Recent reviews by OwenJAYEH

I don't like JRPGs.

This is an exception.

I had a misconception about Dark Souls for quite a bit. I would try to give the game a play through, get extremely confused and frustrated, and go to the internet only to find waves of "git gud" and "it's not a hard game" messages. Therefore, I thought it was an extremely torturous experience held together by its shiny art direction and expansive world-building. Only after giving the game a fair try, as well as avoiding unhelpful comments, was I able to really appreciate this game.

The beginning of the game is brutal to new players, but taking the first few hours to research the mechanics of the game and put it into practice really pays off. I would also highly suggest not being afraid about utilizing a guide, such as I did, as the game's non-linear nature can lead to confusion on what to do next.

Slowly, as I learned to keep my distance from enemies, watch my stamina gauge, and plan my counter-attacks, I was able to understand why people loved this game. I had a ton of fun going from area to area, discovering the vastly beautiful world and the story behind it.

Everything began to click inside my brain. Dark Souls is a hard game, not because it is built to be torturous and nearly impossible, but because of my preconceived notions of how I should play the game. While other action-adventure games like The Legend of Zelda have taught me to swing my sword like no tomorrow, Dark Souls slapped me in the face when I attempted it.

Dark Souls is a precision action game. If something seems like it is near impossible, there is always an alternate, easier way to approach the situation.