE THE HEAVENS GIGA DRILL- wait wrong series

[@iamranch]

Sekiro really helped me because of the themes mixed with sekiros character just resonated with me. In Sekiro, the more sekiro dies, the people he has made connections with start getting sick with an illness called dragon rot. It is really deadly and they start coughing up blood. I like this concept because it makes me think that if I do end up dying like sekiro, I’ll just give people dragon rot. AKA people that I made connections with will be affected negatively if I follow through. And the saying “do what must be done” is said a few times through the game and it’s a good saying with a lot of drive, because it means to do what must be done to accomplish your goals and you need to keep going to do that. Sekiro will always be one of my favorite games for the many themes it presents, how much I can relate to sekiro himself, and the amazing story and world of the game.

[@h4zrd-rs252]

I know it's a meme, but the phrase, "Hesitation is defeat" is something I tell myself when I'm unsure of what to do

[@iamranch]

@@h4zrd-rs252 it really is meaningful phrase outside of sekiro, I hadn’t really thought about it

[@Mr.BlurryEyes]

Wow I didn't think about that it's Soo True!!

[@CptSourcebird]

Damn, you actually make a good point about that. Even if I am in a better place, I am happy that I actually got to understand that bit of Sekiro.

[@talosgak1236]

@@h4zrd-rs252 Yea it helps me a lot with my social anxiety because in social situations hesitation is really defeat. If you hesitate too much the conversation will just end. Or the chance of talking to someone you want to goes away.

[@ethanhernandez9889]

With these games, there’s a question asked by them that I think no other game does and think it’s not “Can you beat the boss?” It’s “Will you beat the boss?” It’s a question of perseverance. The game awaits you, until you are ready

[@Rogers1977]

As someone who is struggling mentally, I can't say I've experienced this phenomenon with gaming. However, as a musician, I've experienced that same feeling while writing music. The feeling of accomplishment and discovering that I'm capable of more than I thought is an amazing experience, and it's kept me going with writing music, no matter how frustrated I get.

[@ramen4047]

Ive literally never played dark souls. My partner does though. The dialogue is so so raw and often makes me go into thought spirals. Hearing "Don't you dare go hollow" while he played genuinely made me stop and ponder what its truly means. Even if i have never played the games, i think i can testify that its effects, specifically from that iconic line, are very widespread.

[@iota-09]

It does mean a lot of things... While the basic meaning is "don't give up hope" it is much more than just hope, its isn't simply the desire to not stop retrying, it's desire to not stop period. Sure you may not beat that one big boss that's keeping you from acessing that new area, but it's not the only thing left to do, don't go hollow, don't stop, farm, explore elsewhere, learn the boss's moves, engage in pvp or co-op, talk with others in-game or online, anything. But don't stop, if not for a short rest. Don't go hollow. That at least it's how i interpret it.

[@DisgruntledPeasant]

Characters "go hollow" when they let go of whatever their "quest" is. For some characters like merchants, its their ability to be useful to others. For other characters it may be their relationship with another person (Lucatiel is on a quest to save her brother, goes hollow when she finds he is beyond saving). The broader story tangles with heavy questions, even going as far as to suggest that our personal quests are nothing but white lies, and that it would be better to go hollow, it fully explores that raw nihilism, offering the solution of absurdism; reality is so godamn bizzare that why not develop a healthy relationship with the illusiory world of our quests, so they can drive us forwards but also not destroy us when they fail. When characters in DS1 ask you not to go hollow, its not just for your sake, but for theirs. so many characters souls are dependent upon yours, and i think thats the big meta-message of the souls series. it may well be a solitary experience to chase whatever is holding you together, but you're never alone. you matter to other people even though you cant see it.

[@masonchapple7669]

To put it simply, to me the phrase "Don't you dare go hollow" means don't lose yourself, don't lose the essence of who you are. And as someone who has struggled with depression and found help and solace in these games I can tell you that when you have depression it does become very hard to hold onto the things that bring you happiness, and those quirks, hobbies, and loves that make you who you are. You can't justify giving yourself those things because you are unable to deal with many ordinary necessary tasks, and you begin to lose the essence of yourself. These games not only helped my self efficacy, they helped me hold onto the things I love that make me the person I am.

[@raedonspartalis1234]

i saw it as don't give up and keep going

[@MrSuperdude6]

When I saw you start streaming Dark Souls I knew we were gonna get one hell of a video, but damn. Having recently completed a couple of these kinds of brutal games, I definitely understand what makes them so appealing. You really feel an unrivalled sense of pride and satisfaction with your accomplishments. I'm really glad with Eldin Ring, it seems like they've made the games even a bit more approachable to people, because despite their unapologetic nature, I feel that a lot of people could benefit from trying them out. Hell, if my friend hadn't helped me through Dark Souls 3 in multiplayer and explained how it worked to me, I probably wouldn't have given FromSoft games another chance.

[@DarylTalksGames]

You’re absolutely right, Elden Ring does a great job of being more approachable to Fromsoft newcomers. I like that it does that to hook you and THEN gets absurdly difficult down the stretch haha.

