by I've been done with Dark Souls for a long time. Most of you know that. Of course it's not because I don't want to play. I could use something fresh for awhile is all. I did a brief stint catching up on my plus backlog. But, you know....Souls man!
Apart from rocking a cool towel and wrecking a few people, I never did anything with the Demon's Souls community. Emergence made a thread asking about a fun playthrough. I thought to myself, "I haven't played in over three years. I can't even think about challenge runs." Seriously, what equipment would be a challenge? I haven't a clue. I remember Northern Regalia. That was fun. And cheesing a False King with a white bow with my sl 250 because it sounded funny.
After being encouraged in E's thread (people should know better by now) I found the perfect idea to engage the community (a few years late).
With some further ado...
My return to Boletaria!
Apart from rocking a cool towel and wrecking a few people, I never did anything with the Demon's Souls community. Emergence made a thread asking about a fun playthrough. I thought to myself, "I haven't played in over three years. I can't even think about challenge runs." Seriously, what equipment would be a challenge? I haven't a clue. I remember Northern Regalia. That was fun. And cheesing a False King with a white bow with my sl 250 because it sounded funny.
After being encouraged in E's thread (people should know better by now) I found the perfect idea to engage the community (a few years late).
With some further ado...
My return to Boletaria!
- Chapter One:
- First Knight Back:
After a very abrupt character creation (I want to jump back in) I'm asked if I want to take my newborn knight into the tutorial stage. It's been three years since I traversed Boletaria and I've got a bone to pick with a certain demon at the end of this. Yes...bring on the tutorial.
Into the darkness I begin and I'm soon to recall the glory of the fat roll. May my shield protect me. My agility will not. I decide that after 600 hours of Souls games I "should" know how to parry. Wait, I did it. First try. Seems easier than I remember. Maybe I got lucky. Nope. Demon's seems easier than Dark. I'm parrying the heck outta these fools. I also wonder at the sadism inherent in placing blue eye knights in the tutorial. Seriously? That's just mean. Even if they aren't as strong on the inside. The first tries to shield fake me (the AI is better than Dark). I don't fall for it and......PARRY! Ha ha ha!
Finally I'm at Mr. DemonGonnaKillYa. I prepare my half moon grass. I know he's gonna hit hard. Even fat rolling I'm avoiding most of his attacks. Confidence! I have a quarter of his life down already. I got this. I roll back instead of to the side.
Welcome to the Nexus!
Ahhh.....my depressing blue aura friend. I'll talk to you later.
I'm finding my memory is still good. A thief ring, cling ring, broadsword and crossbow later confirm that I recall almost everything. It's a little sad actually. Despite some wacky AI and pacing, I save Ostrava's rear end. On to the Phalanx. Firebombs and turpentine. That was fast.
On to the Tower Knight. But not before I mistime my "sprint" to avoid the first round of Dragon fire.
On to the Tower Knight Round 2: The archer group with the Blue Eye Knight backup. You're just sick From. You know that? Just...plain...sick.
The archers in the tower knight battle. I pity da fools. The knight. I'm doing ok. I need to heal a couple times. I come back to ankle chopping. I get hit hard by the shield. I realize crescent moon grass isn't gonna cut it. I toggle to the half moon. I hit the square button.
I'm looking at the Tower Knight through a nifty piece of glass housed in brass that Ostrava thought would come in handy for me. It does. I get a great view of my impending death.
- interlude:
Oh glorious coating, we sing of your might;
But why must you be, both sticky and white?
My sword doth shine, sparkle and glisten;
But too many'a joke, have I had to listen.
A monster's tough hide, you have helped me poke;
Oh that's just great, even I made a joke.
The chapter called "next" will feature your glory;
You helped cease demon life, with end that's quite gory.
So despite your allusions to a synonym of "sailors"
We'll still whip you out, on weapons we tailor....
To your excellence.
Sticky White Stuff forever ya'll!
Word. Now read that again like I was rapping. Because I was.
Here's the beat:
boom, boom boom
Bah buh bah boom
boom, bah boom
Bah bah buh boom
- Chapter Two:
- How Armored Can A Spider Get?
After being killed by a mistaken item swap I decide I'm currently too lazy to go past all those bridges again to gain vengeance on the Tower Knight.
