2) Recommended purchase
3) Recommended purchase during a sale
4) Not recommended unless heavily discounted
5) Not even recommended for Steam game collectors
Blow on a dead man's embers, And a live flame will start.
By now everybody and his dog - well at least those worth their gaming grain of salt - knows about the Souls series and their bleak and often discouraging world that can be brutal exercises of attrition for the uninitiated. It wasn't always like this. While From Software have been making these kinds of games as far back as the PS One with the King's Field series (a series I unfortunately never got the chance to play) it wasn't until a niche title know as Demon Souls debuted on the PS3 that they actually started gaining traction with the modern gamer. Demon Souls wasn't even a proposed western release at one point with the Sony funded game. In fact when the game was shown to Sony heads they hated it believing that the audience for such a game would be minuscule (considering how babied of late we as gamers have become with quest markers pointing us in the right direction and elaborate and very precisely detailed stories that require very little attention from the modern gamer). Oh, how wrong they where. While one could still consider Demon Souls niche it wasn't until the multi-platform release of Dark Souls (a game that built upon Demon Souls foundation and improved it) debuted to rapturous applause from gamer's and critics alike. Dark Souls launched at the same time as another RPG behemoth Elder Scroll: Skyrim. While sales figures favored the trusted and better know franchise, personally 2011 best RPG, in my opinion, was From Software's Magnum Opus Dark Souls.
triethyl you have my heart
The intervening years between the first Souls game and the current iteration, unsurprisingly called Dark Souls III, have been right to From. For one thing, the games fan base has certainly grown exponentially. While Dark Souls II might have been a slight misstep (it is my least favorite in the series but don't take that as a full blown negative because it still ranks up there with some of the best games released) I can happily report that Dark Souls III is an excellent return to form for the series, especially those of us who preferred the first versions interconnected world. As far as the series goes Dark Souls III emerges victorious as my favorite Soul's game in the franchise.
I am by no means what you would call good at these games. I certainly haven't dedicated hours upon hours honing my craft playing the PvP experience so for me each new Souls game is an exhausting trial by fire or member in this case. Dark Souls III is no different in that regard. While it might seem slightly more welcoming to the newcomers, especially the first few boss fights, there is a very steep up-curve around the midway mark that often had me crying out in frustration (and I mean actual crying). Personally, I found Dark Souls III more challenging than the previous two but I think a lot of that has to do with the slight adjustment to play-style this latest version adopts. Where the first two were choreographed and meticulous dances of death, Dark Souls III wastes no time showing you just how aggressive it can be. I am told this is a spill over from the PS4 exclusive Bloodborne; another From Software title released exclusively on the PS4 early last year. Having never played Bloodborne (I don't own a PS4 and don't see that changing anytime soon no matter how badly I would love to experience the game), I initially found the games aggressiveness quite alarming at first as I struggled through the first few areas trying to play the game like I would Dark Souls 1 or 2. I did soon eventually realize that that strategy was no longer cutting the mustard. That being said this isn't Bloodborne 2 and Dark Souls III is still very much a Soul's game thankfully.
dark souls III - Dragonslayer armor
Where Dark Souls III shines is that it never allows you to hit a level of complacency, which unfortunately the first two in the series allowed. Once you had hit on a killer build, the first two in the series became exponentially easier. Also, once mastered, the art of back-stabbing or parrying became the crutch for many upon which foundations were laid. Sure you can still backstab and parry to your hearts content, but the game introduces a continuous series of new enemies - particularly in the form of Red-Eyed Knights and NPC invaders that force you to adopt different strategies literally and with immediate effect lest you forfeit your game life. These enemies are incredibly ferocious and leave very little open windows of opportunity with which to strike, so time is of the essence. It is also vital that you take these enemies down as quickly as possible because they can become a nuisance the longer you wait to cull them. Back-stabbing and parrying these enemies is not so easy this time around as they move with lightening speed and hit with brutal force.
Later bosses namely can also be incredulous challenges. Attacking head on with a vastly larger array of move-sets they become a little harder to telegraph and can be very trying and frustrating experiences for the solo player. The fact that they move at such a frantic rate unleashing volleys of aggressive blows I can see newcomers and non-veterans of the series becoming incredibly frustrated during these encounters. Thankfully most of the bosses allow the player to summon in NCP phantoms to aid in the battles, but unfortunately some don't (as the above mentioned - unless I missed a story arc). If you are struggling at any point, you can invite one of the many players into your world to aid you. Doing so does mean you will have to go online and possibly incur the pain (or pleasure) of being invaded by other players. Personally, I don't care for this mechanic at all as I prefer my games not being spoiled by others but that is the risk you are going to have to take if you want any form of assistance.
Best to just stay right out of the way of that ball of bodies
Graphically this is the best-looking Souls game to date. Levels are crafted with meticulous care, and the world is often one of stark beauty vs. grimey ruin and dilapidation to explore. Dark Souls III world feels more connected to the Dark Souls I, and this is a big positive for me. I enjoy climbing towers and ramparts and being able to see areas I still need to approach or areas I have previously traversed. Considering the games beefy minimum specs the game ran perfectly fine on graphical hardware below the minimum spec. In fact, it ran so fine, I was getting a constant 50 FPS in most areas with the occasional drop here and there but nothing too noticeable that it detracted from the playing experience. I did encounter the strange bug where the game would continuously freeze at bonfires but apparently lowering the lighting setting to low in the menu resolved this. I was also very fortunate not to experience any crash for the full duration it took me to complete the game.
If Dark Souls III truely is the final chapter in the series, From as alluded to this on a few occasions, then it's the jewel in the Soul's crown and an incredible way to bow out of the franchise. Dark Souls III hits some very high notes and almost plays out like a greatest hits compilation (right down to the Demon Souls hub), and any Souls fan should be delighted with the outcome. Highly recommended!
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