http://www.fromsoftware.jp/darksouls/

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/02/first-dark-souls-trailer-and-screens-are-appropriately-dark/

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/114/1147561p1.html


It is supposed to arrive this holiday season and be harder than Demon's Souls.

3/2/2011 12:05:34 PM

i better not be 200 arrows into a dragon and get invaded by some tool again

3/2/2011 12:52:21 PM

I'll be getting this

3/2/2011 4:48:43 PM

I just learned of this game and it's coming out in two and a half weeks!

Loved Demon Souls. Will be getting this Day One and leaving lulzy death messages.

9/15/2011 6:52:33 AM

I think the pre-orders are still getting the upgrade to collector's edition. The bad news is that some of the content has been switched to digital formats but from what I have seen the art book will still be a physical copy.


http://preparetodie.com/en/preorder/

[Edited on September 15, 2011 at 10:20 AM. Reason : link]

9/15/2011 10:20:06 AM

pumped

I got everyone at work hooked on Demon's Souls this month. Hopefully, Dark Souls will have a way to co-op with friends and I can get them in on it. The artwork and enemy designs in the game look fantastic. I was thinking the other day that great art design is really one of the things that makes a game memorable to me.

[Edited on September 15, 2011 at 11:20 AM. Reason : .]

9/15/2011 11:13:13 AM

Demon's Souls is amazing; best gaming experience I've had since RE4 (I refuse to include WOW). This looks amazinger. Hopefully they scrap the character/world tendency junk.

9/15/2011 11:41:50 AM

^seconded. my one and only gripe with demon's souls is you've mastered it after one play-through. would be nice if they upped the replay value for this one.

9/15/2011 3:51:03 PM

Man, I'm excited. FIFA comes out a week before this, but I might be more pumped for the Dark Souls release.

9/23/2011 7:21:27 PM

Review out

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1197278p1.html

Reviewer is a pussy

9/30/2011 4:31:58 PM

that stuff about the frog monster curses and a boss that disintegrates your weapons and armor is intense. can't wait.

10/1/2011 11:08:59 AM

Didn't want to read anything about it (media blackout), just wanted the score:

9.0

10/2/2011 9:30:46 AM

Has an 89 on metacritic.

Of course, Amazon hasn't shipped my release date delivery package.

10/4/2011 1:05:27 PM

Just picked my copy up. Too bad online play is still anonymous. Goodbye real world, hello cruel dark souls world.

10/4/2011 1:37:32 PM

I've played about 5 hours so far

Better than Demon's Souls thus far. Kicking dudes off ledges is the best.

10/4/2011 2:41:23 PM

amazon didn't get mine here on release date either; i did the "contact us" option and they gave me a $30 credit :-)

10/4/2011 8:08:14 PM

I checked twice, they didn't offer to do anything. However, I read on Amazon that some kind of blanket resolution is coming, but probably just a rumor.

[Edited on October 4, 2011 at 9:41 PM. Reason : Did anyone get the CE at any local retailers like Best Buy?]

10/4/2011 9:29:23 PM

This new bonfire idea really makes the game more intense. You really have no break in the action like with The Nexus. I find myself fleeing back to the bonfire whenever I'm low on health and potions. I just found out that if you use 1 Humanity to kindle the bonfire you get 10 potions to carry instead of 5.

Not allowing you to stock up on potions just gives the game a more arcade like feel. You have to use your potions wisely and cannot bulldoze through areas like before. Another idea I like.

Also, the Taurus demon was scary as hell. That first boss battle was way more instense than Phalanx from the first game. They have just found little ways to bump up the tense factor of the first game.

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 9:36 AM. Reason : .]

10/5/2011 9:33:29 AM

Ughhh.. I'm closing on a house right now, so I'm couch surfing at a friend's place until I move in. I don't want to start playing until I've got my man cave all decked out with my flat screen and surround sound. Shittt

10/5/2011 10:31:36 AM

^ message_topic.aspx?topic=572048&page=35

10/5/2011 10:36:12 AM

How does the difficulty of this compare to Demon's Souls?

