No one got it? Huge return to form after 2.

Told myself I have to clear my backlog of games before I get this...unless Gamefly sends me it first.

Just finished up Until Dawn, which was a pretty great game.

I just bought a PS4 and got DS3 with it, the pull of Dark Souls is too much.

oh I believe that...the whole reason I bought a PS4 was for Bloodborne.

This looks really good, but I want to play the first one before I get into this. Got it for free when it was on Games with Gold, but never got around to playing it.

I have never played Bloodborne, no PS4.

Souls 3 really has that feeling back (as in Demon Souls/Dark Souls) of impending disaster looming around every corner, and the need to explore every nook for a secret path or item. Dark Souls 2 felt a little too easy and a bit too linear, it didn't have that same feeling of debating whether to stick or twist with your progress, but 3 definitely has that feeling back with the toughness and sheer number of enemies from the very beginning. Timing and stamina is also very much of the essence, there is no swinging through the levels. It's simpler to run past some enemies, although gambling that you won't just run into an even worse situation.

All in all it has that relentless feeling of oppression in every level, frustratiin at dying but the feeling of achievement when you make progress.

Bloodbourne was fun and the only one I have actually finished, but it is like a streamlined version of the Souls games - its fairly linear and its built around having one sort of character. I'm told its the least replayable

I'm a little past the first of the Lords now and I'd say Dark Souls 3 is easily the most linear of all the Souls games. Either that or I'm just not finding any legit alternate routes. Its either just been a case of a short area and a boss with a dead end, or a choice of Path A or Path B, but you need to do both to access Path C. When I reached Firelink it looked huge and was hoping all those tunnels would branch off in different interconnected directions. As a hub it definitely feels more like The Nexus.

That said, individual stage and boss design is leaps and bounds ahead of DS2. Cathedral of the Deep in particular is wonderful, again very Demon Souls in it's stage layout and shortcuts.

Yeah it is a linear design, even Demon Souls with the Nexus allowed you to try out the tougher stages early on if you wanted to. I was hoping they might bring back Stockpile Thomas for the Firelink Shrine. The High Wall level is pretty reminiscent of Boletarian Palace too. It does lose a bit of that fear that you could be going into an area where you are liable to die in one hit at any time, but then even with the linear design it feels the enemies increase in toughness quite steeply until you learn how to play them.

Finally found the time to finish the Soul of Cinder off, maybe I'm rusty but he gave me a much harder time than Gwyn did. Dark Souls II final boss I remember being absolute piss, but this one is brutal.

Was kind of disappointed with Aldrich's design after the semi-formless tentacled goop he looked to be in the opening cut scene. I think the whole "of the deep" stuff made me think of sea creatures and semi aquatic areas (like that one in DSII with the lost sinner boss). Obviously it's just referring to the abyss but still, I think I over anticipated finally getting to him and speculating what he could be.

Failed almost every NPC quest, I only managed to complete Anri's & Leonhard's, also never even saw Seigward again after the young fire demon fight. Patches also showed up very late in my game when I decided to explore the firelink tower after visiting The Untended Graves so I'm not sure what purpose he serves either. Never even found the magic tutor.

Decided to run through it again and see if I fare any better, managed to get up to and beat Vordt without dying so far but I'm sure that wont last long.

Patches and Siegward are linked in their quests. It is really easy to miss stuff in this game if you don't explore every nook.

I'm near the end of the game now in my first playthrough but I've spent so much time invading and beating the shit out of people. I had 70 something pale tongues at one point.

I've been a bit disappointed with how crap elemental infusions are when they split weapon damage. It appears the only viable way to go is pure physical damage with refined/heavy/sharp infusions.

Yeah I've been wielding a Heavy Greatsword for most of my game, dumped a lot of levels in STR and it seems to be the optimal choice for my character. Haven't really tried any of the other infusions other than Fire. The status ones are probably only viable with a DEX weapon anyway if they work the same as previous games and my faith / INT are too low for the others to count for anything.

I'm not very good at pvp. I've been trying to grind covenant items and I've not had much success.

Find a weapon that suits your play-style and go with it. Failing that, level-up a longsword or, even better, a Dark Sword, infuse it with a heavy, refined or sharp gem depending on your level and then just swing for the hills.

Dark Souls II Scholar of the First Sin is 16 dollars on xbox one. The deluxe edition of Dark Souls III which includes the season pass is 35 dollars. Went ahead and got both.

