I think only the super hardcore gamers buy this, I didn't buy Donkey Kong:TF because it's hard, I can't pay to be frustrated and annoyed, i don't know how people find this fun.

Because it's not hard or frustrating.

Does it require patience and strategy? Yes.

Is it punishing if you do fail? Yes.

The solution? Play cautiously and don't fail. Simple.

^ Agree. Hard games are something like Ninja Gaiden, Hard Corps Uprising (arcade mode) etc, these require pure skill, while Souls games can be beaten even by less skilled players, as long as they keep playing.

btw Trailer is good, but the choice of song is...strange.

I cannot imagine how I would not find a Souls game both hard & frustrating. Hence why I have never played them.

Aren't these games very trial & error heavy?

If you keep making mistakes, yes. Just like any game is. Pay attention to wtf is going on and don't run in like a spaz and you barely even die. I died more playing killzone 2 on hard then i did in demon's and dark souls combined.

You have to learn to play the game. Starting out, you will be punished a lot more, but as you learn how the combat works, how the moves work, how to choose weapons and gear that fit your taste and how to use them skillfully, it becomes much much easier. In some ways I think Dark Souls actually is too easy. Once you learn the patterns, they are actually fairly easy to take advantage of in some really cheesy ways. I beat most of the bosses in my second playthrough by dodging pretty much every attack, and manipulating their lackluster AI to get them to do exactly what I wanted to open them up to being smacked around. One thing I'm hoping for from DS2 is a little less predictability (like variations on speeds of individual enemies randomly, more vartiety to their behaviors, etc). You can certainly build a character that requires more skill and care, but you can also just build a tanky two hander with a giant shield and you become so survivable that it isn't too hard to get through most stuff without dying even if you aren't great at the combat.
The best way to play the game the first time is to spend time observing your enemies, hanging back with a shield and just watching how their attacks hit, when they use certain tactics, and then fight them based on that information. If a guy has a lot of range but is really slow, like the troll things in Blight Town, just hang back darting in and out of range to egg them on, then jump in on them when they attack and hit them a bunch because you have a lot of time to wail on them.
If you like exploring a really cool world, that's where I think the best value is for these games. There are a lot of really interesting areas, clever secrets, and pretty great vistas to witness.
Seriously though, with a shield and sword and medium armor so you can still at least mid roll? The game isn't that challenging from moment to moment, generally speaking. And if you coop with a friend through all of the game? It's even easier.

I'm so f**ing pumped for this. Need my DS fix!

Also yeah the games sort of build on trial and error, but in the sense that you are expected to learn why you fucked up every time you die. Seldom does the game build on pure memorization, so much as paying close attention to environments and all the hints left for you. Usually, moving slowly and taking your time is rewarded, rather than running in with your sword flailing.

Basically, be careful and observant and you will slice off a good 75% of deaths.

As for the music, i thihnk it's fair to say that Dark Souls also had it's share of trailers with complete shite music. Remember the Bartholomew trailer? Or the All saints' day tailer? Good thing it has nothing to do with the actual game.

I hope to see better graphics in the PC version... The franchise is not famous for Its graphics, but man, looks ugly and poor. I was specting something more.

hmm. Sounds like my impressions of these games are incorrect.

Maybe I'll give the original a go at some point.

Korn is full of shit though. You will die. Plenty of times. Especially if you didn't play the previous games and don't know what you are getting in to. The thing is, it doesn't feel like complete bullshit when you do die. It really does give you great incentive to go at it again, and a lot of the time you'll feel like "if i just have one more go i'll make it!". You know? It's challenging, but fiar and it feels pretty neat when you beat that hard boss, or clear that next bonfire. Barely even die though? Yeah right. I know the entire game inside and out and i still slip up and die.

I mean if you play "hard" games today, the difficulty usually comes from enemies wit bloated HP pools and crazy damage. The difficulty in Dark Souls comes from the enemies and how they act, learning patterns and observing enemies, rather than just hacking away at them, is key to winning. Also you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times, lest you accidentally step off a ledge or run blindly in to enemies. Also, a well filled quiver and a bow is a useful, if a bit cheap, way to thin out enemy numbers by pulling separate enemies to you. I hear DS2 will be throwing more groups of enemies at you though, so that'll be an interesting mixup.

