When I first started playing BLACK SOULS, I quickly realized that the SIN mechanic is a major part of the experience, shaping your relationships with companions and unlocking different story paths. There isn’t one right way to play, but based on my experience and community discussions, players often adopt a specific strategy across multiple playthroughs to see everything the game has to offer.
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Common Approach 1: The “Innocent” First Run
A very popular strategy, and the one I personally started with, is to do a “purist” or “innocent” run first. The goal here is to keep your SIN low and try to save every companion you can. This path lets you experience the “good” storylines for many of the characters and get a baseline understanding of the world without immediately diving into the darker content.
However, keep in mind that playing this way will lock you out of certain content. For example, at least one companion will only join you if you have a high SIN level.
Common Approach 2: The “Sinful” Subsequent Run
After completing an innocent playthrough, many players, including myself, then start a new loop with the goal of going “full sinful mode”. This is where you can make the darker choices, accumulate high SIN, and explore the content you missed on the first run. This path allows you to recruit the high-SIN companion and unlock other specific outcomes, like filling up your dungeon with companions and princesses.
How SIN Affects Your Game
In the first BLACK SOULS game, the SIN system is quite flexible. As you progress through the game, you are given ways to freely manipulate your amount of SIN, so you aren’t permanently locked into one path early on.
However, your SIN level does have consequences. While high SIN is necessary to recruit some characters, other companions may choose to cut off their relationship with you if your SIN gets too high [cite: -1].
Ultimately, while you are free to play randomly and see what ending you get, the “innocent first, then sinful” approach is a common and effective way to experience all the narrative branches and unlock everything in the game.
