Dark Souls III Prepare To Cry - Review

Dark Souls III is the third in a series of dark fantasy role-playing games, know for it's brutal difficulty and unforgiving nature. It gives minimal direction and little room for error. As with its predecessors (Demon Souls, Dark Souls I and II), playing Dark Souls III means accepting two extremes: recurring defeat, and the reward of breaking through it.

Determination is key in this game, the game expects you to die again and again. It tears you down before it pulls you back up, reinforcing the spots where it broke you, preparing you for that next valley just down the road.

The wolrd it self is a series of disconnected detailed areas, those areas are folding back and looping around in intricate webs. During the progression of the game, you are able to find bonefires. A bonfire, is a checkpoint. It is as important as levelling your character or defeating a challenging boss. In this dangerous world of swamps, prisons, and undead villages, every milestone is a victory.

The Firelink Shrine is a hub world used to level up character stats, weapon quality, and estus flask(Healing potions).



During your journey in DS3 as in every game of the series you recruit helpful companions that set up camp at your base, granting useful items and buffs throughout your playthrough. Bonfire checkpoints strewn throughout Dark Souls III allow for easy fast travel, and returning to Firelink becomes a welcome reprieve from the surrounding world.



It's honestly impressive how the Dark Souls series strike a balance between exploration and guidance. There's usually more than one path you can take through the world at any time to new bosses, dungeons, or new areas.

Obstacles come in different shapes and forms,  along the way. Hulking giants and feral dogs, ancient knights and suicidal monks. Each enemy is unique, and in groups, they grow more dynamic and punishing, demanding a flexible approach to combat.  

Dark Souls III often plays on your false sense of comfort,  many deaths come when you underestimate an enemy you've killed before. There is  a certain pattern to each enemy, that's only noticable when you take time to observe it.

Some enemies are weak, vulnerable from behind others near their sword arm. Instinct may tell you to dodge every time a knight retracts its spear, wasteful stamina usage could lead to a quick death.




The combat fluctuates between duels and frantic fights, but it manages to keep things quite fair. Sometimes you might be outnumbered and underpowered, but defeat is usually your fault.

Boss fights that require precision, thoughtful movement and good stamina management.
These creatures play on your expectations and force you to adapt. It often rips you out of your comfort zone at a harrowing pace.  
 
During fights Deja vu might kick in during several times, when the monsters display move sets similar to those that came before them.  I brought down Pontiff Sulyvahn and Aldrich. Bosses the game purports to be major targets, with tactics I had used earlier.
Pontiff Sulyvahn


Aldrich


There are several possible endings to Dark Souls III, depending on which path you take.  The old lords have abandoned their thrones, and in the hunt to usurp them.  The journey may be rocky, but there's a throne waiting at the end.

Overall, Dark Souls III gives an amazing gaming experience  accompanied by amazing design and impressive level of difficulty, however if you get familiar with the game and understand the mechanics you can finish the game without breaking a sweat!

Intro Cinematic

Thanks for reading! Feel free to follow, vote and Re-esteem! More reviews will be posted in the future!