Dark Souls is this Generation’s Best 8-bit Game

How From’s RPG revolutionized the genre by drawing on some very classic ideas.

By: Bob Mackey
March 22, 2012

Anyone who’s soldiered through From Software’s Souls series has the psychological scars to prove it; the games’ brutal difficulty and often-impenetrable nature stand in defiance to some of the more disappointing design trends of the past 20 years. Detractors commonly regard these RPGs as “unfair,” and yes, they can seem that way when compared to the outright friendliness of just about every other game released during this generation. But Souls supporters know that, above all else, From Software forces its victims to sincerely think about each and every action they make — an utterly terrifying prospect for many. For those that can handle the challenge, though, this lack of a safety net is often regarded as the games’ greatest feature; putting so much responsibility in the hands of the player makes each and every victory all the more rewarding.

If you’ve been alive long enough to grow up alongside video games, you might have noticed that both of these devious RPGs feel very old-school — and not just in terms of controller-throwing frustration. With a great deal of hindsight at their disposal, From Software designed their most popular creations by making deliberate choices that have been M.I.A. from video games for quite some time. And this 8-bit design philosophy absolutely shines in Dark Souls, which renovated the many technical and mechanical flaws of Demon’s Souls to become what many regard as the greatest RPG of this generation. Dark Souls may innovate in many areas, but its greatest strength can be found in the deliberately antiquated sensibility baked into the game’s sprawling world. The following ideas are hardly new, but it’s certainly nice to see them return in such a big and beautiful package.