I Beat the Dark Souls Trilogy and All I Made Was This Lousy Video Essay

This is a full spoilers critique and exploration of my quest to make it through all three of Dark Souls action role-playing games. The video focuses on how much more open, free, and fun these games are than I was led to believe based on everything I ever heard of 'Git Gud'. Over the course of five hours, the video tries to figure out how the games support or detract from one another, the ways they're connected, and how a clumsy fool like me can find not only victory but comfort in their strange, sad little worlds.
This video made with production assistance from Nate Greene.
__Table of Contents__
Dark Souls 1 Remastered-- 00:40
Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the First Sin-- 1:42:14
DS2 Sunken Crown DLC-- 2:13:20
DS2 Iron Crown DLC-- 2:33:15
DS2 Ivory Crown DLC-- 2:45:42
Dark Souls 3-- 3:05:05
DS3 Ashes of Ariandel-- 4:00:14
DS3 The Ringed City-- 4:10:08
========================================
If you enjoyed this video and want to contribute to the production of others like it, please consider donating through the crowdfunding website Patreon: / noahcaldwellgervais

[@VaatiVidya]

It's wonderful to re-live the experience of playing for the first time through somebody so eloquent. Thank you!

[@nathanmalick8048]

Oh shit Daddy saw

[@colerichardson20]

Oh shit Daddy saw

[@mkpieris1]

I've fallen asleep watching your videos for the past 3 nights vaati, and I mean that in the most positive way possible you absolute legend

[@bastrdojenkins4478]

glad to see the man himself enjoying the same content as myself

[@pubgeezus1507]

Bloodborne

[@JacobGeller]

"Proud" is the wrong word for an internet writer I don't really know, but I'm just so so pleased you both made it through these games and had this experience with it. Watching this feels like playing them again for the first time.

[@LLoKKa]

This video is intoxicating to the point that I wanna go back and play the whole franchise again, now that I've finished Elden Ring (and absolutely love it). Btw, big fan of your channel :)

[@DetectiveOlivaw]

Agreed! I love to hear when someone tries these games in spite of their reputation and falls in love in exactly the same way I did. He even bought merch! Warms the cockles of the heart, it does.

[@homecomin]

Watching this as a Souls fan truly feels like a proud dad moment.

[@JoshBurcham104]

Having used the word proud in my own comment I know where you're coming from haha

[@Maffo__]

That's what I love most about this games, I think. Everyone has a somewhat different experience, and everyone will find some boss or area harder based on builds and skills. Discussing this games with my friends is so much fun, especially when it's their first time through. That's why I was so hyped for this video, Noah has such a way with words, I was extremely curious about his experience

[@LunarDelta]

One of my friends just pointed me to this video and wow, what a small world. Never would have thought it was you summoning me for video essay footage! Sorry I ruined your Ornstein and Smough, haha! I'm glad I could murderate for you on the Four Kings, though, that boss can be a pain without just the right build.

[@elilass8410]

that's amazing!!!

[@Inogat]

nice!

[@mkpieris1]

That's awesome, don't feel bad about O&S, you did what you had to haha

[@jasonlee1337]

This is beautiful \[T]/

[@nate567987]

thanks, and hi

[@stevethepocket]

"That is kind of the thrill of Dark Souls, isn't it? To have the whole world your enemy, to have to resort to your wits and reflexes simply to exist? And having achieved existence, to grow strong, to thrive, to put the boot to those who would challenge the raw and unalterable fact of you?" Damn, that's some good writing.

[@i.e.sergio]

Strong "Conan, what is best in life?" energy

[@nerfytheclown]

It's such strong writing that it's enough to recommend Berserk, just on its face. 😂

[@Rex-kk3zd]

inspired by berserk

[@nerfytheclown]

@@Rex-kk3zd that isn't words. Just cause they seem to mean something...are you taking to me? That's seriously what I said.

[@elijahbriggs9903]

Time stamp?

[@IronPineapple]

I finally finished this video, and I can safely say that this is my favorite video that you’ve ever made, and possibly my favorite video essay on the site as a whole. Getting to hear what you got out of these games and how much you enjoyed them brings me so much joy. You’ve also given me so much to think about for myself. I know you joked about adding another video essay to the pile of essays covering these games, but this one really stands above them all.

[@RetVersus]

Whole squad turning up to unite in the comments warms my heart. Love you pineapple!

[@w.h.matlock8219]

We love to see it

[@highroller6244]

Can you beat Elden Ring as a Bhuddist challenge run comming soon?

[@GrlmRiper]

This essay is truly the Dark Souls of essays-

[@jjforcebreaker]

​@@RetVersus Amen! I don't follow too many DS-centered channels, but from the ones I do IP seems to be on top, and it feels weirdly satisfactory to see him here.

[@l.p.7585]

"In dark souls your hard work pays off, that's part of the fantasy" holy shit man you had me in tears

[@shawnmarcum8078]

Water a tree everyday for 10 years and see what happens.

[@l.p.7585]

@@shawnmarcum8078 of you own a tree you've already made it

[@derpthegr8689]

Dark Souls is the only time I’ve felt like my hard work paid off in any meaningful way🥲

[@NocturnalNick]

@@shawnmarcum8078 spoken like someone who has never grown a plant, let alone a tree

[@Gromek999]

“You’re supposed to fight as equals, but we’re not… I’m a human, and he’s a computer puppet man” My favorite quote of this video.

[@125discipline2]

equality is human bribilege

[@Jojje94]

My favorite Sekiro quote is "A shinobi would know the difference between honor and victory", and it's for a reason.

[@willd1790]

@@Jojje94 It's a great quote but I love how it comes at a point where the game basically totally cheats in your face lol

[@Jojje94]

@@willd1790 It's a good lesson, the game is gonna go low sometimes, don't be afraid to go low too. Gotta use every advantage you have.

[@AliIKarimi]

A little computer puppet man*

[@EtherBotGames]

In progress: table of contents for rewatches Dark Souls 1__ 0:00: "Ultimate Game of All Time?" 5:22: Shields, pyromancy and "adjustable difficulty" 14:42: Boss lessons; "The dragons teased out our dearest emotions" 25:16: Combat and co-op: "A dialogue of violence" 51:50: Humanity and cosmology: discussing the lore 1:03:22: "Playful sadism"; strange boss runs and mysterious areas 1:18:32: Anor Londo and the Painted World 1:28:22: Endings 1:32:28: "Revenge tour": on New Game + 1:37:00: Artorias of the Abyss Dark Souls 2__ 1:42:13: World alterations and themes of time 1:54:37: Combat builds and ADP 2:01:49: Monster density and player health 2:18:37: "Dragons and fog": on Vendrick and themes of loss 2:29:45: Crown of the Sunken King 2:33:25: Crown of the Old Iron King ("Hard Stuck" on the Fume Knight) 2:45:52: Crown of the Ivory King 2:50:29: Gimmick areas and bosses 2:59:32: Crowns and endings Dark Souls 3__ 3:05:17: Flat in comparison; repetition and mixed-up chronology 3:14:44: Speed, pyromancy: "The core of the combat experience" 3:37:33: Variations in boss difficulty 3:45:27: Notes on worldbuilding and escalation 3:55:37: Recycled and evolved spaces 4:00:29: Ashes of Ariandel (Barfing on Sister Friede) 4:10:23: The Ringed City 4:15:03: The bosses of The Ringed City 4:24:38: Slave Knight Gael 4:32:59: "All that for a little bit of paint...": Soul of Cinder and Endings 4:41:28: Ambition, burning and closure 4:45:39: Credits FOOTNOTE__ 3:13:03: THE PART WHERE HE KILLS THE ANCIENT WYVERN W/ DIRECT COMBAT!??!?!!

[@ADEADSKELETON]

Please pin

[@metodoinstinto]

Please complete and pin

[@jacksonelh]

4:00:29 The painted world of Ariandel

[@EtherBotGames]

@@metodoinstinto still not done but u inspired me to add a few more sections. im super busy to just commit to watching and annotating a video this long lol but i will come back to this nw

[@metodoinstinto]

@@EtherBotGames Cool, bruh. I'll be waiting. Game on!

[@ProfesserLuigi]

I can't believe Noah killed three people for his intro. Truly, there is no one on youtube more dedicated to his craft.

[@GoneFishingAmalgam]

I'm impressed he convinced them to put those shirts on first.

[@ArvelDreth]

It's called dedication.

[@Aggrofool]

Learned from the very best, Patches

[@CitrusZero]

What is the song?

[@DeadBoneJones]

Those were Matthewmatosis, Hbomberguy and MauLer's skeletons

[@baileywales7403]

>Fighting the Nameless king "I was able to stay out of sword range" >Character is impaled by the Nameless king "...mostly"

[@BE-fw1lr]

Well even if he stays out of sword range, the Nameless King unfortunately uses a spear. Which is a bit longer :D

[@sphealingit222]

1:16:35 Holy Hell you found a red Vagrant. These little amoeba-crab looking things are one of the rarest creatures in DS1, and are almost certainly impossible to find right now because of the security issue. They're generated when someone else dies in their own game while carrying a load of souls, and drop unique items. It's unfortunate that you died to it but it's even cool just to see one of these things naturally.

[@losgann]

I've played over 1000 hours of the original DS1 and saw like 3 or 4 vagrants total but I've seen at least 10 in my 150 hours of the remaster, so I think they fixed whatever was making them so super rare. Still very rare but not almost myth levels of rare.

[@littlesnowflakepunk855]

Good Vagrants are generated when certain items are dropped (Loyd's Talismans being the most common) Evil Vagrants (like the one noah encountered) are generated when someone dies with more than 5 humanity, and doesn't pick up their bloodstain before dying again. They travel between people's worlds, and move on to another person's world if the person they've traveled to doesn't kill them before dying or resting at a bonfire. They only become red phantoms after having traveled between 20 worlds. The reason they're more common in the remake is because people know their spawning conditions, and band together to fulfil those conditions to increase the overall possibility of encountering them.

[@losgann]

@@littlesnowflakepunk855 Both vagrants and gravelord signs were bugged in PTDE on PC.

[@elektromagnetik2786]

@@losgann Ive played closer to that and never saw one. I still believe the system is broken and they do not spawn on the original version on pc.

[@DivineXPotato]

@@losgann its entirely possible that the remastered version is just more up played and has people dying more often, etc and in turn generates more of the vagrants

[@lakaboss9313]

I like how he spent 15 minutes at the end listing the names of every single Madlad who gave him any scrap of currency. He wrote down every single name in a notebook by hand and then said them all. Most insane thing I’ve ever seen a content creator do. Hell, they even abbreviate lists of donors at holiday masses more than this guy lmao.

[@onyxxxyno]

He does this every video, it's wondrous

[@Siberius-]

Bit over 20 minutes* Quite the while.

[@richstoehr3247]

And the list gets longer with every video.

[@schwegburt3002]

The only problem I have with it is I'll look at the time left thinking I have 20 min more of the essay but then remember he reads off names for a good 20 minutes now lol. Then again these essays are starting to rival a full viewing of the LotR trilogy.

[@LoFi_Punk]

Honestly because of his dedication to the name announcements I always leave the video playing for it all to help his watch time

[@RoyalMudcrab]

Sif does remember you. And his introduction changes accordingly. It's just his duty to never allow anyone access to the Abyss.

[@sgtboom7]

What a good boy

[@lautarodesimone54]

And we could even say he just dosn't want to see you suffer the same fate as his human.

[@SirBigWater]

Love that in these games. Like recently in Elden ring with the Beast Clergyman

[@spoon2537]

His motive changes if he met you before. Now he’s fighting so you don’t try to do the same thing his previous master did

[@QuintaFeira12]

You want to go to the abyss, and Sif knows that you can handle it. But a good boy does what a good boy must.

