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Lttp: Dark Souls 3 - I finally got gud

Neff

Member
I've always said that Soulsborne isn't hard, it's punishing. One mistake can really ruin your day by making you run through a dangerous area to get your shit back, and that's if you get it back, but it doesn't demand quick reflexes or dexterous skills (although they don't hurt). Souls is more about knowing how to approach a situation, how to go in prepared in terms of gear, knowing traps in advance, appropriate distancing, when to block/punish, to lock-on or not, and so on.

Sekiro is different though. It's punishing and legitimately hard. It requires good reflexes and dexterity. It's very fast-paced, and timing is crucial. You can't grind for a bigger safety net. Reacting to a specific attack with the wrong counter-action can mean instant death. I'd suggest playing the others first before tacking it. It's well worth it though.
 
I've always said that Soulsborne isn't hard, it's punishing. One mistake can really ruin your day by making you run through a dangerous area to get your shit back, and that's if you get it back, but it doesn't demand quick reflexes or dexterous skills (although they don't hurt). Souls is more about knowing how to approach a situation, how to go in prepared in terms of gear, knowing traps in advance, appropriate distancing, when to block/punish, to lock-on or not, and so on.

Sekiro is different though. It's punishing and legitimately hard. It requires good reflexes and dexterity. It's very fast-paced, and timing is crucial. You can't grind for a bigger safety net. Reacting to a specific attack with the wrong counter-action can mean instant death. I'd suggest playing the others first before tacking it. It's well worth it though.
Yeah I could definitely see that. Dark Souls is a lot more approachable than I ever realized. But it's bc farming is possible unlike sekiro
 
Side note - can anyone tell me if I'll ever be able to get the Collectors Edition of Elden Ring? All pre-orders are sold out, but will they have more stock eventually? I've never gotten a special edition of a game.
 

bbeach123

Member
I dont know why dark souls 3 bored me to tears , the base game is short (compared to ds1/2) but I already got bored at the end . And I dropped it at the first DLC .

Production quality is way higher than Dsk2 , but I still like Dsk2 more . It feel more like a RPG , with many build and interesting item/gears .
 
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I dont know why dark souls 3 bored me to tears , the base game is short (compared to ds1/2) but I already got bored at the end . And I dropped it at the first DLC .

Production quality is way higher than Dsk2 , but I still like Dsk2 more . It feel more like a RPG , with many build and interesting item/gears .
Yeah it did feel pretty short, but I still felt it was sweet. But this gives me inspiration to go play 2
 
Dark Souls 2 was king for item/build variety, I played through it many times. Best dlc in the series too, it is probably my favorite of the three. Dark Souls 2 remains my single platinum trophy on psn, it was the only game I ever cared to trophy hunt for.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
Congrats, it's such a great feeling when Souls clicks and you get it.

Now go play the actually hard ones. 😉

(I jest, kind of, but IMO DS3 was by far the easiest of them all, except for Demon's Souls which is even easier.)
 
Congrats, it's such a great feeling when Souls clicks and you get it.

Now go play the actually hard ones. 😉

(I jest, kind of, but IMO DS3 was by far the easiest of them all, except for Demon's Souls which is even easier.)
Haha taking the wind out of my sails man! But I'm gonna try them all. At least that one was accessible to understand everything
 

tassletine

Member
Well, if anything that give me more excitement to go try those. But why do you say that out of curiosity?
I feel the same way, and more so after playing Demon Souls recently. The first games (up to 2) are more dungeon crawly, if that makes sense. You feel lost and anxious most of the time and they are more horror based.
In the first games one wrong turn and you're dead -- In 3 it's mostly wide open roads with little deviation. You basically plow straight ahead and they've removed most of the puzzle element figuring out what to do and where to go next.

I've played through all the titles multiple times and find 3 easily the most tedious. The first half of the game is very boring, although it does pick up. I also miss the horror elements.
3 is more like mainstream fan service and is much less inventive. Miyazaki seems bored by the whole thing from my perspective.
 
I feel the same way, and more so after playing Demon Souls recently. The first games (up to 2) are more dungeon crawly, if that makes sense. You feel lost and anxious most of the time and they are more horror based.
In the first games one wrong turn and you're dead -- In 3 it's mostly wide open roads with little deviation. You basically plow straight ahead and they've removed most of the puzzle element figuring out what to do and where to go next.

I've played through all the titles multiple times and find 3 easily the most tedious. The first half of the game is very boring, although it does pick up. I also miss the horror elements.
3 is more like mainstream fan service and is much less inventive. Miyazaki seems bored by the whole thing from my perspective.
I can see this. You actually summed it up pretty well. That said, I'm glad that I had a chance to get through this first. It helps me feel more prepared for the others
 

luffie

Member
I know lotsa people says Sekiro is brutal and yes it's by no means easy, but don't let that dissuade you op.

