Honestly, if you think about it, most of the bosses you meet after the High Wall of Lothric, including that tree boss in the pit, actually feel easier than small fry like the Black Knights.
Some elite enemies along the way—like the Frost Knights, Black Knights, and giant crabs—can even be skipped entirely.
Regular enemies are a bit tougher compared to earlier ones.
It's not like the difficulty has gone up to some crazy level.
As long as you figure out the attack patterns and mechanics of these monsters,
it's not that hard to get through.
But the key point is that before you get used to it, the price you pay is death.
And it's not just the enemies you're dealing with in a fight.
You also have to deal with the map layout and the environment.
Like in Farron Keep, do you fight through the poison swamp, or just run around first?
Traps on the map combined with monsters… that combo has made countless players cry.
Many even feel that fighting Poo-Puller and Shampoo Guy in Farron Keep is harder than fighting a boss.
At this point, players complain about how hellish the map design is, but they don't blame Dark Souls itself.
After going through the earlier stages, they know exactly what kind of game Dark Souls is.
And they've felt its unique charm too. So most of the blame goes to Lucas.
After all, he's the real mastermind.
"I'm done… what kind of person designs a map like Farron Keep?"
"Look at my meme—this is the kind of guy!"
"Honestly, Lucas really went full hell mode with this design!"
"Ha, back in Outlast I already knew what Lucas was like. Now it's all out in the open! 'Warrior of Love'? More like 'Warrior of Malice'!"
"Well said! But bro above, I see your verified Nebula Games account… why did you buy every Lucas game? And your linked overseas account—420.1 hours in Mirror? You've been playing it for a year!"
"Uh… resources were limited, and I was young and dumb, okay?"
Thanks to Farron Keep, the forums blew up with activity.
But what surprised everyone was that Lucas actually reposted a player's complaint about Farron Keep being too hard, and even left a comment.
The comment was simple: Farron Keep is indeed one of the hardest maps, top tier difficulty.
Seeing Lucas say this left countless players speechless.
So you do know this map is pure malice!
But after venting, many players started to feel hopeful.
If Farron Keep is the peak of malice, then after surviving it, things should get better, right?
Of course, some players suspected it wouldn't be that simple.
And after barely getting through Farron Keep, they soon realized the truth.
Yes, Farron Keep really is one of the most malicious maps.
But that doesn't mean the maps after it are any easier!
After beating the Farron Dancers—wait, I mean the Abyss Watchers—you unlock the path to the Catacombs.
In the Catacombs, players really learn what "love" means.
Skeletons with big swords and huge groups of skeletons—that's just the start.
The traps here left countless players completely stunned.
You're just walking, and suddenly the wall shoots out a row of arrows that blow you up.
Then out of nowhere, a giant skeleton ball drops from above and smashes you.
There are jars all over, and if you're the type to break everything, a strange mist comes out and teaches you how to read "You Died" again.
And for the hardcore players who make it to the Irithyll Dungeon and Profaned Capital, the mental damage only gets worse.
On top of all the malicious traps, the monsters and atmosphere here make timid players shake like they're back in Outlast.
Giant baby heads screaming, maggot men and people in cages giving you pure nightmare fuel, and corpses shrieking when you pick up items.
A pack of rats and giants might drop literal poop after you kill them.
And then seven jailers with red-hot branding irons form a squad just to teach you what it means to be roasted alive.
Many players didn't back down when they first faced Iudex Gundyr, they gritted their teeth through Lothric's High Wall, pushed themselves in the Undead Settlement, and finally transformed in Farron Keep.
But when they got here, they completely lost their nerve, saying they'd rather stick with Crestfallen Bro.
"As for this flame, whoever wants to pass it can go ahead!"
Unlike regular players, who just quit when they don't feel like playing anymore,
streamers on all major platforms suffer and enjoy at the same time.
The suffering? The game is full of malice, and its crazy difficulty is just brutal.
The joy? Players love watching it.
Especially those who gave up like watching streamers play, because it feels relatable.
When the streamer dies, they can even throw out a few sarcastic comments in the chat—that's pure fun.
The hype on streaming and video platforms also pushes the game's sales and popularity higher and higher.
It brings in wave after wave of new players, because everyone knows playing and watching are two different things.
Many players, after watching streamers lose their minds from constant failure, think, "I won't end up like that."
Then after buying the game, they realize it's nothing like what they imagined.
And these players each deal with it in their own way.
Some choose a straight refund.
Some buy it but never play.
Some keep pushing through and awaken a special kind of mindset, feeling the unique texture and charm of the Souls series.
Meanwhile, while everyone else is suffering, Lucas at Nebula Games is grinning from ear to ear as he watches the points climb.
For Dark Souls, the emotional harvesting just won't stop!
At first, most players were contributing pure resentment.
But later, after beating tough bosses and getting better weapons, they brought in joy and excitement too.
That's the special thing about Dark Souls—it's not a game made just to torture people.
Beyond the crushing resentment, once players really immerse themselves and adapt, there's a lot of satisfaction to be had.
The joy of getting stronger, the joy of seeing through the developer's tricks, the joy of finding new strategies.
You could say Dark Souls is the ultimate emotional rollercoaster.
"Man, the resentment bar is already overflowing!"
Looking at the golden item he drew earlier in his inventory, the four progress bars showed the one that used to be the lowest—resentment—was now completely full.
If it could be shown visually, it would probably be spilling over by now.
Joy was just a tiny bit short, while anger and sadness were even further behind.
Still about one-sixth away.
But judging by the trend, it's only a matter of time.
Leaning back in his office chair, Lucas was feeling great when a knock sounded on the door and Lisa's voice came from outside.
(End of The Chapter)
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