Dark Souls II, Dreams, Escapism, and Aging

Whether the events of Dark Souls II are a dream, or not, the message still rings true: only you can see your future.

Dark Souls II struck me quite unexpectedly, for while it is on its surface more or less the same game as the third entry, I found the themes and motifs of two to be more resonant, especially now. In particular these motifs are that of escapism and aging. Obviously, the themes of persistence, perseverance, and hope are present, but I'm going to forgo discussing that aspect because I will only end up repeating what was already discussed in my review of Dark Souls III.

The first is probably the most timely, as a tale of escapism. In order to find a cure from a disease/curse that has turned you undead, your character (perhaps metaphorically) enters a dream-like land (Drangleic) that legends say holds the promise of a cure. Eventually however, you find that there is no cure, but like so many other things in your journey, your original purpose is forgotten and replaced with the gathering of powerful souls. This thread only comes back in the DLC, when you find out that there is a way to halt the curse by reforging the Crown (which negates the curse from progressing so long as you wear it). However, it remains less of a solution, and more of a selfish escape from the curse, as the crown only blocks the curse from affecting its wearer. As several figures that you meet throughout your journey tell you, a monarch is nothing without their people, and a true monarch bears the weight of their subjects, which in this case means the curse. In the end, in order to 'win', you must accept that there is no magical cure-all, and that the only way to 'cure' the curse is for you to bear it for the people of Drangleic. You started this journey to find relief selfishly, but instead you found a way to better others selflessly. The Throne of Want closing in on you could be read as a conclusion to your dream or escapism, because once you've beaten the last foe and learned the final lesson there's no reason to remain in the fantasy: you're ready for whatever comes. Your reward for completing this final trial presents itself in a beautiful piece that in my opinion perfectly captures the angelic bliss of victory (on top of sounding straight out of a fairy tale) in this possible dream world while mixing a great deal of sorrow and somberness. Parallel to our reality, escapism offers no cures to worldly problems, no material aid, yet the lessons learned through it, and the practice of thinking beyond the problems of the here and now to find comfort and strength is undoubtedly of benefit.

Hearing the genuine gratitude for my company from Majula's resident Eeyore was perhaps the emotional highlight of the game for me. 

Alternatively, Dark Souls II could be read as an exploration of old age, both in the context of cognitive decline and the reflection on a life' work. This shows both in the gameplay as well as the story of Dark Souls II. The gameplay itself is much slower-paced and deliberate than Dark Souls III, with stamina regenerating much slower. Additionally, healing is much less consistent, with the eponymous estus flask being restricted to a few doses when upgraded. The game is balanced around these, but they give the feeling that you're older and less physically capable than in other entries in the series. As your character dies, they age and wither noticeably, becoming a zombielike figure with lessened attributes and reduced health. In the first and third entries in the series, humanity and embers felt like power-ups. However, the equivalent item in Dark Souls II, the human effigy, strikes a note, one that is relevant to this theme. The effigies are on their surface less powerful than the other two, being neither a vessel of power or fragment of a soul, but what the effigy stands for is in my opinion far surpassing the power of the others. These effigies are quite literally a reminder of the man/woman you were, that you are you. As such, these effigies don't grant increased health or enable kindling, they restore you to your normal strength. As you die, you forget your purpose, your story, your existence, but the effigy, like a keepsake from long ago, reminds you of your past, and that's what makes you revert to a human status. This theme isn't just related to your use of effigies, most of the characters you meet show signs of cognitive decline. They each were undoubtedly incredible figures in their prime, but when you meet them they seem lost in a perpetual fog, with stubbornness, paranoia, pettiness, and other attributes coloring their every action. To tell the truth I'm not sure how really any of their stories ended (except one), and they most likely will continue to wander, increasingly lost and panicked in their mental fog until they finally die or crumble to dust. Additionally, the environments that you traverse reflect this. Everything is aged, weathered, and in extreme disrepair, but the fact that they were once majestic sites still shows through. Their time is over, but they were once beyond compare. Approaching the endgame, you are asked to learn the secrets of the giants (who are long dead), in order to control some golems, and in the pursuit of this you travel back in time. It's not strictly speaking time travel, instead being called memories, and within them you face the giants, who as you find out are avenging the wrongs done to them by the Kingdom of Drangleic. In the end you do not change the uncomfortable past, you face it and acknowledge what happened, which ends up being the key to ascending the Throne of Want.

In my opinion this quote encapsulates the philosophy of the Dark Souls series, shame you had to reach pratically the end of the second game to have it told to you, long after the lesson has been beaten in.

I held off on writing this review immediately after I finished Dark Souls II due to my eternal backlog, but the more time has passed, the more I couldn't get my mind off of it, and this is something of an experiment for me. It's not Dickens, but on the other hand the blending of the themes into practically every aspect of the game (as it arguably should always be) really stuck with me, especially as I remain inside for possibly weeks on end. Even though it's widely considered to be the worst game of the trilogy, the plot and themes of II resonated more with me than III's, and I'd recommend it to people who would like an introduction to the series, especially if you're part of the older crowd.

Next up is a game I definitely discovered too late, it really could have helped me in my chemistry classes.

My Dark Souls III review: Link