FromSoftware's Game Design Changed Everything

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that rat really was a king at one point
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[@NakeyJakey]

i always end up writing these pinned comments while im delirious and sleep deprived (or sleep DEPRAVED on my fromsoft shit lmao) but thank you for coming by and tuning in i really really love these games and I know they also mean a lot to many other people too and I think thats really cool and video games are so magical. i hope this video is good! and i hope you're doing good too. and i hope the people who wanted ROMCOM merch are happy too! the hoodie is high quality 14oz heavy blend for size ref and im really really proud of how both pieces turned out and feel on my bod. anyways im gonna finally play tears of the kingdom!!

[@mide8845]

Jakey🥰🥰❤❤❤

[@ShyPaPaya]

I will listen and watch any video you make Jakey. I love to binge listen to all your vids in a playlist while I’m at work. They make my boring bland days full of laughs and joy. Please never stop making videos because I will always be waiting for the next one.❤

[@XeroPf]

I’m 11 minutes into the video and and it’s pretty good! I appreciate to see a video essay on FromSoft for a hot minute and and I’m glad we got it, keep up the amazing work naked jacket.

[@gregheffley4830]

Jakey plz physical copy of ROMCOM

[@jdubbu]

totk video whenn? so excited for more content love u jakey

[@VaatiVidya]

All hail the rat king. Honestly one of my favourite characters in all of Demon's Souls

[@gallow_]

The Rat King and the Worm Lord, two exceptional and underlooked bosses in DeS

[@NakeyJakey]

this made my day 🤯🐀

[@cellophaneoxygen]

i thought you were talking about jake for a second

[@Taveren]

if you fuckin drop a rat king lore video on april fools day next year i swear to god

[@fucyu3528]

IMM THE GIANT RAT WHO MAKE ALL OF THA RUUULES

[@Pyrocynical]

I like how you shown the Crucible Knight as an example of a weaker boss

[@willuigi64]

Why hello Pyro, nice to see you here

[@EthanLeeV]

Pyro?!

[@Aspyrus]

Vore

[@bromomento3862]

From what I've seen, Crucible Knights seem really easy if you're decent at parrying. (Which I'm not lol)

[@wackmidi]

THICC SOULS III

[@arthurdurham]

Taking a left instead of a right at Fire Link Shrine has probably ended the start of more Fromsoft game careers than anything else in their catalog.

[@wrongtoothbrush2175]

LMAOO

[@Cavemanner]

Yep, that's exactly why I still refuse to play any of their games to this day 😂

[@btchiaintkidding7837]

tbh, if anything the over exaggeration of difficulty in these games by both fans/players and haters/journalists alike have done this more than anything. i was a literal 13yo when i tried ds1 , heard it was hard af. so i didnt realize that i was going through a high difficulty area bit thought it was the intended path cuz it is supposed to be hard right?(also, every time i d^ed tk skeleton it still felt like my fault/impatience/misinput/spamming/bad stamina management etc) so it took me a while (a literal decade tbh) to figure that i was going the "wrong" away.

[@jgn]

nah bolt from last raven exists

[@shizzledink]

I was one of those people. Then I came back years later and was like "you know what? Maybe I should go the other way"

[@Barrelridergames]

Sekiro fans already used to their favorite game not even mentioned in FromSoftware discussions

[@Runictheunic]

But he did

[@yeahbuddy7217]

because it doesn't fit in with the rest, the combat is very different from the bunch

[@MrEffectfilms]

At least they can play Sekiro on PC and modern consoles.....*cough* Bloodborne...*cough*.

[@ihasankles6737]

​@@MrEffectfilmsgod i would get railed by black men just for a bloodborne, demon​'s souls pc port

[@jgn]

evergrace and otogi fans

[@Berd]

congratulations to from software for making everything great for all the jacobs out there

[@wyzepoi_gamedev]

berd

[@Jayfeather-cu1gc]

As a Jacob, I can say confidently they have indeed helped us immensely.

[@J4keJ]

@@Jayfeather-cu1gcSame, brother

[@abdullahbughdady9408]

im so confused. to or from said software? also what is the software you're referring to?

[@fergusofdalibor4264]

​@@abdullahbughdady9408 😂

[@CriticalNobody]

I was working at GameStop when Demon’s Souls came out. We didn’t get many copies at first, but slowly over the next several weeks more and more people came in asking for it and we kept getting more and more copies due to demand. That natural word of mouth growth was something that rarely ever happened

[@DimitriDeimos]

I remember at launch of Demon's Souls on the PS3. My dad and I had to drive to 3 different Gamestops to find a copy. Was well worth it and I immediately loved the game. As a 30-year-old adult now, I appreciate that little adventure with my dad.

[@collisw8302]

I remember it well, all my gamer friends talking about this weird game that was actually extremely challanging but didn't feel unfair. Truly a masterpiece.

[@bladechild2449]

The game didn't even release in the UK at the time it was getting good reviews. Everyone was buying a Japanese copy which had English text off PlayAsia lol

[@cattysplat]

Played it at a friends house and couldn't understand why all the reviews were so crazy. I couldn't get past the first area dying to basic enemies over and over because I had 0 patience and just wanted to smash thing. You really have to learn some humility and focus on surviving rather than just brute forcing everything. At a time where games being more accessible = good to most people, a game that kicked your ass until you stopped trying to play it your way and started to play it correctly was incredibly polarising in games media and gamers.

[@DannySullivanMusic]

agreed dude. 110% right

[@soulstech414]

Dark souls 2 saved my life. I was in a sober living home and could feel myself slipping back so i went and bought an old 360 and got dark souls 2 because it looked cool. And i become obsessed with it. I started taking my recovery more seriously and i started buying all of fromsofts games and i have 4 years clean now.. i can honestly say miyazaki saved my life

[@teenageboyhormonalrage]

Congrats man. Keep going skeleton

[@themagnus2919]

Dark Souls made me want to take drugs.

[@Kaiser4Srbija]

Great stuff man, fromsoft games really do help when you are feeling down !! Keep going strong and have a great 2024 !

[@zaratustra00]

amazing, keep it up

[@RelativelyBest]

Ironic, considering these are games where you desperately chug out of a bottle whenever something goes wrong. :D But, seriously, good on you. Also, DS2 may be the black sheep of the series but it's still my personal favorite.

[@xSaintxSmithx]

I love how Jake's fans have all collectively decided that he's our cool older cousin that we never see. It's just so fitting.

[@TDGCmote]

no fr he's the best

[@HomelessTaxation]

can anyone tell me what the song used at 31:51 is?

