Chapter 188: Death Mode! 

Dark Souls: The Age of First Fire became a global hit, the number of players clearing the game steadily increased.

Compared to its predecessor, this installment features more malicious map design. However, once a proper strategy is in place, newcomers find the experience significantly smoother than before.

The first major challenge players face is the Demon of the Undead Asylum. In the previous game, Ash Guda was an unavoidable hurdle. Even if someone picked a mage or another ranged class capable of maintaining distance, caution was still necessary. Ash Guda had the ability to close gaps quickly, leaving no room for easy escapes.

The Black Flame Pot, an item granted at birth with a burial gift, could only push Ash Guda into the second phase. It was impossible to defeat him in one hit.

However, Dark Souls: The Age of First Fire plays out differently. Right at the start, players can execute a plunging attack, instantly wiping out half of the Undead Asylum Demon's health. If they also have the Black Flame Pot, a few well-placed strikes finish the job.

In the previous game, upgrading the Estus Flask was a tedious process. Players had to search for Estus Shards to slowly increase the flask's usage count. In contrast, The Age of First Fire introduces a new system. Players can sacrifice Humanity at a bonfire, doubling the initial five Estus Flasks to ten. Although each bonfire remains independent, Humanity is relatively easy to farm.

Furthermore, after obtaining the runes in the Undead Crypt and mastering the Fire Infusion Technique, the flask capacity expands to twenty. This greatly enhances the overall gameplay experience.

Thanks to advanced strategies circulating among experienced players, it's now possible to acquire powerful weapons like the Tomb King's Sword early on. Even if players lack precision, they can still take down aggressive monsters and bosses. This is an improvement over the original game, where monsters could kill you in just two hits, while players needed to land twenty strikes to defeat even a mid level enemy.

Starting the first play through with such weapons feels satisfying. For players who previously struggled with the game's unforgiving maps, this fresh approach brings a much-needed sense of empowerment.

After all, this is Dark Souls!

Slashing a boss down in ten or so hits.

What kind of experience is that?

This accessibility, coupled with early-game power spikes, allowed many who once abandoned the franchise to endure the even harsher mechanics of this prequel.

In an apartment complex in the Capital, Song Ren, Zhang Yi, and Wang Han gathered for a gaming session. Joining them were Wang Yifan and Qiao Yi, the latter still nursing an injury from a recent trip.

"Look here," Song Ren pointed at the screen.

"To get the Tomb King's Sword, just roll down this ledge and sprint straight ahead. Watch out for the lurking Demon—you'll need to roll twice. Grab the sword, hide in the coffin, and hope for the best. If luck's on your side, you won't be detected. Once inside, sign the contract with the Tomb King, get the sword, and use Homeward Bone to return to fire link Shrine. Easy, right?"

Sitting there, Song Ren demonstrated the previous strategy to Wang Yifan and Qiao Yi.

Although nearly two weeks had passed since the game's launch, both had been busy and hadn't paid much attention to it.

Watching the gameplay, they couldn't help but praise him.

"Brother Song, you're amazing!"

"Yeah, that movement is so smooth!"

Zhang Yi, sitting nearby, scoffed. "Oh, come on. He's practiced this technique with every new piece of gear. How could he not be familiar with it?"

Song Ren coughed lightly and defended himself. "I call it overtime accumulation. Besides, in the second and third weeks, the map and bosses don't change. Once I get familiar with everything, it'll be easier to reach the top."

"And anyway, this first-week run is still fun! Sometimes I focus on agility, other times on power, and I can even play as a mage."

For him, the strategy was simple—repeat the first week, get the Tomb King Sword early, and then dominate the game. That was his preferred play style.

With so many different ways to play, there wasn't just one correct approach. He had tested the second week before. While enhanced weapons made fighting monsters easier, the enemies' damage output spiked instantly.

A creature like a mad dog, for example—two of them together could take him down in seconds.

To put it simply, the second week gave him a familiar feeling. A familiar soul smell.

"Hey! Looks like the game just got an update… and it's huge!" Song Ren had just finished demonstrating the Tomb King Sword strategy and was about to switch to JellyMan to play with everyone when he noticed something unexpected.

Dark Souls: Age of First Fire had been updated, and the update was massive.

If it were an online game, he wouldn't have thought much about a large patch. But Dark Souls: Age of First Fire was a single-player game.

Why did it suddenly get an update? And such a big one at that?

"What's going on? A new update?" Zhang Yi and Wang Han were equally surprised and hurried over to check Song Ren's screen.

Out of curiosity, he clicked on the store page for Dark Souls: Age of First Fire in Neon Games and opened the update preview.

New Gameplay Mode: Death Mode is now available for both Dark Souls and Dark Souls: Age of First Fire, offering fresh challenges for all undead players.

The long-lost rhythm will return to Death Mode.

LET'S face legendary figures like the Sun King Gwyn, or the Witch in their prime!

"Have you ever wondered—if the giant king Yhorn wasn't insane, what majesty would he wield?"

"The new Death Mode will satisfy these regrets. The specific content updates are as follows..."

After reading the full update list, Song Ren and Zhang Yi grasped the essence of this Mode.

This new mode mirrors the Random Mode from the previous game, offering a unique gameplay experience. However, what's more surprising is that Dark Soul the previous installment has also received this update, synchronizing the new mode's introduction across both titles.

Death Mode presents a gameplay style akin to an arena, allowing players to freely challenge specific bosses from Dark Souls. Defeating these bosses rewards players with special items. A dedicated leaderboard will record and display players' completion rankings.

Players can take on these challenges solo or in teams, with up to three players supported in multiplayer mode.

According to the update, the bosses in this version utilize Neon Games' latest AI technology. Their health and resilience have also been enhanced. In team mode, the monster's HP scales proportionally with the number of players.

In Random Mode, players must create a brand-new save file, whereas in Death Mode, they must use their existing progress. Death Mode requires an internet connection and includes numerical adjustments to weapons and stats.

This means that characters with high levels and strengthened weapons won't have an overwhelming advantage over those who have just completed their first play through. In essence, the mode prioritizes player skill over sheer numbers.

Unlike the purely entertainment-driven Random Mode, Death Mode introduces a competitive ranking system, making it far more appealing to many players.

The first-clear records for each boss, along with the fastest completion times, will be displayed in a corner of the Fire Sacrificial Arena, allowing future players to view the top rankings.

The entrance to Death Mode is also located there.