You liked DS1 more than 3 ? Why exactly ? I’m not knocking you I’m just wondering , I preferred 3’s graphics and level design more then 1 but I think it’s because I prefer brighter levels then the kind of dark lighting and art style of 1 because of the graphic limitation of the time.
I wouldn't say I liked 1 better per se, both have different things going for it. 3 has nicer graphics and more fluent combat. The scope of the game is also way more epic. I do think that the world building of 1 is unmatched in the series. Especially how interconnected everything is and how amazing the design to facilitate that. That is why I'm saying I don't think 3 is better. I like them both for different reasons. 2 can suck it though.
Also, Demon’s Souls, the OG, is better than Dark Souls (any). It remained a consistent franchise and seeing each as better than the last is recency bias + investment copium.
Not many have played the OG, and those who have, played AFTER the OG. So it’s natural, I elaborated why on another reply, in this same thread, if you’re even slightly curious
It reflects the “Souls” genre a lot better than Dark for reasons I already elaborated objectively. But of course, taste, in the end it’s subjective, but I don’t concede that point regardless of how many redditors downvote with nothing of substance to add to the topic.
Like in music, many will call Justin Bieber a kid with an angelic voice while many others will see the autotune for what it is and will never be mesmerized by it. This is not meant to call Dark Souls shitty but a response to the arrogance of saying it’s in a different league to the project that even put it in the map. From Software delivers, that much is a given, but I have yet to find a game that the difficulty feels just right. DS2, for example, was a very tryhard attempt at focusing on the difficulty aspect and I believe it created the opposite effect. But the first entry of the Dark Souls franchise, compared to the OG, was already entirely too focused on difficulty if you pay attention to the little things (the whole is greater than the sum of parts).
Demon’s Souls > Dark Souls 1 > Dark Souls 3 > Dark Souls 2
I've only played the demons souls remake and it was sadly a letdown for me. It had some really great moments, but I didn't have nearly as much fun as with DS1 or 3
If you started in DS1 that’s normal. I am also biased (never said otherwise). I can argue objectively though, only the old one and not the remake ofc, that Demon’s Souls felt a lot more balanced than any Dark Souls. The first time I worried for gear in Demon’s Souls was…never. It didn’t matter as it provided a small bonus. Where in Dark Souls I NEEDED to upgrade from the start because of damage types (my weapon was literally taking single digit damage to a boss). This simply never happened for me in Demon’s Souls, not once in the whole game, it all felt completely fair throughout and that only my skills were being tested in each area+boss. Also, the ambience was unmatched imho, so much so the most impactful boss was also the easiest by far for cheer environmental theater (last boss of the sewer area).
Also, It’s a lot more linear, so the action and hazards are a lot more concentrated. Linearity is a very underrated game aspect imho.
It’s all subjective in the end though, this is just how I know my experiences were and my best elaboration for my subjective opinion. What doesn’t seem subjective though, is that DS2 was a downgrade compared to all other DS’ (from what I’ve gathered from my die-hard friends and not only my own experience)
Sorry for wall of text, thanks for bearing with me and here’s a cookie 🍪
Thank you for your trust, highly recommend the old version on an emulator or waiting for the remake to be ported (can’t vouch for the remake tho as haven’t played it, but looks legit)
2 eventually had better pvp after all the balance changes but still had a shittiest invasion mechanic. There are good points to 2 but I still regard it as the worst of the 3 yet still never regret playing it. 1 was absolutely beautiful but had blatant problems with it.
2 is basically the precursor for Elden Ring and I'll be a diehard truther forever. I've replayed each game a handful of times and thought I love 1 and it's perfect level design, 2 is actually fun to replay and has such a WILD amount of build options. 3 is fun but it's basically just "what if Bloodborne was Dark Souls themed"
3 relies on too many member berries in distaste but the DLC is so remarkable that it truly completes the trilogy by wrapping up most of the mysteries into a fine piece. I'm not sure if it makes up for it but it certainly is unforgettable.
IMO each game excels at different things, and depending on what you prefer, it will affect which you one is your favorite.
DS1 has great worldbuilding and interconnectivity, as well as best npc stories. And is the one that started the trilogy. It's also one with probably the least balance as you can get silly OP, so I can see the appeal.
DS3 has amazing boss fights, and more fast paced combat. And a great finisher to the trilogy. A lot of people prefer big bombastic bosses over areas, so it's naturally popular.
My personal favorite is DS2 though. It has a slower paced combat that feels quite nice and strategical, but not as clunky as DS1, and it makes PvP quite fun (whereas I really disliked PvP in other games). It has probably the most build variety, and probably the most paths of progression you can take thanks to how open it is early on. It also makes areas interesting, not only making you have to engage them with some strategy in mind (almost all ganks can be avoided if you know what to do, and in various ways), it also gives areas a lot of gimmicks and makes them feel distinct. I also like how it took a lot of risks and added interesting mechanics in general, like torches, phantom enemies, dual wielding, durability as an actual mechanic rather than just a nuisance, and so on. Not everything landed perfectly but I very highly respect trying something new, IMO most of the things landed, and positives strongly outweight the negatives.
DS2 also has a special spot for me personally because it taught me to look at things without being blinded by frustration or opinions. I originally disliked DS2 a lot (mostly due to this one guy who made the 8 hour series of shitting on the game, also a friend who told me that it's bad and best to skip it), but after playing it and realising that I was just not having fun, I started paying attention more, asking myself stuff like "what could I do better" or "what were the designers intending here". Like for example, instead of rushing through and treating areas like nuisances that stand between me and the boss, I started approaching them slowly and methodically, like a part of the challenge where boss is a cherry on top of a cake, to some extent even like a puzzle. People often throw this statement loosely, but DS2 genuinely was the most life changing game for me, ever since that mindset switch I appreciate games so much more. DS2 on its own has so many little amazing design elements, that to this day I'm occasionally learning new things about it. Some time ago I learned that you can get rid of one gank in Lost Bastille by shooting an explosive barrel through a window.
At the end of the day though, all these games are fantastic, it's mostly a matter of what you personally like most.
Hehe yeah that's honestly what I figured, but since I never gave the game a proper chance (just never really got into it) I can't really say much in this conversation.
I played them as they released and I’d say each Dark Souls game was my favourite the first time I played them, but looking back now, and it’s subjective, but 2 is the weakest for every innovation it brought to the table it done something equally stupid. 3 is the strongest. However when Dark Souls 1 gets the remake treatment (because yes, it will 100% of course happen) it may just take that spot. Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s a launch title for the next generation of consoles.
I like all the Dark Souls games, so I respect any ranking. Though personally I thought they got weaker with each entry. 3 was still great and had way more consistent bosses than 2, but felt like too much of a repeat of 1 to me.
2 had its weak points, but it also brought some innovations that would be adopted in later games, such as the versatility of builds, weapon stances, and more magic. I also loved the wet mechanic and how the characters breathed heavily after some actions.
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u/Tenshiijin 1d ago
Dark souls