Dark Souls III

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4553 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,853 out of 4553
  2. Mixed: 281 out of 4553
  3. Negative: 419 out of 4553
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  1. MityaJ
    Mar 21, 2017
    10
    Yes, it is not such a phenomenon as the first one, and, seriously, it can't stand to that masterpiece.
    But still this game just absorbed everything great about Demon Souls, Dark Souls 1&2, Bloodbourne and there is nothing wrong with it, because it's a quintessence of Hidetaka Miyazaki's ingenious creativity.
    The stortelling, characters, foes, gameplay, f*cking legendary atmosphere...    Yes, it is not such a phenomenon as the first one, and, seriously, it can't stand to that masterpiece.
    But still this game just absorbed everything great about Demon Souls, Dark Souls 1&2, Bloodbourne and there is nothing wrong with it, because it's a quintessence of Hidetaka Miyazaki's ingenious creativity.
    The stortelling, characters, foes, gameplay, f*cking legendary atmosphere... Thanks, Hidetaka. I'm sorry that this is the end of those game series. Looking forward for your future creations.    … Expand
  2. Nathonas
    Apr 13, 2016
    9
    Dark Souls 3 is another high quality Souls game with some minor flaws.

    The game is most impressive technically - the controls are very smooth and responsive - certainly the best out of the 3 Dark Souls games, and the graphics are a visible upgrade from DS2. The world looks gorgeous, expansive, and detailed, while still maintaining that dark, desolate Souls feeling. The gameplay is    Dark Souls 3 is another high quality Souls game with some minor flaws.

    The game is most impressive technically - the controls are very smooth and responsive - certainly the best out of the 3 Dark Souls games, and the graphics are a visible upgrade from DS2. The world looks gorgeous, expansive, and detailed, while still maintaining that dark, desolate Souls feeling.

    The gameplay is very fast-paced compared to DS/DS2, with attacks landing faster and monsters overwhelming you very quickly. Whether you'll like this or not depends on personal preference, but I enjoy the slower combat of DS/DS2.

    I'm also not a big fan of the travel system which is pretty much the same as Dark Souls 2, and makes the world feel more disconnected.

    Dark Souls is still the best in the series, but that's simply because any Souls game is such a unique experience that you can never reproduce it after playing it once.

    Overall though, DS3 successfully brings back the familiar core of the Souls gameplay and setting, while adding enough new things to keep it fresh.    … Expand
  3. IsaacSlade
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    To put it simply, Dark Souls III is a phenomenal game. Not a perfect one, despite what me giving it a ten may say. If I were to give it a more accurate score, I'd personally give it a 9.4. It brings back a lot of elements from the first Dark Souls, and the level designs really do feel like I'm in a different version of Lordran. Whenever I see the sweeping castles in the distance, I can'tTo put it simply, Dark Souls III is a phenomenal game. Not a perfect one, despite what me giving it a ten may say. If I were to give it a more accurate score, I'd personally give it a 9.4. It brings back a lot of elements from the first Dark Souls, and the level designs really do feel like I'm in a different version of Lordran. Whenever I see the sweeping castles in the distance, I can't help but be reminded of Anor Londo. And traversing the High Wall of Lothric just feels so much like traversing the high ledges of Undead Parish, it's just...nostalgic and refreshing at the same time. Even the cliffs in the Cemetery of Ash up to Firelink Shrine remind me of the cliffs surrounding the original Firelink Shrine, as well as the graveyard surrounding The Catacombs. It truly is like a love letter to the series, as well as to the fans who have been with the series since the start.

    Moving on to the gameplay aspects, combat is much faster now (you can thank Bloodborne for that), and there's a new element to it that has been added, in the form of Weapon Arts (I think that's what they're called). These function as special techniques that change based on the weapon you happen to be using, and deal high damage at the cost of a new uh...I'm not really sure what to call it, but it functions similarly to health (you even get a unique Estus Flask to refill it). I don't know the actual name, but it's referred to as FP, and a little is drained every time you use a Weapon Art. There's also a 'Cinder Mode' where you have double health and I believe increased strength until death. You can achieve this by either killing a boss, or using a consumable item known as an Ember.

    And all those pesky annoyances about Hollowing, such as losing some of your max health, as well as now looking like a zombie, are gone. When you die, you just lose all of your Souls and are sent back to the last bonfire. No Health loss, no green skin, none of that. If I'm not mistaken, death functions similarly to Bloodborne in that aspect. I have yet to find out how dying affects PVP and Summoning, however, so unfortunately I can't speak on that.

    I will close with a slight warning. The PC version has occasional framerate dips. Fortunately, at least for me, they didn't interrupt play too much, and I was still plenty able to enjoy my time with the game despite these dips.

    All in all, I absolutely love this game. It's fantastic, it really, really is.    … Expand
  4. ChikatiloZ
    Apr 15, 2016
    0
    -Plays with keyboard and mouse, gets popups on screen yellow Y, red B, green A, blue X, backflippers.
    -Has to go into the menu to find corresponding K+M key.
    -Can't rebind keys. -Finds out 1/3 of the games functions aren't accessible for PC gamers because there simply isn't a key to do some moves and there's no way to rebind keys. -Returns game Third game in the series, third time    -Plays with keyboard and mouse, gets popups on screen yellow Y, red B, green A, blue X, backflippers.
    -Has to go into the menu to find corresponding K+M key.
    -Can't rebind keys.
    -Finds out 1/3 of the games functions aren't accessible for PC gamers because there simply isn't a key to do some moves and there's no way to rebind keys.
    -Returns game

    Third game in the series, third time they troll pc gamers.    … Expand
  5. FadingHope
    Apr 19, 2016
    1
    Stay away from this trash IF you like complex, deep, elaborate combat. From start to finish, this game boils down to mashing two buttons: hit and roll. That's what you gonna be doing. It's the most dull, repetitive, shallow game I've ever played. The only redeeming feature is the graphics and the atmosphere, but when a game that's all about fighting fails dismally when it comes to theStay away from this trash IF you like complex, deep, elaborate combat. From start to finish, this game boils down to mashing two buttons: hit and roll. That's what you gonna be doing. It's the most dull, repetitive, shallow game I've ever played. The only redeeming feature is the graphics and the atmosphere, but when a game that's all about fighting fails dismally when it comes to the combat system, there's no saving grace. Don't get misled by all those 10's disgorged by fanboys, they're only playing it to prove how amazingly pro and superior they are to 'casuals'. If you look at any gameplay, you will see within 10 seconds EVERYTHING that games has to offer - a roll and a hit. That's all there's to it. Some of the enemies are gonna be bigger, some of the weapons are gonna be more rusty. But in the end this 60 dollar 'masterpiece' can be summarised in three words: roll and hit. 1/10. For graphics.… Expand
  6. Avadon
    Apr 12, 2016
    3
    The game is in a disastrous state for me. Running on 4790k, 16g ram, gtx980. The framerate is high, but suffers from occasional weird spikes that really impact the gameplay. But that's nothing compared to the constant crashing. The game crashed 4 times for me in 90 minutes. I refunded because I don't trust FROM with fixing their games in a timely manner. When Dark Souls 1 was firstThe game is in a disastrous state for me. Running on 4790k, 16g ram, gtx980. The framerate is high, but suffers from occasional weird spikes that really impact the gameplay. But that's nothing compared to the constant crashing. The game crashed 4 times for me in 90 minutes. I refunded because I don't trust FROM with fixing their games in a timely manner. When Dark Souls 1 was first released on PS3, the target locking was completely broken. It took them like 3 months to fix it, and it really ruined the experience. It took them so long to fix something that basic and important. Let's not even mention the weapon degradation nonsense in DS2 for PC, which they only bothered with when they had to deal with it for the PS4 version. I just don't trust them.

    The game itself looks great from my limited experience, but I recommend you wait and keep an eye on patch announcements and the Steam forums before you buy it. As for the score, I can't give a game that crashes every 20 minutes anything higher than 3. Will revisit it if/when they fix the game and update the review.    … Expand
  7. EvilTerrorizer
    Apr 12, 2016
    0
    Unplayable on PC with mouse+keyboard... got refund. Graphics are nowhere close to screenshots and I'm playing on highest settings. So yeah great adverts, but you won't be stealing my money.
  8. Praesi
    Apr 22, 2016
    7
    Its a huge improvement to DS1+2. M+K Controlls work good. Yes there are XBox promps, but that isnt a big deal cause you can remap everything (but still a lazy move from FROM). When you set your Controlls and played 1-2h you can move and fight without Problems. Again "our" Press dont say anything about it (just:"use a controller", which is not necessary) When you use a sweetfx preset, theIts a huge improvement to DS1+2. M+K Controlls work good. Yes there are XBox promps, but that isnt a big deal cause you can remap everything (but still a lazy move from FROM). When you set your Controlls and played 1-2h you can move and fight without Problems. Again "our" Press dont say anything about it (just:"use a controller", which is not necessary) When you use a sweetfx preset, the Game looks realy good. Its still a very difficult Game, but its more fair than the first Games. More Bonfires and shortcuts makes it more Fun. I didnt like DS2 and hated DS1 for its lack of Quality in Case of PC Standarts. But when im honest, DS3 is a good Game. The Camera sometimes sucks when you have a Wall in your Back, but the PC Controlls work. I defeated 9 Bosses at this Point. I realy enjoy it and i was a DS Enemy because of the horrible PC Releases in the Past, but here you can go for it if you play with K+M.… Expand
  9. Rukh
    Apr 13, 2016
    0
    Currently this game is in a BUYER BEWARE state. You might get a great game, you may pay for nothing playable. Until they fix it, I can't recommend anyone buy it on PC.
  10. Zajcew
    Apr 12, 2016
    0
    The game keeps crashing non stop. It crashes on bonfires, outside of bonfires, it just crashes at random places. Had 5 crashes in less then 5 hours. Plenty of people with the same problem. Do not buy.
  11. kidcash764
    Apr 12, 2016
    4
    If you like dying over 20 times to figure out a boss fight fight pattern then I guess this game or any Dark Souls game is for you.

    Normal common gamers need not apply to this game.
  12. WAnchor
    Apr 12, 2016
    1
    The worst PC release of all time. End of.

    If you thought Arkham Knight and Just Cause 3 had shaky launches and abysmal support; you haven;t seen nothing yet. The game is made purely for consoles, hence the game has NO keyboard bindings in the menu - it's all Xbox controller buttons which shows how lazy the developers were right off the bat as they can't even get the most simplest thing    The worst PC release of all time. End of.

    If you thought Arkham Knight and Just Cause 3 had shaky launches and abysmal support; you haven;t seen nothing yet. The game is made purely for consoles, hence the game has NO keyboard bindings in the menu - it's all Xbox controller buttons which shows how lazy the developers were right off the bat as they can't even get the most simplest thing right. 'Press any button' at the start screen requires you to actually click on the icon as no keys work also. Just embarrassing.

    The game itself runs appallingly on my system that exceeds the recommended specs. I get frame drops south of 10fps, the game frequently crashes and the amount of stuttering is a joke. In terms of gameplay from what I've played; it's worse than the first two games with an even more intolerable camera and wayward controls. The combat is sloppy and all the environments look the same. Whether you play 5 hours or 50; it's just the same over and over and when the game runs the way it does; it's not even worth the hassle.

    People like TotalBiscuit and companies like PC Gamer will continue to patronise users who don't have a $5,000 PC saying it's an amazing port and they experience no issues at all. For most mainstream users, this game is the pinnacle of why AAA PC gaming is dead and for everyone who splashes out on GTX 980 cards; the only games worth playing are indie titles. If you're going to get this game; get it on PS4 if you have one and if not; don't even bother.

    Worst game of 2016 so far.    … Expand
  13. Exfan
    Apr 12, 2016
    2
    Played plenty of Dark Souls games. Best of those seemed to be Dark Souls 1 because level design and lack of stupid punishment system that was implemented in DS2. Luckily DS3 seems to be lot like DS1 in game design. Now after getting my testing DS3 i am happy to go back playing DS1.
    I would buy this game at discount. Game has terrible framerate issues game is mostly of the time unplayable    Played plenty of Dark Souls games. Best of those seemed to be Dark Souls 1 because level design and lack of stupid punishment system that was implemented in DS2. Luckily DS3 seems to be lot like DS1 in game design. Now after getting my testing DS3 i am happy to go back playing DS1.
    I would buy this game at discount. Game has terrible framerate issues game is mostly of the time unplayable because of this. Safest choice is to wait about 6 months and perhaps it gets better optimized due patching or you get game at decent price.
    At this moment game is not worth any hard earned money that you have earned. Seems to be just another example of rushed poorly optimized beta stage game that seems to common practice in gaming industry these days.
    Asking you t buy this game and giving 10/10 is just way of saying "Go full retard" and you all know best advice is "Never,go full retard"    … Expand
  14. mcsw712
    Mar 22, 2019
    10
    Comon now. This is an easy 10. Can I give it 15? For those who don't get past the intro I understand low scores. You have to get to the point where you understand the game.
  15. SomeName
    Apr 9, 2017
    9
    A great game from one of my favourite series of all time. I thoroughly enjoyed the graphics, design and gameplay experience. That doesn't mean that it has no issues, but I found I got plenty for the money spent. I would also say that this type of game isn't for everyone. There is no clear guidance or hand-holding and the combat is challenging, although rarely to the point of beingA great game from one of my favourite series of all time. I thoroughly enjoyed the graphics, design and gameplay experience. That doesn't mean that it has no issues, but I found I got plenty for the money spent. I would also say that this type of game isn't for everyone. There is no clear guidance or hand-holding and the combat is challenging, although rarely to the point of being arbitrarily difficult.

    Pros:
    -Strong action & combat.
    -Good story (although it requires a bit of effort to piece together)
    -Quality graphics and effects, although there is the occasional drop in framerate (nothing that renders it unplayable though).
    -Worthwhile DLCs (particularly the Ringed City).
    -Some of the best (and memorable) level design in gaming.

