‘Dark Souls’ and Expert Boss Design
Thrown away in an abandoned asylum, a man is given a second chance at life when a savior drops him a key to his cell. Messages are scribbled on the floor about how to fight, though he still has nothing but the clothes on his back and the will to survive. After climbing a ladder out of the dank hallways, he comes across a peculiar sword stuck into a mound that alights when he approaches it, soothing his soul. A large set of doors towers over this fire. This man approaches this doorway and pushes through into a large, empty room. But this room has a surprise waiting for him – a hulking, lumbering monster drops into the arena, and promptly smashes his face in with an oversized club. The man then reawakens at the bonfire he previously lit.
A Dark Onset
This is how Dark Souls opens, with a boss encounter that tells the player from the get-go that they will learn through persistence. This opening confrontation with the Asylum Demon has a lot to teach about how the game works. This foe takes practically no damage from fists alone, so the player is actively encouraged to seek an alternative. Inside that arena is a small opening that leads into a separate part of the asylum, and a gate promptly slams down behind them, signaling that this was the correct course of action. This simple act of running away teaches the player to be aware of their surroundings and get a lay of the land before charging forth into battle.
The winding passages ahead give some short tutorials on the rest of the game mechanics and properly equip the player with a weapon and a shield. After a short walk, these paths loop back to the first bonfire. However, the initial doors leading to the demon are now closed; thus, the player is forced to keep exploring. Progressing upward from the bonfire shortcut, an enemy rolls a boulder down a stairway. Following it reveals that there are possible secrets hidden behind destructible walls, a fact that will no doubt come in handy throughout the rest of the adventure. An NPC here gives a restoration item and a key to the top of the dungeon, where a fog door awaits.
The final tutorial note is left here, about the “plunging attack,” only applicable when high above a foe. Through the mist is a precariously high ledge, right above the demon. Putting into action the newly learned ability, the player can easily chunk off a significant portion of the boss’ health pool. From here, the real fight can begin. The Asylum Demon is slow and its attacks won’t kill in a single hit, so this is an opportunity to get a feel for the mechanics. All of its strikes can be blocked with a shield or dodged through, and if an attack happens to land, there is plenty of time and room to back off and heal. After enough perseverance, the player emerges victorious, climbing the outside slope to the rest of the game.
Beyond the Asylum
The player is tasked with ringing two bells of awakening. Assuming normal progression, they are expected to traverse the Undead Burg, facing various common thugs on the way to a distant tower. About halfway up this spire is another one of those fog doors – on the other side is an outdoor bridge spanning the length between two towers. But the player has learned from the Asylum Demon to look at their surroundings. Immediately on the right is a ladder reaching to the top of the first tower, with a couple of archers taking pot shots. More cunning players will see this as an opportunity to lead an unsuspecting foe to the ladder and drop down with some plunging attacks, especially after remembering how much damage they did to the first boss.
Upon progressing further along the bridge, a large minotaur-like demon drops from the looming steeple, signaling the second boss of the game. There isn’t as much room to move around on this bridge, but the Taurus Demon is just as slow with its swings as the Asylum Demon was. It can either be fought like any other foe, or it can be easily baited near the first tower for some plunges, finishing off this demon without too much trouble.
Dark Souls veterans know the first wall to most new players comes shortly after the Taurus Demon. Throughout the journey thus far, occasionally the player might have heard the ringing of a church bell; the next destination is that bell. A great cathedral beckons, filled with knights and a sorcerer, but the monsters at the top have scared many a player into leaving the series. Upon reaching the rooftop, a fearsome gargoyle greets the player, swinging an axe faster than any previous bosses. Getting the lay of the land is of no help, other than to note the edges of the church rooftop lead to certain death.
While this would be no more difficult than a normal encounter, this boss takes it a step further once it reaches half health – a second gargoyle swoops in, letting loose a torrent of flames as it enters to signal that this won’t be as easy as first thought. But once it is known there’s a second gargoyle, they lose the element of surprise. Like any other foe, it’s a simple matter of standing back and observing their movements, then dispatching them after either dodging or blocking their blows. This is the first true test of the player’s mastery of the mechanics, as opposed to finding an easy way out.