Sekiro is mostly brutal because too many people treat it as a souls game or standard action game, it isn't. (you know, thinking you've beaten Souls 1 to 3, how hard can Sekiro be right?)

Sekiro is a rhythm game, and it asks you to step forward and PUSH the enemy, then when the enemy parries back, you prepare to parry back.
Playing it like Souls' hit & run/dodge will absolutely kill you.
But when you understand what it asks for, it isn't so difficult, and the combat will be so satisfying.

I did say you can skip DS, because you've played DS3, DS might feel too janky as you don't have nostalgia to carry you, still fun nonetheless.

DS2 is also optional, try not to get the Souls' lethargy before Elden Ring.

DS3, Bloodborne, Sekiro, are not optional :)
 

tassletine

Member
I can see this. You actually summed it up pretty well. That said, I'm glad that I had a chance to get through this first. It helps me feel more prepared for the others
It's still a good game though. None of them are bad at all despite what people say and 3 is a very good entry point.
Playing Demon's Souls again recently I was appalled at how ruthless it is, but also secretly glad as it was so refreshing / terrifying.
 

tassletine

Member
I dont know why dark souls 3 bored me to tears , the base game is short (compared to ds1/2) but I already got bored at the end . And I dropped it at the first DLC .

Production quality is way higher than Dsk2 , but I still like Dsk2 more . It feel more like a RPG , with many build and interesting item/gears .
I much prefer DS2 but You should try the Ringed City as it's the best and most imaginative part of the game, and the closest to the originals -- even if it doesn't top the magnificent DLC of 2.
 

Azurro

Banned
But where would DS1 and 2 come into play? I know 2 is kind of frowned upon but if it were you how would you place those? I figured 1 would be good since it has a remaster

DS1 is great, slower paced than DS3 but better level design. I like DS3 lot more, but for a lot of people DS1 is still the best Dark Souls. There's debate about DS2, it's the lesser of all the Soulsborne games, but it's still a very good game and worth playing through.

The best Soulsborne game is still Bloodborne though. :)
 
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I FINALLY BEAT THIS GAME. Fuck. Yes.

I set the game aside for like a year, because Sister Friede just clapped me. Last night I booted the game up on a whim after watching some Elden Ring videos. The first try was bad, but the second and third I was just feeeeeling it.

4th try, I ended her. My character is Str focused, wielding Yhorm's Great Machete, and I beat. her. ass. down. After that I went on to complete the main game, which was a breeze. Felt so good. Not sure if the Ringed City DLC is worth it or just move on to new game+? I did a little bit of it last night, didn't seem very fun.
 
I FINALLY BEAT THIS GAME. Fuck. Yes.

I set the game aside for like a year, because Sister Friede just clapped me. Last night I booted the game up on a whim after watching some Elden Ring videos. The first try was bad, but the second and third I was just feeeeeling it.

4th try, I ended her. My character is Str focused, wielding Yhorm's Great Machete, and I beat. her. ass. down. After that I went on to complete the main game, which was a breeze. Felt so good. Not sure if the Ringed City DLC is worth it or just move on to new game+? I did a little bit of it last night, didn't seem very fun.
Woo! Welcome to the club
 
I FINALLY BEAT THIS GAME. Fuck. Yes.

I set the game aside for like a year, because Sister Friede just clapped me. Last night I booted the game up on a whim after watching some Elden Ring videos. The first try was bad, but the second and third I was just feeeeeling it.

4th try, I ended her. My character is Str focused, wielding Yhorm's Great Machete, and I beat. her. ass. down. After that I went on to complete the main game, which was a breeze. Felt so good. Not sure if the Ringed City DLC is worth it or just move on to new game+? I did a little bit of it last night, didn't seem very fun.
I haven't done the dlc yet. I accidentally started new game plus. I'd do the dlc bc I hear it's very hard and ng+ will make it even harder
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
I love Dark Souls 3. The title music is beautiful. The overall look of the world and the flow to everything is like a symphony itself. Minor complaints in the way some areas exploit your weakness to poison, but overall the game is one of my favorites. I’ve finished the game around 5-6 times. Favoring a boss weapon and beating the game on NG+ is a highlight of mine.


I FINALLY BEAT THIS GAME. Fuck. Yes.

I set the game aside for like a year, because Sister Friede just clapped me. Last night I booted the game up on a whim after watching some Elden Ring videos. The first try was bad, but the second and third I was just feeeeeling it.

