While I like the concept because it gives some much-needed personality to each weapon type, it just isn’t as game-changing as I thought it would be.īut the action in general? It feels fantastic, and the developers have nailed the dance between tactical depth and brawling, to the point where players can adapt to an entire array of strategies to accomplish their goals rather than just follow one cookie-cutter path. It was cool at first, triggering bonus damage for a limited time for an axe or readying another stance with a sword, but after a few hours, I basically relegated it to the basement entirely.

The most obvious alteration is the arts system, which sort of brings in magical properties to weapons to allow for some diversity. Combat feels a smidge faster too, which is a clear nod to the advancements made in Bloodborne, even if features like Rally didn’t quite make it in. Life gems and grass are nowhere to be found, but Estus Flask (read: healing potion) upgrades are more plentiful. Covenants are now items that can be equipped and are far easier to understand. There are only two roll variations - regular and heavy. The lock-on feature is a bit more refined and doesn’t drop as often.

It took me almost two weeks, but I figured out most of the modifications. In reality, it’s a mix of just about everything From has acquired in its bag of tricks from Demon’s Souls all the way to Bloodborne. It may have something to do with the fact that Dark Souls III might be the last game in the series, but Bandai Namco is also going overboard with promotion, restricting press from streaming certain sections of the game, while allowing popular streamers to show everything - leading to spoilers almost a month before the retail release.Īgainst the odds, From Software has pulled through and delivered another masterpiece, despite some over-reliance on nostalgia.ĭark Souls III (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)Īs always, Dark Souls III doesn’t immediately let the player know what’s changed. Watching this craze unfold as a King’s Field fan, when the general public barely knew what From Software even was, has been quite a ride. I mean, in the last two years, if you count a remake, there have been three retail Souls games ( Dark Souls II, Scholar, and Bloodborne), on top of four DLC packs, and a mobile cash-in. It’s safe to say that some people have been experiencing Souls fatigue.

Dark souls 3