Dark Souls

The remaster runs far better, in many ways (but not all) looks better, controls better, and is generally an improvement across the board. However - there's a certain bizarre charm to this original version, and I admit it's completely irrational, but this was a game meant to be seen at a chunky and anamorphic 1024x720, with grainy textures and crunchy lighting. For all of its flaws, revisiting PTDE in its ugly, slow, obtuse technical state invokes this ethereal, dream-like quality, as if its world is so faded that its physical laws can't quite resolve. The crude presentation invokes childhood memories of early 3D games with framerates often barely breaking double digits, as details become obscured by blockiness make them more mysterious; harsher lighting feels more prickly and imposing. Rather than pristine 4K 60 FPS visuals that cleanly present every millimetre of brick and moss with perfect precision, this sub-HD, sub-30 FPS dream suggests its world behind a layer of abstraction and imagination, inadvertently building this surreal, vague atmosphere. And while I can't seriously recommend that anyone besides the most biased fanboys like myself does a full playthrough in this version over the remaster, it's fascinating how a jumble of ill-conceived programming can have such an emotional impact - and for me, it'll probably be the version I keep returning to now.

it truly unfortunate that one of the best games ever made got pulled off steam. nowadays you are LUCKY if you find a key for this game for 400$. damn shame. takes a lot of fun away from fans old and new.

Thank you random Japanese man from Mercari who sold me the physical Artorias of The Abyss edition of the game for 70 bucks. The key worked. I will 100% the game in honor of him.

Worthless review given that it is hidden but I still want to say that I like this game, it is slower than 3 but level and world design are incredible.

BRING BACK PREPARE TO DIE EDITION had to play it on family library since it was removed from the store. I would love to have it in the library.

DS1 isnt as hard as the rumors make it out to be, now hear me out because if you think im bragging youre completely wrong

Im what you call a "mediocre" mechanical player, not bad, but definetely carried by experience, ive never been that good at games that require tons of precise mechanical inputs, hit scan in fps, rhythm games, precision platformers you name it, like i struggle with the "main story" but get wrecked when i crank up the difficulty

So i was scared and very intimated when i first started DS1, ten years ago, on july 2016, i barely got to the first boss, got wrecked and basically said "indeed this is very hard" and basically bailed out, and the years passed, one day looking through my steam last played games i noticed that DS1 PTDE was almost 10y and something ignited on my head, i thought to myself "10 years later and you havent beaten this game yet? shame on you"

And so i decided to give this game a chance, still scared, but now with much more experience of "Souls like games"

i played carefully, not scared, and then the game started "clicking with me", instead of treating this game like a DMC or GOW or bayonetta game i started treating every encounter as if i could get killed with a single hit

And thats the main point i want to make, in that this isnt a make about making frame perfect rolls or blocks, but about being patient, disciplined, observant, analitic, and the perfect example is me

About the game itself its nothing that you hadnt heard a thousands times before, whats with the exellent game feel, music, ambient etc

But one the one thing that i loved the most was the feeling of getting lost, and i really mean it, the feeling of exploring and ending up on a whole new zone was intoxicating for me and this game has that in spades, even more so than recent 2D metroidvania games and even some open world, each area its very distinct and iconic, with its own enemies and traps

I enjoyed every damn second playing this game, so take a chance playing this, you most probably wont regret it and if you start remember, DONT YOU DARE GO HOLLOW

Talk about a flawed masterpiece! This is the epitome of a flawed masterpiece. A truly brilliant game for it's time though not without some serious issues including a developer acknowledged broken boss with a purposefully implemented cheesing mechanism to get by.
If you die the game does not and I mean seriously does not respect your time, purposefully! You will curse, you will huff, you will moan, you may cry and you will want to quit though the game is inherently fair. In the end the game conveys a sense of reward, forms a bond between game and player. It pays you back for all the frustration caused. Get "gud" or die. Prepare to Die Edition! You took on the challenge. You triumphed. In the end you live to tell the tale. You didn't die. Now you want more.
Phenomenal environmental implementation through sound, visual aesthetic (not current visual fidelity), enemies, objects. The best I've seen in my many years of gaming. The age of the title and the poorly ported engine actually add volumes to the experience. The game is stacked with content and can be very long depending on your ability. There are issues like targeting and some poorly thought out and implemented ideas. According to the forum the second half of the game was rushed and in some areas obviously very apparent.
Holy Moly! The combat, the combat. On the surface and depending on your approach, knowledge and ability, potentially one frustrating encounter after another. The game will eat you alive until you adapt to it's systems, rules and numerous enemies and their A.I... You must take your time. Every encounter is life or death. You need to think, you need to strategize. The game will violently assault you mercilessly. It takes no prisoners. It has zero tolerance for the foolish or the weak. You will die.
This version is offline. You cannot invite others to help you. You cannot engage in PvP, Coop, invade or get invaded. If this is important to you the remaster provides these features.
The game can properly be be played with k/b and mouse modded with DSFix. I used a controller and once I adopted which I must admit took a bit I had little issue.
I understand the reluctance by some to engage in this genre. I was one such person. I've owned the game for years. DSPTDE and DSR require a commitment, however once you acclimate you may find yourself completely engaged.
Dark Souls Prepare To Die Edition; a flawed masterpiece.