Clearly, it's time for Stonefang Tunnel. A jaunty ascent up the stairs and I'm greeted by a faint blue glow to the left. I summon all my courage and BRAVELY attack a small lizard with my long sword. Two handed R2 of course. It slashes downward better. You just gotta be prepared for dangerous creatures like this.
I talk to the merchant and decide that I'm not interested. "Not interested" is code for: "Remember I didn't feel like going back and getting vengeance on the Tower Knight so therefore didn't get my souls back or anything."
On to the rock throwers. Ha ha ha......fools. I have a bow from earlier. Remember? I shoot the guy on the left and only have to deal with ONE boulder at a time. Genius. Let's get that elevator rocking. True fact: The first time I played this game it took me forever to find the switch. Like, an embarrassingly long time. As in, "how the hell did I not notice that there's a lever RIGHT BY THE DOOR for several weeks embarrassing." Well, this time I'm good at least. The Minister at the top necessitates some hiding behind the door frame but I get him. Ha ha ha!
Back down we go. I don't recall all these guys being so darn passive. Only the pickax guys attack me? I thought they all did. Maybe I pissed them off the last time I played or something. I see faint glow. It's a message on the floor making me aware that there's a trap ahead. Waaaaaay ahead of you buddy. It's a group of dogs. Thanks for the message but I think I know what I'm doing. I'm so pro, they only kill me twice.
I take my revenge on the minister (how was he the easy part of all this?). None of the lurking miners pose much challenge. I kill the next minister with my trusty bow from afar. It's the guy across the wooden bridge. I see treasure. I'm about to go get it. Then I recall that this will fall on me. I ponder "sprinting" across. I estimate the distance. My expert calculations put it at precisely "no chance of being able to sprint across." Then I recall that knights are always expert gymnasts. I walk on the side of the bridge and when it falls I do my best Wallenda impersonation across the support. Yay memory!
Sadly, most of the rest of the level poses little challenge. I get to the blacksmith uneventfully. The salamanders pose less problems than I recall. My newly upgraded longsword makes short work of the miners. The next minister makes me use some grass but nothing too major. Feeling like a champ....I assume it's time to:
Stop! Spider Time!
I have turpentine and sticky white stuff. I'm pretty confident I remember lava spewing in this mix somewhere. I go with the sticky white stuff (that ballad makes more sense now huh?). I confidently enter the fog gate. I fat roll through some fire like a boss. I get hit with a spider web. Crap. I get hit with fire. I use some grass. I get hit with a spider web. I get hit with fire. I use some grass.
All in all, I think things are going pretty well.
I finally manage to get out of the web/fire combo and fat roll my way to the spider. Now we're cooking. Well. I am. The spider seems a little less pressured. I go after it with the sticky white longsword.
I get stepped on a few times.
I need some grass but all ends well. Me 1: Spider 0
There's always next time Spider
- Interlude:
Somewhere between the Phalanx and the Spider, I decided I needed a quick stop at the summer destination for Shadowmen, the Shrine of Storms. Why is that do you ask? Well be quiet, I was just about to explain.
One of the great things about the Souls games is their willingness to buck convention. For instance, in Dark Souls I was met with a choice of three directions. I went to the Burg. I killed some hollows. I decided to turn around and try the other directions. I went to New Londo. I got killed by a ghost. That makes sense. I can't hurt ghosts. I need to come back when I have a better grasp of the situation. Logical. I went to the graveyard.
Silly bones. You're not fooling anyone. I'm about to get attacked by skeletons. I destroyed those soldiers. Prepare to feel my......screams of agony? Wait, what? Skeletons are, tough? Nope. I refuse to believe it. I'll show them. I got you, first two skeletons. My....now that's a big skeleton!
Time to explore the Burg better.
Back to Demon's Souls. The Shrine of Storms will always hold a special place in my heart. You see, I held the same stereotype back then. Except THESE skeletons were even more bad*** than the Dark Souls ones. The area leading to the first archway in Demon's Souls became my proving grounds. I went back. Repeatedly. To test my gear. To test my strength. And most of all....
To test my skill. By the time I could take them down with ease? I knew I was ready.