[@benandrew21]

@@DarylTalksGames Yeah, it's the FromSoft version of accessibility. "We'll make a lot of the game a fair amount easier, but believe me we'll make you suffer for it later." I love that so much!

[@jgkitarel]

@@DarylTalksGames It doesn't take long for the difficulty to ramp up to levels that anyone familiar with Soulsborne games know and love. In this case: Margit or the Tree Sentinel even sooner. Both of which are there to basically tell you that you don't have to go straight to the objective, but should explore the game's absolutely beautiful world and get stronger in terms of your level, but also in terms of what you've found. Yes, the game has an objective, and you eventually get to doing it. But the game is all about the journey there. What's down that path? What will happen if I go into those not so obviously spooky woods? How does doing this pan out?

[@Catahto]

I discovered this video just now, on a night when I am honestly struggling. This year has been the hardest year in my life for a multitude of reasons…but it was also the year I discovered souls games. They gave me an escape, and tonight watching this video gave me the same feeling it does to play these games. For everyone else going through a hard time rn, know you are not alone

[@baki3626]

This is actually my favorite "Psych of Play" so far. And that's saying A LOT. Well done, sir.

[@chinmoybiswas8257]

I knew i had a different relationship with fromsoftware games than with other games, but didnt know why. I think i got my answers through this video. I was depressed after i split up with my friends....but playing dark souls probably cured my depression. I usually dont comment in youtube videos, but i had to express my feelings....

[@DaRealKovi]

Thank you for doing so, man. Some people might be in the same place as you were.

[@cheothegeo2742]

express them more. you'll be a happier person :)

[@Goonshere]

I’m currently in a depression stump that is slowly killing me and playing elden ring and listening to the lore has honestly kept me going for the last couple weeks. I just want to go home and get stronger on my character and not focusing on my issues. And being able to overcome something even just a boss after so many attempts has brought some measure of joy back into my life. I’m not a good gamer by any stretch so I’m especially bad at these games which makes beating bosses all the more rewarding and is honestly helping me more then my pills have thus far let’s hope it keeps getting better even little by little

[@SuperDeadRex]

Every day you decide to get out of bed and tackle your day, it's already a win. Anything else is extra runes to level yourself up. Regardless of how a day went, it's 1 less fight ahead and 1 more day of experience in fighting. It can kick ass for a long time, but at some point you develop a thick skin, and even dare to push back a bit. When you realize it, there’s no more kicking, it's just you. You can only get closer to the end of the forest if you decide to take the next step. Keep fighting stranger, I’m proud of you

[@jshklt]

Sounds trite but make sure you're taking care of your body too man. Eat as well as you can manage and at get out for at least a few walks. Your brain will thank you. But also keep on grinding ER, you've got that too. Hang in there!

[@PuddleLP]

It’s nice to be able to take a break. Still, maybe view life the same way. The troubles you’re facing are in a very real way huge bosses you have to try to fight and fight again in your head until you got so good you can do it hitless. Sone day the self loathing one many feel, will be so introspected and fought that you can start believing in yourself.

[@sophiedyke17]

Oh same here buddy. I am by no means good at this game and sometimes I rage quit but I can’t help but go back and try again -something that I wouldn’t have done in the past with other failures. It’s taught me a great deal, and I love elden ring so so much. :))

[@vaqola9119]

One year has passed and is still my favourite video on the internet. Still means a lot to me

[@arthurdurham]

My marriage ended a bit before Elden Ring released. And it's been a real mental struggle to not obsess over the depressing thoughts. I tried a bunch of games but nothing could really distract me. But Elden Ring is the first time in awhile where something can just take my focus and mental energy so much that I forget all the stresses of the world. Being immersive and difficult really sucks me in. Other games (which I enjoy) don't always do that. They're something about the Fromsoft formula that takes the entirety of my focus and I can't ever just play it on autopilot. And having a deep story but little in cutscenes and exposition means I'm not getting distracted watching something and thinking about my life. Elden Ring just gives me a few hours a day to get lost in another world where my problems are physical monsters I can defeat as opposed to mental ones in real life. And there's a real sense of accomplishment and growth with these. I'm so glad Fromsoft makes the games they do. It's been such a help in my life and especially now.

[@Axxxel_in_Harlem]

You got this dude. Hoes are temporary, gaming is forever 🎮💪

[@zombiemachinery4868]

Stay strong. Just don't get married again.

[@Axxxel_in_Harlem]

@@zombiemachinery4868 Terrible advice.

[@zombiemachinery4868]

@@Axxxel_in_Harlem, do you want him to get run by a car twice?

[@leo_ping4045]

@@zombiemachinery4868 bruh

[@unexpectedbonk4049]

I'm currently doing a masters degree in psychology and my hope even before finding this channel today was that I'll be able to look into this sort of thing for my dissertation. I believe for some video games cam be used as viable treatment for many disorders. Most studies at the moment focus on visuospatial capacity benefits of gaming but I sincerely hope that by looking more at specific content and structure of games such as dark souls benefits in other areas can be found.

