Why You Don't "Get" These Games

Twitter: / mhswoocer
For the first time in 2 years this video wasn't edited by me! Check out the editor's twitter! (seriously this guy is both a joy to work with and very good at what he does!) / thatboylazo
I never told the full story of how I got into Dark Souls 3, but after revisiting this story, I found that there may be a way to "unlock" any type of game for yourself in the same way that I unlocked challenging games like Celeste, Nioh, Dark Souls, and Furi!
Music used in order:
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright Logic and Tricks
Hollow Knight Fungal Wastes
Celeste First Steps
Blossom Unsighted
Persona 5 Life goes on
Battle Theme Mega Man Battle Network
Hollow Knight Greenpath
Celeste Farewell
Pokemon Platinum Route 216

[@mhswoocer]

Something I do wanna clarify (that a few comments have pointed out already) for people who might want to start Dark Souls 3 after watching this video: Boss Souls can be used to make some special weapons. I didn't point this out because I used one weapon for the entire game and ignored everything else lol. But just check either in game or online what the boss's weapon is before you consume their soul just in case you might want it. That is all. Thanks for the overwhelming support, it really does mean the world to me that so many of you really enjoyed this video!

[@concept431]

now plz play ds2

[@bonnibel_honeycomb]

For anyone reading this, just get the Lothric Sword (you find it very quickly at the start of the game) and infuse it with lighting. I replayed the entire game many times and no weapon was as good for me as that sword.

[@Platapusa]

You're a scumbag for that intro Fuck you glad I'm never going to watch your videos again

[@matthewolivas613]

Your good dude. I just assumed you meant the souls you get from killing them, and also i never consume boss souls so even those arent as significant as you would think. Also great video, you said a lot of stuff that Ive been wanting to say and you probably helped a lot of gamers. Subscribed.

[@lonelyshpee7873]

Hollowslayer Greatsword is addicting, can relate.

[@hotworlds]

For me with souls games, dying twice and losing all my souls is kinda freeing. Because once you have no souls you have nothing to lose, and that gives me courage lol

[@dochatter3638]

At the same time, it's kinda demoralizing, when I lose a whole lot. But yeah, it gives me the liberty to experiment, to mess up and try, try again.

[@Lyu-Phy]

Oh sweet summer child, allow me to introduce you to Dark Souls 2 the game that fists into you the meaning of punishment.

[@B.Love88]

I never cared about losing souls! If I need to level I grind!

[@oysterlad]

In DS2, losing your souls still counted towards your soul memory. If you were playing online, that meant getting pushed into higher matchmaking brackets but without anything to show for it. So if you ended up getting invaded by someone who was careful about collecting and spending their souls it would be an absolute nightmare to deal with them

[@danyelfisherLink]

When I first played Dark Souls 2 I’d defeat an enemy over and over until I’d done it ten times then level up knowing they were out of the way. Bit wimpy but that’s what I did.

[@Nekro_Knight]

Of course, in addition to this, it's okay to dislike a highly rated game even if you understand what makes it good. This is a hobby. Don't try to force yourself to enjoy something just because other people enjoyed it. Sometimes fun and quality don't go hand in hand.

[@mhswoocer]

Genuinely could not have said it better myself. This medium is so subjective that there are bound to be dozens, even hundreds of fantastic games that you just don't enjoy, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

[@elsoul7204]

Indeed. I couldnt get into God of War or Hades, despite knowing how good they are. I feel some people NEEDS to be validated, or something like that. And when the game doesnt confirm how good they are, those people just lash out at the game/devs/studio/fans (As a souls-fan, i often see it. Especially nowadays with Lies of P) We just have to accept that not every games are for us, but there are always people for every games (Einstein said "the measure of intelligence is adaptation", or something like, roughly translated) Have a nice day, and have fun playing (or anything else)

[@minecraftgravityguy]

I think that is already common sense, there is nothing wrong in not getting into everything you ever consumed. And sometimes there is certainly value in trying to find the fun or enjoyment in something you previously or currently don’t enjoy that much. Sometimes the process of searching for the fun itself can be more enjoyable than anything else. So I wouldn’t recommend giving up on everything (not only games) as soon as you find an annoyance/bad experience or because a certain day at a certain time you weren’t getting the enjoyment you wished you were. Sometimes we are not in the mood, mindset or interested in certain experiences/things at that moment. Like just because you don’t want pizza for dinner in a single day you don’t conclude you don’t like pizza anymore right? So why do we many times give up on things we have enjoyed previously after only a single undesirable experience? It’s kinda weird when you think about it. I have fallen in love with plenty of things and games after re-trying them after a time has passed, or in a different situation/mindset. Including Souls games that I have been obsessed with for years now. Or horror games that I could at best watch youtubers playthroughs and now because of them and because time have passed and I decided to give them more chances, I personally have fallen in love with them.

[@GreateSoldier34]

This is true, but I disagree with the message. To me, it sounds like an excuse. An excuse that everyone will agree on because of how it's worded. Like, the correct response is to agree, and if you disagree you're garbage. But in my honest from the heart opinion, I disagree. If you have the will to try and get into a game, then do it, try. There is a way and you will get something out of it. Don't stop just at the first sight of struggle and be like 'I guess this game isn't for me. It's ok to dislke some games :)'. When you don't have the will to get into a game, meaning you're not really interested in a game from the start, that is a different matter. It's completely ok, after all, it's not like everyone likes and has played every game ever created. Like they said, it's a subjective matter. Here, it's just better to wait for the right time, if the time comes at all. But that's my honest opinion. You don't have to agree with me. Also, @mhswoocer, good video! I've wondered about this myself, and I agree with your conclusions. To me the clearest example of something like this was with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. I got it as part of a collection, and, even though I knew it was good, I had no interest in playing it. A couple of years later, I got the urge to play it. It was the first game of that type that I played. I liked it, but I got stuck in the middle so hard that I decided to stop. But I didn't give up on it, I ended up waiting for the right time to come back to it. 1-2 years later, I looked at some gameplay and got the urge to play it again. So I restarted the game from the begining and played, now knowing what to expect. I finished it, and, to this day, it's one of the best experiences I had.

[@PsycheTrance65]

For real. To this day Dragon's Dogma's first hours still bores me to tears and I've always put it down before "it gets good". I've just accepted that even if everyone thinks that game is a banger, its just not for me.

[@MrMegaGamerMan]

It's funny when you go from freaking out about losing 2-3K souls to just abandoning 100K because the walk is too far

[@doroku2020]

in most of my playthroughs i abandon them,once you defeat the boss go level up w the runes and done.

[@thesongofthelinnet]

for me I don't care about anything under 20k

[@sieghart367]

Even when losing loads of runes to random event, I still feel over levelled by just playing the game to the fullest and exploring everything. Losing runes is highly overrated and should t be a source of frustration

[@buenas1236]

I don't care too much when I lose souls, but I always level up as soon as I can lol. It's not just because I'm ok with losing souls that I like losing them hehe (just the way I play, everybody is different)

[@Cezako]

+ understanding that 100k or not wil' never rly change anything against the monster boss you are facing. Get better.

[@memey822]

I think a game that is the best example of “not for everyone” is an indie game called Rain World. People could argue how it being too difficult is bad for its design, but the difficulty is what gives the game its feel, the feel being how you are in a cruel world, and it wants you to know that. It’s why me and so many other people like this game, soulsborne games, etc.

[@degg7129]

True, i would say im someone who can get in about any genre of games, from JRPGs, platformera, metroidvanias to souls, shooters and story based games, but for the love of god i couldnt get into Rain World, dunno what it was

[@titadogelo5090]

One of the few games which have and hide so much information (such that the only way to get all of it is to read a wiki) which I don’t dislike. Somehow they managed to make the feeling of being in complete disadvantage at all times be less unfair and more fun than you’d expect

[@Mantosasto]

@@degg7129 Same for me, but what I remember being the problem that didn't let me get into it was the movement.

