Demon Souls / Dark Souls

[nobler]

I think when I did Sif I was slightly higher soul level than most people would be when they first encounter him and I had upgraded my Serpent Greatsword to at least +2 Lightning I think, so it probably wasn't as difficult as it could have been. Saying that, I watched one or two you tube vids on him and once you know his attack patterns it was quite simple. You've got the right idea with getting under him. IIRC he has one major swipe from left to right giving you chance to roll under, that's his only devastating one hit attack and once you're under him, just hack away, retreat and repeat. He's pretty weak against fire too, so any pyromancies are a good option.

Did you encounter those huge bear/cat things around the area near Sif? Ha, I don't think i've ever shit myself so much when they came rolling at me.

[Designer1]

I think when I did Sif I was slightly higher soul level than most people would be when they first encounter him and I had upgraded my Serpent Greatsword to at least +2 Lightning I think, so it probably wasn't as difficult as it could have been. Saying that, I watched one or two you tube vids on him and once you know his attack patterns it was quite simple. You've got the right idea with getting under him. IIRC he has one major swipe from left to right giving you chance to roll under, that's his only devastating one hit attack and once you're under him, just hack away, retreat and repeat. He's pretty weak against fire too, so any pyromancies are a good option.

Did you encounter those huge bear/cat things around the area near Sif? Ha, I don't think i've ever shit myself so much when they came rolling at me.

Cheers for the tips.

Bear/Cat things you say...I'll look forward to those then

[nobler]

I'm more or less done with my first playthrough now. I've still got the last boss to kill but i'm leaving him for the moment, rounding up a few more stats, upgrading a few more weapons, co-oping/upgrading covenant rank and pvping in the final zone.

Quite an adventure, Lost Izalith is a pretty incredible design triumph and tomb of giants is just an absolute nightmare/terrifying but designed incredibly well. Made many mistakes this time round, particularly with story and the death of certain characters but already dying to get on with my new character, going to co-op a lot more and get more out of the online experience.

It's gonna take a back seat for a short time because of Skyrim, which will undoubtedly be incredible too, but it's gonna take a hell of a lot to top this for GOTY.

[nobler]

Patch 1.05 has been released in the UK now. Here are the changes.

Magic Changes:

Pyro Glove nerfed from 270 to 230.

You can see resonance signs now.

Vow of Silence range increased.

Sorcery spell damage as a whole was slightly buffed, but Homing Soul Mass and other pursuit style spells were nerfed.

Magic Shield duration lowered to ~11 seconds.

Strong Magic Shield duration lowered to ~11 seconds. Invincibility removed. Effect on Stamina drastically reduced.

Tranquil Walk of Peace and other Slow duration reduced to ~10 secs. Effect supposedly changed from 100% encumberance to 50%. Rolling possible if your equip burden is lowered. Slowness is similar to swamp effect.

Iron Flesh effectiveness nerfed.

Invisible Body duration remains unchanged.

Status Changes:

Base Equipment Burden increased (~6-10 points)

Humanity Item drop rate increased from 10 to 210

Medium roll recovery faster? (unclear and unconfirmed)

Defensive bonuses gained via Humanity reduced. Other defensive bonuses remain unchanged.

Item discovery gained via Humanity improved. Capped at 20.

Equipment General Changes:

Reported some weapon scaling gets improved at higher normal upgrades (+15 uchi dex scaling goes to A)

Some scaling reported as changing from A to S with higher upgrades

Upgrade Changes:

Normal scaling buffed by 5-20% (20% at +14).

Crystal scaling buffed by 5-20% (20% at +4).

Lightning +4 nerfed by 2% (+5 remains unchanged).

Raw scaling buffed by 10% (all levels).

Magic stat scaling buffed by 10-20% (20% at +9).

Enchanted stat scaling buffed by 15-20% (20% at +4).

Divine stat scaling buffed by 10-20% (20% at +9).

Occult stat scaling buffed by 15-20% (20% at +4).

Fire +9 nerfed by 2%. (+5 remains unchanged)

Dragon stat scaling buffed by 5-20% (20% at +5).

Specific Gear Changes:

Grant scaling changed to Strength:B and Faith:A

Gold-hemmed nerfed, still can't be upgraded.

Dust skirt nerfed hard (streamlined to match the other pieces).

Silver Knights, Sun, Hollow Soldier's Shield and other medium shield stability nerfed to ~70 at max upgrades to improve Great Shield viability.

Crystal Ring Shield scaling drastically nerfed. Does around ~200 +-50

Dragon Greatsword buffed from 360 to 390.

Silver Knight's Sword lightning effect removed. Now enchantable.

