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Director Unleashes Wealth Of Dark Souls Information

It's bound to be a role-playing experience for the hardcore and if you were excited to hear about Dark Souls , you'll want more details.

Thanks to a Japanese interview with director Hidetaka Miyazaki (as translated by Andriasang ), we now have a wealth of information to go along with the new game announcement. As you can see, Miyazaki talks about everything from the enhanced size and scope to the online play to downloadable content.

Firstly, "various things" prevented Demon's Souls 2 from happening, so they moved forward with what is essentially a new IP, and Miyazaki says that now, he can use a lot of new ideas without being tied down. As for that bigger world we've been hearing about, the game will present us with a seamless map setup; this doesn't mean an open-world format like Oblivion but rather, "a full dungeon." Furthermore, the team is working to increase the level of variety: it isn't just about "Dark Fantasy," said Miyazaki. There's also "High Fantasy areas, hell, and other varying maps."

Perhaps the most appealing new detail is the confirmed length. While one could easily invest many, many hours into Demon's Souls , the story could be completed within 30-40 hours. They're upping that number to 60 for Dark Souls , and instead of the 30 enemy types in its predecessor, the new title will boast close to 100. Weapons will have different motions and movements and depending on your character's parameters, the speed and recovery time for that weapon will change. The last interesting tidbit we'll talk about is the subject of overseas development:

Miyazaki isn't necessarily creating Dark Souls for the overseas crowd but there are three elements where the Western markets were taken into consideration-

"First, the interface and control methods are being made to match up with world standards so long as they don't go against the gameplay ideas the team is considering. Second, they're making it so that localization work will be simple. Third, they're avoiding cultural taboos (see below)."

Miyazaki believes that it'll be much like Demon's Souls , in that it'll appeal to both Japanese and Western tastes. He noted that Japanese players thought the first game was very "Western" in style while the Westerners…well, they thought the opposite due to the game's "graphics, monster design and game design." In the end, I think we all want a fantastic RPG that appeals to those who love the genre, rather than those with specified East/West tastes. Right?

There's plenty more to read through the link above, too, so feel free.

Related Game(s): Dark Souls

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xenris
xenris
13 years ago

Demons Souls was one of my favourite games this generation. I expect this game to be even better, and with any luck might be my game of the generation. I love the old school feel I got from Demons Souls, more games need to stop holding every ones hands and help people develop some skill.

Games that are hard because of design are awesome and you feel like your leveling up as a person when you play them. Most games these days get lazy and just make the AI god like with perfect aim and a six sense.

All in all this game sounds more and more promising with each update!

Lotusflow3r
Lotusflow3r
13 years ago

This would of easily been the most likely game of the year for me, but with so many coming this year, im thinking, 3rd below TLG and LBP2.

We'll see!

Sounds unbelievable though. Not enough games like it and hopefully Demons Souls 2 becomes reality too…..but on the flip, if they go like this, each title can be a one off jewel in the rough, but still feel as if we are getting sequels.

SiLeNt sOuL
SiLeNt sOuL
13 years ago

i was a big fan of demon souls the reason i love the game is the artistic and the atmosphere also the location. my favorite level is the prison like castle. just imagine the sequel will be. i still call it a sequel. dark souls ftw!

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

DS was very Western. With this one going to 360 though I assume it won't be as difficult. Yeah they said it would be harder, but since it won't rely on timed reflexes I think it might be hard in the good sense. Not sure though. As long as it doesn't force a rage quit I'll keep an eye open on what humans have to say about it.

BTNwarrior
BTNwarrior
13 years ago

or it will flop in the 360 crowd and they will realize the mistake of releasing a multiplat and move on

kraygen
kraygen
13 years ago

Aren't they developing it for the ps3 and another company is publishing it on 360? I thought that was how they described it, because in Japan I believe it's only going to be on ps3. I think the company that publishes it in America are putting it on 360.

Orvisman
Orvisman
13 years ago

Kraygen,

You're right. NamcoBandai, not Atlus as other stories here have mentioned, is porting this to the 360 in the U.S.

It's a PS3 exclusive in Japan.

