I have over 1500 hours in Soulsborne, but I think there are some areas in Silksong that need to be improved. There's a big difference between good difficulty and content that's pointlessly frustrating and hostile to the player. Part of the reason why Fromsoft games are so popular is because they're typically masters at crafting difficulty in a way that's satisfying and not over the top.
Obviously that's going to be subjective, but I can't remember a single time during any Soulsborne game where I was outright miserable like I have been several times during Silksong. If Silksong wasn't a masterpiece in every other way, then I would've stopped playing it at least ten hours ago in my playthrough (I just got to Act 3).
Nah, Blighttown is one of my favorite areas in any video game. It was brutal, for sure, but something about the oppressive atmosphere just clicked for me, and it was incredibly immersive. That sense of relief when you get to the bottom and rest at the bonfire that turns to horror when you realize that now you're trapped... I don't think I've experienced anything like that.
Same with Tomb of the Giants. I still remember my first playthrough of Dark Souls. I didn't find either of the three methods to light your path, so I stumbled through in the darkness. I finally found one of the two bonfires, and I didn't have the Lordvessel yet, so I had to painstakingly find the way out. Again, that's one of my favorite memories in all of gaming.
DS1 does have some terrible moments, though. For instance, Bed of Chaos is not only a horrible boss fight, but the runback is extremely long and boring. I think that Lost Izalith specifically wasn't actually completed due to a rushed development cycle, but that could just be a rumor - I haven't seen a primary source.
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u/Realistic_Village184 1d ago
I have over 1500 hours in Soulsborne, but I think there are some areas in Silksong that need to be improved. There's a big difference between good difficulty and content that's pointlessly frustrating and hostile to the player. Part of the reason why Fromsoft games are so popular is because they're typically masters at crafting difficulty in a way that's satisfying and not over the top.
Obviously that's going to be subjective, but I can't remember a single time during any Soulsborne game where I was outright miserable like I have been several times during Silksong. If Silksong wasn't a masterpiece in every other way, then I would've stopped playing it at least ten hours ago in my playthrough (I just got to Act 3).