And if you aren't in the USA, well, how've things been in general? It's been a while since I've checked in with everybody, heh. 
So, let's chat! 
Media Musings: Dark Souls · 8:30pm Sep 20th, 2014
The nerd words are back, baby! 
Here there be spoilers maybe not sure in this case. I don't want any fights, I'm just giving my thoughts.
To get this out of the way, it's actually been a while since I've played this game. I played it while I was on my months-long haitus a while back, when I needed something to do. Got it for six bucks on Steam because one of you (shagdragon, I think?) kept recommending it, and I thought "hey, why not?"
Dude, wherever you are, thank you for insisting on this game.
I'm not sure what I can say what other people haven't already said, but I'm going to try. This game is legendary for being unforgiving - and it is. And I was initially avoiding the game because of it. However, while it is unforgiving, it is not unfair. If you get sliced in half by an undead peon's sword, or get squashed by a giant gargoyle's tail, you really have nobody but yourself and your own necrotic reflexes to blame. The gameplay is perfectly responsive - assuming you have a good enough PC, anyway. You always dodge and you always strike in the exact direction you meant to. There is no "getting used to" any bad or bizarre controls. It handles differently than other games, yes, like putting combat functions on the shoulder buttons, but it still feels very natural.
But any game can have good controls, right? Any game can also be very difficult. Those are hard goals to f
k up. What makes Dark Souls a top-notch game is the atmosphere. The story starts with the fact that you're undead, in a world where the undead are getting so numerous that they have to be shipped off to dreary asylum castles guarded by demons. Most of the other undead have gone insane, while you have not. You still have Humanity - and in this world, Humanity is a quantifiable and consumable resource. It can be used to return you to life - until you die which you will - but in-story, if you run out of Humanity completely, you go insane like the rest of the undead. So you have a setting where the undying husks of what used to be people are scrambling over each other to obtain what little Humanity is left before they go mad. Oh, and all the gods and heroes of the world have also gone insane, and it is your job to kill them and take their souls so you can possibly un-fk-up the world. Even the currency in this world is the souls of the dead. Cheery, ain't it?
It's one thing for all this information to be presented to you, but the game well and truly makes you feel every inch of weight from the crushing darkness in this setting. It's a living, breathing world that drags you in - though it won't live much longer and said breathing is wracked coughs that could turn into a death rattle any minute. The world is wrecked beyond repair; there's nothing you can really do about it. But there is a chance out there that maybe you, and you alone, can make things even a tiny bit better for the people who remain - and perhaps even start a new age... though not necessarily a better one.
In short, Dark Souls is a now-legendary Action RPG for a damn good reason. It's fun to play, it's fun to triumph over, and it's got an atmosphere that goes straight to the heart and into the imagination. It's the sort of storytelling marvel that I wish I could create myself, and I honestly wish I could write something akin to it someday. 
Oh well. For now, I can just play Dark Souls and keep dreaming.
Dark Souls 2! Dark Souls 2! Dooooooooooooo it!
I'm still working through Dark Souls in bites here and there. It wouldn't normally have been my type of game (I'm more of a Turn-based person than a reflex game person).
I was worried about sucking due to the fact I haven't held a 'normal' console controller in yonks. Holy hell though, the controls on this game work. They work really well. I admit I don't get parry/riposte and haven't practiced it and I should. But otherwise, it's soooo good.
Stupid good. I've sunk 30 hours in and it's bliss. I love it. Also, I'm glad you are back and are alive and stuff.
Pyromancer for life.
It's fun to think that the only reason you don't go Hollow/crazy is the fact you keep playing the game. If you give up your character gives up and goes completely hollow.
SUNBRO
i58.tinypic.com/seno12.jpg
AYYYYY YOU FINALLY DID IT
it's truly a fucking awesome game. My favorite game ever.