How Dark Souls' control scheme homogenized action game design
By
Ari Notis
Summary
The article argues that Dark Souls' control scheme (light attack on R1/RB) has become a pervasive standard in action games beyond the Soulslike genre, stifling creativity and variety in game design. The author expresses frustration that many action games now default to this control layout, making them feel samey and limiting the potential for more innovative or varied combat systems. The piece critiques the homogenization of action game controls as a negative trend in the gaming industry.
Source
bskyHow Dark Souls' control scheme homogenized action game designpolygon.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledDark Souls popularized a control scheme where the light attack button is on R1/RB. Action games have copied it for years, and I'm sick of it.
Every time I boot up a new action game and see that familiar control layout, I feel a sense of disappointment.
The industry's obsession with this control scheme has come at the cost of creativity and variety in how we interact with games.
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