DSR Overrated.

[wildflower]

Look I love Dark Souls. Really, I do. I've beaten DS 1-3, multiple times for both 2 and 3. So far I've only beaten DS1 once, but I'm on a second playthrough now. I've beaten Elden Ring. Without this game, none of it's predecessors would exist and for that I am greatful. But MAN does the community absolutely glaze this game. The amount of times I have died due to bad game design (getting stunlocked by 2 weak enemies, clipping through and sliding off of very questionable terrain, jumping on accident because of garbage default keybinds, terrible platforming sections in a game without a dedicated jump button, and abysmal hitboxes, and 4 DIRECTIONAL ROLLING WHILE LOCKED ON) is INSANE even compared to the "worst" dark souls game ds2. Say git gud or whatever, but I've already done that. I'm not saying Dark Souls 1 is a piece of garbage and a waste of time, but the fact that DS2 gets so much hate despite genuinely improving a lot of the tedium and useless frustration that came from it's predecessor is crazy considering how jank DS1 is. Is it just nostalgia? If so, I will be the first to admit my love for DS2 stems from that as well, but come on...I think if this was my first Dark Souls game, the series wouldn't be so regarded in my eyes.

[alumlovescake]

Souls is one of those franchises were the community is not one you want to ever involve yourself in


obviously toxic people are everywhere, but Souls is like another level above Sonic or Minecraft or any of the ones that are practically memed to death due to how awful the majority of people are
you cant point out a single flaw even if it is something factually poor like the techincal state of these games


they would always find a way to put the blame on you

[Watereaters]

Most people who think DS1 is harder than DS3, Bloodborne, Sekiro or ER think so because it has stiff controls which are less polished, while it does have better level design which makes it harder in that aspect, the game is much slower and becomes easy once you get decent gear. As well as only knowing those games from YouTube, took one look and decided that the fighting was just rolling (or parrying) without paying attention to anything else.

If Fromsoft polished DS1's controls in the remaster so they'd be on the same level as DS3 or Bloodborne, people would complain that FS made the game too easy for casuals.

EDIT: The only part which is 'harder' is the PVP since FS doesn't care about the servers and playing with anyone feels like playing one of the modern games at 200ms ping (or on PC in general) but much worse.

[CyberDoge]

I can understand all the frustration that you felt from all this situations (especially sliding to your death), the first game also has some junk in, just not so visual like in DS2, but even with all the bad things each game has something great in it, that gives it some kind of charm, in the first game for me it was an atmosphere that i still consider the best (DS 1 was my first game, so my words might have a bit of bias in them), you might like something in other DS games and there is nothing wrong with that, just play the ones you enjoy the most
(also DS2 is a good game too, just different from the 1st)

[wildflower]

I'm glad to see at the very least the first couple posts aren't drooling fanboys and are people who can actually critic the game to any degree. I and I will whole heartedly agree that despite jank sections, the level design is supreme in DS1. The ever-praised interconnectivity is actually pretty remarkable, and i'm only really noticing the extent of it on my second go around. But yes, I'm sure you're very right. If DSR actually REMASTERED the game instead of changing who the hell knows what (seen many videos, it really doesn't look any better than DS 1), then the original glazing fanboys would lose their ♥♥♥♥ about the cut back in "difficulty" when really the only thing lost was the aritifical challenge of fighting with the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ controller. Speaking of which, this is the only game I've ever had to genuinely find an external solution to my controller not working. No other game in my steam library has controller registry issues but this one, and it's just another dent in the mound of blows against this game. It just pisses me off so much because (bad take here) but DS2 is my FAVORITE dark souls game, and it gets so much ♥♥♥♥ despite DS1 doing everything people complained about in that game but sometimes worse, and often more egregiously. It really is a lot of little stuff that add up to make DSR an unfun experience, and this current playthrough with my friend proves that to me. He beat DS3 on his own and it was his first souls game, then we moved on to 2 and now we're halfway through 1. He claims that 1 is now the worst game in the series and we aren't even done yet, I believe that says something, considering he was not a massive fan of 2

[wildflower]

Originally posted by CyberDoge:

I can understand all the frustration that you felt from all this situations (especially sliding to your death), the first game also has some junk in, just not so visual like in DS2, but even with all the bad things each game has something great in it, that gives it some kind of charm, in the first game for me it was an atmosphere that i still consider the best (DS 1 was my first game, so my words might have a bit of bias in them), you might like something in other DS games and there is nothing wrong with that, just play the ones you enjoy the most
(also DS2 is a good game too, just different from the 1st)

I fully agree, and I like I said 1 has a lot of merit to it. Interesting lore, I like a lot of the equipment and there are some areas and moments that are genuinely well designed and very fun and rewarding. It just doesn't quite meet the mark all the reviews and praise the "true souls fans" give it, considering how quick they are to bash the others. I mean I understand where some of it comes from as a staunch DS2 defender, but even I can admit the various flaws it has

[6h0$t942]

Yea there is jank and nostalgia plays a factor. And some of the things you point out, like the bed of chaos jump, are dumb.

But i still think its better than ds3 because armor has poise values. I would play elden ring, but ive done the research and poise doesnt exist, in ds3 or elden ring.

And to reiterate for my dear contrarians, it does not. Power stance, some hyper armor, and the temporary poise from my beloved warpriest cataylst (my favorite characters in ds3 were warpriest and lucky bloody, very fun!) are not the same thing as putting on heavy armor and not getting stunned by a rat.
Number of times i died to stunlocking in ds1, not counting bosses? Idk...3 times per character? And then only because i made a mistake or you just dont have armor yet.
Ds3?--i lost count

I enjoyed ds3 a lot, but i am largely done with souls like games because...my friend, the stunlocking and grab attacks are very much a ds3 problem, not a ds1 problem.

