hydrophilic attack
Member
Oh fuck, Dark Souls PVP videos at the top of last page?
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The Great Hollow / Ash Lake Appreciation Thread (Optional Areas in Dark Souls)
- Thread starter Neiteio
- Start date
hydrophilic attack
Member
Regarding Petrus and Reah. There is a lot of dialogue (from Petrus, Lautrec and Oswald) that hints that Petrus is up to no good and that you may want to kill him to keep Reah safe. Watch the following video to see most of this dialogue. To see Oswald's dialogue regarding Petrus watch this
Also, if you show interest in Reah's story by rescuing her relatively early (before Crestfallen Warrior goes hollow) he will tell her that she is located in the church, so that's how you can know that you may find her there. The last part before rescuing her, in the Tomb, will probably be difficult early on, but the Catacombs are definitely doable relatively early-game. On my first playthrough, I did that area directly after beating the Gargoyles and without a divine weapon. Had to make my way through the dungeon by pushing skellies off cliffs to keep them from respawning and experimented with different ways of sniping the necromancers from afar. Definitely fun stuff. But you can make it easier on yourself. At that point in time you will be able to go to Darkroot Gardens from Andre. Moonlight Butterfly is an easy boss that can be beaten with little effort even with a low-level character. That will give you the ember you need to make divine weapons so you can take on the Catacombs.
In fact, I would say it is recommended to do the Catacombs relatively early (say, after beating Moonlight Butterfly and Capra Demon). The designers of the game probably intended this to be an option for adventurous players. It is a relatively low-level area with a pretty easy boss that will be a push-over if you wait too long and the Rite of Kindling is definitely helpful to get early on. Plus if you do the Catacombs early you get extra Patches trolling that you won't get if you wait with tackling this area.
Also, if you show interest in Reah's story by rescuing her relatively early (before Crestfallen Warrior goes hollow) he will tell her that she is located in the church, so that's how you can know that you may find her there. The last part before rescuing her, in the Tomb, will probably be difficult early on, but the Catacombs are definitely doable relatively early-game. On my first playthrough, I did that area directly after beating the Gargoyles and without a divine weapon. Had to make my way through the dungeon by pushing skellies off cliffs to keep them from respawning and experimented with different ways of sniping the necromancers from afar. Definitely fun stuff. But you can make it easier on yourself. At that point in time you will be able to go to Darkroot Gardens from Andre. Moonlight Butterfly is an easy boss that can be beaten with little effort even with a low-level character. That will give you the ember you need to make divine weapons so you can take on the Catacombs.
In fact, I would say it is recommended to do the Catacombs relatively early (say, after beating Moonlight Butterfly and Capra Demon). The designers of the game probably intended this to be an option for adventurous players. It is a relatively low-level area with a pretty easy boss that will be a push-over if you wait too long and the Rite of Kindling is definitely helpful to get early on. Plus if you do the Catacombs early you get extra Patches trolling that you won't get if you wait with tackling this area.
OniBarubary
Banned
Aaaaaah, that's what it was. Thank you for that, I forgot exactly why they were all going there. Musta been really awful warriors if none of them could beat fricking Pinwheel.
Only thing about that I don't altogether agree with is how she reacts to you when you meet her. If it was her idea to draw you in, then why is she so adamant about you leaving? Unless she drew you in and then you started killing stuff so she was like "Whoopsie, this dude is kind of a dick" I'm moreso intrigued by why you find HER doll in YOUR cell. I unfortunately think it was just one of those things where From didn't actually put much thought into it's placement, which doesn't happen often as item placement is an enormous part of their storytelling. The "Priscilla was locked in the asylum" might hold some weight but none of those cells are large enough to hold her and I'm pretty sure she wasn't imprisoned before then. Also, I sincerely doubt the asylum could hold her if she didn't want to be there.
And I'm sure this is pretty common knowledge, but you can actually see the Centipede Demon before his boss fight. In the ruins right by the bonfire and those steps that have a bunch of those dragon statues on them leading to the Taurus Demon, he's dangling on the side of the wall by the stairs.
