Dark Souls is one of the most punishingly brutal games of the last 10 years. Sure, there are plenty of people making it look like a walk through the park on a regular basis these days, but these people know the game like the back of their hands - for most, Dark Souls isn't so much a game as it is a struggle.
So ... why do so many people continue to come back to it? Compared to other modern games that hold the players' hand throughout the entire experience, Dark Souls is basically the equivalent of being thrown into the deep end of the pool. Why, when there are thousands of games out there that don't push back nearly as hard, do millions of Souls players continue to play?
It's not just one, specific thing, like the graphics or the monsters or the combat - no, Dark Souls is so alluring because all its different pieces come together like clockwork.
Horrifying, rage-inducing clockwork.
The first thing that players will really latch onto is the game's sense of cohesiveness. The original Dark Souls was built with an astonishing attention to detail: everything, from the level design to the combat, was perfectly tuned to work with its other systems. On top of that, absolutely everything in the game is important - players will soon learn that, if they can see or interact with something, it's probably important.
Strong design only goes so far, however - without any sort of reward, players would have no reason to continue. While it may seem as if Dark Souls does everything it can to keep rewards out of players' reach, the game actually rewards just about everything that players can do - it's just that there's usually some level of risk involved.
Take combat, for instance. Simply hacking and slashing is usually fine - but, if players can parry an enemy's attack or maneuver behind them, they're rewarded with the most powerful attack in the game. Basically, it's about players putting themselves in harm's way for a chance to one-shot an enemy. This sort of risk/reward system permeates the entire game: exploring new areas usually leads to new enemies, but it can also lead to new treasures; bosses are the hardest fights in the game, but it's the only way to net some of the game's best weaponry. Even just beating the game is its own reward, as players can start over in New Game + with upgraded weapons and stats.
Once players are in the thick of combat, Dark Souls typically offers up one of two things: time to plan, or time to run. You may be stuck in a cramped hallway, but chances are, you already knew that enemy was there - or, if they got the jump on you, there's probably enough room to fall back and catch your breath. Later sections of the game tend to be a bit more restrictive, but even then, Dark Souls' level design almost always gives players one of those two options.
Compare this with Dark Souls II: instead of carefully planned enemy encounters and environments, it almost feels as if half the game is comprised of cheap shots coming from around corners on narrow walkways. Taking damage from something like this doesn't feel justified - instead, it feels like players were punished for not knowing what was coming ahead of time.
To be fair, Dark Souls isn't a perfect game, and it's certainly not for everyone - it's difficult, vague and refuses to hold the players' hand. For some, that's simply too much to ask for ... but, for those willing to really dive in and explore what the game has to offer, Dark Souls offers an experience that's unlike most other games on the market today.
Were it not so well-designed, Dark Souls would have fallen flat on its face - instead, From Software met and exceeded expectations at every turn. From its risk-and-reward gameplay to its incredibly polished mechanics to its ridiculous difficulty, Dark Souls is a triumph of game design - and that's why so many people keep coming back to it.
With any luck, From Software's final foray into the Souls series is just as strong as its predecessor - Dark Souls III is set for launch on March 24.
