Souls-likes

[Taiso]

I fired up Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin because I've been watching videos by people talking about why it's 'the worst' and why 'the worst' Souls game is really more like 'worst of the best.'

Fresh run, no NG+ and I watched a couple of vids on some early game items that will help with progression. Fire Longsword is OP if you can get it.

The thing that never registered with me and this game is just how slow and easy it all is so far. I decided to fight the Pursuer early on that little platform up the ladder near the destructible wall. I remember how much I hated this boss in the early days but FFS he was a cakewalk.

So far, knowing what this game is, understanding the soft lock mechanics and trading on hits with more confidence against the ganks has made this an enjoyable experience so far. The alterations to the stamina bar, nerfed damage when you clip on swings and the generally slow healing are things I didn't factor into my early playthroughs. This time, I'm well aware of them and way more prepared. It's been fun.

 

[Yoshi]

I just finished the base SotFS game and agree. Out of curiosity, where does "worst of the best" end? What non-From games are must plays?

 

[Taiso]

Well, in terms of From Software 'soulslike' games, my opinion would be that Dark Souls II is the 'worst'. Scholar of the First Sin appears to be a sort of 'remixed' version of the vanilla release, but I can only take the word of dedicated fanatics of this series for that evaluation.

For non-From Software games in the 'soulslike' vein, I think the ones worth the time are:

Lords of the Fallen (the new one, not the old crappy one)
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Lies of P (not from personal experience, but it has a lot of fans)
Black Myth Wukong
Mortal Shell
Nioh
Nioh 2 (never played this one but everyone says it's better than the first and I have no real reason to doubt that)

There are a few good 2D/retro games that capture the atmosphere and essence of the 'soulslike' formula

Hollow Knight
Blasphemous
Blasphemous 2 (way easier than the first one but still fun)
Salt and Sanctuary

I never played Salt and Sacrifice but I intend to at some point.

 

[ChuChu Flamingo]

Not sure why people say 2 is the worst. Base game is leagues better than 3 just due to build diversity and power stance builds. The world is also very well built and interconnected much like dark souls 1. 3 on the other hand is like warping to different places.

DLC sucks ass though

 

[Taiso]

Interesting, because almost every reasonable critique I've heard about Dark Souls II includes heavy criticism that the various zones don't feel unified or conjoined by any basic design philosophy.

I generally don't care about such things, for the most part. Can I walk around, fight shit and find cool secrets? If so, I'm good. None of the environments of Dark Souls II feel like they're out of place to me, anyway.

 

[jro]

DS II SotFS is neck and neck with Demon's for the easiest game in the genre. You can fuck up your run if you're being dumb and killing literally eveyone (hey-OH!!) but even Scholar, the levels are just pretty easy. The DLC is so much better than the main game it's kinda weird. I am pretty sure that Kamiya said fuck off interns.

F'in ell Game Science get the DLC for BMW out. Going on over a month now beyond what everyone expected, nail that shit and get a nerfed Xbox version out at the same time (jk no Asian dev gives a fuck about Xbox just do the update).

And, finally, weird addition that suppose I may have mentioned 5 years ago (@LoneSage ) wayback machine....----- ---- Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown is absolutely a Souls-like, mostly to its detriment. I finished it on XB1 when it came out, and now I'm at it again on PS5 with basically all the relevant DLC (Nosferatu is indeed hilarious). The missions tend to be incredibly hard on normal difficulty, and in many of the later ones a single mistake means you lose and have to start over. There's a very large tree of planes and weapons but even with the best DLC ones nothing is ever easy.

IIRC it sold alright, but not great. Would like to see BandaiNamco take another shot at the franchise.

 

[Taiso]

Last night I cleared the Ruin Sentinels. I was invaded once on the way to them and boy did it piss me off. I forgot how lame being invaded was when you're trying to progress the game.

I logged off of PSN after that. So irritating.

I've never been a fan of the invasion mechanic in these games.

As for Dark Souls II's difficulty, it still has a few challenging spots. From McDuff's smithy to the boss fight has too many ganks. My weapon quality is already so low by the time I face them. Had to burn an effigy and summon a NPC ally to help take some of the heat off of me.

So it's not a completely mindless experience.

Working on Lucatiel's questline. I don't think I've ever completed a single NPC questline in this game ever.

 

[Taiso]

Up into Harvest Valley, yet another of From Software's favorite environments: poison.

Also did Sinner's Rise, Undead Purgatory and Huntsman's Copse, clearing Skeleton Lords in the process.

Since I'm just doing this to revisit the game and have no long term intentions of NG+, I may use all the boss souls for leveling. Some of the requirements are too much for me to bother with.

 

[LoneSage]

And, finally, weird addition that suppose I may have mentioned 5 years ago (@LoneSage ) wayback machine....----- ---- Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown

INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER

 

[mmsadda]

Dark souls one is the only souls-like game i have ever played and i gave up nearly right out of the gate when i was trying to fight the things with knives that roll up and spin dash at you. That is the level of retard i am. I hate dark souls. Could barely even get past the archways with the dragon breathing fire at me.
Soo…. Maybe some other people hate the first one because it’s all they have ever played. I dunno. Maybe im just real special!

