The World Design of Dark Souls | Boss Keys

Ready for more Soulslike world design content? Check out my new video on the design of The Lands Between, from Elden Ring - https://youtu.be/LvnlvB9n6ic

"Dark Souls forgoes traditional map systems in favor of a different system, where, if you go the wrong way, you get murdered by 100 skeletons."

You mention the feeling of being "homesick" in DS1 when you venture far from Firelink Shrine... Honestly I couldn't think of a better way to describe it. My first time playing the game I felt so much dread being so far away without having opened any shortcuts back to familiar territory. I don't think I've ever felt anything like that while playing a game before, and haven't since. What an amazing game.

Its amazing that a game of this scale has no loading screens, impressive for a game from 2011.

"At this point of the game you unlocked something very special" Proceeds to show Gwynevere's amazing chest ahead

"Amazing chest ahead. Try using two hands."

One thing that makes the world of Dark Souls so believable is that so much is hidden, that you won't find everything. The sense that you haven't done everything there is to do. Because at that moment you reach the boundaries of a game and realize it's just a game.

God what I would give to be able to forget everything I know and just play this game blind again. No playthrough will ever be as fun as the first.

one of my favorite sections of dark souls 3 is the cathedral of the deep, the whole place has just one bonfire, but it has so many shortcuts and connected paths that really one bonfire is all you need, and that really reminded me of dark souls 1.

I am a sucker for DS1 talks 10/10 good stuff Mark!

One of my favorite things about Dark Souls is that it teaches you to belong in its world. It starts off "hard" because you don't yet know the rules. And when Lordran kills you, it's saying "You're not one of mine. Not *yet*. Let me teach you." And through repeated efforts, it teaches you to understand itself. I'd argue that most of the things that feel challenging on a first playthrough are a cakewalk in successive runs. Lordran isn't trying to mess with you... it's trying to show you the environment you're looking to blend into, similarly to the clown fish/anemone interaction. Once it's taught you how to be a part of it, Lordran is a very welcoming world, and the magic of the first half makes it an absolute joy to explore.

That elevator back to Firelink Shrine is one of my more memorable gaming moments. I remember being completely blown away when I realised how small and intricately designed the game world actually was. But more than that, Firelink in DS1 really does feel like home.

20:33 I like how you start and end with that moment of returning to Firelink Shrine; it unexpectedly returns us to that part of the video, just like how in the game the player is unexpectedly returned to that area. Your editing is top notch.

This has always been MY standout feature in Dark Souls. Not the difficulty, the skill you gain, the accomplishment, the great background story that can easily pass you by or the personal stories. This, the level design. It's the reason why if I could ever experience a game for the first time again, it would be Dark Souls. It's what inspired me to take the stray ways when walking through forests. Finding out where this path goes just to see that I know the place is an amazing feeling. One I first felt in Dark Souls and one I now seek over and over again in real life.

What I loved about dark souls was when me and my brother would play. Whenever we watched each other and saw something happen (like being thrown into the painting) to the other, we would always ask "How did you do that?" and the answer would always be "I don't know"

I like the shout out to The Great Hollow and Ash Lake near the end. These missable areas were my favourite places in the game. I couldn't believe that the game developers would hide the most beautiful part of their game.

After dying a million times and having to run through all of those paths, you will remember it. You will remember it so hard you start to suspect maybe you child is gonna inherit that memmory thorugh your DNA.

Fantastic video. The map of DS1 has always been the thing that stuck with me the most. It’s the reason I never completely finished DS2 or 3. I just never felt as invested or inspired.

been waiting for this one!

"At this point in the game, you'll have unlocked something very special." Me: Boobs Video: Fast travel Me: OH.