It wasn't some unimaginable monster that embodied the struggle of this game. It wasn't a gigantic demon that could destroy most brave knights with a single blow. It was the normally lowly skeleton. The horror of the game, while masterfully done during boss battles, is not exclusive to these fights. Every step of the way requires patience and skill.
Souls: Because Skeletons
- chapter 3:
Bro, Do You Even Trick?
I just squashed a spider and now find myself at a crossroads. Do I return to seek vengeance on the Tower Knight? Or do I dig deeper into Stonefang?
I decide on Stonefang. I strut my stuff down the corridor after the spider.
I veer right. A few miners get stabbed. Nothing major. I peer into the abyss, knowing: "Thar there be Flamelurkers."
Left it is! I deftly "sprint" past a few mine carts with what look like items glowing on top. The explosion behind me provides not only the satisfaction of a deep rumble throughout the living room, but also that my memory declares victory again. I'm greeted with a Fat Official who is unaware that the small wooden support I keep ducking behind isn't flammable. Chump.
I walk past the elevator and into a small tunnel. I almost get killed by the miner I know is waiting for me. It turns out that there's a piece of fossilized whatchamajigger blocking my entire view of the fight. I'm much better at backpedaling than I used to be. I seem to recall this leading to my death a few times in a past life. With that out of the way I find myself staring at a little blue lizard. Throwing caution to the wind I chase it. With a tremendous burst of speed and intelligence I cut it off before the path ends and we all die. With a tremendous burst of "F you" the lizard rolls off the ledge as it dies.
I walk back. A little slower, head hanging slightly. I grab some lootz by the ledge to be "surprised" by a small version of the sand worms from Beetlejuice. If I recall correctly, they don't like being shot in the mouth with an arrow. This memory turns out to be as accurate as point blank projectile usage.
Confidence built up again I explore this little area. I find some treasure and see some ledges below me. I know there's treasure down there. I take some time finding the drop point. I can see it clearly. I line it up beautifully and take a single step forward. And far too many "steps" vertically.
This time the Fat Official realizes my trick and manages to land a fireball after moving around the pillar. I still get him though. Chump (says the guy who just plummeted to his death).
Second time's the charm and I nail the jump. I work my way down and find myself boxed in by a small army of pill bugs that are covered in lava. And really big for pill bugs. They also don't take a lot of damage from anything I've got equipped. Sigh......
Hit. Evade. Hit. Evade. Hit Evade Hit evade hit evade hit evade hitevadehitevadehitevadehitevadehitevadehitevadehitevade.... You get the idea.
I work my way around and see a rather dapper gentleman with a spear and shield waving to me. Hi there! I have some treasure I'd like to collect first. I kill the sand worm, collect the shiny and find myself to the side of a really large trapped pill bug. Keh heh heh....I remember this. Hitevadehit hit hit hit hit hithithithithithithit!
RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!
That's it! Game over. Time to stop playing. There is nothing. NOTHING! That is more satisfying than turning to watch the explosion and seeing Patches go flying on his face.
After I stop laughing I go check on my new "buddy." He asks how I did that. I laugh a little more.- I'm onto you buddy:
I find some more treasure and, wait, what? I can't carry it? Crap. Bye bye thief ring. Hello bigger item burden. This serves as a warning though. I can't pack rat so much these days. Visions of struggling with a Tower Shield come back to me.
I decide to press further on. There's one shiny in particular I'm after. I do the dance with a large number of flying pill bugs. They take more damage than their ground counterparts but like to group up more efficiently. Time. That's all it takes to kill them.
Fog. Tunnel. Even bigger pill bug. Ain't noone got time for this! I use the side tunnel to run by. I'm a little sad that I make my way to the dragon long sword with no difficulty whatsoever. With shiny in hand I make my way back. I have too many souls to lose them now. The comfort of the Nexus is calling.
It's a mostly uneventful trip back to the Nexus to level up and drop things off.
Do I call it a night, or should I at least treat myself to more shinies?
Shinies.
Back to Stonefang. But this time I brave the drop to the Flamelurker. I get killed by miners once. Turns out they tend to surround you even if you only "accidentally" sliced a peaceful one apart while fighting an aggressive one.
