Health and stamina are precious resources, with the former refreshed by consumables and the latter governing offensive and defensive character action. Threats were everywhere you looked and each one guarded the possibility of acquiring a valuable item or better piece of equipment. Having selected one of ten nebulous classes, your cursed undead was then deposited in the crumbling empire of Lordran. Seven years later, its impact is more evident across a spectrum of gaming than many of its contemporaries.Īt its most basic level, Dark Souls behaved like a mid-aughts action role-playing game. Dark Souls’ idiosyncrasies took a fearless leap in more dangerous direction. Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3, The Elder Scrolls V, Battlefield 3, Skyward Sword a deluge of sequels were logical moves, but none created a persuasive step forward. When it was released in 2011, near the apex of the last console generation, gaming was in a comfortable malaise.
FromSoftware’s magnum opus seized upon a dormant, collective urge to challenge adversity with perseverance.
