EP15: Dark Souls - Games Every Designer Should Play

Welcome to Episode 15 of 'Games Every Designer Should Play,' the podcast that explores the world of game design by analysing some of the greatest games of all time. Join experienced Game Design lecturers Stuart Lilford, Adrian Mills, and David Grant as they venture into the brutal, beautiful, and uncompromising world of Dark Souls. 🚨 Spoiler alert for The Game! We STRONGLY advise you to play before listening. In this episode, we unpack what Dark Souls really teaches us about game design — and why so many players bounce off it before it finally clicks. We explore how its difficulty, obscure systems, and fragmented storytelling are not accidents, but deliberate design choices that encourage learning, mastery, and community discussion. We analyse iconic boss encounters like Ornstein and Smough, examine how risk and reward shape player behaviour, and discuss why Dark Souls’ approach to environmental storytelling and level design continues to influence modern games. We also take a critical look at its onboarding, questioning how much friction is productive — and where the game perhaps goes too far. Featuring feedback from listeners and the verdict: Is Dark Souls a must-play for every designer? 📧 Email us your comments or questions on the game discussed in the next episode at [email protected]  It's Stuart's turn to choose the game we must play for the next episode. Will it be beloved by all or could it be controversial? You'll have to listen to the end to find out! 👀 Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share! #GameDesign #GamesEveryDesignerShouldPlay #DarkSouls #GameDesignPodcast #FromSoftware #LevelDesign #BossDesign #GameAnalysis Thank you for tuning in! 🎧✨ We are @ShouldPlayPod on Instagram, Twitter BlueSky, Threads, and YouTube. === CREDITS === Music by Vasil Trofimov from Pixabay. Sound Effects by floraphonic from Pixabay. Thanks to Gary Mitchell for Technical Support