Dark Souls

[PrettyNier]

And how saying Dark Souls enemy and character design is bland and Skyrim's isn't doesn't get much clearer to me.

This is a legitimate comparison because they're both "medieval fantasy", but the matter of the quality in game design is one that can be made between any games and the specifics of the comparison here aren't really meaningful. The matter of design is one of character: Skyrim is rote western fantasy as seen through the eyes of western fantasy; large furry guys with some lines and extra eyes because they wanted to make a monster but they didnt just want a big furry guy. It is pretty much pop-culture western fantasy, which I don't think is anything good. Dark Souls is western fantasy as seen through the eyes of the japanese, as informed through our mythologies. What makes Dark Souls stand out design-wise is its sense of mythopoeism and iconography. The designs and environments are descriptive and evocative, and often fantastical but not to a point of meaningless excess.

I could go on about specific things relating to the implied cosmology and environmental structure, or specific designs of areas and things, but I won't; much of it comes in later in the game and I'd rather you had the opportunity to experience it naturally rather than just to have me sit here ranting to you about it.

I also love that you immediately go to "You're doing it wrong" After failing it I practiced it for awhile on some weaker enemies and no matter how I timed it and how I tried it, it never really worked, so I appreciate that Brandon mentioned it might just be the shield, because seeing as how it was a small shield that I had, I can see it being a bit more difficult to pull it off.

I didn't mean it as offense, I meant it as a statement thats likely factual. There are no factors in the game that would prevent parrying standard enemies that can be parried (humanoids, with few exceptions (you wont see those for a long time and it'll be obvious you wont be able to)) outside of doing it incorrectly. What Brandon said is true, what you're trying to parry with can have a minor effect, but the effect is very small; there are two or three shields that add an extra frame or two where a parry can happen (the window is a little bit larger), but I've never found it to make much difference. Never to the point where a parry wont happen because of your shield. (note: great shields cant parry, but that should be obvious because hitting the button to parry instead triggers a shield bash).

The shields that are best for parrying are also very small: the target shield, for example, has a wider window than most other shields. But almost any shield that has the animation can effectively do it.

The timing is rough. I didn't really start parrying until my second character, after I'd gone all the way through the game, and I still don't do it terribly often. There are certain enemies that I don't even bother attempting to parry because I'm not confidant enough in my own abilities to pull it off. It is also worth mentioning you have to be at relatively level ground to pull off a riposte. Backstabs are easier, but still tricky to get used to; it usually helps to actually be slightly to the left when you attempt one. Additionally, your shield must be down. Running behind them with your shield down will make it much easier to pull it off as it'll reduce the chances of the shield dropping animation getting in the way.


What I'm saying is, if you're just starting the game and just figuring it out, you shouldn't be concerned with backstabbing or parrying yet. It's just going to over-complicate the experience and distract you; don't attempt it once you've gotten a much more intuitive feel for the games timing and mechanics because neither is is easy.

Someone just starting the guitar should not be trying to play a Dream Theater song.

I'll level up a tad so we can play haha.

hell yeah