Zuhzuhzombie!!
Member
The reason I liked the inferior Saturn version of SotN is because it had several optional areas to explore.
Perhaps it's not so much Priscilla consciously sensing the presence of her doll and pulling you into the painting, as it is just the "magic" imbued in the doll by Priscilla's strong childhood attachment to it. That's a common trope in fantasy -- the power of sentimental objects.
Perhaps someone else made off with the doll after Priscilla was taken away, and perhaps that someone later wound up in the Undead Asylum. And after all of these years, the doll still has that emotional energy.
I think that was the Centipede Demon's molted skin. It probably doesn't react if you fire arrows at it, no?
wtf, about half of the dialogue here I hadn't heard, even though I talked to Petrus/Reah quite a bit. There's so much stuff in this game I haven't discovered yet. The lines after Lautrec tells you more and Petrus' reaction to it... sinister stuff.
And here's hudless Darkwraith & Kaathe:
Kaathe and Frampt look so creepy; nice idea using the lantern.
I assume it's the armies of skeletons and all the traps that got them; Paladin Leeroy destroys Pinwheel if you summon him.
Awesome pic! It works out nicely on my end, too, since I went with Frampt over Kaathe on my current playthrough.
Awesome pic! It works out nicely on my end, too, since I went with Frampt over Kaathe on my current playthrough.
Oh god, I mixed their names up lol. Corrected
hydrophilic attack
Member
Yep, those lines are really creepy, and very well-delivered. Made me realize something was up when I first heard them. The way his tone changes after being ratted out by Lautrec is very cold and calculating, and would fit more with the interpretation of him regularly killing people off to steal their stuff, rather than someone acting out of panic and fear because he failed to protect her, or fled. Also, according to the wiki, he says something like "I'm a wolf in sheep's clothing" if you attack him and he kills you, which fits with this interpretation as well.
Another interpretation is that he has a personal beef with Reah, or her family, possibly from before they became undead. The way he speaks dismissively about her high birth could indicate that he was jealous of her high social status, for example.
There are so many fascinating characters in this game. Petrus, and the storyline with him and Reah, is one of my fovourites.
Man, the primordial serpents are such great designs. Giving them these bulbous off-center eyes with sinister slit-like pupils, these human-like noses and toothy, gummy grins is just so... Well, you don't know what to make of them, which is precisely the point -- they all swear they're in your best interest, yet they're clearly telling half-truths and playing some sort of larger cosmic game. Even more Lovecraftian underpinnings -- something older than the gods themselves, playing chess with human chess pieces.
tintin1029
Member
I'm going to guess that it's the painting itself that takes you, not Priscilla, since the Painted World was created specifically to trap any abomination of the world, object of the occult, or anything that could harm the gods. I'm going to assume that doll is part of that list of things that shouldn't exist, or it was probably related to Priscilla, therefore shouldn't exist. so when the painting detected the doll on you, it took you in cause the doll was evil or something and shouldn't exist. How the doll got in your cell in the first place? No idea
tintin1029
Member
They also terrify the fuck out of me!
tintin1029
Member
Now I know disabling the hud ingame is so easy, I want to go through the entire thing again and take shots. But I should really stop playing this game. I have to let go.
I feel you man, I been playing nothing but this for weeks. I need a new game to play
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
I assume the wheelies got 'em all first. Those things are wayyyy more dangerous than Pinwheel. xD Besides as someone else said, if you summon Leeroy he can solo Pinwheel easily.
Awesome shot with Asylum Demon in the background! (And one I will shamelessly reproduce on New Game Plus)
Now I know disabling the hud ingame is so easy, I want to go through the entire thing again and take shots. But I should really stop playing this game. I have to let go.
But remember, turn off the HUD in DSFix, as well, when you attempt bosses -- otherwise, you may get some remnants of the boss HP bar or the lock-on target. I also find it helps to disable motion blur under PC Options (in-game), since many bosses are so erratic in their movements that they'll look like a Vaseline smear in stills, lol.
