Player-Controlled bosses and why it might be time to stop reading Dark Souls Previews

Those of you who played Demon Souls and Dark Souls know that these games are about personal exploration, overcoming challenges and trial and error. Each new setting, enemy, boss or weapon gives you insight into a mysterious world shrouded in mystery. The game never holds your hand or even feeds you proper directions of what to do or how best to defeat your opponents. In fact Dark Souls II is probably one of the games I am most looking forward to playing next year. I can’t wait to be surprised by weird bosses and have to try out various tactics to finally find that aha moment where I suddenly start understanding my environment and start making well earned progress.

E3 has released a short demo including a confrontation with a “Mirror Knight” boss who frankly looks absurdly difficult. What comes across as absurd is the rumor that an enemy pops out of this boss’s mirror and that this special enemy is player-controlled.  Look, I played Demon Souls. When I invaded a world as a black phantom I got the option to play as the Old Monk. The Old Monk was one of the final world bosses in Demon Souls, where players were confronted with another human player more or less playing as themselves. The thing is – I NEVER lost as the Old Monk unless I really wanted to let the other player “win” after some minor fun horseplay. Ie the player couldn’t win unless I was a good sport. I could heal, use my own spells and weapons and pretty much dominate a tired adventurer coming into my little dungeon. Honestly, I think a lot of players are going to be in for a beat-down if they have to overcome another human controlled mini-boss while simultaneously fighting a larger “Mirror Knight”.

E3 aside, I think now might be the time to stop watching previews. As too much of the game is revealed, the surprise and wonder starts to fade from one’s first playthrough of the game. Also the puzzling out starts to happen through previews and other people’s playthroughs and the magic fades from my first playthrough. Since I want to be shocked, amazed and challenged, I’m going to have to start sitting out of Dark Souls Previews. 

Click Here to go back to the main page.