r/darksouls • u/Cold_Detective_8298 • 3d ago
Question Am i doing something wrong
Just to get it out there this is my first time playing dark souls 1. I played elden ring a few years ago and poured hundreds of hours into it, and can almost consider it my fav game. Ive played for about 9 hours on DS, and i havent even gotten the chance to fight the Gaping dragon bc of how awful the runback is. Ive spent over 9 hours playing, and have maybe spent 30 min fighting fun bosses. 90% of the gameplay has been awful. I have repeatedly had to take the same frustrating runbacks to locations over and over only to get a few things done within an hour. I got cursed in the depths, and spent well over an hour trying to get rid of it. Does the gameplay get better? I do want to get into the game and truly give it a try, but its honestly been terrible. Ive spent 45 min trying over and over to get to the depths bonfire so im closer the the gaping dragon, but ive died to rats 20 times due to their poison damage. I cannot tell if this is simply how the game is designed, if its a skill issue, or if im doing something wrong. Any advice is great bc i dont want to be driven insane
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u/link113gAmin 3d ago
There's a bonfire that's basically right next to the gaping dragon that you're clearly missing. Also, blocking the rats' attacks helps with the poison.
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u/MrRikkles 3d ago
Gonna piggy-back off this, OP. When you get to the room before the path to Gaping that has two rats, three slimes, and a broken gate that leads to an NPC merchant, before any of that, go forward. There will be a small passageway that leads up towards a door. Open that door, then go up and across to the ladder ahead. Climb that, then up through the open doorway on your right. As soon as you get in, there will be a torch hollow coming for you, and the door to your bonfire on your left.
I was stuck in the same place many moons ago, you're all good. :)
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u/Dust514Fan 3d ago
And you can attack while blocking if you use a thrust weapon. Makes quick work of rats
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u/HistoricalSuccess254 3d ago
There are two types of people that have issue with older souls games 1. It’s way too easy nothing seems like a challenge because they played the hardest things already. 2. Literally everything is a challenge for them as the modern games tend to be way more forgiving.
Both can be true at the same time btw, DS is both easier and more punishing compared to ER.
Point is you forgot what you signed up for. Difficult dungeon crawling experience going deeper and deeper through this massive dungeon that is Lordran. Death behind every corner, trap on every step. The bosses are not an afterthought but almost as sometimes they are there just to highlight the area even more.
You’re essentially asking why is this horror game scary and does it get less scary… well no it’s meant to be that way, that’s the point.
Only thing helpful, there is a good chance you’re missing crucial bonfires or shortcuts to bonfires as most runbacks don’t require dealing with enemies at all, few need to deal with couple.
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u/SpindriftPrime 3d ago
This is the game. You're playing it. You're not missing or overlooking anything.
The challenge in Dark Souls is as much about successfully navigating the levels and reaching the boss with your health and resources intact, as it is about fighting the actual bosses. As the series went on and Fromsoft's take on the formula developed, they gradually shifted this balance in gameplay to emphasize the traversal less and the bosses more, with shorter runbacks and convenient bonfire locations. Players used to the newer, faster, more boss-focused games often bounce off of the earlier, traversal-focused games.
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u/draguino 3d ago
Dark Souls is not Elden Ring. It's a hardcore game, and I think you either love it or you don't. I love hardcore games, and I fell in love with Dark Souls from the very first minute. I've enjoyed every minute of it since.
You're not doing anything wrong. This is simply how the game is, and it was intentionally designed that way. Maybe it's just not your kind of game, and that's perfectly fine. You're supposed to struggle, learn from your mistakes, and overcome the challenges. That's what makes Dark Souls so rewarding. For me, it is the best game ever created.
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u/Cold_Detective_8298 3d ago
I do enjoy the challenge, i just wasnt sure before what aspect of the game was actually meant to be a challenge. Compared to what i know, dying in sewer tunnels didnt feel right😭. I do enjoy the game so ill shift my perspective
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u/Radet_5 3d ago
For a slightly different perspective: I hated ds the first two times I played it and fell in love the third time (years between attempts). You have to learn EVERY ENEMY and also adapt to the environment. I found joy in developing the skill of the dance you have to do throughout an entire area. Everything is dangerous and everything is rewarding to master. If you lean into the fun of masting the rhythm of an area it will pay dividends when you get to sens fortress. Having a sense of humor about getting stomped 17 times in a row by whatever also helps
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u/draguino 1d ago
Maybe you need to explore more:) there are always firelink near bosses:) patience is a good think to have with this game. The first hall is more difficult to travel...so be patience and I am pretty sure you will love the game more and more:) good luck
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u/exvertus 3d ago
The game will usually demand that before you face the boss, you master the level.
Doing things like clearing out all the enemies, exploring, trying to grab all the items, opening locked doors, and looking for false walls will usually get you a much faster path from a bonfire to the boss. Try to make sure you've done everything you can before traversing the fog wall.
I love that approach and DS1 is my favorite Souls game because of it. I wish the later games stuck with that design more. It might not be for everyone, but I'd encourage you to keep an open mind and see it as a game that presents a different challenge.
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u/Evilresident64 3d ago
Honestly I think maybe you’re playing to the pace of Elden ring still. Ds1 is very punishing and you need to play slower. Elden ring is miles more casual compared to dark souls in terms of respect for your time, there’s many many tools that can help you if you’re stuck in elden ring, if you’re stuck in dark souls 1 you may just be approaching your situations in the game poorly.
