I remember some Youtube video about how Dark Souls has mimic chests, and if you tried to open one it caused an unavoidable instant kill. You never get any warning about mimics before you encounter the first one. According to the video this is apparently "good game design" because it shows how BRUTAL and UNFAIR the world is, rather than functionally being "you lose because you're new, now have fun replaying that chunk of the game asshole"
The video achieved the opposite of its goal in my case, reinforcing my desire to never play the game if these are the design decisions that draw fans to it
I like the mimics. One thing to remember about Dark Souls; there's almost no penalty for dying. If you get nommed by a mimic you maybe lose some unspent xp and go to the last checkpoint which is usually no more than five minutes back.
Once you get ambushed by a mimic you tend to get a little paranoid about chests and test them by whacking them once before opening them. Mimics also have a distinctive model with a couple of subtle differences so once you know the tell you can spot them. They also tend to reward unique gear and don't respawn.
For me it's just a funny thing that breaks up normal gameplay. Dying a lot is a very normal part of dark souls, and getting unexpectedly chomped by a mimic is, at least for me, more of an absurd comedy moment than a setback. And it can only surprise you once - they always spawn in the same place so when you go back you know it's their.
I think one of the hardest things people who don't like souls games struggle to understand is that death isn't a punishment like it is in other games. The game isn't "brutal" and "unfair", though it is often quite challenging. It's more that each segment between checkpoints is a puzzle, and as you progress through, die, and try again you're essentially solving that puzzle. If something surprised you on the first try you'll be ready for it the next time. A new mosnter with an unknown moveset might kill you a few times, but each time you'll have a better grasp on it's moveset, timing, and weaknesses.
One of the core themes of Dark Souls is persevering in the face of adversity. Dying, experiencing setbacks, and choosing to carry on isn't just core to the game loop, it's also a core to the story and the cycle of linking the fire to try to renew the world.
A lot of what's so beautiful in the series is when you encounter someone who resisted despair and kept fighting to the absolute bitter end. Artorias' tragedy is his choice to save Sif knowing that the cost would be his own humanity. When you finally encounter him you know that the monster he's become was a choice to save someone he loved. The various Onion Knights are so charming because they maintain a positive, upbeat attitude even in a devastated world. They have no illusions about the state of things, but they choose joy over despair, finding pleasure and comradery where they can and pursuing goals that they have decided are important. Many of your enemies are people who have given themselves over to despair and obsession and been ruined in the process. It's widely considered that the ultimate " good" ending to the series is refusing to link the fire, letting go of the fear of an uncertain future, and allowing the age of fire to give way to the age of dark. In doing so you go beyond all the fallen kings and heroes who clung so desperately to the flame that it destroyed them, and the world along with them. For all the dark imagery, tragedy, and horror that pervades the series the ultimate message is about the boundless potential of the human spirit and the ultimate triumph of hope.
This is why we need to make america the dark souls of countries and turn the poor into hamburger meat to feed epic G*mers.
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I remember some Youtube video about how Dark Souls has mimic chests, and if you tried to open one it caused an unavoidable instant kill. You never get any warning about mimics before you encounter the first one. According to the video this is apparently "good game design" because it shows how BRUTAL and UNFAIR the world is, rather than functionally being "you lose because you're new, now have fun replaying that chunk of the game asshole"
The video achieved the opposite of its goal in my case, reinforcing my desire to never play the game if these are the design decisions that draw fans to it
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I like the mimics. One thing to remember about Dark Souls; there's almost no penalty for dying. If you get nommed by a mimic you maybe lose some unspent xp and go to the last checkpoint which is usually no more than five minutes back.
Once you get ambushed by a mimic you tend to get a little paranoid about chests and test them by whacking them once before opening them. Mimics also have a distinctive model with a couple of subtle differences so once you know the tell you can spot them. They also tend to reward unique gear and don't respawn.
For me it's just a funny thing that breaks up normal gameplay. Dying a lot is a very normal part of dark souls, and getting unexpectedly chomped by a mimic is, at least for me, more of an absurd comedy moment than a setback. And it can only surprise you once - they always spawn in the same place so when you go back you know it's their.
I think one of the hardest things people who don't like souls games struggle to understand is that death isn't a punishment like it is in other games. The game isn't "brutal" and "unfair", though it is often quite challenging. It's more that each segment between checkpoints is a puzzle, and as you progress through, die, and try again you're essentially solving that puzzle. If something surprised you on the first try you'll be ready for it the next time. A new mosnter with an unknown moveset might kill you a few times, but each time you'll have a better grasp on it's moveset, timing, and weaknesses.
One of the core themes of Dark Souls is persevering in the face of adversity. Dying, experiencing setbacks, and choosing to carry on isn't just core to the game loop, it's also a core to the story and the cycle of linking the fire to try to renew the world.
A lot of what's so beautiful in the series is when you encounter someone who resisted despair and kept fighting to the absolute bitter end. Artorias' tragedy is his choice to save Sif knowing that the cost would be his own humanity. When you finally encounter him you know that the monster he's become was a choice to save someone he loved. The various Onion Knights are so charming because they maintain a positive, upbeat attitude even in a devastated world. They have no illusions about the state of things, but they choose joy over despair, finding pleasure and comradery where they can and pursuing goals that they have decided are important. Many of your enemies are people who have given themselves over to despair and obsession and been ruined in the process. It's widely considered that the ultimate " good" ending to the series is refusing to link the fire, letting go of the fear of an uncertain future, and allowing the age of fire to give way to the age of dark. In doing so you go beyond all the fallen kings and heroes who clung so desperately to the flame that it destroyed them, and the world along with them. For all the dark imagery, tragedy, and horror that pervades the series the ultimate message is about the boundless potential of the human spirit and the ultimate triumph of hope.
Life in america is friggin' hardcore like dark souls, you could get shot anywhere and medicine isn't free :felix-trash:
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