Dark Souls – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Dark Souls

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2011

68%

WISE Score

88%

IGDB

The brutally difficult medieval fantasy RPG that launched a thousand 'git gud' memes—and taught a generation that failure is just practice.

Dark Souls

game

2011

68%

WISE Score

88%

IGDB

The brutally difficult medieval fantasy RPG that launched a thousand 'git gud' memes—and taught a generation that failure is just practice.

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PlayStation

PC/Steam

Xbox

Screenwise Verdict

Dark Souls is a legitimate masterpiece of game design that's also absolutely not for kids. The world-building, level design, and skill-based combat are brilliant. It teaches real perseverance and problem-solving in ways few games do—when you finally beat that boss that's killed you 30 times, you earned it.

But let's be clear: this is dark, gory, and psychologically demanding. The M rating is spot-on. Enemies are grotesque, some bosses feature partial nudity and body horror, and the entire vibe is 'you are cursed and everything wants you dead.' It's not jump-scare horror, but it's persistently grim and unsettling.

For the right older teen or adult who wants to test themselves and doesn't mind (or actively enjoys) getting their ass kicked repeatedly, this is incredible. For everyone else? There are friendlier ways to learn perseverance.

Age Fit

This is for older teens (17+) and adults who want a genuine challenge and can handle dark fantasy horror. Younger teens will likely find it too difficult and disturbing. The M rating exists for good reason—gore, body horror, and relentless bleakness make this inappropriate for kids.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Dark Souls is a bleak, punishing experience set in a dying world filled with undead horrors, grotesque enemies, and relentless death. The atmosphere is oppressive and nihilistic—players are constantly reminded they're cursed, expendable, and likely to fail. There's minimal kindness or cooperation in the narrative itself (though the multiplayer messaging system does create small moments of community). The game's core loop is built on frustration and perseverance through suffering, which isn't emotionally healthy for younger players. Some partial nudity and disturbing body horror imagery (certain enemies and bosses) further lower the wholesome score.

Imaginative

Dark Souls is a masterclass in world-building and environmental storytelling. The interconnected level design of Lordran is legendary—shortcuts loop back on themselves in ways that feel like discovering a magic trick. The lore is deliberately cryptic, told through item descriptions and environmental clues, inviting players to piece together the history of this cursed land. Boss designs are wildly creative (a butterfly that shoots magic, a giant wolf with a sword in its mouth, chaos demons made of lava). The game trusts players to explore, experiment, and figure things out without hand-holding, which sparks genuine curiosity and problem-solving.

Safe

ESRB rated M for Mature 17+ with Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, and Violence. Parent reviews confirm creepy enemies and bosses that 'may freak out people of all ages,' plus the constant threat of death from any source creates persistent anxiety. Some enemies feature disturbing body horror and there are instances of partial nudity (certain boss designs). The game's difficulty can be psychologically taxing—the Reddit parent discussion notes that 'gore and horror imagery...could be potentially traumatizing' for younger players. No predatory monetization or chat (users interact through limited messaging/summoning), but the content itself is dark and intense. This isn't a jump-scare horror game, but it's relentlessly grim.

Enriching

Dark Souls teaches genuine perseverance, pattern recognition, resource management, and strategic thinking. Players must learn from failure—every death is a lesson in enemy placement, timing, or approach. The game rewards patience, observation, and adapting tactics rather than button-mashing. It builds problem-solving skills and demonstrates that difficult challenges can be overcome with persistence and learning. The cryptic lore encourages research and community discussion. However, the enrichment comes wrapped in a brutally difficult package that can also teach frustration tolerance...or just frustration. The skill-building is real, but it's not for everyone.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Teaches genuine perseverance and problem-solving—every death is a lesson, and overcoming a tough boss feels like a real achievement
Legendary interconnected world design where shortcuts and secrets reward exploration and spatial reasoning
No hand-holding or quest markers—players must observe, experiment, and think critically to progress
Cryptic lore encourages research, discussion, and piecing together environmental storytelling
No predatory monetization, loot boxes, or chat—just pure skill-based gameplay

⚠

What to Watch For

Rated M 17+ for blood, gore, partial nudity, and disturbing enemy designs—some body horror that can be genuinely unsettling
Relentlessly difficult gameplay that can be psychologically taxing; 'anything can and will kill you' creates constant tension
Dark, oppressive atmosphere with themes of death, curses, and nihilism—not emotionally light
Frustration tolerance required—this game will test patience and some kids (and adults) will rage-quit
Limited online interaction (summoning allies, invasions) means encountering other players, though no direct chat

Conversation Starters

"What's the hardest boss you've fought so far? What strategy finally worked?"
"How does it feel when you finally beat something you've been stuck on for hours?"
"Do you think the game is fair, or is it just punishing? What's the difference?"
"What's the most creative way you've found to approach a tough area or enemy?"
"How do you handle frustration when you die and lose all your progress? What helps you keep going?"

Deep Dive

The "Hard Game" that changed everything

In 2011, FromSoftware released something that felt like a middle finger to the entire industry. While every other big-budget title was busy adding quest markers, "detective vision," and infinite checkpoints, Dark Souls dropped players into Lordran with a broken sword and a shrug. It didn't just allow you to fail; it expected you to.

If your teenager is asking to play this, they aren't looking for a relaxing afternoon. They’re looking for a digital rite of passage. The reputation for difficulty is real, but it’s often misunderstood. It isn't "hard" like a slot machine is hard; it’s hard like learning a musical instrument. You’re going to hit wrong notes constantly, but the game is perfectly fair. Once you understand the rhythm of stamina management and enemy patterns, the "impossible" bosses start to look like puzzles with violent solutions.

Resilience through repetition

The core loop of the game is essentially a masterclass in the value of failure in gaming. When you die, you lose your "Souls" (currency and XP) and have to fight your way back to where you fell to get them back. If you die again before reaching them, they’re gone forever.

For a lot of kids, this is the ultimate frustration test. It forces a level of focus and emotional regulation that most modern entertainment doesn't require. You can’t button-mash your way through Lordran. You have to observe, wait for an opening, and respect the enemies. Watching a kid go from a "rage quit" to a calm, calculated victory over a boss that’s been killing them for two hours is one of the most satisfying things you’ll see as a parent.

The "Soulslike" ladder

If your kid is interested in this world but you aren't sure they’re ready for the relentless bleakness of the original, there are ways to ease into it.

The "Lite" Version: The Star Wars Jedi series (Fallen Order and Survivor) takes the basic combat and map structure of Dark Souls but wraps it in a T-rated package with difficulty sliders. Check our Star Wars games ranked guide to see where those land.
The Modern Masterpiece: If they’ve already played a bit of this genre and want the biggest, most polished version, they’re likely looking at the spiritual successor. Read our Elden Ring parents guide to see how that compares in terms of gore and scale.

What actually makes it "Mature"

The M rating isn't for swearing or sexual content—it's for the atmosphere. Lordran is a dying world filled with "hollows" (essentially zombies) and bosses that look like they crawled out of a nightmare. There is body horror, there is blood, and there is a persistent sense of dread.

The multiplayer is also unique. There is no voice chat, but players can "invade" each other's worlds to fight. It’s anonymous and brief, but it adds a layer of tension that might be too much for younger players. On the flip side, the community-driven "hint" system—where players leave cryptic messages on the ground for others—is one of the most helpful and creative social mechanics in gaming history.

If you decide to let them dive in, don't help them too much. The magic of this game is the total lack of hand-holding. Let them get lost. Let them fail. The victory belongs entirely to them.

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