[@BruttiF27]

Perhaps an experience with vr might help. Though no game has been created to treat disorders as of now, I'd think it possible to make some significant progress on the matter.

[@decorumlopez9147]

When some real life goals are beyond reach or problems eem insurmountable, choosing a weapon, learning to wield it, understanding a boss enemy and beating it can inspire confidence, warmth, light and hope. But, alas, the very moment the true power of narrative, level and monster design and snippets of dialogue is analyzed, interpretation and explanation before the subject had time to ponder on it themselves may prevent any and all beneficial capability. You don't hand out crossword puzzles or sudokus that are already completed. We lack inspiration. We hunger for substance, not just empty calories and happy pills.

[@bachiak1]

FS games are good therapy. Its like fighting your own demons

[@platosfavoritestudent6509]

Ik its not anywhere even in the same realm of comparison as a Masters, but i did my first semester final essay for my HS psych class on the way different games can affect people. For example, Skyrim fosters adventure, which incites curiosity, Life is Strange tells a beautiful story that really makes you think about things and analyze it, and how Doom Eternal triggers flow state, and how if used properly these can have positive effects per a certain situation.

[@jasonbeckstrand5553]

The book "The Gaming Mind" by Alexander Kriss is really interesting, I haven't read the whole thing, but I figure it might prove useful.

[@etiletsatsi5130]

I used to have crippling writer's block, for years, that drove me to alcoholism. The reason was toxic perfectionism, the kind that makes you terrified to even try. I got over it due to various processes but Dark Souls 3 definitely helped: I realised soon after I started playing it that it's OK to write shitty drafts, as OK as it is to die in a Souls game. You just get up and try again...and you grow. That ability to try again, however many times it takes, revealed how perseverance is probably the most important driver of growth, and thus success, in almost any endeavour. If you think about it like this: the games are infinitely stacked in your favour. The bosses have to win every time - you just have to win once. Just like if you can truly solve a problem of life: now it's dead, and you're alive, because you are in a sense immortal as long as you persevere.

[@pizza.doctor]

You sound like a good writer

[@anodyneliniment2326]

@@pizza.doctor You gigachad

[@tonoornottono]

@@pizza.doctor this is a fantastic example of grace

[@Zorlafsky]

Thank you for sharing this. This is really profound to me and hit me deep in my core.

[@haydenford3794]

this quote of "the bosses have to win every time and you just have to win once" really defines the soulsborne games because you have to go against something meant to be difficult but you can try over and over and over but once you do it, its done you have done it and you can move on

[@robertmcpherson138]

My journey was somewhat tangential to this, but still had a big positive impact on my life. I grew up with (I thought) this monstrous, out of control temper that would explode at the slightest provocation... in my mid 20s at university I was given my diagnosis of being on the spectrum. One of my biggest takeaways from that was that my "monstrous, out of control temper" was just my brain not being wired to handle frustration properly. This was something that really led to me look back and be able to re-contextualize myself, to look at myself in a kinder light. But now I had this thing, this problem with frustration, staring me in the face... and this happened at the time where I was trying to get into Dark Souls, I had tried a couple of times but bounced off, the pay-offs just weren't worth the negatives. But, with the help of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate things finally started to click. And I was finding as I played Dark Souls, and then in the future other titles of the series... I *HAD* to learn how to handle and manage my frustration. I had to learn coping strategies. I had to learn to recognize when it was getting to a point that I just needed to put the controller down and walk away for a while. My diagnosis showed me I wasn't a monster. But Dark Souls showed me that once I knew what the problem was, I could overcome it. I honestly believe I would not have the level of control over my frustration that I do now where it not for the Souls games. And it is something that has indirectly done a lot of good for my mental health. Thank you Dark Souls.

[@anotherfacelessname9270]

I recently came to the realization that playing through Elden Ring and then BloodBorne is what got me out of my state of depression. I was never able to figure out why, but it did get me out of a really low place. FromSoft games will always hold a special place in my heart

[@joshwood9164]

Near the end "...that you are not alone in your struggle" I think the phantoms in Souls games and especially in the more vast open world of EldRing are so important to that feeling. Being stuck in a dark cave with moaning ghouls with elongated arms and a hundred hands seems daunting. And then you see another players phantom swinging away or running or even just standing there thinking like you are. It always makes me feel better, they're still pushing on, and that makes me want to get through the endeavor even more. And rating messages like "I did it!" "Behold, Victory" is such a unique experience to the souls games, shared celebration of overcoming an obstacle.