[@neji2401]

@@Mantosasto i finished the game, and still think the movement is ATROCIOUS. The rest of the game was cool, but i've died countless times to the controls, not the enemies

[@joshharris4797]

I quit rain world twice before I finally got into it but then one day it clicked and then I got addicted.

[@-grey]

When you're not afraid of death, you're free to explore the world, challenge anything, and really immerse yourself in this beautiful world without the constant fear of death. Feels like a life lesson here. 😂

[@jcnot9712]

I used this approach for studying. Textbooks (particularly in math and physics) will introduce you to a concept and then provide an example with a worked solution. If the textbook's really good, they'll skip certain steps in the solution only showing you the bare bones, thereby making it harder to decipher. If you approach the textbook wrong, you can end up getting frustrated and thinking it's been badly-written. But if you get into the mind of the author it becomes obvious that they've given you the skeletal structure to the problem's solution with everything you need to put it together yourself and have a more meaningful learning experience. I wish someone sat me down and told me this in high school. In fact, I remember always reading the introductory portions to textbooks and they never mention that they do this, they just sort of expect you to put it together as you go along (which I disagree with, they should be confident enough in their methods to be up-front about it). I'm hoping gaming developers can pick up the slack and communicate the ideas you talked about in this video through gameplay better and better over time. I suspect a lot of games do it and we haven't even noticed.

[@dynamicflashy]

This is a genuinely insightful tip that I will apply in my studies. Didn't expect that in a gaming video.

[@jcnot9712]

@@dynamicflashy please do. Often times as a student you may feel like you don’t have the tools you need, but just as often what you may lack is motivation to properly utilize these tools. Make sure to surround yourself with positive people whether online or even better your own peers and family. Motivational pieces of media like video games, movies, shows, etc can also help in moderation, as long as you get right back to studying. This was my experience anyway. Nothing is insurmountable and you can do this.

[@01_Lucano]

​​@@jcnot9712 Hi, i'm a Brazilian and i didnt expect find such useful tip here, thx There any problem if i ask you some questions? I "understanded" what you have write, but i still didn"t understanded completely the subjects because i lack in English. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[@jcnot9712]

@@01_Lucano sorry if some parts weren’t clear. Please ask away and I’ll do my best to clarify.

[@01_Lucano]

In the parte "If the textbook's really good, the Skip certain steps in the solution" I didn't understand, maybe because I'm kind of stupid (sorry about that), but I would really like to understand this, maybe it will help me in my studies, I always have a hard time trying to understand things and when I can't (most of the time) I feel bad for my stupidity. What do you mean by bare bones, skeleton and structure? What should I do if I only have the "skeleton". I hope you can understand what I'm trying to explain.

[@darrienjones8917]

Here's my thing. I have played Dark Souls 3 and Elden Ring. I have never beaten them and I did try and get pretty far in them. But eventually I got to a point where the game itself was so hard that fighting new bosses or doing new challenges did no longer bring me joy. It all felt like a slog and when a game feels like a slog or a job to play, that's when I'm done. I say this to say. Sometimes you lose the will to play the game. And I have lost that to these games. It wasn't because I didn't get the point anymore. It's because the point never became a thing I cared to persue anymore.

[@whosaidthat84]

Well said, my dude! I bought DS2 way back when (which is considered the worst in the series) because all my friends were hyped as Hell. I got close to the end but never beat it because I saw the ending. I did mostly enjoy the game but I didn't have much desire to ever return to the series. I feel like I had my fill. Eventually I tried to re-explore the genre with Nioh and Remnant: From the Ashes. I gave them both at least a few hours and just gave up. They simply weren't that fun and I just didn't feel the need to "git gud."

[@Jamseth_Ingramious]

I love Demons Souls and DS1, but could never enjoy DS3. If you feel like it, I suggest trying the first Dark Souls at some point. It's easily the best of games, at least imo, although the latter half of the game is clearly somewhat rushed (especially in Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith). Demons Souls (PS3, the PS5 "remake" is comparatively awful) is also really good, and imo more consistent than DS1 since it doesn't suffer from being rushed, but would probably be quite jarring to play and is both less polished and less balanced than DS1. The bosses are actually pretty easy for the most part, but there are a few tough ones and each boss feels very unique. The game's difficulty most comes from level design. I'm only mentioning because, while it isn't as good as DS1, I don't think I'd like either game as much without having played this first. (Unfortunately, the "Remastered" version of DS1 is actually has worse visuals than the original game, due to them butchering the lighting and making all the worn, rusted, reflective metal textures feel like cheap plastic. I personally use Re-Shade + texture restorations/replacements, but that would probably be more hassle to set up for anyone who isn't used to such things).

[@BattlewarPenguin]

I see, I have a methodology when playing games, I like playing it alone first to get a grip of the game mechanics and knowledge, so something similar happened to me, but I did come back to the souls game and they became my fav franchise. I'm not saying that you should come back as well, but I really encourage you to play the games you enjoy, It shouldn't feel as a second job. You could watch other people playing the game. Even though I'm not the best soul's player it really helps me understanding how other people deal with the enemies or certain difficult challenges. There is no shame on dying too or trying, Dark Souls is a hostile world with hostile enemies most of the time. But speedruns and no-hit runs (in which you are not allowed to receive a hit) of multiple souls games back to back have proven that those game are indeed fair, although it is intimidating and challenging to do it. The enemies have the same tools as you the player but they cannot improve, and different playstyles and approaches are recommended. The most compelling thing about souls game is that in some aspects it ressembles life, it is difficult and it looks like a mountain sometimes. But once you know what you can do to get better, it just a matter to do it, and you have a community willing to help. The game never throws you into a position you cannot persevere nor not win, but it's up to you to discover that window of opportunity and do it.

[@TheAverageTargaryen]

Remember if you’re really just not enjoying the boss fights you can always summon help!

[@silvershine2261]

So, these games are an adventure. Adventures are by definition about overcoming adversity and creating core memories, that make you grwo as a person. This adversity might not be fun to deal with while you are at it (except for me, I cannot get mad at a well designed boss), but you can look back fondly on how you persevered and overcame an obstacle. Just like it works irl. Now the issue is, that every person has a maximum of adversity they can deal with. If you reach that limit, its traumatizing more than anything and enduring trauma never made one grow as a person. There is no shame in putting something down if it became harmful to you.

[@_Fizzy_1]

i just wanna say I absolutely love the presentation of this one. The fantastic editing aside, the way you present the ideas, delve into something adjacent, and curve back into the first idea is so fricking smooth. EVERYTHING blends so seamlessly into everything else in this video.

[@mhswoocer]

Thank you!!! I actually hired an editor for this one and I think he absolutely killed it. Hiring an editor also let *me* spend about twice as much time on the script and as a result of those 2 factors I really do think this video came out super well!

[@agnuswulf]

@@mhswoocer Completely worth hiring him. As a small (well, tiny) youtuber who loves the editing aspect of video making, I was completely in love with the editing of this one.

[@TwistedRiddles]

This is why I tell people that “hard” and “punishing” are different things. I like hard games. I don’t like punishing games. I’m glad someone else said it.

[@wyattmadson]

what do you mean by punishing? imo elden ring, for example, is punishing and hard. its hard to master, but it also punishes you for making any mistakes.

[@MP-zv2se]

@@wyattmadsonthe run backs to bosses really turn me off of dark souls elden rings inclusion of the stakes was a game changer

[@wyattmadson]

@@MP-zv2se I also hate boss run backs. I'm fine with stuff being difficult, but having to redo stuff like that is just annoying.