[@Trixiethegoldenwitch]

"Even I, the lowliest of stoners, beat this game"

[@bobcooper82]

Pls beat up Ralph again

[@miragecoordinator4535]

the lowly stoner frees his mind at knight

[@AveSicarius]

@@miragecoordinator4535 It's knight night tonight!

[@intelligenceparadigm4931]

After watching you play Elden Ring live the other day and hearing you talk about the struggles I'm not surprised. Looking forward to more of that playthrough!

[@HadBabits]

@@AveSicarius Of course, when you're a knight, every night is knight night, especially for a night knight :B

[@CPU9incarnate]

One point of contention. Dark Souls 2 does not take place after an age of dark. Rather, it implies that the first flame has been linked many times, and will be linked again and again irrespective of the player's choice in either the first or second game. Throughout dark souls 2, it is shown that many undead begin to lose their memory and are drawn to the first flame for reasons they do not really understand. The player character is such a person. The purpose of this is so that, eventually, some of these undead will eventually gather enough strength to reach the flame, and, driven by either some misplaced altruism or a primordeal desire to grasp the fire, feed themselves to it. This happens to humans because the human race was bound to the first flame by Gwyn with the creation of the dark sign for specifically this purpose. The "lie", which Aldia discovered only after becoming a part of the flame itself in a failed attempt to dominate it, is that the first flame is NOT really a source of life, but a parasitic entity that uses light and warmth to draw in and devour prey, which includes even gods. The secret ending of DS2 is not ushering in an age of dark, but rather rejecting the notion that your input on the matter actually matters, that your sacrifice, one way or the other, doesn't actually matter. If you don't link the flame, someone else will, and if they don't, so be it. You become a "king" in the sense that you regain the sovereignty of your self, no longer bound by concerns of fate, fire, and dark. You simply leave the room, to do whatever it is you feel like doing. In that way, dark souls 3 actually does carry over many of the thematic elements of the second game, with the only major narrative change being that the first flame has become much more active in its desperate attempts to keep itself lit, to the point where it is literally burning the world away. The main character of dark souls 3 is faced with a different dilemma, simply because he CANNOT just walk away, as there will be nowhere to go if he does.

[@yuturtuyieie5544]

This specific view of Dark Souls II makes too much sense. I just couldn't get the whole crown ending thing before. Thanks!!

[@TupDigital]

I would like to leave a comment section equivalent to the guy in Wayne's World saying, "you're...amazing, dude." After Garth's drum solo.

[@nicememe8809]

This is why I'm always so bothered by people claiming 2 isn't canon. Not only are there obviously a number of characters, enemies, items, and places that directly carry over, but the *core themes* of 3 are as much a continuation of 2 as they are 1. The games build on each other in a straight line, but people turned disliking the gameplay of the middle part of the story into an utterly wild presumption that you can just ignore that part and it'd still make sense.

[@Graknorke]

though I can see why someone would think it was, like what's the deal with the old souls

[@CPU9incarnate]

@@Graknorke I always figured the lord vessel didn't actually destroy those souls and eventually they escaped or were reborn into the world.

[@LittOnTheFifty]

"The only thing the Fume Knight is weak to is patience." This is why I love you! Damn, what a beautiful sentence

[@astro3213]

It's not that deep

[@LittOnTheFifty]

@@astro3213 🤣 I hope I never wind up like you, my man. Life is better when you can see the beauty in simple things like a well-written sentence!

[@JessieGender1]

Noah's videos are the Dark Souls of video essays.

[@spehizle]

Seeing Jessie show up in a Noah comment section feels like how the Avengers got started.

[@archivehans]

Nah those are those 7 hour long essays of that guy with the glasses that talk about he bought a big ass gaming computer and 5000 different things related topic and played the game 2000 times.

[@JulienNix]

@@archivehans action button's Tim Roger? 💙

[@archivehans]

@@JulienNix yeah

[@thewizard1]

New adventure let's go thunk welcome to dark souls bitch

[@ArchitectofGames]

God damn if Noah isn't the best in the biz - I went into this expecting to have my existing love of these games reinforced but came away with a totally new perspective on both the series and the culture surrounding them. Five hours well spent.

[@johnyendrey5590]

Mauler, probably: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@phosthedevourer7560]

he is

[@HSnake5]

How did your perspective change?

[@althoughtherefore7940]

holy shit this video is pulling all the titans

[@AvalonisHere]

@@johnyendrey5590 Mauler is pathetic. "Objective" criticism is just an excercise in cringe.

[@WritingOnGames]

With all the talk of Buddhism in relation to the first game here, I am *very* excited to see what you think about Sekiro.

[@TylerJMacDonald]

Ending with the fire sermon was very fitting, equally as excited for the follow-up

[@willd1790]

Sekiro doesn’t have the mutability of the Souls games that he seems to really appreciate, but even that game isn’t unfair per se-it just means it wants you to master a few specific skills and apply that knowledge to increasingly complex situations. Oh and there’s lots of cool explicit Buddhism there.

[@ObiJohnKenobi67]

All the Souls games have very religious undertones (Demon Souls for example took a lot from Catholicism)

[@ObiJohnKenobi67]

@@willd1790 I kind of liked that to an extent though since it was able to tell a more personal story without so much esoteric stuff.

[@willd1790]

@@ObiJohnKenobi67 oh yeah I adore that game (it was my gateway drug for FromSoft games) but I'm wondering if it's the sort of thing that Noah would be into based on what he said about DS vs Bloodborne (which I really hope he can go back to and enjoy now) Based on him talking about Sekiro a number of times it seems like he either played the game or is very familiar with it?

[@Reshiram793]

It’s my sleepover I get to choose the movie

[@Blveman]

If they don’t watch the 5 hour long dark souls video essay they’re not my friend anymore

[@pullum2034]

3:30:35 hearing a watership down metaphor/referance three and a half hours into a video that fit so perfectly ... wow. This is truly the dark souls of video essays.

[@AGFuzzyPancake]

King Crimson album cover avatar. Nice.

[@boomkruncher325zzshred5]

There’s a subreddit about how Dark Souls as a series is therapeutic to those with clinical depression. The underlying theme of “You can overcome this seemingly impossible challenge” speaks directly to those who are struggling with feelings of inadequacy and helplessness in a harsh and unfair world. Do not give up, do not stop trying, light the fires, and DON’T YOU DARE GO HOLLOW.

[@sydposting]

It's extremely true. I just wish there were more memes about how it's easier to avoid going Hollow when you've got Sun Bros on your side too. 😊 "Git Gud" mentality only makes it seem like you HAVE to endure your struggles alone, when so much help is available to you if you just start reaching out to others.

[@neotokyo2418]

Any link to it?

[@woahslowdowntherepal1115]

Elden ring right now is helping more with my depression then years of medication 😭

[@MidnightSt]

i'm a part of that group in spirit, even though i have never joined it, but yes. many things happened since I used the Dark Souls item to reverse my hollowing, and I have died many times since Dark Souls helped me kindle my bonfire all those years ago... ...and I don't think I've progressed much since then... ...but I haven't gone hollow yet.

[@therubberduck6178]

What is it called?

[@FoldingIdeas]

God this was good.

[@PlagueJesterSky]

It gets better on the second, third and 8th watch, much like most of your videos as well. Glad you enjoyed this as much as I did.

[@broadcaststsatic]

It actually doesn't get better on the second watch, it just scales 150% in the early sections and then closer to 70% in the later sections. Repeated viewings scale it up another 10% globally over those values, but only the leap from watch to new watch plus is significant. Most viewers agree it becomes largely unwatchable at 8+, better to start over with a new video and starting gift.

[@paulaner37]

@@broadcaststsatic r u ok

[@remimaloney2028]

@@paulaner37 hes making a joke where he compares rewatch of his long-ass-some video with NewGame+

[@JoshBurcham104]

@@broadcaststsatic TRUE

[@BR4IN1N4J4R]

Actually, the interesting part for Sif is if you do the Oolacile DLC before fighting Sif, Sif pauses at the point he pins you down, smells you, backs off, howls in a way that basically says, "don't make me do this, bro," then grabs the sword and stares you down to stop you from becoming like Artorias. It's absolutely heartwrenching

[@lloydirving6209]

It is a cool detail, but makes no sense in hindsight. The dlc takes place in the past so whether you do it before or after fighting Sif in game, you always technically kill Artorias before Sif.

[@BR4IN1N4J4R]

@@lloydirving6209 oh, agreed. In hindsight, makes 0 sense. But as it was a DLC, and it only happens if you experience it vs "The Legend" variant (aka Base Game), it's a lovely detail. Lovely in a "prepare to cry" kind of way

[@MKhrome]

@@lloydirving6209 The Sif altered cutscene only appears if you actually save Sif in the mini event, so he actually remembers you saving him. The altered cutscene does not play if miss that event. Note that Sif does not attack you because he wants revenge, he attacks you because he must protect the ring you want from him. The altered cutscene is not just him recognizing you, it's him lamenting that you have chosen this path which conflicts with his duties to protect the ring. Whether or not you killed Artorias doesn't really matter in this context.

[@lloydirving6209]

@@MKhrome Ok. But my point was that even if you do that event in the dlc after killing Sif in the main game, you still saved him in the past, so he should remember you lol.

[@BCC97]

​@Lloyd Irving I like think about it like this. If you kill sif before you have gone back in time, perhaps he escaped a different way. You can choose to not save sif in a playthrough, yet you can still fight sif. I take this as solidifying that sif only remembers that you saved them AFTER you have saved them. The sif that you fought in your playthrough was before you had saved them, so they most likely escaped a different way and does not remember you. Time travel is a concept that can be interpreted many different ways though so you might be right, but I think the fight is more powerfully tragic with this interpretation.

[@nineel7395]

Noah, out of all of this I've literally only got one thing to say about how you play the game. You killed the ancient wyvern at dragonstone peak with lightning instead of the plunging attack. You fucking madman. If anyone ever gives you shit about how you play, you killed a boss the hardest way possible. Nice.

[@Funkin_Disher]

This is the way.

[@ridhosamudro2199]

"Hey, as long as it works"

[@interchangeabel8598]

Does he even know about the plunging attack?

[@machinaeZER0]

Let's be honest, that plunge attack probably would have randomly missed, hahah. Never happened to me but I used to hear about it whiffing a lot!

[@ziggytheassassin5835]

I probably never would have known about the plunging attack but after dying to the wyvern a few times i looked up what its weaknesses were and found out it was a gimmick fight. I was more relieved than anything tbh.

[@j3ttmaverick]

I tried trolling my 12 year old kid with Sekiro last Friday, as he's really into Japanese Culture, thought he'd give up at the Ogre since he's only ever really played Roblox or Minecraft. At time of writing, he's nailing the final boss and has done every optional boss. I dread to think of what he'll be capable of when he grows up.

[@Funkin_Disher]

Try him on some old school platformers and RPGs next

[@VashdaCrash]

@@Funkin_Disher Yeah, Ninja Gaiden him!

[@ChichiNaka]

Did the same thing with my 12 year old daughter! now her friends are over here every friday for movies and dark souls, they're currently on bloodborne

[@DressingTree43]

Make him play ghost and goblins

[@aravindpallippara1577]

After Sekiro, furi is another game with the sword and parry combat system and heavily stylized bosses. Would greatly recommend if one can suffer a bit through some bullet hell fights

[@WereInHell]

Once or twice a year for the past 3 years or so I’ve reinstalled Bloodborne and tried then failed to get into it. I would always give up for exactly the reasons you described. Anytime I’ve heard someone explain the games it’s made me want to play them but never helped me understand how. This video actually made it click and I’m loving BB now.