I miss a jump and die. I get my treasures the next time. I'm at the bottom safely. I get more treasures. I approach the really big fog door. I put on my new ring of fire resistance. I make my way to the left in case I need to buy time (I can always get him stuck on that ribcage). We tango!
After gallantly deciding that the Flamelurker can wait, I want to end my night on a high note. Hello Tower of Latria Archstone. It's time to kill me a mindflayer! You wanna ring a bell? In my house?!? Ain't happening!
I puff up my chest, stroll in and proceed to backstab the first mindflayer like a coward. That'll show him! At long last, I find a new set of armor. I try it on (except I keep the fluted helmet). It looks nice. I can actually run now. It's official: NEW THREADS! I try to fight a mindflayer without the whole cowardice thing going on. I win!
Looks like chapter 4 will again be a crossroads: Will I finally defeat the Tower Knight? Or shall I try to make my way past an ungodly number of mechanized crossbows, temporarily invisible enemies, and show how big of a man I am by taking on a small woman?
- Chapter 4:
Bromancing the (Arch)Stone
I've had an offer to do some cooperative play. There's no good abbreviation for that word by the way. "Co-op" inaccurately portrays the root word by adding an "-." However, maintaining true to it's roots and using "coop" makes me think of a place you'd house chickens.
Anyway, nitpicky tangents aside, I never really got the chance to do much online with Demon's Souls. So yeah, let's roll. I'm pretty close to the level range of the person who extended the offer but I want to get slightly closer first.
Let's gauge if I've actually gotten better at these games. I'm going to earn some souls in The Shrine of Storms quick. Old habits die hard. I'm still using my bow to lure enemies out but, hey....this is good news, I'm handling single enemies a lot easier. What do you know, practice does make perfect. By "perfect," I mean "no longer crap." I get to the top of the stairs and use my bow to have a shootout with the two archers looking down at me (literally, but also possibly figuratively). Sorry guys, but I'm pretty comfortable correcting for shots drifting right. I walk into the archway. Turning left I'm left with a small sinking feeling. I know that tile is a trap. But which way does it shoot from. I guess the logical answer and it pays off. Thanks again shield. I make a mental note (after I've stepped on it) to see if the tiles can be activated with an arrow. They can in Dark Souls and it's fun to lure enemies in line with them and do this. I get my key then proceed back to see if I've really got it. There's a red eye skellie isn't there?
I approach with some hesitation. Shield up of course. I remember all sorts of things in this game. Half a health bar gone and my entire stamina meter with it remind me that things like a jump attack show just how hard it is to memorize every trick this game has. I do the panic dance. Backpedaling while your finger twitches above the "block" button trying to anticipate an attack. An attack you're unsure you can stop anyway. I find an opportunity to grass. I make some improvements in the "don't let him hit you" category. I get the win.
Let's get the hell out of here before I lose all these souls. I level up and send the message that I'm ready to rock.
We take some time to decide where. A convincing message from befowler (Yup, Forum member tour!) to "bring a bow if we want to shoot ol screechy down" leads us to head toward the Tower Knight.
A little more history from when I played the first time. "Builds?" This current diary is about my second character. Ever. So the only time I ever fought Ol' Screechy via the path to the Tower Knight was with either a barely upgraded bow the first time, or with drastically increased health forever after. I go buy more arrows. Gotta get over 200. I mean, I've got a compound bow +1. I'm glad befowler suggested this because I wouldn't ever ask a phantom to brave the mind numbing tedium of this fight.
I have no idea what he was using but it only took a couple minutes. This might have foreshadowed some later events.
We make our way down the bridge. Befowler really like using soul remains. It's certainly faster than my methodical approach. Group 'em and slash 'em. You can't ask for a better phantom. He even makes sure that the crystal lizard doesn't get away. I've only ever fought the Tower Knight solo. We enter the fog and I run up to the first archer. As I'm quickly dispatching him I notice a HUUUUUUUUUGE chunk of health leave the boss. Some credit to me, I realize I'm at a significant risk of missing the fight completely while dealing with archers. I turn around to see one ankle of our foe spraying the magic equivalent of steam. I forget if it's called "meam" or "stemgic." Befowler deftly leaps and stabs and I see that the second ankle is also soon to an afterthough. Meanwhile, I'm still at the top of the stairs. I sprint to the bottom just in time to be flattened by the Knight falling. It's ok, I can shake it off. Luckily befowler also got knocked down. Why is that lucky? I don't think I would have landed the one hit I did on the knight if that hadn't made him pause a couple seconds. Not even Ostrava's brass telescoping farseeing device could have killed me that time.