BTNwarrior
BTNwarrior
13 years ago

I really hope that this one will let you use your microphone, I really got tired of having to play using my phone

Scarecrow
Scarecrow
13 years ago

As a player I can understand this request.

As a designer/producer I don't.
Clearly it was intentional. Take into account many things about DS and you'll see.

-They were trying to make the DS world feel eerie, lonely, and hopeless.

-The "drop a message" system was a really interesting/unique way to help everyone out. It was a cryptic way of making everyone communicate

-Mic support could get in the way of game's feel. The game doesn't have music, this is clearly intentional. So if it didn't have music why should we have babies crying in the background and people cursing at you telling you what to do?

-The game is supposed to be anonymous. Just because your friend has it doesn't mean you're supposed to beat the game for him… They probably wanted blue signs to be something exciting and surprising.


Trust me, I don't think this will be implemented in this game either.

I wouldn't hate them for it, this is a design choice, I personally respect that.

BTNwarrior
BTNwarrior
13 years ago

well considering the 360 version will have it regardless of whether or not it is implemented in the game then I would only hope that they would at least give ps3 players the option to chat with friends who are playing the game

Plus for a game that relies heavily on tactics I found myself never summoning someone who wasn't a friend who I could phone due to the fact that we could not discuss tactics we would use for bosses or spell/weapon combinations.


Last edited by BTNwarrior on 2/11/2011 12:26:41 AM

Lotusflow3r
Lotusflow3r
13 years ago

Scarecrow, sounds like you get Demon's Souls.

My fave are the people who say Demon's Souls failed in story when infact it had one of the deepest of the generation. It ain't Miyazaki's fault if you have to think and dig. Stop watching hollywood films!

Alienange
Alienange
13 years ago

Sentence of the week:

"We all want a fantastic RPG that appeals to those who love the genre."

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
13 years ago

And 2 or 3 of us want a fantastic JRPG that appeals to those who love the genre.

RX78Zero
RX78Zero
13 years ago

I was hopping to hear more about the gameplay mechanics or any new skills they may have added. But this information is still good.

sirbob6
sirbob6
13 years ago

So far so good, consider me interested.

Lawless SXE
Lawless SXE
13 years ago

And to think: I was blown away by the variety on offer in Demon's Souls. Dark Souls is going to murder me, but I'm still getting it day 1. It's going to be awesome. Will it top ME3, Skyrim or FFXIII-2 in the eyes of the critics or sales figures? No, but it'll be an awesome experience anyway.
Peace.

BigBoss4ever
BigBoss4ever
13 years ago

this is awesome awesome news, the very best news I heard after the announcement of the last guardian and uncharted 3. so my three most wanted games: The Last Guardian, Dark Souls, and Uncharted 3. all gonna be beautiful in their own category, the very very best. waaaaaay above and beyond the FF13-2 and FFv13 on my list


Last edited by BigBoss4ever on 2/10/2011 7:17:43 PM

Scarecrow
Scarecrow
13 years ago

You bet, FFXIII-2 and FFVS XIII are a joke compared to this game.

Scarecrow
Scarecrow
13 years ago

The very second I can pre-order this game I will do so.

Amazing details, specially the more specialized attacks depending on the type of weapon.

The Seamless map layout will be a lot of fun since it will then feel like a world that is actually connected.

I loved DS's segmented worlds and in no way is it inferior to Dark Souls' connected/open world but I really like the fact that you'll be able to go back and forth between them on one map.

It will make collecting ores in a deep valley and bringing it back to an NPC at the castle more fun and more dangerous and fun. More things can happen in between those trips 🙂

This will be amazing, as great as Uncharted 3 will be, this game will just be better imo. Very very very slightly, but slightly better.

kraygen
kraygen
13 years ago

This is all very excellent news. Sounds absolutely amazing to me. I can't believe the story is going to take 60 hours, that will rock. I can't wait to play this, I have to to, but that doesn't mean I gotta like it.

___________
___________
13 years ago

sounding really good so far, just one request.
can we have a mode for us mere mortals?

CrusaderForever
CrusaderForever
13 years ago

Great information! This is falling into that I knew it group! DS was incredible and looks like Dark Souls is going to be better. Day 1 purchase for me! Keep up the good work on the information front!

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