[Traveller]

DLC is great stuff. More to explore, more weapons, and more big fast evil bosses.

The locations are all new, in the same style, which I think looks so good, maybe because its not all crisp, flat hd, but has a more hand painted feel which adds tons of atmosphere.

I've now killed all the bosses bar one - Black Dragon Kalameet. This one is a total beast, even by DS's standards. If anyone else managed it Id like to know how!

Best bit.. finally defeating Abyss Lord Manus; warping back to previous bonfire, then getting summoned by another player to help beat him all over again..

[A Demon Llama!]

Looks like there will be a Dark Souls 2. I hope the multiplayer will be better though.

[Morgoth]

Huh, I quite enjoy the multiplayer of Dark Souls

[Traveller]

I hope they don't ruin it to appease the masses that whined about a lack of online chat etc.

I like the anonymous feel, the way it keeps you in character and keeps the game as an rpg, without a load of chat. I like defeating bosses with unknown players, who salute or bow when the job's done, and then get back to their own games. I even quite like it when I'm heading off to a boss fight and get invaded - and having to deal with the invader before continuing.

There's an interview with the designer in the next 'Edge' magazine - the last one, about Dark Souls, made me want to buy it immedietely, as it explained all the reasons for having the multiplayer as it is. I hope they stick to their original and creative designs, and keep it as something different, with maybe some changes of their own to keep it fresh.

[A Demon Llama!]

I'm not talking about chat and stuff like that. Somehow I used the online in Demon Souls a lot more than in Dark Souls and interacted with more players. I don't know what it was but I likes it more. But yeah. the anonymous feel is nice.

[Ulrik]

Did you see Seguleh in trailer?

[Seiko]

^ I thought the same thing as soon as I saw them in the trailer.

I started this a few weeks back and finished my first play through recently..just an incredible game. My favourite in years, for certain. Near perfect. LOVED the setting and the unique online.

[Traveller]

Yes, yes and yes. These games more than any remind me of the malaz universe, although Demons Souls was maybe more Black Company than anything else.

[Defiance]

Bought Artorias of the Abyss finally. I beat the first two bosses, but Manus and Kalameet are kicking my ass. I've been able to get Manus down most of the way, but I always end up getting destroyed by his magical attacks. Generally it's the one that he shoots at you in a cone, which you have to role sideways to avoid, that kills me...I can never seem to get out of the way quick enough.


Kalameet I haven't put too much effort into, but positioning seems like a major pain in the ass on this fight. His fire destroys if you don't stay close, but if you do he beats the hell out of you with attacks that, when blocked, destroy your stamina. Also, he likes to land right on top of me. Ah well, this is why I love the game. I can still remember how proud I was when I beat Ornstein and Smough by myself, not even using the phantom NPC you can summon.

Also, Sif. Sif! Such a cool little Easter egg for those who have played the expansion. That guy is by far my favorite boss appearance-wise. Sure, a wolf holding a giant sword might sound silly, but somehow in the game it's just awesome (although, I'm pretty sure Sif would have been a lot tougher if he'd just dropped the sword and used his claws and teeth instead).

[Traveller]

I beat Manus with Sifs help. I don't know what level you are, but I was on New Game+, and had done everything else before the DLC, so I found I could block most of his attacks, then lay into him while he was distracted by Sif.

Great fight though. After I beat him, I went straight back to the previous bonfire, used the white stone, and got summoned by some other player. Then went and beat him again. Way too much fun!

Kalameet is a total, total bastard. Even on the ungodly level I'm on now I kept getting pasted, sometimes after reducing his health, sometimes without even hitting him. I ended up shooting him with the dragon arrows I got from the Giant in the tower, then ran in at the very last minute to finish him off. Being VERY careful! I got the Obsidian Sword too.

I can't believe how many times I've gone for a final death blow only to get killed after a twenty minute fight.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 26 March 2013 - 01:34 PM

[ForkassalOfTheInnerCircle]

 Morgoth, on 18 December 2012 - 08:23 AM, said:

Huh, I quite enjoy the multiplayer of Dark Souls

I play on PC, and the "failed to connect" message isn't that enjoyable after a while... Seriously, it can take up to half an hour before I get it working sometimes, and sometimes I just don't manage.

[amphibian]

I am solo'ing this in bits and pieces with a female Pyromancer character named Quelcrist (made a male Knight called Sgt Detritus too, but I don't play it as often). Walking through the friggin' Giant Stone Soldier forest before the Moonlight Butterfly was intense as hell (before I figured out that if I leveled up the Reinforced Club to +5, the stone giants would go down fast). Beat the Butterfly pretty quick when it ate flower juice.