OniBarubary
Banned
I have to say, it is normally exceedingly rare for me to be all about the DLC to a game, but as much as I was...half and half on enjoying the story to the Abysswalker DLC, Jesus Christ were those some of the best boss fights of the entire game. They're just so much more...aggressive. I hung around for a couple days phantoming to help people with Kalameet and the other bosses because it was just so goddam fun.
Oh man, I paid up 30 humanity to deepen the Chaos Servant covenant and open the secret path to Lost Izalith, and I tried killing all of the bugs, but when I came back, Solaire had still gone mad and I had to kill him. :-\
On the bright side, I got his armor set and weapon. But I wanted to have his summon sign available for Gwyn. :-\
On the bright side, I got his armor set and weapon. But I wanted to have his summon sign available for Gwyn. :-\
Arkos
Nose how to spell and rede to
Man this thread has turned into the "watch" Neiteio's playthrough thread lol. I'm enjoying it. Still haven't finished?
The "favorite shots" pic is like picture book of the game, and that Duke's Archives pic. So good.
The Duke's Archives pic? You mean the one where I'm standing in Havel's armor, looking at all the floors of books? Yeah, I'm really happy with that one. Took many tries to get it the way I wanted.
Since I didn't start taking screens until a third of the way through the game -- and I didn't start taking them without the HUD until later still -- I plan to take screens from those early areas in New Game Plus.
But right now, I'm exploring Lost Izalith on my first playthrough. Since I opened the alternate path via the Chaos Servant covenant, I'm already at the fog door to the Bed of Chaos. If I go in and fight the boss, I can still come back and explore Lost Izalith in full later, right?
IIRC, you have to kill the Sunlight Maggot before taking on the Centipede Demon. Once you kill the Centipede Demon, Solaire's status is locked.
He's so sad if you get to the Sunlight Maggot before you do. If he only knew what kind of favor you did him.
tintin1029
Member
Dude That Duke's Archives shot makes it look like a friggin church O_O
The Duke's Archives pic? You mean the one where I'm standing in Havel's armor, looking at all the floors of books? Yeah, I'm really happy with that one. Took many tries to get it the way I wanted.
Since I didn't start taking screens until a third of the way through the game -- and I didn't start taking them without the HUD until later still -- I plan to take screens from those early areas in New Game Plus.
But right now, I'm exploring Lost Izalith on my first playthrough. Since I opened the alternate path via the Chaos Servant covenant, I'm already at the fog door to the Bed of Chaos. If I go in and fight the boss, I can still come back and explore Lost Izalith in full later, right?
Yeah, you can explore it to your heart's content. One thing to consider, though, is that Kirk's final appearance is in Lost Izalith, so don't go killing Bed of Chaos before fighting him, at the very least. His armor looks cool, but more importantly, where you find it adds a lot to the lore of the Chaos Servant covenant.
Arkos
Nose how to spell and rede to
The Duke's Archives pic? You mean the one where I'm standing in Havel's armor, looking at all the floors of books? Yeah, I'm really happy with that one. Took many tries to get it the way I wanted.
Since I didn't start taking screens until a third of the way through the game -- and I didn't start taking them without the HUD until later still -- I plan to take screens from those early areas in New Game Plus.
But right now, I'm exploring Lost Izalith on my first playthrough. Since I opened the alternate path via the Chaos Servant covenant, I'm already at the fog door to the Bed of Chaos. If I go in and fight the boss, I can still come back and explore Lost Izalith in full later, right?
Yeah totally. (although why on earth would I explore there?
) edit: read this guys advice ^^^^^Man the time and effort (I don't know if those are the right words) you are putting into playing the game is awesome, I wish I would have done it. Reading up on/finding out about the lore yourself and such. I've learned plenty of shit I didn't know from reading your updates lol.
Glad you like it.
I think I've missed out on the Set of Thorns, because according to a wiki:
Black Phantoms will only spawn if the player is in human form and the area boss has not been defeated. This means that defeating a boss before being invaded by a particular NPC Black Phantom will forever deny that Black Phantom from appearing in that area on the current playthrough.