[@leafy7987]

Fear the old blood

[@anthonydominguez6005]

I was in the same trap. I watched HBomberguy's Bloodborne video and it all clicked for me

[@adamhanson5565]

I bounced off of Dark Souls 1 a couple of times, and it was a Reddit comment comparing Dark Souls to Super Mario Brothers that got it to click for me.

[@joshuahaskellcarr]

Grant us eyes.

[@Artsificial]

My favourite bit in this video is when he tells us to stop saying git gud and then proceeds to explain how to git gud for ten minutes straight.

[@bartholomewpicca9899]

I remember playing DS1 on Xbox, unpatched, where getting Cursed twice was possible. The journey to reverse my double curse was easily one of my strongest memories from the series.

[@c_Railyn]

19:56 "You can even throw piles of shit at enemies to poison them to death." Funnily enough, a series veteran did exactly that in a challenge run recently. He just...beat the entire game. With poop. The trick there was mostly just staying alive long enough for it to work.

[@UltraTaka1]

THE LOATHESOME DUNG EATER

[@Doctor-Infinite]

Not only did he NOT give a shit It was quite the opposite, he had plenty

[@beefpils]

Why not name him? LilAggy is great and absolutely deserves a shout out. Does a lot of fun challenge runs.

[@chazzwozzio]

And now he is immortalized as the LOOOOATHSOME DUNG EATER!!

[@Killicon93]

Funnily enough. Sekiro, which arguably is one of the hardest games with the souls-like death mechanic due to its singular defined playstyle has a character that directly tells you: "There's no right or wrong way. You just win your battles by any means necessary. That's all."

[@jotita9350]

*Pulls out Glock*

[@akirachisaka9997]

Yeah, I really like the quote tho. But come to think about it, Sekiro really is that single From game which there is almost only one "correct" way to play... All the souls games have multiple ways you can build your character and approach bosses. But in Sekiro, it's just "study the blade" and "git gud", "grind the boss". Granted, I really really love Sekiro. I consider it the easier From game where you can simply "git gud". However, I definitely don't consider it a "souls game". Where Bloodborne, I definitely do consider it a spin off "souls game", and a really well made one.

[@SilentSolvent]

@@akirachisaka9997 that's not really true, though. Sekiro is full of unique tools that will allow you to approach things cleverly, his entire repertoire of ninja tools can completely trivialize different encounters in different ways. The firecrackers, the umbrella, etc. Not to mention the option of approaching a lot of things from stealth.

[@dancliffe9714]

This quote was going through my head throughout the whole video, glad someone else mentioned it too.

[@samfivedot]

"A shinobi knows the difference between honor and victory."

[@Xelkyr]

"There is no path. Beyond the scope of light, beyond the reach of Dark... What could possibly await us? And yet we seek it, insatiably. Such is our fate."

[@bleachitwhite]

thank you for your wonderful work! this is intense but: my younger brother was chronically ill and got a lot out of video games in his daily life, dark souls in particular. before he passed a couple years ago, i watched him play the souls games for years without ever really getting into them myself, as I just don’t have the time or temperament to really engage them. your essay has really made me appreciate them-not really as something i will ever play, but as something i’m so glad my brother had. it’s a gift to have your essay open my eyes to dark souls’ themes (narrative and ludic!), and one i am very grateful for. i love all your essays, but this one will always have a special place in my heart.

[@EdwinDeLaCroix]

1:16:32 Dark Souls is over ten years old, online player count is a small fraction of what it once was. Noah plays it for a first time and gets killed by a Vagrant. Lucky bastard.

[@peterdumpel5729]

I got over 300 hours in the game and I only ever heard of them.

[@michaelkitchin9665]

@@peterdumpel5729 I've maybe seen five. 3 of them in Remastered.

[@the_mystical_pigeon]

@@peterdumpel5729 I'm still not convinced they exist

[@spiraljumper74]

My exact thoughts when I saw it. I had over 500 hours in the first game and saw only one the entire time.

[@chuck9246]

450 hours in remastered and I've seen exactly 1.

[@mattn561]

There’s something about dark souls that it’s always fun to hear people’s story of playing. “What weapon did you favor?” “What area was hardest for you?” “Did you try new game plus?” I’ve heard answers to these questions so many times and yet I’m always excited to hear the next persons answers. That is what makes dark souls special for me.

[@IV01]

My favorite weapon is obsidian greatsword, the hardest part was oolicile township at level 9 damn Artorias wasn't playing any games lol and nope haven't played new game plus it was a fun ride to make a build to hunt gaint dad's at early levels my sweetest revenge was making one of the cheesest builds just melt good times

[@sebastianlopez1519]

@@uglyshirts5965 you're just too cowardly to be a nerd. Be brave! Be a nerd! 😂

[@TitoMcFadden]

Dex/Pyro with Baldur Side Sword for the early game (I had no idea it was such a rare drop. I got two of them in my first playthrough) and Quelaag's Furysword after finally killing her. I was super reliant on using pyro against bosses and tough enemies so I struggled with Quelaag. Also getting that damn tail cut against Kalameet was the most difficult thing I ever did in my life up to that point. I got so good at dodging him that as soon as I finally cut his damn tail, I killed him easily taking no damage in about a minute. What's worse is that I never did end up using the weapon I spent hours dying to Kalameet to achieve. I did play NG+ and I felt like a god amongst insects until I fought O&S. I forgot I summoned Sun Bro the first time around. They stole my lunch money at least a dozen times before I beat them. Nothing was as bad as the damn Bonewheel Skeletons in NG+ though. If you don't have all of the poise and a greatshield of some kind, you just get staggerlocked to death. I hate them so much. Even though they got nerfed in later titles, my PTSD makes me engage them like an absolute wussy boy every time.

[@DetectiveOlivaw]

It’s one of those games that I absolutely love seeing someone play for the first time. I think it’s a great streamer game, and part of that is the build variety and the first-time experience being so surprising and compelling for a new player! (Black Knight Greatsword, Havel’s armor, and the Artorias Greatshield when I can get it. Never been great at parrying so stability always mattered more to me.)

[@XxTaiMTxX]

I attempted it once. It was "okay". The issue I ended up having was just the controls. When the difficulty of the game exists because the controls are bad... I just couldn't bring myself to keep playing. I attempted to play with the "input lag" the game has and just wrote it off as poorly designed. What input lag? The time between I press a button... and an animation begins. In some cases, this is nearly a full second. So, on top of needing to remember where and when my attacks hit in an animation frame (first timer), I need to remember where and when my actual animations begin after a button press (second timer). I couldn't do it. Just... No. Instead, I picked up other games that were "Souls-like". I enjoyed Hollow Knight immensely because the controls were so responsive. I mean, if you get hit in Hollow Knight, it is ALWAYS your fault. Meanwhile, you get hit in Dark Souls... maybe it's your fault. Maybe it's the controls... maybe it's the damage frames on your animation bugged out... maybe it's something else poorly coded... maybe the game is just being unfair and killing you immediately for no reason and no warning... It's weird for me to think there are players who yell "Git Gud" about a game that I just couldn't conceive of being competently constructed. Especially when "Git Gud" is basically shorthand for "You get used to being flogged in the crotch repeatedly and become desensitized to it to the point that anytime you can avoid feeling the pain, you convince yourself you're having a fun time." But, maybe that's just me. I love me a difficult game. I love me games that make me feel smart and skilled when I win. I didn't get that feeling at all from Dark Souls 1. The feeling I ended up getting was, "I'm progressing through pure luck alone". Maybe I'll eventually give the game another try. If they release a remaster or something where I don't have to fight with controls like I"m playing Dead or Alive and it's atrocious input lag.

[@Mcmos9000]

“A dialogue of violence, not just a frantic quarrel” Noah continues to drop the biggest bangers in writing about games

[@evelyntelevision]

Phenomenal work. I really didn't think I needed yet another video essay about dark souls, let alone a five hour one, yet by the time the ending came it still felt too soon. You have an incredible talent for this, thank you so much for sharing this work of incredible labor.

[@spehizle]

45:05 There is something so viscerally satisfying about watching a fully armored dude with a giant axe rock up on Chester, do an intimidating as fuck overhead chop, seeing Mr. Arrogant Chuckles panic and fastroll off the edge.

[@wimbusbert1249]

"Chester away! Nyaaaah!!"

[@HelloFutureMe]

I look forward to investing the next six years of my life into finishing this essay.

[@JDoubleUTwo]

At least a week of pre sleep videoing

[@pontypagla]

I usually watch as I'm working, so that's an entire work day for me (which is awesome!)

[@kyletrout3828]

Yeah I'll manage to finish this by the time Elden Ring 2 comes out.

[@leftovernoise]

@@pontypagla Same. I can't usually actually look at my phone to watch while working. But long beautiful essays like this get me through a 10-12 hour day of turning wrenches.

[@edwarddorey4480]

@@leftovernoise Those sound like possibly unfair working hours. If you are doing more than 40 hours a week, you should look into joining a union. Or, if possible, a different job might be best.

[@Powersd451]

The story and themes of the painting of Ariandel really aren't that obscure, the NPCs tell you pretty directly. The living paintings are drawn with blood. That blood eventually rots, which is why the old world is burnt, and a new painting is created. In this way, the painted world is analogous to the cycles of fire and dark. Friede has decided to break that cycle. She wants to just let the painting and it's inhabitants rot until there's nothing left. This is why the painter is locked away, the pastor is chained up in the hidden basement, and Friede tries to make you leave. The little painting girl wants to draw a new painted world, not just any painted world, but one that will never rot. The only blood that doesn't rot is the blood of the dark soul, ever-stagnant, which is why Gael is specifically after it.

[@arlom5132]

Well said. Interestingly, that kind of desire, to stop the cycle, is always shown to be corrupting, like the golden order sealing away destined death.

[@Mrdest211]

Is there any hints towards the idea that the dark soul wouldn't rot? Being human in Dark Souls is basically being destined to hollow, burn or rot. Also if the old world was painted in rotting pigment, wouldn't the dark soul be part of the painting and therefore be just as susceptible to decline? The pygmies at the end of the Ring City sure seem to have been diminished by time.

[@TelenTerror]

You are not wrong that Dark Souls is always such a personal experience--My very first playthrough, when I killed the Black Knight in Undead Burg, he dropped his sword. I used that weapon for the rest of the game. I loved that sword. I learned its moveset, its speed, its reach. Suddenly I could one-shot any normal enemy. That made me into a greatsword main for the series. Then Bloodborne happened and I didn't have it. Sure, there's the greatsword in there, but you're locked into two-handed moveset. Still, I made it work with the threaded cane but then, in the DLC, I got the Holy Moonlight Sword and suddenly I'm using a weapon where I know its entire moveset. I immediately upgraded that thing to par and started butchering enemies and bosses. In Dark Souls 3, I was doing allright, but I can't even tell you what weapon I used that first playthrough, until I got down to the Demon Ruins and found, surrounded by a pile of enemies, a Black Knight Sword. It was like finding an old friend.

[@HexNebula]

Did the exact same with the unga bunga big club :)

[@EmperorGladiatuss]

I love how well you take the "WIN AT ANY COST" mentality, for me the Soul series has always been about that. Talking all about the different strategies people have to defeat the bosses is wonderful.

[@Yora21]

"Seek strength. The rest will follow."

[@lowaimnobrain]

"letting someone else do it" does defeat the point though

[@kef0205]

@@lowaimnobrain isn't the point to beat the boss

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

@@kef0205 Not when there’s no sense of satisfaction/accomplishment that comes with it. : /

[@liuhongkun0]

@@kef0205 other people beat the boss

[@SpookyGman]

Watched all 5 hours in three minutes. Another job well done Noah.