[@umbela5646]

The cousin that gives his old games to you and and is for some reason a expert in everything

[@staticwolfblogson8154]

I have 27 cousins and is till see Jakey more often that most of them

[@bighomso]

@@HomelessTaxation kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpOpi6aboJueibM

[@LeekLone]

Seeing this man is like reading Game Informer or Gamepro as a kid, and being immersed in playing a good ps1,N64 or Dreamcast game. Or reading a classic manga that wasn’t popular but was well known. A wholesome, informative, funny, and well crafted tv show or movie. It’s a heart warming feeling that gets rarer as time goes by.

[@Leitefsj]

Perfect comparison

[@alexrush4140]

Wow, high praise! Hoping I feel the same after watching this

[@Marzimus]

Next Generation used newspaper-like pages. It's the ultimate Nostalgia 1-2 Punch flipping through one of those this decade.

[@CharliMorganMusic]

Reading game informer as a kid..yeah, you nailed it. That's exactly it :)

[@LoganRonin-vn2we]

Thank you for putting into words what I feel whenever I watch Jakey.

[@joaquincardona8256]

That shortcut elevator in DS1 is top tier game design, the feeling of being utterly lost, fighting knights on your last estus, running away trying not to get killed until you see THAT elevator. Going down that shortcut and seeing the firelink shrine made a click in me, that was the moment that I realized I was not playing your average video game no, this is somethin else.

[@morgannyan2738]

Theres been plenty of games with shortcuts before Dark souls

[@icipher6730]

@@morgannyan2738 That's not the point. The point is that the entire DS map is designed around Firelink Shrine serving as the central hub/nexus area that has multiple paths leading to it. It's not a regular shortcut, it's DS1 interconnectedness, with multiple zones and areas looping into each other, that is still unparalleled.

[@Darius_Cyrus]

I remember literally sighing in relief and feeling the grip on my controller soften when I saw the fire link shrine.

[@Bertrammos]

you lucky mf. i took so long to find it i didnt even need it when i actually did lol

[@Pestigirioso]

how many hours do you need to put into it to finally discover this game is something else?

[@KeyDyer]

Between FromSoft and Ghibli, why are Miyazaki’s taking over my life rn

[@oswaldrabbit1409]

Damn Japanese.

[@zaidlacksalastname4905]

​@@oswaldrabbit1409British people in 1943 be like

[@crangejo]

​@@oswaldrabbit1409USA in WW2

[@crangejo]

​@@oswaldrabbit1409USA in WW2

[@JemaKnight]

​@@zaidlacksalastname4905Swing and a miss.

[@H4ndS0up]

The feeling i felt when i was unlocking all the sections of the map and it just gradually getting bigger and bigger filled my heart with complete joy.

[@gothxm]

-Man describing Assassins Creed : Valhalla

[@kinmersha]

I remember at first thinking limgrave and stormveil would be like... most of the game and then just being blown away when the map opened up and Liurnia was as big again and realizing this was just the beginning.

[@ChuCannon]

Right? I remember leaving Limgrave for the first time and thinking "There's no way the map can get any bigger than this. It's already huge!" And I had the same thought every time I found myself in a new area. And then it just kept going... and going... and going... What a massive, beautiful world. Elden Ring really is a magical experience.

[@traviscue2099]

I enjoyed it at first, then it just felt like Assassins Creed and every other open world game.

[@jase276]

The best was going underground and realizing there's an entirely separate map

[@Hummabubba]

Rejoice fellow gamers. This is some of the most consistent Jakey content we have seen in a long time.

[@DrSpaceman42]

Dog has blessed us

[@pierreo33]

If anyone is rejoicing it's Jakey Making 2000 dollars every month of patreon Makes 4 videos a year Yeah I'm jealous

[@youraveragepasser-by7367]

@@pierreo33 each vid probably takes over 2 months depending on length and topic density

[@jacobsaul]

as a jacob, i can confirm that it has had a huge impact on the industry of jacobs. we'll never be the same

[@AngryLygas]

I am a friend of several Jacobs (Jacobi?), and I can confirm they changed post-Demon's Souls release.

[@JakeDaSnake7771]

As another jacob, i agree

[@jacobjones3612]

Agreed

[@AsteroSloth]

@@kingsrevenge9234 GO TO COLLEGE🔥🤑🔥🤑🔥

[@DannySullivanMusic]

i know! without a doubt correct man

[@FrankenSama]

One aspect that doesn't get discussed enough is how FromSoft's success isn't an overnight thing, but purely years and years of iterative design. From the King Fields, Armored Cores, Otogi, Evergrace, and Souls, each one of them is just years and years of iterating on those same ideas and moving the needle just enough to make it feel fresh, and Elden Ring feels like a perfect culmination of those 36 years of existence.

[@mashin4104]

hey dont forget about The adventures of cookie and cream

[@yurilopes420]

instead of banking on their previous mediocre success and releasing low effort shit because "it'll still sell" that's why they're legit with no exaggeration the only good AAA company left. they truly want to deliver QUALITY

[@TheStraightestWhitest]

@@yurilopes420 Exactly. Pure perfectionism.

[@AhmadAlmilli]

@@yurilopes420 not true, nintendo and capcom are top notch, personally i like fromsoft the most though.

[@PurpleCh4lk]

@@AhmadAlmilli Nintendo makes good games but as a company they're but a flaming pile of shit.

[@UltimateDailga12]

Only Jakey could get me to watch a half an hour video on a game series I've never touched in my life. I love all of your videos man

[@teleitda8805]

My advice: touch every single one of games you can get your grubby little mits on

[@kamitorings]

you're not missing much, this video is very big gaslight.

[@Milkshaco]

@@kamitorings i mean, that's a very subjective opinion.

[@octodaddy8322]

​@@kamitorings gaslighting how? Youre saying these games arent actually good?

[@UltimateDailga12]

@@teleitda8805 I just never been the target market for these kinds of games tbh.

[@pengmaeda9908]

I sometimes forget about how Jakey is an attorney when he isn't making videos for years at a time.

[@foxbuns]

he's *what*

[@boofmac6978]

an attorney

[@georgewilliamson5667]

*JAKEY IS AN ATTORNEY!?*

[@___joez]

JAKEY AND JAKEY

[@icholasyurgh]

A key member of Jakey, Jakey, and Jakey.

[@patgilroy7627]

Are we ever gonna acknowledge the insane amounts of drip this man has acquired over the years

[@jonathanwilson7949]

yoga drip gamer

[@drinfernodds]

Ever since I first came across Jakey, his fashion sense has made me envious. I'd feel like a goof in what he's wearing, but Jakey rocks it well.

[@zeast1]

a hoodie and some dress pants? is that considered high fashion to you people?

[@px8]

@@zeast1 it's the way he wears it

[@IWantToStayAtYourHouse]

@@zeast1 They're gamers what do you expect

[@TheObicobiHD]

Bloodborne in 2015 was one of the best gaming experinces in the last decade for me. Favorite game of that year. After school in my junior year of HS, coming home and playing the game till i had to go the school the next day 😂 From the atmosphere, weapons, gameplay, lovecraft/berserk inspired worlds and enemies, what a game! 💜 Great video mate

[@ErrorNV]

Please never stop making these passion projects Jakey, top tier as always.

