OT: The All-Purpose Video Game Thread: Part III
- Thread starter Gardner McKay
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I’m in the same boat but I’m going to go for it anyway.
MrAlmost
Beer league hero.
- Jun 3, 2010
- 2,896
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Souls games aren't hard. You will be fine. The hardness factor is really overblown at this point. They are just games with a very strict rhythm and particular sort of...rules of engagement. Once you learn how the game is played, or how the game wants you to play it, you will be fine.
And then, once you are comfortable doing that, you then break all those rules and play however you want and become much more deadly.
And then, once you are comfortable doing that, you then break all those rules and play however you want and become much more deadly.
I hope this is true but I think I will still find it challenging. Regardless, the premise is enough to get me involved. I’ve always known the souls games were touted for excellent combat mechanics and haunting worlds, but now that they’ve gone to an open world with more lore and freedom, it’s impossible for me to stay away. It’s just my type of game. I just wish there were a way to tone down the difficulty instead of getting my ass whooped on repeat.
It is all about taking your time. MrAlmost is right. The pace is dance-like, and it is designed on purpose for you to not really do "well" the first few times you encounter something. The point is that it will take time to learn patterns, and the series generally stayed firmly in the fair side of this. Meaning that as you get good the game doesn't trick and cheap you. The point isn't to be "super genius and fast to figure it all out on the first go".
MrAlmost
Beer league hero.
- Jun 3, 2010
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Challenging is a better description of the games difficulty.
Obviously I can't speak for Elden Ring, but the Dark Souls Trilogy is cheap and you get all the DLC. Also, the games are quite rich with lore. I encourage you to watch a few videos from the Youtuber VaatiVidya. He goes into great detail. Much of the games lore is in item descriptions, short dialogue, even the placement of an item in the world has significance to the overall story.
And there are 2 unofficial easy modes in the game, a tank build and a Mage. Then there is the unofficial very easy mode, a Tank Mage. Haha
EDIT: DialUp hits it on the head. One of the most important things in the game is to take every engagement seriously. It will take time, but it is never cheap.
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
they're not hard if you're used to them. For newbies it can be VERY frustrating, not just because its hard but it gives you no hints as to where to go or what to do. I would recommend playing with a walkthrough for your first time.
MrAlmost
Beer league hero.
- Jun 3, 2010
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That is fair. But I am still not convinced they are as hard as they are made out to be. I think it is a lot of tire pumping by guys who played it trying to show how good they are at video games.
But, yes, a walkthrough open while you play is not a bad idea at all. I dont have a PS5, but if some of you do, then you can also check out Demons Souls. It will help you understand how Souls games work with more linear progression so you arent just thrown into the world with no understanding of what to do and where to go.
Kords
Registered User
- Jun 19, 2019
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Echo what most have said about Souls difficulty. They usually start difficult, but once you level up some and get better gear it gets easier and easier.
Alot of the difficulty is from lack of explaining systems. Like stat scaling on items and how weight systems work. They are SUPER important to improving your character but never explained.
Having said that, I think this game is supposed to be more beginner friendly. Another aspect to make it easier is multiplayer. Particularly at launch there will be a ton of people looking for help or offering their own.
Playing these games at launch is such a fun experience. Discovering all the secrets and bosses and gear builds before a million youtube videos and guides flood the internet. Such fun games to explore. Sadly with my luck i'm gonna be out of town from Sunday to Thursday. Secretly hoping my flight gets canceled!
Alot of the difficulty is from lack of explaining systems. Like stat scaling on items and how weight systems work. They are SUPER important to improving your character but never explained.
Having said that, I think this game is supposed to be more beginner friendly. Another aspect to make it easier is multiplayer. Particularly at launch there will be a ton of people looking for help or offering their own.
Playing these games at launch is such a fun experience. Discovering all the secrets and bosses and gear builds before a million youtube videos and guides flood the internet. Such fun games to explore. Sadly with my luck i'm gonna be out of town from Sunday to Thursday. Secretly hoping my flight gets canceled!
Kords
Registered User
- Jun 19, 2019
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Speaking of Souls games, I finally got through the swamps in the DeS remake. Friiiiiiick that zone so hard. Had pure black tendency (another system they never explain) and the big troll black phantoms had me close to smashing my tv. Finally figured out I had a ring that let me sneak by them.
Was worth it for that Lady Astreae scene. Such a disturbing area. From Software are unparalleled in world building and insane environments like that.
Was worth it for that Lady Astreae scene. Such a disturbing area. From Software are unparalleled in world building and insane environments like that.