[@colehaney8836]

For some reason, the phrase “don’t you dare go hollow” almost brings me to tears whenever it’s used. Also, just hearing the idea of “whenever that dark cloud came, I just imagined I was fighting a really tough bloodborne boss” really stuck with me. I think applying the same kind of determination I used to fight someone like Malenia will help me. It’s not an insurmountable mental challenge, it’s just a tough boss. With enough work and effort to improve, I can beat that guy with time. Thanks for this dude :)

[@MichaelKroska]

as a psyc major, i love the involvement of self efficacy and self esteem in this video! great job

[@MichaelKroska]

along with locus of control and the amygdala. genius

[@lethalweeb4415]

Learning to speed run sekiro and really feeling that sense of mastery once I stopped dying and again once I stopped getting hit is one of the biggest confidence boosts I’ve ever received from anything. I still remember my first no hit sword saint and just crying to myself afterwards because I had truly mastered something and that meant I could master whatever I wanted to

[@Daedaefer]

I felt that one brother

[@Mafia18822]

Sekiro to me is the absolute epitome of all of this. I played through DS1, 2 and 3 before playing Sekiro and when I finally did the game felt SO incredibly difficult, so much so that I actually started doubting that I was even capable of beating it. I struggled SO MUCH at the Ogre, the headless Ape, freaking sandpeople with rifles, and Ishin.. Sword Saint Ishin seemed so incredibly impossible that I almost gave up on it. But hey, I went through THE WHOLE GAME, won't stop on the last boss, right? And so I did, took me dozens of tries but eventually I was able to beat it. It felt absolutely amazing. And then.. Months later I decided to replay the game. And like... I couldn't even believe what was happening.. The ENTIRE GAME felt incredibly easy. Like parries, mikiri counters, jumping to dodge, breaking posture on bosses instead of slowly whittling them with damage and cheap combos.. Somehow, the entire game was trivial. It was such a beautiful realization, to see such unapologetic growth in my skill.. It was sublime.

[@samsoneffect]

@@Mafia18822 Sekiro truly boils down 'GIT GUD' to its barest essence, and I love it. OP is talking about a no-hit though, and I'm like...dude, I was just stoked to score a deathblow on Genichiro before needing to heal!

[@EdmundAlynJones]

As a bipolar person I’ve often felt life is on “hard mode” for me. I’ve been attracted to difficult games more and more as an adult because they feel like “practice” for the real world. Thanks for articulating my experience so thoughtfully.

[@GuacJohnson]

I'm actually in the middle of the hardest breakup after the hardest decision I've ever made in my entire life and without Elden Ring I honestly don't think I could handle it. Don't you dare go hollow.

[@Diaisdumb]

You're gonna need this to become the Elden Lord then. 👑 Keep your head up, king.

[@ashuranero5721]

How did you feel when you were called maidenless in the game?

[@mattr.1804]

@@ashuranero5721 lmao nooo

[@shtcoinmaxi1367]

@@ashuranero5721 😄😄

[@PrithviFrisbee]

@@ashuranero5721 you did him dirty bruh 😭

[@jackalreeves4161]

This is the 4th time I've watched this video and it makes me cry evey time... I found out why. Not only is this an extremely well made video with lots of learning studies etc, it also is about 20 minutes of uplifting stories, constant statements that inspire hope. Thank you so much for this video.

[@jackalreeves4161]

The line "after beating Artorias?..." sends me back to the time when I was sobing and spiraling hard, only to remember; "I beat O & S, I've gone through sens how many times without being hit, I've beaten darksouls. I can beat this"

[@rawrharhar]

This is the way. I think certain survival horror games also do this. Resident Evil being the series most notiable. You start off often alone, no real way to fight back, and by the end, you've learned to overcome the hardship. Gotta love it.

[@kit8588]

and rocket launcher. can't forget the rocket launcher.

[@utisti4976]

No wonder I've been getting into Resident Evil, let alone Fromsoft titles, in the past couple years. They are very visceral and harsh towards the player, but I can't help but feel they are a very spiritual experience for me. A test of will. That description is very dramatic, I know, but I will never forget the moment I beat Dark Souls 3 for the first time. Ever. I distinctly remember sitting on my chair, watching the credits roll, listening to the beautiful music while on the brink of tears. After years worth of bullshit and hopelessness I had to go through before I started playing, that moment was a moment of pure ecstacy for me, and it was just a stupid game. And a brilliant one at that. It changed my perspective on life. Then I played Sekiro. That did the same thing. Then I read Berserk, the inspiration behind Dark Souls, and that ended up doing the same thing. This video even more so. I wished I had enjoyed that blissful moment for just a bit longer. I decided to help my parents with something, but I really do wish I sat down at the computer for just a little bit longer to savor my little victory. It makes all the difference and I can't believe just how significant it was to me until now.

[@TheL1arL1ar]

@@utisti4976 Funny you mention dark souls 3…I was playing that game right before I went away to prison for a year…I was literally at the end of the vanilla game…and I was at the I believe the end of the painting…I went down to fight that wolf before I went toward the castle. (Bloodborne is one of my favorite games ever and it takes me back to a time when things where great…my family was complete. Now struggling with life and finally being able to rent a place again with my 4 children…single..and after all I’ve been through I’m ready for some elden ring…

[@AdelarLerigon]

15:00 "These games provide a provocation. They insist that they can't be bested and they dare you to try and prove them wrong." 16:35 "By climbing out of the pit that FromSoftware games throw you in, you're provided with first hand evidence that you can in fact overcome those demons. And you can do it on your own merit."