[@granola-approach]

fuck yeah dudes rock

[@1000g2g3g4g800999]

Legend

[@kriswinklmann6401]

Not bad for the fact this video was uploaded about a hour ago

[@mattryan1999]

@@kriswinklmann6401 Patreon supporters get it first, I assume

[@0uttaS1TE]

Can I also gain your timestop powers?

[@djbeema]

It's funny, despite the countless DS lore videos and discussions I've been through, yours here is the first time I've ever fully understood the concept of "the first sin" as cited in DS2. Probably because no one else I've encountered has attempted to use Buddhist beliefs as a framework for understanding it. Praise the Noah

[@ForeverLaxx]

Probably more poignantly, DS2 isn't really canon and much of its themes and attempts to explain things were ignored by Miyazaki when he made DS3. He had almost no involvement in 2 so it's often disregarded from a lore perspective.

[@archbishophavel5050]

@@ForeverLaxx Except for Ringed City of course. Earthen Peak and a Desert Sorceress aren't the only bits of DS2 to make it into the last bit of content for the Dark Souls franchise.

[@rageface6667]

@@ForeverLaxx "dark souls 2 isn't canon" god shut the fuck up I thought people accepted to stop the lame headcanon

[@santiagojara8056]

Stop watching Vaati and watch real loremasters like Sophie Pillbeam, Lokey, AsirAesthetics, etc. All of them will focus on the Buddhist/Shintoist aspects of these games, because, after all, the "medieval" setting is just an aesthetic, these games are japanese through and through.

[@mkpieris1]

@@santiagojara8056 I love vaati, I think he makes great lore content, it may not be the most in depth or philosophical but you can't deny his importance in millions of players understanding the souls games and not just hit the bad thing with a stick and win

[@aronahlback7903]

"Even i, the lowliest of stoners" had me laughing out loud :D it vibes very close to "The furtive pygmy, so easily forgotten"

[@8bittripper]

jesus christ I've never felt more seen as a player of these games. You found a way to perfectly articulate the experience I had with them. well done.

[@jmarvins]

same, including that i missed out on these games for years because the "git gud" crowd had me convinced it was nothing but a mechanical challenge and thus not the sort of thing i was interested in i wish someone had told me way back when that these games are anything but!

[@justinhurowitz70]

3:08:49 I disagree that Siegward is the *same* character as Siegmeyer, he's more of a direct inversion. While Siegmeyer was mostly helpless, Siegward very quickly establishes himself as a powerful and helpful ally. He's much more high-spirited, while Siegmeyer's attempts at humor were always a half-hearted way of trying to hide his disappointment and frustration. When you help Siegward out, he's genuinely grateful, while Siegmeyer was bitter at having to be saved time and again. And Siegward is able to succeed in his journey, while Siegmeyer is doomed to fail. The twist is that "success" for Siegward is no different from Siegmeyer's failure, it still ends in only death and misery. It's essentially playing with the DS1 player's expectations and teasing them with the idea of an idealized, happier version of Siegmeyer's story, only to twist the knife in the end.

[@luketfer]

For me, personally, it didn't twist the knife in. Dude went out doing what he set out to do and went out like a champ on his own terms. He set out to achieve his goal and with our help he did it, passing on before he could hollow out. Dude kept his promise to his old friend and laid him to rest, even having enough time and strength to give us one last raise of a tankard before passing on. In the world of Dark Souls, only he and Solaire (both with our help) get what they truly wanted (one to put an old friend back to rest and the other to become as grossly incadescent as the sun itself) and that is a rare thing indeed. Sure neither one lived past their end goal but at least they reached their end goal and didn't give in to despair.

[@PowPowPeng1]

nah man, they are pretty much the same character they just have two different story arcs as you write yourself, siegmeyers is tragic and siegwards triumphant. That they both die is a given in the setting. I never saw a good reason why siegward wasn't a more original character. They could for example just create some parallels to siegmeyer without copying him 1 to 1. My guess is that he was different at one point, but they changed him to siegward for fanservice reasons. And if there is a difference between the two, it's just the reason for their journey one is egotistical, the other altruistic.

[@nickl9317]

Patches on the other hand is from a glorious line of sneaky mofos who keep surviving everything til the end of the world by pushing people into pits and selling their stuff. He even managed to get grafted on a spider. What a lineage

[@highroller6244]

@@luketfer There are many more characters, than just Siegmeyer and Solaire, that get what they wanted (with our help). Yuria, Quelana, Anri, the painter Girl, the corvian dude... To name just a few.

[@Shashank7170]

@@luketfer Lucatiel's wish was to be remembered by someone, and we know from lore that she succeeded. Bearer of the Curse remembered her.

[@TheBlackDeath3]

As one of those guys who refuses most of the help these games offer, and gets by more on his stubbornness and persistence than anything else, watching you tackle them in a very different manner (basically by outsmarting them) is pretty cool. You managed to see past the "git gud" veil and were able to truly get good in your own way, and I think we're all better off for it. Your unique insight and independent perspective has kept me engaged throughout this video (and many others beside) - I can always rely on you to say something worth listening to. I'm looking forward to your forthcoming five-hour epic on Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring!

[@hiurro]

I guess it all comes down to semantics and the breakdown between idea and communication but to me he did not see past the git gud veil, he just got good. People see it negatively because it comes off as confrontational (what can you really expect for the rallying cry of people who felt moved by dark souls of all franchises) but getting good is simply facing a challenge, failing, then through your own effort and cunning overcoming that challenge. Learning to roll or parry perfectly is getting good but so is spellcasting or summoning if those are the tools you choose to use. His only deviation from it was when he accidentally had a summon kill the boss for him. And that was the one moment in the first game that he had some regret for because he didn't get to rise to the challenge, it was handed to him. To me that's what Get Gud actually means. It's the reason I don't think these games would be as good with a discreate difficulty selector. The difference between asking the game to lower itself to you versus finding the the mechanics that can raise you to the games level is too great. Even if the actual difficulty ends up the same finding your own path will always feel more like your achievement, like everything was stacked against you but you got good. But maybe that's just my own take, I'm sure insecure people on the internet take the term a bit more literally than me.

[@Harmi-XD]

@@hiurro cheesing isn't getting good, I'd rather the way the games are now rather than have your typical difficulty sliders, for people who can't be bothered spending that much time learning the bosses. But if I were to use SONAF or sorcery in Elden Ring and proceed to completely face roll everything, that would give me no enjoyment, the same as summoning other NPC's or players, as I haven't grown as a player to face the challenge, simply had the game offer me victory on a platter.

[@thefebo8987]

This guy talks more about "git gud" than any git gud gate keeper and it's not even close. The souls-community praised this integrated options day 1 since demons souls (the online system for example). But people like him only hear what they want to hear. The easy mode debate is only about if dark souls should have menu difficulty options like any other AAA-Game. People say no with the same arguments in this video but they get called gatekeepers too.

[@thefebo8987]

The reputation of "hardest game ever" was created by the gaming Journalism btw and not by the souls community because of click bait. The phrase "git gud" was a ironic reactions to it and had nothing to do with ranting about players with "no Skill".

[@hiurro]

@@Harmi-XD Have you even used sorcery in Elden Ring. It isn't some easy win button that you seem to think it is. Only thing that's broken is infinite FP mixer plus Comet Azur. Just don't use that one oversite and its normal damage like any build can achieve. And didn't SONAF get nerfed so its not even worth mentioning. Besides outside of googling overpowered builds no one is going to find these things naturally in game and figure out that they are broken with there spider sense. When you first met Melina she just gives you the ability to level up, not tell you that if you skip 18 bosses you can run straight to the mountains for a spell that will bully enemies if you dump 80 soul levels in int. I think you have a very skewed sense of how these games are played. You look at how you play and what you found difficult and assume that's everyone's experience. let me guess, you only do soul level 1 playthroughs with no weapon upgrades? otherwise did you really achieve anything? cringe.

[@hannoschoonraad5317]

2:28:32 "Eventually every head is too weak to bear the crown. No matter the sovereign, no matter the kingdom". Beautiful.

[@haleyhorton-loup3257]

I teach historical martial arts, and what I found compelling right from my first lesson when I first began was that many of the fighting masters from history open their written treatises with something very similar to what you say about difficulty in Dark Souls. That everybody is different, that you personally may not be very tall or fast or strong, and that even if you are, you will inevitably fight someone taller or faster or stronger. There will come a time where someone has a longer weapon, or thicker armor, or who will accost you when you aren't expecting it. And the solution is not just being ambiguously and inherently "good at fighting", it is to understand what tools you have available to solve potential problems that you struggle with. And in its day this was quite subversive! Under of the doctrine of Christian predestination, fights between men were not just a matter of honor, but were thought to signify that God himself favored the victor. I have seen a student of mine, a barely 5ft 90lb woman, throw a man a foot taller and triple her weight to the ground to win a match, though, so with my own eyes I know which is true. Things have changed a lot since the days of Italian failsons running each other through with swords in the marketplace, but that tension between the belief that the ability to do something, anything, is predestined and inherent, or that it is possible to learn to do what we thought was impossible for us, is still extremely relevant. It's a lesson that I always tell people came from fencing, but in truth, it was Dark Souls that made me take the plunge to attend that first class, and from there run away from an abusive household in the night with no other home to go to, become a firefighter, go to grad school, and anything else I might be proud of. Just like that Taurus demon tripping off the edge of the castle wall, most of those experiences included a lot of slipping on banana peels, running away, asking for help, doing what felt like the cheap easy route. It's something I try to tell everyone now, because everyone is struggling with something they think they have to be someone fundamentally different to solve. That nothing we might want is a simple matter of bootstrapping determination or predestined ability--but of being not just willing to stop, slow down, look at the problem and look at the tools we have and what tools we can get, but learning to take joy in that process.

[@alexr.m.6382]

"Italian failsons running each other through with swords in the marketplace" is an incredibly entertaining description of those days

[@lemongrasslaughs9061]

This is a stellar comment.

[@caidurkan2916]

"My dad commissions more sailships than your dad!" "Nuh-uh!" *both draw swords*

[@raphaelhemery152]

This is a pretty amazing lesson. Getting stuck on how you ought to do something is a great way to never do it at all.

[@DangerSmoog]

Your fight with the Fume Knight was visually inspiring. You could literally just put a compilation of your footage with no audio and see you improving slightly as it goes. I'm not making some "this is what was suppose to happen" claim. I'm actually applauding your drive. The whole video I'd been noticing you don't dodge much, I also noticed you don't NEED to as you've found a nice shield playstyle that suits you. I point this out because there's a moment in the Fume Knight fights where you see clearly something in your head said "look this isn't working, Dodge rolling isn't particularly my thing, but I NEED to try something different" and you see it incorporating into your playstyle, I even saw the moment they began working and you clearly got the timing down more and more. It felt like watching a small bit of human ambition play out I'm rambling just to say it was really cool seeing you play that video game and overcome it, You teased out my dearest emotions.

[@krullachief669]

Indeed, that entire montage you just see him finally "gitting gud" by finally figuring out the exact playstyle that would work for him for that fight. With just a little bit of luck thrown in but eh, better lucky than good.

[@pestermitekimmy]

An interpretation of the painter's ending that makes a lot of sense to me is that is a metaphor for Miyazki himself letting the world of Dark Souls go and creating/painting a new world.

[@kenjen9861]

Ooooohh, Elden Ring!