All that said, yeah. Defo give Dark Souls a go, you can get the Prepare to Die version for next to nothing now, and it's still a super-solid game. Don't know what's happening with Game for Windows Live though, so you might want to stick with console versions. I'm a bit worried that my copy of the PC version will become unplayable in may :P

Of course. No-one is super human first time through. All i'm saying is you SHOULDN'T be dying any more then any other game out there assuming you play the game right. My first death and most deaths in the souls games are environmental due to rushing. I mean, i can run headlong into boss #1 while flailing a sword in DMC and die a million times...does that make the game hard? No. It just makes me stupid as fuck.

Play the game right and it's no harder then any other "hard" game out there. Hell, easier in a lot of ways, because while you can grind your way to victory in souls games if you're desperate, you don't have such luxury when fighting alma in ninja gaiden, or igni and rudra in DMC3, or radec in killzone 2 on hard, or, or, you get the point.

bought the game for 18£, now lets see who trolls who FromdowngradeSoft.

have the collectors for PC pre-ordered, but i'll probably be there playing on ps3 come friday anyway :P

Dark Souls wasn't hard for me the first time I played it, plus the beginning is extremely easy. You will like the game so much you will keep replaying sections over and over more for the thrill and fun of doing it better than you did last time than to grind XP, at least that's what happened to me.

Also, the game is very cheap now, but it's still great. So don't pass the opportunity.

Something that always bothered me was people saying the game is hard, I never felt it was hard, just a game that punishes mistakes. This misconception is like saying PC gaming can't be done in a big screen TV while using a controller on the couch. Really hate that these misconceptions have endured to this day.

As an example: at the first bonfire after the introductory level, there's a knight and when you reach it, you're so weak that 1-3 hits from him and you die, I kept fighting this knight over and over till I mastered riposte. With timing, patience and strategy, I killed him dozens of times with unranked characters.

So Dark Souls gives you the opportunity to best stronger/faster foes than you if you use your head and have patience. I believe it's misconception of being hard is because most players like rushing games and if you try to do so in Dark Souls, you won't get very far.

I personally find games like Guacamelee! (on the Hard difficulty) and Super Meat Boy 100 times more difficult than Dark Souls, games that require chess like anticipation in fights and extremely precise timing.

b0vril, please try the game, it is one of the best games of the last generation and deserves to be played. Also, if you haven't already, please try Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen as well, another gem of the last generation.

When you're used to games throwing checkpoints at you every 30 seconds then yes the Souls games are going to seem hard. Because all that spoon feeding you are used to in other games just isn't here.

You have to think and learn from your mistakes. Games used to do this a lot more.

These games aren't perfect mind you and they won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you've tried and tried and still didn't enjoy it, then that's ok. You like different things, sa'll good (y)

I can't wait to play this :)

this game is too easy, already beat it on the highest difficulty. people think this is hard? lol

Another game I dont have time for.

lol.. geeez the only way you're gonna know one way or the other is if you actually try one of the games.

My biggest problem with the demon/dark souls series has always been its framerate. Hopefully that's whats been polished the most here.

Graphics are Downgraded.. look at the http://www.bolumsonucanavari.com/Haberler-Bir_Graf... first gif is anouncement, second is launch at consoles.. But we don't know how about on the PC, yet.

you make time, goddam it!

The problem is that you are used to winning right away in a videogame...of really easy controls and extremely forgiving gameplay mechanic systems.

There is a learning curve, as was mentioned you have to have patience but also you need to first read the manual for gameplay.

Do not expect to live or win...focus on gameplay mechanics, how to move, how to dodge, parry, and defence, then also on offence and the different ways to use your weapons.

Shield is your life...and so can your sword...but in these types of games, the shield is your life.

Later as you get the hang of it, which means do not worry about exploring or completing a level, just mess around, it may seem boring but later on you'll thank me.

Then you start meeting opponents, at first they actually are weaker...keep messing around as if they were huge bosses...

Then get into the game and believe me you will not find it hard...the problem is other gamers keep saying it and people start to believe it, despite all these advanced technologies many videogames have been suffering from dumbing down the A.I. even in the most popular of fps that feature advanced A.I.

have fun.

haha I know right, yea yea, you're good at video games, we get it... sheesh...

:-D

Yeah, i mean what could you possibly be playing that's more important than Dark Souls 2?