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Hey, what's up guys - I'm Dave Klein, and welcome to a new series of mine.
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A breakdown retrospective of various games.
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As people know me for the Souls series, I thought this would be a good place to start,
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but I do intend to cover more games outside of Souls, as Game Design is a passion of mine.
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Also, I'd love to know your thoughts on this type of video when it wraps, as I'm
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new to this.
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So, that said, here's a critical analysis of Dark Souls - both its pros and cons.
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What makes the game work, and perhaps, would could have been improved.
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There will be spoilers, as I'd like to talk about the overall game in depth, so you have
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been warned.
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—
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Dark Souls starts the game simple enough, with a character creator.
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Which, I think for repeat play throughs, and experienced players is a great place to start
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- but can be kind of intimidating for someone new to a franchise.
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While players returning from Demon's Souls will know what kind of character they want
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to play - being immediately thrown a number of stats without ever having played a game
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is a rough place to start.
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To be honest, on my first play through, I pulled up a guide as I already felt like I
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could be screwing up at this point.
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I've never been a huge fan of presenting new players immediately with stat choices
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to choose before they've even had a chance to play the game for this reason.
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If you've never played a game before, you don't know what build you're going to
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like, you don't know what works and doesn't work for that particular game, and it's
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a lot to handle right from the get-go, before you have any investment in the game at hand.
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I'm definitely a fan of RPGs, and love the ability to customize your stats, but my main
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point is this can be intimidating, especially for a game that has the reputation of Dark
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Souls, whether deserved or not, of being challenging.
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One possible solution is to have a tutorial portion of the game where the player at least
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learns base mechanics before they get to choose their stats - and in this case, that would
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happen when the player arrives at Firelink Shrine.
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However, that's really just a different choice, as it creates its own problems.
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The character creator, at that point, would pull you out of the game - and possibly ruin
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your sense of immersion as you should already have an idea of who your character is if you're
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doing role playing.
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I don't think there's necessarily a solution to this problem, but do want to point out
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my own frustrations with it, as I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggles with
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this.
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—
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From here, we get what I think is one of Dark Souls strongest aspects over Demon's Souls,
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Dark Souls 2, and Bloodborne… and even to an extent - Dark Souls 3, which is its intro
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cinematic.
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There's a strong pull to take cinematics completely out of video games, as they take
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you of the game, and at that point you're watching something happen as opposed to playing.
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But, I think they can have their place, and this is the perfect example of that.
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In the intro cinematic we find out about the creation of the world, and are given a little
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backstory to the overall game, which will become essential to its story.
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But the main point I want to focus on here, is what the cinematic highlights.
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We're shown horrifying looking Ancient Dragons, and then 4 amazingly powerful lords fighting
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off these Ancient Dragons and starting the entire world as we'll come to know it - Gwyn,
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The Witch of Izalith, Nito, and Seath.
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The cinematic makes them look incredibly powerful, and they absolutely stand out as they're
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shown fighting off the ancient dragons.
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What this creates is an automatic understanding of who some of the major bosses you'll end
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up fighting are.
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You don't know it yet, but as you progress further into the game, and realize you're
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about to have to fight Nito… or Seath… or the Witch of Izalith… or finally Gwyn
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- living legends who we witnessed creating the world and destroying the ancient dragons
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- the tone is set for you.
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These are characters we know, we might revere or fear, and know are insanely powerful.
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They created the world you stand on, and you're about to have to go fight them.
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And that's both intimidating and exciting.
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In Demon's Souls, we're told the overall lore of the world, and given some minor backstory
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about warriors who've disappeared - which works just fine but doesn't have the same
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effect.
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In Dark Souls 2 we get some cutscene about some weird world under the water… which,
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despite all of my lore videos on the game, I still don't really understand.
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It doesn't do anything for you other than make the world seem mystical and strange.
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Bloodborne, sets the tone of you being in a creepy world where you seem to have just
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screwed yourself - but not much beyond that.
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And finally, Dark Souls 3 replicates what Dark Souls 1 did - giving us beings that we're
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going to have to fight, and names that we'll know.
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But, it's not as effective, as these are simply beings who became Lords and had sacrificed
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themselves to extend the Age of Fire at some point in time.
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That's not nearly as important or wild as the beings who created the entire world and
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mythology you exist within.