[@Chaosian]

Quite possibly, but it makes me think that if it was the goal, it's kinda a tragic outcome. Elden Ring is Dark Souls 4 in everything but name and lore, but that's not particularly surprising. I think a lot of artists (and teams) really struggle with moving on from their successes, and the financial incentives make returning to a place of experimentation and genuine creativity difficult. I'm reminded of how every main entry Metal Gear Solid was supposed to be "the last one". 1 was supposed to be Kojima's last game, 2 was supposed to be about handing over the future to the next generation, 3 was supposed to be the definitive origin story that would answer every question, and by the time 4 came around it was practically a meta joke: "yes, really, this is the last damn one, look, Snake is going to kill himself, watch". ...And guess what happened after that?

[@Chaosian]

@Maldito Mur It didn't seem like that at the time to me, but retroactively? Maybe.

[@Chilllaxxinn]

@@kenjen9861 but the painter said it would be a kinder and darker world, and elden ring is the opposite of that lol

[@nickl9317]

This painting ending will absolutely pay off sooner or later in the series. When things calm down people will have their new world and feel immensely satisfied if they played the fiest trilogy before. I can see a thing like laura palmer’s I’ll see you again in 25 years happening with a future souls-or even other series that would pick up the mantle as the new home of the forlorn souls inhabitants

[@aceman1858]

Having never played Dark Souls, the first 15 minutes convinced me to finally try it. 1 week later and I’ve beaten it, and it was truly incredible. I will now be making my way through the other 2, and only watching the appropriate video sections after I do. Years of the internet telling me how incredible it was never quite presented it the way you did. I hope that brightens your day somewhat. Thanks Noah!

[@Joshua-xs4or]

Your lousy essay was very gripping. I'm glad to see a perspective of someone with your play style and to have it explained so well in a 5 hour video was a treat. I fucking love long form content and I fucking loved this video. Thanks for your hard work.

[@DetectiveOlivaw]

I agree with almost everything said, but I’ll fight for the endings of Dark Souls 3. The ending of fire is not an age of darkness as established within the canon, it doesn’t tie into the Dark Lord ending of DS1. That was, it turns out, part of a cycle, part of the same cycle that DS2 grapples with. The whole thing of Aldia saying “this is a false choice, both are the same, both perpetuate this cycle, the only solution is to find a third way, a new way.” And DS3 offers two! One is a corruption of fire into something new, something strange and hollow and cold and white. I love that one because I straight up have no idea how that shakes out. But the other ending, the ending of the fire, is not the beginning of an age of dark, it is the end of everything. No more fire, no more dark, no more disparity, no more cycle. It is, in effect, choosing to end rather than continue, to allow new things to begin. It felt very specifically metatextual to me and that’s why I loved it so much, as much as I did DS2’s own grappling with the nature of the cycle and sequels in general!

[@grfrjiglstan]

Fair game for him to see the endings the way he did, though. Open to interpretation means open to misinterpretation as well.

[@Scorch052]

I'll forever love DS3's ending(s) just for having the balls to say in a metatextual sense, "Let us make a new damn game already!"

[@sepulcher8263]

I just usurped the fire. I thought it was a way to sidestep the cycle.

[@jadewhite766]

@@sepulcher8263 It sidesteps the existing cycle, by creating a new one which the themes of the game strongly suggest wouldn't be any better than the one Gwyn created. It's a choice the player can make and there are arguments for why it might be a good idea, but imo the natural end of the series is the End of Fire, and the themes of DLC back this up in strongly endorsing the view that it is better for a world to end than to be come stagnant and rotted.

[@sepulcher8263]

@@jadewhite766 Oh, I thought the end of fire ending suggested that the cycle would repeat again as I believe the firekeeper says something along the lines of "i can see embers flickering in the darkness" or something like that.

[@oboeshoesgames]

Another excellent video, now all I need is an East Coast travel log and a Halo analysis to complete my Noah bingo card

[@jackofnotrades4350]

Oboe, you lil rascal i love you

[@0uttaS1TE]

I wanna see the Halo analysis too. He's already done Gears and Forza. I want him to complete the Xbox trio

[@ObiJohnKenobi67]

Elder Scrolls series too

[@michimatsch5862]

I still need sth from the Sunless Franchise. I bet on Sunless Skies because I thought it would fit him but it seems it isn't happening.

[@carrickschwartz5503]

Definitely wasn't expecting to see oboe in the comments

[@BoisegangGaming]

There's something so anti-nihilistic about the souls games taken in this approach. The game pretty much goes: "No one is watching you, no one will remember you.... and no one will judge you. Go wild, bucko!" Dark Souls is not about Struggle. It is not about overcoming challenge. It is about what struggle and challenge means to someone. The souls series puts these dichotomies, these dualities, and allows meaning to come from our experiences, our desires, our interpretations. That is why it's so enduring, because it's so personal, so tangible, so uniquely and inextricably tied to the own personal languages we use to experience our life. That's the souls magic, I guess.

[@memoryisthekey]

exactly, the dark souls franchise feels like a stellar piece on absurdistic philosophy, it’s so freeing and uplifting, especially when you convey the message to real life

[@BoisegangGaming]

@@memoryisthekey exactly. People see the nihilistic atmosphere without realizing that the entire purpose of the game is a refutation of that. Everything tells you to give up, to stop, that it's futile, but yet people still beat the game. They still keep going. I played through most of Dark Souls 3 with two friends, one of which has sadly passed away since then. And honestly, just having companionship was more than enough to keep me going. It's so frustrating how people think you're somehow removing something from the experience when Sunbros have been a thing since Dark Souls 1.

[@resiseven7407]

That's not anti-nihilism at all, that's just ordinary nihilism. The concept isn't some "ah, woe is me" shit, it's pretty much just what you just described. There is no inherent purpose to anything, and that's fine, because you create your own purpose every moment you're alive.

[@BoisegangGaming]

@@resiseven7407 That's fair. It's just that, unfortunately, the term nihilism has mutated into the sort of more cynical view of "nothing matters, existence is suffering, etc" by people with a surface-level understanding (mainly moody teenagers and maladjusted adults) of the philosophy.

[@bardofhighrenown]

I have tried and failed many times to get into Dark Souls and it never ends up sticking with me. But after watching this I decided to give it another go. The exploration aspect is very enticing to me. Armed with the permission finally to play the way I wanted instead of feeling compelled to play the game how I feel other people expect you to play. Suddenly I’ve made it further into the game than ever. I am finally discovering new areas after spending about 30 collective hours over the past 6 years basically stuck in Fire Link Shrine. I was so fixated on getting what I thought was the games ‘intended experience’ that I denied myself the fun. Now the game makes sense to me and I’m having a blast

[@liambrewerpowerlifting]

Have fun!

[@user-gu5dv7vj8r]

no one expects you to play any way. such a huge misconception about the dark souls community.

[@sunriseparrabellum5505]

@@user-gu5dv7vj8r that’s just simply not true, there’s a reason the “git gud” mentality is so strong in this fanbase. ive seen people saying using summons is playing it wrong, using certain builds is wrong and generally doing things differently from how they did it

[@cobra29935]

If your having fun playing a game and someone tells you you're doing it wrong. That person can swiftly go jump off a bridge.

[@yaldabaothofgalar2618]

@@user-gu5dv7vj8r I disagree. There's a reason why the DS "community" is largely seen as toxic.

[@Kuzushi42]

While Noah presents the idea of "git gud" as solely developing mechanical skill, I think that the breadth of strategy that Noah employed and his willingness to try different things matches my definition of "git gud" which is to approach challenges with not only a growing refinement of mechanical skill but also with a more intellectual creativity.

[@loupax]

Oh, he did git gud. He got the best version of gud he could get: The compassionate one.

[@andrewscarpati9665]

I agree. While there are always going to be people who sling 'Git gud' around to any and all questions, my general read on the situation is that it's more used as a cudgel against people who aren't asking for actual advice. Instead, it's for people who are demanding that the already present accommodations aren't good enough, and the addition of an easy mode is the ONLY way.

[@LordBobbot]

Fully agree. While I definitely get the frustration of just being told to "git gud", and I'm sure some people mean it that way, I really liked Viva La Dirt League's video on it. Basically: I can offer advice and help you specifically identify the problems you're having, but in the end, you need to put some effort in to learn the fight and get good at it, and I believe you can.

[@TheRedstonian]

"Git gud" has always been the Souls equivalent of artists saying "practice". What is meant is not explicitly "stop being shit at games lmao", it's "nothing I say will magically give you the muscle memory to dodge that attack, just keep trying". Unless we're talking pvp, in which case, "git gud" means "my internet is worse than yours so I win".

[@AnthonyCSN]

Yeah somebody clearly got under his skin and he had to let it out!!! lol

[@Raven-Glock]

After 3 days of watching this on and off, I can truly say Noah that the overarching irony of progressing through the Dark Souls trilogy is the fact that you truly did 'git gud,' from early on too, whether it was out of spite, contempt, indifference, persistence or what-have-you. I hope that your time spent in the series garnered more pleasure and enjoyment than frustration and pain. "Struggle, challenge, and rise to struggle again! That's the only sword a struggler can use against Death! Don't ever forget that!"

[@LolaLink]

This! Identifying your weaknesses and addressing it through understanding the gameplay (whether that component of gameplay is finding the armor weight that works for you, leveling up, understanding the boss's mechanic) is getting good. It's asking you to understand the mechanics of the game. And if you understand the mechanics and summon and still struggle, then all that's left is for you to try and improve. Basically, getting good means that you take some autonomy to learn and create a solution. Unfortunately the "git gud" meme has been twisted in the same way Dark Souls being a hard game has been twisted into an "impossible game that wants you to die". Basically nuance is stripped and ego is piled on.

[@clag1109]

@@LolaLink THIS SO MUCH THIS I love everything Noah has said about “git gud” so far (haven’t finished the video yet) but I have been unable to shake the feeling that he was missing the original intent of the phrase. Honestly though, I really can’t blame him or anyone else that sees “git gud” that way, because at this point the phrase has spent far, far more time as an overused and misunderstood catchphrase spewed by the worst kinds of Souls fans than as a meme that has an earnest point.

[@MrJonathan107]

My man, this is an essay on what "git gud" means. Wonderful, eloquent, and quite the character arc.

[@RecliningWhale]

@@clag1109 He completely misses the point on what the community means with "git gud" and it kinda taints the entire video for me. A lot of his gripes stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of what the community's main mantra even means.

[@Iriseon]

@@RecliningWhale exactly. And then it is again mischaracterized as “a catchphrase spewed by the worst kinds of Souls fans,” as if it is a partisan disagreement.

[@rohiogerv22]

I love the Priscilla encounter because it really makes you rethink what you're doing. Like, I really did consider sparing her, but why? I'm the one stumbling into boss arenas with a sword out-the bosses aren't the ones coming for me, I'm coming for them. If Ornstein had just been like "hey man, can you just go?" would I have? Obviously, I wanna see more of the game, but very quickly you realize that the bullet you're biting is that you're going around trespassing and killing generally nonaggressive denizens of the land simply because you've bought into the idea that your mission is more important than their autonomy. Because, in a Souls game, if they stand in your way, you'll only "know" them through their mementi mori.

[@SpoonyBard88]

It can be easily read that your character is insane like all the other hollows. Is what you are seeing truly representative of reality? Who knows?