And I beat the Demon Ruins without encountering him. I think in The Depths, where he first appears, I stayed hollow to avoid him (thinking he was a human player). So yeah, probably can't get his armor on this playthrough.
Right now I'm slaying the Bounding Demons... which appear to be the lower halves of the Undead Dragons.
I offer up an alternative that I took
Also, since this is the Great Hollow thread, here's a shot I took in the hollow that I like.
These are both excellent! I like how you cropped the Ash Lake one to be like a painting. As for the other one, what armor combination is that? And I see there's some clipping going on, but I suspect you did that intentionally to get Kaathe and your character close together in the shot? Looks great regardless.I offer up an alternative that I took
Also, since this is the Great Hollow thread, here's a shot I took in the hollow that I like.
tintin1029
Member
I offer up an alternative that I took
lol Kaathe's right nose thing looks like it's part of your legs that aren't there
Arkos
Nose how to spell and rede to
The ass monsters! They don't respawn fortunately as I'm sure you know. Are you killing all of them? I intended to do that but they're a pain in the ass so I just ran through
I'm trying! I think about half of them are down now. I'm itching to go to Bed of Chaos and start taking screens of it, though! I saw video of it some time back and really dug the whole "weeping tree witch" look.
These are both excellent! I like how you cropped the Ash Lake one to be like a painting. As for the other one, what armor combination is that? And I see there's some clipping going on, but I suspect you did that intentionally to get Kaathe and your character close together in the shot? Looks great regardless.
I actually didn't crop the Ash Lake one, I was just playing at that resolution, that's how it looked in game as well.
It's from a vanity save I have where I used cheat engine to add ALL the armor in the game to my inventory (including armor you cannot normally access).
So, if you wear the dragon legs without the dragon torso then your legs completely disappear, so I decided to do that to give myself this look of a creepy phantom.
As for the rest, its horned helmet, Dark Wraith armor and I believe Havels gauntlets.
The Ash Lake shot is so vertical -- were there black bars on either side of your screen?
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I offer up an alternative that I took
Also, since this is the Great Hollow thread, here's a shot I took in the hollow that I like.
What happened to your legs?
That thing doesn't even animate while it's flying. Pathetic.
King Allant
Member
I offer up an alternative that I took
where the legs?
King Allant
Member
yeah and very glitchy there. So there a good chance it might just kill it self.
Nope, I used Widescreen Fixer to force the game to render correctly at 1920x3200 then used cheat engine to position the camera how it is.
I answered that above.
Arkos
Nose how to spell and rede to
Painted World was the only area I missed.
Some day I will use DsFix to restore a save from before finishing the final area and will go
visit it.
O man painted world is so good, do it
Man, if it weren't for Dark Souls I'd probably be hyped for TW101 right now, or any number of other games. Dark Souls is just so engrossing -- it's everything I ask for in a strong single-player title. Tight mechanics, controls and design; minimal hand-holding; challenging but FAIR, with multiple viable strategies for each enemy encounter, from pure skill-based melee to "safe" strategies like poison and arrows. There are numerous paths to take at any given time, and simply approaching a situation from a different direction will reveal new secrets. The storytelling is evocative, conveyed through item placement and the bits and pieces of lore cobbled together from NPCs and item descriptions. The atmosphere is palpable; the art direction is superb, neither overtly Japanese nor cookie-cutter Western. It's a visual feast, really -- the weapon and armor design, the creature design, the landscape vistas, all fantastic. Then there's the poetic language... The sparse, echoing soundtrack... The calculated use of music... The brilliant persistent online layer. I loved Demon's Souls, which shared many of these qualities, but Dark Souls really steps it up a notch with the fully-realized world and the extra finesse with which it executes some of its more unique qualities (I.E. the non-farm-able Estus Flask, etc). I can't stop thinking about this game!
tintin1029
Member
Yeah dude this is like one of my top 5 in best games of all time man
DaciaJC
Gold Member
Considering its name, when I entered the Painted World, I was expecting something a bit more ... hmm, "pleasant."
