Once the annoying GFWL piece was removed, I purchased this game on sale. I enjoy challenging games so I wasn't afraid of the rumors I heard about Dark Souls' difficulty. Having never played Demon Souls, the spiritual predecessor, I was completely new to this series. What I quickly learned is that the game is overwhelming to new people and seriously lacks adequate in-game tutorials. Questions many people start off with is "What character should I be?", "Which weapons should I use?", and "Which skills should I spend souls on?" The makers of the Dark Souls seemingly want you to experiment in the game to figure this out and some say this is part of the charm.

Since the game can easily take at least 40 hours to complete, I wasn't in the mood to play a difficult game AND not know what the heck is going on. So what I did instead was to read a few beginner, spoiler-free guides to Dark Souls, and I really feel this helped the game be quite enjoyable.

As for game play, there isn't much more for me to say that hasn't already been said 100x over. I definitely recommend the game for those who enjoy challenging RPGs with emphasis on action fighting. The large amount of big boss battles will give plenty of satisfaction. The story and sense of adventure will also make you incredibly curious with each new area you enter. When you start this game, it will engross you to the point that when you aren't playing, you'll be thinking about what is next and/or how to defeat a boss who has already killed you 10+ times. This is one of those games you'll never forget.

Once the annoying GFWL piece was removed, I purchased this game on sale. I enjoy challenging games so I wasn't afraid of the rumors I heard about Dark Souls' difficulty. Having never played Demon Souls, the spiritual predecessor, I was completely new to this series. What I quickly learned is that the game is overwhelming to new people and seriously lacks adequate in-game tutorials. Questions many people start off with is "What character should I be?", "Which weapons should I use?", and "Which skills should I spend souls on?" The makers of the Dark Souls seemingly want you to experiment in the game to figure this out and some say this is part of the charm. Since the game can easily take at least 40 hours to complete, I wasn't in the mood to play a difficult game AND not know what the heck is going on. So what I did instead was to read a few beginner, spoiler-free guides to Dark Souls, and I really feel this helped the game be quite enjoyable. As for game play, there isn't much more for me to say that hasn't already been said 100x over. I definitely recommend the game for those who enjoy challenging RPGs with emphasis on action fighting. The large amount of big boss battles will give plenty of satisfaction. The story and sense of adventure will also make you incredibly curious with each new area you enter. When you start this game, it will engross you to the point that when you aren't playing, you'll be thinking about what is next and/or how to defeat a boss who has already killed you 10+ times. This is one of those games you'll never forget.