    Cons:
    -The PC support is still sub-par. By no means as bad as Dark souls 1 or 2, but still not at a level where I would recommend playing it on anything but a controller.
    -Some recycled material from the previous games.
    -Bugs, hackers and various kinds of douchebaggery in the online play, but try finding online multiplayer without that.

    In general I would say this is was a good series. Different from most of the RPG hack-and-slashers in the genre. Try it if you want something new (if you find the story interesting, I recommend playing DS1 & DS2 first though).    … Expand
  16. Greko03
    Nov 5, 2019
    9
    JUEGAZO!, si no tienes paciencia y no te gustan los retos, mejor ni lo mires, pero si tienes la paciencia, es de lo mejor que se haya hecho, gameplay, lore, diseño artistico, banda sonora, todo, todo es bueno.
  17. hell88
    Jul 5, 2018
    7
    Superb game! Very well crafted, very immersible and dark climate! that looks and feels like dark fantasy medieval Europe. But, its too difficult, too punishing, that makes the game not fun, after you died sometimes you still have the will to fight and continue. but after a lot of frustration mostly of player who are not hardcore gamers, will run out of expectations... thats bad, in mySuperb game! Very well crafted, very immersible and dark climate! that looks and feels like dark fantasy medieval Europe. But, its too difficult, too punishing, that makes the game not fun, after you died sometimes you still have the will to fight and continue. but after a lot of frustration mostly of player who are not hardcore gamers, will run out of expectations... thats bad, in my opinion that game would be fix if the curve of difficult would be changed. but thats my view! I did not remember a game that difficult on that modern era!… Expand
  18. frusie
    Feb 20, 2018
    8
    Awsome game, just the keyboard suxx for the game.(i played it with mouse and keyboard^^)
  19. fordagame
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    Game is beautiful. DONT BE AFRAID that game is HARD. It is not that hard. If you are fan of RPGs, souls like games always provide very interesting gameplay. if you are fan of fighting with classic warrior or mages. Leveling is interesting. A lot of different kind of weapons and skills. It is easier than Bloodborne in my opinion. Lets separate it to two games Main story and DLC + SecretGame is beautiful. DONT BE AFRAID that game is HARD. It is not that hard. If you are fan of RPGs, souls like games always provide very interesting gameplay. if you are fan of fighting with classic warrior or mages. Leveling is interesting. A lot of different kind of weapons and skills. It is easier than Bloodborne in my opinion. Lets separate it to two games Main story and DLC + Secret Location. In Main story it is really easy. Every boss was killed from 3-4 try (maybe few more, but rarely). And I play as warrior with shield and sword. For mages it would be easier. Main story is interesting and somehow every area is feeling fresh, even secret location. I used phantoms only twice, on twin princes, cos I wanted to try them and on last boss, because one of endings required them, but I am sure that you can do it without them for few trys. DLC on other hand, was a bit repetetive for me. Bosses in DLC was much harder. All of them was with multiple phases and far too much hp (compared to main story). I dont know is it + or -, but most of the enemies may be killed if you exploit environments. There is some charm in looking how to kill this fat enemy, without touching him and runing around him :). Here challenge for sure is not in grind of useless resources (souls are coming by playing the game, never sitting and farming them, line in new games). Gameplay as well is not related with doing repetitive towers and other not interesting activities. Here gameplay is related with fighting challenges, sometimes hard challenges. One advice for some of you. Souls games always missed one important thing for me: map. Some people like finding secret things around map, but I have played with online maps whole game. I have played bloodborne sole exploring... and feeling wasn't more interesting, but in the end of the game I understand that I missed 1 big location and 1 secret location and many more small locations. This is not fun for me, to miss content and to try to understand where to hit to find secret wall (running and hitting walls is boring imo). You are not losing really a lot if you just check what exist in this game and you dont miss secrets. I am happy that I succeed to pass through all secret locations and see them. Otherwise it is very possible that you will just quickly run through game and wondering, why it was that short. And don't be afraid to ask for help :). With phantoms everything is easier. Good luck ashen one.… Expand
  20. Artmal
    May 12, 2019
    10
    A high-quality game without any doubts.

    I've tried to play Dark Souls II once but the game just didn't clicked for me for some reason and I've forget about Dark Souls series for some time. But recently I gave Dark Souls III a chance. The game won my attention from the very beginning. I enjoyed literally everything about this game. The graphics are amazing and are a huge leap relatively    A high-quality game without any doubts.

    I've tried to play Dark Souls II once but the game just didn't clicked for me for some reason and I've forget about Dark Souls series for some time. But recently I gave Dark Souls III a chance. The game won my attention from the very beginning. I enjoyed literally everything about this game. The graphics are amazing and are a huge leap relatively to DS II. I liked the NPC's and bosses not to mention amazing soundtrack which I still listen from time to time.

    I'm giving this game a 10 because it has something that modern games lack nowadays. It makes you think. I'm not talking about the boss fight tactics, no. I'm talking about the message which you can see playing the game. Someone will see the beauty of self-imposed challenges and who knows, maybe they will take more bold challenges in their life knowing that everything is possible if you don't give up and keep trying. Others will see different perspectives on important philosophical questions and probably will take something to their lives.    … Expand
  21. ShadowOfTheMoon
    Apr 3, 2020
    7
    Great atmosphere. Some bosses are great, and some are super dumb. The game also infuriates rebirth points that separate the boss and you, where there are a bunch of mobs. But the game still turned out very good
  22. Witcher468
    Mar 2, 2021
    0
    Я хотел перенести сохранения со своего старого компьютера на новый, и меня забанили, за такое предательство ставлю игре 0.
  23. Cinept
    Mar 7, 2022
    7
    7/10. The combat is fun and the enemy variety is quite good. Suffers from unfair difficulty spikes at times and forced linearity.
  24. Rtheom
    Feb 1, 2018
    7
    If you're a fan of Monster Hunter, this is basically Monster Hunter on rails. Instead of learning monster attack patterns to more easily harvest that monster for parts before moving on to the next, you learn level segments until you can move on to the next. It's not a bad game, but I didn't really feel any drive to keep going . I didn't find the story or the settings interesting enough toIf you're a fan of Monster Hunter, this is basically Monster Hunter on rails. Instead of learning monster attack patterns to more easily harvest that monster for parts before moving on to the next, you learn level segments until you can move on to the next. It's not a bad game, but I didn't really feel any drive to keep going . I didn't find the story or the settings interesting enough to want to continue this game for very long and the meager level up bonuses just didn't feel exciting.… Expand
  25. Svoby42
    Mar 31, 2017
    10
    Best game in the series. Absolutely beating first game by level design and by difficulty of bosses. I rather wont talk about Dark Souls II. Game is a totally masterpiece. From music to atmosphere - perfect. I have enjoyed this masterpiece more than second and first game combined.
  26. infinity91
    Feb 19, 2017
    10
    Masterpiece. in my opinion, best game in the series! 2000 hours played and counting.
    level design is spectacular
    bosses are spectacular
    music is amazing
    combat is amazing
  27. rAMZA
    Apr 25, 2017
    7
    Realy boring combat just hit and roll hit and roll, ill give it a 7 because it is still a good score, could have more difficulty options and a hc mode if character dies then its the end of it.
  28. Jenne
    Dec 1, 2017
    7
    Unfortunately most complains revolve around the PC port and controls. Honestly, if you've played DS1 and DS2 ports, then DS3 port will look positively fantastic. And M&K controls...they're fine. At least the game doesn't need any third-party tweaks and patches this time around.

    But who cares about bugs and control issues in a Dark Souls game? The series has always been about four    Unfortunately most complains revolve around the PC port and controls. Honestly, if you've played DS1 and DS2 ports, then DS3 port will look positively fantastic. And M&K controls...they're fine. At least the game doesn't need any third-party tweaks and patches this time around.

    But who cares about bugs and control issues in a Dark Souls game? The series has always been about four gigantic virtues - the combat, the vibe, the surprise/exploration, the on-line element.

    Demon's Souls, DS1, DS2 Scholar and Bloodborne always delivered fully on all fronts. DS2 needed all the DLCs and a light remake to achieve it but now it's an excellent game. Unfortunately DS3 delivers only on the combat. Everything else feels incredibly disinterested and by-the-numbers. For casual fans or people who came to the franchise only now it won't matter, they don't know any better. But if there's anything that can absolutely kill a Souls game....it's the lack of soul.

    Dark Souls 3 is a Souls game without a soul. Playing any other FromSoft game you can feel the love and care, the attention to detail, the delightful secrets, little surprises and devious tricks. DS3 is not completely devoid of those but you can palpably feel that this time around the developers just wanted to make the product and ship it out. After all Miyazaki said many times he doesn't want to make another Souls game and it shows. DS3 almost feel as if it was outsourced to someone else - they met the minimum requirements for a solid Souls game but didn't add much more.

    Parts of the game even feel like unfinished stumps - the poise system is clearly a makeshift solution of someone who just can't make heavy armor work properly, there's a system for absolving sin but no sin mechanics, the covenant system is much simpler and worse than even in DS1 which is just shocking. The New Game + is incredibly phoned-in, especially after the excellent NG+ system in DS2. The world is even more linear than in DS2, and all this after the stink the community raised in reaction to DS2. As if From didn't care anymore.

    All in all, DS3 is a skillfully animated corpse. The body still moves fine and may even fool newcomers but there's no soul anymore. Vast majority of the old delightful, devious playfulness, inventiveness and spirit is gone and what we are left with is mostly a polished mass market product. A difference between a fabulous dish by a French master chef and the same dish prepared by KFC - the calories are still there but most of the flavour and surprise is gone.    … Expand
  29. kimy02
    Jun 10, 2016
    10
    I've never played a dark souls game, this was my first one. Wow, i can't describe it. It is such an amazing game, the gameplay, the story... Definitely GOTY for me.
  30. allwititnowsuck
    Sep 13, 2018
    6
    This series is nowhere near as difficult as people claim it to be, if you are a generic "MLG xxxProGamerxxx" who plays nothing other than Call of Duty,Grand Theft Auto,Fifa,League of Legends and CS:GO you will find this game to be the most difficult challenge of your live but if you ever played and finished any old RPG game from early 2000s and 90s/80s than you are up for a mediocoreThis series is nowhere near as difficult as people claim it to be, if you are a generic "MLG xxxProGamerxxx" who plays nothing other than Call of Duty,Grand Theft Auto,Fifa,League of Legends and CS:GO you will find this game to be the most difficult challenge of your live but if you ever played and finished any old RPG game from early 2000s and 90s/80s than you are up for a mediocore slasher with average(at best) difficulty,honestly people should stop listening the youtubers and streamers and build their own opinions.… Expand
  31. PizzaSHARK
    May 4, 2016
    6
    It's an okay game, but it's not the 10/10 game the fanboys are calling it. There are a frankly immense number of flaws that, considering it's their fifth game in the series, aren't really forgivable.

    The camera still sucks and makes many boss fights far harder than they should be. There are still severe issues with hitbox lag and hitboxes being wider than they appear (primarily on    It's an okay game, but it's not the 10/10 game the fanboys are calling it. There are a frankly immense number of flaws that, considering it's their fifth game in the series, aren't really forgivable.

    The camera still sucks and makes many boss fights far harder than they should be. There are still severe issues with hitbox lag and hitboxes being wider than they appear (primarily on grab attacks, like always.) Poise, a mechanic the game is quite clearly designed around, was shipped turned off in the game's configuration files and has yet to be turned back on, nor has From Software released a statement explaining why such a crucial gameplay element was disabled for launch.

    There are some extremely severe balance issues, too. More than is reasonable for the fifth game in a series, but no game releases in a perfect state. From Software seems to be rather slow in identifying and remedying the problems, however, and in fact actually nerfed some gameplay elements that were already performing far below other playstyles.

    There are also innocent players getting hit with bans because players using cheats (via Cheat Engine, a well-known and well-documented process editing tool that From Software should be well aware of by this point) are able to modify their stats simply by attacking them. Happened to me tonight, on a fresh character. From Software's advice? Back up your saves and revert to them if you're affected by a hacker. Yup, that means you lose all progress on all characters since the last time you made a backup, and you can't back up the files without exiting the game. This is, honestly, not acceptable and really shows just how little they know about the PC format, despite going to great lengths with both Dark Souls 2 and now Dark Souls 3 to court them. Maybe they should've used some of that multimillion dollar budget on hiring or contracting some people who actually understand the PC format.

    In spite of the basket full of severe flaws and a goddamned trainload of minor flaws, it's still a decent product. A bit better than average. I originally planned on giving it a 7, but after making one last-ditch attempt to have fun with the game after beating it the first time, I fought Dancer of the Boreal Valley and that boss fight is so horribly designed and has so many obvious problems that will never be addressed that I decided a 7/10 was being a little too generous.

    If you're expecting this to be the crown jewel of the Soulsborne series... man, I'm sorry but you're in for a lot of disappointment. While the production values and aesthetics knock it out of the park, as far as gameplay goes it's barely any better than damned Lords of the Fallen, and has absolutely no chance of competing with Dark Souls or Dark Souls 2.

    I honestly regret spending $60 on it. This is not a $60 product.    … Expand
  32. tomvs123
    Mar 25, 2017
    5
    Story and atmosphere are what I value most. Dark Souls is excellent in this respect, Bloodborne is even better. Dark Souls 2 was the absolute worst, and Dark Souls 3 is in between Dark Souls 1 and 2.

    Gameplay is exactly what I expected. The standard Souls formula with minor tweaks. A few minor annoyances remain, like weapon switches not happening reliability depending on the animation    Story and atmosphere are what I value most. Dark Souls is excellent in this respect, Bloodborne is even better. Dark Souls 2 was the absolute worst, and Dark Souls 3 is in between Dark Souls 1 and 2.