[@quino711]

Expectations and past experiences many times blur what is really in front of us. Once you overcome that and change your perspective, you can really appreciate a game for what it is and no for what it isn't. Glad you found your turning point with Celeste, and I hope more people do so too with games they want to play.

[@Zeldazocker100]

About the pre-existing connections, I do think they can be a double-edged sword. As in, you try to connect with a game because of your connection and get through your pain points or a barrier of entry, only to fail in the end. To me, that leads me to much more visceral negative emotions than if I simply bounced off a game that I, in hindsight, should have trusted my gut feeling on. You usually aren't well informed on things you dislike, as in order to get that knowledge, you would need to do something you dislike for an extended period of time. But having a connection that makes want to push through this urge to disengage can lead you to really learn to hate something you would have merely disliked otherwise. They say in order to really hate something, you have to love it first.

[@klop4228]

Probably my least favourite games are ones I enjoyed at first and broke "promises". Final Fantasy X-2 didn't get good again when I started to get frustrated, which made me upset because FFX had a dip in the middle that it dug its way out of. Nier: Automata set itself up as a massive work of true art, and then failed to deliver by the end while basically beating me over the head with its artistry (seriously, "do you think games are silly little things?"). Those are the big two for me lol. Games I wish I loved but disappointed me. There are other games I've found meh, but never expected all that much out of - most Pokémon games on Switch, for example.

[@ryanmoore7283]

@@klop4228damn bro I feel for u on this cos Automata is like top 3 games of all time for me

[@klop4228]

@@ryanmoore7283 I really wanted to like it - and did, for the first while - but at some point I just got tired of the game failing to actually tell its story. Like, I had to google one of its important plot points, because the game never tells you.

[@veleno2473]

What I need to enjoy a game is not the price or the monitor anymore, it's the time :,(

[@ZeklorWGD]

Monster Hunter got me into Dark Souls TBH. With dying in dark souls i usually laugh it off. It took me a long time to get this habbit but i like it. Also i always say souls in hand are more important then souls on the ground.

[@jacobhobson6971]

always have a stash of soul packets in your bag

[@greenhydra10]

Yeah, I doubt I would've played Soulsborne if It hadn't already played MH.

[@arfanik9827]

For me it is the exact opposite. I had tried to play Monster Hunter before and hated it, was used to fast-paced action combat games like the Batman Arkham series or Devil May Cry etc. But after getting immersed in Dark Souls 1's incredibly well-woven world and learning to slow down and think during combat it dissolved the issues I had with Monster Hunter. I picked up Rise and loved it. Then tried World again and wow, I love it as well.

[@Mantosasto]

@@arfanik9827 Just don't go to Freedom Unite and try to fight a Plesioth. For the love of everything that is good in this world, don't ever do that.

[@greenhydra10]

​@@MantosastoBold of you to talk crap in hipcheck range.

[@ssjkaryuusennin]

That Hollow Knight music just hts different all the time. And damn, I think everybody had this experience of going back to a "bad" game and ending up loving it.

[@zaidlacksalastname4905]

Coincidentally, that was hollow knight for me lol.

[@ThePC007]

@@zaidlacksalastname4905 I kinda hope it *will* be Hollow Knight for me. I somehow couldn’t get into it (despite really loving Ori), yet the music still brings out fond memories of the game.

[@panditas7679]

Hollow knight sucks, no map, few checkpoints to lose all your time trying to figure out where to go. Solid 2/10

[@gasterthemaster6490]

​@@panditas7679are you talking about HK or OATWOTW?

[@panditas7679]

@@gasterthemaster6490 hollow knights

[@redstealth5106]

Many thanks for making this. I went through a kind of genre transfer from platformers to rpgs(after learning to enjoy random encounters and not dread them), and it left me feeling like I could get into any type of game with the right mindset. But you're much further along with these methods =) It's just nice to see a video about approaching games like this after thinking on it solo for a long time.

[@Macktube]

My thing is, what are you so obsessed with liking A game that you don't naturally enjoy just because it's popular. You don't have to like everything that everyone else does. Just skip it and move out to something you enjoy. This is why I never look at review scores or hype. I own a focus on what's interesting to me. Weather wise you just get influenced

[@cyanobakterie]

I'm glad people are able to find ways to get into games they were previously not enjoying as much. However, I do think it's absolutely okay to just walk away from a game you're not enjoying. Life is full of things you have to do endure even if you don't like those things, like doing the dishes, being stuck in a traffic jam, and for many people just their everyday job. So when you start having to grind other games or "mindsets" just to get into a certain game then maybe it's okay to just play the games you know you like. It's a hobby after all and not a job.

[@itsSpicyGaming]

I couldn't get into souls games until I played Hollow Knight and Elden Ring. Their gorgeous worlds and subtle story telling captivated me and as I played more I felt myself mastering these games and enjoying them. Now I make my entire youtube career on these games! P.s. (Great video! Your commentary is incredibly smooth and the music choices were absolutely on point 👌)

[@sublimechimp]

Love the souls games but couldn’t do hollow knight

[@robsonchagas7632]

​@@sublimechimpsame

[@legitplayin6977]

@@sublimechimpI have the opposite, I just can’t bring myself to like the clunky dark souls gameplay

[@Spoopy_man]

​@@sublimechimpI don't know how far you've played but it gets way better after 2 hours. One of the best games ever imo.

[@sublimechimp]

@@Spoopy_man I played more than 2 hours. There were a couple hours in the middle that I enjoyed and then it got ridiculous. Dream Tyrant and the second hornet fight… the “upgrades” to the needle weren’t much… the map was way too big and confusing… the new moves were useless (charged needle attack? When are you ever gonna get that off with the speed of the enemies?)… but yeah anyway I quit there cuz I wasn’t willing to suffer that much for a 2D platformer

[@ululuku6873]

Damn this is exactly what happened with Dark Souls 1 to me It took me years to re-try it after my first time. And now it's actually one of my favorite games ever.

[@Rouu_Garou]

Same!! I didn't have the patience as a kid, but now I do and I love it. Replaying it now as I speak :]

[@ProbNotCross]

"Don't you dare go hollow!"

[@solid3259]

I got to love DS3 when someone helped in the same very part of your video, its full of invasions there and a sunbro helped, for like, 12 times, until we completed the area. And rn Im into SFV, searching for this feeling of challenge.

[@minecraftgravityguy]

Absolutely stellar video. Used to fear hard and horror games. Now I love them both.

[@uiebattles]

This was a great video. A fresh topic. And it doesn’t only work with video games. This was something that crossed my mind, but, you did a great job articulating the concept.

[@danielcaraballo914]

I’ve felt this exact way for a long time but couldn’t put into words. Thank you for this great video!

[@sonicfraisheya4028]

best way for me to get into these games is really changing from "i need all the souls and cherish all my health full all the time" mindset to "i don't need everything in this game, i can lose a few thousand souls, a few unique weapons , a few health pots, its okay to lose something "

[@sebastianesilva398]

I'm currenly in the process of unlocking the tactical RPG genre for myself (since they've always looked interesting to me, but the complexity/slowness always put me off before) and I'm doing it through emulation. By using save-states and fast forward it frees me up to experiment at my own speed and not worry if a strategy goes badly. So far I'm having a blast.

[@ED-gw9rg]

Try Octopath 2! Free demo, 8 different MAIN chatacters to start with, everyone has an Ultimate ability that snaps the game in half, and you can also give secondary classes to everyone. Oh, and torturing NPCs is a valid strategy!

[@MrTaco67]

This is a very cool video essay, I've never considered the mindset that got me to enjoy dark souls but the connections you made are reminiscent of my own experience. Insightful.