[@fishyfish1917]

01:19 Chapter I Hard, But (Mostly) Fair 08:30 Chapter II The "Dark Souls" of Dark Souls 15:20 Jakey, Jakey & Jakey: ATTORNEYS AT LAW 17:00 Chapter II Continuation (Dark Souls II, Bloodborne & Dark Souls III) 20:08 Chapter III Tarnished Magnificence

[@koreboar4646]

I love Jakey being like "I forgot to talk about Sekiro, but Hollow Knight remixes the starting area" even thought From Software the company we're talking about did that with Sekiro

[@yungturkishman4211]

Lol so true

[@Lofirainbows]

And Demon's Souls/Dark Souls 2/Bloodborne, etc

[@PINKAS1]

@@Lofirainbows Memory might be a bit bad but when does bloodborne do this?

[@BenjoCovers]

@@PINKAS1 not many people know bc its still a fucking ps4 exclusive :O

[@koreboar4646]

@@PINKAS1 Since Bloodborne takes place in chapters like Sekiro and DS3, when the moon changes the world alters as well, first the sunset into night time makes some new enemies spawn and existing enemies more eldritch, as well as the blood moon awakening the whole world

[@TheShinyHaxorus3D]

33:00 the game design problem with this approach is that it basically means you can fully upgrade like 2 weapons and basically never have to look for upgrade materials ever again, which is obviously not what they wanted. One way to get sort of around this would be to only give you half of your upgrade resources back from your old weapon, but that's more like putting on a bandage than actually solving this design issue.

[@thelovebelow3378]

I think it’s fine having some of your choices matter and be permanent

[@HadalStreetlights]

I think part of the issue is the entire rune economy to be perfectly honest. There's a discrepancy in how easy it is to get runes as you get deeper into the game, and at later stages, absent relentless farming, it can be very tough to gather enough runes to reliably level weapons up to full. If, however, the rune economy was leveled out more, then I think the diminishing returns from the upgrade materials would be alleviated because you'd be able to easily BUY entire stacks of early game upgrade mats, the way the system clearly intends. Instead, people have to rely on Bird Farm Spot or Cooping Bosses with Rune Farming Gear. Both viable strategies, but ones that very much step on the immersive qualities of Elden Ring in a substantial way.

[@BornToPeeForcedToDrinkIt]

@@HadalStreetlights While it does step on the immersion a bit to have to resort to farming runes, this is still a video game and an open world one at that. Enemies respawn for a reason, and I think the reason weapon upgrade materials are scarce as they are without the bell bearings is as thelovebelow3378 said, it's to give your weapon upgrades and choices some meaning. I find it weird that Jake even acknowledges that the bell bearings exist but that you won't know about them because, well, you won't know about anything. That's why you have to go searching and exploring. Y'know, like an open world game? You're going to end up looking for smithing stones in mines which is where most of the bell bearings are. Fully upgrading a weapon should be something infrequent and special. Maxing every weapon in your inventory before deciding what you want to use isn't the way this game is meant to be played. Experimentation happens before you +25 (or +10) a weapon, not after. It's a reward for discovering your ideal tool to be able to fully upgrade it, not a prerequisite.

[@Dekartz]

@@thelovebelow3378 The other issue is upgrade levels affecting pvp matchmaking.

[@flamingmanure]

i dont think theres anything wrong with elden rings upgrade system, by the end, i had 4 maxed out weapons and about seven +24/+9 weapons, thats laughably more than any other fromsoft game combined in my experience, people that explored and got the bell bearings have an infinite source of it minus the final upgrade, of which the game gives you 8 per playthrough XD i dont know, the more i see souls veterans trying to "critique" fromsoft games, the more i see the delusions of a normal person convincing themselves that they are real game developers or atleast think like one, 99% of "improvement" suggestions are thoughtless, no offense. in truth none of us are qualified to suggest jackshit lol, we do not understand the variables and effects a single design choice/change have on the rest of the game design system, were basically babies with lego sets pretending to be civil engineers, and arguing with actual civil engineers on how they should design/improve buildings, thats pretty much it, regardless of what egotistic and fragile youtubers like gamemakerstoolkit or joseph anderson think. theres really no difference between us and them when it comes to critique and improving on a game's design, the only difference is they have a microphone, editor and good writing skills.

[@rockyboy504]

This guy's channel made me want to try my hand at video essays back in 2019 (didn't work out) and my first idea was making a piece about FromSoft's design and the impact of it. Years later, this video is easily the best thing I've ever found in my sub feed. This truly is the Elden Ring of The Dark Souls of FromSoft Video Essays.

[@noahwhite659]

You should definitely give it another try!

[@HA-Z1]

How come it didn't work out? Is it not something you could work on and retry??

[@mynamejeffgaming]

​@@HA-Z1probobly not, from my personal experience I'm an idiot with no creativity so when I tried video essays it was never gonna happen . O.p might have had a similar reaction

[@TNRTanhar]

He's the hero we need, but not the one we deserve. Welcome back Jakey

[@sitkinator]

Sad I probably won't be able to watch this one, since I haven't played Elden Ring yet.

[@lincolnehret]

@@sitkinator PLAY IT

[@HueyTheDoctor]

You either die a Jakey or live long enough to see yourself become the Jakey.

[@RatedJ32]

Every video you make is either nostalgia or an endearing video essay on why we love our different forms of media. You continue to demonstrate your craft in storytelling and you will always have me as a viewer.

[@nathanprohaska8635]

Man when this video first came out I didn’t watch it bc of the spoiler. I genuinely turned it off when Jakey said so lol. A year or so later after putting over 300 hours into my first play through of Elden Ring this is so satisfying to watch. Thanks Jake. We love you man!

[@CircleToonsHD]

THIS GUY GETS IT

[@Keegos]

Love your animations brother.

[@Oldmangaming7]

you fell off 4 years ago

[@IAmValefree]

@@Oldmangaming7 ????

[@DIABETOR]

He really doesn’t

[@MadlockFreak]

This is the dark souls of youtube comments

[@ArtistNotFound123]

Brother I just had a really tough day. I work in film production, so I'm used to 12-14 hour days. Today though I'm tired, everything is sore. It's going well, but it's been challenging. I'm gonna say this: I needed this video. This was an awesome video. I'm happy to be alive during the time of your videos.

[@Myriad-Truths]

Me too man I'm a roofer and had the worst pain ever in the form of a heatstroke. This is what I needed while being bedridden today

[@joelmorder9780]

"The illusion fromsoft sells is a powerful one" >shows anor londo I like what you did there.