10/5/2011 10:38:39 AM

I'd say about the same. I'd say it is easier with my experience from the first game. I'm just stat building at this point. Helped a dude take down the Taurus demon while I was "hollowed" (same as soul form from the first game). Cool stuff.

I found a vid where you can get a good sword early on. Don't watch if you want to figure things out for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS0x5OpEt8M

10/5/2011 10:46:46 AM

I picked this up today ,and will start it on tomorrow.

10/6/2011 5:16:42 PM

did the taurus demon commit suicide for anyone else? did he drop an item that i'm missing out on?

10/6/2011 6:04:18 PM

Not for me but I hear he will jump off the bridge sometimes. I think rarely he will drop and axe which requires 45 str which you can acquire later in the game. I wouldn't worry about it since you can try to get the sword I posted now or the next boss will drop a cool axe too. Cutting off tails of bosses seems to be a theme to acquire drops. Also, the more humanity you have the higher your drop rate will be. You can view your drop rate in the status screen. Yesterday I got lucky and killed a black night and got the black night sword with only a drop rate of 100.

10/7/2011 10:27:02 AM

What class and gift did you guys choose?

I've been trying to read into the game just enough to start making a plan for how I want to develop my character, but not so much as I ruin any surprises.

I like the idea of the thief for getting a master key without having to waste your gift on it. In Demon's Souls, I built a stealth build and a magic build. So far, I've narrowed it down to Thief, Pyromancer, Bandit or Cleric. I've got a lot more narrowing down to do...

10/7/2011 3:23:57 PM

The gifts and starting classes are not that important as you will have much more to worry about. The master key will just allow you access places you really aren't supposed to go at first anyway and will make it harder to figure out where to go. If anything I would choose the firebombs to take out the tutorial boss if you can. I didn't try. Most of the gifts can be found later on in the game anyways. I chose the stupid fucking regen ring that doesn't even regen, it just adds 40 HP. Worthless. And I chose the knight because I like bad ass armor.

10/7/2011 4:40:13 PM

I went with the theif becasue I want high Dexterity so I will have a headstart on using advanced weapons, unless the game lied to me.

I will start off with Deprived on my next playthrough.

[Edited on October 7, 2011 at 7:08 PM. Reason : /]

10/7/2011 7:08:02 PM

I started as the pyromancer for full/cheap character building (SL1). The master key is a double-edged sword: it opens up more areas earlier; odds are, you aren't even close to ready for most of those areas.

How far along are you guys?

SPOILERS for first several areas













I've defeated the Gargoyle bosses+rang the first bell, killed the Hydra, and now I'm running around in the forest and getting surrounded/raped by [seemingly upgraded] bushes. I explored part of the Valley of Drakes (to that creepy area past the undead dragon), died to the Capra Demon a couple of times, and stepped foot into the Catacombs (and immediately back out).
























end spoilers. Also I've died. Repeatedly. This game is pretty damn good.

10/8/2011 7:59:36 AM

I defeated the Capra demon and went down to the sewers. All I gotta say is that place is sadistic. Now I have to go to Blighttown and the framerate is really bad down there. Not looking forward to it.

10/9/2011 10:48:34 AM

Caved in and got my copy today. This shit is hard. Been trying to slowly explore. Found the winged spear, morning star and got a longsword to drop off of a mob. The limited magic use part of the game makes you use a more well rounded playstyle. I still reach a decision on how I want to build my character yet.

10/9/2011 7:15:02 PM

You can only build a character one way - endurance, vitality, dexterity, and strength. Its an illusion if you think you can build a character any other way and be successful in this game.

[Edited on October 9, 2011 at 8:37 PM. Reason : /]

10/9/2011 8:18:06 PM

Yea I'm still not sure what weapon I'm going to use. Can't go wrong pumping points into endurance and vitality until then.

10/9/2011 8:24:08 PM

got the taurus demon down. went a bit further and read a message "drake ahead" ..that's funny, I don't see anyth.... fuck. guess I can't go that way?

