Dark Souls III Reviews
Dark Souls III is one of the best episodes in the series and one of the best soulslikes ever. Wonderful boss design, amazing level design and a great progression system put it at the top of the genre.
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This sequel plays with expectations while trying to exceed them. Buy it.
Dark Souls III is shorter than what we've come to expect, but it's also more consolidated to give players exactly what they're looking for without any unnecessary fluff.
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 that's your thing, then this game has tens of hours of bliss in store for you. Marquis de Sade used to say that it is always by way of pain one arrives at pleasure, and Dark Souls III certainly takes this concept to the next level.
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.
With its handsomely-crafted labyrinths and rigorously paced combat, "Dark Souls 3" hits all the notes that aficionados have come to expect. Still, I hope Miyazaki's next creation finds a new way to cut against the grain.
Dark Souls III is tough as nails, and the most rewarding Dark Souls game yet.
Dark Souls III is another punishingly hard game in an era of hand-holding that masochists will appreciate. While enemy AI is laughably dumb, those same enemies can take you down in no time flat. This is a game that forces you to learn its intricacies and quirks, and use them all to your advantage. Sporting a wonderful environment full of color, suffering, death, and a small amount of hope, fans can expect to sink several dozen, if not hundreds, of hours into the game, if they haven't already. From Software knows how to make challenging games that reward those who invest the time needed to properly engage enemies, and Dark Souls III continues in that tradition.
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.