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Dark Souls (2011)

FromSoftware

PC (Microsoft Windows) · PlayStation 3 · Xbox 360

4.40 from 6175 ratings · #49 top rated on Grouvee

13734 members have it in their collection · 769 playing now · 3485 backlogged · 1769 wish listed

How long? Main story 55h · with extras 70h · 100% 110h (from 162 logged playthroughs)

Dark Souls is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Released in September 2011 as a spiritual sequel to Demon's Souls, it is set in a dark, medieval fantasy world. It is renowned for its challenging gameplay, intricate level design, and deep lore. Players control a customizable character known as the Chosen Undead, embarking … Read more
Dark Souls is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Released in September 2011 as a spiritual sequel to Demon's Souls, it is set in a dark, medieval fantasy world. It is renowned for its challenging gameplay, intricate level design, and deep lore. Players control a customizable character known as the Chosen Undead, embarking on a perilous journey to uncover the secrets of the cursed land of Lordran. Dark Souls is known for its punishing difficulty, requiring players to carefully manage combat, stamina, and resources while navigating hostile environments filled with dangerous enemies and formidable bosses. The game features a unique multiplayer component, allowing players to leave messages for others, summon allies for cooperative play, or invade other players' worlds for PvP combat. The original release of Dark Souls received critical acclaim for its atmospheric world, innovative mechanics, and rewarding gameplay, solidifying its place as a seminal title in the action RPG genre. Read less

Details

Developers
FromSoftware
Publishers
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Genres
Adventure, Role-playing (RPG)
Themes
Action, Fantasy
Franchises
Dark Souls
Series
Dark Souls
Steam
View on Steam

Release dates

  • Sep 22, 2011 (Full Release) (Japan) PlayStation 3
  • Oct 04, 2011 (Full Release) (North_America) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
  • Oct 06, 2011 (Full Release) (Australia) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
  • Oct 07, 2011 (Full Release) (Europe) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
  • Oct 18, 2011 (Full Release) (Korea) Xbox 360
  • Aug 23, 2012 (Full Release) (Australia) PC (Microsoft Windows)
  • Aug 24, 2012 (Full Release) (Europe) PC (Microsoft Windows)
  • Aug 24, 2012 (Full Release) (North_America) PC (Microsoft Windows)
  • Oct 25, 2012 (Full Release) (Japan) PC (Microsoft Windows)

Related

Bundled in

DLC

Remasters

Editions

Featured in lists

Vote on Grouvee's Favorite RPGs! by shinespark · 66 games · 14
Favorite game of every year I have been alive (2002-Current) by DucksOnQuack · 25 games · 5
Gamestar Magazine's 300 best PC games of all time by Human_Traffic · 300 games · 5
Train Your Wife from Zero to Dark Souls (Scientific Method™) by Yevii · 10 games · 4
Vote on Grouvee's Favorite Game Stories! by shinespark · 52 games · 4
Top 10 most overrated games on Grouvee by anarchistica · 10 games · 3

Rating distribution

5 stars
3829
4 stars
1452
3 stars
559
2 stars
225
1 star
109

Community All Reviews Statuses

SIGINT

Status SIGINT Oct 17, 2025

Fresh off my replay of DS3 and first completion of its DLCs, I was in the mood to jump back into this one as well since I haven’t played its DLC either. It’s far from the first time I’ve started this back up since I first beat it and a couple of From’s other games back in 2017, but I …

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Fresh off my replay of DS3 and first completion of its DLCs, I was in the mood to jump back into this one as well since I haven’t played its DLC either. It’s far from the first time I’ve started this back up since I first beat it and a couple of From’s other games back in 2017, but I never get very far, and I think at this point I have to say I think it’s just a one-and-done for me until a significant remake comes out. So much about the game is amazingly done and memorable, and it was very satisfying beating it once, but personally I just find it a drag to go back to. Then again I am not much for replaying games anyway, but still I enjoyed a second full run of Bloodborne, DS3, and Sekiro, and like 5 runs of Elden Ring. Demon’s Souls, this, and DS2 I just can’t do again. I find the amount of parts of this game I actually want to do again is so low, with the early game being a bit boring to revisit and all the weaker later stuff to look forward to… It remains fun to occasionally watch challenge runs of this game or revisit stuff about its lore, but otherwise even with all the admirable stuff about it, I think I had enough getting through the whole ordeal the first time.

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mightyMo

Status mightyMo May 21, 2025

Doing my 3rd playthrough and man, the second half downfall is real :(

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Daninokuni

Status Daninokuni Mar 17, 2025

These days are really hard days for me.

And in this bad moment, for some reason, I find myself enjoying the second playthrough of Dark Souls much more than the first time (I liked the game, but didn't love it). I don't really understand why, but I just feel this is something magical about videogames. Even a game I didn't …

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These days are really hard days for me.

