[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"similar-games-dark-souls":3,"game-dark-souls":5},{"similarGames":4},[],{"game":6,"hasUserReviewed":22},{"id":7,"name":8,"summary":9,"cover_image":10,"header_image":11,"trailer_url":12,"release_date":13,"avg_score":14,"igdb_id":15,"slug":16,"steam_app_id":17,"companies":18,"genres":27,"platforms":30,"reviews":34,"coverImage":10,"headerImage":11,"trailerUrl":12,"releaseDate":13,"criticReviewCount":210,"userReviewCount":182,"previewCount":182,"publishers":211,"developers":212,"userReviews":213,"hasUserReviewed":22,"steamAppId":17},185682,"Dark Souls","Dark Souls is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Released in September 2011 as a spiritual sequel to Demon's Souls, it is set in a dark, medieval fantasy world. It is renowned for its challenging gameplay, intricate level design, and deep lore. Players control a customizable character known as the Chosen Undead, embarking on a perilous journey to uncover the secrets of the cursed land of Lordran.\n\nDark Souls is known for its punishing difficulty, requiring players to carefully manage combat, stamina, and resources while navigating hostile environments filled with dangerous enemies and formidable bosses. The game features a unique multiplayer component, allowing players to leave messages for others, summon allies for cooperative play, or invade other players' worlds for PvP combat.\n\nThe original release of Dark Souls received critical acclaim for its atmospheric world, innovative mechanics, and rewarding gameplay, solidifying its place as a seminal title in the action RPG genre.","185682\u002Fdark_souls_cover_webp","185682\u002Fdark_souls_header_jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FWlVBVKAFFg4","2011-09-22",86.91,2155,"dark-souls",null,[19,24],{"company":20,"developed":22,"published":23},{"name":21},"Bandai Namco Entertainment",false,true,{"company":25,"developed":23,"published":22},{"name":26},"FromSoftware",[28,29],"Role-playing (RPG)","Adventure",[31,32,33],"PC (Microsoft Windows)","PlayStation 3","Xbox 360",[35,51,67,83,97,112,127,139,153,168,183,197],{"id":36,"author":37,"outlet":40,"summary":46,"review_url":47,"review_date":48,"original_score":49,"normalized_score":50},69645,{"id":38,"name":39},4756,"Keza MacDonald",{"id":41,"logo":42,"name":43,"website_url":44,"score_format":45},69,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FIGN-logo.jpg","IGN","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ign.com\u002F","10","The reviewer's job is difficult when it comes to a game like Dark Souls. I simply can't unreservedly recommend that you buy it. It's not a game that you play to relax. It doesn't care in the slightest about whether you're enjoying yourself, and it doesn't give a fig for your notions of entertainment or your mental well-being. If you just play games for fun, this isn't for you, and no amount of insistence on my part is going to change that.\n\nBut if you're interested in the limits of the videogame form – to see just how focused, how pure and how uncompromising in its vision a game can be – Dark Souls is unmissable. If you take the time get into Dark Souls' mindset, to begin to understand the twisted way in which it operates and taste the rewards behind its cruellest challenges, this is one of the most thrilling, most fascinating and most completely absorbing experiences in gaming.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ign.com\u002Farticles\u002F2011\u002F09\u002F30\u002Fdark-souls-review","2011-09-30","9",90,{"id":52,"author":53,"outlet":56,"summary":62,"review_url":63,"review_date":64,"original_score":65,"normalized_score":66},37189,{"id":54,"name":55},3524,"Trevor Houston",{"id":57,"logo":58,"name":59,"website_url":60,"score_format":61},7,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002Fcog-connected-logo.png","COGConnected","https:\u002F\u002Fcogconnected.com","100","One of the more intriguing games to arrive on my home office doorstep this fall is unquestionably Namco Bandai’s “Dark Souls” for the Xbox 360. Punishing, unforgiving, torturous, and ridiculously hard are some common themes used to market the game. Yet many in the gaming world, including myself, are gluttons for punishment and often crave for an experience that is not only punishingly hard but equally rewarding. In a nut shell, that is