[@LendinSwiftbolt]

I really liked this video. I think it really puts to words some of the sentiments I have being someone who adores these games (particularly Souls) but doesn't really know anyone else personally who shares that passion, and that's okay. Different games are for different people, which is a blessing. I honestly felt like I just couldn't click with a shooter for a long time until of recent when I got into Titanfall 2, and it's become the shooter I could "get." The editing and the style of the video was really nice, too. Good stuff.

[@Nylspider]

I know I'm like two weeks late, but one thing I want to point out is that the conclusion that different people reach about how, for instance, the developers "want" you to play the game, won't necessarily be the same for all players. When I started playing dark souls (well, I started with bloodborne, but same thing), the conclusion I reached wasn't that your souls didn't matter, but rather that you should spend the ones you find instead of saving them. That way there's nothing to lose by dying~

[@aliquidcow]

Yeah I don't necessarily agree with the idea that souls from normal enemies 'don't matter'. I think a deliberate part of the design is that the more enemies you kill, the more souls you build up, and therefore the higher the level of risk becomes from dying. If you've built up thousands and thousands of souls from killing normal enemies, it would take a lot to build that back up, so losing them from dying is still a big loss. I think the idea is really to make you weigh up the risk and take a considered decision before running in trying to kill everything.

[@mateozarate4843]

I didn't expect Celeste to be mentioned here, but ironically this exact same thing happened to me I never seemed to enjoy or get what souls like games where trying to do, then i stumbled with Celeste. It's not just a game that teaches the player how to play but how to learn too. It has an emotional story about not giving up, fighting against failure and the idea of incapability, anxiety, etc. I recommend everyone to give it a try, for me personally it was a complete change of mind after finishing that game.

[@skippertheeyechild6621]

It's a great experience. It has a nice message as well.

[@tgs5725]

Your explanation of challenging versus punishing is 100% accurate. In FROMSOFT games if I ever die to a boss in phase two ill immediately just summon or cheese the boss. I despise being punished by either lonh runbacks or having to restart a phase 1 that ive already beaten just so I can slowly learn a bosses mechanics over the course of 10 more deaths.

[@noob4head]

Incredible video. This is probably one of the best explanations I've heard, and it makes so much sense! Absolutely brilliant job.

[@ivankovachev8835]

Yeah I've been trying to explain to people for 10 years now that the souls you carry in Dark Souls don't matter. If you are in an area, the souls dropped in a single clear are a lot if you are under-leveled, meaning you will easily level up to the area's suggested character level just by progressing through the zone from one bonefire to the next if you are indeed underleveled for the zone. And then there are the item souls and the boss souls and so on.

[@peterstedman6140]

I think this is true for Souls games but Elden Ring was a lot more stingy with runes unless you cheesed the farming areas

[@ivankovachev8835]

@@peterstedman6140 I disagree, in Elden ring you had so many graves and a bit stronger regular enemies and you have access to Caleid from the get go, plus the weeping peninusla. Within 40-45 minutes I get to level 36-42, a +12 weapon, +5-6 flasks and I think 8-9 of flasks. On my first playthough I got the same, but it just took me longer to find them(no guides, I just explored like a mad man cuz it was so damn fun until about the 50th hour, don't try to do everything in one playthrough in Elden Ring it's too big).

[@CARLGULA]

I'm subbing right now! You've completely changed my perspective. I have refused to play souls likes because I don't enjoy overly challenging games especially since I have a condition that effects my hands. If I look at it like you have, I can take the games for what they are HOWEVER I do wish there was some accessibility options in souls games because when my hands cramp up from button mashing my gameplay is basically over and I have to wait at least a day for my hands to get back to normal to try again. Excellent video, keep up the awesome work ✌️

[@superultrathanksmom3845]

I don't think there's any mashing in the souls series, but there's moments where you need to switch to claw-grip and back during the game (if you're being sweaty). Maybe you could look into controllers that make gaming more comfortable for you too, there's a couple controllers with a focus on accesibility. Playstation just released their ❝Access controller❞, looks quite cool!

[@CARLGULA]

@superultrathanksmom3845 thanks for the input I will definitely look into those things. The PS5 controller is pretty comfortable my main issue is nerve damage makes my hands lose grip after a while and button mashing exasperates it, for example when I play shooters I use fully automatic weapons because it's hard for me to keep pulling the trigger over and over again.. I just saw the access controller it looks really neat but idk if I'd be able to get used to it as I've been using Playstation controllers for the past 20+ years lol. Thanks again for the input.

[@Ghorda9]

@@CARLGULA button mashing is generally bad practice in these games, it's not hard because of mashing it's hard because it heavily punishes it.

[@CARLGULA]

@@Ghorda9 it's not so much 'button mashing' as it is just my hands start to hurt and when I'm trying to dodge, parry and attacking tough enemies makes it difficult for me

[@Ghorda9]

@@CARLGULA most of the time you only do things one at a time thanks to not being able to animation cancel at any time, you have to commit to your actions.

[@poolofdead3088]

This was a really well made video. Hope you continue to find success with this.

[@laheycrocket169]

Bro the fighter Z section made me so happy! I have a group of friends that are all about fighters and go to tournaments and everything. Before fighter Z I stuggled so hard even getting the fundamentals with street fighter or MvC or Blazblue. When i was a kid i button mashed on the Budokai games but once Fighter Z came out, the love for playing as my favorite characters got me to push to be waaay better. And my favorite thing about not only difficult games but competitive ones is that it realy becomes an enitrely different game at high levels, with layers of meta and prediction and game knowledge tipping the advantage one way or another. Having the mindset that you can beat any challenge, that these games were designed to be beatable (or the combos were designed to be possible) will make the deaths and losses fun and just another lesson. Great video man!

[@alphamineron]

I always try to “get” a game to understand why it exists in the market. The only type of games I can’t “get” are the RTS genre and its derivatives, like MOBAs. Mainly League of Legends and DOTA… but I suppose I’d be better off getting addicted to heroin than league

[@tezereth]

I interesting. What exactly do you not get in rts? Seeing if I can help.

[@alphamineron]

@@tezereth Well RTS seems like a second job to me, balancing numbers/mechanics as in complex economics, top-down camera… the board game style play centered on optimization, it all just feels outdated and against what I expect video games to be. For me games are special in their potential for entertainment that no other media can attain, games can do 3 things. - Give small packets of fun, like short indie games focused on innovative mechanics, essentially the old Arcade kinda vibe - Let you goof around with your mates in a virtual sandbox - Allow a storytelling media that can deliver a truly transformative experience like some good AAA games Don’t get me wrong, I see no issue in niches of different genres or titles. I can fully “get” that someone can enjoy a RTS title, optimizing in Satisfactory or driving a truck in those simulators. What I don’t understand is when such a niche isn’t niche but brings in +2billion USD every year with over 150mil users; talking about League of Legends here. I don’t get how the outdated board play design can be appealing to new players. It is addictive, that gets em hooked but why play in the first place? It’s like if chess had a 2Billion revenue game; that would be ridiculous. Yea sure, chess is fun but not 2 billion usd fun. Do you see my confusion?

