Updated:

22 Aug 2024

If you asked someone what they thought about Dark Souls, you’d probably get one of two responses. One would be fond memories of conquering challenges and open exploration. Another would be heated players who accidentally spit fire from their mouths and melt their TVs. But you don’t need your fireproof clothes with me; I’m just sticking to the numbers, here. “What is Dark Souls?” you ask. Well, prepare to learn.

About Dark Souls: Remastered

I’ll try to make this simple:

Genre: RPG
Release Date: May 25, 2018
Company: FromSoftware (Yes, that is their name. I’m looking out for “To Software” and wanting to see what they’ll make.)
Initial Popularity: Apparently, players and newbies alike anticipated this game with much drooling and licking of lips.
Current Popularity: If you insult Dark souls – Prepare to Die.
71,739 copies sold upon the first week of its release. In Japan alone.

Despite being a fairly new game originally made for the PS3, players flocked to this remastered version. And, the reviews are still 4 stars or more, as its predecessor had.

Dark Souls: Remastered Story

I’ll tell you now, I refuse to get deep with this story. To get the full experience of this massive world, you’ll need to read dialogue, collect items, and slay massive demons. Some questions can only be answered in item descriptions. Some questions, you didn’t think to ask. But I’ll give you a brief synopsis. Ahem…

In the land of lords and kings, you sit at the end of a great war. Dragons once ruled the earth but were dethroned by possessors of Lord Souls. With victory at hand, these giants set themselves as gods.

You sit in an asylum, locked away from the world. It is not clear why you are there, but you find your way out and explore the unknown world. You are an Undead; a Pygmy who cannot die. You are a pygmy, because you are human. And this is a land of giants.

Massive works of architecture await you, along with an endless horde of enemies.

In the land of giants, you must find your way. Alone. But be weary, everything wants to kill you and consume your Dark Soul. The monsters, the demons, and even your fellow undead. And even the giants who so earnestly plead for your help. For you are the key to keeping this world afloat. Now, will you save this world you know so little about and yet has killed you so often, or will you find another path? The choice is yours.

Now, if this story seems like it’s missing “meat,” don’t worry, because there are many more unanswered questions to destroy your sanity. Honestly, I liked the story. For me, it seemed personal; it was what my life was like. Also, I appreciated how this lore leaves enough unanswered to draw people to explore more. There are many interesting theories, if you care to explore them.

Dark Souls Gameplay

Character Creation

You have the ability to create your own character. Or, you can choose from some premade options. There are also classes for your character, but they don’t matter. After you start the game, your character can become whatever you want; all skills are open to you.

Game Activities

Quests: Don’t expect any “quests” in this game. Unlike Final Fantasy XIII, you are not told something to lead you to some place or person. You can go and experience anything at any time.
Example: in other games, you speak with some tavern person who complains about a monster. Now that monster appears, which you’ve never seen, as a quest mission. In Dark Souls, almost every boss is available to stumble upon, at the beginning of the game.
Bosses: Every area has a boss. And every boss is unique from every monster in the game. Again: nothing prepares you for the bosses you meet.

Bosses await you in a variety of places, and none of them are pushovers.
Prepare to die a lot, nuff said. When you die, your character becomes “hollow.” In this state, where you look like a zombie, some online features become unavailable to you. And to look human again, you must sacrifice a humanity to the bonfire. How do you get humanity? By very difficult or very unsavory means. Very difficult: kill an enemy who drops it. Very unsavory: kill a human who isn’t hollow.
If you get the chance, talk to every NPC you find. Sometimes, they give you useful info. For example, the skill of Pyromancy – throwing fire at people – can only be obtained from a certain NPC. Unless, of course, you started the game as a pyromancer.
Covenants: In the game, there are covenants you can join for special skills or events. The Way of White allows you to help your friends in boss battles. Whereas the Blade of the Darkmoon covenant prompts you to hunt players who have sinned.
There is much to do in Dark Souls: Remastered and many secrets to unlock, but are you prepared for New Game+? Face all the challenges again on a harder difficulty if you can, for you will learn that some things you saw in the last playthrough have changed.
DLC: Like most games, Dark Souls: Remastered has DLC. And by that, I mean all the DLC for Dark Souls is included in one purchase of Dark Souls: Remastered, so put away your credit card.

