Skyrim vs Dark Souls

[Wibble the Obscure]

1. I play on PC, I have a controller for DS (mostly used for my Rift).
2. I have been in the industry since the old VIC20 days and have played games consistantly for over 20 years on PC (the vast majority) and also XBox

I was drawn to DS because of the constant "OMG this is so much better than Skyrim" commentary. I wanted to check it out.

It all comes down to a simple comparison of the games:

Skyrim is an epic sandbox RPG, with all the limitations this provides... The story is limited and can feel a little railroaded at times. There is a feeling of same-ol same-ol with the enemies and interiors. The positives are a treuly beautiful game with the freedom to explore. If you pay little attention to the Main Quest then there is just so damn much to see and do and so many ways your PC can evolve.

DS2 is essentially a 3D MP Platformer... i know i am going to get flamed for this but deal with it... You are given a set route, a set recurring number and type of enemies and it is a matter of doing it enough times until you get it right. It is a game of memory, set paths/items and repetition. It is a game of getting the right button presses at just the right time. All hall-marks of Platformers. Certainly it is a beautiful game in its own way but again the maps are 'platformer' in their limitation. It is a game of 30x30 rooms linked with corridors.

In all honestly I am already bored with DS2 where-as i have played through Skyrim twice.

Conclusion
It is unfair to judge the games against each other because they do not share genre.
For me i prefer an RPG Sandbox, hence the Elder Scrolls series smashes this game hands-down. I regret wasting my money on a game that I feel has been misrepresented in the reviews as an RPG when it is a 3D Platformer with RPG elements

[Red Phantom]

Plus the combat system in Skyrim is much deeper and tighter than the one in Dark Souls. Amirite?

[Lord Kreigan]

OP is probably terrible at the game, therefore doesn't like it. Any game can be summarized as set patterns/items and repitition. Skyrim was one of the most over-rated titles to ever appear. You like boring and simple combat? By all means, go ahead and enjoy that Skyrim. You like crap added content that takes 6 hours to beat per 20 dollar dlc? Go ahead and play your Skyrim.

[bumbd doident]

While I agree with you that Dark Souls is a game that involves memory and timing, I don't agree with using the term Platformer. I'm not trying to argue with you, I'm just recommending that you use a different wored to describe it, as many people will see that you are calling Dark Souls a platformer, and think of it as though it was heresy.

[bumbd doident]

And personally, I prefer Dark Souls, but not because it's a better game than Skyrim, it's because it's a challenge.

[SarcFa]

To OP, based off your steam profile you have only played DkS for 4.6 hours, unless you played it on console, or just plain hate everything about the game from the get-go, that is not enough time in it to make a good judgement on how it is compared to other games you like.

Dark Souls is akin to a Action RPG more than any other genre I know, the only "platformer" things in it are a few areas to get good loot, or the rafters in Anor Londo. Platformers are generally games that focus on jumping/getting from place to place, have simple combat mechanics, and focus more on getting to a place and solving puzzles and adventuring, then killing enemies.

Originally posted by Kreigan:

OP is probably terrible at the game, therefore doesn't like it. Any game can be summarized as set patterns/items and repitition. Skyrim was one of the most over-rated titles to ever appear. You like boring and simple combat? By all means, go ahead and enjoy that Skyrim. You like crap DLC that takes 6 hours to beat each? Go ahead and play your Skyrim.

First off people can dislike a game for multiple reasons other than because they are bad at it. Secondly, yes Skyrim was DEFINITELY over-rated, but that doesn't mean someone can't like it more to Dark Souls due to different tastes.

[Red Phantom]

Nah, OP is right. An RPG with two button combat, enemies that scale to your level, objective markers and a pause button is obviously superior and anyone who thinks otherwise should be ashamed of themselves as a gamer. Don't even get me started on PvP cause Skyrim just detroys Dark Souls there.

[Amenophys]

Games like Amnesia or Outlast are made of corridors and straight action but they are great games.

Dark Souls actually takes the player seriously. I was kinda bored of the 'survival' games that were too easy. Dark Souls is a refreshing challenge in these casual times.

[Red Phantom]

So Wibble, when did you realise that Dark Souls is garbage? Was it right after the tutorial level or did you actually go further? Please don't tell me you wasted enough time to even find and kill the first boss...

