Yes and no. I think you should always explore the areas from boss to boss and discover whatever is there. But if a boss is too hard, or frustrating, or you just want to move on to the next area to explore, you shouldn’t feel bad about summoning some help. Or offering yourself as help.
I do think the game is designed in places to be played co-op. And as someone mentioned in the DS3 thread there are areas in every game where invasions are welcomed, or at least considered part of the design.
I would agree. The online play mechanics say you are either truly helping somebody or are truly giving them pain. That pain comes with an understanding of the pain you endured getting that far, creating an element of respect. Almost like enemies at war.
Why oh why would anyone endure such pain to play a video game?
Simply because it is one of the most awesome worlds ever created.
I think I went to bloodborne lol. After DS1, my posting got pretty erratic, as I was jumping between games instead of just buckling down and finishing one at a time, so I don’t blame you if you missed a lot of my out-of-order posts. The path was non-sequential and winding, but I’m nearing the end. Appropriately enough, with the first game!
I think this part of it, and the larger community building, better define souls than something like “difficulty.” People fear these games because of that rap, and it’s kind of a shame. The game is only as hard as you want it to be if you’re willing to avail yourself of the built in cooperative tools.
Yeah, that felt more fevered and almost race-like. But it was awesome to experience it with the first wave of players!
I’ve gone through practically the entire game hollow. I think both times I human’d up I’ve been invaded literally immediately. The first time was the Anor Londo bonfire in the cathedral before O&S. That guy, despite the incredible lag (on my end at least) managed to flawlessly parry and riposte me into oblivion. Well, this time when I did it to kindle the bonfire in the Painted World and got invaded…I won! I had entered the painting with a hefty chunk of souls and was a little worried about losing them, but thankfully this guy came along and gave me all I needed to put another level in. Thanks, Dark Spirit Dantelogan!
Hahahah, invading people before they go after Norm Ornstein & Seinfeld is really mean. That’s the only part of the game I remember constantly gulping down humanity, so that I could summon the NPC for that fight.
I was trying to think of the popular invasion locations in DS1 and that is the primary one. I think I have been invaded in the lava area after you drain it and before the first boss in that area as well. Also in the area before you enter the Four Kings.
You should be ready for the DLC by now. You probably will have to look up how to enter it. I could tell you but I would probably get something wrong. You need an object and a certain location.
Invading I’m upper Blighttown is way more fun. Half the time the other player dies before you even find them 😂
I have now now been invaded three times in the painted world by Dantelogan. Each time he brings a different weapon to the fight. I admire his enthusiasm. Thanks for helping me to another level, buddy!
Sometimes it’s not the weapon. :)
I joined the Forest Hunter covenant. Man, I loved these area defense covenants in DS3, and it’s just as fun here. Within half an hour of slipping the ring on I’ve been summoned three times, once with another hunter. Two victories and one loss to a guy wearing Smough’s set. Great times.
It sounds like DS Remastered is pretty active. I had trouble with it on my machine. I wonder if maybe it has been patched enough to were I could play it now.
Going by Steam Charts it has about 1/8th the number that DS3 has at any given time, but right now over 800 people are playing. I have had trouble finding and being summoned for co-op, but invasions are quite regular.
Painted World of Ariamis was not bad, but I am enjoying Artorias of the Abyss quite a bit more, although I am a bit disappointed that the iconic knight comes so soon towards the beginning of the thing. The trek through Royal Woods where you find the steaming abyssal cracks and there is the sound of distant, rolling thunder might be my favorite but of environmental flair in any of these games so far.
Yay, you’re on my favorite fight in all of the Soulsbourne games!
For your sake, I hope you’re stuck on it for a long time.
Wait, which one is it? Is it Artorias?
Because if it’s Artorias I have some bad news for you.
It is Artorias. And you have my sympathies for already beating him. I think me and Krok were on him for about a week. What a glorious week it was.
Yeah, he was one and done for me. I mean, I really enjoyed it, but I did not feel particularly threatened. I was using the Black Iron Greatshield, which made most of his attacks pretty easy to tank (although I did do a little fancy rolling). He certainly was not an aggressive estus punisher like most of the bosses in DS3. I was thinking after he did his first dark scream that he must surely be the first multiphasic (however weakly) From boss, but then I realized that honor probably goes to Maneater, and if I’m going to grant it to Maneater I would have to grant it to Bell Gargoyles, too.
Artorias is probably much easier after playing DS3. But compared to other DS1 bosses he was fast and athletic. Probably only Ornstein and Smough compare and they are still slow compared to Artorias.
But imagine having only played DS1 and running into him.
Next to Solaire, Artorias is probably Dark Souls most iconic figure.
I was thinking while doing the dishes that even Iudex Gundyr transported into DS1 would have been like, to quote Boondock Saints, “a bomb dropping on Beaver Cleaverville.”