[@TheLetterH111]

I think the Priscilla fight is unique among most of the boss fights in the game in the sense that theres not really any motivation for your character to actually fight her except to steal her souls. All of the other bosses in the game either are in your way, are corrupted/mad/in agony, or actively provoke you (Gwyndolyn). If we consider that the chosen undead may have more insight into the world than we do, or at the very least understand the predicament of the undead in the world of Dark Souls, then the entire game is essentially a story about class conflict. Choosing to let the flame die especially is a revolutionary action because it prioritises the liberation of the undead ahead of all other benefits of keeping the flame alive. From that perspective I'd say most of your actions are justified- the age of fire is over and youre just ushering in a new age by eliminating the proponents of the old Priscilla doesnt have any of that context behind her so the choice to fight her might say more about the chosen undead, like you say

[@rohiogerv22]

@@TheLetterH111 but I don't know any of that until a serpent wakes. All I know is a chosen undead will ring two bells and I might be a chosen undead. Electing to get involved with the narrative at all is a concession that, "if the game puts something in front of me to kill, I should kill it." Looking out from the other side, sure, your actions with the serpents are incredibly subversive, really no matter which one you choose. But you'd never even get that far if you didn't suspend your own morality, appeal to a "higher power", to tell you that you ought to proceed despite having no reason. Having done that, you're no longer in the practice of drawing lines, but something still so compels us to do it for Priscilla.

[@TheLetterH111]

@@rohiogerv22 my point is that our character has been in this world for much longer than we have- it stands to reason that they might have some more insight into their relationship with the world. Its just an idea though, i think your interpretation is just as valid

[@Slaanash]

@@rohiogerv22 Ornstein didn't try that though, so who's to say? Besides, Priscilla is content to let you cut her tail off if that's what it takes for you to be on your way, which I believe is a tacit agreement no other encounter has.

[@Nathaivel]

"These are thrones of want" line gave me chills. Incredible writing, the best anyone has done about this series. Bravo!

[@CreativityCurve]

Just as an aside in case no one has pointed it out: the DLC bonus areas (Frigid Outskirts and the cave dungeons in the other DLCs) in DS2 were 100% designed with coop in mind. When the DLCs first came out for the original version of the game, players who had not yet purchased the content could still access "waiting rooms" for each DLC area. These places are still in the game at the start of each DLC, represented by tombstone looking things on the ground. While in these waiting rooms, players could allow themselves to be summoned by actual paying customers into the DLC bonus areas, as a sort of demo version of the content. Maybe not always the best first impressions of said content, but it was a fun idea, and explains why these sections are still so cleanly cut off from the rest of the DLCs to keep "mooching" players from backtracking into the "real" content. Seeing these waiting rooms absolutely littered with "moneybags required ahead" messages is also a fond memory for me haha

[@jimjam9387]

Bloody Expensive!

[@hayk3000]

I love Dark Souls. I played it when I was 17. Back then I thought that if I didn't do things the hardest way possible I wasn't experiencing them fully. I played for around 100 hours until I reached Gwyn. With a very completionist mindset, with only a shield and a sword, without any summons and without outside information help. I adored the expierience. I loved the world, the characters, the music, the sense of acomplishment after defeating a though boss... For me it wasn't necessarily hard, I thought anyone could beat it like I did, with patience. Like many people, this videogame made me think of depression. I saw the message being that despite all the pain you may need to endure in life, with enough perseverance, you will get through it and be stronger once past that tunnel. 3 years later, I entered a very deep depression. The first time I had experienced such a thing. I wen't through a terrible breakup and almost every aspect of my life was collapsing. I was esencially isolated. I thought I could think my way out of this mental state, by myself! Obviously, I couldn't. Eventually, after months of horrible lonely suffering, I gave up! I looked for help! Including professional help. I'm 23 now, and a much happier and healthier person than I've ever been. The truth is, there is a wrong way to play. I was playing wrong. I missed out on the feelings of gratefulness and love that comes with the help of others. The same feelings Miyazaki had in that story of anonymous people helping him with his car stuck on a hill. I wouldn't need to go through so much pain, going crazy with Manus like Artorias did, if I had accepted that getting help doesn't mean you're weaker than if you do it alone (and not insisted that the damn amulet makes it too easy!). Enjoy play! Enjoy it with people! 'Cause it ain't gonna last forever.

[@sebastianlopez1519]

Very well said! I'm glad you're feeling better!

[@AveSicarius]

In a more general context I think this is something that you can only understand through experience. If we look at how many people think, it's very self-centered and lacking in empathy, they believe that everyone needs to help themselves and should be fully responsible for this at all times, it's why we see so many people opposing societal support for the most vulnerable people in our populations. It's easy to say "just deal with it" as an answer to any problem, especially those concerning mental health, by those who are naive in their experience. But anyone who has gone through something truly difficult, who has been taken to a place they can't see the way out of, and who escaped this place with the help of others, understands this at a fundamental level. There are places we cannot escape from alone, and given that we are very much a social species who depend on other people in every aspect of life, this should be universally understood, but unfortunately empathy and understanding are still lacking in the world. Do you want to know something interesting? Altruism is actually an evolutionary trait in human's, there is an inherent drive in us to help people who seem to need it, and we have strong empathetic connections if we see people suffering. We can demonstrate this both statistically and through our fossil record, the fact that we have remains of Homo Sapiens well over an age where they would be able to fend for themselves, and evidence of survived sickness or injury, shows that people have aided other's throughout our history, contrary to this modern more emotionally capitalistic assumption that boils down to an attitude of "every person for themselves" in some societies... Help is always there for us if we can find a way to ask for it, there will always be someone willing to talk or willing to act to try and worth through your problems. I think the issue here just lies in how disconnected the world is today, it's easy to become isolated from everything and everyone, even when you live surrounded by people, and in an age where people often experience everything through a dissociated context, where the words on their phone screen don't quite click as real issues people are facing, it makes it easy for people to ignore how you might be feeling, and believe you are capable of dealing with it yourself because it would disturb their personal comfort. We are a social species, and we suffer when we are alone. The absolute best thing we can do when we find ourselves in trouble is to extend our hand and ask for aid. I'm glad you realized that so young, it's something some people never understand, and they suffer for it.

[@custardgannet4836]

@@AveSicarius Sun Bro Cov for life.

[@AveSicarius]

@@custardgannet4836 If only we could summon a jolly golden giant or two to help us through the terrifying bosses of the real world, it would probably be a nicer place all around!

[@flavionms]

I guess Sekiro is just made wrong, then.

[@elbowjuice2627]

I dont know how this guy does it with no music, no flashy edits, no bullshit, and I’m listening to every second of it.

[@CrazyItalian889]

Your segue into the Dark Souls lore around the 52 minute mark, and the way you tie it in to the mechanics of gameplay and enjoyment from playing these games, is incredibly well written. I've consumed these games through multiple playthroughs, watched countless critiques and lore videos, and the first hour of this video has resonated with me deeply. I really appreciate your work on this video!

[@CrazyItalian889]

"Where other openers tend to lean towards a dramatic recitation of the boss list, this one opens by talking about how utterly fucked you are." Your writing is brilliant, man.

[@severalcakes3267]

2:24:36.

[@bowrey118]

I'll never get enough of seeing you facetank everything, healing right in front of an enemy still attacking you, dodging at the wrong time, multiple times over. I'm so used to seeing and being a sweaty tryhard and being as conservative and particular as possible. It's refreshing to see someone so fresh and raw to the series making their own way through.

[@fafofafin]

It helps that in DS1 you can straight up out-heal most incoming damage.

[@immortalknowone2526]

I know you will likely never see this, but thank you for this video. It lowered the barrier for entry for me and I bought and played the games thanks to you. I also sat down and watched all your critiques and video essays. Your voice and writing are a comfort to me. It is an absolute delight to listen, your careful analysis and comprehensive insights a true pleasure. Thanks to you specifically, I am now a person who examines his entertainment in all forms with a critical eye. I ask myself why I enjoyed something, what the story-tellers are trying to convey and what would I do differently. It has helped me immeasurably in my own writing, although I am still new to the experience. To you sir, I tip my hat. With this one video you created two things in my life. A love for a franchise and story that are very dear to me now. A sense of accomplishment in completing them. Two, a thoughtfulness and appreciation towards storytelling that I can apply to my own stories whether they be the book I've finally started writing, or DMing for my friends. Bravo, sir. Bravo.

[@ElodieCunningham]

In regards to the second ending of dark souls 1, I never met kaath, played fully into the role of the chosen undead, but noticed that I could leave the boss room after killing Gwyn. My curiousity led me to wander out rather than linking the flame, and on my first play through, I got an ending that totally threw my understanding of the world for a loop and had me instantly want to replay

[@mitchelherald3271]

Man, you may be right about KZbin being flooded with Dark Souls review/essay videos, but nobody has nailed the series and the experience the way you have just done. Your experience very much echoes mine and you have clearly and eloquently put into words how I have always felt about this series. And, I gotta say, to pick up on that Hawkeye Gough quote. Kudos man. That is the best dialogue of the entire series.

[@waterguyroks]

I've watched way too many Dark Souls videos, but your comment on the nature of and relationship between souls and humanity, both mechanically and lore-wise, still gave me some newfound insight and appreciation for the game. The way you tie it into Buddhist and Christian thought is not something I've seen before. I think a lot of people focus strictly on the lore elements of Dark Souls (and lots of fantasy media) strictly as a kind of self-contained narrative, and while that can be fun in an escapist kind of way, I find literary interpretations that have some bearing on the real world to be much more interesting. It's the kind of thing I wish we saw more of in video game and "pulp" genres in general.

[@mdd4296]

I recommend gemsbok's "philosophical analysis of dark souls" It sheds a lot of lights on the games' different elements

[@waterguyroks]

@@mdd4296 I've seen that, it's fantastic. He comes away with a pretty different reading of the game which is great. Good art always has room for different interpretations

[@Para2normal]

Aegon of Astora also goes pretty deep on the sort of analysis you talk about, sadly real life has got in the way so his output is very limited but his current library is worth a look

[@isaacsalume6287]

1:38:54 I'd hate for people to miss this, but if you complete the Artorias of the Abyss DLC having saved Sif and summoned them to battle against Manus, and do this BEFORE you confront Sif in the present, the game will acknowledge that you fought together and an alternative cinematic introduction to the fight will play.

[@TheGemsbok]

There is perhaps no greater intellectual injustice in all of gaming, than that these beautiful, engrossing, deep, mature, funny, flexible games---are primarily known for their difficulty.

[@hamdiatasoy2456]

Ayy I knew you watched Noah because you told me you made the type of videos you like to watch in the comments of your sekiro video and your videos always reminded me of Noah's. I like you twos emphasis on writing while so many KZbinrs put the emphasis on editing and sketchs.

[@TheGemsbok]

@@hamdiatasoy2456 Ha, yes. Thank you. At the bottom of the front page of my channel, you'll find a very small list of similar-format creators that I recommend; Noah's channel has been among them from the start.

[@surkhabsingh5856]

Hi philosophy guy. Hope you're having a great day :)

[@TheGemsbok]

@@surkhabsingh5856 I am. Thanks! Same to you.

[@luketfer]

This is my personal gripe with it. When people try to replicate it in D&D they often go "ok so how can I replicate the mechanics of Dark Souls" without the main thing I honestly think makes them great AND is much easier to transport to a tabletop RPG setting, the world building and atmosphere. I mean it even harkens back to the origins of D&D, crawling through an ancient, long crumbling, kingdom for treasure, working past traps, pushing deeper and further until you need to scurry back to base camp to offload your illgotten gains, unable to carry anymore or wanting to 'bank' it and thus keep it safe from loss.

[@massecurr]

Dark Souls 2 actually does have baring on 3 narratively and physically, the idea of kingdoms built on top of each other is essentially why Lothric in general exists as it does you see it throughout the games world with buildings crudely smashed together in ever growing mounds, its especially visible under Cursed Rotten Greatwood and in the area before and after Soul of Cinder, also the DLC for 3 literally has Earthen Peak in all its poison swamp wonder

[@Kris-wo4pj]

Yup was just thinking that. Issue with not listening to lore videos about it cuz ya'll miss stuff like this but I respect the man for wanting to piece everything together like how fromsoft wants.