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And I know I'm harping on this intro for a while, but I think it's just that good,
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and that well worth praising.
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—
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Finally, with the intro cinematic out of the way, we find ourselves in prison, and a character
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helps break us out - Oscar of Astora.
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It's worth mentioning this, as it's something I've heard other creators talk about before
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in mentioning what makes you like an NPC.
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We immediately like Oscar, and he's more important to us than most NPCs in other games…
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simply by the virtue of its he who gives us the key that gets us out of prison.
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Characters who help you, or do things for you, are the ones who you'll tend to end
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up liking.
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If characters get in your way, such as Lautrec… we end up hating them - regardless of how
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virtuous they may end up being.
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Let's further look at Oscar…
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Oscar later on gives us Estus Flasks, which finally allows your character to heal themselves,
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with refillable vials.
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Once again, he endears himself to the players by being useful - and he tells you to leave
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before he goes hollow… as he doesn't want to hurt you.
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When we find him hollow and attacking you later, he's once again endeared himself
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through his actions of helping you.
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But… when you really think about it.
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Oscar is also the one who tells you about the Undead journey, which within the lore…
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is a trap created by Gwyndolin, Frampt, or Gwyn… to get an undead to unwittingly sacrifice
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themselves to link the flame.
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It's all a giant lie.
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But, what makes you, the player, so susceptible to this is that it's one of the game's
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most likable characters who unwittingly tells you this lie - and sets you on your journey.
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It's fascinating when you think about the psychology of it… and I think other games
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should look at this as an example of how to properly lie to players.
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Another game that did this really well was the original Bioshock.
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It's similar in making you trust someone who keeps on doing things that would seem
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to help you, when that character has their own ulterior motive.
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It's great writing - and whether Fromsoftware did it on purpose or not, which given the
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other characters we find, I assume they did - I applaud them for this.
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—
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So… here we are at the Undead Asylum, and what happens to be the tutorial area of Dark
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Souls 1.
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I think this, along with Demon's Souls were the best tutorial areas of the Souls games,
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but before I get into that, I do have a criticism for it.
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Anyone who's played Dark Souls for an extensive amount of time - especially if you've played
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Bloodborne, will know that the optimal way to play the game is usually in rolling to
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dodge enemy attacks.
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However, the tutorial heavily emphasizes playing the game sword and board style.
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It definitely teaches you how to roll - but what I mean is this:
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You're pretty much immediately given your shield, and told how to use it.
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After this, one of your first scenarios is being ambushed by a mob, along with an archer.
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The best way to handle this situation is with your shield, so you block all of these attacks,
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and then strike at your first opportunity.
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I do think that's great for teaching how to use the shield effectively.
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But…
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I also feel like you're given the shield too early, or don't have enough enemies
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to train with… and by that…
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I mean even a single real enemy - to train with without a shield.
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Especially when you're light, and before you're mid-rolling or fat-rolling - it's
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the perfect opportunity to present a situation where all you have is a sword, and the best
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way to avoid getting hit is through rolling.
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Outside of that, I think the Undead Asylum is by far the best tutorial in any of the
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Souls games, and here's why:
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Simply put - the Asylum Demon is the perfect first boss.
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When he first jumps down, it's shocking, especially if you've never played a Souls
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game, and terrifying.
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If you try attacking him, you'll probably die.
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And, it quickly sets the mood for Dark souls in multiple ways.
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For one - the game is going to be challenging.
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And for two, if you stop panicking and explore around the room, you'll find an escape,
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and get away from the boss.
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You've now been rewarded for thinking and properly assessing the environment, which
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is a huge deal in this game, which constantly pounds that into you: Be cautious, check the
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environment for clues, and utilize it properly.
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Not only that, but when we come to the boss better equipped, you're given a new mechanic
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- that being the drop attack.
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This takes out roughly half of the Asylum Demon's health, and presents with an optionally
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easier boss fight.
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Now, fully equipped and with healing items, knowing the mechanics of the game, you should
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be able to take out the Asylum Demon after a few tries… if not your first.
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He is difficult for new players… but not overly difficult - and this drop attack is
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a great way for new players to feel like they have a real chance to defeat him.
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Not only that - but because of how intimidating and challenging the Asylum Demon was when
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we first met him, it's extremely rewarding when the player defeats him.
