The Dark Souls of Idea Channel Episodes

The Dark Souls of Everything

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Dark Souls is constantly used as a metaphor. Anything resembling the game’s design or difficulty is dubbed the Dark Souls of its ilk. But why is this the case? What is it about Dark Souls that makes it so easy for people to stand it against such a wide array of things? Much like Franz Kafka and the Kafkaesque, Dark Souls has the “Soulsian,” and the comparisons are even applied to things that predate its time. In today's episode we explain why we think this is the case, and it's not just because it's a difficult game! Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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[EatitHarvey]

Dark Souls is the Demon Souls of Berserk

[Efreeti]

Something I love the most about Dark Souls may be an aspect of the Soulsian; It has in itself an allegory of giving up on the game. In the world of the games, the curse of undeath makes the player go hollow, and often with each passing death this effect gets stronger. However, as long as one has a purpose, one isn't lost to the insanity that comes with full hollowing, like many of the enemies you face in the game have become. Conversely, as long as one keeps playing after experiencing death and difficulty as a player of these games, you have a purpose. As soon as you quit the game for the last time, your purpose is gone and you have lost yourself to the hollowing process.

[endsign]

Dark Souls III is the Dark Souls II of the Dark Souls franchise..

[AlmightyDoubleHelix]

Homestuck is the Dark Souls of webcomics. It's circuitous, difficult to understand, and angers many.

[arsemonkey]

The Silmarillian, as opposed to Lord of the Rings, is definitely the Dark Souls of books. It has a high barrier to entry, an interesting dark story, and it arguably single-handedly brought life to modern High Fantasy. Without which we would have never gotten Dungeons and Dragons which lead to the inspiration of plenty of video games, including Dark Souls!

[Yescek]

Amazing video Mike! The gesture at the end was even better than what I'd imagined because of how perfectly it punctuated your point.

[christianhansen]

"Praise the Sun!"



Joke so dead it's hollowed out.

[leerowan]

Homestuck is the Dark Souls of webcomics

[JustSomeDamnGinger]

The problem with labeling difficulty as a key part of Dark Souls is the inconsistency. Some players may find a boss nearly impossible, dying to it over 100 times before they get the victory message. Another player may kill that same boss their first try and declare it 'too easy'. I think the themes of perseverance, solving puzzles, and not being afraid to miss some things along the way are what make the series so great for me, personally. It comes down to that idea of 'game feel'. I don't just want to gain levels in the game, I want to feel like *I'm* the one getting better. I'm not dying to an enemy anymore because I know how it works, not *just* because I've leveled up my strength and got a bigger sword.

[HymmnosSentry]

I feel as if those terms Soulsian and Kafkaesque are formed and can be retroactive when there may be subtle background hints at themes in media, past, present, or future in whatever form of media. It takes a masteripece to embody these subtle themes and focus them into its entire being: becoming incandescent and unavoidable. From there, it acts as the stem of a plant, where the other previously mentioned media connects as leaves or branches. These terms are bridges which connect many seemingly irrelevant things together by their subtle similarities, but the Soulsian, or Kafkaesque can only be realized through a shot in the dark which nails the theme right on the head.

[millerrepin]

dark souls is the dark souls of video games

[DamnZodiak]

I find it interesting how you once talked about Dark Souls, without ever understanding, or even remotely experiencing yet. Now we've reached a point where we enjoy the fruits of your labor, your progression with what Dark Souls is or strives to be.
A progression that is, in it self, very much Souls like.

[miserablesmileface]

Dark Souls is the Castlevania of modern games.

[Focie]

Hey, Mike? Awesome episode. I think you summed up the Dark Souls series pretty neatly. You said that the game was less about twitch skills but more about exploration, but that may not be the case for everyone who plays. I'd hate to toot my own horn here, but I just released a pretty high quality analysis video on how Dark Souls can be very much like Monster Hunter even though they are fundamentally different. I think that comparison is more fair than how Mario is like Dark Souls-like.

[ChesyreFrog]

"Requiem for a Dream" (2000) or "Eraserhead" (1977) should be the Dark Souls or film. Both lead the viewer in to an uncomfortable world which ultimately tests audiences beyond the scope of the first viewing. I have found other people who, like myself, either didn't finish the film on first viewing, or did so as a badge of having endured it. These films later offer greater insights through repeated viewing and critical analysis of their themes, aesthetics, and soundscapes, but are never themselves enjoyable as a article of entertainment.

[jackmcconnico]

PBS Idea Channel is the Dark Souls of Youtube.

[zennim]

nietzsche is definitely the dark souls of philosophy.

and jojo bizarre adventures is the dark souls of anime.

[soundwaveprimenerd]

The beauty of dark souls is its thematic completeness. While elements of its lore may be too hidden or not hidden enough or an encounter either too cheap or not difficult enough, in every instance I found myself in the game, the central themes it is going for are always present given close enough look. The theme I have found is best stated and represented in the item description of "The Pursuers" a spell from dark souls 1 (as well as 2 and 3 but the description was different)

"Sorcery of Manus, Father of the Abyss. Grant a fleeting will to the Dark of humanity, and volley the result.
The will feels envy, or perhaps love, and despite the inevitable trite and tragic ending, the will sees no alternative, and is driven madly towards its target."

The themes of Dark Souls revolve around the human condition and how it is our desires, our fears, our loves, our anguish and our pride that drives us forward even if it leads us to certain destruction. Many characters in the series meet their end in violence because they felt compelled too. Lautrec deceived and murdered others out of love for his goddess. Quelagg died trying to harvest humanity for her sister. Quelagg's sister poisoned and crippled herself to save the life of a worthless murderer only because she saw the beauty and good in all creatures. Gwyn set his soul ablaze because he feared the loss of his power and the inevitable rise of man. The Witch of Izalith became malformed and corrupted because of her lust for power. Seigmeyer went hollow because of his shame after learning how helpless he was.

This to me is what defines Dark Souls. It's more than difficulty are narrative obscurity.

[Ideashark]

So would Lovecraftian would be in the same vain?

[zerrrro]

Dark Souls is probably the purest metaphor for life. From the way you enter each world to the way we invade or assist others. Even the bloodstains are a facet of this.