One week ago, we reported on a new mod for the original Dark Souls called Age of Fire, a mod that allows players to directly control certain boss characters such as the Sanctuary Guardian and Artorias of the Abyss. Well, you can now add Smough, the larger and burlier half of the infamous Ornstein and Smough boss battle, to the list of playable enemies that Age of Fire enables.
Datehacks, the group of modders responsible for the Age of Fire mod, recently posted the below video in which they both confirm the addition of playable Smough and, naturally, show him off in action. Within the scope of the half-hour video, viewers can watch the player utilize Smough’s signature lightning hammer smashes and trample charges as they stomp around the Undead Burg, make quick work of the Asylum Demon, and turn the otherwise tough Capra Demon fight into a laughably trivial affair.
Given how tough the Ornstein and Smough fight is during a standard Dark Souls playthrough (players are forced to fight both combatants simultaneously, and when one is felled the other absorbs their fallen comrade to become supercharged), it’s strangely cathartic to see Smough’s awesome power turned against his fellow enemy NPC’s and bosses. According to the video’s YouTube description, the Smough update also adds in a more consistent player lock-on mechanic for the playable boss characters, allowing players to more easily face their intended target even when playing as massive enemy character models (like Smough).
The video also encourages viewers to submit feedback, particularly about which bosses they’d like to see made into playable avatars next. Datehacks’ ultimate goal with the Age of Fire mod is to make *all* Dark Souls enemies playable, not just bosses. Now that most of the heavy hitters are taken care of, fans are no-doubt eager to see which playable models are added in next.
If you’d rather use custom mods to make Dark Souls harder as opposed to easier, might we interest you in this mod that restricts all movement options other than rolling?