[@TheKosmotect]

The sense of scale they captured when you first open the doors to lands between is unmatched. Never fealt daunted by how big a game was but the start gets me everytime.

[@CJT49]

It's funny that you say that, when they directly made that scene as a nod to BOTW

[@TheKosmotect]

@@CJT49 Never got around to switch gaming sadly. I didn't know it was a nod that's dope.

[@CatBxtchNami]

@@CJT49 I always thought the scenery in BOTW was boring, most of the place is... well, the wild forest, ya know what I mean?

[@WillToNihilsm]

Literally just copied fallout 3

[@WillToNihilsm]

​@@CatBxtchNamino. There is also a desert, jungle, fairy forest, tundra, volcano, and lake/river biomes.

[@realtayo42]

Every time I see that Disney Channel Original Movie opening I know it's gonna be a video I'll be rewatching for several years. And frankly, your Rockstar and Naughty Dog game design analysis videos are my favorite on the channel, so to get one about the GOAT FromSoft is a real treat. Thank you for making this!

[@dougr8646]

Hows that nut taste

[@dandylionwine]

My thoughts exactly. Seeing Jakey sitting out in front of Horse Sense in the opening second is like a visual short hand that lets me know I'm gonna be in a good and cozy place for the next little bit.

[@HomelessTaxation]

can anyone tell me what the song used at 31:51 is?

[@smoothduck7151]

My favorite is his book fair video I think about it too much lol

[@PixelationMusic]

Dude, you put out an amazing album and then went back into making videos. You are killing it, and just know I’m proud of you.

[@Stainedglasswindowz]

He ain’t gonna let you hit lil bro

[@l0ki6970]

​@@StainedglasswindowzBRO 💀💀

[@theflash9735]

Legit my favourite album bro its SO GOOD

[@Bad_At_Parties]

Nothing quite matches the experience of randomly seeing a new Nakey Jakey video in my recommended feed. I never expect it and can never predict it, but when I see a new thumbnail I've not yet encountered and see how recently it's been posted, I'm instantly overcome with joy and smile ear to ear. Jake, the amount of heart and soul you put into your work is truly commendable, and I hope you know just how much your quirky, passionate and insanely clever style always keeps us entertained. I find myself regurgitating your work on days when I just need something playing that makes me laugh and smile, as you have a comforting and endearing way about you that makes it easy to uncheck from my problems. You are a refreshing presence on this platform and in the world, because you know who you are, what you think and feel, and don't compromise any of it for anyone. Whether I agree with your video arguments or not, I always come away from your videos learning something and appreciating the perspective from which you've created them, and that's a real rarity on this site these days. Keep on keeping on, brother, and congratulations on all you've accomplished to this point. You have a lot to be proud of.

[@ShopperKungTVplay]

"the game that everyone expects to die refuses to die" huh that really souls feeling right there, never give up keep going even it sounds impossible

[@TheRedstonian]

Slight correction: DS2 wasn't delirious because it wasn't directed by Miyazaki (at least not exclusively), it's because it was more or less passed to a new director about three different times and nobody could agree where it needed to go as a whole. The last director eventually figured out a theme to string all the "what the fuck is happening" into a narrative, being "human civilization is both cyclical and doomed to be overwritten by what comes next". If anything, it's even mastered by DS3, which is why it feels like "Fromsoft's Greatest Hits". It's the last hurrah of a dying world.

[@ReachStudioPro]

Yep. I remember that.

[@austins.2495]

How can a game be “delirious”? It can make someone playing it delirious, but the game itself is just that; a game.

[@TheRedstonian]

@ omg babe your inability to process slightly improper language makes you look so smart ...Look, I like personifying, okay

[@ThePersonNetwork]

My favorite part of all the souls games is sometimes you come across what you think is a hidden pathway and follow along to see where it leads, only to have it lead you to the next main area.

[@Matthew-jb4cc]

One of my favorite things I did when I first played Elden Ring was getting the maps, looking for an interesting spot like ruins, caves or weird markings and going there to find out what was that. It honestly was one of the best experienses I had with a game. Also, trying to teach my brother how to make a propper build and both of us figuring something out so that he could defeat a boss was great.

[@estebanembroglio6371]

i dont think theres a single more triumphant moment ive felt in any video game besides finding the top side of the ladder in the undead burg and kicking it down for a shortcut

[@caindis-abel-dhisbrother9601]

i was in blighttown, blind run, total green boy not git gud scrub, after days of torment (with toxic and gravity) I made it back to firelink... I felt in my whole body CLEAN. I am forever grateful and impressed that some pixels made me feel from dirty to clean/safe.

[@lukelaws3545]

Great video Jakey! One thing I love about the corpse run system that probably is intentional but idk for sure is that when do you lose everything because you didn’t make it back in time, you have NOTHING to lose and nothing but pure rage, focus, and determination is going on our gaming bodies. It is so satisfying when you kill a boss after something like that happens and motivates the player to keep going oddly enough.

[@mattbrewer2793]

Again, thanks so much for making the content that you do, dude. The nostalgia hits I get from this stuff always makes me feel like we could have grown up in the same neighborhood or been in the same cub scout troop or something. They remind me of a time in my life where things weren't about deadlines or bills, but about getting to go to Doug's place and play Perfect Dark. Love the content, hope you're doin alright

[@jmegaffin]

The point about weapon upgrades is an interesting one. There's an indie Souls-like game called Hellpoint where, instead of upgrading weapons themselves, you upgrade chips that can be freely swapped between weapons and also work as elemental infusions. It's a good system, but I think there is something to be said about how weapon upgrades in Souls games have always been more important than levelling up, and that not being able to get upgrade materials back makes you form an attachment to your favourite weapons, which I think is an important component of a classic adventure story.

[@Yoshihara72]

That argument would only work, IF weapons in the game were actually balanced. But with how bad some weapons are, it just feels vrry punishing to have chosen the "wrong" weapon as your partner

[@alenezi989a3]

I don't know upgrade materials are plenty you can upgrade 3 or 4 different weapons simultaneously without farming too much, it's not really punishing, maybe it's just me but I never had problems with weapon upgrades.

[@Solaire_of_Astora13]

The way your weapons gradually turn into "stories" along with you and the way you have to force yourself to adapt to a new playstyle whenever you change them is always very immersive imo.

