Game:

Dark Souls II (2014)

Duration: 1:13:09

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A Dark Souls Retrospective, specifically looking at Dark Souls Design. I've been slowly writing this over the course of a few months, trying to take my time and think things over/enjoy the process, so I could really make a good critical analysis of Dark Souls, both with what works and could have been improved.

Sections:
0:00 - Intro
0:36 - Character Creator/Customization
2:06 - Dark Souls Intro Cutscene
4:37 - Oscar of Astora and how to lie to players
6:29 - Undead Asylum and Tutorials in Souls games
10:20 - Firelink Shrine, sound design, and non-linear game design
13:08 - Undead Burg
17:21 - Death penalties
18:55 - Taurus Demon and Dark Souls Sound Design
20:38 - The Hellkite Drake
23:20 - The Undead Parish and shortcuts
25:07 - Warping vs Not warping in Dark Souls
32:35 - The Bell Gargoyles, The Darkroot Basin, and non-linear world design
35:39 - Lower Undead Burg and Capra Demon
37:04 - The Depths and the curse penalty
38:31 - Blighttown and poison swamps
39:58 - Sen's Fortress and traps
42:23 - Anor Londo, the Anor Londo Archery Club, Ornstein and Smough
45:54 - Branching Paths and design continuity
48:40 - The Catacombs, Pinwheel, Tomb of Giants, and Nito
53:27 - The Duke's Archives and forced death
54:57 - Designing non-linear paths in an RPG
56:59 - The Crystal Cave, Seath, and references
59:01 - New Londo, Sif, and unique bosses
1:01:29 - Demon's Ruins, Lost Izalith, The Bed of Chaos/Witch of Izalith, and gimmick bosses
1:05:28 - Secrets and Exploration
1:07:41 - Artorias of the Abyss DLC
1:09:06 - Gwyn, Lord of Cinder
1:10:26 - Multiplayer design and gameplay integration
1:11:56 - Outro

Music List -
0.00 - Dark Souls - Menu Theme
0.36 - Demon's Souls - Maiden in Black
2.06 - Dark Souls - Prologue
3.38 - Final Fantasy VI - Terra's Theme
4.37 - King's Field: The Ancient City - Palace of Oath Exterior
6.29 - King's Field - Passage For a Monk
7.37 - King's Field - The Miner's Graveyard
10.29 - Dark Souls - Firelink Shrine
11.28 - Dark Souls - The Ancient Dragon
14.08 - King's Field: The Ancient City - Levels 1 & 2
17.21 - Demon's Souls - Maiden Astraea
19.19 - Dark Souls - Taurus Demon
20.38 - Demon's Souls - Old Monk
23.20 - Dark Souls 2 - Majula
25.07 - Dark Souls 3 - Secret Betrayal
27.50 - Bloodborne - The Hunter
28.17 - Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - Rock It Pack Attack
31.21 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - Dark World Theme
32.35 - Dark Souls 2 - Executioner's Chariot
33.08 - Final Fantasy VI - Phantom Forest
35.39 - Dark Souls 2 - Queen of Drangleic
37.04 - King's Field - Colosseum
38.31 - King's Field: The Ancient City - The Egg Mines
39.58 - King's Field: The Ancient City - The Earth Folk Village
42.23 - Breath of Fire II - Coliseum
43.43 - Grandia 2 - Out For Lunch
44.08 - King's Field: The Ancient City - The Holy Forest
44.27 - Dark Souls - Ornstein and Smough
45.54 - Demon's Souls - Return to Slumber
48.40 - A Hat in Time - Alpine Skyline
49.29 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Small Item Catch
52.04 - Dark Souls - Gravelord Nito
53.27 - Dark Souls 2 - Milfanito
54.15 - Dark Souls 2 - Fire Keepers
54.57 - Dark Souls - Nameless Song
56.59 - Dark Souls - Seath the Scaleless
58.32 - King's Field 2 - Seath
59.01 - King's Field: The Ancient City - Title Screen
59.49 - Super Mario RPG - Explanation
59.57 - King's Field: The Ancient City - Village Ruins and East Valley
1.00.31 - Dark Souls - Great Grey Wolf Sif
1.01.29 - King's Field - Cathedral
1.02.15 - King's Field: The Ancient City - The Old Battlefield
1.04.10 - Dark Souls - Chaos Witch Quelaag
1.05.28 - Dark Souls - Dark Sun Gwyndolin
1.07.41 - King's Field: The Ancient City - The Guardian's Room
1.09.06 - Dark Souls - Gwyn, Lord of Cinder
1.10.26 - King's Field - Castle Remains

I hope you enjoy this Dark Souls Design Retrospective!

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