God damn, that was a harrowing experience.
"This land is peaceful. It's inhabitants kind."
Very well-written summary of why the game is so memorable. For some reason this game drew me in more than Demon's as well, even though I liked DeS better as I first got into Dark. It's probably the connected world that does it. Even though the hub-like structure has advantages, ultimately Lordran has more. It feels more coherent and as a result draws you in more. The designs are also improved over Demon's.
The designs are so powerful that they instill a sense of dread, and you fear even approaching some enemies. I think we all remember seeing the backside of a black knight in the distance, thinking 'nope', and running off. Demon's already did this, but here they made designs even scarier. I was unfortunately spoiled for things like the mimic, but I can only imagine what it was getting eaten by one on a blind run.
There's a lot of iconic imagery in this game. I was watching an ENB vid that had a long pan of Oscar lying defeated, and it reminded me how memorable that encounter was, even that early in the game. Then 2 playthroughs later, after seeing the first boss on the roof, you realize that it was the Asylum Demon that smacked him there, broken and defeated. The game never spells that out though, it rarely does with anything.
It's my game of the generation now as well, and definitely in my top 5 of all time. There are very few games this gen that can be mentioned in the same breath as DeS or DaS. It's awesome that, despite their difficulty, these games have become so popular. With the landscape as it is, it still surprises me to this day. DaS has 'cult hit' (for the lack of a better term) written all over it, but it grew beyond that. Nice to see people still enjoy a challenge and haven't turned hollow by mindnumbing auto-games.
What's the ww figure for DaS? 2 to 3 mil right? That's mighty impressive. II will topple that easily I'd guess. Too bad they still went with the current gen consoles, but I don't think it'll affect sales.
If anything, DS2 being on current-gen consoles will sell BETTER. You have a multi-million install base on PS3 and 360, versus only new adopters for next-gen. I really don't think PS4 and Xbone will sell that quickly in this day and age.
But yeah, otherwise I agree with all of your sentiment, Creamium. I'm thinking Dark Souls is my Game of the Generation, as well, which feels funny, coming off a slam-dunk GOTY in The Last of Us. If we're permitted to group series, then I would say the Souls series is one of, if not THE best thing to happen this gen. Like you noted, it's encouraging to see games of this caliber take off despite (or perhaps because of) their difficulty.
That being said, I think we sell the games short by simply saying they're difficult. They're challenging -- but they're fair. And flexible -- there are always multiple solutions to each situation.
Is a boss too tough? Maybe you need to try different armor with higher poise, or flame resistance... Maybe you need to backtrack for a character-buffing ring or spell you can cast at the battle's start... Maybe there's an NPC you can rescue and later summon in human form... Maybe you can whittle down the boss' HP from afar with arrows, or poison them and wage a war of attrition, or firebomb them through the fog gate... Maybe there's a safe spot where you can get the drop on them from above, or trick them into killing themselves... And even if you stick to one strategy, trying it over and over, you will inevitably hone your technique, refine your approach, master your timing, and truly learn the enemy's moves -- their tells, their timing, and their shortcomings that weren't immediately apparent when you first saw them and simply panicked at their terrifying presence. If nothing else, you can always double back and grow stronger, leveling up, upgrading your weapons and armor, stocking up on supplies... or simply tackle a different area altogether. The game is tough -- but always fair, and always flexible.
I think that's the true source of the Souls' series enduring popularity. Demon's Souls was overwhelming at first... but you learn to not be greedy with your hits... to lure out enemies one by one, baiting them into attacking so they drop their defenses... to pan the camera and check left, right, up and down when passing through a door... to keep your shield raised... You learn when to backtrack to the Black Maiden (DeS) or bonfire (DS) to cash in your souls and level up, or when to press on at the risk of losing your souls or dying and having to retrieve them... You learn how to ration out your stamina, how hard you can push your character when sprinting, shielding, rolling or attacking, before they peter out and you have to go on the defensive, keeping your distance and zoning your foe as your stamina replenishes...
