By nature,Demon’s SoulsandDark Soulsare very similar games. Made by the same developer, the iconic and genre definingDark Soulsis actually a spiritual successor to this title, so it’s no surprise that the two share some things in common. Players that are familiar with theSoulsfranchise likely don’t have too much learning to do beforediving into Bluepoint Games' remake, as things like stats, controls, enemies, and even certain level design elements are all shared between the two games. Nowhere in the game does this revelation hit harder than in one of the earlier levels, the Gates of Boletaria.
Demon’s Soulsfeatures a non-linear story, but players are required to go to the Gates of Boletaria first. This level isn’t easy by any means, but by theSoulsfranchise’s standards it’s not terribly difficult. Players will explore and fight their way through the level until they come across a piece of loot that they can’t quite reach. It’s blocked behind some wooden planks that regular attacks can’t break. It’s only after the player continues on in the level and passes over the top of the item that they’ll realize how to open it: a giant boulder.
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Giant Boulder Trope
Now giant boulders certainly aren’t unique to theSoulsfranchise. Most people probably think of Indiana Jones or something similar. The difference there is that in those movies, the boulder tends to drop down suddenly and takes a while to pick up speed.Indy is able to start running away from the boulderand a cool type of chase scene ensues. By contrast, the boulder inDemon’s Soulsappears out of nowhere and quickly barrels into the player. Those with quick reflexes might have time to dodge out of the way, but the majority of players are going to get rolled flat and sustain a heavy bit of damage.
Aside from being really cheeky, this interaction normally wouldn’t provoke much thought. The player triggered a trap and they faced the consequences for it, but it goes deeper than that. Those that turn around after recovering from the blow will realize that the boulder burst open the wooden planks blocking that item from before, allowing players to jump down and grab it. The item isn’t apowerfulDemon’s Soulsweaponor anything like that, but it still feels oddly rewarding to grab it. If this whole interaction feels familiar to players, then they’ve probably played the firstDark Soulsas well.
Dark Souls Tutorial Boulder
Dark Soulstutorials are infamous for being deadly. The game doesn’t typically hold anything back, even throwing players in a room with an Asylum Demon when all they’ve got to defend themselves is a broken straight sword. After escaping from or dying to said Asylum Demon, players will find themselves back in the room before it in need of another way around. There’s a convenient staircase leading up to the other side of the room, and it seems to be the only path forward. On the way over, however, players will notice a dying knight on the other side of a wall through some bars.
Walking up the stairs ends up being a bad idea, as a similarly large boulder comes tumbling down and crashes into the player. As a sort of consolation, it also breaks a hole open in the wall, allowing players to speak to the knight, learn of the prophecy, andget their Estus Flasks so they can heal. This classic trick is repeated inDemon’s Souls, andDark Soulsfans no doubt had unpleasant flashbacks after experiencing this moment yet again. One would think players would be ready for this kind of thing, but the sad truth is that most aren’t.
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Whose Boulder Is It Anyway?
In truth, the title is a little misleading. As previously mentioned,Dark Soulsacted as the spiritual successor toDemon’s Soulswhen the game first released on PS3. Though this remake is likely many fans' first time experiencingDemon’s Souls, there are also many that had played through the whole game beforeDark Soulsever existed. For these players, the boulder was probably less of a surprise, and theDark Soulstutorial boulder would have sparked the same feelings as others are feeling right now.
With that in mind, it seems more accurate to say thatDark Soulspulls an oldDemon’s Soulstrick, but it holds true that most players are more familiar withDark Souls. Regardless, it’s a fun (albeit painful) moment that proves that the franchise is connected by more than just title, style, and difficulty.
Boulder Souls
ThoughDemon’s Soulsmay have coined the idea,Dark Soulscertainly ran as far as it could with it. Players will remember their time in one ofDark Souls’most infamous levels, Sen’s Fortress, navigating a maze of tiny bridges, swinging spike blades, and other traps. This fortress had an entire mechanism devoted to sending boulders hurdling towards the player, and it was even run by a giant on top of the structure. It remains to be seen whetherDemon’s Soulswill feature anything like that, but it seems like a purelyDark Soulsthing to do.
Perhaps the reason why so many players are caught off guard by the boulder in the Gates of Boletaria is becauseDark Souls 2andDark Souls 3didn’t really use this trope in the same way. It’s been a while for most fans since they’ve played the originalDark SoulsorDemon’s Souls, and even those that have played them recently are probably expecting the remake to play like the newer games in the franchise. Regardless, this certainly works toset the tone ofDemon’s Souls, and informs players that they need to always be on their toes. Things will get even harder from here on out, but it wouldn’t be aSoulsgame if it was easy.
Demon’s Soulsis available now exclusively for PS5.
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