The Depths Below
Now that the player has a solid understanding of Dark Souls, the path to the second bell takes over from where the Gargoyles left off – that is, the next few boss encounters give additional things to worry about mid-fight. The road through the Lower Undead Burg is filled with many smaller foes, including dogs and assassins. This is a sign of things to come, as beyond the next fog door is the Capra Demon. Not so terrifying on its own, but it comes with a pair of attack dogs in a small arena. This creates an immediately tense situation that catches a lot of players off guard. Once the dogs are properly disposed of, the demon itself is no trouble at all.
From there, diving into the Depths introduces enemies that can influence a boss fight from outside the arena itself. If an unknowing player happens to look past the fog door, a sorcerer looming on a balcony pelts the player with spells. This may prove just enough of a distraction for the Gaping Dragon to make short work of the player. A more savvy player might have learned from the Taurus Demon and take a look around the arena for a way up, but unfortunately, none exists. Instead, precautions must be taken before entering the boss fight, taking care of the sorcerer so the Gaping Dragon can be fought one on one. The Gaping Dragon itself can also be invaluable as a learning tool as an extremely large opponent – its hulking hitboxes means that the player is forced to pay attention to the bigger picture or else get pushed around.
Further down beyond the reaches of the infamous Blighttown lies a small area known as Quelaag’s Domain. It is here where the guardian of the second bell of awakening, the Chaos Witch Quelaag, resides. While the Asylum Demon was the finale of the tutorial, Quelaag could be considered the final ‘teaching’ moment where new concepts are introduced that are reused later. Upon entering her arena, everything seems relatively simple – a wide arena gives plenty of room to maneuver. However, Quelaag demands this extra space due to two new mechanics it introduces to the boss lineup. First, Quelaag spews lava that limits the player’s movement, forcing them to come up with new strategies on the fly. Second, Quelaag will sometimes unleash an energy wave around her, forcing the player to back off. Unlike previous bosses where most any dodge or block would be adequate for survival, Quelaag demands the player pay attention to her tells to know what she is about to do, and then react accordingly.
Rise to Anor Londo
After ringing the two bells of awakening, the imposing Sen’s Fortress opens. At its top is the formidable-looking Iron Golem, who serves as a small check of sorts to make sure the player is for what lies ahead. Its monstrous size seems intimidating at first, especially as it may be the first boss encountered who is content to stand back and throw a projectile at the player. But after careful observation it is clear that the golem has limited mobility, prompting the player to rush in. Here is where the check comes into play – if the Iron Golem sustains enough damage in a short time frame, it will collapse, letting the player easily take it out. If the player’s damage output is not high enough, the Iron Golem could prove troublesome – perhaps an indicator that some upgrades are in order before proceeding.
The sight of Anor Londo is a gorgeous one, signaling that the player’s struggles are finally coming to fruition. At the far end of Anor Londo is possibly the greatest boss fight ever created – not just because of the fight itself, but because it takes everything the player has learned up until this point and combines them into one monster of a battle. Dragonslayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough are incredibly well-balanced opponents while simultaneously being perhaps the most difficult fight in the game. Taking inspiration from the Gargoyles, this is a fight against multiple combatants. The arena is not simply flat; there are three pillars on each side, carefully placed to help the player divide and conquer.
Ornstein is a lightning-fast spear wielder who leads the charge from the get-go, similar to the dogs from the Capra Demon fight. He also carries a projectile as the Iron Golem did to keep the player on their toes. Not far behind comes the lumbering Smough, a large hammer user who takes a cue from the early demons by having a slam from Asylum Demon, aggressive behavior like the Taurus Demon, and the ability to attack while charging similar to the Gaping Dragon. Combined, these two opposite forces create an exciting encounter where the player is always under pressure.
However, Ornstein and Smough have one more trick up their sleeves. Upon the defeat of one of the two, the remaining combatant absorbs their power. If Ornstein is defeated first, Smough gets charged with lightning, allowing him to create energy waves as Quelaag did. If Smough is defeated first, Ornstein becomes giant, feeling more similar to the Iron Golem. Like the rest of the fight, though, the lone opponent is nothing the player hasn’t seen before, and thus can be conquered with enough perseverance. If nothing else, Ornstein and Smough are a true test of readiness for the rest of the game beyond them.
