So, it’s a hello and goodbye from me!
Threw my head against the wall of O&S for a couple of hours tonight. Tried a few different builds based on advice I’d seen - super heavy to soak up hits, super light to dodge everything, but nothing came together. I’d catch a bad shovel from the big lad or a lightning bolt in the back - it never felt like I was getting better or closer, just luckier on some runs than others. When I played Celeste, however hard it was, I felt like I could work it out and persist. This just felt desultory. I understood what to do, but I felt my hands would and brain would never bring it together.
So, given the fun I’d had before on some summons, I tried again. And by god, it was worse. I got mashed by a sentinel during the animation for summoning Solaire. I tried a couple of other players for very mixed results - one immediately ran from the bonfire to the spear knight opposite and died. COME ON MAN. One ran up the stairs through the funhouse and I never saw him again. One time I just got invaded by a cunt dressed like Daredevil.
But then I met vikingqueen. They followed me over the stair jump. They ran with me past the sentinels. I bowed by the fog gate, they saluted, and off we went.
Suddenly a beating became a ballet. We ducked and dived. We passed them off between each other, swapping hits and healing. First skinny went down. Then we worked together on fatty, enraging him to do his Mario squash attacks leaving me open the rush in with the heavy hits. And just like that, it was done. Vikingqueen, we hardly knew ye. But I will always love you.
It was exciting and exhilarating, and maybe it’s not as satisfying as doing it by myself, but it was fun. And as someone with limited time to play, I kind of missed that.
I respect Dark Souls immensely. I’ve put 25 hours into and will remember all of it vividly. I understand why people love it. But I don’t think I’m going to play much more, at least not for a while. I guess I’m going hollow.
Praise the sun, boys. Praise the sun.