Embarking on a journey through the remastered lands of Lordran in "Dark Souls Remastered" as my custom character, Beppi, the Deprived, was both a punishing and rewarding experience. Starting with nothing but a plank shield and a club, Beppi's early game was a struggle against the harsh realities of a world designed to test the mettle of any who dare traverse its depths.

The initial challenges, such as the relentless assault of the Bell Gargoyles, the claustrophobic confrontation with the Capra Demon, and the petrifying gaze of the Basilisk frogs, were formidable trials. These early game hurdles were made even more arduous by the misleading guidance of Devin Martin, who inadvertently led Beppi into the nightmare-inducing Great Hollow, a place where time seemed to stand still amidst endless falls and the ever-present threat of being cursed.

Despite these struggles, there were moments of triumph that made the journey worthwhile. The battles against my favorite bosses - Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, with his poignant, piano-accompanied duel that marks the end of an era; Knight Artorias, whose tragic fall into darkness was both beautiful and harrowing; and the iconic duo of Ornstein and Smough, a fight that tested both skill and patience - were exhilarating. An honorable mention goes to Manus, Father of the Abyss, whose lore-rich backstory and challenging moveset added depth to the experience.

The story of "Dark Souls" unfolds through its environmental world-building, a narrative technique that peaked my interest and kept me invested in uncovering the mysteries of this decaying world. The ruins tell tales of glory and despair, of gods and humans, and of the cyclical nature of light and darkness, all without uttering a single word.

However, the journey was not without its frustrations. The game's "janky" mechanics, particularly the often-uncooperative camera and questionable hit detection, led to numerous untimely deaths. The infamous Bed of Chaos, while overhyped, proved to be an annoying encounter, more a puzzle than a battle, and one that felt out of place in the game's otherwise combat-centric design. The joke about Ceaseless Discharge's "erectile dysfunction" issues adds a humorous note to the otherwise grim atmosphere of the game, reflecting the community's playful engagement with its lore and characters.

The discovery and mastery of weapons such as Smough's Hammer and the Black Knight Greatsword were highlights of the adventure, offering a sense of progression and power that was immensely satisfying.

Beppi's journey through "Dark Souls Remastered" was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with low lows and high highs. The frustrations and triumphs experienced along the way have left me excited for the future of my Dark Souls career. The game, with all its imperfections, remains a masterpiece of modern gaming, a testament to the beauty of challenge, and the depth of storytelling achievable through interactive media. 9/10

gives me a fucking headache man...controlling your character properly can get hard in this game's endless gimmicky areas with lots of tight spaces where it seemed like even the developers knew they were bad, not to mention the camera feels like it's fighting the environments and having to backtrack through everything in the first half of the game whenever you wanna get something done in another area is such a chore, and even when you do get the lordvessel it's awfully selective in which bonfires you're allowed to teleport to, all of this combined with a very lackluster boss roster with only a few highlights where almost every single one of them has a bad runback and it was getting really hard to enjoy even the good parts of this butt-ugly game

it's still Dark Souls. just, like....different.

it's a shame this is the only version of the game you can buy on Steam.


last i played i was working through an all achievements route.