Seek Strength… The Rest Will Follow!
Completing a game has undergone significant transformations over the years! For instance, when I first embarked on my gaming journey, expertly guiding Mario through paintings – I often found myself stuck for hours while trying to collect stars. Fortunately, I always had a group of friends around to lend a hand. Back in those days, seeking assistance was second nature to us, because we didn’t have YouTube at our disposal. Instead, we had to invest an incredible amount of time navigating a game or rely on the good fortune of having a friend or older sibling who had already conquered it.
Fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. Now, you can either watch a video or consult a walkthrough to tackle a game, but asking for help has become somewhat challenging . Whether in a video game or in real life. It can trigger a multitude of conflicted emotions. Some of us may fear rejection or to face criticism for not being able to master the game independently, while others might avert seeking help to avoid being a burden.
Therefore, our post today centers on the acceptability of seeking assistance – and what better game to illustrate this argument than Dark Souls III. A title that frequently brings tears to my eyes and leaves me yearning for help. In fact, if given the chance, I would eagerly befriend The Giant Of The Undead Settlement and have him accompany me on my journey – just to delay the endless void of death and soul-loss that this game offers.
Dark Souls III
For those unfamiliar with the Souls series, it all began with Demon’s Souls. An action role-playing game released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3. These were created to cause depresssion by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. This marked the moment where gamers discovered the unique blend of emotions that the series offer. Simultaneously evoking feelings of desolation, frustration, and accomplishment. I have not felt the same level of mixed feelings since I farted so hard that my friends laughed, but shocked myself as I nearly shat my pants.
Over the years, the Souls series has evolved, leading us to the Dark Souls trilogy and remarkable titles like Bloodborne. Today, we will plunge into the world of Dark Souls III, the third and final installment in the action RPG trilogy and the fourth entry in the Souls series. I still have to experience completing all of them, without leaving my house in rage midway through.
The Plot
As for the plot, explaining the souls series in one sentence is not as easy as it could be – but in short, you visit a new area, the Lothric Kingdom. The Age of Fire is dying out, and you need to prevent that from happening. Otherwise, a curse that raises the dead will cover the world – sounds easy enough right?
The Player takes on the roles as “The Ashen One”, an Undead who failed to become a Lord of Cinder and thus called an Unkindled, who rises from death and must link the fire by returning Prince Lothric and the defiant Lords of Cinder to their thrones in Firelink Shrine. So you prevent the undead by becoming one? I am grossly simplifying it, but you get the gist!
How Is This Relevant?
Now, you might be questioning, how today’s game fits to today’s theme? So let me help you along. The Dark Souls series has built a reputation for its unyielding but equitable challenges. The bosses in each game seem to be unstoppable at first, but you simply need to learn how they fight and what their weaknesses are. You will likely accomplish this insight, through a series of relentless deaths and respawns #yay. At least, that is how it was for me and several of angry reviewers on Youtube.
Anyway… on occasion, you just want to play for 30 minutes, without hating yourself or necessarily spending that time studying the boss’ battle pattern, harder than you studied economics in college. Hence, where some can power through and do everything on their own – this game also supports the belief, that it is more than okay to consult google, read the manual or just straight summon others for help. A Win is a win, after all.
Gameplay
The game retains its signature mechanics, featuring Bonfires, Souls, and the notorious challenging combat. Despite that, I hard time not reflecting on the level of these challenges. You see, I saw how it was taken to the next level, by some gamers, like Super Louis 64, completing the game, using unconventional controllers, such as bananas, without getting hit once!
However, then I tried completing it myself and showed my reflection where the sun shines – since to me, one of the foundational mechanics of the series hinges on the premise that death is an integral part of the learning process in hostile environments.
In contrast to other games that allow you to respawn near your point of demise with all your stats intact, the Souls series takes a different approach. When you as a player exhausts your health points and succumbs to death, you lose your “Souls” (the equivalent of experience points required for leveling up). To then being transported back to the most recent savepoint known as a bonfire. Following this unavoidable demise, your are luckily granted one opportunity to fetch your lost Souls from the location where you suffered defeat. If they meet their demise again before reaching this resting point, the Souls are irretrievably lost.
This design is intended to promote repetition, learning from past errors, and drawing upon previous experiences as the means to conquer its formidable challenges. However, it doesn’t always feel that way, especially after losing 50,000 Souls six times in a row. Fortunately, the game offers a gratifying feature to combat this despair – the option to summon assistance, be it from a bot or another player!
Debate Of The Day
Despite of this appreciated option, the reality is that seeking assistance in the real world often involves a very different degree of vulnerability. In Western societies, where self-reliance is often emphasized, reaching out to others for help may appear as if it goes against the flow, potentially making us feel wrong or selfish, and possibly burdening those who offer their assistance.
This is of course, a very individual perception and I am not stating it is equal for everyone – but in those hard moments, how great would it be with a summoning button? Whether to assist with games, laundry or work.
Especially as the advantages of seeking help far outweigh any perceived drawbacks. Taking Dark Souls as an example, is simply one out of many! Acknowledging our need for help opens the door to numerous positive outcomes, including the opportunity to forge new friendships, gain fresh perspectives, and, in the context of the story, attain success.
So, for today let’s explore some of the benefits of seeking help using Dark Souls as inspiration, bearing in mind that it doesn’t equate to offloading unwarranted burdens onto others. If nothing else, I would love to explore how video games often are great at offering the value of requesting assistance.
Fresh Swords & New Tactics
Let us take our first example, Bosses in Dark souls III have a distinguished fight pattern, which they use on random intervals, depending on the fight. Now we could adjust our fighting style and character build to make the boss fight easier, while accepting a pile of deaths, trying to figure out the pattern, OR we could be asking for help.