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Right from the get-go, the tutorial has established what the game is about: overcoming challenging
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situations, and a great sense of reward for doing so.
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Demon's Souls attempts this by having an intimidating boss - but allows you to lose,
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thereby potentially never gaining that sense of reward.
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Meanwhile, both Dark Souls 2 and Bloodborne omit having a boss, which I think was a mistake
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on the part of Dark Souls 2, where-as Bloodborne I'm more forgiving as it has totally different
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feel as a game.
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I think Dark Souls 3 actually handled this the worst with Iudex Gundyr.
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He's overly difficult for new players, and certain builds, such as the thief build, are
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at a huge disadvantage against him.
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While he sets the tone for: “These games are about overcoming challenge”, I think
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it's at the point of potentially being too discouraging.
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Finally, another great thing about the Asylum Demon and the tutorial area is it has a now
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well-known easter egg that rewards observant players.
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The Asylum Demon can be seen at the top of the Undead Asylum if the player truly pays
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attention.
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Meanwhile, we find Oscar bashed in throughs he ceiling of the Undead Asylum, about to
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die.
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And - if we piece this together - it was the Asylum Demon who did this to him.
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The story is there, and you're rewarded for paying attention… but it's never thrown
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in your face.
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Anyways, I think that's all I have to say about the Undead Asylum.
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To be honest, the area's a little boring to me, but it does make for a great tutorial
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area.
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So, let's hitch a ride with a crow, and head into Firelink Shrine.
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————
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Ahhhh, Firelink Shrine.
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Thanks in part to the sound design of the game, which opt to almost never play music
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unless you're fighting a boss, this truly feels like a relaxing hub and safe spot.
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This element of sound design is actually something I'm a little torn on.
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On one hand, some of my favorite video game music comes from environmental music.
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For example: Playing through From Software's first video game series, King's Field, there's
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constantly this creepy music that plays in the background - and it really helped set
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the mood of the game.
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Meanwhile, a game like Skyrim has peaceful tracks playing the background which helps
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make the game feel relaxing while you're exploring.
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Dark Souls instead opts to only have environmental sounds ringing throughout, which heavy music
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playing during bosses to indicate a heightened sense of danger - which I'll touch on more
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when I get to the Taurus Demon.
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And while I sometimes do miss the music, it also makes it so every track is far more effective.
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Because Firelink Shrine is one of the only places in the game with music, it really does
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feel like something separate, important, and peaceful.
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Meanwhile, if you eventually find Ash Lake, the track that plays there immediately creates
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a sense of awe and importance - as no-where else in the game does this.
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I think - to my point - it's an interesting design choice, and I think one Dark Souls
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pulls off effectively.
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Another great thing about Firelink Shrine is that there are multiple branches here,
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with the game not holding your hand or telling you where to go.
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It's refreshing for a game to trust its player to figure out what's too difficult
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for them.
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And while I'm sure there are some players who have frustratedly quit out of the game
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at this point, this is the type of choice that makes Dark Souls stand out to players
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who do end up enjoying it so much.
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From Firelink Shrine, you can head into the Catacombs, Undead Burg, or New Londo - which
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actually has even more branches - but, let's first look at a new player's perspective.
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If you go into the Graveyard, the skeletons are genuinely hard and will probably kill
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you immediately.
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One thing I hate in games is when they block off a path telling you: “You shouldn't
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go here yet”.
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It's such an obvious marker and pulls away from immersion.
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But - this tells a player all they need to know.
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If you died to the skeletons right away, you should probably be thinking: “I'm not
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ready for this yet”, or at leas try to avoid it and look at other areas.
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If you want to keep on attempting the Graveyard - fair enough man - but at least you're
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given the choice.
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Option #2 is New Londo.
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To be honest, I didn't even notice the entrance to New Londo my first time playing the game
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until multiple trips back to Firelink Shrine, which I think is one good point to why it's
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for later in the game… it's harder to find.
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That said, everyone's different, so if you do end up here first - once again, there's
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a lot that will show you not to come here.
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For one - unless you know to utilize a Transient Curse, you can't hurt the ghosts - and that
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definitely feels too advanced for a first section of a game.
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So again, you should figure out right away this isn't the first place to go.
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And finally, our third option is Undead Burg.
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Which is really the section designed for a first-time player, and the first area you
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should go to.
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BUT.
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The great thing about all of this, is that it