what you get with Dark Souls. Dark Souls is a game where at times you will want to call it quits, but if you just stick with it and exercise some extreme patience the spiritual successor to Demon’s Souls can be an experience unlike one you have played before and one of the most rewarding as well. That is if you can make it to the end.","https:\u002F\u002Fcogconnected.com\u002Freview\u002Fdark-souls\u002F","2011-10-18","78",78,{"id":68,"author":69,"outlet":72,"summary":78,"review_url":79,"review_date":80,"original_score":81,"normalized_score":82},38359,{"id":70,"name":71},3757,"AOTF Staff",{"id":73,"logo":74,"name":75,"website_url":76,"score_format":77},50,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FAttack-Of-The-Fanboy-Logo.jpg","Attack of the Fanboy","https:\u002F\u002Fattackofthefanboy.com\u002F","5","It's hard to say that Dark Souls is a game that everyone would enjoy, because it's not.  It has a distinct level of challenge that not everyone is going to appreciate.  In a game that prides itself on pushing you to your breaking point of frustration, Dark Souls is a particularly rewarding experience for those that can take all that the game dishes out.","https:\u002F\u002Fattackofthefanboy.com\u002Freviews\u002Fdark-souls-review\u002F","2011-10-03","4.0",80,{"id":84,"author":85,"outlet":88,"summary":93,"review_url":94,"review_date":95,"original_score":96,"normalized_score":82},52886,{"id":86,"name":87},4471,"Jamin Smith",{"id":89,"logo":90,"name":91,"website_url":92,"score_format":45},74,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FVideogamer-logo.jpg","Videogamer","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.videogamer.com\u002F","Dark Souls isn't a game you play for fun. It's something you do to say you've done; like running a marathon or climbing Everest. You won't enjoy it like you will other games, but you won't forget it.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.videogamer.com\u002Freviews\u002Fdark-souls-review\u002F","2021-06-05","8.0\u002F10",{"id":98,"author":99,"outlet":102,"summary":107,"review_url":108,"review_date":109,"original_score":110,"normalized_score":111},68620,{"id":100,"name":101},196,"Philip Watson",{"id":103,"logo":104,"name":105,"website_url":106,"score_format":45},2,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FCGMagazine-Logo.jpg","CGMagazine","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cgmagonline.com","Dark Souls: The Willow King is a must-read for Dark Souls fans and can provide entertainment to an avid comic reader.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cgmagonline.com\u002Freview\u002Fbook\u002Fdark-souls-the-willow-king-review\u002F","2024-08-25","8\u002F10",85,{"id":113,"author":114,"outlet":117,"summary":122,"review_url":123,"review_date":124,"original_score":125,"normalized_score":126},69376,{"id":115,"name":116},5374,"Katy Hollingsworth",{"id":118,"logo":119,"name":120,"website_url":121,"score_format":45},26,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FGameSkinny-logo.png","Game Skinny","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gameskinny.com","Dark Souls, one of the most challenging games of the last generation, gets 10 stars.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gameskinny.com\u002Freviews\u002Fdark-souls-review\u002F","2014-02-10","10\u002F10",100,{"id":128,"author":129,"outlet":132,"summary":137,"review_url":138,"review_date":80,"original_score":49,"normalized_score":50},89495,{"id":130,"name":131},3344,"Alex Donaldson",{"id":133,"logo":134,"name":135,"website_url":136,"score_format":45},44,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FRPGSite%20Logo.jpg","RPGSite","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.rpgsite.net\u002F","Namco's latest hands us death, difficulty and frustration - and we come out of it absolutely enamoured.","https:\u002F\u002Frpgsite.net\u002Freview\u002F3023-dark-souls-review",{"id":140,"author":141,"outlet":144,"summary":149,"review_url":150,"review_date":151,"original_score":152,"normalized_score":82},89669,{"id":142,"name":143},5036,"Christian Bognar",{"id":145,"logo":146,"name":147,"website_url":148,"score_format":45},9,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FCBR-logo.jpg","CBR","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cbr.com","Dark Souls 2 has more problems than any