C176: Dark Souls Prequel, online! 

The launch of Dark Souls: Age of First Fire is drawing closer. Advertisements have begun appearing on major websites, building anticipation among fans.

Overseas, promotion efforts are even stronger compared to domestic campaigns. This heightened focus stems from the fact that later September is typically a quieter month for new game launches. Many game makers are still in the development stage, having just announced new projects at recent exhibitions. Additionally, the launch date for Dark Souls: Age of First Fire was announced early, set for early October.

As a sequel to an acclaimed IP, and the follow-up to last year's Best Role-Playing Game, its announcement has left other companies reluctant to compete.

For players, the wait has been almost unbearable. The promotional video revealed during the exhibition has been rewatched countless times. Dedicated fans, or spiritualists, have even created a three-hour background analysis of the plot based solely on the three-minute trailer.

Despite the excitement, many players remain wary. They fear an announcement from Neon Games postponing the release to bring a better experience. Although Neon Games has never delayed a launch, such concerns linger because the studio hasn't released many large-scale games yet. Its notable titles include Dark Souls and Divide.

With the end of September approaching, more advertisements for Dark Souls: Age of First Fire have surfaced, including the announcement of its price. On the Neon Games platform, a pre-order interface has gone live, easing the anxiety of players.

The game is priced at 198 yuan, lower than the previous installment's price of 268 yuan. Additionally, Neon Games is offering a 20% discount on its platform. Internationally, the game is priced at $39.9. Most regions will see a simultaneous release, with only a few experiencing a two-day delay due to time zones and local regulations.

When the release day finally arrived, countless fans, known as fire influencer, had already pre-ordered and downloaded the game, eagerly awaiting their journey through the world of fire.

Community forums and player chat groups buzzed with conversations, as fans shared their excitement for the upcoming adventure in Dark Souls: Age of First Fire. The countdown to the fire journey had begun.

In a chat group, a lively conversation unfolded.

"Lao Song, Lao Zhang, have you finished downloading the game yet?"

Lao Song responded enthusiastically: "It must be downloaded! Needless to say!"

"That's right, I can't wait," Lao Zhang chimed in.

"By the way, Lao Song, what profession are you planning to start with?"

"There's no question about it! It must be the one with nothing. As a qualified fire passer, only starting with nothing can showcase my skills."

"Exactly my thoughts," Lao Zhang agreed. "Why don't we have a competition to see who progresses faster?"

"No problem!" Lao Song replied confidently.

Their banter sparked enthusiasm among the other fire passers.

"Come on, come on, five minutes left, and we can finally experience it!"

"I wonder if the difficulty of the new Dark Souls has been increased?"

"There's bound to be some improvement, but I doubt it will faze us. After all, we're all seasoned fire passers."

"Absolutely!"

The chat group buzzed with excitement until, five minutes later, the conversation abruptly stopped, as if everyone had simultaneously gone offline.

In a district of the capital, Song Ren—known as Lao Song in the chat group—clicked on Dark Souls: The Age of First Fire on the Neon game platform, anticipation written all over his face.

The opening CG was identical to the one showcased during the gameplay exhibition. Clearly, Chen Xu had been frugal in this area, adhering to tradition—a cutscene used both as a promo and as part of the game.

Although Song Ren had watched it countless times, he still sat through it once more for the sake of atmosphere, let Zhang die a few more time. As for the competition with Lao Zhang? Watching the animation didn't hurt.

When the cutscene ended, Song Ren found himself staring nervously at the game's UI interface.

This was Dark Souls, after all, and it had dealt him plenty of setbacks in the past. Based on Chen Xu's earlier hints, the new installment promised even greater challenges.

"Isn't this a sequel? How can we, fire passers, falter now?"

Muttering a mantra, Song Ren jumped into the game.

The familiar starting stage greeted him: character customization and profession selection. While adjusting his character's appearance, Song Ren noticed a special prompt:

[It is detected that you have a save file from Dark Souls. Would you like to import your previous character data?]

"Hey, this setting is excellent! The face that was pinched so hard before can still be used!" Song Ren was surprised but decided to ignore it and created a more distinct, individualistic face.

Can the face of a fire hero be called ugly? That's not ugly—it's personality!

When it came to selecting a professional background, although it was initially ignored during group customization, the choice of knight was silently made. After all, in the previous game, the knight was the most valuable profession for exploring the wasteland.

Next came the funerary item. The available options were slightly different this time. Like before, there was the Blessing of the Goddess, the Ring of Life, and the Black Flame Pot. However, some items were new or replaced. Items like Twin Humanity, the Telescope, the Old Witch Ring, and the Master Key were not in the previous game.

For a moment, the purpose of these new items was unclear.

After pondering for a while, the Master Key was chosen. While the Black Flame Pot could undoubtedly help with early-stage boss fights, confidence in personal skill after clearing the previous game outweighed the need for it.

Moreover, familiarity with a unique feature of Dark Souls played a role in the decision. Maps often contain various shortcuts, accessible only from the other side. With the Master Key, it might be possible to open these shortcuts earlier. Additionally, the key might have other uses—perhaps unlocking hidden treasures or rescuing imprisoned NPCs, like the former thief.

Ultimately, the Master Key seemed to be the most practical choice.

After finalizing the character, Song Ren eagerly clicked Start Game, ready to begin this fiery journey.