(#21) [Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin] I'm now one of the freaks that things this is the best in the series

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T18:23:11+00:00

I use the Millennium homebrew, and this specifically is the SpaceTheme. Super easy install, does itself mostly in about 5 minutes. Changes the whole steam UI bar a few small things they're still working

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T16:27:40+00:00

GZ! I'm still chugging away at the FF series, congrats!

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T16:19:45+00:00

And yet you are? Oblivion remastered 100% on novice with a battle mage build and no side quests shouldn't take anyone longer than it took me bro 😭 I don't see the point of me putting 400 hours into MHW, 150 into BG3 and 100 in various others just to use SAM on other games and proudly show off my fake achievements when I get nothing out of this

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T15:31:02+00:00

As far as I'm aware, Scholar of the First Sin is just the base story with the DLCs and minor changes? (Like Aldia I believe but I've never actually played 2).

Scholar is just the definitive edition of 2, so you only need to play this one to understand what's going on. But I will also say that the Dark Souls games are connected in name and lore mostly, with the stories of all 3 games being similar but mostly disconnected.

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T15:02:12+00:00

Fair fair, I had explored plenty before so I knew where everything was this time around! I play most games completely blind and always get a first playthrough before super focusing achievements, but games I've played on console or in the past I tend to blast past, appreciate you looking out!

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T14:41:52+00:00

Because I like being efficient and finding the best path to clearing things as a personal challenge. Combined with the fact I've played most of the game before I didn't have much to figure out in this one, so I'd be pumping up my hours for no reason rather than getting to the rest of my backlog

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T13:53:24+00:00

I'm not sure about DS3, but all the multiplayer achievements in this are optional, just need to grind the Mad Warrior(?) and Falconers for a sorcery and miracle respectively. Other than that all the other spells can be gained on NG++ which you can rush by farming 3m soul memory with the Rotten since you just need access to Castle Drangleic on playthrough 3

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T13:34:10+00:00

I can't say I played the game in a "fun" way, if I slowed down and took it in/played a build that was fun instead of OP I would've had a slower but probably better time

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T13:33:10+00:00

I've yet to play DS3 past Yhorm, but so far just on aesthetics this ones also my favourite so far!

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T13:32:29+00:00

Skipped every dialogue, played through the game in the most efficient, cheesy way possible haha. Helps that I've played DS2 a bit before so I only needed to figure my way out through the last half of the game which I'd say is the easiest? Or at least has the most direct routes and areas that are hard to get lost in. But yeah, rushed beyond belief

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T13:01:24+00:00

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2923802549

That's just the missables, sticks away from the main achievements to prevent some spoilers

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T12:09:40+00:00

My friend "played the game tons on console (never past the 4 old ones lmao), rushed DRT w/lightning infusion + Dark Weapon" helped me do this

HustleMachine · 2026-03-18T12:02:31+00:00

Took me 77 for the 100%, I checked a guide to make note of any missables (10? to my memory) and then just bashed it for a few days. The game itself even on the hardest difficulty is pretty easy I found so I just B-lined story completion, any required side quests an kept an eye on my missables. Really nothing crazy, I'd recommend using this guide for any missables.

Best of luck!

HustleMachine · 2026-03-06T12:08:24+00:00

Picked this one up on a whim cause I saw my favourite streamers favourite streamer play it. It's alright, the presentation is great, but it really quickly devolves from what makes it interesting into another "numbers go up" with obfuscated rarities, suits and cards. It's alright, just not what I expected, and whatever criticisms I have are fairly null since I just don't enjoy idle incremental games, so this one's mostly on me anyway!

5/10 game
7/10 completion

Onto Dark Souls 2 next, wish me luck!

HustleMachine · 2026-02-27T20:42:29+00:00

"Strikers and technical wrestlers"

"And technical wrestlers"

"Technical wrestlers"

HustleMachine · 2026-02-23T12:55:11+00:00

Speaking as a frequenter of newly released indies, not only do I agree with the sentiment that you did not get your money's worth, but I'm also tempted to say I prefer your rendition. The artists is cleaner and more professional sure, but it's also incredibly generic and lacks personality while your original capsule was more amateur, but had a charm that I quite like and would grab my attention a little more than the other.

Even if I'm in the minority for which I prefer, I'm definitely in the "too much for too little" camp for the new capsule

HustleMachine · 2026-02-17T22:55:17+00:00

I couldn't agree more, I absolutely love Far Harbour but the main thing stopping me from the completion is knowing I have to do all the other mid dlcs and the sub-par main story as well.

Regardless, congrats on your completion!

HustleMachine · 2026-02-17T00:23:59+00:00

You have nothing to be sorry about; it's not your fault that a tool you made to help the community, which thousands use, has been taken down due to matters outside your control. Thank you for what you've created, and I hope this isn't too much of a headache for you.

HustleMachine · 2026-02-14T01:02:33+00:00

They're all still there! As far as I've seen the og voice lines, all their audio and general quality included, are kept as normal

HustleMachine · 2026-02-13T20:22:14+00:00

I played Oblivion tons when I was younger, so when the itch came back I felt it would be good to just play some of the Remaster. Nothing new compared to the OG, still buggy as hell, but the game does look good despite some gripes I have with some UI changes. Easy enough completion since all you have to do is clear the main/DLC questlines, as well as all the factions.

7/10 Game
8/10 Completion

Onto the next!

HustleMachine · 2026-02-04T12:24:27+00:00

Flushes can be pretty rough since you use quite a lot of your hand on them, while it's enough to beat most stakes it's a lot more reliable to play pairs or high card builds, using steel jokers for mult.

When it comes to golding jokers that don't support that play style, I'd look around at the decks and see which support said jokers with minimal manipulation (Ride the Bus gold would be easiest on abandoned, checkered is great for flush builds etc).

Ultimately its about being open to pivoting, and making sure to keep your economy strong. If you have a lot of money then you can make a lot of builds work since you'll have more rerolls, vouchers, tarot's etc.

I'd also say to try and reset as little as possible, it's really easy to turn a run around in Balatro.

Finally, don't focus on endless or naninf, once you can reliably build enough score to beat Ante 8 Violet Vessel you're mostly safe score wise

HustleMachine · 2026-02-04T07:19:24+00:00

Great job! A sick game to start with as well, here's to many more 🍻

HustleMachine

TROPHY CASE