    Gameplay is exactly what I expected. The standard Souls formula with minor tweaks. A few minor annoyances remain, like weapon switches not happening reliability depending on the animation you're in, dodges happening after you're hit/stagger animation, even though you hit the dodge button while you were getting hit, and the almost worthlessness (or extreme difficulty) of attempting to play the game primarily as a spell caster.

    The story, lore, atmosphere, and characters really let me down, coming from Bloodborne. I thought it would at least be equal, but it's all definitely worse. If I would have known that, I would have passed on the game.

    There's no big surprises in the story. What you start out to achieve is what you end up achieving. You're told exactly what you need to do. There's no figuring things out like with the original or Bloodborne. And the characters are comparatively lifeless. The few bits of dialogue they have are they same bits of dialogue they have for the entire game.

    Playing this, I can't stop thinking about the doll in Bloodborne, and absolutely amazing she is at being a character and at adding to the full package. Imagine Bloodborne without the doll, without the story-based cinematics, with 1/3rd of the number of interactable characters, and in a different (and more generic) setting, and you get Dark Souls 3.

    So I give it an average score for being an average game to me.    … Expand
  33. Arroyo_man
    Dec 21, 2016
    6
    I dunno man. I'm playing it but not feel any vibes. More weapons, better graphics (arguably, personally i prefer old rendering methods) more Npcs, but everything feels so flat, so... hollow. You finding a key IN FRONT of the gate... Seriously? No hidden locations like Ash Lake. I'm coming do DkS1 just to enter the Ash Lake and enjoy the atmosphere. There is no places like that in DkS3 atI dunno man. I'm playing it but not feel any vibes. More weapons, better graphics (arguably, personally i prefer old rendering methods) more Npcs, but everything feels so flat, so... hollow. You finding a key IN FRONT of the gate... Seriously? No hidden locations like Ash Lake. I'm coming do DkS1 just to enter the Ash Lake and enjoy the atmosphere. There is no places like that in DkS3 at all. Locations are very narrow. You go straight forward from one bonfire to another, nothing in between. Speaking about bonfires, there is waaaay too many of them. In one place you can see bonfire from a ... bonfire :) Mobs are moving too fast, stamina is gone, poise is just cosmetic. It's look like from soft wanted to pleased wider audience, some newcomers and soul vets. No guys it won't work and i must admit i've lost some amount of respect for you. At least i hope Bloodborne 2 will remain true to its core, and won't be dumbed down for the wider audience too.… Expand
  34. Scaffer
    Aug 26, 2016
    10
    Fantastic game, few bugs at launch, that seems to be fairly common these days, they are fixed now.

    The best thing about it by far? Its hard. Souls games are like a hard drug, once you've experienced it you don't want to go back to regular softer stuff. You crave that fix.You crave the challenge. These games are rewarding like no other game is. People hating on the game due to    Fantastic game, few bugs at launch, that seems to be fairly common these days, they are fixed now.

    The best thing about it by far? Its hard.

    Souls games are like a hard drug, once you've experienced it you don't want to go back to regular softer stuff.
    You crave that fix.You crave the challenge. These games are rewarding like no other game is.

    People hating on the game due to "its a grind", "its hard", "there is a boss in the tutorial area". Get good and you rarely die. Had a run through NG++ died single digit times in the whole game.

    Finally, what is better than porting into someone elses game, murdering them while they struggle through and applauding on their cold dead corpse :)

    Buy this game, I need more Pale Tongues.    … Expand
  35. karson
    Mar 15, 2017
    7
    I'm a fan of the series, however, this time Dark Souls 3 didn't deliver. Controls and combat are not as good as Bloodborne. Bosses are extremely easy and bland. They have too little freaking HP. It was a good experience when playing on PC with the visuals and smoothness. That's about it. Nothing special nothing new nothing jaw dropping that I would consider it a great/must buy.
  36. nextgengameflop
    Oct 18, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. All the content of this game has been lifted and rehashed from previous FROMSOFT titles, barring the bosses. The content that isn't directly copied from another title is instead based on, or reminiscent of the previous games. This comes off as lazy to me and made me cringe constantly throughout my first playthrough. The game feels very dead (or soulless, if you will) outside of one, or maybe two playthroughs maximum, at which point you'll likely ask yourself why you are not just playing one of the unique previous games instead. This is not the souls game you will be coming back to years from now or playing through many times over.

    With the exception of the multiplayer, (not something I partake in) this is a good game. There is some new lore for you to think about while you are playing the game even if it does retcon the others, the bosses are generally good, the level design is excellent as always and the game looks nice. The new challenges were fun to tackle in the beautiful new areas paired with an excellent soundtrack. Just do not expect to be able to put the same time into this game as many like I were able to put into a game like Dark or Demon's Souls.

    Some examples of the rehashed content (non-exhaustive):
    - Karla is identical to Yuria from Demon's Souls. She is wearing the same outfit, sitting in the same position, rescued in a similar fashion, has the same voice actor, sells the same items, functions the same, warns you of dark magic identically, speaks similarly. She is identical in everything but name.
    - The blacksmith is the one of the same name from Dark Souls. He uses the same animations from Dark souls and has the same voice actor.
    - Champion Gundyr - Old King Doran
    - Siegward - Siegmeyer
    - Irina - Rhea
    - Orbeck - Freke's Apprentice
    - Irithyll Dungeon - Tower of Latria
    - Eygon - Garl
    - Stormruler
    - Siegward taking the same role as Biorr during the Yhorm encounter.
    - Many enemies (from the swamp in particular) look as if they are unused or cut content from Bloodborne.
    - Sister Friede is an amalgamation of many bosses from previous titles; combining moves from Lady Maria (Bloodborne), Gehrman (Bloodborne) and Crossbreed Priscilla (Dark Souls).

    This list could sadly exceed the character limit...

    Maybe this was supposed to be a throw back to fans, fan service, or just laziness? We could have had new content here but instead we have some from another game where it was arguably done better. Some of this kind of stuff is great when it's subtle and as a display of homage, but when it's in this large of a quantity it makes me feel like they were just out of ideas. You can't just ride the coattails of another game forever. That's not what made the other titles great. I'm happy this will be the last entry to the series.

    UPDATE: DLC for FROMSOFT titles is usually the best content in its respective game. DaS3 fails miserably here on living up to this expectation. It could have been the saving grace for this title but the DLC was such a huge disappointment that I don't even want to write about it. This is not the quality we've come to expect.    … Expand
  37. xrEngine512
    Mar 9, 2019
    0
    inadequate banning policy. PC contols are a joke. And ban message only shows up if you are playing on english, otherwise you'll have no idea why you can't join your friend. And I even have bought all DLCs for this crap
  38. OldSaltyDog
    Sep 5, 2016
    9
    Broken game play and crappy lore. This is the Dank Souls you always wanted. It's well worth the cash boys. The graphics are great and it's one of the most annoying games I've ever played. I hate it and love it in equal measure. 9/10 Must Buy
  39. Fuz
    May 9, 2016
    9
    Game is great. Has some really amazing maps, interesting enemies, great encounters and an amazing art direction.
    Too bad bosses are beautiful and interesting but you are forced to roll: you can't block even with 40 stamina or you'll basically get stunlocked, if you roll while blocking an attack you roll after the block ending up in the next swing (WHY?), and the camera is often TERRIBLE    Game is great. Has some really amazing maps, interesting enemies, great encounters and an amazing art direction.
    Too bad bosses are beautiful and interesting but you are forced to roll: you can't block even with 40 stamina or you'll basically get stunlocked, if you roll while blocking an attack you roll after the block ending up in the next swing (WHY?), and the camera is often TERRIBLE and will cost you many deaths (hello, King of Storms). For someone who always played a heavy warrior this whole business about shields and rolling is absolutely HORRIBLE. Terrible gameplay design on this. Why change something that worked so well?
    Slow weapons have been mistreated too, they don't do enough damage to compensate the speed and the way they leave you open to blows.
    In DS1 when I died I always thogth "I'm an idiot" or "I shouldn't do that" and never blamed the game because it was always fair, and this was fantastic and gave a great feeling of overcoming something, here's - thanks to that stupid design mechanics - doesn't really happen. Game is not as fair as DS1, at all.
    Also it's way more linear than DS1 and the maps aren't as beautifully connected as in that.
    A bit too much fanservice too. But nothing major.

    It's great, but DS1 is still the best DS.    … Expand
  40. gssbcvegancat
    Apr 28, 2016
    2
    This is the worst incarnation of a Souls game imaginable. It borrows bosses, and mechanics, from Demon Souls/Dark Souls 1. It doesn't improve on them, in fact it is just the opposite. A great example is the "poise" system from DS1. Poise is in this game, but only in name. It appears on armor, and even in item abilities, however it has no effect on the game. This means that any fastThis is the worst incarnation of a Souls game imaginable. It borrows bosses, and mechanics, from Demon Souls/Dark Souls 1. It doesn't improve on them, in fact it is just the opposite. A great example is the "poise" system from DS1. Poise is in this game, but only in name. It appears on armor, and even in item abilities, however it has no effect on the game. This means that any fast attacking enemy can stun lock the player to death, completely negating your armor.

    The poise issue only further shows another fault in the game. Enemies have been changed from previous games. Fast attacking enemies no longer have stamina, instead they have an infinite amount of stamina and their attacks are based on a roughly static "attack per second". While this means that one versus one you can easily beat them, it also means that if there are more than one the player has a much higher chance of getting killed. This isn't a case of "getting better", because there is no poise the player will now get stunned as soon as they are hit the first time/or their stamina is drained if they block. If all things were equal it would still be annoying, however enemies in the game do have poise. It is removed from the player, while enemies get full "hyper armor". This means that the player may try to swing that big axe like the npc, but if they get hit they get stunned out of their attack unless it happens in a few frames of hyper armor. Big weapons with wide swing arcs are generally used to kill lots of weak things fast, but that won't work anymore.

    That is just two of the problems with the basic attacks. IF you look at magic you will see other problems. For example scaling in the game is broken. Not in a positive way, but in a completely nonexistent way. Further if you do reach the 50+ area where magic actually starts to deal damage, you will have the exact same outfit as everyone else who is magic. You might ask, why? Fashion souls is the real end game, right? Not when it comes to magic, because in order to be viable you need a specific setup. You need a certain head piece, a certain dagger, your rings etc are all set. There is no variety because of how the system is designed.

    Instead of just making enemies hard, they have coded in artificial forms of increasing the difficulty. FOr example some enemies are coded to have a shield and face you all of the time. If you try to kick the shield then the game lowers the shield and counter attacks. However unlike DS/DS1 in this game you become animation locked far more frequently. An easily observed example is to start running, and then try to turn another direction. In DS your character would simply move, but in DS3 you get locked into a pivot animation. There are no iframes for this, and it counts as a counter hit giving the enemy bonus damage. So if you try to kick the shield the enemy is programmed to drop their shield and counter attack while you are unable to do anything. That isn't about skill, that is the complete opposite of what DS stands for. That is taking the ability to make the play from the player, and instead asking them if they can cheese the system like a speed runner. This can be observed when fighting knights past the dragon barracks also. They have a lock on feature that will lock on and hit you through walls, or invisibility. Despite having never actually observed the player they are capable of buffing then executing an attack on an invisible silenced enemy.

    I could go on, but this game isn't that worth it. It gets good ratings from people that never played the first ones. This is just a pale, pathetic, imitation of far better games. The only reason it's getting 3 stars instead of 2 is because of the clothing options available. They did a better, if still racist, job.    … Expand
  41. nomaddc
    May 5, 2016
    0
    Regulation 1.06 was announced to be released on April 28, and it was to fix some serious Online issues. But in reality it never arrived, but what's even worse - Bandai Namco didn't release any official statement on why Regulations didn't arrive and when they will, as well as there is complete silence on this subject on Dark Souls twitter or in steam news/announcements/community. It'sRegulation 1.06 was announced to be released on April 28, and it was to fix some serious Online issues. But in reality it never arrived, but what's even worse - Bandai Namco didn't release any official statement on why Regulations didn't arrive and when they will, as well as there is complete silence on this subject on Dark Souls twitter or in steam news/announcements/community. It's already May 6, and official Dark Souls channels are behaving like if nothing happened at all. Patch did arrive on consoles though, but not PC.

    That and the fact that game is still laggy on high-end rigs, drops frames, has gameplay issues (try look up "Poise Dark Souls 3" or "Darkmoon blades wait time PC") that need to be addressed, really ambiguous patch notes in past (instead of being precise on what was fixed or changed, they just roll with "graphics were adjusted" or "Long sword damage was tuned". And that's not touching biggest part - combat. Many unique weapons from previous games made it, but their movesets are now complete garbage, there are about 2 variation of moveset across whole weapon classes, many unique and cool movesets are gone, the final boss soul weapon is absolutely disappointing as it is pretty much a reskin of very basic weapon that can be obtained rather early in the game with minor change (weapon art, which is also extremely disappointing). Overall weapons are bland and boring, Twinblade weapon class is gone, some categories have only 3 weapons (while in previous games it was more, and weapons were more unique).

    Because of all this my score is 0/10. Once we get some official statement on Regulation 1.06 (and apology to Dark Souls community), Blue Sentinels and Darkmoon blades covenants fixed, and at least get rid of random fps drops on hi-end PCs - I will reconsider this score. Until then - here it is.    … Expand
  42. captainkane
    Jun 15, 2016
    6
    Dark Souls III is a decent game. But it’s the safest and most frustrating in the series. DS3 brings back many familiar elements while neglecting to fix problems that afflict every DS game, such as janky hit boxes, embarrassing frame rates, and broken targeting. Also, I can’t highlight enough the boring and unbalanced PvP. After the perceived Dark Souls 2 tragedy, many critics laud DS3 asDark Souls III is a decent game. But it’s the safest and most frustrating in the series. DS3 brings back many familiar elements while neglecting to fix problems that afflict every DS game, such as janky hit boxes, embarrassing frame rates, and broken targeting. Also, I can’t highlight enough the boring and unbalanced PvP. After the perceived Dark Souls 2 tragedy, many critics laud DS3 as being a “return to form”, but that really translates to “more of the same”. For people who sank 100+ hours into the original DS, this newest entry feels too familiar.