other game in FromSoftware's library, such as terrible enemy placement and horrendous runbacks to bosses. However, it's a FromSoftware game, meaning their worst is still better than most developers out there. Dark Souls 2 is a brilliant game that offers exciting combat, a beautiful atmosphere, superb boss designs, and an endless amount of build customization. Tons of Soulslike fans look at this sequel as a bad entry and the \"black sheep\" of the series, ...","https:\u002F\u002Fcbr.com\u002Fdark-souls-2-review\u002F","2025-02-01","8",{"id":154,"author":155,"outlet":158,"summary":163,"review_url":164,"review_date":165,"original_score":166,"normalized_score":167},147039,{"id":156,"name":157},12497,"Marco Cecilio",{"id":159,"logo":160,"name":161,"website_url":162,"score_format":61},151,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002Fnoobfeed-logo.png","NoobFeed","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.noobfeed.com\u002F","SCORING CHART:\n\tMH- Must Have, get it ASAP\n\tSG- Should Get, worth picking up after it gets cheaper\n\tWR- Worth Renting, rent it instead of buying it\n\tDR- Demo Recommended, try it before you buy itsince it isn't for everyone\n\tSA- Stay Away, come near this game at your own risk.\n\tOPGN- Oh Please God No, Avoid at all costs.","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.noobfeed.com\u002Freviews\u002Fdark-souls","2011-10-15","93",93,{"id":169,"author":170,"outlet":173,"summary":178,"review_url":179,"review_date":180,"original_score":181,"normalized_score":182},148346,{"id":171,"name":172},8054,"Richard Walker",{"id":174,"logo":175,"name":176,"website_url":177,"score_format":61},152,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002Fxbox-achievements-logo.jpg","Xbox Achievements","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.xboxachievements.com\u002F","Dark Souls is a hard game. We all know this, and from the moment you slip the disc into your console, it'll punish you. A lot. But like a sadomasochist or a moth flying into a flame, you'll die, die, die, then die again, then die some more. But you'll keep on coming back for seconds, as you grow to realise that death is all part and parcel of Dark Souls. Therein lies the innate beauty (if you can call it that) of Dark Souls; that for all its uncompromising rock-hardness, you'll be inexplicabl...","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.xboxachievements.com\u002Fgame\u002Fdark-souls\u002Freview\u002F","2011-10-05","Unscored",0,{"id":184,"author":185,"outlet":188,"summary":193,"review_url":194,"review_date":195,"original_score":196,"normalized_score":50},89044,{"id":186,"name":187},6585,"Alex Fuller",{"id":189,"logo":190,"name":191,"website_url":192,"score_format":77},65,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002FRPGamer-Logo.jpg","RPGamer","https:\u002F\u002Frpgamer.com\u002F","Dark Souls is a game advertised for its crushing difficulty. Does this action RPG have soul, or is it fit only to be left in the dark?","https:\u002F\u002Frpgamer.com\u002Freview\u002Fdark-souls-review\u002F","2012-01-19","4.5",{"id":198,"author":199,"outlet":202,"summary":207,"review_url":208,"review_date":209,"original_score":196,"normalized_score":50},151320,{"id":200,"name":201},12920,"MonsterVine  Staff",{"id":203,"logo":204,"name":205,"website_url":206,"score_format":77},153,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.criticdb.com\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Favatars\u002FOutlets\u002Fmonstervine-logo.png","MonsterVine","https:\u002F\u002Fmonstervine.com\u002F","There were some unfortunate niggling issues that seemed to show the game’s engine was creaking under its own weight. A few areas caused the framerate to slow to a crawl and while not completely detrimental to the experience, it may throw more than a few people off while they’re engaged in combat. One other thing I noticed was sometimes there would be a control delay between the time I hit a shoulder button to swing my sword and the time the animation played. This issue was much more severe but fortunately only happened rarely and never got me killed. It’s unfortunate that these flaws are so glaring because of how well the rest of the game plays.","https:\u002F\u002Fmonstervine.com\u002F2011\u002F10\u002Fdark-souls-review-welcome-back-to-hell\u002F","2011-10-24",12,[21],[26],[]]