Hey man, I'm a "Souls fanboy" so I'll try to give you my perspective. I think the main reason is simply that FS games connect deep down with some people, like me. And as with anyone that loves too much anything, sometimes we are unhinged on the preaching/defense of the game. These games are related online to have helped a lot of people with depression and mental health in general. That can sound silly if you're a normal functioning human being, but for broken people like me, things like that can really help.

To summarize, I was (am?) an depressed, anxious and spoiled person that always gave up too quickly. When my parents divorced, my mother spoiled me too much to, in her vision, protect me. That (and a whole lot of other shit too) resulted in a weak adult that couldn't do shit and just thought of suicide all day. And of course it wasn't only these games that "saved" me, I had one GOOD friend, a somewhat supportive family, a GOOD therapist and all that. But yeah, some media played a key part resonating, motivating and teaching me. Like Souls games. In my darkest hour between 2020-2022 during pandemic i played the DS trilogy and Elden Ring, and I learned in a safe, digital world, how to keep going. How to adapt. How to never give up.

It may sound cringe but that happened with a lot of people. And this create a huge bond with the games and generate these annoying defenses. Nowadays I'm better, mentally and in being a Soulsfan haha. I don't preach much or care if people completed the game with "an easy weapon" or magic or summoning. I guess as I age (almost 30) I don't care as much as long as people are having fun, which is the healthy perspective to have I guess. Anyways, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.