[@YuriUnlucky]

4 minutes in and I'm already crying. Dark Souls helped me get through a really tough period in my life when I had no one to turn to. This video in the first 4 minutes alone reminded why I play this series of games. Thank you. Side note. Similar to the Bloodborne guy who said he would see the issues as a boss, I did something similar. Whenever shit would get hard I always knew if I "went hollow" I would be leaving my family in such a traumatic situation. I know that I needed to stay strong for them and Dark Souls helped me find that strength.

[@ikarionnn]

I studied psychology back in college and was very familiar with self-efficacy but it was eye-opening when you said whether I attribute my success to my skill or external factors such as luck. I often attribute my failure to my skill inadequacy, but almost never attribute my success to my own skill mastery, especially in test. Most of the time, I thought that the test was asking easy questions, I was 'lucky' to remember a certain passage from the book, the teacher has particular way of grading test and as long as I follow their 'rule', I will pass the test, etc. Ever since I was a kid, I was already a bright student, but my parents often told me not to be arrogant or let the good grade get into my head, although at that point, I don't remember I was very arrogant about my grade. 'Be humble' was the message they want to teach me, but growing up, all I absorbed was 'my success isn't due to my skill, do not be too proud of myself'. Maybe that was why my self-efficacy is kinda feeble. I attribute my failure to my internal locus of control, but I attribute my success to my external locus of control (I understand there are certainly both internal and external explanations for failure and success, but I want to point out the stark black and white thinking in my head). I need to reflect this a bit more. Life sure is difficult when you cannot even believe in yourself. Edit for grammar

[@Kale13000]

It’s comforting to know that the hours I spent getting mauled by bosses and resisting yelling at the TV are worth something

[@Alufear]

Bloodborne was the battle of a lifetime for me. When I continually failed at Father Gascoigne, I was so low that if I had bought a physical copy of the game, I would have returned it. I'd never sunk to such depths of depression playing a game before, simultaneously knowing that thousands of git gud bros online wouldn't have my back. Then I watched some lore videos and talked to my friends who were also playing it, and decided I wanted to see the things that the game was hiding from me. I went back, eventually beat Gascoigne, and *much* later the whole game. I can't say getting to see what Bloodborne had to offer completely justified throwing me into a pit of anguish every few hours, but I can say that I did get through it. I just had to search for positive voices to encourage me and find the murderous will to keep going.

[@hugofontes5708]

Ay, a hunter is never alone, right? I'm sorry you felt the community wouldn't support you then

[@doconnell565]

@@hugofontes5708 The souls community is pretty awful much of the time. I wonder honestly if this same theory the video covers ends up rising already doing well on the self efficacy turn a little bit into jerks *OR* start externalizing their success. The people who are *GOOD* at souls games are the worst part of souls games. They treat everyone poorly.

[@mrguy124]

@@doconnell565 No, Elitists are the worst part. There are many good players that love some Jolly Cooperation.

[@doconnell565]

@@mrguy124 As best as I can tell thats 80% + of the community

[@uthergoodman401]

@@doconnell565 They are just a very vocal minority. Ignore them

[@jasonbeckstrand5553]

cool bits: 7:00 - "you suddenly felt relief that you could do what you once feared you couldn't." - self-efficacy 9:50 - Attributions (kinda like reasons why something didn't go as planned) 10:50 - how they're situational 12:30 - confidently attributing what we've done to our own skill being required to create self-efficacy through mastery experience

[@hawkshot867]

My best friend introduced me to Dark Souls and Demon Souls way back when no one knew who Dark Souls was. He went hollow a few years ago, and I miss him every day. He was my Solaire, and he got me through so much of my life that otherwise would have been overwhelming. I try to live up to him, and I hope he's proud of me.

[@willieg6696]

I didn't expect this video to bring tears to my eyes. I've been dealing with depression and anxiety for too long. I love the souls games, and it's amazing to hear how they helped so many people who feel similar to how I do. I've never commented on a YT video until now. This video I went to watch for the purpose of entertainment ended up motivating and inspiring me not give up when I've come close so many times. I never gave up on a difficult souls boss, so I won't give up on life. Thank you for this awesome video

[@gaunterodimm3569]

Dark souls 2 was my first souls game, and I still to this day remember how the it broke me and forced me to REALLY think about what I wanted to with my life considering my inevitable mortality and to put it simply how irrelevant my life & death will be. There's a lot of people preaching about how living in the present moment is the key to happiness BUT being forced to come to that realization from suffering in a video game, REALLY REALLY hits you in a whole other level.

[@btchiaintkidding7837]

The literal key to happiness is : trying to do what u are most afraid to do. That alone will supply u with ample happiness even if u fail, and if u succeed then the rewards are tenfold

[@frostedmczk]

Same

[@frostedmczk]

@@btchiaintkidding7837 that is actually very helpful, thanks man

[@4ncientGu150]

Haven't finished the video, just at the six minute mark. I love the Souls series, I feel like they've helped me learn to persevere. But the one, single moment that stood out to me most of all was in Bloodbourne. I remember the battle against Ludwig so well. He was a crazed beast, a monster screeching, howling and full of wrath attacking everything and anything near him. But halfway through, it changed. The sword slipped from his back and fell before him and he saw it, his guiding light. And he rose with the sword held in his hands as the music changed and swelled and rose. All I could think looking at it was that it was truly majestic. Watching this great man pull himself away from the monster and stand upright once again.