The Four Lords
Upon the defeat of Ornstein and Smough, the player is tasked with obtaining the souls of the four lords. Each is found in a different previously unavailable part of the world (with the minor exception of the Four Kings). As they can be obtained in any order, the design philosophy of them leans more towards creating gimmicks for each fight – something unique that won’t be found anywhere else.
In the Duke’s Archives just outside of Anor Londo is Seath the Scaleless. Fearing his own mortality, he discovered the primordial crystal, a way to grant invulnerability. It is clear from the first encounter with Seath that he cannot be defeated, and thus the player dies and respawns in a prison cell. After escaping and heading deep into the crystal cave, the player can destroy the primordial crystal, turning Seath into a fairly standard boss encounter. He does have the ability to create temporary dangerous areas as Quelaag did and makes traversal in the arena slightly more difficult due to his size, he is otherwise unremarkable.
Beneath the graveyard lies the slumbering Gravelord Nito deep in the Tomb of the Giants. Progressing through the catacombs before teaches the player about regenerating skeletons – fighting them will only temporarily take them out of the picture. Only by defeating their necromancer controller can they be permanently removed. Nito has an army of skeletons at his command and he serves as their necromancer. Whereas in the Capra Demon’s case, the wolves could be taken out, these skeletons are relentless and never-ending. Lure the skeletons away from him, though, and Nito becomes a walk in the park compared to everything that came before him.
Just below the starting Firelink Shrine are the New Londo Ruins, home to the Four Kings. Rather than unfairly place the player against four bosses at once, the game smartly decides to implement a timer against the Four Kings. The four all share a single health bar, and after one has been defeated or enough time has passed, another King will appear. Aside from this one interesting gimmick, the Four Kings are standard fare at this point. One other thing worth noting is the arena – it is entirely pitch black and flat, making the only visible things the player and the boss itself, which can be a bit disorienting at first.
It is clear that the Demon Ruins and Lost Izalith part of the game were somewhat rushed – the early Taurus and Capra Demons appear as common enemies, and there is a reskinned Asylum Demon fight along the way. At the end lies the Bed of Chaos, often regarded as one of the worst bosses ever created. Instead of being a normal Dark Souls-like encounter, the Bed of Chaos is essentially a platforming segment and a puzzle in one. In order to defeat the Bed of Chaos, the player must travel to the left and right sides of the arena to destroy a glowing branch, which then opens the middle path to the core. The catch comes when each branch is destroyed, when parts of the stage fall apart and the boss attempts to sweep the player into bottomless pits. Curiously, this is also the one fight in the game to have checkpoints; if the player dies at any point, any destroyed branches remain destroyed, allowing them to immediately head to the next objective. These strange elements combine to create an interesting, albeit terribly-designed encounter.
A Solemn Finish
After obtaining the four lord souls, the player gains access to the Kiln of the First Flame, the resting ground for the final boss of the game, Gwyn, the Lord of Cinder. In a return to form, Gwyn is simply an unrelentingly fast opponent, similar to Ornstein. While Gwyn stands alone, he is more than a challenge if using conventional boss tactics. Especially crafty players might notice that Gwyn is essentially a human opponent, and thus tactics that work on normal enemies work as well, including the parry. Not mentioned until this point, the parry is an action that can stop an opponent’s attack, leaving them vulnerable. It was not mentioned because it is ineffective against most bosses – however, Gwyn is no ordinary boss, acting as a bridge connecting boss encounters to the knights strewn about the game.
The boss progression of Dark Souls is an incredibly well-crafted one, teaching the player mechanics through the designs of the fights themselves. Starting at the lowly Asylum Demon, every opponent has a lesson to teach, preparing the player for what comes next. It is in this way that the developers can be sure the player is ready to face the biggest challenges Dark Souls has to offer, and perhaps even further beyond. Artorias of the Abyss awaits.
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