[@tezereth]

I can’t speak for league of legends, because I’m not really into moba, but one thing I know about rts is that peoples who don’t play them see them as much more complexe than they actually are. Well, for the most part. Take Starcraft for an example, it only has two ressources, both are just collected with you miners, which adds to your bank, it really isn’t much more complicated than that. Sure the most complicated things are mostly in the esport front. Now in argument I don’t get, is when you talk about "outdated board play"? What exactly do you mean by that 🤔

[@fenchellforelle]

should probably be stated that MOBA and RTS are only derivative in their developement history, the actual games have very little in common. given your list of things you consider video games to be uniquely good at though, it seems there should be a lot more genres that you dont click with, including the soulsbornes used as an example in this very video. Indie games dont have to be short and AAA games are not necessarily better at telling a story, that is - ironically - a very outdated view. You also seemingly forgot to mention that video games are excellent for exactly what you describe as a negative: Offering a deep and intricate sandbox and set of mechanics for the player to learn and apply without feeling overwhelming. Take an FPS game like Doom Eternal for Example: Aside from the obvious aiming and shooting, a good player keeps track of a vast variety of factors at any given moment of an engagement to inform their next action. RTS games simply flip this dynamic, where now the macro, planning and mindgames take the center stage, and the micro and mechanical execution can take a slight step back.

[@lorenzopiva9322]

​@@alphamineronwell the thing about league is pretty simple I believe: 1) it's very competitive 2) there are over 160 characters that play nothing alike. I was introduced to league by a friend and I can confirm that at first I didn't like the top to bottom style and that indeed the game felt old. Still, trying new characters kept me playing because it always felt like I was trying something new. Probably most people like competing more than anything else tho

[@JustCommonPlain]

Youre one of the few gaming content creators I actually like. So much doom posting, click bait, and stupid drama in the space these day's. You helped bring attention to obscure games, you're not meandering on, and your passion for gaming is unbeat. Its uncommon, so im glad someone like you are here.

[@KahliNeko]

That megaman battle network music in the background was really surprising, thanks for the nostalgia trip 👌

[@shavedraven]

I had the same experience where after bouncing off some souls games, Celeste was my gateway to understanding that Souls games are an not about external frustration but an internal reckoning and now the Souls games are my favorite. I would say this to people and they would look at me like Im crazy. Glad at least one other person had this same journey. Great vid.

[@rsiv5156]

Great video. And I agree with your proposed “silver bullet”. In my determination to enjoy Elden Ring, I was slowly coming to this conclusion on my own, but you just confirmed and solidified it for me. My desire to not lose a single soul was what was making the game so punishing, and the skill I’m gaining through just playing the game and not stressing about my souls is more useful, anyways.

[@brolymas]

I would like to see a video similar to this one, but related to the irrational fear that some games give me and make me unable to start or continue them, for example Fallout 3, Dark Souls and even Minecraft. It's difficult to explain, and I still can't find videos on KZbin that talk about the subject, only in forums but not exactly what I'm looking for.

[@mhswoocer]

That's an interesting idea! I do have plenty of moments where I'm feeling overwhelmed by the size of the game in front of me. Is it something like that?

[@brolymas]

@@mhswoocer Yes something like that. It is a strange mix between the size of the title and the barrier that I must overcome to face that unknown world.

[@rodolforfq]

This is a great video. It was just suggested to me and helped me discover your channel. Instant subscribe!

[@boeingnz]

The satisfaction came from mastering what you thought you couldn't do. But how much came from how new you are at these type of games and how hard it felt. You can forever chasing that feeling or satisfy that you won some you; loose some. With nothing to prove for existing. And just enjoy the scenery and music.

[@Juniverse0]

This is the type of open-minded approach I‘d like to see more of online. Oftentimes when people „don’t get [popular game]“ they just shit on it and try to rationalise their opinion, like they were in the objective right, while everyone else is wrong. So seeing a video like this is quite refreshing. I like to believe the majority of people are similarly open-minded. It’s just that people who are reluctant to see others perspectives tend to be more vocal. On a side note, having Xenoblade X as an alltime-favourite is incredibly based.

[@ETBrooD]

Elden Ring does something similar as Celeste by allowing you to level up in the open world. You're not forced to experience hours of grueling and sometimes frustrating battles to get to the next area. You can literally just avoid it and go elsewhere and progress that way. You can be overleveled in every area if you like. Meanwhile you can also do the complete opposite and try to stick to the main route as much as you can. Elden Ring lets you craft your own journey from start to finish, almost nothing is set in stone. That's an incredibly liberating experience. The game is still challenging regardless, but only as challenging as you allow it to be.

[@GhostRiposte]

Such a well made video! And very true. People freak out about losing souls early on, but you'll make up those souls ten fold and you getting better at the game the more you play will more than make up a couple of levels of lost souls.

[@collett_smash]

I really appreciate your take on this man. Loved this video. It makes me want to be more open to playing platformer games (I've never been a fan of them). So, I think if I were to play a platformer game, like you did with Celeste, that would get me in the mindset to play the Souls games as well. The only Souls games I finished was Bloodborne and Sekiro. I still have to finish Elden Ring and Demon Souls. Those are on my list. But like I said, I appreciate the video man.

[@jayefe17]

Hearing a hollow knight soundtrack in the intro really made me smile

[@unsnappednapkin7681]

Celeste is the same game that got me into doing hard stuff in games I did the normal levels then b sides the c and finally farewell and feeling the reward of beating something so challenging was so much fun that got me into doing hard stuff and I did the same thing went back to ds3 and finally beating it after a year of me having the game. Ds3 and the other souls games are now some of my favorites.

[@BlountForce]

Dude your videos are on point. Keep up the great work and you’ll start reeling in way more subscribers, it’s just a matter of time.

[@SpadeABC123]

Wow this video opened up my mind and the way i think of video games, Great vid 👍

[@MadPerfect3.5]

This is why I loved Tekken new challanges and new people with new playstyles and play patterns

[@annibo4807]

Dont just limit it to games either, you can apply this knowledge and willpower to alot more things in life than you know

[@mattb6522]

This was a very interesting video! Yeah, I've noticed that some games can be intimidating to play and if you think you will fail, you probably will. Part of playing any game is learning how the game operates so you can build the confidence to overcome even that game's (or any game's) toughest challenges. It is also being in that certain mindset (experience obviously helps, too). As a kid, I didn't learn how to play certain games and I always doubted my abilities, so I would frequently fail. As an adult gamer, I know I can handle almost any challenge and sometimes take a step back to learn how the mechanics of a game works to use that to my advantage. In doing so, I figure out what is important to succeed in the game and can visualize myself completing the task. Eventually, I am then able to go through and overcome the challenge (whatever it may be).

[@brookgaming5408]

Thank you. I've always had that fixed mindset that I would die and it would suck since I would like to really get into these amazing games. I stumbled upon your video, and it all started to click. I wasn't playing for fun but just to see what others saw in it and not what I saw. I'm going to go play Dark Souls and fully indulge myself with losing since I can always just restart. Thank you for this video, and thank you for being so understanding of the issues many players like myself had. Now I'm fully ready to take on the challenge!

[@RickThePrick69]

Still confused as to why FromSoft gets a pass for literally churning out the same game 8 times

[@mezmerize679]

The only ones that are the "same games" are dark souls 1-3

[@mrsnowmelt]

This is like saying every mario game is the same, not cool man.

[@blurayden]

I played demon souls and bloodborne those where two different beasts

[@shutup1037]

Better graphic = cooler bossfights

[@gtx1650max-q]

Sekiro and AC6 is badass tho and quite different if I must say

[@odin3141]

It is so intensely cathartic seeing someone learn why challenging games can be so fun. Its not that I enjoy punishing myself like a masochist, its just that losing a life in a video game is not a fear I posess. Dark Souls doesn't want you do dwel over your failures, but its perfectly fine with letting you do it anyways. The only way to conquer it is to ignore what you lost and think about what you've gained from the experience. Maybe that got a little too ramble-y, but its just so frustrating that people seem to either get challenging games or they don't, never learning why they can be such a rewarding experience.

