Dark Souls (video game)
Players are encouraged to proceed with caution, learn from past mistakes, or find alternative areas to explore.Dark Souls takes place in a large and continuous, interconnected environment, connected through a central hub area.For magic, which includes a wide variety of offensive and defensive abilities known as sorceries, miracles, and pyromancies, player characters do not use any form of mana as in most other fantasy RPGs.The multiplayer component for the PC version of Dark Souls was disabled in February 2022, in response to a security threat within the matchmaking system found that same month.In the "Age of Ancients", a primordial fire known as the First Flame disrupted a previously unchanging world by bringing change and disparity, including a distinction between life and death.However, the First Flame eventually started to fade, threatening to end the Age of Fire and usher in a calamitous Age of Dark; as a symptom of the Flame's withering, a curse of undeath is spreading among humans, causing the afflicted to return to life every time they die until they eventually become a mindless husk, or "hollow".By that time, the Witch of Izalith's magical experiments backfired and turned her into an abomination known as the "Bed of Chaos", while Nito was overthrown as ruler of the Catacombs and resides even deeper underground in the Tomb of the Giants.They then travel across Lordran and slay mighty beings to recover their powerful souls: Nito, Seath, the Bed of Chaos, and the Four Kings, humans who were corrupted by an all-consuming force called Abyss.Depending on their actions and choices, the player can proceed on their own or under the guidance of one of two ancient beings known as primordial serpents: Kingseeker Frampt, who wants the Chosen Undead to link the First Flame as Gwyn did and cure the land from the curse of the undead, or Darkstalker Kaathe, a serpent of Abyss who encourages them to let the First Flame die out instead, claiming that the Age of Dark would result in the rise to power of humans above the gods who rule them, with the Chosen Undead to lead them as the "Dark Lord".Artorias the Abysswalker, one of Gwyn's legendary four knights, attempted to slay Manus and rescue Dusk, the princess of Oolacile, but failed and was corrupted by the Abyss.To these themes we added the special concept of ancient dragons that predate all life, and this formed the basis for Dark Souls".[20] Dark Souls' description of natural cycles that the world experiences, and the designs of some individual characters, parallel Japanese and Greek myths.[23] It had been reported during the development process that FromSoftware had been having difficulty with the port due to inexperience with PC as a platform and were focusing on new content rather than optimization.[24] Re-branded as the Prepare To Die Edition, it came out in August 2012 and featured new content, including bosses, enemies, equipment, and NPCs.[26] Soon after, it was announced that Dark Souls for PC would use Games for Windows – Live for online play and DRM, spurring fan backlash.[28] DSFix was later extended to become an unofficial fan-made patch that also allowed graphical improvements, raising the framerate cap to 60, and installing custom texture mods.The game runs at a native 60 frames per second on all platforms except the Nintendo Switch and supports a 4K resolution on the PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One X, and Windows."[53] GameSpot praised the online system and the sense of jubilation when conquering boss fights after numerous failed attempts.[44] IGN complimented the level design, variety, strong emphasis on online features, excessively dark tone and atmosphere, and deep gameplay.[47] In a review of Dark Souls in Black Gate, Connor Gormley said "I can't help but smile at all the things I've done in this game, from the serious and atmospheric, to the actually kind of stupid, like losing a fist fight with a giant mushroom man who I like to imagine has a thick cockney accent.[57][58] In GameSpy's review, the original Windows port was referred to as "shabby", citing the game's limit of 30 frames per second, poor mouse and keyboard controls, and nonadjustable resolution.[74] Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert and Double Fine Productions' Brad Muir chose Dark Souls as Game of the Year.Awards), the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Dark Souls for "Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year".[103] Games cited to have been influenced by Dark Souls include Destiny,[104] Alienation,[105] Lords of the Fallen,[106] The Surge,[107] Salt and Sanctuary,[108] Shovel Knight,[109][110] Titan Souls,[109][111] Enter the Gungeon,[112] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,[113] Nioh,[114] and God of War,[115][116] as well as features used on the PlayStation 4 console.
Developer(s)FromSoftwarePublisher(s)Namco Bandai GamesDirector(s)Hidetaka MiyazakiProducer(s)Programmer(s)Artist(s)Writer(s)Composer(s)Motoi SakurabaDark SoulsPlatform(s)PlayStation 3Xbox 360WindowsPlayStation 4Xbox OneNintendo SwitchGenre(s)Action role-playingSingle-playermultiplayeraction role-playing gamespiritual successorDemon's SoulsundeadpilgrimageArtorias of the Abyssgreatest video games ever madelevel designflavor textdifficultyDark Souls IIDark Souls IIIGameplay elements in the Souls seriesboss fightplayer characterbonfirelevel uprespawnshigh fantasymedievalswordsspearscrossbowsshieldsarmourparryingsmithingnon-player characterssoapstonescooperativeplayer versus playerdukedomBlighttownAnor LondoSony Computer EntertainmentBandai Namco EntertainmentMilan CathedralChâteau de ChambordBerserkGreek mythologyJapanese mythologyFrench existentialismFriedrich Nietzschemeaninglessnessend of the universeGames for Windows – Livefan-made patchframerateSteamworksbackward compatibilityVirtuosframes per second4K resolutionPlayStation 4 ProXbox One Xonline multiplayerdedicated serversMetacritic1Up.comEurogamerFamitsuGame InformerGameProGameSpotGamesTMJoystiqBlack GateDestructoidGameSpyneckbeardreview aggregatoranti-cheatGame RevolutionGame of the YearQ-GamesDouble Fine ProductionsElectronic Gaming MonthlyGameTrailers15th Annual Interactive Achievement AwardsD.I.C.E. AwardsAcademy of Interactive Arts & SciencesRole-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the YearThe Daily TelegraphTeamXboxDigital Spyseventh console generationseventh generation of game consolesGamesRadar+USgamerRock, Paper, ShotgunPC GamerGolden Joystick AwardsSoulslikegreatest video games of all timevideo games as an art form2021 Golden Joystick AwardsDestinyAlienationLords of the FallenThe SurgeSalt and SanctuaryShovel Knight