10/9/2011 10:10:50 PM

Yes, run for it mang and hang to the right of the bridge. The stairs down will take you to the next path you should take,

10/9/2011 11:15:30 PM

The Taurus Demon, and climb the ladder and jump down on him with a lunge attack, with the right weapon you can take 90% of his health with one blow. The Drake sword drops when you do enough damage to the Fire Dragon's tail. Its easy if you hide under the bridge and use like 50-60 arrows.

10/9/2011 11:32:19 PM

after getting under the bridge, I found my way back to my last campfire from the upper door. Is there a way to knock that ladder down so I'll have a way back up? or will I just have to continue taking the long way around?

10/10/2011 9:22:18 AM

Yes, you can knock the ladder down. I made the same mistake and had to make my way back.

10/10/2011 10:14:47 AM

How are you guys planning to progress through the game? I just got done with the Bell Gargoyles and went exploring through the forest until I found my way into the Basin. Then I found my way right into the dark knight's big ass pole arm. I was thinking about going back to take down the Black Knights I've found so far. Try to earn a couple more soul levels in the process.

After that, I would probably head back to the Basin and go after the Hydra.

10/11/2011 10:27:53 AM

After the Gargoyles, I went through The Depths (sewers) and through Blighttown and then through Sen's Fortress.

The forest is just kinda strange to me. I'm not exactly sure when to tackle any of that. I did fight and kill the giant butterfly but other than that.....

I kind of miss the Nexus. There really is a lot of back tracking in this game. Backtracking through Bllighttown is an f'ing nightmare.

10/11/2011 10:48:26 AM

Deeper into the forest there's a covenant, a big boss, and an area where you can farm [a lot of] souls in hilarious fashion. You can get to this part of the forest via the ladder next to the hydra; or, you can spend 20K to get the crest from the parish blacksmith which opens the sealed door (this is the only viable way to farm the immediate area past the sealed door).

I'm currently in Blighttown. So far: not as bad as 5-2 from Demon's Souls.

10/11/2011 11:33:59 AM

I'm sitting at 6k in souls. Wondering if I should farm 14k in souls or just keep on going with progression. Killed the black knight on top of the tower, didn't get any weapons or armor.. And the red drake disappeared on me so I couldn't try the bow and arrow bug that kills him. I did however kill the black knight in the undead burg and got the black knight shield. Thing is SICK. 95% fire resist and 100% phys.

10/11/2011 10:29:10 PM

I would continue with progression, if only because you'll get the souls you need along the way (some of the upcoming bosses drop 20K+ souls) to open the sealed door.

I've killed 5 black knights, and so far have never had anything other than titanite drop

10/11/2011 11:23:51 PM

those big guys at the parish are pretty simple to take down one by one, but the first time i stumbled into that room with three i freaked out

10/12/2011 3:06:12 AM

Do any of you guys use a dual wield or parrying shield strategy? I've been wanting to try out that playstyle, but I just feel like you would be prone to taking damage more often (constantly) unless your parry/ripostes were always perfect. If I hadn't picked up the drake shield, I'd probably be wussing out and still hiding behind my winged spear and shield.

Quitting time came last night after I died 5 times in about 15 minutes. Got grouped up on by those giants in the forest, smacked down twice by the lance black knight, then fell/rolled off two cliffs in the basin. Ughhh..

10/12/2011 8:38:28 AM

I play with a shield and spear. My weapon of choice in the first game was the mirdan hammer. Yea, parrying is iffy so I quickly learned in the first game to just play defensively.

The only thing that has REALLY annoyed me so far in this game is how they practically make it impossible to find this bonfire right before a hard boss. I had to make my way through the level for like 10 mins and fight him again because I couldn't freaking find the thing. Not cool.

10/12/2011 8:55:32 AM

Let me know if you guys hear of a boss that has an item drop based on action. (i.e. Taurus, Gargloyles)

10/12/2011 12:55:29 PM

Gaping Dragon in sewers, you can cut off his tail.

10/12/2011 1:30:11 PM

I hate this game so good.

I refuse to leave the Undead Burg until I grind and level up enough to beat the Black Knight. Any tips on how to beat him?

10/12/2011 1:46:31 PM

circle strafe and backstab until he's dead. that's how i've killed all black knights so far.

10/12/2011 1:57:54 PM