2. Leave Decisions Up To The Player
Players like being trusted to make their own decisions - that's why we play games like The Elder Scrolls and Fable (the first one only). These games give the player freedom to explore and, for the most part, discover the game world at their own pace, and Dark Souls is no different, in this regard. Right after the tutorial stage, you are tasked with ringing two Bells of Awakening. You are given a rough guide on how to get to them (one is up, and one is down) and sent on your way. From that point on, you are free to explore as you please. You don't have to listen to him; just watch this... Most people will do that (I did), and that's okay because the game allows you the freedom to do so but quickly lets you know just how tough the game can be. When game offer no flexibility in how you progress, players end up feeling too trapped. I remember trying to play Final Fantasy XIII. I just felt like I was doing nothing but walking between cutscenes and battles. There was no incentive to explore. One of the beauties of Dark Souls is the fact that almost none of the areas are closed off or in need of being unlocked. Essentially, the entire wonderfully-crafted world is available to explore from the beginning, and the experience is better because of it. Honestly, that should be the last point, but the next one is so important it required mentioning.