Despite initially being put off by its many issues—frustrating enemy placements, disconnected areas, and the mechanics of soul memory and ADP—Dark Souls 2 has struck out a very core, emotional experience. The world of Dark Souls 2, with all its rough edges, feels deeply human. No higher purpose exists here, but merely the hope to break the chains of a curse. Majula, with its melancholy beauty, stands as a beacon of these themes—a place where despair and hope mingle like the fading light of dusk, where the legends of old seem but distant whispers on the wind and those few companions seek out a nonexistent solace. In these dialogues, fleeting as though hollowed, we see ourselves, our own desperations. It's about the push to find a place, a moment of peace, in a world that feels perpetually against you.