[Lord Kreigan]

Obviously people can dislike a game for any reason. What world do you live in? I was never disputing that. What i will say is this: The dude has 4 hours on file. Rage quiting is highly likely for that amount of time spent. If he is so in love with his Skyrim, DS may be a slap in the face, especially concerning his own ego and gaming prowess.

[forseti99]

I think you lost it when you said "a game of repetition". The idea is to be careful, not to "repeat til you know it by memory".

In skyrim you can attack most of the times without consequences, that is, fights of "he who hits more and stronger wins". Obviously you always win because of the pause and cure stuff.
In Dark Souls you have to be careful at approaching enemies since you can't pause-and-heal.

I think that, even though skyrim has a lot more misions, half of them are "go there, kill the draughs and return with an item". Other good part are "kill the bandits leader", so on that side I prefer Dark Souls, since fighting the same 5 enemies (humans, draughs, drakes, giant spiders and animals) gets boring quite fast.

[Wibble the Obscure]

Originally posted by PrometheanFrankenstein:

Plus the combat system in Skyrim is much deeper and tighter than the one in Dark Souls.

Depends on your POV. 3rd Person event/linear vs 1st person sand-box of course there are differences. The DS2 game is a typical 3rd person made of Console game in what you class as complexity. By your standards Street Fighter is a deeper combat system that Skyrim because of the button combinations. Is a FPS werse than DS2 because it is aim/shoot gun? Is DS2 a worse game becasue despite the 'complexity' of the combat moves it is still a simple matter of get the timing right or it is wash/rinse/repeat

Originally posted by Kreigan:

OP is probably terrible at the game, therefore doesn't like it. etc.etc.

Go away, the adults are talking

Originally posted by The Baconater:

While I agree with you that Dark Souls is a game that involves memory and timing, I don't agree with using the term Platformer. I'm not trying to argue with you, I'm just recommending that you use a different wored to describe it, as many people will see that you are calling Dark Souls a platformer, and think of it as though it was heresy.

Thank you... a thought out response.
From what i read on this board if i say anything negative about DS2 i am already a heretic hence the reason why i am now joining the FBI witness pretection program. See Kreigan above for the kind of comments i expected. By the time i have finished this response i expect more of the same *shrug*
I can see your point... but having been with gaming right since the dawn of time (lol) i dont see platfarmer as a negative. This is a console port, and consoles are well suited to Platformers (see Nintendo). It is a genre, no more, no less. Unfortunately by the standards of the genre DS2 fits right in. The linear levels with no variety, bonfires linking them with a restart and reset from the bonfire. The reliance on a complex set of timing and moves to ensure success, the end of levels boss. All hall-marks of a Platformer.
not my cup of tea though you cannot deny it is arguably the most successful genre in gaming.

[Lord Kreigan]

Wibble, your open mindedness is astounding. Please do share more. You are such a sensitive thoughtful human being...

[Wibble the Obscure]

Originally posted by SarcFa:

To OP, based off your steam profile you have only played DkS for 4.6 hours, unless you played it on console, or just plain hate everything about the game from the get-go, that is not enough time in it to make a good judgement on how it is compared to other games you like.

Sorry i thought i pointed out that i have played on XBox and PC, my latest playing is on PC as i only just got the Rift and hence the controller.

However let me ask you a question: "How long did you play SuperMarioKart before you decided what sort of game that is? How long did you play Silent Hunter before it was clear what the game was like?" Answer: bugger all time.
It is a game, not a philosophy degree, it is pretty easy these days (unless you are getting your first game) to make a clear call on what a game is like.
Have i completed DS2? No
Did i wait and play it well-past the point where its patterns were clear before writing this? Yes
Do i enjoy it? Nowhere near as much as Skyrim or many of the other games i play.

Action RPG is another possible genre it fits into but again i find the 'structured' nature of each level and the respawn pushes it towards the Platformer model...

[Jintek]

Wait....so.....you've played games consistently for over 20 years. And DS2 (I suspect you mean Dark Souls) is a....platformer. Yeah, I'd go back and do another 20 years or so.

[Ocelot]

>Platformer

So, even as an adult, you have no clue what a platformer is. Shameful.

Edit: I'm an adult, too. Though, I hope you're younger than I am...