This not only allows for the possibility of fresh ideas and perhaps a new perspective, by giving us an opportunity to learn from someone more experienced, but it also improves our skills and makes us more successful overall. Plus I do not loose my will to live, by retrying the same fight over and over, with each death be a fine reminder of how little gusto i got in this game!
However, my old dad always said, “try it yourself first, then ask for help” and I also wont deny that it still brings a bit of truth to my ear. So, at least in Dark Souls, even with a companion, a Boss fight can be nearly impossible to beat on the first try – so instead of wasting the life of your fellow Ashen one, why not give it a go yourself first, it might positively surprise you.
Mental Wellness Of The Ashen One
To that end, let’s be honest.. There are just certain times… where Starting over can be so freaking incredibly annoying! Like when you go shopping, find your groceries, get in line, wait in line, pay, leave and then on the way home realize you forgot to buy cheese for the nachos, thereby either being forced to go back and go through the full hell-loop again or eat the chips without cheese.. which lets be fair, you wont.
So when you reach that stage, whether in life or in-game, it is beneficial to accept that we need help, for example, when we have taken on too much, or life has become too busy, for us to be stuck at fighting Iudex Gundyr, the literal first boss of the game, for 5+ hours. Noticing this is actually our brain and body sending messages for self preservation, to keep us safe. By asking for help and accepting assistance it protects us from burning out or from being overwhelmed, and ensures our mental wellness.
To you this might sound like an exaggeration, but it nonetheless makes seeing that bastard die and turn to dust, feel no less satisfying! Actually, I owe a lot of mental wellness to this guy – fuck me I have died many times, trying to rush through him impatiently – which taught me, by the end, to take my time, which resonates with the beauty of Captain Americas post credit scene on “Patience“.
A Helping Sword Feels Great
In this moment, as tears of joy replace tears of pain, you’re finally embarking on a challenging yet incredible journey, where the challenges will only become harder – but it is okay, because now you know that help is just one summon away and with each request for help, it is said that you generate an opportunity for others to share their skills, and leave a positive impression.
Because, for those who are allowed to demonstrate a willingness to share their knowledge, they are often benefiting from a perception of being trustworthy, warm, and friendly. Among all the monsters, bosses, and invasions you will experience in the souls series, having a friendly sword wielding maniac next to you, is really well met!
So, if you ever question the wisdom of seeking assistance, rest assured that when you do, it not only benefits you but also brings a sense of fulfillment to your guardian angel. We’ve all experienced the satisfaction of helping others, and this act of generosity provides a sense of goodness. Moreover, receiving help eases stress, creating a win-win situation for both the giver and the receiver.
That being said, trusting the help of others and nativity can sadly go hand in hand sometimes – Dark Souls is a perfect proof of that, as with all the helpful gamers, there is also a bunch of… well… a-holes. You see, another way to help another player out the souls series, is to write a short message on the ground for them to read and seek guidance in – Sometimes they are helpful, sometimes they’re funny, and sometimes, on rare occasions, they are just there to mess with you and get you killed.
This kinda counters the point of asking for help, if you cannot believe in what is provided. Personally i try to believe in most of these small assists, which is also why I have sent my character plummeting of a mountainside a few times – however, lets be fair, if you found a note at the top of a cliff, which said “jump”, you would most likely think twice about doing it… or at least do a cool flip on the way down.
Make A Request & Return the Favor
To that end – it is obvious that in the ever-evolving world of gaming and life, the notion of seeking assistance has taken on new dimensions. We’ve journeyed from a time when gathering around a console with friends was the norm, to an era where we can access tutorials and guides at our fingertips. Yet, despite these changes, one fundamental truth remains: asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a manifestation of our shared humanity.
Dark Souls III, with its unforgiving challenges and intricate boss battles, serves as a prime example of when seeking help can be both practical and rewarding. This game, renowned for its tough but fair gameplay, reminds us that there are moments when we could all use a helping hand.
Whether it’s learning a boss’s pattern, preventing burnout, or simply enhancing the overall experience, asking for assistance can lead to personal growth and meaningful connections. To that end, asking for help may require vulnerability, but the benefits far outweigh any perceived drawbacks. It opens doors to new friendships, fresh perspectives, and success in both the gaming world and our everyday lives.
To those of you who feel guilty for summoning the occasional assist – You really should not. If the preaching, based on a few peer-reviewed studies, of a random guy on the internet, does not provide any comfort, then maybe a few 100 random people on reddit can do so. So despite how much we tend to love stories about spontaneous help, and watch random acts of kindness go viral on social media – in reality, the majority of help occurs only after a request has been made.
It’s not because we don’t want to help – Quite the opposite, people want to help, but they can’t help if they don’t know someone is in need of it. With that I am done rambling – so ask for help, enjoy The Souls series and remember, to someday return that favor, who knows, you might be the savior of a lost noob one day!
Who Do you Summon?
I am sure we can all relate to situations where we needed help! Add a comment and give a shout out to your go-to guide, when a game gets tough! It can be anyone from a guy on youtube, your brother’s friend or maybe your father?
All right, I guess that is all I got in me for today – Thank you for reading this far and feel free to provide any feedback you may have – We would like for you to keep leveling up with us! Feel free to contribute your own content, such as fan art, game reviews, or personal gaming stories, to be featured as Pixelated Wisdom.
On that note I can only say – Seek Strength… The Rest Will Follow!
Sources
Thank you to the sources providing me with cool inspiration:
Hi,
This was a good fun! From my point of view, a shout out should go to my old neighbor – he always jumped to my rescue in banjo-kazooie for 64.