[@sepulcher8263]

Isn't the boss stage for the Demon Prince the hub world from DS1?

[@JinTekyta]

I think the real thing here is that its connections to Dark Souls 1 are so overt and blatant, while its narrative connections to Dark Souls 2 seem so meek and shy, like its ashamed to acknowledge it in the same breath of Dark Souls 1. Think of the many and obvious connections to Dark Souls 1, 3 makes. There are multiple characters who just actually recurr. And its connections to 2? Not much.

[@Leshoyadut]

@@JinTekyta Personally, I find that the connections to DS2 are generally more meaningful narratively, such as really building on the idea of the cycles, the ultimate meaninglessness of your choice in the Kiln, and a need to break free from the cycle, to go beyond it, as the world is trapped in the cycle's stagnation. It fully builds on those themes, using them for the various endings, as well as going into them in more depth in the DLC (such as the Painted World of Ariandel and its own stagnation leading to corruption and decay). It may not be as obvious on the surface, but it's definitely there in important ways all the same.

[@kidren50]

Also, the Ending added with the DLCs. For me, that ending is how the Unkindled will first appear. With that ending, you are the chosen lord, you have all the souls, you'e ready to either link the fire or let it fade away, but you simply find a cure for yourself and say "fuck the rest, Imma walk away from this bulshit". So, the throne goes without a lord, which twists the world even more. After this, the unkindled will rise to do what DS2 character didn't, and then it becomes part of the cycle now, until it reaches the point of DS3 where the world is crumbling and the fabric of reality is at its thinest.

[@jameshamann465]

I loved the footage in the background. Seeing someone play so differently than I learnt to play the game and having a blast is a real treat. Like someone else said, rekindles that feeling of playing for the first time.

[@frankopegarde1779]

This is in my humble opinion by far the best video essay on Dark Souls, eloquent, relatable and honest. I thank you Noah for making this video.

[@princekyros]

The "usurpation" ending isn't quite about embracing hollowness. It's about breaking the entire Light and Dark cycle. The character absorbs the first flame in it's entirety and therefore changes the fundamental rules of the Dark Souls universe, just as it happened when Gwyn and his fellow lords did when the flame first appeared. What these new rules are is up to interpretation. We can see that Anri is alive again in the last cutscenes, so are they and everyone now a hollow undead? Is there even such a thing as undeath in this new world or even "life", let alone hollowness (which is basically a curse or bug of the entire cycle system that was abused by Gwyn). Did it in some ways wipe away disparity and now we're back to the state of the world that was during the eternal dragons but instead of grey there is black and instead of eternal dragons there's eternal humans/hollows? Who knows honestly. All that it immediately represents is the figurative and literal ending of Dark Souls universe.

[@dduuddeechil]

Well said my dude

[@music79075]

Hollowness is the natural state of "Humanity". Humanity only exists due to Gwyns Sin where he transposed Fire into a curse separating Humanity which is why the Humanity sprites have that white outline and why The Dark Sign is a ring of fire around darkness. Without that fire Humanity returns to its hollow state in a cold, peaceful bliss of unawareness. Fire is linked to Conscience intelligence and all that entails.

[@princekyros]

@@music79075 not particularly true. Some Dark aligned characters claim that being hollow is a "natural" state of humanity but that shouldn't be conflated with "Humanity" as in the Dark nature of humanity. Hollowness is sort of like the non-sapient state that all of the primordial creatures were in before the flame appeared, so it's technically the "natural" state that all creatures are, even the gods. But that line of reasoning is a bit disingenuous. A hollow is a human not only stripped of their mind but their soul as well, a hollow is a shell. It's like IRL calling a corpse or a pile of carbon and water the "natural" state of humanity. Those primordial "humans" might have been what was natural of their age but the first flame's appearance literally reshaped what was natural. A hollow is far from natural for the cyclical age of light and dark. Gwyn's Darksign basically strips a human from everything that the fire's appearance gave them, both the light that the gods used to reshape the pygmies in their image (which are the closest you could get to a "natural" human without going Dark overload and ending up as Manus) and the Dark that the furtive pygmy imprinted in them in the first place. It slowly devolves a human into those mindless primordial creatures that shouldn't be even called human since it's literally before Humanity's creation.

[@AlexStarkiller1]

It's more about being hollow than other options, though, so it's not inaccurate. Betrayal ending is purely ending the cycle, so that makes more sense to consider it the "breaking the cycle ending".

[@priceyyeti4058]

I don't know. Something about the ending always leaves a weird sour taste in my mouth. I understand it's breaking the cycle, but I thought the DLCs ultimately did a better job of it, essentially creating a painted world that will never rot, know decay, possibly escape every fault of those that came before it all by the player's hand. In that sense you've ensured somebody or something else escaped the cycle of the universe, a glimmer of hope contrasting the usurping with unknown consequences.

[@crossmooradian2642]

Thank you so much for these. I remember saving up money to buy data when I used to teach in a rural village on a small stipend to watch your videos. Every month or so I'd buy enough data for a video or two. These have always been a treat for me in the best and worst of times. Your analysis on games is brilliant, in-depth, fun, and always leaves me thinking about series in ways I'd never considered before. Thank you.

[@JustAPotato1998]

Interesting analysis on the weight of memory when it comes to Lucatiel in DS2. For someone that played DS3 first, then DS2, then returned to DS3, I felt very melancholic and yet oddly happy to know that somehow...in some way...Lucatiel was not forgotten according to her armor/helmet set

[@evanahearne1479]

I love this because it's a perfectly valid read of Lucatiels armour set but one that's personal to you - you played them out of order and found Lucatiel after already using her armour. You know going through DS2 that her memory won't fade from the world entirely - it colours her story in DS2 very differently!

[@Valerescence]

I am someone who opts to parry, and who tries to learn the timing wart on. When playing BotW, after only a few hours I decided to just git gud at parrying guardian lasers (which unfortunately made them significantly less intimidating for the rest of the game). When playing dark souls, I took a really weird path and ended up at the black knight in dark root basin before Taurus demon. Instead of retreating, I threw myself at him until I pulled off the eight consecutive parries and ripostes necessary to take him down, and I was rewarded with the halberd. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had just received one of the best melee weapons in the game as a reward for committing to parrying.

[@ouchanrrul1591]

"You cheesed the last fight because it's easier I cheesed the last fight because Fume Knight traumatised me We are not the same" That was an amazing write up. From the parallels between all games, to your description of your experience, to the small bits of lore you sprinkled around... Everything was amazingly written and explained. It felt like I was watching you play these games, despite only hearing your experience. One of the best video essays I've ever watched.

[@HeelPower200]

I understand that fume knight is a dick but I see no mention of Manus. Did Noah miss that fight ? I find Manus to be oppressively difficult to the point that I skip him a lot of the time.

[@alexlewis2885]

"Its sadness is deeper than its grit." Oh my! This is amazing! This video essay says so much of what makes the DS series so great!

[@NewPortHuffer]

“Oh My!”

[@ZeDitto3]

2:45:00 That ending with the Fume Knight was smooth as hell. Riley's dodge roll between the Fume Knight's legs, followed by an overhead-swing, bounced the Fume Knight over to you which gave you the opportunity to lay him down with a two-tap. The Alley-Oop was perfection. You two were playing like a duet.

[@EtherBotGames]

Totally it looks almost choreographed (in a good sense)

[@FSVR54]

would've been smoother solo

[@null8384]

I really appreciate that bit of complimenting you did for the sunbros. Really gives some gratification to the job, good to know that's how we're seen. I'd keep doing it anyway, of course. Just good to know it's appreciated.

[@fafofafin]

For real. Not only this video got me to play the games, but sunbroing is literally the only multiplayer feature I use and the only covenant I join.

[@bystander5278]

You got to appreciate how videos like these are available to us for free. The time and effort put into this is beyond words. Thank you

[@sangrin3229]

42:10 I know you feel like Dark Souls Essays are oversaturated but this is exactly the perspective that makes yours so worth hearing. Great video as always

[@0uttaS1TE]

Kinda says something about Noah's individual quality that he can weigh in on such a tired trope and still keep people enthralled with his own style and personality. Bigger youtubers have failed to do what he has succeeded at.

[@wintermute5974]

For the longest time I was so glad that Noah wasn't interested in Dark Souls because I didn't want yet another massive video essay about the series when the material is so well covered. Turns out I was wrong, he's managed to find enough original things to say about the series that all five hours managed to feel fresh, whether I was agreeing with him or not.

[@luketfer]

I also appreciate him taking a potshot at the dude who did a fucking 10 hour rebuttle to Hbomberguys rebuttle about Dark Souls 2. I mean sure, I didn't agree with Hbomberguy in the slightest but that video series was just stupid and, in my opinion, is why 'video essays' get a bad rap because it's overly long, overly self agrandizing and largely pointless.

[@mayabombanation9914]

The first minutes where you talk about wanting to gush about the games is so heart warming! We've all been there and I am so happy you've grown a fondness for this incredible piece of art

[@owenpk5735]

4:42:24 This is one of the most oddly comforting things I've heard in a while. I know the relationship I'm in is ending. He's moving to the other side of the world and will live an entirely different life. But hearing that, on some level, letting him go, despite the fact I love him, to follow his passions and be successful in what he loves most is okay feels so strangely reassuring

[@kaelmic7476]

after watching your cumulative footage, i gotta say, you are VASTLY underrepresenting the skill you gained over the course of these games. Its a good thing too. Im glad you were able to take the learning curve and come out on top. even that final fume knight fight was impressive. so yeah, the game isnt just about "gitting gud" but you have definitely gotten skilled.

[@EndyHawk]

Don't let anybody tell you otherwise; if you struggle and you overcome, whether by death farts, sun bros, rock vomit, or just hitting a guy with a big stick through the corner of a wall, you did good. Coming from one mediocre co-operator to another, I'm proud of you.

[@Slyslug]

How jolly cooperator of you

[@chuck9246]

This 1000 times. I've played and beaten all these games countless times and I've never understood the gatekeeping done by some of the community. Summon help, cheese that tough boss, use magic, level dex, do whatever you have to do to fuckin win. We all had to start somewhere, im a firm believer that anyone can beat these games. The story and worldbuilding is fantastic and should be experienced in whatever way you can make it happen.

[@Jetsetlemming]

@@chuck9246 It's because they feel like their special accomplishment will be diminished by others being able to do the same, even though it's not actually anything more impressive than, say, being able to ride a bicycle. These pathetic gamers get propped up as representatives of the souls community but I suspect they're merely very loud, because most people do not hinge their self worth on such things and can instead just enjoy them. Even their loudness, their reach, is probably overblown, because if they were as influential as they're portrayed so many people wouldn't have bought Elden Ring.

[@Radgerayden-ist]

The important thing is to not give up.

[@DLPChris]

@@Radgerayden-ist i.e. go Hollow.

[@t3cchan]

Couple minutes in and your starting thesis already hits the nail on the head completely. The wonderful thing about these games is how deeply personal an experience they are. Every person gets stuck in different parts of the game depending on what build/path they took through the game

[@engineergaming34]

Every couple of months, I come back and rewatch this video. I feel like this is the video that all players who are either new to the souls genre or veterans can both watch and enjoy, and maybe have their perspective changed. This video is one of my favorite commentaries on the soulsborne games and Fromsoft’s design philosophies. And you deliver each sentence and anecdote with real heart and a grounded sense of self. I don’t typically watch long form analysis videos for humor, but you managed to make me laugh a couple of times. Great work. I hope to see more videos in the future.

[@LutraLovegood]

Still waiting on anyone to convince me that Dark Souls has an easy mode the same way a game like Neverwinter Nights has an easy mode.