[@Jimera0]

One other advantage to the non-transferable system is that it makes finding smithing stones feel exciting, even if you've upgraded your current weapon as far as you can. Knowing that finding your 11th smithing stone (3) actually could matter makes finding them much more rewarding, since they never stop having potential value. If you could just transfer weapon levels or the materials for weapon levels, a large portion of the loot you find would feel much less rewarding to find, and keeps you exploring and hunting for them. Another thing I'd like to point out is that not being able to change your build super easily is an important design choice. It means that the decisions you make about your gear and stats when progressing through the game carry weight and feel meaningful, a feeling that would get lost if you could just tweak it as much as you want. It also creates a feeling of continuity that might otherwise be lacking; in games where you can super freely switch between radically different builds, it's often hard (for me at least) to see that character as a character because they can change so radically on a whim. The protagonist you control ends up feeling less like a person and more like a doll. In a game like Elden Ring where there are limited ways to define your character outside of their actions and playstyle, changing your build dramatically feels like being a different character entirely, which can be a problem when you're trying to build an immersive, epic adventure. I think this is actually why re-specing in Elden Ring is framed as "rebirth" the way it is. It's really conveys the sense that undergoing such dramatic change is a momentous and meaningful thing. This is reflected in the game design by making re-specing limited mechanically with the limited number of larval tears available. It reinforces the ideas and themes of the game, where transformation is not a simple process and is fraught with risk and consequence. Put shortly, being able to adjust your stats and gear without any restrictions would make the game feel so much more "gamey" and pull the player out of the experience. In a game like Elden Ring where the atmosphere and feeling of the game is such an important part of the experience, making sure your mechanics don't undermine that is very important.

[@raydark100]

I never had problems with the stones. Is it not clear that the stones are in the mines? Besides, finding the bells is quite easy, three of them are on the main road, the other two are in two mines.

[@travioli_yeah4270]

I’ve been known to rewatch KZbin videos, but Jakey, you and your channel are something special. I have watched and rewatched a majority of your videos only god knows how many times, and I never get tired of it. You are unendingly entertaining, and your videos and your channel bring a level of comfort that I can’t explain, but will never complain about.

[@lucaslimadocouto495]

Sometimes it's just nice to see a 30 minute video about a game you really liked, kind of like a tribute to this amazing masterpiece. Also it was very interesting to see you talk about the timeline of fromsoftware making games, and the evolution/changes they made to the games, very good video jakey.

[@MA-go7ee]

I highly recommend watching The Act Man's video on Dark Souls. It is a masterpiece.

[@spiritualhuntr]

Mm m1​@@MA-go7ee 😮 m2mmm

[@AishiYoutube]

I really liked fighting the Godskins separately a second time, it gave me a chance to realize how much muscle memory I built killing them the first time, it was like my dodge button was pressing itself. Great experience.

[@UsernameyMcUsernameFace]

How did you feel the third and fourth time?

[@fernandofaria2872]

@@UsernameyMcUsernameFace Or the 92475629th time?

[@LAAV69]

The first time I rested at the lower Blighttown bonfire, I felt hundred of miles away from everything else. When I went through the Valley of Drakes and New Londo to take the elevator up to Firelink, I died of poison. I tried it again and ended up waltzing into a pit where the elevator would have been if I remembered to call it back down. The third attempt was so stressful - walking as slowly as I could out of the lift and what do you know, the bonfire is extinguished. That experience is burned into my memory and it blows me away I can jog to Quelaag SL1 these days without even looking at the screen.

[@AluminumFusion22]

It's pretty cool how accessible Elden Ring is compared to Dark Souls, whether it's the removal of the Durability stat that caused weapons to break, and even simple things like the compass marking where your Grace is when you die, or even the ability to choose what bosses you want to fight first. I can imagine it's surprisingly easy to jump into compared to other FromSoft games, other than Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or even Sekiro.

[@Yorikoification]

Or...You know, features that open world games have had for decades.....But it's cool that Fromsoft is finally catching up with modern game design, good for them! Maybe in 30 years they'll actually have random encounters in the open world and places changing depending on your choices :O

[@wreagfe]

@@Yorikoification What a retarded comment. As if "open world" is a progression in game design in itself (which it isn't), and as if Elden Ring's open world mechanics and features aren't superior to the average Ubisoft garbage. The "maybe in 30 years FROM will have an arbitrary feature that I subjectively like, but has no bearing on whether a game is good, better or higher in design"-comment tops what you said before.

[@psyo_nade3177]

​@@Yorikoification I think the invasions/summoning kinda is random encounters? and the changing world thing is present majorly in sekiro, it just doesn't work in souls games a lot. But they do exist though. like clearing out the lava to access lost izalith, or dropping meteors to access underground cities in elden ring.

[@ItsBunCha]

It’s so cool how they watered down the formula so iPad children wouldn’t feel bored

[@Jay-hy9ev]

While you were talking about the game “not hitting quite as hard on subsequent play throughs”, it made me think about my first experience playing Elden Ring and how special it was. It’s such a core feeling inside me, drumming up tons of memories and emotions. The aweh I had playing this game was like no other and I can’t wait for another game to come along and make me feel that way again.

[@lipayy9852]

Seriously I couldn't play my 2nd playthrough for more than 5-10 hours, having prior knowledge of the map ruins the experience. I will play it again in a few years when I've forgotten most and play another 150 hours :)

[@rover5058]

You obviously haven't played Bloodborne. The best game ever made in my opinion alongside Red Dead Redemption 2.

[@andre6563]

​@@rover5058 I played those two you mentioned and I also consider them my favorites of all time, but I had the exact same feeling he had on Elden Ring.

[@flamingmanure]

@@rover5058 ehhhh...i played bb right after ER it just isnt anywhere near as good imo, the art, the world, the batshit insane exploration moments like going down the elevator and discovering the underground...ERs first playthrough is just freakin magical and frankly it has no equal if you ask me, but i agree that after the first playthrough its tiring to play again.

[@PSNMAN2025]

@@rover5058RDR2 is a horse riding simulator .. period*

[@alexh309]

Beyond my Nintendo DS addiction, I’ve played about 4 games in my whole life: Barbie Horse Adventures: Mystery Ride, Scooby-Doo Night of 100 Frights, GTAV, and The Last of Us, and yet I just LOVE your videos. I know nothing of these games but I’m so enthralled by how you write and edit these videos, it’s always so entertaining and I get so excited to see an upload. Thank you for being so truly entertaining!

[@Granmovtokin]

You may not know much about games but what you do know is pure class

[@SGEnjoyer]

​@KING’S REVENGE you should rethink your strategy on growing a career. KZbin comments ain't it.

[@Masterchief3590]

Night of 100 flights on ps2 was golden. You just unlocked a core memory in my brain

[@BenDover-rz3kq]

do urself a favor and play elden ring then. If u were to play only one game in ur life, Elden Ring is a very solid pick

[@AsteroSloth]

DS Kids really is an unspoken of class of gamers

[@Philue]

Jacob, thanks for another incredible video. You could not have chosen the lyric for this hoodie better, it's an instant cop. Thank you for all the amazing entertainment, the banging tunes and all the feelings you made me feel with your content. You deserve all the good things happening to you. Love!

[@HomelessTaxation]

can anyone tell me what the song used at 31:51 is?