    Performance wise, DS3 is barely passable. It’s prone to random crashes, stuttering, and freezes. Even with all graphic settings turned down, DS3 can’t push out a consistent 60fps at 1080p. I even lowered the resolution by 20% and still couldn’t achieve the target rate. The environments aren’t nearly as detailed as the Witcher 3 or Shadow of Mordor, so the problem isn’t detail. Although DS3 has long draw distances, remote objects are so poorly rendered they remind me of Castlevania 64.

    Boss battles push DS3 to its limit since those are where the biggest fps spikes occur. All evidence points to bad optimization, which is something gamers see in every DS game. Does DS3 look good? Barely. But DS2, also look good at launch while performing markedly better.

    The camera is a problem. A BIG problem. In DS3, enemies move faster, use more vertical movements, and spam attacks. However, the third person camera is set too close to the character to properly track foes. In close quarters the camera will get hung up on walls. When fleeing enemies your character may not be visible as the camera positions itself on the baddies’ butts. The camera will peer up thru the floor if enemies jump above the character. People have suggested turning off target tracking to allow manual camera control, but then spells, bombs, projectiles, and pyromancy become useless. Still, the lock-on feature is broken most of the time anyway. Its range is incredibly short. And target locks will cease for unknown reasons. Many times, I’ll cast a spell just as the target lock ceases, so my character spins around and tosses magic at the camera. However, I’m able to turn back around, reacquire those same targets and cast spells even though enemies moved further away. Failed lock-ons can cause players to spin 180 degrees, exposing their backs to enemies. Enemies will often use the opportunity to execute lethal backstabs. This problem is especially common with foes at the edge of doorways.

    Poor performance and the awful camera negatively impact combat. But that isn’t enough for From. It has to add janky hit boxes to the mix. I can thrust a great sword square into enemies’ chests—the tip pokes thru their backs—and still not register hits. I can roll away from attacks and take damage after the attack animations have ended. Even worse, enemy spells/projectiles track players and splash damage from enemy magic is ridiculous. Arrows will curve around corners. Fire attacks can pass thru stone walls, boulders, and even track players up and down stairs. All these issues make combat an exasperating experience. As a result of all these problems, DS3 feels more difficult because many deaths are cheap. They’re the result of all the bugs and broken mechanics. So in many instances, death isn’t the fault of the players. It’s immensely frustrating.

    PvP is a joke. It’s just players endlessly rolling around to avoid damage. That’s pretty much the gist of it. Co-op is OK. Lag still rears its ugly head in multiplayer. I doubt it’ll get fixed.

    As for the rest of the game… For players who trudged thru the original Dark Souls, they’re getting a nearly identical experience in DS3. From has taken cues from Activision by creating a franchise that releases are nearly identical products every cycle. DS3 sacrifices innovation for mass market appeal. This actually breaks the immersion because all the environments and enemies feel samey. The story is as cryptic as ever, but lacks much of the depth I felt in DS2 and the haunting futility of DS1. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of DS2 at the time, developers made risky decisions. Dark Souls 2 retooled combat and equipment mechanics, broadened spell casting, beefed up NG+, introduced the biggest variety of enemies, and incentivized multiplayer (while also improving it). Level design and boss fights were downers, but NG+ is when DS2 really shines. Plus, the DLC is excellent. DS3 doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Nothing. It’s possibly the laziest game in the series. From shamelessly milks fans by offering Dark Souls 1 version 1.5 instead of a refreshing sequel.

    I’m upset by the artificial difficulties culminating from lazy development and rushed testing. I also hate that From dumped on PC gamers once again. PC modders resuscitated the franchise after fixing DS1, and they're rewarded by a crappy PC port. From has set the bar so low, I’m passing on its next release.…    … Expand
  43. Oppip
    May 3, 2016
    5
    Just one word: Boring.
    Story is uninteresting, combat is lame (just roll away and that's it), overwhelmingly easy compared to DS1.
    And also a terrible port of a console game on pc.
  44. Fiffo
    Aug 18, 2016
    2
    The game is a real time-waster. Even the daily quests in WoW are more fun than this! Running from the checkpoint to your dying place over and over again is what you will do mostly here. Checkpoints are usually far from one another and if you are cautious and prefer to take the shortest way, you can miss a lot of content. A lot of the fights in the game, including boss fights do not offerThe game is a real time-waster. Even the daily quests in WoW are more fun than this! Running from the checkpoint to your dying place over and over again is what you will do mostly here. Checkpoints are usually far from one another and if you are cautious and prefer to take the shortest way, you can miss a lot of content. A lot of the fights in the game, including boss fights do not offer anything different and there is very little room for tactics - mostly always it's "hit first and roll out, or take a hit and you won't make it to the next checkpoint". One of my worst spent money.… Expand
  45. DukeSilver2112
    May 9, 2016
    9
    A game to test patience and skill as well as resolve. People have complained about the lack of story, but for this franchise, that's par for the course. The uninitiated should prepare themselves for rage while veterans will have a blast.
  46. MrMe43
    May 11, 2016
    4
    I have been playing Dark Souls since the original (never really got into demon souls) and I truly did enjoy the first two games in the Dark Souls franchise. I cant really find anything wrong with PVE, although it seems easier than the others, but the PVP is where the game is severely lacking. The biggest issue is the lack of poise alongside the insane stability of great shields . I don'tI have been playing Dark Souls since the original (never really got into demon souls) and I truly did enjoy the first two games in the Dark Souls franchise. I cant really find anything wrong with PVE, although it seems easier than the others, but the PVP is where the game is severely lacking. The biggest issue is the lack of poise alongside the insane stability of great shields . I don't know when they are going to fix this but currently pose does nothing, one hit from any weapon and you will stagger no matter the armor or rings. The result of this is the spamming of straight swords with great shields and full heavy armor. It takes the fun out of PVP. Unless you do the same, these scrubs will stun lock you from one lucky hit and sit behind a shield until they start spamming 10 swings at a time again. I can win matches if I pull out a straight sword, but I believe it just ruins what made this amazing co-op, PVP system so great to begin with. I don't know why they did this but I am very disappointed. The PVE, while extremely fun and somewhat challenging (the first couple times), can only be amusing for a certain amount of time before it becomes mundane. If you are not a fan of PVP or don't aim for it, Dark Souls 3 is a extremely worthwhile buy, but the multiplayer is extremely biased towards one play style and it is exponentially more frustrating than single player. And some might not find this a problem and will just stick with the same spam style to keep pace with the rest of the masses, but if you are looking for a diverse group of players to challenge you online, you will be extremely disappointed until they fix this system. My score is harsh only to show my frustration.… Expand
  47. TsukasaHiiragi
    May 11, 2016
    2
    Bugs, cut content - horrible community and the PC version suffers from a MAJOR hacker problem. Exactly, I could write a huge review here and mirror what all the other people have said - its not going to matter much because there are far too many fanboi posts or employee posts boosting positives.

    My personal problem with the DS series as a whole, is the game isn't difficult - its    Bugs, cut content - horrible community and the PC version suffers from a MAJOR hacker problem. Exactly, I could write a huge review here and mirror what all the other people have said - its not going to matter much because there are far too many fanboi posts or employee posts boosting positives.

    My personal problem with the DS series as a whole, is the game isn't difficult - its cheap, there is a difference. If your going to make a game thats brutally unfair, then the physics and execution of the game needs to be perfect and none of the DS series has managed that so far.

    If you want a perfectly structured review, then read Dhelio's review since that more or less is spot on.    … Expand
  48. Sky-Moondrift
    Dec 24, 2016
    1
    Yet another disgustingly shabby console port by FS.

    - Resolution capped at 1080p - Hideously bad textures (playstation 2 lvl bad) - Fugly 2D backdrops resembling that of a SNES game. - Forced mouse acceleration - Input prompts and UI are for XBOX not PC. - Extremely bad character models - Console UI - No UI scaling - Does in no way improve upon the first DS game both technically    Yet another disgustingly shabby console port by FS.

    - Resolution capped at 1080p
    - Hideously bad textures (playstation 2 lvl bad)
    - Fugly 2D backdrops resembling that of a SNES game.
    - Forced mouse acceleration
    - Input prompts and UI are for XBOX not PC.
    - Extremely bad character models
    - Console UI
    - No UI scaling
    - Does in no way improve upon the first DS game both technically or aesthetically.

    + I got a Refund

    The game itself could be good, I don't know, I spent my first hour trying to comprehend how terrible this port is and looking for ways to fix it.

    But don't let all that bother you, it hasn't in the past right? Just keep throwing your money on the ever growing fire that's ruining the potential greatness of this franchise and PC games in general.

    Why make a good game when you can spend no effort on insulting and blatantly lazy console ports that casuals (people with no standards or expectations) gobble up and worship anyway. This right here is the reason 95% of games these days are trash.

    Stick it up your A-hole From.

    Copy/Paste of my Steam review.    … Expand
  49. OberiousLocke
    Jul 25, 2017
    5
    How do criticize a game like Dark Souls? It's particularly hard. A staggering majority of the fan base are just go brain dead and start spouting "hurr durr git gud lololololol" at the thought of any slight criticism of the Souls games, because if you have any issue with the games, it's your fault for being bad at the game even when it's objectively not. It always seems that there is a fineHow do criticize a game like Dark Souls? It's particularly hard. A staggering majority of the fan base are just go brain dead and start spouting "hurr durr git gud lololololol" at the thought of any slight criticism of the Souls games, because if you have any issue with the games, it's your fault for being bad at the game even when it's objectively not. It always seems that there is a fine mix of the "Git gud" brain dead and the ones that will consistently say regardless of what is said that X boss/monster/area is actually really fair, interesting and one of their favorites in the entire series. There is always one of those.

    The only reason I'm giving this the score that it I am is because story and world amount to a very large chunk of a game's quality, regardless of what the typical gamer stereotype would like to believe. I've never been TOO big on the whole show-dont-tell approach that Dark Souls takes, but I certainly appreciate the story all the same, it's one of three series' (the other being Mass Effect and Dragon Age) that can get me to legitimately care about the world and the people in it, and it's history.

    That being said, the series has been on a very steady decline gameplay wise post Dark Souls 1. In Dark Souls 1, if you put the work in to build a good character, you would be rewarded by becoming justifiably strong. You would struggle, bleed, and die over and over again, but you would rise and become a force to be reckoned with.

    Unfortunately, after Dark Souls 1 was released, it's reputation for tough-but-fair difficulty superseded everything else about it, as Dark Souls 2 and 3 both have a feeling like the Dev's were afraid of undershooting the difficulty, and so cranked it to an excessive degree, though 3 got the brunt of it, in hindsight, thus allowing the games reputation for difficulty to become the games sole identity.

    For example, take Lothric Castle. By the end of the game I had roughly 1.3k in HP while embered. I was farming for souls outside the Twin Princes fight, after realizing that with the Shield of Want + Cov. Silver Serpent Ring that they dropped an okay amount. Specifically, it was the red-eyed knights. In 3, red-eye's = big trouble, the ninja skeleton in Catacombs can attest to that. The number of times that I had 50-75% of my health taken out in one hit by these mobs makes me wonder why exactly people praise this game.

    Another prime example of the overdone difficulty is the Twin Princes fight itself. It seems manageable at first, if not a little screwy because of Lorian's teleport. That is, until a minute or two into the fight when Lorian whips out his obnoxious ground laser attack that does a usually deadly and frankly absurd amount of damage and has a wonky hitbox.

    Lets say you get past that and the high damage he deals in general, you kill him. You think you've won? Oh no, that was just the first phase you silly scrub. Now in addition to everything else, Lorian becomes unkillable as his little invalid brother clings to his back raining magic down on your head, while teleporting, while also retaining his shiny white death beam attack, giving you very little time to counter or heal of recover stamina unless you are god-tier on your timing.

    To put the cherry on top, without magic or a big honking sword, you cannot damage Lothric (the primary goal of the entire damn fight) until you kill Lorian again, and even then, you get like 5 seconds to get hits in before he explodes, dealing heavy damage, resurrecting Lorian, and starting it all over again.

    I'd not be doing my job writing this if I didn't at least touch on PvP in some aspect. People like to say that Dark Souls 1 had a OP twink problem, but reflecting on my experiences in 1, then 2 and 3, 3 sees that twink problem and goes "Hold my beer". Case in point, I was a lowbie helping another lowbie through Undead Settlement, when suddenly we're invaded by a lowbie brandishing the Dragonslayer Armor boss weapon, twinked out taking little damage, and one shotting the both of us in one swing. One shotting the player, PvE or PvP, in any game, is never acceptable in any circumstances. It's fun to have a fair chance then die because you screwed up. It's frustrating to be killed while feeling like you never had a fair chance.

    None of this is helped by the fact that the community of honor and unwritten rules that made 1's PvP so endlessly good has withered to a husk, and are now routinely called "Le edgy honors lel ecksdee scrubs" by the new members of the Souls community that weren't around in the first game's heyday. There are some holdouts in this regard, but they are far outnumbered.