4th try, I ended her. My character is Str focused, wielding Yhorm's Great Machete, and I beat. her. ass. down. After that I went on to complete the main game, which was a breeze. Felt so good. Not sure if the Ringed City DLC is worth it or just move on to new game+? I did a little bit of it last night, didn't seem very fun.
Ringed City is absolutely worth it. You A. Get a conclusion to the series in some ways and B. The Ringed City is a joy to explore. They have some very creative ideas with enemies. Plus you’ll see things that are known quite well to fans of the game. It’s worth it if you really enjoy the game. I don’t know what to say if you aren’t a fan of the game? That goes without saying. I think it’s well worth it. Are you talking about the archers being summoned? You have to position yourself behind the environment and then drop down on your right about half way up.
 
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I love Dark Souls 3. The title music is beautiful. The overall look of the world and the flow to everything is like a symphony itself. Minor complaints in the way some areas exploit your weakness to poison, but overall the game is one of my favorites. I’ve finished the game around 5-6 times. Favoring a boss weapon and beating the game on NG+ is a highlight of mine.



Ringed City is absolutely worth it. You A. Get a conclusion to the series in some ways and B. The Ringed City is a joy to explore. They have some very creative ideas with enemies. Plus you’ll see things that are known quite well to fans of the game. It’s worth it if you really enjoy the game. I don’t know what to say if you aren’t a fan of the game? That goes without saying. I think it’s well worth it. Are you talking about the archers being summoned? You have to position yourself behind the environment and then drop down on your right about half way up.
Yeah, I was getting shot at by those angels the whole time and like wtf this sucks. But I'm going to beat it, I watched a few vids on it and realized I was approaching it wrong - I was riding high off beating the main game and not really thinking strategic/smart.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
Yeah, I was getting shot at by those angels the whole time and like wtf this sucks. But I'm going to beat it, I watched a few vids on it and realized I was approaching it wrong - I was riding high off beating the main game and not really thinking strategic/smart.
You might think you’re running into a wall here soon, but it’s doable. If you’ve gotten this far the next part is doable. Angels are much more manageable once you approach them differently. Lol I have to agree about the main game, it does give off a good feeling of accomplishment. That final bit of the main game is very good. The DLC feels unforgiving, but once you get around it- you start to see why. The last part really pays off. Post your impressions after the next boss. :)
 

amigastar

Member
I have a question. I have Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 1 in my Steam library. Which one is better or is Dark Souls 3 the best? Which one should i play first?
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
I have a question. I have Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 1 in my Steam library. Which one is better or is Dark Souls 3 the best? Which one should i play first?
If you play Dark Souls 3 first you will notice a significant change in gameplay when you go back to 1 and 2. You’ll also notice they’re all structured in their own way. At this point in time I’d say try 3. 1 and 2 are excellent, but there’s a bit of a curve if you ask me to how you’ll go about completing each game. 3 is very well rounded. 1 is a bit complex at times and 2 can take some patience at times. All good games don’t get me wrong.
 
I haven't played it but BB is definitely next I'm new to the series also, Demon Souls on PS5 is my first taste of the series. I played DS3 the other day for a fix before Elden Ring couldn't beat the first boss but only tried a few times and put it down I think I chose a bad class I'll go back and try it again I was so close the last couple times. Alas, I realise I don't have the energy to commit to more than one of these games in a year period so I'll keep my hype for Elden Ring going and come back to BB another year (or when we get a PC port PLEASE Sony/From).

I doubt I'll ever play Sekiro though I'm just not good enough at the blocking/parrying mechanic to do that game. Watching those no-hit runs on YT are awe-inspiring though.
 
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I have a question. I have Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 1 in my Steam library. Which one is better or is Dark Souls 3 the best? Which one should i play first?
I love DS3. I'm getting through DS2 right now and it's a watered down souls game. Haven't played 1 yet but based on what I've read ds3 has the best mechanics but DS1 has the best lore and world.
 

yugoluke

Member
My first souls game was Sekiro. Absolutely fell it love. What a beauty of a game. The combat was remarkable. The pace, exhilerating. Never played anything like it. Sure you hit a few roadblocks along the way but you LEARN, ADAPT and ACHIEVE!

And even when you die, you do so in a beautiful spectacle of sword fights.

It fundamentally altered my expectations for combat in any game that I played post Sekiro.

Decide to give the ever acclaimed souls series a chance...

I feel mentally deficient.

I don't understand the pace, the mechanics, the stat system. The combat feels slow and uninspired. It looks sloppy, and goofy (circling around people to get back stabs, or awkwardly roll around the feet of your enemies to evade attacks).

Perhaps this kind of gameplay was equivalent to my Sekiro moment back in the day and thus left it's mark on the people who never experienced something like that to date.

When mechanics are that good (sekiro), going to souls was torture.

It kills me because EVERYONE talks about how Souls is soooo good. And yet I cannot find a way to enjoy it.