[@benjaminking3677]

I just found this channel and the fact that Jakey not only likes Radiohead, but also acknowledges In Rainbows as their best album makes me appreciate this channel that much more.

[@ce6ej]

Awe. Did you cry??

[@Jake_Godsil_Music]

I’m so glad you spent the entire video proving that In Rainbows is the best album in the Radiolike genre.

[@clarkesteinman5098]

It’s crazy to me how without even looking it up in a guide or video, so many of us have a shared almost life-changing moment when we got to the bottom of the tree in Dark Souls and found that expansive underground lake. I had no idea what I was doing on my first play through, saw a message to whack the wall, and got cursed going down, but I was determined to continue, descending down down down, not knowing where I’d end up. I saw the lake, heard the music, saw the giant Hydra in the distance, and I’ll never forget that moment in all my years of gaming, and it’s hard to say why. It just hit very different from most experiences, yet so many people felt the same way. Anyway, thanks for the fun down memory lane!

[@MrMetalforever5]

That moment for me was seeing the world change/reveal itself after you kill Rom in Bloodborne.

[@Ninja_Octopus]

A lake at the bottom of the world is just so surreal and picturesque - practically biblical. The verticality of the hollow makes you feel like you traveled SO far to get down there. Because it's so tucked away it feels like a very personal and "secret" experience, there are many locations in each game that the majority of players will never find

[@tmbfreak_16]

I've always thought it was hilarious how far boss quality swings in each game. Every single games has at least one 11/10 masterpiece of a fight as well as some load of horseshit that should never have seen the light of day

[@FKyoutubeSERIOUSLY]

Each one was made with love(Bed of Chaos, Covetous Demon, Deacons of the Deep, Micolash, and Ulcerated Tree Spirit aside. All those bosses were made from the shit smear on Fromsoft's tighty whities.)

[@DaLatinKnight]

Which is cool, because it means someone tried something and it failed horribly. A learning experience, even if some learning experiences should have been learned a while ago (e.g. gank boss fights)

[@tmbfreak_16]

@@DaLatinKnight It seems like they learn things and then somehow forget them. They finally figure out gank fights with the Demon Prince in DS3, and then release Elden Ring without a single good gank fight

[@jameslough6329]

@@tmbfreak_16 Thry expect you to use summons for the gank fights in Elden Ring, that’s why all of them are complete horseshit

[@FKyoutubeSERIOUSLY]

@@jameslough6329 I mean, I don't see the problem. The game lets you fucking choose your difficulty. Want it hard with extra no lube? Play strictly melee, no magical AoWs, no summons. Want it easy with extra lubey lube? Use magic, summons galore. Want it kind in-between with the right amount of lube? Use stuff that compliments your build but doesn't create a power vacuum. There are a shitload of weaker support summons. Use them. A 2v1 is not supposed to be fair in the first place.

[@systemrecords9708]

its great that this game is so successful, its a good thing for the whole industry i say. this shows that well made single player games that are challenging are still very much so in demand and im all for it

[@SavageBalls]

DS2 PVP will hold a special place in my heart. The funny edits from back in the day, the amazing things people could achieve with just cheat engine. What a time.

[@Lofirainbows]

2 is underapperciated, ironic given most of what people praise in Elden Ring is from 2

[@SpaghettiWizardVEVO]

HELIKOPTER HELIKOPTER HELICOPTER MANNN

[@AranMTesta]

I'll never dislike a Jakey video, but these types of videos are most absolutely my favorite of yours. I love the studio-centric game design breakdowns and the opinions that come with them

[@ChaosDesigned]

i miss games that should bang

[@Assassinboy8084fun]

So refreshing to see this dude post a classic video. Look at the likes he got from this video. Just to show people are still watching and new people are coming to watch. Proud of your journey and your music man

[@mr_red13]

Do you feel refreshed :)

[@Duke159753]

man your videos are unreal - thanks for all the effort that goes into them

[@poprocks187]

I laughed very loudly at the ocean’s eleven joke. Loved the chapter screens in this one too. Great work as always, Jakey

[@tsmitty777]

I did the same but with the Windows Vista joke.

[@トーキ-g8v]

One of my favorite things about the souls series is how little the world cares about you the player, the world couldn’t care less. But you make it care, you make the world look at you through skill.

[@PsycheTrance65]

fr. you may be called "the chosen undead" in DS1 but the world doesnt bend over backwards to you. and even in the subsequent games, its shown that you're just one of the many undead, hunters, and tarnished that are trying to get by to resolve the issue.

[@milkwithnocalcium2902]

My favourite thing about the Souls series is the highly detailed feet textures. Have you seen Sister Friede? Holy moly, those frames in the first cutscene were quite stimulating, am I right or am I right? Anyways, of the course the world doesn't care about you, I think you should've gotten the hints from your parents but yeah, that's almost the entire point, it serves as difficultly to make the rewards more special. This is simple shit that even a braindead lunatic like me can comprehend. Anyways, does anyone know where a guy name Bill is? Homeless guy, smells like semen, hangs around the back alley between the 7/11 and local pub downtown? Any information would be helpful.

[@VictorsGuitar]

Jakey your videos are the Dark Souls of KZbin videos, but I don't mean that they're hard. I mean that I love the way they're put together, I'm always excited when there's a new one, and I'll never get tired of revisiting the old ones either. I also want to wish you the best of luck with your music!

[@AegisKHAOS]

I felt you on the whole 'Souls games ruined gaming for me' line. While perhaps not to the level you felt, I definitely found myself getting less enjoyment from games I had played before and end up even going back to some retro games to remind myself what gaming used to be like. ER is my first Souls game, and while I had felt all those issues you mentioned, I still ended up playing the game for over a year, trying new builds, finding new faces to use on the character creator, playing with different weapons and spells, and occasionally discovering an area I had not explored befor despite pouring hundreds of hours. I am by no means a good gamer, but I ended up platinuming the game anyways. Probably the rare game in recent memory that I just kept playing for a long, long time.

[@Axunen]

I really liked the DS2 healing system the second time I started to play the game/when I restarted and knew what I was doing. The small healing orbs were so afodable that I would buy max amount and roll through the whole game with them. Made the whole exploration side so much more manageable

[@sgtpastry]

I loved how Bloodborne did away with affordable healing items and fully embraced capitalism.

[@DungeonMartian]

But you see how that's bad right? It removes all tension from the game if you never have to worry about healing. I know you often don't die from attrition, but it's still something to consider in the games without consumables.

[@DatBoi-mo9vc]

​@MarcelineClarke ds2 balanced it out with higher deteriation rates on weapons and by giving the health items a slower uptick when filling up your health bar. Demons souls had a ton of easily collectable healing items and id argue its harder than anything from soft made after, sekiro excluded cause im fucking horrible at that game.

