I have pushed
through a poisonous swamp for hours, I've died more times than I can count, I
reach a new bonfire and see a large gateway guarded by poison inflicting
monsters and two Dark Wraiths, I let them skirmish before I jump in to finish
the job, but the Dark Wraiths won't go down easy. I separate one and defeat him
quickly, but the other is much stronger. We weave in between each other’s
attacks like dancers of death, anxiously swinging our weapons, using every tool
in our arsenal to deal the final bloody blow, I prove stronger and he falls.
However he was just a basic enemy merely testing to see if I was prepared for
the true challenge, a fog gate stands before me with a boss enemy waiting
behind it, ready to show me how truly weak and feeble I am. I prepare myself,
take a breath, and step through, and after an amazing cutscene, find out
exactly what I had to fear. This is just one example of what you will encounter
in Dark Souls 3. To say this game is a masterpiece feels like an
understatement, and even as someone who never played the previous titles I can
see this game is the sequel this series deserves, a truly magnificent crescendo
to a line of games that pushes whoever partakes its challenge to their absolute
limits. This is not a game for the faint of heart. It will make you angry, it
will make you cry, it will test your patience, but when you finally triumph, it
will reward you ten fold for all that you have endured.
Dark Souls 3
is set in the fantasy Kingdom of Lothric, where there is a curse of the undead
that has spread throughout the realm. The fire that had once brought the land
peace and prosperity is now fading, and the Lords of Cinder that had linked the
flames have abandoned their thrones and retreated to their own Kingdoms. It is
your duty to hunt them down and return them to their throne, by any means
necessary. This is all explained in the gorgeous opening cinematic that truly
makes you appreciate the dark and dilapidated state of the world From Software
has created. There is truly no happiness in the land of Lothric, and this is
something you discover quickly as you journey through its lands. The game is
graphically stunning, crisp scenery and colors despite the dark state of the
world catches the eye quickly, as you navigate through the many areas such as
swamps, kingdom walls, cities, dungeons, and more, they make every bit of it a
sight to behold. The art design is where the visuals really shine. From the
grotesque monsters, undead knights in shining armor, spine shivering catacombs,
and numerous other beasts and atrocities lurking around every corner and at the
end of every corridor, From Software shows an impressive amount of detail to
every bit of Dark Souls 3 which is something I would love to see more
developers learn from. Nothing makes you appreciate this more than climbing to
the top of a tower or mountain and gazing out on the absolutely gorgeous
landscape, knowing not only does it look breath taking, but more than likely
you will eventually travel there.
There are tons of shortcuts that not only
will lead you back to a earlier bonfire to avoid traversing through the dangers
you just faced, but intertwine the entire world, waving areas together and
leading to completely different areas you have progressed though. The art and
graphics aren't the only things to get this level of attention; all aspects
have including the story. With multiple endings, tons of intractable NPCs with side
quests and full quest lines, and tons of items each with descriptions helps
unravel the tale of Dark Souls 3, and elaborate on what's really happening. One
of the key things is that, like everything else in Dark Souls 3, nothing is
handed to you. You can go through the entire game knowing nothing more than
kill the Lords of Cinder, link the Thrones, and link the Flame. From Software
leaves it to you the player to un-earth the truth behind the veil, which is
ripe with lore for those willing to take the time to learn its secrets. It's
something I appreciated when I played their previous title Bloodborne, finding
new items and equipment and sifting through the item descriptions, hidden
texts, and speaking to NPCs at the right time to learn more about the world and
story. It is something that is really rewarding in a unique way. If you want to
just run through the game and kill some bosses, Dark Souls 3 will satisfy you
fully, but for those like myself who appreciates and craves a good story, Dark
Souls has that in spades. You'll not only discover critical facts and details
about the current game, but all the ones before it. Even visiting familiar feeling areas that
will make veteran players jump for joy (I'm looking at you Rowboat (Rory)(I
hate saying his name)). One thing is a staple with this series, and that is
there in no happiness in the land of Lothric. Death, despair, betrayal,
suffering, and utter darkness await all who reside here, which is a path most
games don't dare tread.
In a world cluttered with media of designated heroes, villains,
morals, and "the good guy will always come out on top", it's
refreshing to see a title that is truly ambiguous. You never know who is good,
evil, right, wrong, telling the truth, deceiving you, or even if you yourself
are a hero or just another poor soul destined to be driven to the darkness that
swallows this land and its people whole. This is something that draws me in to
learn more about its story. I want to
turn over every stone. I want to know
every detail and what is the truth behind all truths, but From Software opts
out of straightforward answers and instead allows the audience to draw their
own conclusions. They truly believe the player to be intelligent, and respects
that part about us all, allowing us to rack our brains and unravel the mysteries,
as we believe them to be. This leads to a huge community of people creating fan
theories and sharing them online, allowing all of us to exchange ideas and
learn more about the title, I can safely say I know of no other game that has
this type of community and I absolutely love it.
