Dark Souls Diary: Day One

Whenever the subject of favourite games pops up in conversation, I'm often the first to step in, thump my chest and proclaim Demon's Souls as one of the best games ever. Owning two copies of the game and completing multiple playthroughs, I consider myself a veteran of From Software's brutal action RPG. So having done what I can in Demon's Souls, I've been waiting with bated breath for Dark Souls ever since From Software announced it as Project Dark. Considering the sheer amount of time I've put into the predecessor, I assumed I would go into the successor knowing all the ropes, prepared for anything the game could throw at me. How wrong I was.

Dark Souls' first act of cruelty was its avoidance of me. My usual online retailer dispatches their game early so I normally get my games a day before release date. Thursday arrived and I headed to my parents house to pick the game up only to find the red 'in-your-face' you were not home slip locked away in the letter box, to which I had no key. Using an elaborate method of folded pizza menus, my girlfriend and I were able were able to retrieve the slip of paper and headed to the sorting office to pick the game up. However, upon flashing my ID, I was told the postman was not yet back from his round and that they'd be closing soon. I began to think that perhaps Dark Souls didn't exist, and everything I thought of the game was some euphoric dream I had come up with whilst overdosing on Demon's Souls and diet coke. I climbed in my girlfriends car and spent the rest of morning in a sulk like a child that had just been told Christmas wouldn't be arriving until tomorrow because Santa was stuck in traffic. But I finally have it. Dark Souls is in my possession.

Looking back at Demon's Souls' tutorial, it was a very basic run through of controls and the use of items until eventually you come up against a demon five times your size that swats you down like a fly, killing you in one blow. This, of course, is supposed to happen. This progresses you to the Nexus, the games central hub. In Dark Souls' tutorial, you begin in the Undead Asylum as a prisoner. You escape your cell with no weapons except a broken sword. Depending on your class, you pick up a few weapons (I went with the sword and shield Warrior class) and then have to face off against the Asylum Demon. Thankfully, I survived, but I think you'd have to beat this demon in order to progress and anyone unfamiliar with 'Souls' worlds would wonder how they could over come such odds in the bloody tutorial.

Your only place of safety

Having beat the demon, you move on outside where a giant raven flies down, picks you up and sends you to the island of Lordran and this is where your quest begins. Already things are different from Demon's Souls. There is no longer a central hub as the game is now open world. Your only place of safety are bonfires, a place to rest and refill your Estus flasks. Estus flasks are the healing item of the game, so you can't go farming herbs like you did in Demon's Souls. You have a limited number and bonfires can be far and in between so knowing when to heal already becomes a tactic itself. Using bonfires also re-spawns all the enemies on the map (except bosses and some of the more unique ones) so choosing which ones to use, and which ones to kindle becomes a hard choice. Kindling? That is when you offer some of your humanity to the bonfire, strengthening it and increasing the amount of Estus flasks you get from that bonfire. Humanity is a new precious item in the game which depends on your state - living or undead. Using humanity on yourself at the bonfire makes you living, giving you more health and able to use some of the online capabilities. If this all sounds wholly confusing so far, well, it should. Dark Souls wants you discover much of this for yourself but this what makes the journey such a memorable one.

Starting at Firelink Shrine, I had no possible idea of where to go. Talking to a few of the NPC around the area I decided to move on. Following a path and killing a few enemies, I ended up in Undead Burg, a place that resembles Boletaria Castle from Demon's Souls. This is the place your journey begins and you get to put your new found skills to the test. Already the familiarity of the predecessor will be known well to Demon's Souls veterans. Combat is familiar, having you block, dodge and tactically wait until the perfect opening on your enemy so you can strike a killing blow. And oh yes, there is death. A lot. It's amazing how much Dark Souls brought back all the horrible memories of dying in Demon's Souls. Death is unexpected and comes frequently. Bravado is often punished while patience and perseverance is rewarded. I think it was around the two hour mark the honeymoon period was over and anger and frustration began to creep up on me. It was also around this time I felt confused. Yes, there was familiarity to Demon's Souls but the differences began to show. The aesthetic looked different. Where as before you were often walking down dark grim corridors, Undead Burg had me crossing stone walkways as the sun shone brightly above. With no central hub, I was unable to repair my equipment that was slowly degrading with every use and death and using the online capabilities, such as leaving messages, remained a mystery. But it's best not to dwell on these things. If you push on and explore and check items you collect, a lot more options open up to you and things become clear. Eventually I found a merchant that sold me the item to rate and leave messages for other players. That's one problem solved at least.

