Dark Souls Reviews

Reviews for recently released titles haven’t been particularly surprising lately, as this new batch of reviews for From Software’s action-RPG Dark Souls testifies, just as full of praise as the other ones we have rounded up so far.

The Observer, scoreless.

So what’s the point of playing something so relentlessly difficult? There’s certainly an element of masochism to it. But Dark Souls hits that sweet spot between pleasure and pain. Pain, because you will die; repeatedly, constantly, ignobly. Pleasure, because if you beat the challenge it presents, then you’ve earned your place as one of the most persistent, dogged and bloody-minded gamers on the planet.

WhatCulture!, 4.5/5.

Few games come close to being so well conceived, everything from the visuals to the gameplay is finely tuned, creating a world so immersive you can lose your self. That is, if you can take it. The sheer number of messages left around the place saying (I can’t take this) and (Tears ahead) (and this is before release) suggest that there will be many who can not. I’m not suggesting that anyone is a lesser man/woman for not enjoying this game, there will be people who are turned off by the gothic fantasy setting or the simplistic combat. There will be many who do not enjoy repetition and grinding, both of which are unavoidable. That is all ok, because this game was never made for you. Thankfully, this game was aimed at a target audience rather than a mass audience, it will never rival the triple A titles in terms of sales but for those who indulge in its unique brand of fun it will deliver so much more.

More Than A Gamer, 10/10.

Dark Souls have mercy. You are almost too much game for me. Luckily you challenged me, and I rose above the obstacles and conquered you. As a result I had one of the best gaming weeks I think I’ll ever have. This game is unrivaled in it’s genre. A master in it’s execution and near perfection in the eye of hardcore gaming. It’s created a world that’s beautiful and dangerous without sacrificing either quality. It vastly improved over Demon’s Souls and is now one of my favorite games ever released thus far.

About.com, scoreless.

And, ultimately, it is a game that I can’t recommend enough. It is a little clunky, difficult, and too vague on important details, but it is also amazingly satisfying and fun and well worth playing. I will say this, though – rent first if you never played Demon’s Souls and don’t know what to expect, and then buy after you’ve given it a try and know you won’t regret paying full MSRP for it.