For the first time in my life, I played Dark Souls this week. While I understand it requires both time and effort - certainly more than I've currently dedicated to it - I can say this: I hate Dark Souls.
I don't hate it because it's a bad game. I hate it because of what it asks of you. Over the last few years - for better or worse - my gaming habits have become increasingly more 'experience' based - if something has a good story, I'm very willing to forgive any gameplay flaws it may have. I'm basically 'the problem' in the sense I don't mind being taken on a journey, even if that means a little hand-holding is involved.
Dark Souls is the complete opposite of that. Much like a martial art or an instrument, From Software's epic has to be learned. Mistakes are there to educate and acting too frivolously or without thought will see you die. A lot. That's common knowledge now, and there's obviously a huge market for it given how many people have warmed to its ways.
I am not one of those people…
Blinking has become a weakness. An inherent flaw in the human form that restricts our species from perfecting the art of Resogun high scores. If we can blink, then we can fail.
Alright, yes. This spectacularly colorful shoot 'em up from Housemarque may have driven me a little crazy, but at least I'm aware of that.
It's been a pleasure to return to Resogun for an hour or two each evening and see if I can improve my approach to a level, or have another crack at completing the arcade mode on even the normal difficulty. It's a game with a very basic control scheme that forces the player to constantly develop their own skills if they want to see progression and I'm hooked. I rarely get grabbed by these score-chasing games, but when it happens, it's all-consuming. Help.
Now that the nonsensical tsunami of hype for the largely dull next-gen consoles has subsided, I've been able to start spending a lot more time playing a variety of genuinely excellent games. A Link Between Worlds - as Simon's review promised - is making my brain feel wonderful things. I'm holding off playing any more of it for now, because it seems like the ultimate Christmas game. I've said it multiple times already, but forget about the PS4 and Xbox One: Get a 3DS XL and you'll be laughing.
I've also been playing Risk of Rain - the PC Roguelike platformer/shooter that provides tons of replay value through unlockable items and characters. The lo-fi visuals might put some off, but it's a tight little action game with surprising depth in addition to local and online co-op. Keep an eye out for a video about it soon.
The other game you can expect to hear more about from me in the next few weeks is Reaper of Souls: the expansion to Diablo III. There's a lot of stuff I need to tinker with before I can come to any major judgement, but so far I'm quietly impressed. Diablo III might have been screwed at launch, but it looks like it might be worth another visit.
Yes, I know it's not 2007 anymore. (I wish it was, but it's not.) That said, I'm still playing Modern Warfare, this time on PC. It is, of course, a million times better than on console: more players, modded killstreaks, and generally more mayhem.
Despite all these additions, it doesn't feel as bloated or as uneven as some of the later Call of Duty games. Which says it all, really.