Already had the first one through games with gold, and started that tonight. Wish I would have just punched myself in the nutsack.

Oh my fucking god this taurus demon. Just when I think I have him figured out he swats me off the fucking bridge.

Taurus Demon is just the tip of the iceberg haha. You can actually cheese him into jumping off the bridge, I've done it before accidentally.

As bad of an idea as it sounds, hug him and roll forward under his attacks. If you need to grind levels, the area around the bonfire in Undead Burg is a good early spot.

Yeah, he was super easy once I figured him out. On the Gargoyles now. Fuck my life.

Also, I'm guessing one of the best parts of this game is acting smug and cocky when someone is having trouble on a part that you've beaten.

Just wait for Capra Demon. He's the worst.

Ok, didn't know about summoning Solaire for the gargoyles. Cake walk afterwards. Is Capra Demon the first boss you can't cheese your way through? Because so far I've discovered a method for each one that makes them a joke.

Just met the Capra demon. Fuck that guy. And his little dogs too.

lol nevermind you can totally cheese him too. Just chuck firebombs over the fog gate until hes dead.

He's an absolute shithead to fight legit, if the dogs decide they're going to block the stairs you're in for a rough time every time. Once the dogs are gone he's easy but 9/10 times you don't get that far.

You can also skip him completely if you choose the master key as your gift. There's a few fairly manageable boss battles before you'll get another bastard one.

Yeah, I just fought the gaping dragon, and only rough spot was at the end when he changed his attack pattern. Amazing design. Shit my pants a little bit during his intro.

On to blight town, which from what I understand has a reputation.

Entered blight town and got twatted off the walkway by a great big fat man after my drake sword seemingly bounced off him.

Assuming this is the point where the drake sword becomes useless, and I need a leveled up weapon with a better move set, like a spear. I have the Uchigatana leveled up to +3, but I feel like the spear is better for those walkway.

Am I even supposed to be in blight town yet?

Yeah it's the way you're supposed to go. I think there is a way to skip most of it but it involves running through an area with high level enemies and avoiding triggering something there. I'd stick with Blighttown. Last time I played I was using a great swords STR build so you can make any weapon work really.

You can do Darkroot Garden / Basin path too but to get to the second boss there you either need a 20k item to open the gate or take a very long path with a ranged only mini boss and a lot of hard hitting enemies on the way. Would not recommend that, but there is another boss in there who is worth killing early.

Yeah, I asked a buddy and he said theres some stuff in darkroot garden and undead asylum that make bliht town easier. Told me how to get back to undead asylum, and fucks sake, who is figuring that out on thrir own?

Guys weren't kidding about co op being a big help. Summoned another player and Mildred before Quelaag, and the fight lasted about 10 seconds. Kind of disappointed tbh. Really cool looking boss. Kinda wanted to see her attacks.

Blight town wasn't actually that bad. A little intimidating at first, but it wasn't long before I got that "This is doable" feeling. Sens Fortress now.

Also fully aware that said "This is doable" feeling typically only lasts til you round the corner and face some lovecraftian monstrosity that eats your face in 2 hits.

Blighttown is pretty much an abridged version of Valley of Defilement from Demon's Souls, now that is a fucker of a stage. I've always found Sen's harder.

Quelaag isn't that bad to solo as long as you have fire resistance gear and she doesn't end up spewing lava all over the place. She's about the same difficulty as Gaping Dragon.

God damn cunting archers in Anor Londo have killed me 20 cunting times.

Bought Dark Souls III a month or so ago; leaving it for Xmas. Heard good things about the game, and that it is a bastard to play.

It's a wonder I didn't just pay some gentleman 60 dollars to repeatedly kick me in the sack instead of playing these games.

But I keep coming back, so I guess I'm a masochist.

Anor Londo has to be one of the most brilliant game enviornments ever. I mean taken out of context it probably doesn't seem all that amazing compared to other game worlds. But you spend all this time scratching and clawing through these bleak, depressing enviornments, to get to this beautiful, pristine, grandiose city of light....only to find that it's emptiness is more haunting and eerie than any locale you've encountered yet. The sheer size of the areas within adds to it. You have these massive halls, and great sweeping balconies, but no one but a few mindlessly devoted sentries are present. They are spaced out perfectly. And the massive echoes of every footstep and sword strike just make everything feel even more empty and hopeless. It's fucking genius.

RIP Fignuts. You will forever be known as the man who was lost in Dark Souls.

( Also be known as The Mask and DMI. )