[@SaintKines]

This is what Git Gud means. You learn to take the losses as real life exp that you gained, which may be as or more important than souls, and keep pushing until you get that win. In Dark Souls 1 the main theme was "don't go hollow". Which just means "keep fighting", "Git Gud", "you can do it" etc.

[@emorydaniel9084]

I think it’s interesting that you were talking about souls while playing Hollowknight music, because the more I play Hollowknight, the more I realize that geo doesn’t matter. Between bosses, farming areas, and artifacts you can get tons of geo that way. After a while the only things you need geo for fragile charms. Once I realized that, I used my charm slots much more effectively

[@supergamehunter0539]

Wonderfully put together! I personally enjoy many different kinds of games, but base-builders, most RTS games and turn-based RPGs are just beyond me. My enjoyment isn't blocked by something I dislike, there's just not enough to like to keep me invested.

[@yagyufgc]

I've tried at least 10 times to get into Hollow Knight but I just can't seem to get into it. I love souls-likes and one of my favorite games is Momodora 4 which is also a metroidvania/souls-like hybrid, but for some reason none of that matters. To this day I still have no idea why the game is so insanely popular.

[@CovenantGeneral]

games are not made everyone, not because Zelda BOTW or Ocarina of Time are rated as the best videogames of all time means its a MUST play for every single human being, there's people who find open world boring due to the overwhelming feeling of too much shit to do, others dont like linear games cause it limits your freedom or feels like playing inside a tunnel from start to finish, others don't like turn based games cause they find it boring the simple inputs or "outdated game design", others dont like hack n slash games due to how fast paced or mashy they can be. You have to find what u really like. Me personally I can enjoy most games fine (GTA games, Cyberpunk, Souls, Zelda, Fightning Games, etc but when it comes to Turn Based, TCG or 2D games no matter how insane or godlike they are, i just can't get into those games even if i force myself to try them several times. Games are like going to a Bar and ask smth to drink, some people love wine and others find it disgusting to the point they puke by just sipping a bit. I would heavily suggest quacking games (Pir*** Games) and see what you like or not so you can determine what to invest your time and maybe buy it in the future or just drop completely because in that way your money was 100% a valuable purchase or just a waste.

[@oXRaptorzXo]

Only advice I could give is maybe don’t worry about going “the right way”, just go wherever you want and eventually you’ll find something cool. Not sure how much of it you played but it definitely gets better after the early game. Then again, maybe it’s just not for you. As for why it’s insanely popular, for me at least, I loved the combat especially later on, the level design, art style, bosses, music, and definitely the vast array of characters. The lore is also really good. So pretty much everything 😂

[@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070]

For the same reason BOTW got so popular. The exploration is simply S tier

[@yagyufgc]

@@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070 I played BotW and enjoyed it, although I personally prefer other Zelda titles. What BotW got right was that I felt like there was a purpose to exploring, while Hollow Knight is too nothing for lack of a better word.

[@UltimateTS64]

I actually agree with this. I just recently did it with Gran Turismo 7. After watching the Gran Turismo movie with my parents (I'm a college student who commutes from home), I joked that we should buy Gran Turismo 7 since I have a PS5, so I can become a racer too. My mom took it seriously and bought it for me, which I didn't expect. I normally never care for racing sims and initially I thought the game was very boring, but when I saw how much detail the developers put into portraying the cars and documenting their history, it got me to appreciate the realism in the gameplay and I play it all the time now cause I learned to enjoy it. Another tip is to play a game in the same genre that seems more interesting. I've always hated turn based rpgs and even trying Pokémon turned me off to them, but Persona 5 helped me see why people like them. I actually spent 100+ hours in a game that's in a genre I hate, that's how you know they popped off.

[@rapidemboar4625]

Honestly, it's not just you- as a longtime Gran Turismo fan, GT7 moved even further away from the general game structure that made the older games so fun for me back in the day, and it's a rather contentious game among other fans. That said, I also really enjoyed the focus on detail and history this game provides compared to other driving games I've played, and I appreciate that the new single-player campaign design avoids some of the pitfalls the older games fall into and is significantly easier to pick up for new players.

[@UltimateTS64]

@rapidemboar4625 How does it differ from previous entries? Genuinely curious to know.

[@rapidemboar4625]

@@UltimateTS64 While GT7 was completely linear in the order you tackled events, older GT games were completely non-linear and gave you full freedom on which order you challenged events, with the only limitations being your license and event restrictions. You could start a game by grabbing your IA license, and with the right car you could potentially challenge endgame events and win a race car extremely early. Credits are limited if you don't know which events award the cars that sell for the most, but since winning events gives prize cars for free you can really open the game up by exploring which of your prizes can be entered in new events. It almost becomes a sandbox RPG in this way- something I only realized as an adult. I never got deep into GT2 until adulthood because I didn't know what a horsepower was and why the kei car I bought wasn't winning the Sunday Cup, and I originally spent more time grinding credits in GT4 instead of trying out new events. It can be really overwhelming for newer players since you can have a massive selection of used cars to buy and start the game with, and once you figure out how to make easy money most events can be trivialized with overpowered cars. While GT7's linear campaign wasn't what I was looking for, you can't really start with the wrong car like before and later events have tough restrictions that actually require you to experiment and learn how to tune your car. Still, if you've been enjoying GT7 I highly recommend checking out the older games. They run pretty well on emulator and the modding scene has been taking off with a bunch of bugfix/enhancement patches in active developement.

[@UltimateTS64]

@rapidemboar4625 huh that's actually interesting, wonder if they changed it in response to that? If so that'd be pretty dumb because it seems like it gives players a lot more freedom on how they play, rewarding good play and knowledge of the game's economy. Idk if we'll ever fully understand why developers remove stuff like that

[@Spectra1799]

I just stumbled upon this video today and it all just made sense to me, I had figured this all out without even realizing it the more I listened to your explanation. My counterpart to your Celeste would be a Indie Game called Salt & Sanctuary, I had tried it with the intent of getting into games similar to it because I was afraid of in game difficulty and punishments at the time, and didn't want to dislike games because of my own frustration. Luckily thanks to that ONE single game I got into 2 entire genres, Metroidvanias & Souls-like, giving both types of games a connection for me to start with and it just continued from there. Even have a Tactical RPG connection using Fire Emblem Awakening as it allowed me to get into that whole genre and now all 3 of these are some of my favorite genres of games. This video really was just how I've been tackling games without me even realizing it, but now I have the words for it, so thank you.

[@kfp299]

This kind of reminds me of the concept of cross training. Developing skills within one field can help you broadly apply those things to other new skills, sort of acting as an entry way into those skills. For example, the basic concepts of body coordination can apply from dance, to karate, to skateboarding, etc. in my experience ive been able apply the urgency and organization of being a high-pace line cook to other aspects of my life

[@KarlRock]

I'm trying to get the inspiration to continue with Dark Souls: Remastered right now! Playing some Metroidvania games on Switch got me interested. But Dark Souls is harder and more confusing. I'll keep trying.

[@RadicalDreamer9000]

I adore Metroidvanias - might be my favorite genre. Super Metroid, Bloodstained, and Symphony of the Night are phenomenal. On that note: DS3 and Elden Ring are two of my favorite games of all time. Ironically though, I don't like super hard games. I enjoy them in spite of it, not because of it. For me, the enjoyment comes from exploring a mysterious, dangerous, fascinating world, and trying to find cool secrets and powerups. I'm not that skilled at super hard combat, but I'm a patient explorer and I love finding secrets/items. My love of exploring and finding things then rewards me by giving me things somewhat ease the difficulty. I find a lot of satisfaction and enjoyment in that. Other people enjoy the brutal difficulty and it's the main draw for them. To each their own! But as someone who doesn't like super hard games, I still love them in spite of it. I love them despite that difficulty because I love everything *else* about them, and the secrets and RPG elements (which I love) reward my personal playstyle of exploring + nosiness. I'm always on the hunt for new items, weapons, etc, while leveling my character to try different builds and tactics that I think might help me. That lets me overcome the skill barrier. This way the "challenge" is shifted from raw combat skill (which I'm mediocre at) to exploring, leveling, and strategizing, which are more enjoyable and doable for me.