[@alpo67]

It gives you the sensation of "i will do better this time and beat this thing" and when you have done it, you will have that tangible example of being succeed. It's a such a great reward to have that feeling. It changed my mentality also my sleep patterns. Besides this, all the people i have encountered in this game have somewhat different plance in my heart. Like when i summoned someone or got summoned, i felt like helping my own brother or when i got invaded, the invader was the most geniuely hated man in my life in that point. Maybe i exaggerated some of these things but these series always have a different place in my heart

[@srivatsajoshi4028]

I really loved the writing in this video. The narrative flowed smoothly from one point to the other. And including Ranking of Kings clips is always appreciated.

[@EpsilonBiatch]

Where it really hit me in Dark Souls was when I got to that cozy bonfire in Blighttown, I looked at my character and I thought, hey my character looks really strong and cool now but he has been through a lot. And then it kinda hit me, wait, it’s actually me who became stronger, I’ve been through a lot, but I’m still here, stronger than ever. Then the game gave the term “Never give up” so much more power. Just hearing “never give up” bears no meaning, but this game showed you that you eventually overcame things and bosses that you thought were “Impossible to beat, impossible to face, impossible to land a hit on”, but you persevered. That makes you wonder how really “impossible” any challenge is, if you give it your best, learn from your mistakes, become better with every attempt, is it really impossible?

[@Madimonster64]

When I was in high school, I played Dark Souls 2. And it saved me from the depression I felt, losing my mother and brother. After high school, Dark Souls 3 helped drag me out of another bit of depression, having tried for so long to hold onto someone who just left like I meant nothing to them. Elden Ring is doing similar things for me today, though I don't feel nearly as bad as I did back then. I think this is the perfect explanation as to why though. The feeling of finally besting a boss that just an hour or two ago was one shotting you makes you feel like you can do it. whatever it is. you can do it.

[@luminaria822]

It's a little ironic that a video about Dark souls saves my lifes Your words at the end of the video helped me find peace and hope when all I could see.. Was Darkness. At my lowest and most lonely moments of my life: those words helped me push forward to another day. To feel at peace, even if it was just for a minute I didn't have any friends to save me back then... But you did with this video It also helped me to discover an amazing musiscian, Tenno I won't go into details any longer. All I want to say is... Thank you. Thank you for saving my life. -From a stranger that you never met before

[@Umbruh_Prime]

i think one of my favorite things is how you feel isolated, but still together with people. like when someone appraises your message and you get a little health back, or in dark souls 1 when someone else reaches a bell you can hear it in your world, messages on the ground, blood stains, the phantoms running by, all of it, you're never alone. even in real life. new game + being like "youve conquered your fears, now annihilate them"

[@blayneconroy3035]

Low key… actually high key one of the most elegant and engaging intros and transitions I’ve ever seen in a video. Not some intro thought of in 5 minutes just to get to the bulk of what this video was about, but precisely crafted. Well done, you’ve earned my sub

[@Eldelastrufas]

This is just beautiful. The power of souls games is real. I'm not going through the best time of my life but playing Elden Ring has truly helped me.

[@ChristopherD1999]

Playing the Dark souls series, Sekiro and Bloodborne has changed me forever. Accomplishing those games is something I am so proud of. Challenging yourself can be a good thing, that's what these games have taught me and also to never give up. At the end of all the anger, pain and frustration the reward awaits.

[@pedra1_]

"So keep fighting that fight, be safe friend, and don't you dare go hollow". Thank you for another amazing video Daryl. In this morning i wasn't feeling very weel, after watch this the things changed. Thanks, one more time.

[@samelliott6338]

I first started playing the Souls series during the start of the pandemic when we were all locked inside. During this time due to the lack of social interaction I fell into a depression and completely lost all energy and became a husk of my self. One day I saw my friend on my ps4 playing Dark Souls Remastered and saying how good it was. I saw it was on sale so I purchased it. At the start I hated it. I didn't like the constant dying and losing all of my progress. But as I forced myself through Undead Burg and got to blighttown through the depths everything just clicked and I fell in love with it. From then on I finally felt like I had a purpose as I had something to put my mind to. The moment I realised it was helping me for the better was after I had finally beaten Ornstein and Smough after four and a half hours. Once I had beaten this boss it taught me that no matter how hard or dark things can get, I must always get back up and try again and again until I escape the pit I am in. However, Also like Dark Souls I knew that there will be another challenge waiting for me that will be harder and tougher than the previous one, but as I knew the feeling I would get from beating said challenge I would keep trying and keep trying until I succeeded. I kept this up for 60 hours until I finally defeated Gwyn and linked the first flame. Dark Souls will stick with me for life and so will the most important and impactful quote of all time. "Don't you dare go Hollow" Laurentius of the Great Swamp.

