Before we even start, please keep shitposting out of this thread. There are numerous thread to discuss where Dark Souls II ranks among the series so best to do it in those. (Thanks ponpo!)
So last year I finally decided to put my skills to the test and manned up to play Dark Souls. I always adored the art direction but was afraid of the difficulty. After playing the first game it became one of my favorite games of all time, and i've always been chasing that Dark Souls high you get from beating a boss, finding a shortcut or discovering a secret.
For those interested in my Dark Souls exploits see the following:
https://www.giantbomb.com/dark-souls/3030-32697/forums/just-started-dark-souls-for-the-first-time-i-know--1794749/#81
So it's April. And now I embark upon a month long quest to beat the game that many consider the worst Souls game. But that's not what this thread is for.
Here's why i'm making this thread.
A) This game is clearly different than Dark Souls 1 and that's where I need help.
B) It's always nice to relive a game you played through another person eyes.
C) It's help to vocalize my joy and frustration with these games.
Rules (only one):
Please keep spoilers to zero. I don't want any hints or secrets given away unless I specifically ask for it. Also for those interested, I am playing vanilla Dark Souls II (not SOTFS) on the PC with ethernet cable unplugged (don't want any online interaction).
Now let's not delay.
So what have I done so far? Explored Things Betwixt and got sad when I ran out of torch and couldn't light all the torch stands. Tried fighting those big ogre guys at the bottom near the lake and got my ass handed to me. Made it out to Majula. Talked to some NPC's, got the Blacksmith door open as well as the big house (forget the proper name).
Went to the Forest of Fallen Giants and still can't kill the knight sitting against the tree. Made my way to the castle area, past the 5 ballista's where there are some explosive barrels and 1 guy throwing firebombs down. Figured there must be an easier or more ideal path.
So I got my ass to Heide's Tower of Flame. Instantly shitting my pants at the size of the enemies. Realize they're nothing to be worried about but gotta be very careful near edges. Made it to first boss and got him down to 3/4 health before eating it. Took a break for tonight.
HELP!
How frugal do I have to be with effigies? Right now my health is at half of what it should be due to dying and having my full health back would be very beneficial right now. I just don't want to waste them if they're in short supply? Can you ever buy them at a store?
Same goes for life gems. Do I have to use them sparingly. So far I think i've only used 2 or 3. Got about 29 in my inventory. I've mainly been using Estus Flasks. Now I have 3 of them but it's tough with just 3 right now.
I'm finding the game much harder to start than Dark Souls 1. My weapon sucks, armour is blah, shield is meh. Is it like this for everyone?
Finally can I just say how shitty of a system the "die and lose a bit of your health bar" is. Like seriously, fuck that. I don't even feel comfortable exploring knowing that death will ultimately result in a permanent lose of life for me. Is there a maximum threshold that you lose?
Btw, this game looks damned amazing!
So last year I finally decided to put my skills to the test and manned up to play Dark Souls. I always adored the art direction but was afraid of the difficulty. After playing the first game it became one of my favorite games of all time, and i've always been chasing that Dark Souls high you get from beating a boss, finding a shortcut or discovering a secret.
For those interested in my Dark Souls exploits see the following:
https://www.giantbomb.com/dark-souls/3030-32697/forums/just-started-dark-souls-for-the-first-time-i-know--1794749/#81
So it's April. And now I embark upon a month long quest to beat the game that many consider the worst Souls game. But that's not what this thread is for.
Here's why i'm making this thread.
A) This game is clearly different than Dark Souls 1 and that's where I need help.
B) It's always nice to relive a game you played through another person eyes.
C) It's help to vocalize my joy and frustration with these games.
Rules (only one):
Please keep spoilers to zero. I don't want any hints or secrets given away unless I specifically ask for it. Also for those interested, I am playing vanilla Dark Souls II (not SOTFS) on the PC with ethernet cable unplugged (don't want any online interaction).
Now let's not delay.
So what have I done so far? Explored Things Betwixt and got sad when I ran out of torch and couldn't light all the torch stands. Tried fighting those big ogre guys at the bottom near the lake and got my ass handed to me. Made it out to Majula. Talked to some NPC's, got the Blacksmith door open as well as the big house (forget the proper name).
Went to the Forest of Fallen Giants and still can't kill the knight sitting against the tree. Made my way to the castle area, past the 5 ballista's where there are some explosive barrels and 1 guy throwing firebombs down. Figured there must be an easier or more ideal path.
So I got my ass to Heide's Tower of Flame. Instantly shitting my pants at the size of the enemies. Realize they're nothing to be worried about but gotta be very careful near edges. Made it to first boss and got him down to 3/4 health before eating it. Took a break for tonight.
HELP!
How frugal do I have to be with effigies? Right now my health is at half of what it should be due to dying and having my full health back would be very beneficial right now. I just don't want to waste them if they're in short supply? Can you ever buy them at a store?
Same goes for life gems. Do I have to use them sparingly. So far I think i've only used 2 or 3. Got about 29 in my inventory. I've mainly been using Estus Flasks. Now I have 3 of them but it's tough with just 3 right now.
I'm finding the game much harder to start than Dark Souls 1. My weapon sucks, armour is blah, shield is meh. Is it like this for everyone?
Finally can I just say how shitty of a system the "die and lose a bit of your health bar" is. Like seriously, fuck that. I don't even feel comfortable exploring knowing that death will ultimately result in a permanent lose of life for me. Is there a maximum threshold that you lose?
Btw, this game looks damned amazing!