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Yes—someone can reasonably think Dark Souls is a bad time, even if the game is widely acclaimed. Its difficulty, opaque progression, and retry loop are central design choices, not side effects every player has to enjoy. The useful question is whether those choices create satisfying tension for you—or friction that makes the game feel unfair and tedious.
Why the game can feel like a chore
Dark Souls asks players to tolerate uncertainty and repeated failure while they learn how to survive. In a 2011 PlayStation Blog interview, director Hidetaka Miyazaki said the team did not want to reduce the difficulty; he described the intended loop as trying something, dying, learning from mistakes, and eventually overcoming them. That is an explanation of the design goal, not proof that every difficult encounter feels fair or rewarding.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Dark Souls Trilogy (PS4) | $38.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin - PlayStation 4 | $21.39 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition - Xbox One | $24.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Dark Souls: Remastered (Nintendo Switch) | $43.79 | Buy on Amazon |
The game also expects you to make choices rather than attack continuously. Miyazaki said enemies were designed so combat would not become repetitive attempts to chip away at health. If you prefer clear directions, forgiving checkpoints, or combat that lets you recover quickly from a mistake, that approach can feel less like a challenge and more like the game wasting your time. Miyazaki’s February 4, 2011 interview on PlayStation Blog lays out the developers’ intent.
What players’ complaints actually cover
Negative user reviews on Metacritic include complaints about movement, boss fights, confusing or punishing progression, balance, and frame-rate performance. Those are individual reactions, not evidence that most players share one verdict. They also point to different possible deal-breakers: disliking the combat feel is not the same as disliking the amount of guidance, and neither is the same as encountering performance problems on a particular platform.
#1 Best Overall
- DARK SOULS REMASTERED - Then, there was fire. Re-experience the genre-defining game that started it all. Return to Lordran in the beautifully remastered game in high definition, 60 fps with single-player or online multiplayer with dedicated servers. Includes the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.
- DARK SOULS II: SCHOLAR OF THE FIRST SIN - Prepare to Die again. The second installment of the series includes the base Dark Souls II plus all three DLCs: Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, and Crown of the Ivory King.
- DARK SOULS III: THE FIRE FADES - Now only embers remain… Dark Souls III is the final journey in the series where players can fight through intense combat solo or team up for in co-op or PvP multiplayer. Includes the award-winning game and both DLC chapters: Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City.
- ALL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACKS - Visit the EP!C corner to download the music of the Dark Souls saga composed by Motoi Sakaraba and Yuka Kitamura. 110 tracks and more than 6 hours to listen and take back any Dark Souls fan to the intense boss fights and the best moments of their deadly journeys.
Metacritic’s page listed an 89 critic Metascore based on 66 reviews and an 8.5 user score based on 2,615 ratings when accessed in 2026. Those figures show broadly favorable aggregate reception at that time; they do not invalidate a negative experience or establish how many players consider the game “garbage.” Scores and rating counts can change. Metacritic’s Dark Souls page includes the aggregate and individual user reviews.
Is it bad, or just a mismatch?
A useful way to pin down your reaction is to name the part that failed for you:
Rank #2
- All 3 DLC Pack Contents: Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King, Crown of the Ivory King
- Additional NPCs Added For Enhanced Story Experience To Assist Guiding Players Through Level
- Parameter Setting Adjustments for Improved Balance
- Augmented Item Descriptions
- Increase in Maximum Online Players
- Challenge: If learning through repeated deaths feels satisfying, the difficulty may be doing what the game intends. If it feels like needless punishment, that intention does not make it enjoyable.
- Exploration: Uncertainty can make discovery rewarding, but players who want explicit objectives and reliable direction may find progression confusing.
- Combat: Deliberate enemy encounters may reward patience and planning; if movement, bosses, or the feel of fighting never clicked, you may simply dislike the core action.
- Balance or performance: A build that feels weak or technical problems on your platform can sour the experience for reasons distinct from the game’s learning curve.
You do not have to call the game objectively bad to say it did not work for you. And you do not have to treat the developers’ intent as a defense of every frustrating moment: deliberate friction can still be friction you dislike.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Before choosing a version
Metacritic lists the original game for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Confirm the platform and edition you are considering, as well as compatibility with your setup; current stock was not established by the cited source.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Delve into an epic dark fantasy universe stricken by decline and the Curse
- Each playthrough surprises you with new challenges and unexpected facets of the game
- Hundreds of unique combinations of weaponry, armour, magic and crafting options to create your own play style and gaming experience
- From your first steps to mastery, build your character while refining your playing skills. Learn to strategise freely and experience the rewarding taste of overcoming daunting foes
- Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Rank #3
- The Complete Dark Souls III Experience All on One Disc: Includes the award-winning base game, PLUS both complete DLC expansion chapters: Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City.
- Intense Combat Action: Challenging, genre-defining gameplay. Diversified combat action allows players to craft their own unique style.
- Team up for some jolly good cooperation or test your ability in PvP battle: All PvP maps unlocked and accessible. Improved online matchmaking functionality.
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