2019-06-01_PC_Gamer

realisesit hastofightthewarriorthat

oncesavedthem.

Inmostgamesbossfightsarea

matterofpacingandchallenge.In

DarkSoulsthey

arevitalstory

beatsthatevoke

powerful,

layered

emotions.

Beneaththe

anger,

frustration,fear

andsatisfaction

ofnavigating

combat,the

fightswithArtoriasandSifare

deeplysad.TheSiffightis tragic

becauseyouareforcedtopunishthe

wolf ’seternalloyaltytotheirdead

YOUSUSPECT

THATBLOW

MIGHTHAVE

RUINED

ARTORIAS’ARM

Artorias’ ring, which grants access to

the Abyss. You can speculate that Sif

wasn’t just guarding the memory of

Artorias, but trying to prevent future

heroes from

sharing his fate.

If you play

the expansion

before you meet

the huge Great

Wolf version of

Sif, you can find

it as a pup in the

Abyss, and free it

from Artorias’

shield. If you do

this the introductory cutscene for

Sif changes. The wolf sniffs,

recognises you, bows in sorrow, and

then howls at the moon when it

companion.TheArtoriasfightis

tragicbecauseyou’rewitnessingthe

corruptionofa legend.But,while

thegamecanfeelrelentlesslygrim

attimes,thereis a glimmeroflight

inthedarkness.

WhenyoudefeatArtorias,you

collecthissoul.“TheLegendthat

ArtoriasrepelledtheAbyssonlytold

halfofthestory,”saysthe

description.“Itseemsthathewas

defeated,andhishonorpreserved,by

someunsunghero,whois thetrue

victorovertheAbyss.”

COSTOFTHEQUEST

Astheunsunghero,youmanageto

completeArtorias’questand

preservehislegacy.Inthismoment

yourealisethatyourfatehasbeen

entwinedwithArtoriasandSiffrom

thestartofthegame.Everyfightis

partofa grandtimeloopthatallows

youtocompleteyourfightagainst

LordGwynandchoosewhetheror

nottoendtheageoffire.

Therearedeeperlayerstothe

storythatyouonlyfinddiscussedon

themostobsessiveDarkSoulslore

messageboards,suggestingthat

Artoriaswastrickedbyoneofthe

enigmaticPrimordialSerpents

plottingtobringdownLordGwynn.

It’sa testamenttoDarkSouls’

powerfulstorytellingthata coupleof

bossescaninvitesomuchdiscussion

evenyearsafterthegame’slaunch.

Whenyoulookatthegameasa

wholehisstoryis justonethreadina

hugetapestry,butit showshowDark

Soulsbreaksgroundandelevatesthe

ideaofwhata videogameenemycan

meantoa player.Afterbattling

KnightArtorias,bossesinother

gamesseemthin.

ABOVE: The hand of
Manus, the monster
Artorias was meant
to have killed.

BOTTOM RIGHT: If
you rescue Sif from
the Abyss you can
summon them to take
revenge in your final
fight against Manus.

TRAGEDY I PR ANK I LORE I INVADE I FA SH ION

FEATURE

c t c t a i c A h d d s v C A

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