Dark Souls 3 also fused both
the original Dark Souls and it's more recent title Bloodborne. With faster
combat and more aggressive enemies, it allows you to play more defensively with
a sword and shield, play back with magic, or be the aggressor yourself. This is
something I really appreciated seeing as how not every situation required the
same approach. I would consistently switch between watching and waiting for my
enemy to make the first move so I could deliver a quick counter-attack, or rush
down a lesser enemy to catch them in a stagger lock until death whisked them
away from the battlefield. No one ever complained from being given more
options, and this is something From Software has excelled at. You not only have
a variety of play styles and approaches to any situation, but there is a
plethora of weapons, armor, magic, and miracles for you to procure. Some can be
bought from vendors, Most are found littered throughout Lothric, and some of
the strongest are found on world bosses or even worse, the bosses themselves.
All bosses drop their soul for you when they finally fall after bashing your
head against the brick wall. These gift you with their weapon, armor, spell, or
ones themed from them. One I currently use is a greatsword with a dagger that I
can use to parry, but when I dual wield them I jump and use the dagger as an
anchor as I spin and slash at the heels of all enemies in my vicinity. Like a wolf prowling my prey always just out
of their reach, but always in mine. All the weapons in this game are unique and
cool in their own respective way leaving something for every individual to find
and enjoy, and more importantly carve through the hordes of adversaries
standing in your path. The armor plays a huge roll in the way you play as well,
each one greatly enhancing damage resistance, magic resistance, poison, fire,
lightning, etc., every piece is good for one thing or another. There are pieces
of armor that are just better then others as you get further through the game,
which is good as it adds another element that makes you really feel like you
have progressed.
This is also not a title you can sit for a half an hour and
play for a bit, kill some stuff, and drop. This game requires long periods of
time to push through and progress through each area, and since all enemies
respawn when you rest at a bonfire or die, it takes a lot of patience and
mental fortitude to get through. At the end, and sometimes even throughout,
there will be a boss waiting for you to test all that you have learned thus
far, and for the most part, they deliver. You will be faced with a teleporting
sorcerer, demons, a gang of swordsman, giants, and many more. Think Shadow of
the Colossus on crack and you have the big baddies of Dark Souls 3. These
bosses are no joke, and I can clearly see why some say this is the hardest
Souls game yet. In particular there was a boss that spawned additional look-a-likes
that would attack you and sometimes each other, and once you think you have
beaten him, his weapons light on fire. Because
a crazy fast and strong swordsman isn't bad enough, no NO that's too easy,
let's give him fire too! From Software sure does love giving things fire, and
you will discover this quickly as you face its many challenges. This made the
less then stellar boss fights even more disappointing, I'm sure some were
easier because of the level I was at when I faced them. However, some were just downright easy, which
is not what I come to expect from a From Software title. One in particular was
horrible. I faced a huge boss who struck
fear into you the second you saw him. There was a special weapon you had to use
to kill him, which literally downs him in four swings, it wasn't even hard to
charge making this the easiest thing to do in the game to that point. This was
the one moment I was truly angry with Dark Souls 3. All the anticipation I had
waiting to face him, all the fear I felt, all the admiration for his design and
mechanics felt wasted. Thankfully this was not repeated any more, and every
other boss delivered on the soul crushing challenge I craved. The feeling of
absolute satisfaction and true elation after downing a boss you have struggled
with for so long is what really sinks its claws into you, and exactly why I got
hooked on Bloodborne, and now Dark Souls 3. I have not felt a feeling of pure ecstasy
from something other than a From Software title since I beat Sephiroth in
Kingdom Hearts back in 2002. A title that truly challenges you, your
intelligence, your reflexes, your ingenuity, everything you have being pushed
to the absolute limit and draws you to the very precipice of anger and fury is
all given recognition when you finally see that "VICTORY ACHIEVED"
text across your screen. No other title I have played in years has given me
this feeling, and being able to share your water cooler stories with all of
your friends who have faced the same challenges as you is an entirely awesome
thing in itself. Sharing horror stories, tales of triumph, swapping strategies
and character designs, and much more is something I haven't done since I played
World of Warcraft. When you defeat a boss you also become embered, which can
also be done using an item that increases your maximum health and allows online
play. This allows you to recruit other players or your friends to assist you in
your quest for glory. Be careful though, as this also allows other players to
invade your world and hunt you down. Dark Souls 3 has an interesting PvP
element, you can pledge yourself to one of several covenants, that can be
changed at any time, and fight other players around the world. Some people even
summon several players in certain areas and host "fight clubs" where
you fight until you are defeated. You can also leave or read helpful notes that
that will assist you in your journey, something that had saved me numerous
times from well-hidden ambushes and pit falls. Some are even funny and clever,
such as an item on a corpse hanging off a ledge with its backside facing you,
with a well-placed note that reads, "finger, but whole.".
Dark Souls 3
offers a unique experience no other developer can offer, at least not at the
quality From Software presents it at. This is not a game for everyone, it
requires a tremendous amount of time and patience that not everyone can offer,
but for those who are able, they are gifted with a journey unlike any other.
The juggernaut series known as Dark Souls has received a incredible sequel and
the best send off that I could possibly think of, one that make me want to go
back and venture through the prequels I missed. If you are looking for a great
game, a true challenge, or an amazingly dark story that sinks its claws into you
and won't relinquish you until you have done all that it has to offer, then I beseech
you, pick up a copy of Dark Souls 3. Now Champion of Ash, you are the only one
that can return the Lords of Cinder to their abandoned thrones, so go, because
the fire is fading, and the age of darkness is upon us.
-Frankie
