As a seasoned traveler of the land of Elden Ring and a longtime devotee of FromSoftware games, I must say that my journey through the Soulsborne series has been both harrowing and rewarding. However, there are certain mechanics that have left me scratching my head and questioning the game designers’ sanity.
Overcoming the early dislike phase, which is typical when starting to play Souls series, can be quite challenging. However, those who persevere through the difficulty associated with mastering this demanding game genre often discover a deep affection for these tough titles in the end.
As a die-hard fan of the Souls series, I can’t help but acknowledge both its captivating depth and frustrating quirks. The intricate RPG systems and finely tuned combat mechanics in these games are absolutely brilliant, yet there are certain mechanisms that leave us Souls enthusiasts scratching our heads.
In an attempt to persuade the developers of Souls games to avoid these mechanics in the future, I’ve compiled a list of ten mechanics that were truly awful yet found in fantastic Souls games.
11 Forced Platforming
Various Souls Games
Let’s start by discussing a feature that is common to most Souls games, with the possible exception of Elden Ring, as it includes a separate jump function, significantly reducing the difficulty in such areas.
Across several Souls series titles, you may encounter areas where you must traverse narrow planks while enemies precisely target you from afar with their ranged attacks.
Or as an alternative, perhaps there are no adversaries to challenge you, yet you’ll be required to make pinpoint jumps on the least suitable platforms imaginable for a classic platforming experience.
I’m very open to taking on difficult tasks, but these parts don’t seem balanced or a true measure of ability. Instead, they often appear to be endurance tests, where you either manage to make a successful move after persisting for a long time, or outlast the ranged attacker by surviving longer.
For some individuals, this appeals, and I understand why, but to be honest, for me personally, it feels less like a genuine “tough-yet-fair” Dark Souls test and more like an inexpensive and heartless trick.
10 World Tendency
Demon’s Souls
As a seasoned gamer, let me share my thoughts on Demon’s Souls and its World Tendency system. Frankly, I find this concept quite fascinating and worth diving into. It adds an extra layer of depth that enhances the gameplay experience if you take the time to grasp how it functions.
A significant problem that many gamers encounter when playing World Tendency is its lack of clear explanation on how it operates. Even if there was an explanation, the complexity of the concept might make it difficult for most players to understand and follow along effectively.
But, World Tendency is a vital part of the Demon Souls experience, whether you like it or not. So, if you make a few wrong moves and end up on a Black Tendency path on your initial playthrough. Well, all I will say is, good luck with that.
In future Souls games, I’d personally prefer a more streamlined version of certain complex aspects, but in Demon’s Souls, I think an optional feature would be ideal for those who want the challenge.
9 No Health Refill
Bloodborne & Demon’s Souls
The Estus Flask is a beautiful piece of equipment. It’s your lifeline in times of peril and one of the few things you can rely on in a punishing souls game.
In Bloodborne and Demon’s Souls, unlike some other games, you won’t find a refillable Estus Flask that has a set number of charges. Instead, you’ll use various items to replenish your health when needed.
At its optimal, it could prove extremely beneficial since you’d have an abundance of healing resources to tackle even the most challenging bosses. Conversely, when it performs poorly, it may disrupt the flow of the game, forcing you into unnecessary grinding merely to advance.
Frequently, you may discover yourself without any health-related items, necessitating a return to locations that were previously cleaned out in order to collect Blood Echoes or Souls. These resources can then be used for purchasing essential items. This was a common occurrence prior to the introduction of the Estus Flask, which eliminated such needs.
So, Demon’s Souls, it gets a pass. It didn’t know any better. But Bloodborne, shame on you.
8 Inventory Encumbrance
Demon’s Souls
In case you didn’t know, Demon’s Souls is extensively included in this compilation because when it was initially released, the Souls series mechanics were still being refined, which is why there’s an encumbrance system in place.
In Demon’s Souls, each character has a specific carrying capacity for their inventory. If a player gathers more items than this limit while not in the Nexus, they must choose to discard some items or perform a “heavy roll” (fat roll) to quickly leave the current world at its nearest exit.
The system required managing inventory and revisiting locations due to the necessity of using Stockpile Thomas, which somewhat diminished the overall pleasure derived from playing Souls because it added unnecessary steps and management tasks.
It’s never popped up again since, aside from the remake, and long may that continue.
7 Invasions
Various Souls Games
In contrast to your perspective, I’ve always viewed Souls PvP (Player versus Player in Dark Souls) as an unnecessary diversion.
In essence, it’s important to note that the majority of Player versus Player (PvP) action in these games is isolated from the main gameplay, which means I haven’t found much reason to harbor resentment. However, there’s an exception with invasions.
In different encounters within the FromSoft Souls series, I’ve frequently found myself enjoying a pleasant journey through what feels like purgatory for these games. However, on occasion, an overpowered, seasoned Souls player would interfere, spoil my progress, and often make it even more aggravating with their prolonged and annoying tactics.
It’s clear that this situation resembles the common trope found in Miyazaki’s games. However, regardless of that, I despise invasions and wish they were eliminated permanently.
6 Weapon Degradation
Demon’s Souls
In this instance, we’re venturing back to the realm of Boletaria once more, as I find myself ensnared in another one of those quirks typical of the Souls series. However, let me clarify that my concerns are centered solely around the way this feature is implemented in Demon’s Souls, not across all Souls games.