Taurus Demon: There's no shame in running

What the fuck is that!? Oh it's the Taurus Demon, the games first big bad boss. Stepping out onto a walkway, this massive bullheaded monstrosity appears from nowhere, wielding a hammer so huge it could destroy a small country. Combat is an intense experience in Dark Souls. Since your precious souls hang in the balance (Souls: the game's one currency you obtain from killing enemies, used to level up, repair and buy new equipment. Die and you lose them) every encounter requires patience, methodical thinking and quick reflexes. So when it comes to boss fights, the heart pounding, edge of seat battle that you must win can be paradoxically euphoric and heartbreaking. Because boss fights are the likely places you will die. Dying sends you back the last bonfire you were at and yes, all those enemies you went through to get to the boss have re-spawned. It's normally the chance of reclaiming your lost souls that spurs you on. The last place you died will have left a bloodstain. Make it back to that stain without dying and you can reclaim your dropped souls and humanity. But frustration is your worst enemy in this game. Running back and trying to slice and dice your way through enemies is one sure way to make sure you never recover those souls. I managed to beat Taurus Demon after three ties after discovering a very useful tactic. Even so, besting a foe, especially a boss that has ended your life - that is the euphoric feeling you play Dark Souls for.

Bastard...

I'm making it sound like my time with Dark Souls has been a relatively easy and pleasant one. I wish I could say this is true. Having spent nine hours in the games company, I have died 35 times, not including the times I forgot to mark down a death from being too angry to remember. It got to the point where even enemies I bested with ease seemed to be killing me and anger got the better of me and petty revenge caused me to become sloppy in my tactics. At no point did this become more apparent then the Bell Gargoyle fight. Having made my way into the Undead Parish and my death count was stacking up, I encountered this boss. The first fight began well and I figured I was in for an easy ride. However, once you have it's health bar is down to the half way point, a second Gargoyle joins the fray and they start using the tactic of fire. I spent most of the fight pathetically backing away with my shield raised, healing when possible and unable to find an opening to attack. I would guess I died around 15+ times at this boss fight alone and at one point I had to shut the game off and catatonically stare at the wall while I thought of tactics to best these two bastards. It was here I explored the area some more and heard the loving sound of a blacksmith at work. Finally, a place to repair and reinforce my equipment. With a new found sense of vigour, I went back to face the two bastards that had ended me too many times before. Perhaps it was luck, or the new tactic using a sword and spear that helped me win, but I did it and all those hours of frustration seemed worth it. After the fight, you climb the tower and ring the bell. I heard this bell being rung a few times whilst in Undead Parish and that was the sound of another player beating the boss. Standing at the top of the tower, the bell tolling away, I looked over and saw the sheer size of the world. Where do I go from here?

After that, I needed some rest. Fatigue had got the best of me and playing a game that requires an incredible amount of mental concentration whilst tired is just a recipe to lose. But I slept soundly, knowing I ended one of the hardest boss encounters I had come across. A world of wonder, horror and endless discovery awaits me in Dark Souls and once the sun goes down I'll be back in it's strange and fascinating world. Watch this space for part two.

Crysis 2 Review

There is one part in Crysis 2 that sums up my overall feeling for the game. In this sequence, you watch from a distance as Central Park rises up from the ground. To say this looks fantastic is an understatement but while you are watching this awesome spectacle, people you have been in radio contact with throughout the game shout in panic “Central Park is rising from the ground!” and “May god help us all…” A perfect example of just how over the top Crysis 2 can be. With a story that has little interest but stunning visuals, one cannot help but compare Crysis 2 to a summer blockbuster. But this is interactive entertainment and gameplay is where Crysis 2 really shines over other first person shooters.