[@augustusguap228]

you fell in love with DS after Blighttown ??. You were truly meant to find Dark souls

[@Axxxel_in_Harlem]

@@augustusguap228 I mean..there's a flaming, naked spider-chick over there. What's not to love?

[@RPGgrenade]

I've always been of the mind that videogames, and the challenges they provide, especially the higher challenge ones, give us a sense of being able to overcome challenges in life as well. It's really cool to see a video specifically about this. It makes me wonder, in fact, if the purposeful decrease in challenge most games tend towards may in fact be a detriment to those who play them constantly. It's a genuine concern I have.

[@utisti4976]

It's a concern of mine as well. I really hope that with the massive success that Elden Ring had will spark a major resurgence for difficult games back in the mainstream to the point where it's the norm again. Something was lost when hard games started to not be in the mainstream, that is something that everyone can't deny.

[@notproductiveproductions3504]

This proves game journos are bad for mankind

[@xelith6157]

I don't think it is detrimental. Video games are entertainment and escapism, just like novels and TV shows are. I doubt difficulty is a main factor. If playing games like Detroit: Become Human is detrimental to gamers, what about them watching Get Out? They serve the same purpose. They even have the same message. Difficult games have a purpose too, yes, that's why they exist. But so do easy ones. A good movie can be just as fulfilling as playing through Hollow Knight despite having not really conquered anything. And that's not a bad thing. Do we need more modern difficult games? I think yes, we are lacking in them. But "we" is just a certain amount of people. And those who need it will seek it out. Everyone finds fulfillment differently, and for a lot of people, it's not difficulty, but a dozen other aspects that video games have. There's nothing to be concerned about.

[@heszedjim9699]

@Xelith the minute from software reached mainstream, it got bombed with bad reviews because "There's no story" and "it's unfair" etc. It's probably not changing the general populus to thinking that most games are handholding and friendly, but the other way around. There still is a question of if that mindset is a healthy thing though. If not for the individual, then definitely for the quality of entertainment as it tries to appeal to that much larger group.

[@RPGgrenade]

@@xelith6157 my concern isn't within the media itself and the purpose it provides. My concern is one of general learned tenacity. The hard part is knowing the correlation one way or the other, whether people who are tenacious play these sorts of things more often, or if people who played these games more often became more tenacious, but there's seemingly at least SOME relation in there. I worry about the teens and young adults I see because a lot come to me (as a friend and confidant) about their struggles and their own mental blocks, which I can't truly understand. However the few I know who overcame it did so by overcoming things that were highly challenging. Much like in this video with self-efficacy, a large component of mental wellbeing is the idea of competency (ability to do stuff well and recognize that), relations (having enough good relationships you find satisfying) and autonomy (the feeling that you are making the choices within your own life) if you follow self determination theory. And based off of that concept it feels like not enough of them feel that first part of competency, and perhaps that affecting the feeling of autonomy as well. And I have noticed a lot of them tend towards activities with minimal challenge involved and seek comfort. The reason I worry about it is because in games (which I understand got easier due to competition and people don't usually like to struggle) which are a safe environment that really help in learning to cope and overcome failures and feel this sensation, it's a looot harder to feel that in a much easier set of games. So yeah, it's related to this video and the difficulty people have to learn this within life itself in a safe way (which I think games can do), it's been a concern ever since I started making videogames.

[@rudy2shoes]

I discovered Souls when I was struggling with alcoholism and I always thought it was instrumental in saving me, made me tear up knowing so many people thought the same

[@skunkpelz]

I love the little talk about Tasmanian Devils at the start. They were my favorite animal as a kid and they still have a special place in my heart.

[@SkulkingSkullKid]

I forgot to take my meds last night, so today has been really psychologically and physically challenging; I’m already feeling sensitive and highly charged. But this video made me cry-a lot. It’s also just well done. Good work, mate.

[@EnricoZenitani]

The "End of Fire" ending in Dark Souls 3 -- at least for me -- was what made me realize how much these games were a boost to my own sense of self-awareness, if not self-efficacy, when the firekeeper quietly says "the first flame quickly fades, darkness will shortly settle, but one day tiny flames will dance across the darkness." It was the game talking about its own narrative, and it was also Miyazaki's way of doing a little sidelong wink at the audience that he wanted to take a break from Souls games (at least at that time). But it was also, for me, almost like the game was coddling me and telling me that everything would be alright if I just kept persevering. I discovered the series during a time of pretty bad depression (after abandoning the first game a couple years prior because I didn't find the gameplay enjoyable and was getting too easily frustrated). Playing through the first two games, then Demon's Souls on PS3, then Bloodborne, and then Dark Souls 3 only to land on that ending, I wept for a good while without really even knowing why. These games have been so formative for me and I'm eternally grateful.

[@MMKnight_1]

What a wonderful video! Few things make me feel small, but this video did the trick. The way you have written it makes it really easy to just feel everything you say when you hear it. Well done!