[@DungeonMartian]

@@DatBoi-mo9vc the game being hard isn't a marker of quality, necessarily. If ds1 had twice as many enemies, or if the existing ones had double health and damage, the game would certainly be harder but it certainly wouldn't be more fun. It was very rare that I couldn't back off from an enemy and pop a life gem or two to heal back to full during combat. They do tick up slowly, but that's a good thing in some cases, because it keeps healing after you get hit. I never ran into weapon degradation issues in my playthroughs of ds2, but if I had, repair powder is plentiful, or you could upgrade a second weapon. I haven't played demon souls, so I can't make a judgement on the balance in that game. I have probably 500 hours in ds1, 200 in ds2, 100 in ds3 and I 100% Elden ring.

[@wreagfe]

I'm so glad I never realized I could buy unlimited life gems from the witch in Majula.

[@joeguyman7423]

I won't stand for this Sekiro erasure

[@JJJackson777]

"I ron't standaru foe diis Sekiro ewasuah"

[@MercurialStatic]

@@JJJackson777how tf is your comment being translated? Wild.

[@MamaWaffles]

I'm always stoked when I see a new video pop up from you. The way you express your love and appreciation, especially with games, is always a delight. Along with that crisp humor 😎 plus the way you express well thought out criticisms is what ties it all together. Thanks for this vid

[@auauau202]

I appreciate the Tomb Raider 2 score in the background when talking about exploration, especially Venice Violins later on. Most unexpected :)

[@Rafa-Silva-Alt]

I just had to comment, this video captures the magical essence of the games and tries to put it in words. The wonder, the fear, the hard earned victories and oh boy, the vistas. Great games and great essay!

[@deathmchandsome]

I love that you mentioned 'choose your own difficulty' structure of ER. I wonder if it would have helped to have something like Bonfire Ascetics from DS2, to not only selectively buff areas, but also cut down on the number of playthroughs needed to complete your wishlist? :D

[@junoglrr9119]

bonfire ascetics would be super sweet

[@DatBoi-mo9vc]

Bonfire ascetics should be in every fromsoft game tbh

[@ImJustStar]

Jakey’s style and presentation is unrivaled. His character keeps me coming back to each new video or project (music). Wonderful KZbinr that expertly seizes his audiences attention and affection 😍. great video jakey!

[@multiplesifl]

8:41 My family had a dog like this when I was in my teens/early twenties! I loved that goofy hyperactive boy like a brother.

[@Smaestr]

The best memories I have of Elden Ring, across three play-throughs and a currently modded one , are riding Torrent across Altus, just listening and taking it all in

[@keagenblizzard819]

I am so unbelievably happy to hear you talk about the souls franchise again Jakey as it was actually your original video discussing your experience with Dark Souls that encouraged me to finally break the barrier I had for a long time when it came to beating these games. I was always the person who would get hyped for when one of these games came out, buy them, play them for a bit and then get lost or get my ass kicked, and then get frustrated enough to drop them. But when I saw your Dark Souls video where you talked about how you had a similar experience with hitting an early roadblock and quitting only to eventually come back with guidance to eventually break through and love the game, I finally had the encouragement to fully dedicate myself to beating one of these games. I used a strategy guide to give me the guidance I needed to not become frustrated or lost so I could finally find the enjoyment in successfully conquering one of these games and now I am hooked. I have currently beaten 2 souls games (Sekiro and Bloodborne) and I am currently working on beating the original Dark Souls. I have been putting off Elden Ring though cause it’s sheer size is intimidating to me but considering that your original video is what got me into the souls series, your praise for Elden Ring is proof enough to me that it’s worth it to push through to earn a truly unforgettable experience. From the bottom of my heart Jakey thank you for your well thought, heartfelt videos and for helping me get into a series I love so much.

[@zip2kx]

cringe get a life.

[@Digger-Nick]

@plainwater6596 And ironically it's their best game by a mile

[@Digger-Nick]

Elden ring is just a copy paste DS in an extremely barren and lifeless open world lmao. Fromsoft's game design is FAR too lazy to truly create a great open world experience.

[@Birsan_]

​@@Digger-Nick I'm really curious about which open-world games that you deem to have a less barren and lifeless world than elden ring. (There's only one possible answer I'll truly accept)

[@Digger-Nick]

@@Birsan_ Literally any open world game of the past 2+ decades... Even ubisoft puts more effort into their open worlds than fromsoft did with elden ring.

[@mattzientek1222]

JAKEY OMG IM SO HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR VOICE! Bro your videos have kept a special place in my heart. I just watch my favs over and over. I can listen to your opinion and know that it's genuine and coming from a place of love. Please never stop! Youre a straight up G

[@dude6200]

the lack of Sekiro mention is slander. It reinvented their formula combat wise, and it also brings back the interconnected concept of DS1. Also, the fact that you can come back to areas like Ashina Castle and they completely change throughout the story is SO COOL. New enemies, new pathways unlocked in an area you’ve already explored, etc like idk man. Sekiro is FromSoft’s In Rainbows to me more so than Elden Ring ever could be

[@F4c2a]

yeah but... that's like some weeb shit

[@felipecouto1102]

Sekiro's less interconnected then Bloodborne tho

[@wreagfe]

Sekiro didn't reinvent anything, it just had a completely different combat and progression system therein, for that game (and it worked and was good). Sekiro is nothing like the Souls games, as it's not an RPG with RPG mechanics.. In that sense your analogy for In Rainbows is in that sense more apt.

[@zilliq-qz5uw]

He mentionned sekiro though

[@doomslayer3326]

⁠@@F4c2aTechnically, they’re all some weeb shit

[@noise.s]

23:57 I had never played a fromsoft before, I knew nothing of the game, nothing, had never been interested in Dark Souls. I didn't have torrent, I didn't know how to fast travel and the first place I was sent to 5 min out of the elevator was Caelid. Mine was a nightmare, Rot was a nightmare, Dogs and Crows OMG, but I made my way back to the starting area eventually and it was glorious! 500 hours later is one of my favorite games of all time. I will cherrish that moment forever

[@groaningphoenix8678]

I will never forget the first time finding the Siofra Well, going down, and then it opening up to what seemed like a starlit sky all the way down underground. That vista literally took my breath away.

[@jackenglish9948]

One of the greatest moments in video games for me!

[@georgelanadar4047]

It’s always a good day when The Naked Jacob himself decides to upload!