    They also took one step forward and another back, in my opinion. They thankfully removed that stupid Soul Memory system, but also allowed invaders to use their flasks again. Combined with the facts I mentioned above, and their tendency to chug estus while parry/backstab fishing makes the PvP in this game insufferable.    … Expand
  50. TheBasicReviews
    Jan 27, 2022
    0
    Story: No story/100
    Gameplay: Very bad/100
    Graphics: Mediocre at best/100 Music/Soundtrack: ?/100 Main Character(s): ?/100 Side Characters: 20/100 Regular Enemies: 0/100 Bosses/Boss fights: I have no idea, i died 86 times on first boss and gave up/100 World/Level Design: 0/100 Playability (Bugs and optimization after patches): 70/100 Would I Play It Again?: No, i rather give up    Story: No story/100
    Gameplay: Very bad/100
    Graphics: Mediocre at best/100
    Music/Soundtrack: ?/100
    Main Character(s): ?/100
    Side Characters: 20/100
    Regular Enemies: 0/100
    Bosses/Boss fights: I have no idea, i died 86 times on first boss and gave up/100
    World/Level Design: 0/100
    Playability (Bugs and optimization after patches): 70/100
    Would I Play It Again?: No, i rather give up gaming than play this game again
    Where Does It Rank In My Top 500 Video Games of All Time List?: Doesn't fit into Top 500

    Rating: 0/100    … Expand
  51. Voretechz
    Dec 6, 2016
    9
    Dark Souls 3 is a great game. I love Souls games and this game did not disappoint me in the least. It isn't my favourite one but It is still amazing none the less and the DLC makes it even better! FromSoftware is freaking awesome at making DLC worth your time and money. I have already clocked over 250 hours in this game and I am still having great fun. The performance is nearly perfect onDark Souls 3 is a great game. I love Souls games and this game did not disappoint me in the least. It isn't my favourite one but It is still amazing none the less and the DLC makes it even better! FromSoftware is freaking awesome at making DLC worth your time and money. I have already clocked over 250 hours in this game and I am still having great fun. The performance is nearly perfect on PC, the combat is tight, and the challenge is back in full force, the multiplayer summoning actually works, the story is pretty well done and finishes off the trilogy well, the NPC's all have interesting quest lines with rewards, the weapon, armor and spell variety is vast and the covenants are pretty cool and make for some insane PvP battles.
    Dark Souls 3 unsurprisingly gets a resounding recommendation from me. If you like Souls, you will love this game.    … Expand
  52. Agade
    Aug 19, 2016
    7
    Souls games are quite challenging which is somewhat appealing but here are some cons:
    Platforming is terrible
    Alot of hard bosses simply have misleading attack animations you have to memorise to dodge properly and/or mess with your camera and/or your locking of said camera onto the boss. This feels cheap and uninteresting. Going through packs of trash mobs can be frustrating as they    Souls games are quite challenging which is somewhat appealing but here are some cons:
    Platforming is terrible
    Alot of hard bosses simply have misleading attack animations you have to memorise to dodge properly and/or mess with your camera and/or your locking of said camera onto the boss. This feels cheap and uninteresting.
    Going through packs of trash mobs can be frustrating as they stagger you over and over, especially when you realise you can just run/roll past everything
    You get hit through walls

    I would say DS3 is a better souls game:
    Better graphics
    Faster paced gameplay, the 10s animations of ds1/2 were killing me
    The PC version actually works out of the box for once, although it still feels like a poor port when you see controller controls everywhere    … Expand
  53. Mindtricks
    Feb 28, 2017
    9
    Dark souls 3 the final chapter of the game,that show us what fromsofware was to the size to make this final chapter, beautiful graphics, amazing soundtrack, amazing bosses and an amazing gameplay, this game 9/10I recommend
    Dark souls 3 es el final de la saga souls que nos muestra que fron software si estuvo a la talla en esta tercera parte, hermosos graficos, hermoso soundtrack, bosses    Dark souls 3 the final chapter of the game,that show us what fromsofware was to the size to make this final chapter, beautiful graphics, amazing soundtrack, amazing bosses and an amazing gameplay, this game 9/10I recommend
    Dark souls 3 es el final de la saga souls que nos muestra que fron software si estuvo a la talla en esta tercera parte, hermosos graficos, hermoso soundtrack, bosses que estan a la altura, y una jugabilidad increible. totalmente recomendado 9/10    … Expand
  54. Alekfury85
    Mar 27, 2017
    10
    Solo una parola può descrivere questo gioco: CAPOLAVORO! Non credevo potesse esistere un gioco cosi completo come dark souls 3. Tutto curato nei minimi particolari. Provatelo!
  55. draxlink
    Apr 1, 2017
    7
    A good game with excellent difficult, good history, graphics, game mechanic, but i never will understand why this game only have music in bosses fights!! Im not agree with Miyazaki about this, Dark Souls saga must have music on their stages, imagine a wonderfull music when you arrives on Boreal Vally....
    After you complete the game there's nothing to do, collecting update for rings is    A good game with excellent difficult, good history, graphics, game mechanic, but i never will understand why this game only have music in bosses fights!! Im not agree with Miyazaki about this, Dark Souls saga must have music on their stages, imagine a wonderfull music when you arrives on Boreal Vally....
    After you complete the game there's nothing to do, collecting update for rings is boring and complete secondary missions for npc rewards not bring a big satisfaction, the camera for some bosses fight is awful, the control feels very old like classic resident evil games and Dark Souls 3 difficulty is not so big like other people says, is a good game but not perfect.    … Expand
  56. ShapeLayers
    Jun 5, 2017
    7
    +
    1. Мимик повеселил меня, когда попытался открыть в первый раз этот сундук, с мобами полный порядок — интересные
    2. На пк игра смотрится весьма красиво. - 1. Атмосфера создает духоту, в сравнении с атмосферой в Bloodborne. 2. Боссы дались очень легко. Вывод: Лучше играть в Bloodborne    +
    1. Мимик повеселил меня, когда попытался открыть в первый раз этот сундук, с мобами полный порядок — интересные
    2. На пк игра смотрится весьма красиво.
    -
    1. Атмосфера создает духоту, в сравнении с атмосферой в Bloodborne.
    2. Боссы дались очень легко.

    Вывод: Лучше играть в Bloodborne
  57. Artoriaswolf
    Sep 18, 2017
    8
    Great story,great variety and graphic.But there are some problems with gameplay and longevity.There are many weapons but so similiar and this game is not long as dark souls 2 or amazing as dark souls 1
  58. thomaddox4
    Sep 20, 2017
    8
    A very solid game, but not without its problems. Extremely linear, which is a huge disappointment given the metroidvania style world of dark souls 1, combat that's a mix between Dark Souls 1 and Bloodborne that ends up being significantly worse than either of them, and a lack of creativity in lore are some of the major flaws, however if you are a fan of the series I would still recommendA very solid game, but not without its problems. Extremely linear, which is a huge disappointment given the metroidvania style world of dark souls 1, combat that's a mix between Dark Souls 1 and Bloodborne that ends up being significantly worse than either of them, and a lack of creativity in lore are some of the major flaws, however if you are a fan of the series I would still recommend it. The game looks great, with detailed levels (even if they don't connect in interesting ways), controls are polished, the upgrade system is the best its ever been, and in spite of the fast travel ruining much of the sense of atmosphere the individual levels themselves can still be immersive when you don't leave them frequently.

    If you haven't played Dark Souls 1 yet, you need to wait until you have to play this one. If you play this first you may find it harder to get into 1, and it's too much of a masterpiece to have it ruined for you from this game altering your expectations of what this type of game is like.    … Expand
  59. evarr
    Nov 21, 2017
    2
    So, no poise, dead pvp.
    A lot of copy-past, even dark souls 2 was better.
    And lastly, no humanity, you can't do fair heal fights in dark souls 3.
    Dark Souls 1 so much better.
  60. kalikinalex
    May 17, 2021
    1
    Дырка соски 3 или как нам продают одну и ту же игру в 4 раз
    Знаете, игровая индустрия меняется:
    - появляются новые технологии, новые механики; - изменяется жанр в серии какой-нибудь игры, например postal был изометрическим шутером, а стал шутером от 1 лица с открытым миром, с черным юмором и т.д. Разработчики учитывают ошибки с прошлых частей серии, как было например с zombie army. НО    Дырка соски 3 или как нам продают одну и ту же игру в 4 раз
    Знаете, игровая индустрия меняется:
    - появляются новые технологии, новые механики;
    - изменяется жанр в серии какой-нибудь игры, например postal был изометрическим шутером, а стал шутером от 1 лица с открытым миром, с черным юмором и т.д. Разработчики учитывают ошибки с прошлых частей серии, как было например с zombie army.
    НО ВСЁ ЭТО НЕ ОТНОСИТСЯ К DARK SOULS™ III, а спросите почему?

    Всё тот же геймплей с минимум изменений. Враги всё также умирают статично, а когда падают, у них включается рэгдолл. Боссы и мобы всё также ударяют сквозь стены и столбы. Всё такое же лаганое пвп, когда ударяешь врага, слышится даже звук, что ты его ударил, но урон cyka не засчитался. Некоторые летающие твари также вылетают за карту и умирают там(хотя это маленький плюс). Всё те же подсказки с кнопками от xbox, а не от клавиатуры. В игре нет steam cloud судя по отзывам. Представляете в игре нет steam cloud, так и еще нет иконок кнопок для клавиатуры. А самое главное - эти узкоглазые твари-унтерменши продают этот вонючий кaл за 2000 РУБЛЕЙ!!!
    Из нового только то, что некоторые мобы дерутся друг с другом, у всех боссов появляется 2 стадия, а самое главное - кровь наконец-то остается на земле, а то в прошлых частях этого даже не было!!!
    Также хочется сказать про пвп и античит. Почему Я обычный игрок должен дополнительно устанавливать пользовательский античит, так как в игре уже есть античит, но хреновый. Почему я должен надеяться, что ко мне не зайдет конченный опущенный пидopac с читами и не наспамит мне с другом в инвентарь мечей Повелителей бурь +20, которые нельзя удалить. Почему в игре нельзя отключить пвп, чтобы нормально пройти с другом игру, без присоединяющихся к нам красных yeбkoв.

    Подведем итог:
    DARK SOULS™ III - игра в которой ничего кардинально не изменилось и ничего нового не добавилось.
    DARK SOULS™ III - это слитые 509 рублей в унитаз за делюкс версию.
    DARK SOULS™ III - это игра, с которой не нужно брать пример другим разработчикам.
    DARK SOULS™ III - это когда ты рад, что наконец-то удалил со своего ПК эту пapaшу.
    DARK SOULS™ III - это мусор, который не стоит вашего внимания.

    Спасибо за внимание, я думаю вы это учтете.    … Expand
  61. jueben
    Dec 3, 2021
    0
    **** as game lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
  62. Nerdad1
    Apr 26, 2022
    10
    Best of the Souls series great for an introduction and for returning vets alike.
  63. Nixxime
    Apr 16, 2016
    7
    Dark Souls III, as a hardcore fan of the series I was expecting this game to the freaking game of year hands down, but no.. tbh i would have given it a 6/10 but hey im a hardcore fan.

    Dark Souls III graphicaly and depth wise is fantastic but the game bears way too many similarities in terms of areas, boss and mobs to bloodborne and dark souls I. I beat the game in 20hrs, all bosses and    Dark Souls III, as a hardcore fan of the series I was expecting this game to the freaking game of year hands down, but no.. tbh i would have given it a 6/10 but hey im a hardcore fan.

    Dark Souls III graphicaly and depth wise is fantastic but the game bears way too many similarities in terms of areas, boss and mobs to bloodborne and dark souls I. I beat the game in 20hrs, all bosses and collecting 80%of the items. Im not saying im good coz im not but really?.... Its still fresh in some areas but some only.

    One of the biggest grip about bloodborne was its pvp was not very lasting, I expected dark souls 3 to have pvp more fantastic than dark souls 2 but dam i was so wrong. around 80% out the time for a red phantom, u are up against 4 phantoms including the host, matchmaking is terribly slow and lag is everywhere. This is further exacerbated by the PS4 edition's frame rate drops in major pvp areas and the terrible network that sony forced us to pay for. I kinda feel miyazaki sucked so bad at pvp that he hated red phantoms and cursed them to be slaughtered forever, dark souls 3 is that cursed.

    To sum it up, buy the game if you did not play bloodborne at all, hate pvp and only play offline, play on the pc, and only when there are discounts.    … Expand
  64. Adijazz1706
    May 12, 2016
    0
    Too many bugs and useless stats. Poise is useless, Vitality is a dump stat, there is no reason to wear heavy armor, rolls cost very little stamina, estus chugging is instantaneous making it impossible to punish, straight swords are way better than anything else, str swords and rapiers have phantom range , Estoc Turtling is the best strat because of insta-stagger. It also relies too much onToo many bugs and useless stats. Poise is useless, Vitality is a dump stat, there is no reason to wear heavy armor, rolls cost very little stamina, estus chugging is instantaneous making it impossible to punish, straight swords are way better than anything else, str swords and rapiers have phantom range , Estoc Turtling is the best strat because of insta-stagger. It also relies too much on throwbacks to DS1, whole areas and many enemies are from DS1. There are also stupid gimmicky and mob bosses including one who has skeleton wheels as a mob. A disappointing game all in all.… Expand
  65. Bernkastel12
    May 12, 2016
    0
    Quite easily one of the worst games i have ever played and thats a shame since i expected more from it.Probably the worst thing in this game is its abysmal combat system,the enemies in this game came straight from Bloodborne with 35 hit combos and mach 45 speed. Which would be fine if the main character was faster just like Bloodborne but nope he moves,dodges, and attacks like a turtleQuite easily one of the worst games i have ever played and thats a shame since i expected more from it.Probably the worst thing in this game is its abysmal combat system,the enemies in this game came straight from Bloodborne with 35 hit combos and mach 45 speed. Which would be fine if the main character was faster just like Bloodborne but nope he moves,dodges, and attacks like a turtle with its legs chopped off.Poise is also nonexistent and the enemies do ridiculous amounts of damage even by the standards of the souls series no matter which armor you wear or how much vigor you have making tank builds impossible.Same with stamina which gets annihilated by the crazy combos of the enemies unless you have a greatshield (and even that wont help you sometimes) People hated how Dark souls 2 handled difficulty by spamming enemies even though Dark souls 3 does the same thing and even worse since fighting at least 2-3 enemies at the same time is the norm in early areas and 4-5 in later.Optimization is also bad with fps drops,stuttering,and crashes even on high end rigs.There are many more problems (like the unbalanced sorcery,faith builds,pvp) but overall this is a poor excuse of a souls game unlike the fantastic Dark souls 1 which handled difficulty way better,fortunately those things can be worked out with patches but the chance of From doing it is very low.… Expand
  66. Dhelio
    May 11, 2016
    4
    People are giving this game incredible votes only because of its legacy; but it is far from perfect.

