After the success of 2009’s Demon’s Souls, FromSoftware knew that they were onto something grandiose. With that in mind, 2011 saw the release of Dark Souls, the first of a great trilogy, and the dawn of a new gaming genre that required players to “get good” or forever suffer the "YOU DIED." screen.
There were many things that Dark Souls got right on its first try, and didn’t need to fix for its sequels for the betterment of the game. The team at FromSoftware put a lot of love into this game, and considering how hard the experience can be, perhaps they put a lot of tears into it too.
9 An Epic Story
Dark Souls is filled with intrigue. The game begins with an exposition, an explanation of the world that the player is about to inhabit. A war involving Gods, Dragons, and Souls. It’s a great entry that can rival the legendary Lord of the Rings in its fantasy scope. Once players have created their character, they find themselves in the Undead Asylum, ready to start their adventure.
The story of the “Chosen Undead” starts from small beginnings, and soon becomes a true hero, with a colorful cast of characters. Players can choose to venture forth in favor of the age of fire or to conquer it as the new lord. It’s a great tale of power and a deconstruction of kings.
8 Poise System
A controversial entry into the Soulsborne games is that of Poise. What Poise does, is increase the player’s resistance to being staggered or stun-locked, based on the amount of armor that the player is wearing. It can sometimes be more complicated than it may sound, and players can use rings, spells, and shields to increase the stats.
Poise works well for Dark Souls, and becomes further muddled with each entry. Many fans of the Dark Souls trilogy favor Dark Souls (2011)’s Poise system, as it’s an important mechanic that stops the player from being paralyzed with rapid attacks preventing them from moving, and most likely causing them to die.
7 Interconnected World
Part of Dark Souls’ initial charm is the way that players can get to all locations just by journeying. There is no need for fast travel, and everything connects so perfectly. Players can reach Firelink Shrine, and unlock a multitude of shortcuts to get back to the game’s central HUB.
It’s a beautiful and innovative feature, and for 2011, it still blows people away just how genius the team at FromSoftware was for being able to connect the map at every point. The interconnectivity of Dark Souls is a key part of people’s love for the game, as future games left this behind for a more open-world dynamic.
6 The Lordvessel
When players conquer the dreaded duo of Ornstein and Smough in Anor Londo, they will take the rotating elevator up to the next level. The gigantic set of doors leads players to believe that there’s another challenge ahead, one that will test them even more than the golden knight bosses below. Yet, triumphant music bellows through the halls as the doors open.
Inside, rests Princess Gwynevere, who praises the player for their accomplishments, and gifts them the Lordvessel. It’s a great moment and feels reminiscent of finally rescuing Princess Peach as Mario, from Bowser. The Lordvessel is an accomplishment, as it advances the story, and allows players to fast travel from now on. Fast travel was available right off the bat for players of future Souls games.
5 Cast Of Characters
With an entirely new set of NPCs, both friend and foe, Dark Souls bolster an array of characters. There’s the ever-friendly and ever-in need of saving Siegmeye of Catarina, noted for his deep and cheery voice, and onion armor. Or Logan, the sorcerer with a quest for knowledge, and a ridiculously oversized hat. Dark Souls has a lot of great characters that ponder their existence and purpose in this desolate world.
The characters help the world feel more alive, as everything seems to be out to kill the player. All except a rare few that have yet to go hollow, and follow the curse of the undead. Completing questlines is never fun, as most, if not all, fall to a tragedy.
4 Anor Londo
Anor Londo is a location that returns in Dark Souls3, albeit more broken and ruined as if worlds are colliding in on each other. Anor Londo in the original Dark Souls is as it was intended by the rulers. Gigantic, bright, and brimming with powerful opportunity in this new age. The land is protected by the faithful silver knights, with sprawling staircases and spiral elevators.
The area is a true challenge to players, as it is separated from the main game due to its size. Once players enter Anor Londo, they may find it hard to leave. Even harder still, are the bosses that await their challenge: Ornstein and Smough, the duo that protects the treasures above the throne room.
3 The Four Lords
In Dark Souls, four lords need to be vanquished for the player to progress through the story and fulfill their quest as the Chosen Undead. Each lord exhibits true power and a unique challenge to the player.
There is Gravelord Nito: a swarm of darkness and skeletons. The Four Kings, wraith-like beings that succumb to the abyss and dark. Seath the Scaleless, is a traitor to his dragon kind, and a mad dragon who seeks to protect his immortality. Then, there is The Bed of Chaos, the source of all demons, and trapped inside, the two daughters of the Witch of Izalith in an attempt to prolong the age of fire.
2 Unique Locations
Not all of the locations in Dark Souls spell doom and gloom. Some have the character enter strange locations that don’t seem so fantastical. Players might have to venture through rotting sewers, battling rats and poison. Or, entering a painting like in Mario 64 to battle crows and flesh with spears and shields.
There’s a lot of uniqueness in the areas of Dark Souls. It isn’t only castles and villages, and due to the interconnected world, everywhere feels special, lived in and immersive. Sen’s Fortress is a location riddled with traps and humanoid snakes, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg for what awaits new players.
1 Solaire Of Astora
The famed “Sun Bro” of Dark Souls. The unofficial mascot for the series is Solaire of Astora. This character only appeared in the flesh in Dark Souls and proved himself to be an exceptionally skilled warrior who pursued the undead curse to claim his very own sun. He became a good friend to the Chosen Undead and assisted in jolly cooperation.
Solaire’s optimism and cheer is something that players adore about him, as they do about his quirky attire, with the feather in his helm, and the hand-drawn sun on his chest and shield. Solaire emphasizes the importance of friendship and teamwork. The character is truly beloved by many, and his questline can take players to the end of the game.
Dark Souls is currently available on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 36, Xbox One, and Switch.