Across almost every Souls series game, the condition of your weapons deteriorates progressively, requiring you to visit a Blacksmith for repairs or risk having them deal less damage over time and eventually break.
That I have no issue with. What I take issue with is the rate at which it degrades in Demon’s Souls. It’s rare that you’ll be able to get through to portions of a world before your weapon is in desperate need of repair, and while Ed’s Grindstones help in a pinch, it’s a pretty expensive alternative regarding Souls.
Additionally, introduce a multitude of adversaries armed with shields that can reduce your weapon to a mere stub in just one skirmish. This crude mechanic might drive you to the brink of frustration.
5 Curse Status Effects
Dark Souls
Status effects are something that gets on a lot of Souls players’ nerves. Whether that be instant-kill effects like Frenzy and Death Blight, or perhaps something like Sekiro’s Enfeebled effect.
Personally, I don’t mind the suggested status effects, but the exception that proves the rule is undeniably the Curse effect from the original Dark Souls game.
In this game, a certain effect may occur quite soon, leaving the player with half of their maximum health until they discover a remedy for this affliction, resembling the HP system in Demon’s Souls to some extent. However, it’s worth noting that…
Acquiring a Purging Stone can sometimes be quite challenging. Your only choices are either traveling to Osward in the Gargoyle Belltower, where you must part with 3,000 Souls each time, which can be inconvenient. Alternatively, you’ll need to activate the Firelink Shrine merchant and spend 6,000 Souls for every stone.
By the way, if you accidentally end up killing her in the game like some players often do, it would be more convenient to start over with a fresh save file rather than dealing with the inconvenience of continuing from that point.
4 Fog Gate Vulnerability
Dark Souls 2
Perhaps you’ve been eagerly anticipating Dark Souls 2 to appear on this list, and if so, here’s some exciting news: I’ve been setting them aside, as they are considered the least favorable among the series.
Initially, there’s a choice that seems incredibly poor in strategy: granting adversaries the opportunity to attack you as you move through a Fog Gate.
I’m quite open to aggressive attacks from the start by bosses, and Shadow of the Erdtree’s bosses delivered on this aspect, which I greatly appreciated. However, it’s important to note that these bosses always allowed for an initial approach, setting the stage for a challenging yet fair battle.
In Dark Souls 2, prior to your arrival, the Fog Gate sequence was commonly encountered with you already at half health, searching for a secure moment to use your Estus Flask. Even under normal circumstances, Souls games aren’t exactly fair, but this situation is particularly challenging.
3 Soul Memory
Dark Souls 2
Even though I don’t often participate in multiplayer for Souls games online, I can easily recognize a poorly designed matchmaking system, and Soul Memory undoubtedly falls into that category.
For those who might not know, Souls Memory was a multiplayer system in Dark Souls 2 that connected players based on the total number of souls they had earned throughout their character’s adventure. On the surface, this seems like a decent idea, but let me explain where things began to falter.
Should a player miraculously amass 100,000 Souls during an exceptional streak of performance, only to perish twice and thus forfeit those Souls in a theatrical manner, their character would find themselves in exactly the same state.
In this case, Soul Memory will recognize these characters, so your less experienced character may find themselves facing stronger opponents frequently, leading to numerous unfair battles overall.
Just another reason why Souls PvP is best left alone.
2 Despawning Enemies
Dark Souls 2
In Souls series games, players strive tirelessly towards achieving perfection. They persistently attempt to surmount seemingly insurmountable obstacles, learn enemy attack routines of relentless foes, and commit to memory the environment to minimize any unnecessary use of Estus.
From my perspective as a dedicated Souls series enthusiast, let me explain why removing enemies after a specific number of slain foes in Dark Souls 2 feels like such a stark departure from the Souls ethos.
Once you had defeated a specific adversary in Dark Souls 2 on a predetermined number of occasions, they would be marked as permanently vanquished. Consequently, they wouldn’t reappear when you traversed through that particular region. In essence, it was like the game was acknowledging your struggle with the area and offering a subtle nod of approval, implying, “Well done, young one, we’ve made this part slightly easier for you.
Regardless of your perspective, I believe that’s entirely contradictory to the essence of Dark Souls. It ought to be challenging, it ought to frequently humble you, and progress requires perfection.
It seems that the intention behind this was to halt traditional farming, yet unintentionally or otherwise, it led to a scenario where farming souls became unnecessary. Instead, players were required to focus on farming kills.
1 Adaptable I-Frames
In the annals of Souls series, it’s widely agreed that the most disappointing gameplay mechanic is how Adaptability/Agility in Dark Souls II affects a player’s invincibility frames (I-Frames) in combat.
Instead of providing a fixed number of invincibility frames for each dodge, this game will let you adapt to your own dodging window, thereby enhancing your overall gaming skills.
Instead, the game initially places you in a somewhat poor Inter-Frame speed, bordering on a significant roll similar to Dark Souls 1, but as you enhance your Agility attribute, you’ll gradually increase this Inter-Frame speed.
This system consistently challenges and disrupts your typical evasion strategies, making it difficult for the game’s combat mechanics to maintain a balanced and reliable structure necessary for success, and from a design perspective, such an approach seems rather counterproductive.
Given adequate time and resources, you could develop your character’s ability to dodge better than ever, yet establishing a fixed I-Frame structure throughout would have proven more advantageous instead.
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2024-11-29 19:09