Well that was unexpected........

(I actually typed this post yesterday on my laptop, but couldn't log in here to post. whoops)

I figured I'd go easy on myself, so Shadow of the Colossus it was!

I'm pretty sure I spent more time watching cut scenes than actually playing the game. Beautiful cut scenes, but ultimately not why I was there. After finally gaining control of my character (or the Wanderer, as he prefers to call himself) I spent the next few minutes running in circles and fiddling with the camera until it was actually usable. After running across a large open field on a horse that didn't seem to like me (just go dude, I'm hitting X) and climbing a cliff face, I finally set eyes on the first colossus  and boy was he ugly (in a pretty kinda way). I got no farther than knee height to that big bull when my levels of self loathing reached Dark Souls levels.

So, with a lump in my throat and a stone in my stomach, I loaded up Dark Souls. The opening cinematic is gorgeous, and I'm always happy to hear a (rare) female voice over for narrations. Then comes character creation, and boy are these people ugly. It isn't very often that someone NOT blinking is the less creepy option. As with nearly every game I play, I named my creepy little hollow Yana, and made her a Knight (in fantasy games I HIT THINGS WITH MY STICK!!!!!!). 

Sitting in my cell at the game's opening I again spent a little time fiddling with the controls, accidentally using all three if my starting gifts (Goddess' Blessing) while trying to swing my sword hilt. Cursing my loss of early healing ability and in desperate need of an actual weapon, I left the comfort of my cell.

I do believe I died more to the first colossus than I did to the first big monster in Dark Souls, which blew my mind sideways eight directions. After watching Aaron play and die again and again and again in this game, I prepared myself for rage and anger and all that fun, awful stuff. And die I did, several times in the hour that I played (I was expecting my new landlord any time, and you can't pause Dark Souls. He never came by), but for some reason, completely against my gaming nature, not even a hint of rage entered my brain.

According to Aaron, my resident expert (giggle), Dark Souls avoids causing rage because players expect to die. It's almost a game mechanic. You play Dark Souls knowing full well that you are going to be seeing that bonfire (Dark Soul's version of a checkpoint) alot. He freely admits to having Dark Souls Stockholm Syndrome.

I think I'll continue playing, see how long my inner gamer rage can remain contained.