    DK3 suffers problems that its predecessors didn't have, nor does any game with a decent development time behind. Poise is a deactivated stat, which influences nothing (as confirmed to me by Bandai Namco technical assitance), causing you to get staggered by any enemy, even if you're    People are giving this game incredible votes only because of its legacy; but it is far from perfect.

    DK3 suffers problems that its predecessors didn't have, nor does any game with a decent development time behind.

    Poise is a deactivated stat, which influences nothing (as confirmed to me by Bandai Namco technical assitance), causing you to get staggered by any enemy, even if you're wearing heavy armor, thus making heavy armor useless. This bug is even more unbearable given how every enemy is relentless in attacking you, making stunlock deaths the norm just because the enemy (be that a player or a mob) managed to connect a single hit.

    Combat is also heavily influeced by Bloodborne, focusing in fast attacks and dodging and flashy movesets...while you wear armor. Yeah, you can see for yourself why this is **** DK3 combat is way faster than DK1. And that is really not what DK is about.

    Late game level design is also terrible. There are whole shortcuts that are never used, because once you've unlocked them there is no enemy to defeat, just bonfires. And the bonfires themselves are placed really badly, with multiple occurences of bonfires distant just a room from each other.

    Whole areas consist in just a single room filled to the brim with enemies, without shortcuts nor buildup to the boss (Profaned Capital, Consumed King's Garden and a late game level I don't feel like spoiling). And the enemy placement and variety PLUMMETS in the second half, with occurences of invisible enemies that are placed there only to corner you in a blind spot (that is so consistent with the game design THAT IT ONLY **** HAPPENS ONCE).

    It has now been discovered, as I write, that phantom range in straight swords are rapiers is a thing, making them SIGNIFICANTLY longer that Ultra Great Swords and Great Swords which, given the increased speed and damage of straight swords, makes using them the only viable options for PvP and make the life everyone that does PvE with any weapon other than straight swords significantly harder.

    The bosses themselves don't follow the same rules, with some who have attacks that are literally instakills (Dancer and Lothric in particular), so fast that players barely have time to dodge .

    Performance is also an issue, with early areas that run smooth as butter and lategame areas that have unbearable FPS drops when looking at distant geometry.

    Input delay is also a problem, with multiple times I've died because the game thought that rolling after I've pressed the button more than 3 seconds Before was a good idea.
    --------------------

    Dark Souls 3 is not a perfect game. As it stands, it is not even a good game. Between bugs, cut content and rushed features, DK3 is a relevant step back from its predecessors, and not a masterpieces it should rightfully be. Maybe DLCs will fix that, maybe not. But as it stands, the only thing DK3 does right is atmosphere and music.    … Expand
  67. Diepferd
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Great game, running smoothly with i5, 770 GTX on med quality only 1-2 crashes in the beginning.
    Very clean, 60 fps most of the time.

    And now to the game it self if that is even important? =.0

    Hard, challenging, fantastic atmosphere, everything one would expect from a Dark Souls game really.
  68. idohaker
    Apr 15, 2016
    10
    dark souls 3 is freaking annoying, but fun annoying. while you continue through this game you will fill the anger of dying!!!! and then dying again, and then dying again; until they will put you in an asylum because you cant stand defeat. i do need to point that i have never played a souls game before simply because i didnt have the willpower or patience to do so. but lately i have beendark souls 3 is freaking annoying, but fun annoying. while you continue through this game you will fill the anger of dying!!!! and then dying again, and then dying again; until they will put you in an asylum because you cant stand defeat. i do need to point that i have never played a souls game before simply because i didnt have the willpower or patience to do so. but lately i have been more entertained and interested in games that respect my intelligence and dont make it easy for me. and dark souls is just that, for a new player this game is exactly what i have been told about souls game. its hard, frustrating but eventually rewarding. the gameplay is phenomenal, sometimes in fight you really need to think what to do in order that it will not be you 25th death already. there are some times when it becomes slash & hack, and that i dont like; but mostly the game makes you strategize how to get out of every castle, room, or whatever situation you got yourself in. the graphics are pretty good, altough not amazing, and the sound is quite the same. if you are a new player that has never played a souls game, and you want a game that requires a little more patience and strategizing then other games, then this is the one. 10/10 freaking awesome!!!!… Expand
  69. evanMP
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Fantastic game, the gameplay, the boss fights, and the exploration!. This game deserves to be praised for being the epic culmination we were all waiting for.
  70. joanjett
    Apr 14, 2016
    10
    Got about 25 game time hrs in so far and i must say i am
    having fun! But others are having some problems on the pc.
    Just look at the steam forums. My guess is it depends on the type of toaster you are using{my toaster has not had any problems thank god lol} and it's not a high end pc so....again not sure what to say about that{you may want to hold off till they get it fix} I'm giving    Got about 25 game time hrs in so far and i must say i am
    having fun! But others are having some problems on the pc.
    Just look at the steam forums. My guess is it depends on the
    type of toaster you are using{my toaster has not had any problems thank god lol}
    and it's not a high end pc so....again not sure what to say about that{you may want to hold off till they get it fix} I'm giving this a 10 only because of the trolls but i would say 8.5 to 9 seems right. Also they change
    some things with casters i'm not happy with and hope they fix it{casting speed is a joke right now...way to slow for the fast mobs} but again i'm having a blast and love the graphics in this game.    … Expand
  71. mondovious
    Apr 20, 2016
    6
    Dark Souls III is probably a great console game, however I cannot in good conscience rate it as a good PC game. The menus are horrid to navigate, the UI list's controller buttons even if you are using a keyboard (this is really annoying, and lazy by the devs), keyboard bindings experience delay and queing (click to attack but get knocked down before your attack goes off, your characterDark Souls III is probably a great console game, however I cannot in good conscience rate it as a good PC game. The menus are horrid to navigate, the UI list's controller buttons even if you are using a keyboard (this is really annoying, and lazy by the devs), keyboard bindings experience delay and queing (click to attack but get knocked down before your attack goes off, your character proceeds to get up and then attack no matter what you do), inability to bind extra mouse buttons (seriously wtf). This is the -third- 'Souls game, the devs really should have ironed this stuff out by now.

    Content wise the game is honestly just more of the same of DS1 and DS2. The gameplay is the same, with some new features for weapon stances (that personally I do not like, as I believe forcing melee attacks to use mana deincentivizes hybrid spellcaster-melee builds), with most of the same items and similar areas returning from the other games. There is little to no story as per usual for a Dark Souls game. Honestly the games are too repetitive at this point. Graphics wise I can run everything on only medium settings on my 7970 to retain good frame rate, so the game is not optimized super great (certainly nowhere near Witcher3 level).    … Expand
  72. Prais1980
    Apr 16, 2016
    5
    Dark Souls 3 ingredients:
    - Some little/medium/huge Monsters
    - Place some items here and there - Place some mini boss here and there - Place a bonfire and a boss, maybe 1 secret illusion door there - Maybe place a NPC Invader - Place a trap or more - Horrible Bugs - Recycle 99% of all weapons of previous games - Recycle 99% of all enemies of previues games - Crashs Also it    Dark Souls 3 ingredients:
    - Some little/medium/huge Monsters
    - Place some items here and there
    - Place some mini boss here and there
    - Place a bonfire and a boss, maybe 1 secret illusion door there
    - Maybe place a NPC Invader
    - Place a trap or more
    - Horrible Bugs
    - Recycle 99% of all weapons of previous games
    - Recycle 99% of all enemies of previues games
    - Crashs

    Also it contains:
    - Online Co-Op is horrible bugged
    - Bloodstains don't work sometimes
    - Bosses are bugged, they are sometimes immune to any damage (i don't talk about special hitzones, there just totaly IMMUNE, like some Mobs with the boss!)
    - The Camera is the biggest enemy in this terrible console port
    - Peformence is terrible
    - The same problems Bloodborne for Ps4 had, like online coop, massive bugs, weird hitboxes, just the worst game i have played in a while and i loved DS1.    … Expand
  73. Kojumbo
    Apr 15, 2016
    9
    For the perspective of a player who has played all souls games except Demon Souls, I must say the Dark Souls 3 is probably the most accomplished so far. I am not sure if is the best game so far, but it is definitely a worthy successor. Here are the key points:

    - The game is friendly to beginners (more than previous games) but this does not detract from the series-defining difficulty. -    For the perspective of a player who has played all souls games except Demon Souls, I must say the Dark Souls 3 is probably the most accomplished so far. I am not sure if is the best game so far, but it is definitely a worthy successor. Here are the key points:

    - The game is friendly to beginners (more than previous games) but this does not detract from the series-defining difficulty.
    - Graphics are top-notch. On PC with mostly high settings (GTX 960) I can easily say it looks better or at least as good as Bloodborne but it also runs at 60fps (occasional lag spikes occur though). The game also has much more open spaces than Bloodborne and the scenaries can really amaze.
    - The combat system has definitely improved from Dark Souls 1 and 2. The new weapon skill options give additional diversity. The combat also feels more fast-paced, similar to Bloodborne.
    - The starting area (firelink shrine) looks very well designed and is a step above Majula (DS 2), although I liked Majula as well.
    - The characters are compelling and voice acting is good, but I still think that the side activities (NPC quests) were probbaly better in older games. Also the new fire keeper is not as original as the Emerald Herald or the doll in previous games.
    - Boss fights are well-done and probably more difficult than DS2, but easier than DS1. Most of them have a second phase which can surprise you.
    - As one fo the few negatives, I think that the level design is more straight-forward in this game. You do not have as many branching choices and freedom where to go compared to previous games, especially in the early game. I think that the uncertainty of where you need to go in previous games added significantly to the difficulty. You still have a lot of hidden areas to explore, though and you naturally get rewarded for that.    … Expand
  74. dolpiff
    Apr 16, 2016
    10
    A masterpiece. As Hard as DS1, with better designed systems that feel perfect. The multiplayer aspect with all the Covenants that strike balance together is the best possible positive anti-piracy system aswell : it's so good that you willingly buy a legit copy to enjoy it!
  75. servo
    May 15, 2016
    2
    This game was made out of Bloodborn , so they didn't have to spend much resources on a new game, you can see how stats/combat work similar to Bloodborn and not Dark Souls. This is just a cash grab and nothing else.
  76. Jobbo
    May 25, 2016
    10
    a stunning end to the greatest gaming trilogy of the generation. To say anything specific would spoil the game. if you have played 1,2 and or Bloodborne then you will know that this is required gaming. everyone else should pick them all up. As long as you are prepared to "relearn" how to play games then this will be the most rewarding gaming experience of your life. However, if you are thea stunning end to the greatest gaming trilogy of the generation. To say anything specific would spoil the game. if you have played 1,2 and or Bloodborne then you will know that this is required gaming. everyone else should pick them all up. As long as you are prepared to "relearn" how to play games then this will be the most rewarding gaming experience of your life. However, if you are the "power fantasy" gamer who prefers to hit x until everything dies then you will hate this with a passion.

    The thinking mans action game personified!

    One last point, to all the people who have given the game 0 out of 10. What the Hell is wrong with you? even if you don't like the game, it still functions perfectly and has very little in the way of bugs. 0 out of 10 should be reserved for broken messes that don't work ( ride to hell, Big rigs etc ).    … Expand
  77. BrainStain
    Apr 16, 2016
    10
    As an avid Demon's souls and Dark souls fan, I was apprehensive about this one after the dumbed down Dark souls 2. They really delivered on this one. Level design is great, nice and tight, like Demon's souls with excellent enemy design and placement. The atmosphere is great and the sound design is well executed. Yes, this game is difficult, but that is part of the attraction. Difficult butAs an avid Demon's souls and Dark souls fan, I was apprehensive about this one after the dumbed down Dark souls 2. They really delivered on this one. Level design is great, nice and tight, like Demon's souls with excellent enemy design and placement. The atmosphere is great and the sound design is well executed. Yes, this game is difficult, but that is part of the attraction. Difficult but fair, try to play in a hurry and the chances are that you will kick the bucket very soon. This game is for observant and careful players that have PATIENCE.

    I haven't had any crash issues at all, hence the 10/10. The frame rate can drop when transitioning from one zone to another sometimes, but this didn't dampen my mood, as the drops never lasted too long.

    The multiplayer summoning/invading times are very fast. Lots of fun or despair to be had in multiplayer!

    As this game has been made with love and attention, I have nothing but praise for the developing team and of course the return of Hidetaka Miyazaki as the director. His input has obviously helped this game to be more fluid and coherent than the unfortunate Dark souls 2.

    Finally, don't buy this game if you like everything handed to you on a plate and spoon-fed. If you are not patient or want an easy mode, look for a different title to play.

    I haven't had any crash issues at all    … Expand
  78. Tenno1
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Dark souls 3 is the sequel the franchise deserved. Amazing boss designs,level design, and of course the new weapons arts. I Personally felt this was the toughest of the series so far, with intelligent enemies that try to avoid back stabs , and pretty good enemy placements.
    The Pc port is kinda laggy,but doesn't take away from the experience so far.
  79. adriandenan
    May 16, 2016
    7
    Pretty fun game but having some issues with fps drops. But besides that enjoying the game. But if you like the other Dark Souls game, you will enjoy this one.
  80. danstew
    May 2, 2016
    9
    This game performs rather well on my system (i7-4790, 16 gigs of RAM, Windows 7, GTX 960 with 4 gigs). There are some random quick frame-drops, but nothing game-breaking (not making fights harder) and not happening too often.

