As I watched my good friend get effortlessly slaughtered, disemboweled, mauled, and disfigured in many painful ways, I came to the sudden realization that Dark Souls isn't a game for everyone. The title charmed players with a painstaking test of nerves, rewarding their preparation and pinpoint movements while breaking the norm of hand-holding gameplay. New releases these days have lost that challenge, coming neatly wrapped with the guaranteed gratification of victory. The easiness inundating games today has made us feel godlike, a feeling both disturbingly potent and increasingly stale. Unfortunately, many refuse to acknowledge From Software's multi-platform masterpiece, arguing that it's too tough.

Dark Souls triggered a reminder of the days of yore when we conquered fiercely unapologetic obstacle courses in Battletoads and struggled through the entire eight-bit Ninja Gaiden series. Developers back then were only concerned about game design and not profitability, mostly. Their goal was to relentlessly torment players. But economics have crept into the industry, and clearly, the publishers' main intent now is to make as much money as humanly possible. Basically, they believe lower difficulty equals higher sales. Forcing us to become obedient while battling agonizingly easy enemies is both dishonorable and disrespectful. That's why Dark Souls is so refreshing and why the title has received cult status to boot.

The successor to the equally brutal Demon's Souls doesn't just transcend the confines of convenience, it also keeps players coming back. Dark Souls, appropriately, is one of those games that has players clamoring for years while they revisit it again and again to overcome that one boss fight. The unadulterated satisfaction of completely destroying a massive enemy is something the game prides itself on, and its developer should be commended.

And that is the brilliance of From Software. The studio is capitalizing on the consistently elementary nature of modern gaming to create a wonderfully unforgiving title. If Dark Souls sells a significant number of copies, more companies should jump on the bandwagon. Hopefully, the historically difficult era of the Nintendo Entertainment System will flourish once again in a new form.

Current sales are solid, but the limited advertising in North America will bar future profits. Dark Souls will probably break the million-sold mark soon, if it hasn't already, and that'll likely lead to a continuation of the series. I'll be renting it soon, maybe, embracing the hardness. And I can't wait. Jeff out.