Once I got past Tower Knight in 1-2 in DeS, I was past the hump of the difficulty curve and the game truly "clicked." It was the point at which I understood how the Souls games work, how even the most daunting boss can be slain with patient observation and a willingness to experiment. (It was also the point at which I realized I could level up!)
And I don't know if it's because of that moment, but few bosses have since replicated the sheer dread that Tower Knight inspired. Adjudicator was another heart-in-throat boss I vividly remember from DeS. Beyond that, no boss posed much trouble for me in DeS -- but all were intensely memorable, and all of them reinforced the brilliance of the gameplay. For example, the infamous Flamelurker was made simple with the right approach -- a leveled-up Purple Flame Shield and repeat castings of Soul Ray -- which shows how the game is challenging, but again: Fair. And flexible.
As a result, I'm much more confident with DS, knowing what to expect in terms of difficulty, but the bosses are still foreboding, if nothing else. As an example, Gaping Dragon is ultimately one of the easier bosses, but damn, the mind goes numb with fear seeing his yawning ribcage approaching from the opposite end of the cave, the ground rumbling as he plows straight through the pillars. Imagery like that is so strong that it sticks with you forever.
Same, too, for the moments of beauty: Quelaag's snow-white sister half-transformed into a pallid spider, sadly discarded in a cob-webbed corner of a belltower, having sacrificed herself for the sake of Blighttown... or The Everlasting Dragon presiding over a lone bonfire in a lake of ash at the bottom of the world, the last of his kind and so detached from feeble emotion that he ignores you when attacked...
The imagery feels fresh, too. When describing the Souls series to others, I always preface things by saying, "At a glance it looks like dark medieval fantasy, but it's NOT generically aping D&D/LotR." It's familiar, but fresh. Look at the onion knights of Catarina, with their distinctive helmets and iron-clad "paunch." Look at Seath the Scaleless, an albino dragon with glistening flesh, wasp-like wings, and a pod of tentacles in lieu of legs. Look at Gravelord Nito with his juddering gait, his beetling silhouette, the way the many bones composing his body sway like chainmail with each shambling step. Who could forget them? Who could forget the golden duo of Ornstein and Smough, or Gwynevere lounging in her sun-suffused chambers, or Priscilla's sharp silhouette against the sea-green sky of a painted world. Who could forget the Black Hydra of Ash Lake sizing you up from a distant shore, or Sif doing the same from his perch in a heroes' graveyard, where the hilts of swords mark the final resting places of valiant warriors? The list goes on and on.
Familiar, but fresh... Infused with dark beauty and melancholic mystery. The world of Dark Souls is unforgettable. To have such strong imagery, sound, world design and lore, alongside gameplay of this caliber, is something special indeed. And the tight controls -- fast and fluid and responsive -- and the weight with which the world responds to your actions and vice-versa -- heavy armor clanging, swords glancing off stone -- makes it all come together in the most immersive of ways. Just brilliant stuff, through and through.
But yeah, otherwise I agree with all of your sentiment, Creamium.
I'm thinking Dark Souls is my Game of the Generation, as well, which feels funny, coming off a slam-dunk GOTY in The Last of Us. If we're permitted to group series, then I would say the Souls series is one of, if not THE best thing to happen this gen. Like you noted, it's encouraging to see games of this caliber take off despite (or perhaps because of) their difficulty.That being said, I think we sell the games short by simply saying they're difficult. They're challenging -- but they're fair. And flexible -- there are always multiple solutions to each situation.
Is a boss too tough? Maybe you need to try different armor with higher poise, or flame resistance... Maybe you need to backtrack for a character-buffing ring or spell you can cast at the battle's start... Maybe there's an NPC you can rescue and later summon in human form... Maybe you can whittle down the boss' HP from afar with arrows, or poison them and wage a war of attrition, or firebomb them through the fog gate... Maybe there's a safe spot where you can get the drop on them from above, or trick them into killing themselves... And even if you stick to one strategy, trying it over and over, you will inevitably hone your technique, refine your approach, master your timing, and truly learn the enemy's moves -- their tells, their timing, and their shortcomings that weren't immediately apparent when you first saw them and simply panicked at their terrifying presence. If nothing else, you can always double back and grow stronger, leveling up, upgrading your weapons and armor, stocking up on supplies... or simply tackle a different area altogether. The game is tough -- but always fair, and always flexible.