    Now, if you played and liked the previous DS-games, you will feel right at home, as the controls are set up pretty much the same way. One difference you WILL feel    This game performs rather well on my system (i7-4790, 16 gigs of RAM, Windows 7, GTX 960 with 4 gigs). There are some random quick frame-drops, but nothing game-breaking (not making fights harder) and not happening too often.

    Now, if you played and liked the previous DS-games, you will feel right at home, as the controls are set up pretty much the same way. One difference you WILL feel is that the fights are bit faster-paced, kinda like showing a little Bloodbourne-influence regarding speed.

    I disagree to the reviews I saw that said "This is not for casual gamers". I am such a casual gamer, really... I did play the first DS back when it came out, but these days, I hardly have enough time to sink any serious time into a game due to my job.
    I was intimidated by the thought of trying out DS3, as I remembered how tough DS1 could be. However, I think I am doing ok right now. I am only playing for small periods of time, and am making slow, yet steady progress. The first few bosses weren't all too challenging, yet I know this will change eventually.

    Actually, I found the trash to be more difficult than the bosses. Some of them (knights with lances and shield, casting witches with grab-attack etc) do require quite some tactic and fast reactions.
    My advice: a) Take it slow, don't try to jump in and pull a group of mobs and waste them all. B) stay calm and get used to the system DS has: Dieing is a part of the game, a learning experience, something normal. Don't get angry, don't smash your controller... take a deep breath, use what you just learned before you died and get back to it.
    Controller is a good segue - you WILL need one. I am sure some guys play this with kbm, but the devs recommend a controller, and it does make sense. The controls take some time to get used to, but work well for fast-paced combat.

    Graphics and music do look really nice, and as usual, the lore and story isn't shoved into your face with tons of pointers and arrows and stuff... you need to go look for it and deduct what is going on.

    Pros:
    - Looks great
    - Decent performance
    - Great music
    - Nice controls
    - Atmosphere
    - Very challenging, but very rewarding

    Cons:
    - Some framerate issues sometimes on my system
    - Glitching-type things... enemies can and WILL hit you through walls and floors, which I think it NOT ok in a game relying so much on tactic, reaction time and fast combat. Using walls or doorways as a tactic won't work well if the NPCs are able to hit you through the wall with their lances. It's not game-breaking, but feels a bit unfair, kills immersion and it surprises me this actually even is existing.
    - Some issues with hacks and bans going on, and apparently, hackers found a way to get "innocents" banned, which sucks. This is based on hearsay, but if true, this needs to be looked into    … Expand
  81. Sentient
    May 10, 2016
    6
    Folks who gave this a 10... i want some of what you are smoking. After playing through the game with a friend of mine who is also a huge souls series fan, we both came to the same conclusion; Dissapointment. While a good game, it just falls short in several areas and brings very little new to the table.

    Im a long time souls fan and have done multiple play-throughs of each title. This is    Folks who gave this a 10... i want some of what you are smoking. After playing through the game with a friend of mine who is also a huge souls series fan, we both came to the same conclusion; Dissapointment. While a good game, it just falls short in several areas and brings very little new to the table.

    Im a long time souls fan and have done multiple play-throughs of each title. This is by far the least polished game in the series. not only were there bugs at launch but framerate problems have persisted even after the first couple updates.

    But my main gripes with this game are as follows:

    the bonfire placement was more frequent; making them more like checkpoints than the much loved sanctuary in the previous games.

    Many areas and bosses alike were just so heavily inspired by previous games that only a couple areas felt totally fresh. In the end, i wish From Software had really made a more compelling send off to the dark souls series.    … Expand
  82. Lizarino
    Oct 16, 2020
    0
    The worst console port I've ever seen

    - Clunky controls and combat. Controls on a keyboard don't even work half the time
    - Terrible graphics
    - Bad UI which is also broken, It shows you controller icons when using a keyboard and mouse, why? Lazy programming.
  83. defive
    Apr 26, 2016
    4
    Mechanically, probably the worst Souls game so far -

    1. Combat is speeded up to the point of being silly 2. The removal of poise means that people wearing the heaviest armor can be stunlocked by low level mobs wielding broken swords 3. Terrible balancing of weapons meaning that straight swords are by far and away the best weapons 4. Magic in general is awful, particularly due to the    Mechanically, probably the worst Souls game so far -

    1. Combat is speeded up to the point of being silly
    2. The removal of poise means that people wearing the heaviest armor can be stunlocked by low level mobs wielding broken swords
    3. Terrible balancing of weapons meaning that straight swords are by far and away the best weapons
    4. Magic in general is awful, particularly due to the increased closing speed of mobs - total lack of balance

    Dark Souls 2 was a better game by far.    … Expand
  84. psylife
    May 1, 2016
    4
    Despite the plethora of enemies and bosses on offer, this is a highly repetitive experience. Incredibly, you are not allowed to restart a boss fight, instead, the game will force you to run back from the last checkpoint over and over in a mind numbing cycle of frustration and despair ; This is a seldom seen time waster in games. This pathetic design choice is most likely there toDespite the plethora of enemies and bosses on offer, this is a highly repetitive experience. Incredibly, you are not allowed to restart a boss fight, instead, the game will force you to run back from the last checkpoint over and over in a mind numbing cycle of frustration and despair ; This is a seldom seen time waster in games. This pathetic design choice is most likely there to artificially extend the game-play time. About 50% OF THE GAME-PLAY TIME had me run back to the boss fight location so as to get a shot at the actual challenge ; THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION, you will fight bosses as much as you will run back to them. This design choice alone has me resent the developer profoundly. Past the built-in time wasters, the game is surprisingly not that challenging and the whole design structure encourages you to use exploits in conjunction with Exp grinds. The combat has plenty of nuance, yet it all comes down to rolling, slashing and dying until the end credits. The plethora of enemies on offer are fantastic to look at (as are the worlds), but ultimately fail to add a satisfying level of variety to the combat, as I said, this is very much a one note experience, roll, slash until you reach the end. Dark souls is fundamentally and structurally not a good game, and should be severely reprimanded for some of its design choices. There is something clearly addictive and the world design, lore and detailed visuals must be commended for there exceptional quality. The frame rate is all over the place and bugs abound. Unless you are a nerd with literally no life, or you simply can't resist the lore and visuals, I advise you stay away ; What is good and exceptional about this game cannot be reached other than through the sadistic prism of frustration and a massive amount of time waste. You've been warned.… Expand
  85. AngusMacAskill
    Apr 13, 2016
    7
    Graphics are pretty damn good. The design of the game is top notch, probably no one does it better than From. The atmosphere is really great, you only feel relatively safe in Firelink so the game has that feel of dread about it which is pretty damn awesome if you ask me.

    That being said, the movement of the character and movesets felt empty. There is little to no turn rate and no    Graphics are pretty damn good. The design of the game is top notch, probably no one does it better than From. The atmosphere is really great, you only feel relatively safe in Firelink so the game has that feel of dread about it which is pretty damn awesome if you ask me.

    That being said, the movement of the character and movesets felt empty. There is little to no turn rate and no transition between the turning so the character feels too light. There is no weight sense. Also, since I'm playing via a kb+m and not a controller, the camera can sometimes be erratic especially when you try to lock on a mob so I gave up locking on altogether.

    The game was way, way too easy. I cheesed most of the bosses in one or two tries. The mobs were a bit harder but but it's only because of their number and I never felt too much in danger of them and most of the deaths from them were my own dumb mistakes and not the AI of the mobs.

    All in all a solid 7/10 which may seem like a bit low for a AAA game like this but it's really not    … Expand
  86. ntiaga
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Several hours @ max settings, 1440p with basically perfect performance. Full button remapping options, even on controller. It's also a Dark Souls game.

    Praise the Sun!!
  87. PutCashIn
    Apr 28, 2016
    3
    Having been pleasantly surprised with the console port of Dark Souls 2, I am amazed at the incredible lack of foresight and early game decisions made for Dark Souls 3.

    There is a boss character in the TUTORIAL area, almost making Deprived characters impossible to play, especially on PC, with the as ever present in a Dark Souls game amazingly bad camera aiming and lack of any meaningful    Having been pleasantly surprised with the console port of Dark Souls 2, I am amazed at the incredible lack of foresight and early game decisions made for Dark Souls 3.

    There is a boss character in the TUTORIAL area, almost making Deprived characters impossible to play, especially on PC, with the as ever present in a Dark Souls game amazingly bad camera aiming and lack of any meaningful block and parry.

    In Dark Souls 2 you could start deprived, find a dagger, make your way to the Hub, level up, invest in your character and actually do some ROLE PLAYING GAME gaming.

    In Dark Souls 3, you are essentially forced into one of the Character builds given at the start of the game. Zero emotional investment, utterly immersion breaking.

    It is horrible, all the bugs and frame rate issues aside, who in their right mind removes the 'blank' character class from a RPG with a supposedly classless levelling system. By placing a boss, in the TUTORIAL area.

    Whomever was a play tester for this game needs to be black listed for gross incompetency.    … Expand
  88. Vandinroth
    Apr 24, 2016
    2
    What a horrid console port. Game doesn't support 21:9 out of the box. The combat is clunky and it feels like you are fighting the animations and the time of them more than you are the enemy. Couple this with the clunky movement and that's the reason for most of the games perceived difficulty. It felt more like I had to fire off an animation in the general direction and hope itWhat a horrid console port. Game doesn't support 21:9 out of the box. The combat is clunky and it feels like you are fighting the animations and the time of them more than you are the enemy. Couple this with the clunky movement and that's the reason for most of the games perceived difficulty. It felt more like I had to fire off an animation in the general direction and hope it completed and I could move before the enemy did. The combat is more of a whack a mole than anything. Graphics are a huge mixed bag, you can obviously tell it was a console port. The skybox is laughably bad. The stand around monsters made me think I was playing everquest again with all the static camps.

    I wanted to like this game as most modern games are far too easy, but the clunky combat, ridiculous story, and static game just made me uninstall and refund after about 2 hours.    … Expand
  89. The_Ommadawn
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    I own all the souls games and I'm rubbish at them. I play games with a casual mentality so this type of game actually makes me uneasy. The big pull is the design and combat that only a Souls game offers. DS3 for me has been the easiest to get into because of it's speed. The previous titles chugged alone whereas this one is full steam from the start. It's also hard (as it should be)I own all the souls games and I'm rubbish at them. I play games with a casual mentality so this type of game actually makes me uneasy. The big pull is the design and combat that only a Souls game offers. DS3 for me has been the easiest to get into because of it's speed. The previous titles chugged alone whereas this one is full steam from the start. It's also hard (as it should be) and I'm enjoying the challenge. I hope you enjoy it too.… Expand
  90. SuperNaiv
    Apr 27, 2016
    5
    Where do I start? I really tried to enjoy this game. I played Dark Souls and I mostly hated the clunky controls and the tedious and dull combat. The pc port isn’t that bad as it was with first and 2nd DS game. Although, its long from perfect. In menu they only use Xbox buttons props. It doesn’t help if you use mouse and keyboard as your standard pc interface. Those lazy dev from "FromWhere do I start? I really tried to enjoy this game. I played Dark Souls and I mostly hated the clunky controls and the tedious and dull combat. The pc port isn’t that bad as it was with first and 2nd DS game. Although, its long from perfect. In menu they only use Xbox buttons props. It doesn’t help if you use mouse and keyboard as your standard pc interface. Those lazy dev from "From Software" never learn. This should not be happening anymore! So, what made me continue playing. Well I was kind of interested in the world. I was trying to find out more about it. But the gameplay felt so repetitive and dull that, in the end, it felt more like a job then fun. The game mechanic is very problematic in my opinion, and one of my biggest problems is the locking mechanic on “one enemy at the time”. That wouldn’t be a problem if there was one, two or tops three enemies at the time. But most of the time, game throws at you multiple enemies, and very often from behind too, where you can’t see cause your camera is focused on only one enemy at the time. This is very annoying and very frustrating, and not something I would call “fun”. This locking mechanic is not a problem only on DS3. Its something that whole series is based on. What about the story? Is it any good? I would ask then; What story? If there is a story its delivered in very indirect and with some dialog from npcs that talk in riddles. I really didn’t care about the boring and uninspiring dialog deliverance from npcs. In Dark Souls I felt at least some kind of connection to the world. Here I don’t feel nothing. The first Dark Souls game was at least something original. The world, the story, and gameplay felt in many ways something new and creative. In DS2 and DS3 its more of the same, everything has been rehashed, it’s been copy and pasted, as many other games this days. DS2 and DS3 should never exist. The story was already concluded in the first game. From Software should instead focus on making something with a different story and completely different world. But I guess the hardcore fanboys would whine to much and demand new Dark Souls game. I could continue to list many more issues and problems with this game, but it would be too time consuming. Rather watch some informative videos on Youtube.

