I ' ll actually cheer for them in the playoffs since we ' re not going anywhere . <| sep |> First and foremost dark souls is NOT a hack and slash . If you come in swinging like god of war or devil may cry or gunna have a very bad time . It ' s strategic combat so take your time , treat each encounter with care because no matter your gear or level even the basic guys can murder the fuck out of you . I can ' t parry for shit so my shield became my best friend . Block block dodge block dodge block . The best defense is just not getting hit in the first place . There ' s other posts about how to spend your XP and stuff which is all great and valid but remember if die you lose it so some grinding might help you . Kill a few then hightail it back to the Bonfire and level up . You may have noticed that bonfires cause all mobs to respawn so you can multikill the first few on your way into town to get going . Lastly don ' t judge progress on time spent on one area or fight . This is not that type of game . I ' ve seen people blow thru the whole game in just few hours but I ' ve put 100 plus hours into my first play thru . This is a go at your pace type deal . Nobody is going judge you on your pace . Learn the game as you go you ' ll get thru it and rewards are so gratifying .