I think that's the true source of the Souls' series enduring popularity. Demon's Souls was overwhelming at first... but you learn to not be greedy with your hits... to lure out enemies one by one, baiting them into attacking so they drop their defenses... to pan the camera and check left, right, up and down when passing through a door... to keep your shield raised... You learn when to backtrack to the Black Maiden (DeS) or bonfire (DS) to cash in your souls and level up, or when to press on at the risk of losing your souls or dying and having to retrieve them... You learn how to ration out your stamina, how hard you can push your character when sprinting, shielding, rolling or attacking, before they peter out and you have to go on the defensive, keeping your distance and zoning your foe as your stamina replenishes...
Once I got past Tower Knight in 1-2 in DeS, I was past the hump of the difficulty curve and the game truly "clicked." It was the point at which I understood how the Souls games work, how even the most daunting boss can be slain with patient observation and a willingness to experiment. (It was also the point at which I realized I could level up!)
And I don't know if it's because of that moment, but few bosses have since replicated the sheer dread that Tower Knight inspired. Adjudicator was another heart-in-throat boss I vividly remember from DeS. Beyond that, no boss posed much trouble for me in DeS -- but all were intensely memorable, and all of them reinforced the brilliance of the gameplay. For example, the infamous Flamelurker was made simple with the right approach -- a leveled-up Purple Flame Shield and repeat castings of Soul Ray -- which shows how the game is challenging, but again: Fair. And flexible.
As a result, I'm much more confident with DS, knowing what to expect in terms of difficulty, but the bosses are still foreboding, if nothing else. As an example, Gaping Dragon is ultimately one of the easier bosses, but damn, the mind goes numb with fear seeing his yawning ribcage approaching from the opposite end of the cave, the ground rumbling as he plows straight through the pillars. Imagery like that is so strong that it sticks with you forever.
Same, too, for the moments of beauty: Quelaag's snow-white sister half-transformed into a pallid spider, sadly discarded in a cob-webbed corner of a belltower, having sacrificed herself for the sake of Blighttown... or The Everlasting Dragon presiding over a lone bonfire in a lake of ash at the bottom of the world, the last of his kind and so detached from feeble emotion that he ignores you when attacked...
The imagery feels fresh, too. When describing the Souls series to others, I always preface things by saying, "At a glance it looks like dark medieval fantasy, but it's NOT generically aping D&D/LotR." It's familiar, but fresh. Look at the onion knights of Catarina, with their distinctive helmets and iron-clad "paunch." Look at Seath the Scaleless, an albino dragon with glistening flesh, wasp-like wings, and a pod of tentacles in lieu of legs. Look at Gravelord Nito with his juddering gait, his beetling silhouette, the way the many bones composing his body sway like chainmail with each shambling step. Who could forget them? Who could forget the golden duo of Ornstein and Smough, or Gwynevere lounging in her sun-suffused chambers, or Priscilla's sharp silhouette against the sea-green sky of a painted world. Who could forget the Black Hydra of Ash Lake sizing you up from a distant shore, or Sif doing the same from his perch in a heroes' graveyard, where the hilts of swords mark the final resting places of valiant warriors? The list goes on and on.
Familiar, but fresh... Infused with dark beauty and melancholic mystery. The world of Dark Souls is unforgettable. To have such strong imagery, sound, world design and lore, alongside gameplay of this caliber, is something special indeed. And the tight controls -- fast and fluid and responsive -- and the weight with which the world responds to your actions and vice-versa -- heavy armor clanging, swords glancing off stone -- makes it all come together in the most immersive of ways. Just brilliant stuff, through and through.
Also, since this is the Great Hollow thread, here's a shot I took in the hollow that I like.
Damn, this shot is awesome!
I'm at work, but someone needs to post the Wheel Skeleton pic with this quote.