Next stop: Latria!
If only my PS3 would cooperate from here on out. A little trouble getting connected the first try but after he gets summoned by someone else and then the monk treatment we're- ready to roll:
Befowler and I have one thing in common that makes us a great team: We hate furniture. A lot. We trashed that joint on our way through like a couple rock stars in a hotel. We've worked a decent way in without much effort. There's a spot without a rail. I chuckle as I go by. My right foot has at least three toes hanging in the wind. That was a close one. Befowler has stabbing prisoners through their cell doors. Mercy killings are fine by me. I see the message "The Phantom befowler has been slain." Turns out that his beloved mailbreaker and one slight mistake in footing led to a backstep off the ledge I narrowly avoided. I have to say the risk of accidental plummeting is justified. The mailbreaker was also the thing that Achilles'd the hell out of the Tower Knight. I go add some ninja fresh gear to my mage/knight ensemble and head back down to summon again.
After some agonizing failed summons we change venue. Let's go to the Shrine. To tell you how bad my internet connection can be I've been standing around in human form for probably near an hour now and we have yet to be invaded. This continues in 4-1. A restarted PS3 finally does the trick. We roll through 4-1 like a storm. The double backstab trick people talk about in Dark Souls: We do that to the red eye skellie. It's hard not to laugh. Befolwer shows that he's interested in doing the rolling trick over the wall on the archway. You know that switch I missed for weeks in Stonefang? I discovered the rolling trick my first time ever in the Shrine. Figures.
We're ready for the Adjudicator. Maybe a little too ready. I think I got hit once. Right after jumping in. He tried to give us the bird but we just stabbed it to death.
A short delay before we start the next section. I go and clear the Grim Reaper guy (who has the only weapon in the game that I'm jealous I can't get, Dark Souls fixed this for me). I work down for treasure. I "find" the secret tunnel again. There are probably still blood stains in that tunnel from me losing to that red eye skellie. Tonight, I lure him to the larger arena where the reaper was. This works in my favor and I now get to grab the white bow. I can't use it yet, but just owning one of my favorite weapons from before is comforting. More so than the pendant.
The timing is perfect. Befowler is ready and all I have to do is jump down and summon him. And fail. Crap. He reminds me that restarting my PS3 worked once before and; what do you know? It does this time too. We meet Patches again. Don't kid yourself Mr. "The Hyena." We weren't tricked. We were willing participants in your charade. We spare his life and move on. Befowler does some skellie melee why I do riot control with my compound bow. We're in the heart of darkness. His memory of the ghosts is superior to mine. He rushes to the side of one and attacks. He seems clear of any aggression. The ghost emits a blue beam of death right at me. This is a reminder of why I used to hate this section. At least befowler should be alright. Except HE gets hit somehow, not me. And dies. I go a little further, and finish the invisible ghost after it appears behind me. It has hurt me though. And there are still Blue Lasers afoot (we need the Cheat Commandos). I head back up and call it a night.
- chapter 5:
Back for Lootz
I had an abbreviated session last night. I started my free time by trying to give someone some rings. The interwebz didn't play nice so the end result was a shortened night. It happens. Especially in cow country.
Rather than delve into a new area I decided to double back to 4-1 since befowler and I had skipped most of the level. I recall having a LOT of trouble with this area before. Between the hard hitting skellies and the flying mantas shooting spike at my face I approach this area with more than a little anxiety. Or at least I used to. I used my souls to level up after the cooperative online play night. I'm at SL31 now. This will be important later. Maybe.
I get up the stairs with ease. Again I show the archers at the top how it's done. It's time to face ol' GrayBottom. I'm pretty sure getting hit a lot is out of the question so I dart in and out to see his attacks. I do get hit once. But I'm more than fast enough to grass away from him. I get him half dead and realize that I don't need my shield since I'm not actually even attempting to block. For one of the first times ever I two hand my weapon. Man that's a lot faster. Shoulda thought of that before. As I'm picking up his soul I get nailed by one of the manta spikes. Without hesitation I switch to my bow, manually track him and shoot him down with one shot.