[@Hospitaller-hospitaliser]

Your commentary of Dark Souls' difficulty being in fact the games merely pretending to be this insurmountable challenge but is actively wanting you to succeed is spot on and something I think a lot of the community, and especially a lot of critics, seems to miss.

[@matthewanderson5198]

I'd argue it's something most of the community is both aware of and actively participates in. It's just the gatekeeping urge is a product of a particular type of masculinity that broadly gets to reign unchecked in our society.

[@matrix3509]

@@matthewanderson5198 It has nothing to do with masculinity and everything to do with how all communities that form around popular products are. Fan communities are the absolute worst part of everything they infest, they are a cancer on everything they profess to care about.

[@Kris-wo4pj]

Yup I like making it a challenge but when I'm done with said challenge I start summoning a bunch of people that look like they are 3 ngs above or a twink and let them kill it while I run away from attacks. Still counts cuz it's dead and I can move forward.

[@flux_casey]

Bit of a disagree here. It's worth remembering the time and culture in which Dark (and Demons) Souls entered the market. It was the height of hyper-tutorialisation. When most games rather than have the player do things, would just resolve difficult situations with quick-time events. By comparison, Dark Souls would present these difficult situations and there would be ways to overcome them built into the game. But it was up to *the player* to find or come up with those solutions. Or if they couldn't, the only choice left was to "git gud" enough that you could beat it without finding a more optimal path. Haven't finished watching the video yet so sorry if he gets into this later. But Noah kind of defeats his own argument when it comes to difficulty. He talked about not blocking in God of War and that was allowed by difficulty options. He talked about how Dark Souls does have a pseudo difficulty in soul level (which... Honestly I think he got a little too wrapped up in the worst parts of the community for that section but whatever). But even if you take that into account, no matter how many soul levels you get it doesn't change the gameplay function of using a shield being a really good idea. At no point does it become such a breeze that you can completely ignore fundamental facets of gameplay. The game gives you the tools to succeed, but in terms of difficulty, it expects you to meet it halfway by thinking, learning and improving. Something almost all games at the time, and many games now, don't offer. At the time it felt like an insurmountable challenge because it was a game that for once actually seemed interested in challenging you in a way that was unforgiving but fair.

[@matrix3509]

@@flux_casey This is exactly correct. Before Demon's Souls came around, the entire industry's conceptualization of "difficulty" in games was still stuck in the arcade era. The most obvious example of this was how much reviewers hated games like God Hand at the time, and every critique of difficult games before Demon's/Dark Souls would compare those games to arcade games. This was how most gamers thought of difficult games as well. If a gamer heard "that game is difficult", their minds would immediately go to arcade games of yesteryear, whose primary objective was divesting players from their quarters. FromSoft's most significant advancement in game design was permanently divorcing the concept of difficult games from arcade quarter munchers. They showed, before anyone else (this is especially pertinent with titles such as King's Field) that difficult games don't have to ape arcade style design. Its also important to point out that while this may not have been what FromSoft intended with Demon's Souls, its popularity was most certainly due to hatred of game design norms of the time. The marketing behind Demon's Souls wasn't about how hardcore and difficult the game was (the obnoxious marketing behind the Souls series didn't start until Dark Souls, thanks to Bandai Namco).

[@trevorx7872]

I never really summoned for any dark souls bosses: not because I was too proud, or because I wanted the achievement, but because spending the humanity was just too painful for me.

[@MarcusLeese]

there's almost a level of risk/reward - do you spend your humanity to potentially make a fight easier? if something were to happen on the way to the fight/during the fight, the humanity is lost and you have to spend another one. It's a fantastic system.

[@Pwrplus5]

What was painful about it? Dark Souls 1 for example throws humanity at you in huge quantities and unlike Demon's Souls before it, there is no inherent disadvantage to being hollow as you keep your health, if you aren't playing online at all then the literal only use for humanity is kindling bonfires which should never deplete your stock, and occasionally summoning NPCs for bosses

[@Jsay18]

@@Pwrplus5 Not to mention if you REALLY NEED TO, you can farm rats. It sucks and takes a long time, but you can.

[@wintermute5974]

I went through pretty much all of Dark Souls 1 and 2 in a similar way, using almost no consumables. In Dark Souls 2 I actually ended up feeling validated when I burnt through most of my saved up effigies to get through the awful caves you need to beat to fight Darklurker. One time when 'but I might need it later' was actually true.

[@trevorx7872]

@@Pwrplus5 It was mostly just that I'm the sort of person who doesn't like spending consumables. I'm always wondering, "is this the most optimal use for this item? could I use it better later?" It's dumb, but it's how I am.

[@magicalgirl1296]

Noah is so good, I can have pretty different opinions from him on some of these games, but he still understands and expresses so much of why I like each one. He talks about how DS3's story wasn't as interesting as the others for him, and immediately follows up with an accurate understanding of why it's my favorite in the trilogy. He really has a skill for articulating what makes a game compelling.

[@elektromagnetik2786]

I think his problem with DS3 is caused by the time span between his DS1 and DS3 playthrough, a lot of references that should be invoking nostalgia are not hitting because he just finished Dark Souls 1 for the first time a few weeks ago. That's why I always recommend to people to wait at least a full year between Dark Souls when they are playing for the first time.

[@sergiscynical]

@@elektromagnetik2786 that's probably a fair assessment

[@gido9467]

@@elektromagnetik2786 While I agree that the lack of nostalgia is likely the reason (or at least a big part of it) for his feelings on it, the presence of nostalgia isn’t the only “correct” way to experience DS3. I’d imagine it’s less likely for anybody who comes to the series later in life, just because it seems like as we age we are less likely to develop nostalgia for things. That seems to only happen for stuff we experienced as kids/teens/young adults. Not to mention, there’s those of us who just dislike being pandered to, so the attempt to tickle our nostalgia was more off-putting than charming. I enjoyed DS3 quite a bit. The nostalgic fan-service didn’t bother me too much because I never pay much attention to the plot or details while I’m playing (I prefer podcasts and such to get lore, and stories) because I’m too busy figuring out how not to die. That being said, it also did nothing for me.

[@JinTekyta]

@@elektromagnetik2786 I don't think that's exactly fair. Or rather, your explanation is almost exactly what he expresses makes Dark Souls 3 so much less compelling to him than Dark Souls 1 and particularly 2 in terms of narrative and world building. And that is because Dark Souls 3 spends so much time just reminiscing about Dark Souls 1, rather than being Dark Souls 3. While also almost ignoring Dark Souls 2, for that matter, apart from random references that don't have any substance, outside of the Earthen Peak in the Ringed City.

[@silentshadow2536]

@@JinTekyta wouldn’t that be mostly because Miyazaki himself wasn’t directly involved in 2? Hence why the game itself actually feels like it’s own thing. It takes the themes from DS1 and quite literally had to build off of it in its own way without most of its input from Miyazaki. While in DS3 Miyazaki had more influence to tie DS1 to DS3 and did what he could to tie DS2 even if it may or may not have been what he intended a sequel to be

[@bencesarvari2235]

I think the painter is a metafore of FromSoft themselves take what is most valuable from a franchise that is finished and using it to make somthing tonaly different but just as beautiful. It's an appreciative gesture to the fans: Not to worry, new worlds await and thugh this story has ended, our work is not done yet.

[@hoodiegal]

The section on fume knight is very interesting to me. I agree with a lot of your analysis on it, but I disagree with your conclusion that you only beat him because you found another sunbro. I definietly believe it helped, but I don't think that is the whole picture. In the footage you showed of the final fight, several things happen repeatedly that has been absent from a lot of your playstyle up to that point of the video. You are dodging attacks reliably, even when they have follow up swings. You manage your stamina much better, avoiding emptying your stamina completely, instead conserving a bit so you can dodge the enemys attempt at a clap back after you hit them. And you make much better decisions about when it is safe to attack and when you need to be on the defensive. Even though you struggled, it helped you develop several core skills of the game. Even if you didn't beat the boss by yourself, the improvement in your gameplay is obvious. You "got gud".

[@D3wd20p]

I wouldn't let that diminish everything he said, about playing trickier and smarter, but you're right that it does dent his zeal in rallying a flag against the tryhards. Life is not black or white, after all, and while I have little patience for those assholes (a particular abuser in my life mocked my "fatroll" armor build for my whole playthrough of DS1 (even though he hacked in loads of souls and acted like it was a glitch)), it certainly is reductive to act as if the entire path through the trilogy can be done without steeling oneself, even accidentally.

[@bartholomewpicca9899]

I would agree that its not one or the other, skill or "tricks", its a spectrum. He got better, and not just with Fume Knight, but his path was the path of tricks overall.

[@officialflannelweek]

had me in the first half ngl

[@jacksonelh]

I think having the sun bro there gave him more confidence in his abilities. he learned how to fight the boss from that other dude. and that's such a big part of dark souls, that's why they have multiplayer messages and summons and such.

[@Plain--Jane]

I love this video, but I find the "git gud" rants really frustrating because of this Like, yes, those people are irritating as shit, ZERO complaints here - but it's baffling to me how (in the ds1 section) he refutes the point by listing the tools the game provides you in order to overcome challenges you find too difficult like, dude, if you're noticing that a boss has a weakness and exploiting it to make the fight easier, that is quite literally "getting good" at the game? It feels like there's an unspoken assumption that "good" = "I can beat every boss alone with a very fast paced style of gameplay and never get hit" Gatekeepers absolutely need to be shown the door, but the easy mode discourse drives me nuts. As Noah says, dark souls ALREADY has the tools to make things easier for yourself, that's what I find so fascinating about it. I love that I can throw myself into something difficult and either persevere with things stacked against me, or I can change something up to make it a much smoother fight - that is inherently more compelling to me than an easy/normal/hard mode select, because my personal satisfaction goes up. It's frustrating that this perspective is lumped in with people who get upset about their personal achievements being lessened by other people playing on easy. For me, it has NOTHING to do with that - I don't want dark souls to have an easy mode button, because a major part of these games that I love is how flexible the difficulty is in practice I won't deny that it makes them a bit less approachable up front, but I have no real argument there beyond me enjoying art that isn't always super approachable

[@angmordagnithil7127]

"People like to talk about the experiences that change them." Noah, if you have a talent, it is in finding words to sum up some of my deepest and rawest feelings. This line encapsulated the main reasons why I crusaded so hard to add videogames into the leisure activities enjoyed by my family. I had so many experiences that changed me, and I wanted to share that with them.

[@StevesieB]

Lacking confidence, I also brought a summon to my first attempt at the O&S fight. And I also watched that friendly cooperator destroy them both while I offered moral support. I’ve carried that shame for years. Now I can let go.

[@Laukaus11]

As a frequent sunbro/summonee myself, I'm sure that person was quite happy you didn't just go ahead and get yourself killed.

[@jcselement]

You could've just replayed and fought him solo if you wanted to get rid of the shame lol

[@Cibershadow2]

@@jcselement most people, myself included, don't want to go through the entire game again up till that point just for that

[@AJ_Ol]

@@ivanasukjadic1423 everything trivializes DS1 if you play the modern games before playing it. DS1 bosses are cakewalks after playing the modern From games. The difficulty from DS1 stems from progressing through the game, not the bosses themselves.

[@nrxia]

@@jcselement Yeah, but there's only ever one "first time." He ain't getting that back.

[@HerrDoktorWeberMD]

I think, on the easy mode discussion... "Dark Souls has an easy mode, it's in this chest over here" is a fun way to put it. Everything has a weakness, there's always a cheese strat, always a new thing to find that gives you a tremendous advantage without needing a bespoke menu setting. And I think that's exactly the point; I suck at this game, but I can still beat it by engaging with consumables, summoning, etc. It's a thing of beauty and I wouldn't trade it for anything.