The Capra Demon was a pain in the ass. I lost 7 Humanity that I picked up while grinding for Titanite Shards because I couldn't get to my bloodstain the second time. I'm now at the Depths and killed a butcher last night before it got too late to further explore that claustrophobic hellhole. I finally figured out that you can roll to the right and then zig zag back to the stairs to run up on the wheel and have a breather before eliminating the rabid dogs and drop-slicing the Capra Demon, but it cost me a lot. Friggin' Assassins and their bleed.

I'm mostly using a +5 Great Axe, +5 Winged Spear/Sorceror's Catalyst. Generally went all around in the early going (got Strength up to 22, Endurance to 20, Dexterity up to 16, got Attunement up to 3 slots and am now focusing on Intelligence to really rack up the magic points. Just picked up the Great Heavy Soul Arrow from the magic guy and I think I'll grind for souls until I can pick up another one from him and really bust out the magic on bosses. Looking forwards to more powerful fire spells though, the early one kind of sucks actually. It takes too long to load up, is sluggish and can be blocked easily.

I've been hoarding the Humanity item drops and accidentally upgraded my Estus Flasks, so I don't really know what I'm doing there.

[Tattersail_]

Dark Souls

Is this the same thing? I am thinking of buying

[amphibian]

 Tattersail, on 15 March 2013 - 02:43 PM, said:

Dark Souls

Is this the same thing? I am thinking of buying

Yes. The "Prepare to Die" edition has extra DLC and stuff within it.

It's an immensely fun game because it's maddeningly difficult without being a total jerk about it. Sure, most of the bosses and quite a few of the rank and file enemies can one hit or two hit KO you, but you always have a chance. A low level character, if skilled at parrying or getting backstabs, can beat a high level character that is off their game. Strategic movement, defense and attacking is absolutely crucial and there are so many options to do all of those things that it doesn't feel like doing the same thing over and over again.

I'm playing off-line because I don't have an Xbox Live account, so I can't do the multiplayer component of it. If you're on PC, you might want to get a controller for the game (I've seen people say it works better that way).

Terrific game. I've stopped playing Torchlight 2 because of it (will go back after some time).

[Malaclypse]

abandoned my lvl. 200 ass-kicker on the PS3- thinking about starting again on the PC. That's how good this game is

[Traveller]

Totally. Since I finished all the DLC, and can now kick just about anything without too much trouble, I've been playing other games - it's the one game I go back to though.

I want more, I just have to hope that DS 2 sticks to the spirit of the original, and that any changes are improvements rather than compromises or attempts to make it more accessable to a broader audience.

[Tattersail_]

I can only download first one for 15 pound. What's difference between that, prepare to die and number 2?

[Trull's son]

 Traveller, on 15 March 2013 - 08:16 PM, said:

Totally. Since I finished all the DLC, and can now kick just about anything without too much trouble, I've been playing other games - it's the one game I go back to though.I want more, I just have to hope that DS 2 sticks to the spirit of the original, and that any changes are improvements rather than compromises or attempts to make it more accessable to a broader audience.

I agree. Though, I can't really see how to improve upon what they have. A better PC port would be nice I suppose.

 Tattersail, on 15 March 2013 - 09:41 PM, said:

I can only download first one for 15 pound. What's difference between that, prepare to die and number 2?

Prepare to die adds a few extra areas and bosses. Also, weapons! Dark Souls 2 is the sequel which has not been released yet.

[Malaclypse]

 Tattersail, on 15 March 2013 - 09:41 PM, said:

I can only download first one for 15 pound. What's difference between that, prepare to die and number 2?

I would say play the first one because it is awesome and frustrating in ways that the second one is not (world tendency? are you fucking kidding me?) - plague babies remain the most frightening enemies I've ever faced in either game - that was was some genuinely terrifying shit.

However, if you don't have the belly for a game that has absolutely zero compassion and will crush you without mercy at every turn, Dark Souls is slightly more approachable.

Prepare to Die is for those who've done everything else, probably more than once. Because we love the place. It's not actually that interesting.

[amphibian]

This game doesn't have zero compassion. It's like being a Rhulad clone on Seguleh Island. You have to fight your way to the top and a few screw-ups see you dead - only to be revived in a weaker state by the Crippled God and being gifted the possibility of getting all the stuff you dropped back (if you don't die again).

The compassion comes into play with the "if you do this right, you absolutely can win." The stomping comes in the process of learning what "right" means in each situation.