I feel like the one dunce that cannot see how amazing this game series is. I feel like there is some HUGE and IMPORTANT thing I fundamentally don't understand about how to play souls.

Any advice on how to enjoy souls would be appreciated.

With Elden ring coming up, and it apparently being more like a traditional souls game, I am feeling that I won't be able to play this game. Honestly, my ability to play Elden ring will be dependant on how much it is like Sekiro. OR my ability to adapt to souls games by then.
 

NeverYouMind

Gold Member
I have a question. I have Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 1 in my Steam library. Which one is better or is Dark Souls 3 the best? Which one should i play first?
By default I favor DS2 Scholar of the First Sin since it gives the most features and build options but tying item use speed and invincibility frames to adaptability stat makes it hard initially on the first playthrough. Once the adaptability is adequate (~30), which happens very quickly, it becomes the most fun in the series (and there is a PC mod that removes the stat). DS1 has a more gradual progression and more iconic moments. However, suicide runs for weapons, items, and shortcuts are quintessential for making progress. Also, many mechanics of the game are hard to grasp without a guide. Dark Souls 3 doesn't have a damn thing going for it and has inconsistent difficulty spikes.

I haven't played it but BB is definitely next I'm new to the series also, Demon Souls on PS5 is my first taste of the series. I played DS3 the other day for a fix before Elden Ring couldn't beat the first boss but only tried a few times and put it down I think I chose a bad class I'll go back and try it again I was so close the last couple times. Alas, I realise I don't have the energy to commit to more than one of these games in a year period so I'll keep my hype for Elden Ring going and come back to BB another year (or when we get a PC port PLEASE Sony/From).

I doubt I'll ever play Sekiro though I'm just not good enough at the blocking/parrying mechanic to do that game. Watching those no-hit runs on YT are awe-inspiring though.
Sekiro is very free-form since the grappling hook lets you escape most conflicts and is very rock, paper, scissors in individual encounters. It is likely the easiest game by FromSoft overall. Dark Souls 3 is nothing more than repeatedly hitting a wall and grinding to break through it to proceed to the next wall.
 
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BbMajor7th

Member
Good for you, OP. FromSoft games are a strange breed, but once they get under your skin, they're quite special. I won't make any recommendations for the next conquest, because every game has it's own particular quirks and they're all worth playing through for the experience alone. The good news is, you've never been better served - three mainline games will all hand you a healthy 60FPS on Series X, along with Sekiro (which is probably the most divisive among FromSoft stans). If you can ever track down a PS5, then Demon's Souls is obviously worth a punt and while Bloodborne is absolutely phenomenal from a design standpoint and probably my personal favourite from the developer, the technical shortcomings, which already felt pronounced at launch, are actually dreadful by current standards (IQ, loading and performance all feel more like PS3 era than PS4).
 
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Sekiro is very free-form since the grappling hook lets you escape most conflicts and is very rock, paper, scissors in individual encounters. It is likely the easiest game by FromSoft overall. Dark Souls 3 is nothing more than repeatedly hitting a wall and grinding to break through it to proceed to the next wall.

It took me almost a month to beat the final boss in Sekiro (I didn't play it daily and had breaks in between but still).

For me it was the hardest FromSoft game.

But also it might be my favorite.

Haven't played DS2.
 

Ogbert

Member
Bloodborne is the best of the bunch, don't sleep on it. Get ready for the Nightmares.
No it’s not. Stop it.

Janky 30 fps with dodgy frame pacing makes the game significantly less fun to play. The remaster very well make it the pick of the bunch but until that point it’s a great game trapped on a dated system.
 

NeverYouMind

Gold Member
It took me almost a month to beat the final boss in Sekiro (I didn't play it daily and had breaks in between but still).

For me it was the hardest FromSoft game.

But also it might be my favorite.

Haven't played DS2.
That is why I used the term "overall". However, of what I played of it I do not recollect ever being confused about how to deal with a situation or scratching my head about dying to something unexpected. It was more a matter of execution.

Bloodborne's biggest problems are Chalice Dungeons being needed for making the most out of weapons, convoluted level design, and progression requiring a guide.
 
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That is why I used the term "overall". However, of what I played of it I do not recollect ever being confused about how to deal with a situation or scratching my head about dying to something unexpected. It was more a matter of execution.

Bloodborne's biggest problems are Chalice Dungeons being needed for making the most out of weapons, convoluted level design, and progression requiring a guide.
Well yeah. Sekiro is pretty straight forward compared to BloodSouls and once it's combat clicks, it's "just" a matter of execution. The final boss was freaking hard for me as I previously stated.

But I wouldn't want to be a Souls mage player trying Sekiro.
 
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