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Cast:
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Intro:
...Dark Souls: Remastered is the Dark Souls of Dark Souls remasters - consequently you should probably check it out.
Everyone can remember the moment a FromSoftware game really clicked with them. Maybe it was in Demon’s Souls back in the day, perhaps one of the Dark Souls trilogy, or a nightmarish section of PS4 exclusive Bloodborne that finally pushed the dubious player over the pain threshold and into the strange, utterly compelling zone of total immersion, Zen-like concentration and frequent couch-punching frustration. So much has been written about this series now it’s become a memed cliche (“[X] is the Dark Souls of [Y]!”) to even discuss the game’s difficulty and demands placed upon the player, so we’ll spare you the usual spiel and assume you know that challenge plus amazing level design times dense, obtuse lore equals Soulsborne games.
While Dark Souls II has already been spectacularly remastered (with new content) in the rather glorious Scholar of the First Sin edition – and Bloodborne and Dark Souls III are too recent to need it – the original Dark Souls hasn’t been prettied up since its 2011 release; that is until this very moment.
Dark Souls: Remastered brings the full game and DLC to consoles (where it was desperately needed) and PC (where, thanks to modders, its a little less essential). So how does the now beloved classic stack up seven years later? Very well, but with some qualifications.
See, while Dark Souls remains an absolute pearler in terms of clever, intricate level design the actual moment-to-moment combat feels a little sluggish compared to the likes of Bloodborne or, more importantly, Dark Souls III. The third chapter in the Souls trilogy may not have been the mind-blowing revelation of the first game, but it improved the fighting mechanics to a spectacular degree and it’s a little hard to go back, at least initially. If you give Dark Souls: Remastered an hour or two, however, you’ll probably find yourself feeling the old magic once more as you uncover a cleverly hidden shortcut or triumph over a particularly dickish boss. Some minor quality of life tweaks (like being able to use multiple items) and improved multiplayer has been added, not to mention a mostly consistent 60fps on consoles, which is certainly a welcome addition. However, while the graphical improvements and tweaks are noticeable – you won’t be mistaking Dark Souls: Remastered for the beautiful-looking Dark Souls III anytime soon, which seems like a missed opportunity.
That said, console players on XBOX and PS4 (with Switch slightly delayed but still on the way) who are Souls fans should feel comfortable knowing this is the best version of Dark Souls available for their respective systems. And those who’ve never played the first of this iconic trilogy owe it to themselves to check out where the madness began… at least until the Demon’s Souls remaster. Please, FromSoft?
To slightly bastardise the aforementioned meme, Dark Souls: Remastered is the Dark Souls of Dark Souls remasters – consequently you should probably check it out.
