Dark Souls is a computer game in the Action/RPG genre, developed by From Software. Namco Bandai Games acted as the publisher. The project was released simultaneously on three platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. The console version of the game was released in October 2011, while the PC version of Dark Souls came out in the third quarter of 2012.
The game can be considered a spiritual successor to Demon’s Souls, the previous project from From Software. As is common in almost all games from Japanese developers, the plot of Dark Souls is extremely convoluted. At the beginning of the narrative, almost everything is unclear, but as you progress through the campaign, a coherent picture starts to form from the separate pieces of the puzzle.
In the game world, a strange disease erupts, which has been named the "Dark Sign." Infected individuals gradually go insane, lose their human appearance, and become what is referred to as the Hollow – a creature devoid of reason. Players must take on the role of one of those who has contracted this dangerous disease. The protagonist is exiled to a restricted area where they must slowly die without ruining the lives of other people who have avoided the illness. Although the place of exile is positioned as a hospital or infirmary, it resembles a camp for the dying with prison-like conditions. Realizing that they will only perish here, the protagonist escapes and embarks on a journey to find a way to cure themselves of the "Dark Sign."
Escaping inevitable death, the hero learns a prophecy that indicates that somewhere there are special ancient bells whose ringing can defeat the disease. All that remains is to find the location of these bells. However, the player will not receive any leniency. There is no map in the game, no compass, and almost no hints or NPCs from whom players can gain leads. It’s a harsh game. Players must explore the vast surrounding world, which hides countless interesting locations: castles, dungeons, cities, canyons, giant crypts, and other memorable places.
Dark Souls is a very challenging game where one mistake can lead to death. It does not forgive foolishness, so players will not see mind-blowing battles with one hero against a dozen monsters. Encounter a powerful enemy? Fall off a cliff? Miss an attack from the flank or rear? That's it, you're done for. The slain hero is sent back to the nearest bonfire, where they respawn. Here, by the way, players can also allocate stat points, restore health, level up, and change their spellcasting sequence. After each death, the protagonist loses resources needed for leveling up and for respawning at the bonfire. There are two types of these resources – "humanity" and "souls." It’s unfortunate, of course, but it’s recoverable. You just need to reach the death location and reclaim what was lost.
Dark Souls boasts a developed role-playing system with eight parameters and flexible class customization. Players can choose a class from the offered templates or create their unique character from scratch. There are three schools of magic available.
The multiplayer feature is very interestingly implemented. If a player is connected to the network, they can interact with other players. For example, they can leave a special mark suggesting that another hero collaborate to take down an especially strong monster. Messages can also be left for completely different reasons, such as hints or warnings.