    I can see why ppl like it. And I can also see why ppl would despise this game. But, no matter what I mean, if you like Dark Souls you’ll probably will like this one too.    … Expand
  91. davedrummer88
    Apr 12, 2016
    8
    If you have PS4, get Bloodborne; everyone else, get DS3, but for those who played the former, the diminishing return of this world is starting to show its weary welcome. Three Souls games in as many years is burnout. Don't serialize this formula, From Software!
  92. Deeds
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Keep in mind: I am playing DS3 on a powerful PC with an Xbox one controller

    Very few games evoke such pure feelings of terror, suspense, and awe like Dark souls 3 does. From the first moments, all the way to the last, I was completely immersed in the beautifully horrifying world of Lothric. Everyone knows already that difficulty is a core part of the Dark Souls Franchise, and that is no    Keep in mind: I am playing DS3 on a powerful PC with an Xbox one controller

    Very few games evoke such pure feelings of terror, suspense, and awe like Dark souls 3 does. From the first moments, all the way to the last, I was completely immersed in the beautifully horrifying world of Lothric. Everyone knows already that difficulty is a core part of the Dark Souls Franchise, and that is no different with this entry. DS3's earlier portions are fairly accessible, and they do a great job of introducing players to the general feeling of the game. However, the difficulty ramps up a few hours in, and it will surely lead to some broken controllers and rage quits for some. Visually the game is stunning. Not only does DS3 look good from a purely graphical standpoint, but the environments are so well crafted that Lothric feels like a real place torn right out of a nightmare. The art direction also sets up a great story, but be warned, Dark souls doesn't tell you your typical story. Most of the story is told through vague conversations, item descriptions, and the world itself. You can go through the whole game with no idea what's going on, but players that want to explore and discover are greatly rewarded. The combat this time around has seen some welcomed changes. Animations are smoother, strikes and slashes are heavier, and the movement has never been more fluid. The pace of combat is also faster. I was originally concerned with the speed increase because I typically play a heavy build character. Thankfully, the faster gameplay didn't take away from my heavy build, and I still felt like a tank. My one complaint with the game is that I felt some recycled attack patterns from some bosses and enemies that made the game a little more forgiving for my up close and personal build. Dark Souls 3 is an incredible experience that absolutely shouldn't be missed by anyone willing to put forth the effort that this game demands and deserves.

    (I understand that some people are having technical issues with this game, but during my time with DS3 the only technical issue I encountered was an occasional frame stutter after interacting with the messages left by other players. The game ran beautifully at 60+ frames, and the load times were good as well.)    … Expand
  93. Darkwasp
    Apr 22, 2016
    10
    This is my current "Best game I ever played". It has everything that AAA game should have: astonishing visuals (though technically graphics aren't the best, but design itself is stunning), beautiful music, sound and voice acting (some Firekeeper lines in the later game literally gave me chills), atmosphere that's pouring from the screen, unique gameplay and of course a s**tload ofThis is my current "Best game I ever played". It has everything that AAA game should have: astonishing visuals (though technically graphics aren't the best, but design itself is stunning), beautiful music, sound and voice acting (some Firekeeper lines in the later game literally gave me chills), atmosphere that's pouring from the screen, unique gameplay and of course a s**tload of developer's talent in between. Really, this is how modern $60 game should be made, it's definitely not a total waste of money like some recent titles (you all know what I'm talking about). Famous difficulty is still in place, and as before, it's serves it's purpose, which is not to frustrate people, but punish them for repeating mistakes and gave them deeper experience.
    Level design is the best I've seen in many years, these levels are gorgeous. They are big, complex, diverse and again, just beautiful. Dark Souls visuals are the thing in itself, really. Exploration is essential part of this game, and if you are not exploring these level, you're missing a lot of fun.
    But for me, personally, the most exciting thing in this game is it's lore. As usual, there are very few cut scenes and very short and sometimes confusing dialogues, but a lot of new item descriptions and little details in the game environment that reveal this world's story bit by bit. If you really into books or story-rich films/TV shows, don't miss this game, you'll never regret it.
    Overall, it's the best completion of Dark Souls series that one could possibly imagine, and I'm grateful to devs for that.
    P.S. I haven't experienced technical problems except for minor image stuttering, somehow all the problems people mention in their negative reviews passed. Also note for those who, like me, don't like gamepads and planning to play from kb+m controls - they are okay (-ish). Game was designed for gamepad, we can't do anything about it, but at least it's not that much pain as before, standard controls are acceptable, and you can of course remap things, but it's not much help.    … Expand
  94. Crackfarmer
    May 17, 2016
    7
    I'd say it's mediocre. I enjoyed DS and DS II way more than this. Luckily the Game Dev's weren't that retarded to go for denuvo. Which ended up spending more time/money into the actual Game.
    Wouldn't buy this Game, i'd recommend to buy DS2 Scholar of the first Sin edition.
  95. Dreizehn
    May 6, 2016
    10
    I am not a tradicional gamer of the Souls series, since I started this passion back with BLOODBORNE. I can't compare to the orignal games (and you shouldn't, anyway) but this is a EXCELLENT game in every single aspect: The gameplay is just perfect, challenging of course, but the game gives you all the tools to succeed (the game WANTS you to succeed!); beautiful, with an amazing lore (forI am not a tradicional gamer of the Souls series, since I started this passion back with BLOODBORNE. I can't compare to the orignal games (and you shouldn't, anyway) but this is a EXCELLENT game in every single aspect: The gameplay is just perfect, challenging of course, but the game gives you all the tools to succeed (the game WANTS you to succeed!); beautiful, with an amazing lore (for you to discover, since nothing will be given to you easily, you must search for it and deserve it); graphically beautiful, great as multiplayer... Instantly GOTY and cult game.… Expand
  96. Swagalf
    May 22, 2016
    9
    First of all please do yourself a favor and :
    - Play with a controller (whine whine controls are bad for mouse and keyboard... please.. some games are designed for k&m, other for controller.)
    - Play Dark Souls 1 and 2. Yes, that's a trilogy. You won't read or watch the last LotR part without the others, that's a nonsense too for the Souls series. Oh and make search about lore if you are    First of all please do yourself a favor and :
    - Play with a controller (whine whine controls are bad for mouse and keyboard... please.. some games are designed for k&m, other for controller.)
    - Play Dark Souls 1 and 2. Yes, that's a trilogy. You won't read or watch the last LotR part without the others, that's a nonsense too for the Souls series. Oh and make search about lore if you are interested by it.

    Now, let's take a look at some bad reviews :
    -There's no lore !
    -> Seriously .. ? Wow. Please go on youtube or just google Dark Soul lore. There's plenty of video, thread and wiki just about the lore, debating, thinking about every clue and every detail. But yeah, Dark Souls is one of the series that use the fact that it's a video game to have a different story telling.. ennemie placement, level design, loot placement, design detail and item description, that's where the lore is. No you won't have a wall of text or a cinematic that tell you everything you need to know because it tell you the same thing with a way that only video game can use. Experimentation, research and care of detail.

    -Other series would have bad note if they do the same thing over and over again ! That's the same as Dark Souls X

    -> Mario, Street Fighter, GTA, Elder's scroll, Zelda, Fallout ... do I need to go on ? Every series do the same things. So please.. don't use that argument. It just make no sens.

    -lol Dark easy Souls ! It's way more easier than [insert a soulsborne game here] ! git gud !

    -> It may be easier in some way yes. But do you understand that you maybe play 40+ hours in a precedent game of the series ? And a player who have some hours of play in Street Fighter / CS / [insert franchise here] will learn the mechanics and won't struggle as much as the first experience in the franchise ? Please... please...

    - Poise is absent

    -> Yes, that can be a bad point. I understand. Always played light and agile build but yup, I understand

    - It just crash and crash and crash

    -> Yeah.. never have the problem without a average pc but yes, some card, spec or idk just don't like this game.. but there's some way to avoid it, just search for them.. and I don't know if crash are still present. But yeah, I feel sorry for you.

    Now, my review :

    The first half of the game is good, but not as good as I excepted, there's some good surprise and **** but.. the hype was too present I guess.
    But god, that second half though ! I won't spoil but it's really, really, really good. **** feeling, epic boss fight.... wow. Wow. WOW.
    This game really have the "it's the end" feeling, that's incredible. Feelings are here, happiness, sadness, doubt...
    In term of level design, I rate it between Dark Souls 1 and Dark Souls 2 (Dark Souls 1, Dark Souls 3, Dark Souls 2) but lorewise, it make sense, you will understand it. So... yup. Why not ? (please don't tell me the lore is here because they don't know how to make a good level design....). On top of that, I think that the level design of Dark Souls 1 seems so good because fire teleportation come late and you have experience the world just so many time for getting back to Firelink shrime that you learned it and saw the connection. I really feel that Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3 fire teleport at start isn't good.

    Bossfights : OH YEAH ! Welcome back monsters, it feel good to see you again after Dark Souls 2.

    Chara-design : Yup. Yup. and yup again. They are interesting and well design. Maybe they are too kind but we aren't a random hollow like the others game we are an Unkindled and we have their respect for that.

    Lore : Aaaaahhh... so much answers.. so much question. Once again, it's just fascinating.

    This game is good. Really, really good. It's just fascinating to see the world and experience it. Fight feeling is once again great. Like the others Souls game, you need to like this kind of game to enjoy it but... who play Civ and say it's trash if they don't like turn-based strategy game ?
    Yeah, Dark Souls 3 isn't perfect and I wanted to rate it 9.3 but .. 9 is fair.
    This is the souls I've been waiting for a conclusion. And once again, thanks From Software.

    The Souls games are one of the purest video game ever made. Everything is around game design and every way of telling you this or making you use that is design like that because game can use these mechanics. Film or book can't.

    Play Dark Souls 1, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3 be curious about lore and enjoy them. Those game are incredible experience and if you really are interested about what a video game can be, play them and think about them, think about every mechanic, every story telling details and every way they use to tell you the lore.    … Expand
  97. MelonMelon
    May 7, 2016
    10
    No Doubt, Games of the year...

    This is all of the other DS games rolled into one and improved. Walking out into the game and seeing the land spread out infront of one does not get more impressive than this. Added moves, better game-play, more bosses, annoying crabs and super frustration.

    Praise the Sun!
  98. Zedentin
    May 24, 2016
    9
    DS 3 is ranking at the top of the Souls series games, next to DS1. Great artstyle as usual, fun gameplay/bosses and cool story/lore. Its has tons os references to DS1, which adds a bit os nostalgia to the game, since its the last one. Im going to miss this curious and mysterious world of DS.
  99. Penfore
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    Dear Dark Souls 3 Haters…

    You. Yes, you! The one screaming, "There is no poise!" and "They rehashed all the assets from the prior games!" and other slurs I dare not mention. Tread lightly. You are one. We are hundreds, thousands. Millions. You aren't just IN the minority; you ARE the minority. I don't feel awkward or anxious playing Dark Souls 3 around others, and your words    Dear Dark Souls 3 Haters…

    You. Yes, you!
    The one screaming, "There is no poise!" and "They rehashed all the assets from the prior games!" and other slurs I dare not mention.

    Tread lightly.

    You are one. We are hundreds, thousands. Millions. You aren't just IN the minority; you ARE the minority.

    I don't feel awkward or anxious playing Dark Souls 3 around others, and your words don't affect me. Many others, however, are coming out of their shells for the first time in their lives. This is the first time many are enjoying the beautiful world that has been created for us - and it IS beautiful. Incredibly so. DON'T ruin this for them.

    We Dark Souls 3 fans may have our differences, but we will not hesitate to come to the aid of our fellow undead, especially against someone who so virulently slurs that which has brought us all together.
    Don't take this the wrong way. I don't hate you. I don't fear you.

    I pity you.

    I'm sorry that you feel this way towards us. I'm sorry that Dark Souls 3 is such a bane to your existence. And I'm sorry that you are missing out on such a wonderful experience. Mostly, though, I'm sorry that you feel the need to go around and publicly chastise and berate others. I'm sorry that, to ensure your own validity, you need to make others feel invalid. I'm sorry that your self-worth is so infinitesimally miniscule that you have to make others feel less-than-human, at least in your own denatured mind, just to feel whole. I am truly sorry that day-in and day-out you have to put up with your worthless, meaningless, Shakespearean tragedy of a life.
    I ask you politely to cease your unnecessary cries for attention, and instead invite you to join our ranks. Uninstall Call of Duty, start up Dark Souls 3, and breathe in the splendour and the amazement of the interwoven levels, and then, maybe, just maybe, you'll see what you've been so hopelessly searching for this whole time.    … Expand
  100. Gamer3k
    May 29, 2016
    10
    A game that is challenging yet dosent seem like its BS'ing you all the time, Has amazing graphics yet dosent require a super computer to run. i will say this game is nearly perfect i had 1 lag spike in 70 minutes and that was running on my Laptop with intel core i5 5200U Nvidia geforce 930M and 8gbs of DDR3 Ram on Ultra. the controls are also very fluent with an Xbox One controller but K+MA game that is challenging yet dosent seem like its BS'ing you all the time, Has amazing graphics yet dosent require a super computer to run. i will say this game is nearly perfect i had 1 lag spike in 70 minutes and that was running on my Laptop with intel core i5 5200U Nvidia geforce 930M and 8gbs of DDR3 Ram on Ultra. the controls are also very fluent with an Xbox One controller but K+M isnt to great i cant wait to finish this game as im loving it so far it actually challenges me when other games i just breeze through very fun game and is one of this years strongest Games!… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best PC Game of 2016
4
#4 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
14
#14 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
  1. Easy Allies
    Dec 1, 2016
    90
    Despite an inconsistent frame rate once again hindering the console versions, Dark Souls III is still an undeniable success. Before playing, we felt ready to say goodbye to the series, looking forward to whatever From Software gave us next. Yet after finishing, it's hard not wanting more. Few companies can craft a world so completely enthralling. Whether you've played every entry, started with Bloodborne, or are brand new, this is a game you should absolutely make time for.
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  2. CD-Action
    Jun 29, 2016
    85
    Everything about Dark Souls III is great, but it fails to push the series forward. Bloodborne and both previous Souls squash it in terms of ambition. DkS3 is like a compilation album by your favorite band – you enjoy listening to it because you love these songs despite having heard them so many times before, but there’s no room for even a tiniest surprise. [06/2016, p.34]
  3. Riot Pixels
    Jun 6, 2016
    82
    It seems that From Software has finally realized that bad game design decisions were a poor addition to an already uncompromising game, and fixed them, while keeping the same level of ruthlessness.
    Read full review
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