Dark Souls III Reviews
This sequel plays with expectations while trying to exceed them. Buy it.
Though technically iffy, Dark Souls 3 is yet another example of how worlds should be built: interlocking, beautiful, and interesting. The combat feels quick and fresh, and despite a few bosses that feel unfair, it's a glorious return to form for the series.
Dark Souls 3 is exactly what fans want, more of the same. There are new elements to be sure, but overall the game is the same great action RPG formula as the previous games. Unfortunately this also means some pieces that should have been updated weren't. On top of this are some performance issues and a lackluster targeting system. Still, longtime fans will overlook these with ease. Newcomers will find a more accepting entry for the franchise, though the massive challenge is still there, and don't expect to understand all of the intricate mechanics that the game never really explains to you.
Dark Souls 3 relies too much on former glories to reach the heights of Bloodborne or the original Dark Souls, but that doesn't stop it being another superb adventure.
We have the zenith of the Souls formula, and that is mostly a good thing. Dark Souls 3 is the most elegant distillation of the "demanding but not impossible" style first put forth in Demon's Souls. And the return of the mana bar brings the greatest degree of play-style experimentation the series has had. Add to that From's finally stable-at-launch multiplayer servers, and Dark Souls 3 is the most complete feeling Souls experience in the franchise.
Dark Souls III is beautiful, balanced and fun, although it's not so different from the handful of games that preceded it.
From Software's latest bit of gamer masochism doesn't reach the high water mark of Bloodbourne, yet remains a thoroughly engaging experience
Any player who's been through this mill is prepared to die, but once more, that fantastic beacon of hope urging players to press forward and overcome each obstacle is shining as bright as ever. Because that's what Dark Souls is all about – perishing, persevering, and prevailing. No game series comes close to doing what Dark Souls does, and Dark Souls III has done it again.
If this were to be the final Souls game, I'd be happy to say goodbye. It's not quite the crowning achievement of the series but it's a fantastically inventive and fluid interpretation of the formula. And perhaps that would make it a great first Souls game for somebody new to the series as well.
Dark Souls 3 doesn't win over fans who didn't already enjoy the painfully difficult franchise, but it puts some challenging new twists on the tried and true combat system.
Dark Souls 3 improves upon the beloved franchise in almost every way, and, if it is indeed the final entry in the series, is a worthy sendoff.
One needs a certain disposition to appreciate Dark Souls III – a willingness to face setbacks and challenges and then overcome them. Don't expect to play this just like any other action-RPG. If you're going to play this game, it must be on its own terms and as it's meant to be played. That patience will be rewarded with a masterpiece, easily one of the best action and role-playing games of the year.
Game designer Hidetaki Miyazaki no longer has novelty on his side, but the genius behind the Souls series still has plenty of tricks to surprise us with
From the start, Dark Souls 3 feels incredibly familiar. The game's premise hasn't changed and the recurring series motifs are present and correct: ruined castle ramparts, red dragons breathing fire over a bridge, perseverance in the face of adversity. However one crucial thing differentiates Dark Souls 3 from the rest: almost everything from a design standpoint is flipped on its head.
I can't say I ever really had fun playing Dark Souls III once I was immersed. It was something to be endured more than something to be enjoyed. But I do believe there is a future in the game where that pleasure would come. I just didn't get there in time for this review. I am unwilling to be overly forgiving of its flaws, but do recognize the community that surrounds the game make up greatly for the pitfalls of the game itself. In most games there is a simple pleasure of success that accompanies them. The payoff for Dark Souls isn't guaranteed, but goes somewhat deeper than that. It feels a little more like genuine accomplishment, found in small does along the way and promised in large measure when you finally find yourself skilled at this wonderfully unique little corner of the gaming world.
Dark Souls 3 is going to be the most accessible game in the series, while still maintaining the brutal levels of difficulty and reliance on skill. If this is the end of the Dark Souls series, then they've chosen the perfect time to bow out.
Dark Souls 3 combines all the knowledge and experience that From Software has accumulated since the release of Demon's Souls and the recent Bloodborne,and creates an amazing adventure that will test you for strength and patience.
Review in Russian | Read full review
As a bloody swansong though, it’s the perfect send-off.
Dark Souls III should serve as a bible for the often difficult exercise of the final episode of a franchise. In conclusion, this ultimate "Soulien" journey is quite simply the masterpiece undoubtedly imagined since the beginning of the series by its creator Miyazaki.
Review in French | Read full review
With a faster combat mechanic than ever, better visuals and the same challenging gameplay as before, Dark Souls 3 delivers an adventure that will hook you up for many, many hours. It might not be as good as Bloodborne, mainly because some technical flaws, and a little less appealing world – but it’s close enough.
Review in Swedish | Read full review