Elite Knight gear nerfed, then buffed slightly in 1.05

Combat Changes:

Lock-on acquisition range increased.

Lock-on changing/switching got easier (more responsive).

Ring of Fog users can now be locked on.

[Chindie]

I've bought Dark Souls - dropping to sub £20 at work forced my hand.

I'm ordering a bargain controller, just in case.

[Designer1]

I've bought Dark Souls - dropping to sub £20 at work forced my hand.

I'm ordering a bargain controller, just in case.

The only reason you will die (and you will die) is through your own fault.

I don't think I died once during my playthrough and thought 'this **** game is cheating me'. It's all down to you.

I would also say of Dark Souls, that if you have ever been anything more than a casual player of video games then you really should give this a crack. It really does test you as a player and the moments when you triumph are some of the sweetest I've ever encountered in 30+ years of gaming.

I cannot recommend it enough.

[jadenb42]

Is there a difference between normal and limited edition of this game/ so going to pick this up for £20

[GarethRDR]

Down to £20 you say? Time to shell out, methinks.

[maxjackle]

My game of 2011 and one of the best games Ive played. Completed in 70 hours (iron flesh and havels armour tanking) and still missed out on things. Loved the online elements and how mysterious the game is. Looking on youtube I see I've missed a lot of elements.

One memory stands out- going to the final boss (which takes about 5 mins) looking to summon another player for help. Instead someone helpfully invaded. He saw me in the distance, bowed and then proceeded to kill me in a few seconds.

When Ive done Skyrim I might do new game +, though the walkways in sens fortress fill me with dread.

Jadenb42- limited edition has a music cd and an artwork book plus a mini guide to the first part. Most places have it at the same price.

[Chindie]

Down to £20 you say? Time to shell out, methinks.

£19.98 new, £17.98 preowned. If you're lucky you can still pick up the Day One Limited Edition, which has a mini strat guide and some other stuff in it. Nice little package.

[Chindie]

Well I've put a few hours into it.

I've enjoyed it rather more than I thought I might. It's a markedly different pace of game. You simply cannot rush it seems, rushing leads to mistakes and that leads to you dying, as even the lowest ranking enemy can straight up murder you in a couple of swipes. I've died more than a few times, and more often than not it's been my fault. There have been a few times that I've died because of a lack of familiarity with the controls, which aren't immediately intuitive (something that a lot of Japanese games have in fairness), and there can be a degree of tedium when you're doing a run from a bonfire for the umpteenth time because your pioneering into the unknown has had you cut down time and again. And there is grind, the game encourages it really.

But it's so satisfying. Every enemy can be a nasty piece of work but with concentration, preparation and haste each can be defeated and each is it's own satisfaction.

I like the mystery of it as well. The game doesn't explain much. It damn near lies in parts. You're left to find out yourself what does what, what benefits and downsides certain actions may have. It can be daunting - I'm unsure of rather a lot of things still, and some I may never get.

I kinda like this game. I've no doubt it will try my patience (I'm not blessed with much of temper) and I actually doubt I'll finish it I'm honest, but I like it all the same.

[nobler]

You'll be able to finish it Chindie, it honestly isn't that difficult, if you can get through the first few hours, it doesn't particularly get much harder. You may face some frustrating moments in certain places but the game will always encourage you to carry on, even if you might feel a little frustrated. Remember you can take the game at your own pace, there's no limit on when or how you level, so you can even overpower yourself if you feel certain bosses are giving you real problems. You'll put down the pad and the game will pull you back

Without going over the top or just being caught up in the general Dark Souls/Demon's Souls thing, I think this has become my favourite game series of all time. I say this for a few reasons, I've probably pumped more hours into it than any game other than an MMO over the last 10 years. Also, I've just gained some weird emotional attachment to it, i'm studying the lore, the way the developers work, been doing a lot of related fan art. The whole experience is just perfect for me.

As Chindie just pointed out, there is quite an incredible depth of story in this game but it's not handed to you, you have to seek it yourself and when you do you get quite attached to certain characters, i.e Solaire, I love that dude Big Hat Logan/ the Catarina knights, all producing certain theories to what they represent, etc. I randomly found an entire optional zone while exploring recently too. The great Hollow and Ash Lake, completely blew my mind. I'm still discovering new armour sets and weapons all the time.

I'm currently just finishing up my second character playthrough on NG and starting a NG+. There's always so much to do, I haven't began to get remotely bored yet. I'd urge people to get online too, co-op, pvp, whatever - it's a very enjoyable experience. I'm a warrior of the sun atm, so i'm mainly co-oping with people to kill bosses; I'm basically getting my arse handed to me one on one pvp, but i'm sure i'll learn the ropes soon enough.

