Title of Game: Dark Souls
Release Date: March 11 2014
Genre: Action Role-playing game (Third Person)
Narrative/Storyline: The Chosen Undead sets out to relight the First Flame. However, it is more appropriate to say that the storyline is fitted together by what the player puts it together as. There is no direct narrative apart from opening sequence of the game and rest of the story is told through the items that can be acquired in the game. Each of these items give a small description as to where they might have originated, what it could have been used for, who was the previous owner etc. The items and the lore existant in Lordran (The technical world the game takes place in) can be linked to one another. Locations in which the player travels to will show how much of a history it has had through it's architecture, entities located there and any items found in the area. Practically almost everything that is alive in Lordran is an undead and are those who are branded with the Darksign (This signified that they were once human). The Darksign is carried by all undead and will fall in to chaos and slowly lose their minds. Lordran was built upon the death of dragons, fought by the ones who hold the one of the Lord Souls of which there are 4: Nito, the first of the Dead; The Witch of Izalith; Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight and the Furtive Pygmy.
The protagonist is the Chosen Undead in this story and is set the task of ringing The Bell of Awakening of which there are two; one above the church and one below in Lost Izalith. Once opened, the gates to Sen's Fortress, a heavily guarded and trap-ridden area will open and once traversed will be met with a guardian that protects the way to the next area. After defeating the guardian, the Chosen Undead is carried off to Anor Londo, which the Princess of Sunlight, once met will give the Chosen Undead the Lordvessel, which is used to carry the Lord Souls and open the doors to the Kiln of the First Fire. Inside, the Chosen Undead will have to fight the Black Knights that guard the Lord of Cinders (The now named Gwyn). The likely reason for the Knights to have Black Armour is due to the fact that they were exposed to the First Fire for so long, they're armours have blackened. In Anor Londo, the Knights there were wearing silver armour, signifying that they may have been what the Black Knights previously were. The time between the Chosen Undead from awakening to the lighting of the previous fire isn't exactly given, which means that the Black Knights that was tasked to protect the First Flame may have already died long before the Chosen Undead awakes and the only thing keeping their armour alive is their sense of duty; To protect the Lord of Cinders and the First Flame. Once the Chosen Undead faces Gwyn, one will slowly notice that Gwyn is not as powerful as he once was and it seems like one would pity how the previous Lord of Sunlight has become powerless. The reason for this is maybe the fact that he had to relight the First Flame by relinquishing his humanity and his Lord Soul to the fire, which in turn turned him hollow. After defeating Gwyn, the Chosen Undead must choose whether to relight the First Flame and to continue Gwyn's Age of Fire and repeat the cycle or for the Chosen Undead to leave the Kiln of the First Flame and usher into the Age of Darkness, which is also known as the Age of Man.
Characters: There are a series of characters of which are all Undead. The reason for this is because Lordran attracts those who have been cursed and thus gathers them in one area. There are a series of characters will help the protagonist on their journey to the Kiln of the First Flame: The Pyromancers giving access to Pyromancy, The Blacksmiths scattered around the Lordran giving players the ability to upgrade their equipment, The Sorcerers giving access to Magic, Merchants who sell a series of items to the player and finally several characters who give the Chosen Undead items that will aid them on their journey.
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
Target Audience: People who enjoy a challenge; people with patience and wanderlust. The game is known for having no set difficulties and is only affected by how well the players play the game. It is not a game that everyone will pick up but it is the type that will either be disliked or liked, nothing in the middle. People who enjoy finding more about the world that they are placed in (In this case, Lordran) will like the fact that items are what feature the story and the locations Lordran features. This would mean that they are more motivated to explore the Lordran in it's entirety, piecing everything together.
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