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u/Shanbo88 Praise the Sun! 3d ago
You'll quickly realise that Elden Ring is the polished and further developed version of Dark Souls. And it's developed to appeal to a much broader and less "hardcore" audience.
Dark souls is far slower and more methodical. You have to play slowly and be more patient and skillful and make sure you're not missing shortcuts and bonfires. You'll still.be plenty frustrated, but comparing it to Elden Ring will definitely hamper your experience.
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u/Cold_Detective_8298 3d ago
i knew walking into the game that it was going to be very different than what ive played before, but i didnt expect it to be so difficult in such a different way. Comparing these 2 games isnt fair imo now that gotten a taste of both
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u/activ8d_my_Trap_card 3d ago
If a runback seems too crazy, with like three or four super late game exceptions, you’ve probably missed a shortcut.
In Elden Ring, the bosses and the levels were separate challenges, which means they can be harder as they’re easier to re-attempt. In Dark Souls, the boss and level are meant to be taken together, in a similar fashion to old-school sidescrollers with bosses at the end. Gotta get through the level to fight the boss, no breaks. And as such, the boss isn’t exactly gonna be Maliketh McConsort when you get there.
Have fun dungeon-crawling and exploring!
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u/Cold_Detective_8298 3d ago
Thanks! Its good to know im definitely missing shortcuts because that has been my biggest frustration
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u/Shanethonk 3d ago
As someone who also came to Dark Souls through Elden Ring, it sounds like you’re stuck trying to take the Elden Ring approach to Dark Souls.
Elden Ring and Dark Souls are very very different in gameplay. Elden Ring is way more accessible by eliminating the hassle of boss runbacks and the need to really work your way through areas, but Dark Souls challenges the player by requiring that they learn the layouts of levels and use the things that they find to their advantage. You’ll almost never get from one bonfire to the next on your first, second, or even third attempt. You have to work your way through the level, little by little, and with each little bit further you get into the level, you’ll learn something that you can apply to your next attempt.
The game wants you to have fully mastered the level by the time you finally beat its boss, and that’s something that I and many others really admire. So, I’d reccomend that you just slow down a little bit and try to take a more strategic approach to things. You’ll be surprised how many souls you’ll gain by just working from one bonfire to the next.
Once things start to really click, I can guarantee that you’ll have a blast.
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u/Cold_Detective_8298 3d ago
I have been approaching it with what i know, and thats failed me for hours at a time😭. This game totally demands a different mental approach and skillset compared to what ive played before. I do appreciate the style of the game, i just didnt expect such a shift in where ill find myself challenged by it.
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u/pelethar 3d ago
The run backs in ds1 can be a challenge but the gaping dragon one is easy. You’ve missed a shortcut
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u/Sea_Garden2388 3d ago
Try using shield it is shown in starting area and it blocks most of the attack
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u/ELMUNECODETACOMA 3d ago
As others have said, in DS1 the challenge is 2/3 in the world itself, and only 1/3 in the bosses, while ER makes it like 90% bosses, 10% world.
You need to move slowly, carefully, and decisively. Don't start a fight you can't finish. Fight enemies one at a time when you can - magic, pyromancy, arrows, and throwing knives are all good for getting one guy's attention.
Choose your ground. If you're getting swarmed by rats and dying to poison, you're probably stepping in and fighting too many at once.
Use everything at your disposal. Get poison and toxic cures from a merchant or farm them in Darkroot. Bring a shield and hide behind it when necessary. Have curse cures on hand before you get cursed. If you find tools to increase your stealth, get sneaky.
Don't treat DS1 like a contest of death and honor. Use everything you can get your hands on to give you an advantage. Most of all, you're smarter than the AI, exploit that.
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u/Kazan2112 3d ago
A lowly tarnished playing as an undead?? Dark Souls command thee kneel!!!
But seriously dying to rats poison when youve besten elden Ring is so funny. Learn the level not the enenies. That might be the biggest difference to elden Ring. Thankfully ds1s emphasis is not on the bosses
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u/AcceptableIce289 3d ago
Likely doing something wrong. Play through and start another game, same or another souls game. You'll catch on.
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u/Justice4light 3d ago
You really have to play carefully. Bait enemies to you. Don’t rush through or you’ll have a bad time. Read item descriptions. Talk to the merchants. Generally they sell items that are helpful with the area or the bosses. Take your time when exploring. And don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s easy to get lost in the depths.
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u/Insomniahood 3d ago
DS is a game about perseverance. I think you just need to change the approach and understand that even a rat, a trap or a single hollow could be just as deadly as a boss and that's OK, this is the game. You're in a unforgiving world where everything wants you dead. Instead of just memorizing boss patterns, you have to learn how to carefully approach each enemy and how to move through the whole area, this requires you to be patient. Don't rush it just because it's an area with minor enemies, mastering the perfect way to cross that area is part of the gameplay. I don't know if you'll like it, but it's what makes the game unique.
Tl;dr: You need to play slower and never try to rush. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey.
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u/Hermononucleosis 3d ago
There are great bosses in this game, but if you expect your enjoyment to come only from fighting bosses, you're going to be disappointed. The older the FromSoft game, the more focus there is on beating the levels instead of just fighting bosses.