Line #22 VideoGame/DarkSouls


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dark_souls_logo.png]]
2
3	->''Your journey, it began because\
4	''YOU DIED''\
5	Out of your cell you ran and then\
6	''[[NintendoHard YOU DIED]]''\
7	You pause to catch your breath and die another gruesome death\
8	So now you creep around each corner terrified''
9	-->-- "You Died", '''Music/MiracleOfSound'''
10
11	''Dark Souls'' is a series of critically acclaimed {{Action RPG}}s developed by Creator/FROMSoftware and published by Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment. The series, developed by a Japanese developer, is rooted in [[EasternRPG Eastern]] game design principles, but also has a [[WesternRPG Western]] flavor, making it very well-received on both sides of the pond.
12
13	The games take place in a DarkFantasy world, where humans coexist with giants, dragons, gods, monsters, and "[[TheUndead Undead]]", humans marked with a [[MarkOfTheBeast cursed brand]] that grants them ResurrectiveImmortality, but slowly leeches their body and mind till they're a SoullessShell. In each game, you take the role of one of these Undead, who finds themselves swept up in a quest to rekindle the flame that keeps the world alight, and hold off the coming age of darkness... that is, unless you choose to usher in that age yourself.
14
15	The series as a whole serves as a SpiritualSuccessor to FROM's Platform/PlayStation3 game ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'', and borrows many elements, including:
16	* Gameplay that encourages players to learn enemy tells and draw out opponents one at a time. This goes double for bosses, which can kill even high level players in only a few hits. The games auto-save every few seconds, so you live with the consequences of every single action you take.
17	* Weapon upgrades allow you to improve different stat bonuses to weapon damage, or, instead, add lightning/fire/magic/etc. damage.
18	* Money and ExperiencePoints combined into a single currency that is dropped on death and lost forever if the player dies again before reclaiming it.
19	* Character classes that only determine starting equipment and stats. Builds are instead based on which stats you choose to level up and what equipment you wear. Each point you put into a stat counts as a Soul Level, which decides the level range of other players you can encounter online.
20	* Atypical online components. Examining bloodstains while playing online will replay the last ten seconds of another player's life, which highlights potential hazards. You can also leave messages on the ground warning of enemies, hazards and treasure (or to [[ForTheEvulz lure others into traps]]). While online you can summon other players to help you, but you can also be invaded and killed by others. By entering one of the games' various covenants, players gain benefits to co-op play, invasion, hunting invaders, and so forth.
21
22	[-Games in the series:-]
23	[[index]]
24	* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI''
25	* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII''
26	* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII''
27	[[/index]]
28
29	[-ComicBooks include:-]
30
31	* ''Dark Souls II: Into The Light'' (2014)
32	* ''Dark Souls: The Breath of Andolus'' (2016)
33	* ''[[ComicBook/DarkSoulsLegendsOfTheFlame Dark Souls: Legends of the Flame]]'' (2016)
34	* ''Dark Souls: Winter's Spite'' (2016-2017)
35	* ''[[ComicBook/DarkSoulsLegendsOfTheFlame Dark Souls: Tales of Ember]]'' (2017)
36	* ''ComicBook/DarkSoulsAgeOfFire'' (2018)
37	* ''ComicBook/DarkSoulsTheWillowKing'' (2024)
38
39	[-TabletopGames include:-]
40
41	* ''Dark Souls: The Board Game'' (2017)
42	* ''Dark Souls: The Card Game'' (2018)
43	* ''Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game'' (2022)
44
45	[-{{Novel}}s include:-]
46
47	* ''Literature/DarkSoulsMasqueOfVindication'' (2022)
48
49	See also ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'' (a spiritual predecessor to the ''Dark Souls'' trilogy), ''{{VideoGame/Bloodborne}}'' (a game with similar themes with a Victorian GothicHorror[=/=][[Creator/HPLovecraft Lovecraftian]] setting and increased focus on mobile unarmoured combat and gunplay), ''VideoGame/SekiroShadowsDieTwice'' (a game with similar gameplay and a mythical feudal Japan-esque setting, but retains the style of the ''Dark Souls'' games), and ''VideoGame/EldenRing'' (a spiritual successor created in collaboration with Creator/GeorgeRRMartin), all also by [=FROMSoftware=]. Together, the so called "Souls-like" style of gameplay has [[SoulsLikeRPG inspired many imitations and seeped into the broader game design culture]].
50
51	Not related to the ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'', which incidentally is also published by Bandai Namco.
52
53	----
54	!!The series provides examples of:
55	[[index]]
56	* DarkSouls/TropesAToL
57	* DarkSouls/TropesMToZ
58	[[/index]]
59
60	----

Context VideoGame / DarkSouls