Comments on: GameCritics.com Podcast Episode 150: Dark Souls 3 and Mirror’s Edge Catalyst Demo

By: Warwick

Warwick — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 02:00:57 +0000

[quote=tom]
I don’t think they should take on any Primary story telling either. lore is not Core Story And they had five chances to do Mainline story well and failed every time.
[/quote]

I disagree with this statement (assuming you mean D’sS/DS/DS2/DS3/BB). I think they only failed three times (DS2/DS3/BB). Dark Souls is perfect in its construction of world and lore, while the protagonist had a clear path that they were meant to take with the premise of a “prison escape” to take them there. I really feel like Bloodborne was the story they should have unpacked upfront but completely failed to do so and left a mess of ideas and areas that didn’t always support the premise.

By: Warwick

Warwick — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 19:06:06 +0000

You can tell in areas like Road of Sacrifices that there was a real lack of ideas. Much of it felt like building a path just to get somewhere, rather than creating the environment first and then trying to create the path through it. Colours were very boring through this area and early stages as well. I loved Lothric Castle though, and thought if more of the game had been built around the castle and the ideas that created the environment, the sky, etc., it would truly have been quite fascinating. Boreal Valley was beautiful as well.

By: tom

tom — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 16:30:30 +0000

Instead of putting a different skin on the Souls series how about they stretch their legs and take on stale genres that need a lift, or add their own twist.
Also Not sure how they would accommodate a more interesting form of traversed in their next game. All action games seem to be going for dynamic movement, but there still a place for careful considerate traversal.
And I think From having stealth elements in their next combat game could be interesting.

They could take on a larger open world action games in the fashion of Nier. Or Narrow the worlds scope and do a smaller world Zelda style since Nintendos latest few have been in a rut. And Zelda style in a tighter world would suit their good design history of interlocking level design and would probably be a better choice.

And they should move away from exclusive hard-core difficulty, ( still there for those who want it ) and try a combat system that accommodates medium and low difficulty.
But going by the Soul/Bloodborne series so far I don’t think they’re capable. It doesn’t take much imagination to come to the realisation that the souls games at medium difficulty would have really boring combat. Games with overall good quality comprehensive combat principles like Ninja Gaiden, Half Life, Bungies Halo series, F.E.A.R, Left for dead etc, they are all games that are still have enjoyable combat on medium difficulty due to their far superior general principles to combat. A lot of people put off the Souls difficulty that are asking for easier option, well, I think they would be disappointed in medium difficulty Souls combat.

I don’t think they should take on any Primary story telling either. lore is not Core Story And they had five chances to do Mainline story well and failed every time.

Choosing DS1 as an entry game for the series is right up there as one of the worst choices by far. Please let’s put our biases aside for general recommendation of someone’s first attempt at playing souls. DS1 would likely drive most people away.
I haven’t played DS3 yet, but from reviews, commentary and YouTube gameplay videos I’ve seen, the smoother ramping up of difficulty, the higher production values and the more linear nature seems to makes it an automatic obvious choice, As already discussed earlier on the podcast.