[@alienaids3573]

My 1st experience with a soulsborne game was ds1. It was a good few years ago and I got it for free with xbox live gold, I was only around 12 or 13. I remember being able to defeat asylum demon and Taurus demon, but got stuck straight after at the rats under the bridge, quiting there and then after hours of trying. I then went back to it years later (around 15 or 16) whilst in one of my lowest points and the time I managed to get past them damned 3 rats, I felt self fulfilment that I had never experienced before, I still remember getting to undead berg non poisoned, and the careful sprint, searching for that bonfire, and the dread of hearing the clangs of metal, with the sudden release of the glowing fire and Andre. At that moment, I felt like I had overcome something in my past that I never thought I could, and giving me the determination to better myself. Fast forward to today, where yet again I've reached another low and picking up elden ring, hearing many people complain about this one big boss, and how it took them hours to complete, so I decided to do side bosses, beating that boss 1st try was one feeling i'll never feel again. I've never been too good at from soft games (beat ds1 and ds3 many times but quit sekiro and ds2), always dying multiple times to what are seen as easy bosses, so the feeling of beating this massive hurdle within my 1st try, I can't explain it. Thank you all so much, this community is one of the greatest out there, from the respect in a duel to the kindness with messages on the floor (as well as the jump off the cliff people). You all have brought happiness to so many people, helping them in their time of need, and encouraging us with the message of someone beating a shardbearer and I wish u all the best in your future endeavours And remember Dont you dare go hollow

[@lantzskidmore9386]

I feel like a lot of achievements can be played off as “luck”, when in reality they’re just tuned to your unique skills that you’ve gained over (insert time here). I beat Kalameet first try, and laughed it off as “just a Monster Hunter boss”. In reality, Kalameet is often regarded as a challenge inside the Dark Souls community - I just had the advantage of fighting similar bosses in the Monster Hunter series for 100s of hours. Likewise, I don’t celebrate when I get out of a bad week, because I’ve felt worse before. In reality, I’m using the same skills on a daily basis that I once used to claw myself out of depression. Even staying afloat requires upward force. You’re doing great. Don’t you dare go hollow.

[@yikes-claude]

I've been interested in Souls games for a while, and this makes me appreciate it more. Amazing video! :)

[@KAT-zz9dv]

Come on! You've gotta try it atleast once! You can start with Elden Ring since it is much more "friendly" because of many options that will aid you in your journey.

[@yikes-claude]

@@KAT-zz9dv I would! But I don't exactly have the money or the proper device to play it, so I'll just resort to watch people play it :)

[@Eidoridori]

Thanks a lot for this video. I felt my depression coming back and your video helped open my eyes to see that im a lot stronger than I remembered

[@corn2454]

This video touched me. I've mentioned this in other comments but I struggle with ASD, it makes my daily life incredibly difficult, stressful, and often leads to depression. I have poor reflexes and my sensory issues lead to me having genuine trouble seeing well enough to play a lot of games that try and make you feel like a cool hero, but Souls is different. It lets me know that I'm weak and unskilled, and that that's OK. These games let almost anyone finish them through entirely their own effort and creativity, and even when they beat you into a pulp over and over, they pick you right back up and give you the tools to try again and get stronger, which could be many different things for many different people, whether it be leveling up, trying a new strategy, or just grinding it out. Even the general stories of the souls games give me this comfort, traversing through a world that was not made for you and is actively hostile and surviving, working towards building a new one from the ashes. They tell you that you CAN accomplish things, even if you're small, weak, and feel helpless, you just need to persevere. Whenever I need to be reminded that I can solve my problems, I think of Souls and feel a renewed sense of strength. These games want you to know that you can survive. Fight on, and don't go hollow.

[@SoulReaperIsHere]

Just look at Ludleth in DS3. A literal manlet that looks as if he could get dunked on by a kid yet he linked the flame.

[@projectgg6730]

i think that the entire dark vibe of these games is what drew me to them originally. it was almost like an indirect way to face my inner demons or at least how i picture them. beating them to a pulp with a massive club felt so effin good and i feel like it helped prepare me to face my problems in real life instead of shoving them down like i've done for so long. this video put to words how i literally feel playing these games. failure isn't the end.

[@OmegaTaishu]

Been to "dark places" myself, but in my case the reason (at least at first) wasn't because I doubted myself or lacked positive emotions... It was just that I had given my all for a long time, but didn't see any satisfactory results (mainly because of society's standards). So, after a while I started to ask "why?" to all things, including those positive or necessary... "Why should I give my all here?" "Why should I even bother to do this?" "Why should I take this challenge posed by [insert souls game]?" Before I noticed, things were spiralling and I was losing control. The way I escaped this negativity was simply to lower expectations towards everything, and accept that reality doesn't *need* to reward oneself. All that hard work doesn't necessarily mean anything, depending on one's PoV. In fact, meaning itself is subjective. However, conversely, that also means you can create your own rewards. What matters is that which is precious to *you*, not some outsider's or society's standards. Do what you must to keep yourself alive and healthy (physically and mentally).

[@JPCabz]

Don't you dare go hollow friend, keep up the fight!

[@jaredelliott1240]

Kurkesagts video on optimistic nihilism explains these concepts nicely

[@dave_barco]

I've come back to this video like 5 or 6 times already but it still gets me all teary eyed at the end. Simply brilliant.