Crysis - PC

From what I played of Crysis on the PC, it had stunning visuals in a massive jungle environment that allowed you to approach many of the missions in what gameplay style you preferred thanks to the Nanosuit. With the sequel now being available across three platforms, one could not help but wonder if Crytek would make a worthy sequel and retain the same quality we saw in the original. The answer is a mixed bag. 

I would like to give more information on the story but truth be told I could not care less. This is, after all, a first person shooter and I learnt a long time ago that FPS are not the place to go for a deep engaging storyline (with a few exceptions, of course). There are alien invasions, people trying to kill you for your ability enhancing suit and a deadly virus that is wiping out New York City. Maybe if I had bothered to complete Crysis I would be following the story better but even after reading up on the whole thing I cannot seem to bring myself to care about what is happening nor the characters.

Crysis 2

The setting for Crysis 2 takes place in New York City that has fallen under Marshall Law due to a deadly virus. This is also in the midst of an alien attack leaving the city a worn torn urban battle ground. It’s a bold step away from the open jungles of Crysis but some of the visuals in Crysis 2 look fantastic. Crytek throw all the punches at you, having you witness buildings explode, bridges collapse and helicopters crashing through more buildings. All of this is executed beautifully. I’m sure there are people that would happily go over the game with a fine tooth comb and complain there may be a texture off here and it may not match up to the original game. Ignore these naysayers. Crysis 2 boasts some of the best visuals today.

What truly makes Crysis 2 stand out from other shooters today is the Nanosuit. The suit enhances the player’s abilities, making you stronger, faster and giving you stealth and armour abilities. However, the suit does not make your character invincible or overpowered. Using the suit drains energy which means planning when and where to use the suit is always a must. Thanks to the tactical mode at the start of every area, you can easily plan your routes, choosing to take a stealthy option or grab the nearest and biggest gun you can find and blast your way through with your armour on. The choice is yours and it’s a flexibility we rarely see amidst the linear shooters that litter consoles today. You are even given a variety of upgrades, both for the suit and your weapons. These become unlocked as you progress through your first playthrough and remain unlocked once you finish the game, offering replay. Tweaking your guns to your liking is a very welcomed option. Attachable shotguns and grenade launchers, an assortment of scopes and laser sightings all allow you to customize your preferred weapon to your liking. You can even put a silencer on your shotgun for those that wish to feel like a supersized Anton Chigurh.

There are a few issues I have with Crysis 2. Unable to skip cut scenes can make starting a mission again after you have died tiresome. One particular instance that irked me was the beginning of a vehicle level. The level starts with you sat on a slow moving tank while you listen to people chatter over the radio. Each time I died I had to sit and listen to this conversation again and again. The radio chatter can also become annoying. There were a few instances when characters would be shouting over each other to get your attention and it is hard to hear what anyone is saying through the static and people incessantly bellowing in your ear. These small, personal issues aside, Crysis 2 can, in some ways, feel like a step back from the original. Essentially, you are still boxed in. While you are free to tackle many of the open areas whichever way you like, it loses the openness and freedom of the original. This isn’t to say the areas you have to tackle in Crysis 2 are not big. They’re just not big. But these ‘baby sandbox’ scenarios are so richly detailed it is easy to forgive this step back. In no way are the size of these levels more apparent once you complete one and have to find a way out of it. With the loss of freedom from the original, it can be a sad reminder that you are boxed in when trying to find the next check point that in some cases, can be frustratingly difficult to find, only to kick yourself when you realised you ran past the exit several times. The enemy AI can also make some dreadful errors. While they can easily put up a fight and make some areas quite a challenge, you will occasionally find a lone solider aimlessly running into a wall completely oblivious to what is going on around him.

With all that said, I wouldn’t let these few niggling issues stand in the way of something that feels incredibly fresh amongst first person shooters today. PC gamers may feel let down by what feels like a watered down sequel. But console gamers should rejoice at having something that stands out from the usual corridor shooters today. It looks great; the gameplay is solid and offers something very few shooters offer today – choice.