Dark Souls III Reviews
The finishing touch for a series that has set a chair in the modern video game world. Dark Souls 3 drinks from the Soulsborne and improves the formula so that even when you die a thousand times, you still want more.
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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.
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 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.
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.
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.
From Software's latest bit of gamer masochism doesn't reach the high water mark of Bloodbourne, yet remains a thoroughly engaging experience
Dark Souls III is beautiful, balanced and fun, although it's not so different from the handful of games that preceded it.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Dark Souls III is beautiful and terrifying all in one. Intense, atmospheric and so cruel. An essential game for RPG fans and one of the very best games of 2016 thus far.
Bosses in these games are always a highlight, and Dark Souls 3 has some excellent encounters that will surely kick your ass.
Dark Souls III is another triumph of the imagination for From Software, a studio which surely now must rank as one of Japan's leading talents. The company's Souls series has a near-flawless track record and after the cult nature of Demon's Souls has thankfully found a large and receptive mainstream audience – not bad for a franchise which delights in being obtuse and hair-pulling tricky in equal measure. Dark Souls III is arguably the most accomplished entry yet, refining the core mechanics and cunningly utilizing next-generation hardware to excellent effect.
Few titles this generation will match the purity of Dark Souls III as a game. This is as brutal, exhilarating, and compelling as the series has ever been, but it is also laden with the heavy burden of expectation that its heritage brings. Significant, yet minor improvements are made to the established formula, and nostalgia is warmly embraced a little too often, yet this still doesn't prevent Dark Souls III from being a fine game.
The series had a rocky road with Dark Souls II and had some fans questioning design decisions, but Dark Souls III has reminded the community of why the series has the reputation it does. The game is an undeniable treat for both eyes and ears, and uncovering the lore as you explore the darkest depths is an experience that is unparalleled in many other games.
Series director Hidetaka Miyazaki has returned to bring the series to a close. Can he recapture the magic of the original Dark Souls?