But yeah, I really urge any action/adventure/rpg fan to really give this a go. It's just a modern day masterpiece.

[leemond2008]

I have spent many an hour watching my flatmate slowly work his way through dark souls, even though the game doesn't intrest me I can watch it being played for ages.

He is currently working his way through blighttown (I **** hate that place) and he is up to the spiderwoman boss thing, pretty tough that mother **** is.

It's been great watching him nearly cry with frustration trying to do that boss you fight when you fall through the ceiling

[Chindie]

Blighttown killed my enthusiasm for the game - it is shit. It runs terribly (I genuinely cannot think of a game that has run as badly as Blighttown does from the last... well, from the entire lifespan of this console gen), looks shit, and the game effectively becomes a chore the very second you set foot in the place. Being sniped by blowdart fellas who poison you in 2 hits and are carefully placed to be hard to see and even harder to hit, is not fun, it's not even fun in a challenging, 'you ****!' kinda way, it's just a chore.

[nobler]

That's a shame, Chindie I'd say stick with it, because you wouldn't have felt many rewarding experiences so far. But of course, that is completely up to you, if you feel it's a chore, I wouldn't bother either, that's not what you play games for. Blight town though is a pain and yes, it's the area of the game that does run rather poor, (the draw distance is insane and probably a little over ambitious) but it's probably the first big test of patience. You can actually take a short cut, like a back entrance from firelink shrine>through londo ruins/valley of the drakes and just take the water wheel straight down to the bottom, straight to Quelaag's domain and skip virtually the entire annoying- mosquitoes/throwing rock dudes and swamp running.

A lot of people go back to Blight town later on in the game with higher poison resist, to pick up a few important things from there. Other than that it's not an area you particularly need to visit, after killing Quelaag.

After you ring the second bell the game opens up and becomes more of an open world to explore and doesn't guide you in such a way. Also, if you do plan on going back, a great piece of advice would be to pick up the spider shield from the depths, it has great poison resist and completely resists any poison damage at all from dart throwers and those large troll things.

[Sie]

Blighttown killed my enthusiasm for the game - it is shit. It runs terribly (I genuinely cannot think of a game that has run as badly as Blighttown does from the last... well, from the entire lifespan of this console gen), looks shit, and the game effectively becomes a chore the very second you set foot in the place. Being sniped by blowdart fellas who poison you in 2 hits and are carefully placed to be hard to see and even harder to hit, is not fun, it's not even fun in a challenging, 'you ****!' kinda way, it's just a chore.

Dark Souls Wins. Fatality.

[Chindie]

I'm totally fine with that.

I'll probably return to it at some point. But Blighttown should not have got into the game in that state. It's one thing that it seems keen to up the ante absurdly there, it's another that it runs horrendously.

[Sie]

There's no denying the framerate in that place is awful but I **** loved the place. Extremely tense. My introduction to it was via co-op though - some random stranger led me through about half of it where we killed some giant creature (of which I never did find out the name) and then he disconnected. I had loads of souls and no clue where I was, surrounded by nasty things that wanted to murder me. Horse for courses and all but I found that experience amazing.

[Stu_The_Villan]

Where do i start with this??

Well, i got this a couple of weeks ago and i havent been able to put it down. Amazing game. I have to admit...when i first started playing i didnt have a clue what was going on. The game doesnt tell you anything, it just drops you into this massive world and says 'off you go then' and thats it. But thats part of the beauty. Finding out for yourself. Humanity? What the **** that? Reverse hollowing? Come again?? Kindle the bonfire?? Whut? But the more you play the more it starts to make sense.

Never before have i played a game where im so shit scared of dying. I went into darkroot forest with 8 humanity stacked and about 20k souls. Cleared the whole **** place out without a hitch. Then i noticed some big ominous looking doors. I though '**** it' im going in, im kicking arse here and im pretty much unstoppable. Went in and it turns out its one of the hardest bosses in the game and quickly got my arse handed to me on a plate. ****! 8 humanity and 20k souls and theyre stuck in a boss area with only one option of getting them back...fighting that bastard of a boss again. So i trudged off through the forest again back to the boss. Before i even had chance to think about grabbing my souls and humanity he one hit me and im dead again. 20k souls and 8 humanity gone. I just felt empty inside.

Lesson learnt, the hard way!

I could go on for ages about this game. The way i almost shit my pants the first time i saw that Knight in the Undead Burg. Or how many times i died trying to beat Havel at the bottom of the tower, and then the immense satisfaction when i finally did.

But i wont. I realise im rambling here so ill just leave it by saying that this game is amazing. That is all.

[jacketspuds]

Really want to get these games. My patience isn't what it used to be though.