Those bone wheel enemies are easily the second-worst part of the game behind Anor Londo archers

 

[mmsadda]

I had much more fun with DS2 vanilla than with SOTFS PS4 (though I never did the dlc, so I know I'm missing out. Way too many terrible ganks in SOTFS - they ruined Shrine or Amana and Iron Keep in Scholar

Not sure why people say 2 is the worst. Base game is leagues better than 3 just due to build diversity and power stance builds. The world is also very well built and interconnected much like dark souls 1. 3 on the other hand is like warping to different places.

DLC sucks ass though

Miyazaki didn't direct 2, unlike every other Fromsoft soulsborne game.

Biggest issue with 2 is it's a series of discrete levels instead of a big interconnected world (tho one could argue that for much of 3 as well.) I love 2, but its world layout doesn't make sense (go up an elevator in a tower and wind up at a lake of lava???) The boss designs in 2 also feel flat. 2 is just a very different game.

I found 3 more frustrating at first, but more rewarding (and easy) the next time through.

 

[ggallegos1]

Those bone wheel enemies are easily the second-worst part of the game behind Anor Londo archers

I think my most hated enemies are the Anor London archers and the sharks in the well in Bloodbornes DLC. Fuck those guys.

 

[Average Joe]

Anor Londo archers for sure.

However, I still think dogs get overlooked a lot.

They've been in how many games now?

Those fuckers still take me out the damn time.

 

[SML]

Dark souls one is the only souls-like game i have ever played and i gave up nearly right out of the gate when i was trying to fight the things with knives that roll up and spin dash at you.

Wait.

You went all the way to the bottom of the catacombs right out of the gate? I think I know why you were having trouble.

 

[Lagduf]

I feel for the poor souls who slog down to pinwheel, kill him and then find their progress stopped by a magic wall.

No wonder they go hollow.

 

[max 330 megafartz]

Wait.

You went all the way to the bottom of the catacombs right out of the gate? I think I know why you were having trouble.

Im not smart. I cannot confirm that this is what i did, but i wouldn’t be surprised if somehow given the freedom to explore somehow i wandered way the fuck into late game territory

 

[Lagduf]

Im not smart. I cannot confirm that this is what i did, but i wouldn’t be surprised if somehow given the freedom to explore somehow i wandered way the fuck into late game territory

It’s just a route you can’t progress further until later in the game and it’s made substantially easier when you have a certain weapon upgrade that makes it so the skeletons actually die when you kill them.

Plenty of people go down to the boss of the area early, kill him, and then trudge on back up. The Boss, Pinwheel, is one of the easiest in the game.

There’s another area you can go to with ghosts and water. That’s an actual late game area (though there are some useful items you can grab early game in the beginning of that area) and mostly a waste of time to go to early.

 

[Taiso]

+1 for Iron Keep being ruined with all the ganks.

I'm there now and it fucking sucks.

 

[SML]

Achilles repeatedly luring Hector into a fight outside the gates. Sometimes a few Hectors come out and he has to adjust.

 

[SML]

Im not smart. I cannot confirm that this is what i did, but i wouldn’t be surprised if somehow given the freedom to explore somehow i wandered way the fuck into late game territory

I'd consider the catacombs to be middle-game territory... something to first consider tackling after ringing the first bell of awakening. A *lot* of people go straight into the graveyard and get their asses kicked by the skeletons and assume that's just what people mean when they say Dark Souls is hard.

 

[Taiso]

Got through Smelter Demon and am now exploring the areas beyond. Is there a way to turn all these flame jets off? I need to research. I also feel like I'm missing some essential power ups. I may have to go back. Currently at 5 Estus Flasks at +1. Just got the Titanite Slab from McDuff and the achievement. Also got the exiles achievement for getting all the NPCs to Majula.

So far, Lucatiel's questline is intact. She's survived the minimum 3 questline boss fights from the ones on her 'list':

Flexile Sentry
Lost Sinner
Smelter Demon

Now just have to talk to her at Black Gulch and Aldia's Keep. So the hard part's over. I could bring her along for the Rotten and the Burnt Ivory King but her assistance isn't necessary at this point. If I'm not hollow when I come upon them, I'll tag her in.,

 

[SML]

Got through Smelter Demon and am now exploring the areas beyond. Is there a way to turn all these flame jets off?

There's a lever near the last bonfire in the keep.

Lucatiel is summonable for Burnt Ivory King even if her questline is finished in main.

 

[Taiso]

Bypassed the Pharos area and went right to Brightstone Cove.

Some of the changes between vanilla and Scholar are baffling, especially concerning the Pate questline. They moved Creighton's second location from Shaded Woods to that area with all the lion statue people. I can't remember the name of it right now. Anyway, the key no longer unlocks the door to the third bonfire. That was a surprise, but not a very big deal.

Anyway, kept my NPC questline with Lucatiel intact and am working on Benhart's questline currently. I'm going to need to get the King's Ring in order to advance it because I need to get to Drangleic Castle to advance it. So more work.

I'll probably do the DLC, as much as I can, in this run before resting the game. Never did it the first time around.

 

[Taiso]

Up through Undead Crypt. Got the King's Ring and watched Vendryk shamble around for a while. Made me sad.

His wife's a ho and so are Shrine of Amana and Undead Crypt. Fuckers ringing bells. Forgot about the one under the steps.

 

[Taiso]

Working on obtaining the three crowns for the DLC areas, which aren't DLC in Scholar.

Sinh was such an asshole.

In Brune Tower now. Not so good times.

The gank squads in this game are fucking ridiculous.