Dark Souls First-Person Mod Reminds Me Why Skyrim's Combat Sucked

Everyone knows that From Software's Dark Souls is a third-person action RPG. However, a new video allows us to see what a first-person version of the game would be like. The answer: pretty terrible.

"This view is extremely glitchy, and next to unplayable," warns the creator of the video. "Third-party programs were used to make this possible. Don't mess with them if you don't know what you're doing."

To be fair, it's better-looking than I'd expect. The shield and weapon are visible throughout, though they're being held at strange angles. Wait a minute, our character doesn't even have arms. I guess we can count this as a Rayman mod, too.

The true drawback of the first-person camera only becomes apparent once you enter combat. Dark Souls' fighting system is built around precise attacks, blocks and dodges. Striking and blocking enemies are easy enough in first-person but dodging? It's disorienting and even a bit nauseating. Not to mention the fact that you can't see any of the enemies attacking you from the side or behind. Dark Souls isn't an easy game to begin with; this mod makes it downright impossible.

These issues aren't specific to this Dark Souls game. Melee combat in general doesn't work very well in the first-person perspective. Because any sort of flipping or rolling is vomit-inducing, first-person melee games like Skyrim or Dead Island avoid it altogether. What you're left with then is just, well, attacking. You circle-strafe around enemies, mashing the crap out of your attack buttons until the bad guy falls down.

Seriously, though, how many first-person games actually do close-range combat well? The only games I can think of are Zeno Clash and its sequel. They centered around a combo-based brawling with jabs, haymakers and uppercuts. It wasn't perfect but it was a start. No other developer has really run with that idea, though.

So yeah. Please don't put first-person perspective in Dark Souls 2, From Software. You made no indication that you were ever planning on doing it but please don't do it anyway.