Learning about Dark Souls 2 makes me sad

After it was announced at the VGAs that Dark Souls 2 was in the works, many people were sceptical. Not me, I was excited, because I am an optimist, but many other people were sceptical. This trepidation was increased by Director Tomohiro Shibuya's comments to Edgethat the sequel would be more accessible and less inscrutable.




Shibuya's approach differs from that of Hidetaka Miyazaki - the man behind the first Dark Souls and Demon's Souls before it and people were worried this sequel would end up being somewhat alien to its forebears. A worry which was on good footing it seems, as Edge today released a second excerpt from their feature on Dark Souls 2, in which Shibuya further explains what he means:

Right in the beginning when players first pick up the game is something that I will definitely focus on. To not immediately throw them into Dark Souls but provide a good introduction in terms of what the game’s about and how the game should be played. Hopefully that adjustment at the very beginning of the game will help draw in players and get them addicted right away without immediately making players feel rejected [by] the game system itself.

Welp.

Shibuya also talks about making the story elements more overt and how the covenant system was 'difficult to fully absorb and experience in Dark Souls.' Because who wants a world with deeper mystery and a hidden subtext of an intricate and living world when you could have a bunch of cut-scenes? Oh, I know - maybe in Dark Souls 2 you can play as a rock star touring Lordran and instead of battles we have match-3 puzzles?

While I'm complaining - and primarily because Dark Souls 2 has brought this little talking point back to life - Dark Souls and Demon's Souls were not extremely difficult. I am really sick of press saying that. I get it, you played the game and you died heaps, because Dark Souls is punishing. That doesn't mean it is difficult, it means you suck at it. You are supposed to learn how to play, that's the point. Once you do you will wonder how you ever died to anything in the Undead Burg. Maybe if bunches of idiots who hadn't played the games didn't shout about its difficulty every time they saw it, we wouldn't end up with whatever travesty it sounds like we're getting next year. Cripes.