POP QUIZ: Which Demon's Souls player likely used bows WAAAAAAY too much the first time he played?
Trick question: You can't use bows too much.
I wonder if I should go up to the skellie archer arch (say that last part out loud, it's funny) or go down below. I double back to the archway. Side note, I used to live in a town with an Archway factory. They make cookies. The whole town used to smell like cookies. I wish skeletons smelled like cookies.
This area used to skare me. The skellies always found a way to hurt me and hurt me bad. SL 31 and I'm a bad*** somehow. It's a yawn fest getting my long bow (HURRAY!) and other fun things like unlocking Mary J. "Graverobber" Blige and giving a bird an augite for some arrows I'll be too worried about "wasting" to use (unless I feel like being a prick to the False King). I don't know what level I was when I did this before but I don't recall the Shrine going this way at all.
I leave the side area and head back to the main. More archers learn what it means to be a marksman and it's anxiety time again. A red skellie. We trade nothings for a minute. I then decide on the brilliant strategy I've never done before of baiting his jump attack and rolling at him for a backstab. I might as well get out of my comfort zone a little.
JEBUS THAT WAS EASY! How come I never did that before?!?!?!? Stupid skellies.
I go up to the lookout tower and make some manta kebobs with my bow then circle around. The skellies have big swords. What do I do? I used to hate the ledge fights.
In Dark Souls I used to advocate what I called the "Kiln Challenge" to learn weapon spacing.
The rules are:
-No blocking
-No rolling/cartwheels/handsrpings
-No backstab circling
Essentially, you have to learn to draw the attack of the Black Knights (who use common PvP weapons and have a long attack range) and casually step away leaving you with a full stamina bar to exploit their miss.
This translates well to the skellies here. Again....I wish I had something more interesting to share. I don't. This was easy.
I get to the last red eye skellie and go for the befowler special just to mix things up. I throw some soul remains down and proceed to backstab thAT ****ING SKELLIE SO HARD HE'LL LIKELY DIE AGAIN THE NEXT TIME I LOAD THE GAME!!!!!
Sorry, there wasn't much excitement here but I have an interlude coming up you might like. Same Bat Channel!
- interlude:
As I mentioned (I think I did anyway) I was hoping to give a few rings away before adventuring into Chapter 5. I won't bore you with the crappiness that is a cow-tastic internet infrastructure so let's just say we'll try the rings another time.
But while I was attempting I had a couple musings I thought I might share, both inspired by where we first attempted to connect. The Valley of Defilement. 5-1
I've been wondering a lot with this new playthrough. Specifically, nothing seems to hit as hard as I remember. The skellies at the shrine decimate health bars don't they? The mindflayers are a terror that can take you out at any second right?
I know I've improved......but these guys are almost a joke now. What gives?
My impression of the game gets reinforced with my SL250 trying to drop rings for someone. I venture up the planks and come across the first enemy in 5-1. Having spent a few nights recently having little trouble with the former banes of my existence, I approach the fight quite casually.
I'm stunned when he hits me for half my life bar. Vitality, as my second highest stat at 50 means I shouldn't have any shortage of life. The Dark Silver armor is also far from being hit while nekkid. Seriously, what the hell?
It finally hits me. Almost all of my impressions of this game are actually from the second run through or higher. Until I started this diary of sorts, I'd only ever been through a true "new" game once. And then I was too busy peeking around corners to compare hit data. I don't know what playthrough my 250 is on but I know I have four baby nails, seven penetrating swords, a couple norther regalias (and two soulbradnts to boot) and four sets of dull gold armor that I'll never get to use. No wonder why I thought everything hits like a truck.
Especially since this character isn't optimized. My 50 vitality is complemented by a 65 Endurance (I like to wear heavy armor). At 250 it's assumed I'm good at everything. My 24 faith, 34 strength and 30 dex say otherwise. So where did all my points go?
Story time:
When it was time to go for platinum for me it was when my daughter was just a few months old. One great thing about having a child is you can take a lot of time off of work without any real penalty. I had a lot of sick and vacation time I could use and therefore took a month off. Babies love to sleep. I had LOTS of time to get my platinum. Only one thing stood in my way. The mother****ing Pure Bladestone. I spent two weeks trying to get that stupid thing. Most of it was using Soul Sucker to insta kill me a skellie. I almost didn't believe it when it did drop. So in my madness I raised my Luck level to 46.