[@Wherearemyfingers]

the weapon respec is literally the #1 thing im wanting from the next fromsoftware game. in most souls games i end up sticking with a weapon i find good in the beginning, and then looking up what the strongest weapon is halfway through the game because my weapon sucks now and putting resources into a weapon that turns out to suck could flush hours of time down the drain. i would love to be able to try all the weapons but with the way the games built i always just go for the greatswords

[@Blinkordeath182]

ROMCOM was the first album I had been excited about since I was in high school and these videos are the only thing I get excited about on KZbin. Thanks for absolutely killing it Jakey Christ

[@mortenmller3114]

I love that you mentioned "In Rainbows". It really is a brilliant album! (Also your videos are great as always)

[@adrianbik3366]

I literally couldn't believe it

[@coolbrotherf127]

What's interesting is that FromSoft, even in their worst games, never lacked in the atmosphere of their games. They always put in the extra effort to really flesh out the world. In games like the first Armored Core, it's really a pretty straightforward game, but everything from the audio design, graphic design, and world building make a simple game feel like it has much more weight to the story than the average game for the PS1. That care in design is what makes their later games so memorable. It's impossible to play those games and not be invested in every moment and plot thread. That is what pulls people into the games even though the difficulty and some gameplay design issues.

[@Ezekiel_Allium]

Even the lame zombie ninja game they released around the same time as demon souls has some outstanding enemy design, and I'd say successfully pulled off the dark absurdist over the top tone they were going for. The plot and tone are incredibly weird and jarring, but also I'm pretty sure they game was conceived by someone at fromsoft going "what if resident evil and ninja gaiden boned really hard in a call of duty flavored sludge" so I'm just going to assume the Ninjas vs Zombies game where your dad becomes god by getting a really bad case of blood flukes was intentionally a little goofy and over the top, it's not like their most famous projects are devoid of weird absurdism played for equal parts horror and humor, I'd say one of their defining trademarks. It's not a great game, but a lot of love went into the art direction and wolrd

[@Kaeporo]

They've been knocking this shit out of the party for eons. Kings Field and Lost Kingdoms are dripping with what would eventually become the estus soup we're drinking today. And those are some old ass games.

[@morgannyan2738]

Ninja blade was horrible, it was one of Fromsoft worst game and no it didnt have atmosphere whatever that means, doesnt every game have atmosphere? From Space invaders to Mario sunshine to Resident evil to Call of duty. Your average game for the ps1? what does that even mean? The PS1 was mostly known for its RPGs and im pretty sure every game has audio design, graphic design and world building. Every developer puts care into their game, Every developer tries to flesh out the world every player is invested in a a game and Fromsoft games arent exactly know for its deep plots. I like Fromsoftware but sucking them off so hard to the point youre excusing their bad games isnt right.

[@Ezekiel_Allium]

@@morgannyan2738 "no it didnt have atmosphere whatever that means, doesnt every game have atmosphere?" Top 10 quotes ever

[@morgannyan2738]

@@Ezekiel_Allium im assuming OP meant good atmosphere but Ninja blade didnt have good atmosphere, and if OP didnt meant good atmosphere than by definition every game has atmosphere

[@Raisin_Fighter]

From the Jacob community, I can't wait for the Shadow of the Erdtree video. Hope you are having a great time in the DLC!

[@ryanschwarz3024]

man, im always so thrilled when one of your new videos comes out. its always such a great time. lots of care and thought put into each topic. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy the content!

[@alexandras3596]

Jakey my man you can't keep making masterpieces like this and expect me to be the same person I was prior to before.

[@fgdj2000]

Your videos manage to be both informative, charming and very entertaining. Really enjoy to hear from you. I also dig the almost iconic gymnastics sitting sphere

[@CHUNKYPINGU]

I have genuinely watched this video more than 20 times, every time it gets recommended to me i watch it again, this is my favorite youtube video.

[@dustin-roemer]

31:12 This what I liked about 2dark2souls. The bonfire ascetic allowed you to increase the difficulty of an area of your choice without having to go to another ng+. I would've liked a similiar mechanic to this or how in sekiro, kuros charm and the demon bell allowed you to modify difficulty in a way that was more diagetic and interesting than a simple "easy, normal, and hard mode" slider in the settings.

[@breadnon1740]

I’ve watched a *lot* of video essays about souls games in the hopes that someone out there can better articulate how I feel about them than I can, and this video is the first one matches my thoughts beat for beat. Watching it was cathartic, and as always I love your work. Thank you for being who you are!

[@ArtistMW]

So excited to see Jakey doing a deep dive on the Souls games! I finally played through Dark Souls this year, and it was just as good as everyone said. Now my wife and I are playing through Elden Ring with a co-op mod, and it's been so cool to share this with her. These games are really something special.

[@NotOnLand]

I remember my first exposure to FromSoft was the X-Play review of Demon's Souls. They were talking about how hard it was, and the phrase "You can't even _pause the game"_ is etched in my mind.

[@maximdecimus2258]

I love that line at the start "a gameplay first philosphy". It seems self evident that the gameplay of a game should be front and center.

[@theblaqcatonL]

I think it's cool how Miyazaki's lack of English skills made him fill in the gaps in the story with his imagination. It's even cooler that he translated that experience into a whole new genre of game!

[@Dwivil]

Dark souls storytelling method isn't really anything new, its just new for large scale video game productions. As I wouldn't be surprised if there are quite a number of games that are smaller scale that use mostly environmental story telling.

[@randomguy7951]

Some people dislike the speculation and "gap filling" side of Fromsoft' games lore, but honestly that's one of my favorite parts of them. I really love having theories popping in my head while playing the game and debating about them online, it really brings the community together

[@Frozenkex]

"community" aka vaatividya videos.@@randomguy7951

[@belladonnaofsadness981]

ironic that many players suffer now from poor quality of translation to the other languages

[@marksmithcollins]

@@Dwivil "Noot neew" (no else)

[@babyfatherr]

I think you're at your best when the videos are more 'serious' since the humour feels way more organic, you have a great way of never feeling like you've actively tried to be funny more just its a part of your fun way of conversing.

[@jarodsmith3768]

Loved the video Jakey, see you in 3 months! It’s always worth the wait!

[@romilrh]

20:04 I cannot express just how much of a W take this is

[@MarmiteToast2024]

NakeyJakey is without doubt for me one of the very best to have ever been on this platform and probably is the only one who really keeps what KZbin felt like in the very early years, just a random person on the internet making videos for the fun of it.

[@jinnie4271]

Hey man glad to see you again! Hope you are doing good. Your videos are like a safe space for me, they bring me lots of comfort. Sorry if this is weird, but it feels like sitting down with a friend and listening to them talk about stuff they love. Keep on keeping on man! (Dang that me me want to play death stranding again) See you in the next video!

[@spyrotikus]

In action games like God of War, secret areas are fun to find, but are secret compartments with a chest and a power up or some shit. In Dark Souls, secret areas are AREAS that are also secret. Their game worlds have a feeling of exploration that is really hard to explain to someone who hasnt experieced it before, because there isnt really anything that compares to it, and is as good as it.

[@egoalter1276]

I beg to differ.

[@Yorikoification]

Yeah I was thrilled everytime I hit an illussionary wall in Elden Ring, open a secret chest to find......3 arteria leaves, woooooop! Overrated piece of crud.