Prepare yourselves: March 11, 2014 brings us the release of Dark Souls II, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2011 Namco action role-playing game that captured the hearts of gamers everywhere with it's enchantingly dark atmosphere, engaging level design, and famously brutal yet rewarding difficulty. Naturally, the latter is often at the forefront of any Dark Souls-based conversation. Any time the game is mentioned online, someone is sure to pop up with a "You Died" gif or rage comic of some sort.
While the difficulty of Dark Souls was certainly too much for some, the thrill of defeating one ridiculously overpowered boss after the next through tireless bouts of trial and error had many others completely hooked. It has become such a trademark that a large margin of the game's most hardcore fanbase will be satisfied with nothing less than an absolutely punishing experience from its sequel. For instance, this article's titular sentiment originates from the Extravagant GogDog, a close friend who is easily the biggest Dark Souls fan I know. In all seriousness, this was his wish for Dark Souls II:
No irony. No bullshit. The man wants this game to destroy him, likely for the rush that will come with inevitably mastering it and beating it right back down into submission. It's an experience he's looking forward to more than you can possibly realize:
And you know, he's far from alone. The fact that Dark Souls has inspired such passion in gamers despite one of its most notable attributes being the very thing that many developers shy away from in hopes of making their game "more accessible" gives us a glimmer of hope. Dark Souls stands proud as a shining example that games do not have to be dumbed down to garner acclaim, and many gamers will actually love those left challenging all the more.
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