Dark Souls Design - Retrospective

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!