And in this bad moment, for some reason, I find myself enjoying the second playthrough of Dark Souls much more than the first time (I liked the game, but didn't love it). I don't really understand why, but I just feel this is something magical about videogames. Even a game I didn't love can make my life a little better in a hard time.

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Daninokuni

Status Daninokuni Mar 10, 2025

Second time playing. The first one I played as a one handed swordman. Zero defenses and A LOT of damage. This time I am a slow soldier with a sword and a BIG shield. I think the game in general is easier with this build, but I'm enjoying it.

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Vakil

Status Vakil Oct 2, 2024

Can someone who has played this let me know if it offers some kind of local co-op play? I would be looking for a PS4 version. I'm not very good at video games so I was thinking that playing with my son might make it easier if the two of us are battling a difficult boss together.

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koraiah

Status koraiah Sep 5, 2024

I beat Sekiro, Elden Ring and then Dark Souls 3. Demon Souls is not on PC so I'm playing the original Dark Souls. I've been stuck trying to figure out where to go for hours before finally finding the Capra Demon. Now I can move along and hopefully find the next bonfire because I'm sick and tired of being at …

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I beat Sekiro, Elden Ring and then Dark Souls 3. Demon Souls is not on PC so I'm playing the original Dark Souls. I've been stuck trying to figure out where to go for hours before finally finding the Capra Demon. Now I can move along and hopefully find the next bonfire because I'm sick and tired of being at Undead Burg.

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Bluespade

Status Bluespade Aug 20, 2024

Playing the Remaster. For a while now I've had Dark Souls still at the top of my Fromsoft games tier list, but despite trying to account for it, I've always wondered if nostalgia was the deciding factor there. After watching some streamers play it a bit it also looked a lot more basic and jank than i remembered, so I …

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Playing the Remaster. For a while now I've had Dark Souls still at the top of my Fromsoft games tier list, but despite trying to account for it, I've always wondered if nostalgia was the deciding factor there. After watching some streamers play it a bit it also looked a lot more basic and jank than i remembered, so I was wondering how well it would hold up. Well at 3 and a half hours in, so far, it actually holds up beautifully. The enemies look so incredibly slow and dumb when watching someone play, but what I wasnt accounting for is how extremely limited your own moveset is to deal with them. It's just as engaging and tactical as I remember. Easier, to be sure, but mostly just because I still remember how to deal with the individual enemies and traps and general flow of these Fromsoft games. The actual challenges are still coming across strong for me. And despite its simplicity, From still hasnt made another game to rival Dark Souls completely connected world.

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May_Odaigahara

Status May_Odaigahara Aug 11, 2024

I'm sticking through it because I want to play all the Soulsborne games but god this is so boring compared to Elden Ring so far

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May_Odaigahara

Status May_Odaigahara Aug 6, 2024

it's actually hilarious how slow and simple and easy this game feels after having just beat Shadow of the Erdtree. it really feels like a lot of difficulty of this game comes from long-ass boss runs and a weirdly punishing (relatively) medium roll

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SIGINT

Status SIGINT Jun 29, 2024

Started replaying on someone else’s copy of Dark Souls Remastered and got up to Quelaag. Still a great game, though after more recent time with Elden Ring it does feel sort of awkward and less pleasant to replay. It was always a kind of an annoying game in some parts, but still hugely memorable and nicely flexible in some ways—I …

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Started replaying on someone else’s copy of Dark Souls Remastered and got up to Quelaag. Still a great game, though after more recent time with Elden Ring it does feel sort of awkward and less pleasant to replay. It was always a kind of an annoying game in some parts, but still hugely memorable and nicely flexible in some ways—I had fun taking a weapon and souls collected in Blighttown to Taurus Demon / Gargoyles / Butterfly and doing big damage. Do I want to buy Remastered myself right now and replay the whole game? Uhhh maybe not, but it’s always mostly fun to run through the early stuff.

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BurningKirby

Status BurningKirby Jun 14, 2024

I decided to get all the achievements in the Prepare to Die Edition ahead of the Elden Ring DLC drop next week. There were definitely some pains along the way, as this is not a very good port. Some enemies slammed me directly down through the ground, causing me to fall to my death a few times. But it's very …

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I decided to get all the achievements in the Prepare to Die Edition ahead of the Elden Ring DLC drop next week. There were definitely some pains along the way, as this is not a very good port. Some enemies slammed me directly down through the ground, causing me to fall to my death a few times. But it's very satisfying to have them all done now! Took just short of 46 hours for this one, though to be fair I took my time on the first playthrough. I also struggled more than expected on some bosses I've never had issue with before. Bed of Chaos on NG+ can kiss my ass. I came to realize just how bad this boss is all over again during this effort.

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k0rnbr34d

Status k0rnbr34d May 13, 2024

Playing this shit again....

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Super fun until you start hitting the unfinished junk. Can't believe the remaster fixed none of this. This game would be goated if they would make Izalith, Ash Lake, Crystal Cave, and Anor Londo more fleshed out.

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