[@ChongMasterFlex]

My first game out of the series was Elden Ring.. I finished it to the point of new game+ but just couldn’t bring myself to go through the stress of the Dual Skin Foreskins and Melania battles again :’) now there’s a DLC I might just completely start again.

[@KarlRock]

Update: Dark Souls: Remastered is amazing. I’m loving it. At Blighttown now.

[@lisanakath5535]

​@@KarlRock if you feel completely lost watch fightingcowboy walktrhroughs he has them for all the souls games

[@ahmadagha2911]

​@@KarlRock Never figured you for a gamer but glad you enjoying the game and love your videos ❤️

[@ikeepitduck]

I have a similar experience with Nioh that hasn't resolved yet. I tried playing the game 2 years ago but it just didn't click, I don't remember much but I think I remember thinking the weapon system felt too complicated, I wanted to use the kusarigama because I thought it was cool but it also felt clunky and didn't do much damage. I've wanted to try it again so I am going to once I get my new setup (soon). New editor/editing is v good. Feels familiar to your previous editing yet brings something new. (but also at 7:08 permanently is spelt wrong lol).

[@mhswoocer]

Yeah I got an editor! I've wanted to get one for a while but I couldn't afford it, however thanks to the sponsors I've been doing recently I was able to finally get one! I'm glad you like it! Also I've watched this video start to finish 7 times and I never noticed that typo LMAO

[@jurdypurdy6719]

That subtle nudge at 5.06 actually made me sub, nice one :)

[@saternates7495]

My brother, you're speaking my hearts off and i wanted to thank you for fortifying my desires to play harder games. I showed this video to all of my gamer friend i know so they realized why "you dont "get" this game". Subbed for more future content!

[@decisive2242]

Every time someone posts a video like this, i watch it, and it's still never related to why i didn't like the games

[@zockmockk]

love it how ppl are using hollow knight soundtracks in videos

[@nightwing316]

It’s also very interesting that I have to go through all of this mental battle or train of thought just to enjoy a video game when other games I can just boot up and have fun with

[@blazing-wolf2331]

When it comes to getting in to different games it usually boils down for me what I'm looking for within that game, after I solo fatalis I had this surge of me wanting a game with a challenge I was always scared of souls like games but after fatalis I was ready to take on the challenge, it made me understand video games more where I shouldn't be scared of trying new things and by understanding the game when it finally click and that's where the real fun begins and sometime you got to just wing it when you wanna try a new game

[@JGuy97]

What keeps me from getting into Souls games is that I hate getting stuck on the same section for hours on end. Even if the dropped souls are insignificant, it just feels like rubbing salt in the wound. By the time I even reach a boss, I’m already worn out from the struggle to get there. Oh, well. I’ll just keep waiting for the next Monster Hunter for my fix.

[@geekinoffamolly8230]

That’s y you play Elden ring as the start, you will never get stuck since it’s open world

[@JGuy97]

@@geekinoffamolly8230 You underestimate just how badly I suck at Souls games.

[@Kakothree]

Insane yappage

[@DogginsFroggins]

Glad you clarified the boss souls thing, because that is some blasphemy, missing out on the coolest weapons for a few levels. Great video!

[@agusratto7436]

i think as you about how important are the souls given by normal enemies. However, in my case, as i keep killing enemies and gaining more souls, i don't want to die. Therefore, i try harder as i keep going. It's like an extra challenge i do for myself.

[@vidux6289]

It's also good to just, learn what you like. I'm curious about the souls because of gameplay and the world. But I'm more likely to be discouraged when punished and I don't read items description. I enjoy a strong narrative and a map to help me. I know I'll never play Celeste because I just don't have fun in platformers. I tried Horizon Zero Dawn 3 times. But the gameplay loop, the story, the skills to unlock, nothing spoke to me. Sometimes it's just not for you.

[@tristanjohnson8627]

3 times is a lot. I think my fav part about HZD is figuring out new/your own ways to approach combat with all your weapons. However, since you haven’t found a style for that yet, if nothing else speaks to you to keep you going like the story (depending on how far you got as it starts out not revealing much), scenery, and quests, it could just not be for you. Beyond those things, there isn’t much to achieve/collect and direct your attention to in the game, so that could also be why if you’re not amazing at making your own fun from nothing but the scenery/exploring like me or see a way you want to improve in combat yet. Tho having said that, you also can’t do as much at the start of the game with what weapons/machines you’ve seen. Hope this helps. Also have you been in cauldron yet? Those things are pretty cool.

[@vidux6289]

I've only finished the tutorial, done the first big "trial" and had to fight a bunch of dudes. The combat just didn't feel good. And as I mentionned, looking at the skill tree, I saw nothing that made me excited. The game is not a sandbox, I should not have to make my own fun.

[@PedanticTwit]

Why does every Souls fan immediately assume that difficulty is the reason someone dislikes Souls games? What if you dislike Souls games not because of difficulty, but because you play games to experience a flow state, and interfering with flow is the purpose of stamina-based combat in the first place? Imagining developers' intent doesn't help here, because flow interruption is intended to contribute to the games' atmosphere of unease.

[@elk3407]

Yo, what? Souls is ALL ABOUT flow state. Like, experiencing flow state is fundamental to beating bosses. Stamina is there to force you to use mindfulness, that is all.

[@PedanticTwit]

@@elk3407 No, you're confusing _flow_ and _rhythm._ Dark Souls combat has rhythm, but it doesn't allow for flow. Mindfulness is antithetical to flow. A flow state involves the loss of the self in awareness of the moment. Mindfulness involves subordinating the moment to the ego/superego. These two things are _fundamentally incompatible._ For an example of a third-person action game with roughly similar mechanics (light/heavy attacks, jump, block, parry, magic, i-frame rolls, etc.) that does allow proper flow, consider _Ninja Gaiden/Ninja Gaiden Black_ (OG Xbox) or _Ninja Gaiden II_ (X360).

[@elk3407]

@@PedanticTwit Maybe mindfulness isn't the right word since it's different from mindfulness outside of flow, but I can't think of anything else to describe it as. Its like being able to see into the future. You see everything before it happens, and everything else melts away. It's like being water

[@PedanticTwit]

@@elk3407 Rhythm. You get into the rhythm of the fight. The beats come and go. You can feel which beat comes next, and you play the proper note at the proper time at the proper volume for the proper duration. That's rhythm. You can distinguish it from flow by that sense of "seeing into the future". That doesn't happen with flow. With flow there is no future, no past, there is only the now. There's a Latin phrase that describes it: _nunc stans,_ roughly "the eternal now". My preference for flow isn't to say that rhythm is lesser or worse. It's just not what I enjoy.

[@elk3407]

@@PedanticTwit no, you just haven't experienced the type of flow I'm talking about. There is only the now, but that "now" is ahead of the physical now of the moment. Rhythm's "seeing into the future" is anticipation, whereas the "seeing into the future" I'm talking about is more like reality lagging behind the singular "now" you are in

[@themightydontkneeltmdk2553]

Bro, this is no pun intended, a game changer! Makes me want to jump into my back catalog

[@kalekaela]

The part about finding a connection (your DBZ reference) is the exact reason why I got into Lies of P. I’ve never been interested in souls games, never thought I would play one. But as soon as I saw the setting, characters, story, and aesthetics, it was love at first sight. I got the game and am actually progressing. I’m the type of person who plays Zelda, crafting, building, and simulation games. Souls games were never on my radar, but here I am playing one.

