This was my first ever souls-like experience, and it was wonderful. Of course, there were plenty of situations where I had to try again and again and again, or where I lost patience and had to take a break. But every time I came back, I was a little wiser, a little stronger, unless I whiffed a roll, which happened more often than I'd like to admit.

The story is haunting. It's a world in decline, gods gone or dying, an Age of Fire flickering out, and almost everyone you meet slowly succumbing to hollowing right in front of you. It's bleak, but strangely hopeful too, there's a quiet defiance in choosing to keep going anyway. Little details drive that home too, like when Sif is low on health and starts limping, barely able to land a hit, but still trying anyway. Moments like that made me genuinely question if I was the villain. The soundtrack hits hard, especially the Gwyn, Firelink Shrine, and Sif themes. Ash Lake might be my second favorite, right after Artorias. Motoi Sakuraba is a genius, the man composed every single one of these tracks and somehow made them all feel unforgettable. There's so much lore hidden in the items too, so many details if you actually pay close attention to them. And so many options for armor and weapons to experiment with.

The whole aesthetic and environment design is masterfully crafted too. There are places like Oolacile, Anor Londo, and Firelink Shrine that look absolutely gorgeous. Then you have grotesque places like Blighttown and the Depths that make your skin crawl. Somehow both extremes complete each other and make the world feel whole.

Another detail I really appreciate is how the world evolves around your actions. Firelink Shrine starts out with a handful of people, and a few more trickle in as you progress. But eventually that starts reversing, one by one they disappear or turn, until it feels progressively lonelier, and you start seeing what happened to the characters you met along the way. Damn.

The game felt hard, but fair. Sure, there were times I thought a hitbox shouldn't have caught me, and other times I got lucky for the exact same reason. It balances out. Some fights were also really creative, like Priscilla, who turns invisible and forces you to track her by following her footsteps in the snow. And the combat itself just feels right. Parrying and riposting are so satisfyingly designed, and rolling right on time feels amazing when you nail it. Chef's kiss.

I struggled a lot. Sen's Fortress, Tomb of Giants, Manus Father of the Abyss, so many walls I hit. But every time I finally got it right and won, that rush I felt in the moment pushed me to keep going.

There's a lot of pain in this game, and that's part of why you keep coming back for more. After all, you're the Chosen Undead. Looking back, it really was a journey of growth. Comparing myself to who I was a few weeks ago, I learned and improved a lot. Don't get me wrong, New Game Plus still kicks my ass, but now there's a silver lining, it's never quite the same playthrough again. You already carry some understanding of how things mostly work.

My favorite fight was Knight Artorias. I already knew going in that I was up against a legendary foe. I learned from Ingward in New Londo Ruins that he was the one who traversed the Abyss. But the moment I stepped into that arena, violins kicking in, the way he moved and attacked, it started feeling like a dance. He'd attack, I'd roll, I'd get my window and hit him, then back off before his next swing. Rinse and repeat. I didn't win on the first try, it took me around 15 attempts, but every fight had that same rhythm. I knew where I made a mistake, where I got too greedy or waited too long. His turn, my turn, his turn, my turn.

A superb game, one that earns every scar it gives you.