So the current revelation for me is that my 250 has been operating under far worse conditions than my low level guy. Things do hit like a truck....just the second time around. The first time is more like a small car hitting you.
My second musing at the expense of 5-1 is this; it is arguably the WORST level design in the history of video games. Instead of "point A to point B with an optional point C" style I imagine the discussion to design this level went something like this....
Hey, we need a level for this archstone. We've done a lot of stone, carved tunnels, etc. Maybe we should one where they use lumber. I know! Let's just simulate a lumberyard after a tornado and call it a level. No one will ever know the difference.
I mean come on. Barely existent "paths," areas that look like a logical next step but can actually get you stuck and you need to suicide, treacherous fights on precarious ledges, scenery which blends into other scenery which of course the "paths" and architecture also blend into, small protrusions which can trip you up in the middle of a lethal battle. It's difficult to see, predict and react. Awful! Bold prediction time. If this were the first level.....very few people would ever get past it.
5-1....WE HATE YOU!
Except we don't. This is another reason the game sticks out. There is a level tucked inside there somewhere. I haven't tried in over three years but I bet I still know "the way." But that's just it. It's not really "the" way. It's just "a" way. And likely the safest one. I took a way different route the first time though. In 5-1 you're stuck on top of a pile of shoddy lumber and are basically told, "you figure it out." Along the way we found genuine anxiety. The feeling of being lost was palpable for me. The idea of not having a map. Or markers. Or a "path." Or "a clue" led to an emotive difference in the game.
Souls: Because anxiety
- Interlude 2- The Interludiest!:
I was debating when I should stop adding chapters to this post and move on to the next. While I was typing the interlude just above this interlude, I was finally able to connect and give those rings that were a problem and led to a short chapter 5. After doing this I played for a very brief time and made an executive decision that will change the rest of the story. For the better I hope.
When I started this there was something I forgot to mention that applies even now. I don't know if my motivation will carry me through an entire playthrough. Is my newfound ease with the game enough to make me want to see if the False King will be a punk now. I beat him legit the first time. Not first time "ever." He killed me a bunch. He took a few levels away. But I didn't white bow and white arrow his sorry *** until a few times around the block when I just didn't care anymore.
So I've asked myself many times while doing this: Will I care enough?
I don't know. What I do know is this; Chapter 5 isn't very good I think the interlude after it is stronger and much more interesting. Most of you are good at this game. Many are likely better than me. There's only so much I can make out of "I'm having an easier time than I remember having the first time." Additionally, my memory is better than I would have expected. Almost down to every enemy placement. Because of these factors I'm finding that I'm failing less. I'm being surprised less. I fear I'll just start going through the motions. And we both deserve better than that.
Chapter 4 was nice. I liked playing it. I liked writing it. I had a lot of energy. It's because my first time through I didn't have much cooperative or even competitive online play. Apart from a couple of Dark Souls bosses, I haven't added to that body of experience yet. Old game, new way to play it. As a result, the chapter is different. I want more of that.
So back to the beginning of this interlude. I said I made a decision that should affect the rest of the story. I farmed a little. Yawn. I know who cares. You certainly shouldn't.
But it will be important later. Because I realized that I could continue a path I started but didn't feel was significant enough to mention. I had bought a miracle at some point. I checked and sure enough....I could also buy sorceries now!
I've never been big on magic in RPGs. Anytime you tell me something is limited, I hoard it. In Final Fantasy for instance, I let my mages get beat on until it's necessary to break out the magic. Why "waste" it? But perhaps the greatest waste of all is that I've never fully explored it.
I went farming. Maybe ten minutes. The Grim Reaper wannabe after the adjudicator gives plenty of currency and is very easy to perform a walk by shooting to.
So I purchased some spells.
I intend to use them.
I expect to have some stumbling along the way.
It's gonna be great!
Last edited by skarekrow13 on Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:16 pm; edited 20 times in total
Skarl Krowland
:
I didn't see anything about Yuria yet...
reading about your adventures. 