If poise existed for elden ring AS IT IS UNDERSTOOD IN DS1, i would probably get fired from my job because ide be playing it all night.

E: Also if ds3 had poise it would be better than ds1, pretty easily. Just with magic and weapon variety

[dcy665]

Look at me, I am absolutely the best Dark Souls player in existence. Really! If you don't believe me try, getting stunlocked by 2 weak enemies, like me and then complaining about it

When I tell new players about how to start the game, I will routinely warn them about stun-locking. It's a thing. Learning it early is important (because you can whine forever about it later). You can be quite high leveled with proper upgraded gear and get surrounded by a few low level mobs. Stun-lock! And ... You. Died.
Of course you did. The actual lesson is do not charge into a group regardless of how low level they are. If they literally surround you - one is absolutely guaranteed to gift you a critical hit in your head. Which, say it with me now, will STUN LOCK you.

Do Not Do That

If you are stun locked, and surrounded by several mobs (of any level) You. Will. Die.

The other lesson that many of the Greatest Dark Souls Players Ever (number 327,127) seem to miss is stun lock goes both ways. Head shots, in particular with arrows, stun lock mobs. Don't like the archer inside Arno Londo on the way to OnionBro; get set, step to the right, head shot! If you use a normal(-ish) bow just keep repeating until he drops. If you are using the Dragon Bow, you might have to step back behind cover. Depending on your strength and agility.

Final lesson: Stun lock them, don't let them stun lock you.

First Rule in Dark Souls: KILL THE DOGS FIRST

First Technical Commandment: Game is locked at 60 FPS. Faster will give you black frames, and quite often will make ladders nearly unmanageable, and you can drop through the map.

To all from Newbies, to The Very Gods' Gift to Gaming, I offer - Good Luck

[Watereaters]

Originally posted by wildflower:

I'm glad to see at the very least the first couple posts aren't drooling fanboys and are people who can actually critic the game to any degree. I and I will whole heartedly agree that despite jank sections, the level design is supreme in DS1. The ever-praised interconnectivity is actually pretty remarkable, and i'm only really noticing the extent of it on my second go around. But yes, I'm sure you're very right. If DSR actually REMASTERED the game instead of changing who the hell knows what (seen many videos, it really doesn't look any better than DS 1), then the original glazing fanboys would lose their ♥♥♥♥ about the cut back in "difficulty" when really the only thing lost was the aritifical challenge of fighting with the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ controller. Speaking of which, this is the only game I've ever had to genuinely find an external solution to my controller not working. No other game in my steam library has controller registry issues but this one, and it's just another dent in the mound of blows against this game. It just pisses me off so much because (bad take here) but DS2 is my FAVORITE dark souls game, and it gets so much ♥♥♥♥ despite DS1 doing everything people complained about in that game but sometimes worse, and often more egregiously. It really is a lot of little stuff that add up to make DSR an unfun experience, and this current playthrough with my friend proves that to me. He beat DS3 on his own and it was his first souls game, then we moved on to 2 and now we're halfway through 1. He claims that 1 is now the worst game in the series and we aren't even done yet, I believe that says something, considering he was not a massive fan of 2

You do need to git gud though.

[Philly2toes]

ds1 is a masterpiece for the time that it released and it still is with dsr i personally dont like ds2 only cause of adaptability and ds3 is all around my favorite game in the series

[CannonFodder]

lol probably hates the humanity aspect. this isnt elden ring lol

[wildflower]

Originally posted by Misanthrope:

lol probably hates the humanity aspect. this isnt elden ring lol

DS2 is my favorite in the series, so I don't have a problem with Humanity or Hollowing. Right now my character has about 20 humanities and 5 twin humanities, and about 5 active. I actually thought the whole switch over to ember/rune arcs in the later entries took away some of the oppresiveness, but made sense lorewise so no issues really.

[Quarren King of Q]

yeah alot of aspects are indeed overrated. some pepople dont understand that coping with limitations and working around them someways in game play doesnt change that the issue is still an issue

[john tbh]

I AGREE. I like DS1 but the game just fell apart for me after I got the Lord Vessel. DS2 is my favorite also.
Titanite demons are WAY more obnoxious than anything I've fought in DS2.

[Heck]

Ehhh
You basically play it for the challenge runs now thats it
The base game itself is bad and always ways. Most things in this game never made a return for a reason. Its super super clunky progressing through the game. I think its because they decided light roll at 25% was a thing.
Stacking poise and facerolling the game? A thing. Not a logical thing. Stick a bunch of poise on and power through boss attacks that are several times your size? Thats some weird logic.
And PVP? PvP at the high end is rampant with CE and macros so its not worth investing in plus most people moved to PS4
DS2 would be the best in the series if not for soul memory in my opinion. Yeah adp/agility are a thing but theres a reason people agreed to move the posts for community pvp and builds. Soul memory just ruins it.

[6h0$t942]

Originally posted by john tbh:

I AGREE. I like DS1 but the game just fell apart for me after I got the Lord Vessel. DS2 is my favorite also.
Titanite demons are WAY more obnoxious than anything I've fought in DS2.

I think in DS2 it was the exploding mummies in the water, and the smelter demon boss. After the hit detection was fixed i enjoyed the game much more, though the art direction wasnt quite to my taste sometimes