Brief Candle
Hank's Forehead Sweat
They're not "hard" in the sense that every enemy has a pattern of attacks/certain tells before attacking. If you can recognize what attack is coming you can be proactive or react accordingly. But if you don't have a good eye because these games are fast paced and very busy visually, or like someone said if Elden Ring is gonna be your first foray into From games, it might end up being extremely frustrating just for how punishing dying feels in the other titles. Most checkpoints are a considerable distance away from boss fights which is probably where people do most of their dying. You then not only have to take the time to run back just to get to the boss (where you can then get instantly one-shot from not paying attention from already being tilted from dying), you also have to 1) remember the correct way to go and 2) not die again on the run back. "Frustrating/punishing game design" gets confused with "Hard gameplay." These games, I feel, are designed to make you feel the immensity and gravity of events in the gameworld and for you to take your time as a casual player.
A walkthrough on the first playthrough would spoil any fun for me. A lot of the enjoyment in From games (again, for me) is the learning experience and overcoming something that felt like "impossible" wouldn't do the difficulty justice. I wish I could go back and re-experience Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne, and especially Sekiro for the first times and the feeling after smoking some boss I was stuck on for 6-8 hours. When I killed Nameless King in DS3 I popped all the way the f*** off. I didn't give a shit that he made me his bitch for an entire week, for a brief moment he was my bitch. Same with one of the Corrupted Monk bosses in Sekiro. It felt like the entire rest of the game was unlocked after that.
I would recommend Sekiro as a starter From game. IMO it's the absolute most straight-forward, least customizable of their Soulslike games that almost totally focuses on your gameplay and learning the "dance" of fighting. No weapon choices, no armor choices, no spell-casting choices (aside from the prosthetics which I think are much easier to understand than 95% of how spells work in Dark Souls). Everything else gets a lot more muddy in DS/BB with classes and vague stats to increase and loot hunting for item upgrade materials. The only thing that could be a hurdle going from Sekiro to other Soulsborne games is that combat in Sekiro revolves around parrying attacks while DS/BB revolves more around dodging attacks.
My biggest piece of advice for newcomers to From games: Take your time with everything. When you fight a new enemy/boss, don't always go in guns/swords blazing trying to kill them before you see anything that they can do. Dodge as many of their attacks as you can and try to learn from the ones that hit you. Figure out ways to create distance during fights! Use your run button because you will need to use it often. This will help you "slow down" other encounters in the game because you feel better equipped to defend yourself.
bleedblue94
Registered User
- Jun 8, 2004
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bleedblue94
Registered User
- Jun 8, 2004
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I have it started it yet because I know as soon as I turn it on I'm just going to want to play it all the way through and I just don't have enough time right now to commit to it. I loved the first game
I'm looking forward to playing the game at launch and pre-ordered it though never played any of the souls games. I bought a new high end system but won't get it for another few weeks. Is it worth playing on low settings to start out or do you think I'd be better off playing one of the souls games to get a feel for things first?
MrAlmost
Beer league hero.
- Jun 3, 2010
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Valley of Defilement. The original Blighttown. Haha
I am always a sucker for Lovecraftian story-telling and Demons Souls and Bloodborne are right in my wheelhouse.
Brutananadilewski
Registered User
I thought I would pass on Elden Ring...but DAMN! Reviews are coming in and looks to be stellar. Not sure it will hold-up but if it does this becomes the highest rated game this gen.
Not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing.
Not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing.
Kords
Registered User
- Jun 19, 2019
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That's a tough call. If you already pre ordered it you may as well see how it looks/runs. Probably better off waiting, but that's a tough one. I'm seeing mixed opinions on the games PC performance so i'm not even sure if I wanna go PC or PS5 yet myself.
- Jan 18, 2012
- 35,199
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Why though?
I haven't been this excited for a game since Bloodborne. I won't be playing it on launch though
Miyazaki and FROM make masterpieces. This seems like it will replace Bloodborne as my GOAT
It's got a 97 Rating on MetaCritic with 45 reviews. That's absurd
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
hype overload. Hoping for that blizzard on friday so i can get snowed in with ER
I also was inclined to skip Elden Ring, but I know deep down if I can just get through it will be my favorite game. It’s tailor made for me - just hard for a “non-gamer”. The world, art style, everything about it is the game I’ve been waiting for. I just have to deal with the learning curve. And if Elden Ring is what I believe it is, it will open the door for me to go back and play all the souls games I’ve not tried.
My current machine meets the recommended settings but is getting fairly old. My new PC should run it easily
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