So far I have touched on some basic topics in Dark Souls that a rookie or unaware potential player could use in order to increase his chances at survival in the dismal virtual world. The main takeaway besides the technological aspects of strategy and gameplay knowledge is persistence! Any video game, from the very beginning of its creation to modern day games takes persistence in order to conquer new obstacles. With persistence, any game can be beaten with time, patience, and maybe a helpful guide to help lessen the mystery.

The main topic overviews cover combat strategies, items, gear sets and weapons, non-player characters, and online interactions.

With combat strategies, timing is everything. Watching your player’s stamina is crucial in order to block attacks and recharge stamina quicker; it’s the easiest way to dispose of a tough enemy that can’t be defeated in a couple of hits. Know the enemy! Observe and watch the attack patterns and learn how to dodge and time your attacks perfectly. Practice makes perfect! Every time you die, you have more knowledge against your opponent and a better chance to do better next time!

The items in the game can help aid the player’s progress throughout areas with differing ailments. The estus flask is the most important item, as it holds the healing liquid, estus, to replenish the player’s health. The other items can help cure ailments from creatures or environment threats, such as poison or bleeding. Collecting, searching, or buying loot is good for when these situations arise so the player can be most prepared. Also, reading up on the various types of items not mentioned in my guide may help the player in unique situations. Any Dark Souls wiki would have an exhaustive list of the several items scattered throughout the world and what their uses are.

Gear sets and weapons are an important aspect of gameplay that can effect character classes in various ways. Choosing what kind of armor to wear can make the difference between being quick and stealthy or playing like a tank, pummeling any creature in your wake. It would be helpful to have an idea in mind before choosing a character class, but stats can be tailored as the player levels up, so it isn’t absolutely necessary. Heavier armor takes more strength to wear and walk around in, whereas lighter armor does not.

Non-player characters, or NPCs, can immerse the player in the other faceted stories in the world of Dark Souls. Each NPC has a unique storyline that is only accessible by talking or interacting with the character, more often than not, repeatedly throughout the game and in different locations. By doing this, the player can gain the aid of certain special NPCs in boss bottles in the game, a huge plus since they can be extremely challenging.

Lastly, online interactions in the game can help the player feel less alone in the world, even when playing a single player campaign. Hints throughout the areas can help warn a player of enemies or hint toward hidden loot. Some also enjoy the PvP aspect of the game, inviting or invading other players to test their skill against another human.

Hopefully this leads some insight into the world of Dark Souls and makes its reputation a bit less dismal to those un-knowledgeable or too afraid to attempt it before.

In Dark Souls, a unique aspect of gameplay is the way it incorporates online interactions with other players. There are variable ways to interact with other players in the game, whether helping one another through a tough area or challenging each other in a one versus one battle of skills. All online interactions are optional, though playing offline is mainly disadvantageous to the player regardless of whether he decides to directly interact with players. This is apparent through the appearance of messages in the world left by other players.

Messages in Dark Souls can be left on the ground by any player. The messages appear as three bright orange marks on the ground, and to read it the player simply walks over it and presses a button to read it. Each player can only leave a certain number of messages, so spam is prevented. When a player leaves a message, it is a template of predetermined sentences that can aid (or trick) the player. For example, I could leave a pre-written message that says “Amazing ring ahead” or “Tough enemy ahead” on the ground for anyone online to see.

You might think the ground would become overcrowded with messages everywhere with players leaving them, but the messages can only be seen by those on the same server, which the game handles since it doesn’t matter how the player connects online. The messages are incredibly useful for players who may not want to challenge others in a one versues one duel or who don’t necessarilly want direct help from a player defeating a boss or tough enemy. They act as little hints throughout the world that can help guide the player. Also, leaving messages is just as gratifying when conquering a tough area and feeling like you have enough knowledge to want to aid others in the future. This is great if a secret treasure is discovered; I could place a message near it to lead a player to look around for it.

For those who DO want more solid online cooperation, it’s possible to summon another player the same way one would summon an NPC to help with a boss battle. An online player can connect with another player only if he has not defeated the boss of that area. Once he dies, he is banished from the player’s world unless he is re-summoned. Tackling tough areas and bosses becomes much easier with a friend or other online ally, and many enjoy playing this way.

Lastly, the player versus player aspect is especially challenging for those proud of their player stats and skills, and upgraded armor and weapons. While connected online, a player can be invaded by another player in the game. When this happens, it’s impossible to rest at bonfires until the invader is banished. The invader can be banished once he is defeated, the player is defeated, OR if the player has a special item that banishes the invader immediately. Dueling is a great way to gain lots of souls, the currency for purchasing items as well as acting as upgrade points for the player. It’s also entertaining to test your skill against another real life person, instead of normal AI in the game. Many players choose to invade other player’s worlds or leave themselves open to being invaded in order to duel.

This generally covers the ways players can have online interactions in Dark Souls but any further nuances and details can be found on any online wiki or simply by playing yourself and exploring the possibilities!