I summoned a phantom named SonFlower9. We strode into the Kiln of the First Flame, destroying Dark Souls’ toughest enemies with little effort. Before the gate of the final boss we both praised the sun and dove into Gywn’s domain. My wife shouted beside me with both encouragement and fretful cries.
After a time it seemed we were winning, ever so little we were winning this fight. Suddenly my ghostly friend found himself stuck in a corner. The now heavily wounded Gwyn dove in, his flaming sword slashing wildly at my companion. He raised his edge for a final blow before his back caught my blade and he stopped, frozen in death. As he fell to the ground my companion danced a hurrah and I jumped from my couch with a triumphant “F**k yea!” 50 hours ago I started training for this moment and now Dark Souls was defeated. Clenching the controller I let out another victory cry and sat back down feeling, and knowing, I had accomplished something amazing.
Sure, “It’s just Videogames”, but in that moment, Dark Souls was not just a game, it was my direct adversary. It had become much more than just a game to me, it had become a consciousness that actively opposed me, truly unique.
Of course, everyone knows that Dark Souls, and Demon’s Souls, are unique games, but what makes them unique? In my opinion it is the tutorial. The game teaches you how to attack, how to defend, how to run, etc, within the first hour. From that you have the basics of how you can play, but not how you have to play. The real tutorial is the next 30 hours of Dark Souls. Death and loss humble you, destroy you, break you; until you are ready to be reformed.
This starts with the first main area, the Firelink Shrine. You are given four paths to explore with three resulting in instant death. Naturally I took the route filled with less death and was, unwittingly, being trained by Dark Souls already.
Patience, is a virtue and a necessity in Dark Souls. Modern games fill you with enough power to defeat the final boss within the first hour. While you have enough power to kill anything, given enough time, you lack the real skill required, patience. Without it I walked into more traps and impossible situations than I can count. Simple enemies with very little power would surround me and pummel me to death. Without patience, I played Dark Souls in a downright embarrassing fashion.
After patience, Dark Souls started to teach me another lesson and by Blighttown I almost grasped it. While I had at this point learned nearly mastered patience Dark Souls was about to teach me humility.
Blighttown is full of enemies with poison swords, poison blowdarts, poison bugs, and poison water. Patience will help, but the real skill is knowing your own limits. Three seconds in the water and I was poisoned, two minutes later and the poison would take my life. I spent more hours dying in Blighttown than any other area in the game. Only once I learned where my characters limits were could I expand my limits as the player. After some time mastering humility, I waltzed up to the boss, nimbly dodging just out of her reach, and skillfully squashed her.
After Blighttown I was ready for Dark Souls’ third lesson, respect. I was coming to terms with the fight against the game and had begun to hold my own. Enemies were rarely a threat and not every new situation led to my death.
I then descended into the Demon Ruins to find dozens of Dark Souls‘ first bosses huddled in tight groups. I held my own, but was pushed back again and again. Exploring more of the world I hit the Catacombs, an area full of cliffs and skeletons that regenerate after you kill them. I was again ejected from that place. The final location was Sen’s Fortress which filed me full of dread more than any other due to its swinging blades and snake enemies. I had become overconfident, thinking that knowing my limits and using patience could carry me through any situation. I had to first understand and respect Dark Souls power, and mine within it, in order to fight it. Although I had found footing in the fight, with the help of the first two lessons, Dark Souls would never give in unless I respected its ability to kill me at any moment.
Anor Londo, and subsequently one of the hardest boss fights in the game, was only completed after respecting the power I was given, summoning two phantoms, and killing with jolly cooperation.
After that moment Dark Souls began to stagger. I not only found the kinks in its armor, I had explored and widened them. Depending on the paths chosen after this point I could knock Dark Souls to the ground, sword against its throat. It may get back up, but weaker each time and I stronger. Knocking Dark Souls against the wall time and time again ushered within me a feeling of ferocity. I learned how to fight back, I was a beast, and I would not be stopped.
One by one the four final bosses fell before me. Gravelord Nito shrieked at me with a frightful power, but was reduced to ashes at my feet. The Bed of Chaos tested my reactions and mettle with pits and fire, but ultimately fell with a single blow. The Four Kings turned my stomach with vertigo and played upon my fear of the dark, but they too gave into the abyss. Finally Seath the Scaleless, after much fanfare, offered his soul to me with no resistance.
It was over. Dark Souls was defeated. I had learned its lessons and applied them with steeled fervor.
The game knew I had won the fight, and it had only one final boss to offer up, Gwyn. Annihilating his pitiful guards, enemies that once made me lose control of my blatter, I forced my way into his chambers. Gwyn rejected my sword once, but I knew as well as he, that the fight was already over. Upon the second entrance he consumed steel and gave unto me the final credits.
Those rolled and I relaxed. The game had thrown forth its last resistance and I charged through with all the determination of an enraged bull. I did not just beat Dark Souls, I broke Dark Souls. Pushing through its mockery, its total disregard for my pleasure I gained something that no other game could give me. A true feeling of accomplishment. This was no waypoint led, Quick Time Event fueled, power fantasy. In fact, the only power gained in Dark Souls was that which I worked, cried, and died for. Dark Souls tried to dissuade me with its harsh lessons, doling them out a bite a time with death. In the end, my perseverance was more than the game could handle and I reigned victorious over my fallen foe. Dark Souls lay defeated while the credits finished then, with true dignity, Dark Souls stood up, brushed itself off and challenged “Now, do it again.”
I have a feeling New Game Plus is going to be just as fun as the first time.
Never really been interested in this series, but after reading this, I am.
I had the same feeling when I beat super meat boy lol. Those types of games are legendary.
This was a great article. Purely narrative, and with a slightly open ending. I totally relate to your playthrough, and hope that after you’ve gotten a chance to play the sequel you have another impression to write about.
Thumbs up, chris lock.
Thank you very much. It may be some time before I can get to Dark Souls 2 but since this article was well received I will most likely do another. Though, it may be less narrative.
Great article Chris, question I have to ask though, which ending did you take on your first run through?
I linked the fires. During my playthrough I screwed up and was unable to acquire the Red Eye Orb.
Yup, linked the fires as well, went in with the black iron armor set and a fully upgraded black knight 2h sword. Had to forgo any summons though as Soltaire went crazy before I could save him and I kind of wanted to try and take him down myself.
Were the four kings any trouble for you? I was expecting a lot from them but they were honestly chumps by the time I got to them.
The 4 knights went down with little trouble. I think it took me 3 tries. Their arena and overall ascetic was very impressive though.