[@SaintKines]

A notably tough one as well.

[@kalekaela]

@@SaintKines I loved it so much I beat it twice. Plan on playing it two more times for all achievements.

[@someguythatdoesstuff7658]

based "I have no enemies" enjoyer

[@ZedAmadeus]

jesus christ you made 10 minutes feel like an eternity

[@thelucariamonarchs4889]

Awful video imo, he was just making circles around the idea that he was desperate/didnt know how to play DS properly and that he chilled out, realized he didn't gave a fuck about how the game's phase/rhythm actually is and finally got a grip. I just hate how he tries so hard to make it some sort of "deep introspection" and try to sell it to you, like...my guy, the game DOES give you the chances to adjust to his phase but you ignored it and instead of admiting you're stupid, you tried to gaslight us. Very tiresome video

[@ZedAmadeus]

for me I didn't really mind the point at all but it felt like it took 10 minutes dancing around the point to get through an introductory level synopsis/preview of an idea for a video, something you'd get out of the way in the first minute or two before moving onto an expanded version of the idea. there just wasn't enough to it for it justify being this long but more importantly, it wasn't just boring or threadbare, it felt flagrantly disrespectful of my time, like I was being nickel and dimed, like I as a viewer hadn't been considered beyond how much ad money could be squeezed out of me, which is why I wrote the comment at all... normally I'm not so negative but it felt like such a cynically motivated video.@@thelucariamonarchs4889

[@hepee4073]

been watching u for a while, but this video is a serious step up in quality, great job

[@mhswoocer]

Thanks! I hired an editor who will be helping me edit for the foreseeable future and I think he did a great job! This'll also help improve my writing as well since I can spend more time on that instead of editing! As a result the entire video is just better overall and I'm really happy with it!

[@MatCo774]

In rally games, people use to turn of the hud with progression time, track maps or position just to focus on the raw rally gameplay, thats somewhat the spirit of what you told in this video, excelent

[@di9465]

For me i just choose the game that has the waifu that i like

[@crispy.dragon]

Paradoxically having some things spoiled about a game makes me feel more motivated to play it because I feel like those things I already know are sort of checkpoints of the run so that when I see them in game I understand how far into the game is that particular thing. For example I played Hollow Knight even though I already knew of some bosses and areas but that only made it more fun to see them in game, it's kinda like seeing and old friend or someone you dont see in a while. On the other hand I haven't continued playing Salt and Sanctuary in a while because I know nothing of it which makes it a bit awkward when I see something that's important lorewise but it's the first time I see it

[@dinkalus]

this happened to me with Armored Core 6 and Balteus lol

[@noobsaibot4466]

8:15 the sheer confidence of opening that chest had my heart racing for a moment

[@Rexuhnt]

I can vouch that this method works. I always struggled to enjoy turn based RPGs, but after playing Persona 5 I’ve been going back and playing a ton of turn based games and LOVING them

[@jirehtheprovider]

So in just the 4 minute sunmary of your video being watched, here is what I get. The sad reality ome has to acceot is that not all people would like to struggle with videogames at all. Even with good game design that lessens punishment and lets you try again, simply, there will be people that only want forever rewards without being challenged

[@lucky1abt230]

Please don't use boss souls to level up. that's actually not how they are supposed to be used. You should trade them to get the boss weapon or spell (and they are sometimes way better than normal weapons and make the game easier)

[@mhswoocer]

I think using them early on can be kinda risky yeah, but once I had a build I was comfortable, I'd just check to see if it was a weapon I was interested in and if it wasn't I'd use it! I think that's the safest way to go about things if you still wanna use the boss souls to level up

[@kfp299]

This is sort of the secret to “acquired tastes”. “This new genre of music is weird (rock), but i can appreciate how the beats are similar to what i already like (hiphop)”. Fast forward a month and the new genre (rock) feels like an old friend. Incredibly insightful video my guy

[@londobellace]

This was a very well done video. I'm happy you found something that works for you. As for me, I also enjoy a difficult game. But not all of them. I still don't like rogue like games. And I doubt I'll ever beat one either, tho I own and enjoyed several of them. I think you live a better life when you aren't cursed by FOMO. That's why I know Hades isn't for me.

[@ET_is_Here]

Patience is one of the most underrated skills when playing videogames. The struggle to get better, progress, and to truly understand the game, takes time, but is one of the most rewarding parts of gaming. The journey sometimes is more important and memorable than the end goal even if you have to take a step away from the game. There are two games in my top five that I think you would really enjoy. The first is Rain World. This game is my favorite of all time. It is a 2D Survival Game where you journey through a dangerous ecosystem. This game's AI is phenomenal. Every creature has it's own behavior with self-preservation at the top of it's priorities. If you want a tough, but incredibly unique game to try out, this is it. If you were to get it, play the base game first and get the DLC later. The second is Phoenotopia Awakening. It is a loose Metroidvania game that took inspiration from Zelda II. It is an incredibly charming game that has great exploration, combat, and enemy/boss design. If you want a game that rivals the greatest Metroidvania and Adventure games, then this is it. Both of these games are criminally underplayed. They deserve so much more attention.

[@amgdeg4897]

I don't think it's worth the mental gymnastics just for a game , if you force yourself it won't be fun anymore which is kinda the opposite of why you play games in the first place

[@mhswoocer]

you're totally right! While I think it's worth trying to make a game work, I will never fault someone for going "this isn't for me" and dropping a game. I think that's super valid

[@amgdeg4897]

@@mhswoocer EXACTLY ‼️

[@keeparguing611]

i think its not so much about introducing mental gymnastics, but rather about alleviating the mental gymnastics that arises from thinking "why do everyone like this game so much? what am i missing on, if anything?"

[@thefgcsensei4482]

this is a great video! I appreciate the fact that you were concise yet managed to use examples to support your arguments. And also, glad to see you make that jump into fighting games through the gateway drug that is DBFZ, the FGC keeps growing! 💪

[@user-zz1mv7ut1v]

I've been playing elden ring for a bit now and the only thing i've learnt is that when faced with a difficult challenge, try, try, try again, if i dont get it after a while, explore and put the challenge away and come back to it once you've learnt, adapted, gotten stronger and grew

[@3v3ryus3rnam3istak3n]

my guy why you need a strategy to start to like something that is hyped? play whatever you find fun, this is video games we're talking about, not some annoying family member that you need to learn how to tolerate.

[@101lwx]

People like this treat video games way too seriously it's kinds funny

[@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070]

Because if you can learn how to enjoy soulsborne games then you're gonna have like 8 games that are all peak to play

[@goat9295]

Expanding your knowledge on stuff may also expand your taste which equals more chances of enjoying stuff. Just over a year ago I was feeling that I was growing out of video games because all I played were FIFA, COD, Fortnite, and occasionally GTA. I didn't really get the deal with newer single player games(haven't played since a kid), but I looked into them anyways. Now I've started playing more games and actually enjoy them again. Yeah, having a whole strategy is a bit extra and I don't think I'd go that far, but the very least you can do is look into new genres. You'll never know which ones might hit.

[@Mal_Freeman0451]

Celeste is amazing. One of few games I rate as a 10/10 and pretty much gaming perfection.

[@junkE3]

Great video and editing!

[@reillypasion218]

Spot on video. Was never into “difficult” games before but one day ended up getting Hollow Knight, then eventually Blasphemous. Once I got a computer that could run more current games, got Elden Ring a few weeks ago. I’ve only had a few boss fights and now I can understand why Souls games are so beloved. Now all we need is a Bloodbourne port for steam so I can play all the previous entries.