Dark Souls: Remastered Combat

Dark Souls: Remastered is a free-roam game, so if you mastered “dodge-roll” in Kingdom Hearts, you may well survive. Dodge attacks, cast spells, backstab, and strategize your way to victory.

Weapons:

Ah yes, weapons. Dark Souls: Remastered provides a variety of ways to massacre your foes. Each with its own pros and cons.

Cut down your enemies with swords.
Bash them with clubs.
Burn them with pyromancy.
Enchant them with spells.
Bewilder them with healing miracles.
Stab them with daggers.
Keep them afar with spears.
Shoot them with arrows.

And I’m still not done. There are more weapons to obtain, and every weapon has different variations. Bows have longbows, short-bows, and crossbows. Swords have longswords, short-words, and great swords. Not to mention bombs, throwing knives, etc. You just don’t get to summon a fire-breathing dragon. Or a dog. That would be cool, though, but would take away from the loneliness you get from playing the game. This isn’t Fable.

Multiplayer:

And don’t get me started on the co-op and PvP. You meet other players by invading them, or by being summoned. Once there, you can test your skills against another player or help them with a boss fight. Unfortunately, you can’t just clear an entire area with your friend.

But fear not. If you are a Hollow, the co-op system is unavailable. So maybe you don’t want people invading you: after your lucky souls. You become hollow by dying. But know that you can’t ask a friend for help against bosses this way.

Fortunately, some bosses have a random NPC that can be summoned to help you. You unlock them by performing certain tasks. And by being human. So, don’t feel cornered if you don’t want to play online. You can still get help, sometimes.

Bonfires:

Speaking of bonfires, bonfires are checkpoints throughout the game that heal you completely. They refill your healing Estus Flask. When you die, you return to the last bonfire you sat at, and every normal enemy you’ve killed is then revived.

Dark Souls: Remastered Adventure

As I’ve stated before, there is no real “quest” in this game. For half the game, you travel the world without much aim. When I first rang the bell at the bell tower, I forgot there even was a bell. It was mentioned by an NPC, but I didn’t see its importance.

Sometime later, you may meet someone who will give a quest to complete the game. How do you fulfill that quest? Where do you go? Good question. Ask a strategy guide.

But the places are all interesting and unique. You may traverse a toxic swamp or evade molten lava, or even explore a place full of ghosts that can’t be killed with your sword or blocked with your shield. And then, there is Sen’s Fortress. I won’t talk about Sen’s Fortress. I don’t want to talk about Sen’s Fortress.

Dark Souls: Remastered Graphics

The improvements the Remastered edition have made in graphics are quite astonishing.

Yes, remastered graphics. You thought Dark Souls was nerve-wrecking before? Bet you haven’t tried it in 4K. So Xbox One X, PS4 Pro and PC players can enjoy the death and despair in greater resolution. Of course, that’s only if you have a 4K TV. Otherwise, your standard 1080p resolution is what you get. Don’t worry, the dragon’s fire still looks like fire, and will still kill you. Unless you are sweating heavily.

Dark Souls: Remastered Developer

Again, Dark Souls: Remastered was developed by FromSoftware. Now, I could tell you that the developers listen to their community. I could tell you that they constantly improve on the game. But instead, I’ll tell you a few stories.

Once upon a time, there was glitch that would grant you unlimited souls and unlimited humanity. It involved a Dragon Head and a soul. FromSoftware patched that thing, so people would stop using it.

Then, there were glitches in the Prepare to Die edition of Dark Souls. FromSoftware made Dark Souls: Remastered. Glitch-begone. Whether or not all the glitches have been patched, I don’t know. I’m not one who breaks the game often.