User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4553 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Apr 13, 2016
    9
    Probably a great game.
    Will change my rating when the constant crashes are fixed.
    Really disappointing...
    ---------------------------------------------------
  2. Apr 28, 2016
    10
    So normally I would have given this game a 9/10 but I did 10/10 to balance out all the **** reviews. So I have put in around 80 hours of gameplay into this game and have experienced a few minor problems. So to start, the most complained about thing with this game that I see is "IT DOESN'T WORK" and honestly yes the PC port wasn't great for this game and it does crash every once in aSo normally I would have given this game a 9/10 but I did 10/10 to balance out all the **** reviews. So I have put in around 80 hours of gameplay into this game and have experienced a few minor problems. So to start, the most complained about thing with this game that I see is "IT DOESN'T WORK" and honestly yes the PC port wasn't great for this game and it does crash every once in a while but to all those people who say its the most broken game in history I say look at Arkam Knight and its PC port. Yes the game crashes sometimes around bonfires, and there are a few connection errors but for me at least most of those can be blamed on my **** The game does drop in frame-rate a little when entering new areas of the game or encountering large mobs but other than that is is fairly stable. Another thing I saw a lot of is people complaining about the controls, yes the default PC controls suck in dark souls 3 but this can be fixed if you just remap them, or you can just plug in a controller like most people. Ok now on to the gameplay. I have seen a lot of 0s given to this game because people are butthurt that it is difficult, when this is one of the main selling points of dark souls so if you want a halo 5 campaign cake walk game then don't buy this game. While the graphics are not stunning they are good and do serve the purpose that they are meant to. The world size is fairly large and the areas are absolutely incredible even though they don't flow together as well as dark souls 1 areas did. The combat is clean and the mechanics are smooth making the game a delight to play. The bosses are varied in power and ability and are as always difficult and original. The weapon and armor selection is really well done and holds a lot of unique sets and pieces. The magic is pretty bland and boring though. Really the only complaints I have with this game is other than a few bugs the game felt a little short. I was able to finish the game in around 60 hours and I took my time and did EVERYTHING. Me NG+ run took only about 20 hours so thee is a bit of a power balance needed there. But over all the game just felt a little bit lacking in bosses and areas. Even with all the optional areas and bosses it still fell short of the amount of content the first 2 games had, and with no DLC coming anytime soon this is a bit disappointing. But even with the slight lack of bosses and areas there is still a lot of game here. Now if you are looking for a game with an incredible story line and character development then this is the wrong place to be looking. The story is weak if you can even call it existent. While the story is not great the lore found through item descriptions, bosses and areas is really good. There is a very well developed world hidden beneath a pile of item descriptions and what not. The last thing I am going to say is that a lot of people have been saying that dark sous is bad because it is the same game re-released, but the 3 souls games are at their core very much the same, games like call of duty are more similar to their predecessor than this. Also if you thing you will be able to buy your way to victory, then sorry you can't because this game has no micro-transactions.
    I hope this ridiculously long review was helpful.
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  3. May 22, 2016
    4
    The world is rich and beautifully molded. Unfortunately there is barely any story and the player is left running through hallway after hallway repeatedly re-spawning and trying to get the timings on their attacks *just* right so they can make it to the next guy. This is basically a fighting/dodging game, with unfluidic controls. Making an attack and another guy decides to hit you? dead.The world is rich and beautifully molded. Unfortunately there is barely any story and the player is left running through hallway after hallway repeatedly re-spawning and trying to get the timings on their attacks *just* right so they can make it to the next guy. This is basically a fighting/dodging game, with unfluidic controls. Making an attack and another guy decides to hit you? dead. Blocking but slightly off on the angle? Dead... Tried to parry the wrong random attack? Dead! Dull. boring, and nothing to keep the player interested. I stopped bothering about halfway through, and after my 50th re-spawn. Expand
  4. Apr 18, 2016
    9
    The game is not for everyone. Anyone with faint of heart or looking for relaxing experience will have more grueling and painful times than the hardcore gamers. Hell, even the veterans of the series will die multiple times and get frustrated. However, if you want a game to truly drive you to the maximum and get the adrenaline going, then this is game for you. The game is difficult, butThe game is not for everyone. Anyone with faint of heart or looking for relaxing experience will have more grueling and painful times than the hardcore gamers. Hell, even the veterans of the series will die multiple times and get frustrated. However, if you want a game to truly drive you to the maximum and get the adrenaline going, then this is game for you. The game is difficult, but overcoming those bosses, obstacles, and horde of mobs is its own reward. You will feel amazed coming out victorious.

    Also, the game's story and lore are told through item description and npc dialogue. Every item has some sort of lores attached to it and every npc has something to say that makes up the story. If you favor more narrative storytelling, you may be lost on why you are doing these things in games.

    Lastly, if you are fan of the series or played and enjoyed any of the previous entries in the series, then this is definitely a must-buy. Whether DS3 is better or not as good as other games in the series depends on you
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  5. Apr 15, 2016
    10
    Absolutely phenomenal game. All of the negative reviews state the game crashes.I have played 9 hours so far and not a single crash.GTX 970 and 4690k here and playing with f310 gamepad.Constant 60 frames with some dips due optimization.But its overall and excellent game and coulnt rate any lower thank 95/100.Will post a detailed review once completed.
  6. May 12, 2016
    2
    Well i buy the game because all the Critic reviews says its a must have game and i was looking for a beautiful RPG game ... 2 hours later i ask and have STEAM refund ...
    Game is not adapted to PC (keybord and mouse) so all the commands are A RL ... -> game is in beta mode
    UI is ugly, create and custom a character is painful I dont fit any story in solo mode ... just get kill buy badass
    Well i buy the game because all the Critic reviews says its a must have game and i was looking for a beautiful RPG game ... 2 hours later i ask and have STEAM refund ...
    Game is not adapted to PC (keybord and mouse) so all the commands are A RL ... -> game is in beta mode
    UI is ugly, create and custom a character is painful
    I dont fit any story in solo mode ... just get kill buy badass boss

    Refund Refund Refund
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  7. Apr 13, 2016
    10
    My gaming time is limited and the Souls series is pretty much all I play. The series hits all my personal preference buttons.

    My favorite style is melee permadeath which, as experienced players know, is challenging but not wildly difficult once you've run through the game a few times and enjoy a careful play style. Bottom line is I love DS3 and would rank it alongside DS1. I find the
    My gaming time is limited and the Souls series is pretty much all I play. The series hits all my personal preference buttons.

    My favorite style is melee permadeath which, as experienced players know, is challenging but not wildly difficult once you've run through the game a few times and enjoy a careful play style.

    Bottom line is I love DS3 and would rank it alongside DS1. I find the overall quality and balance of DS3 markedly better than DS1. The only immediate advantage I can give DS1 is the sense of early game mystery when you had the freedom to go the wrong way to the Catacombs, or New Londo, right off the bat. I loved that capability for a first playthrough, but that mystery of course doesn't last through later runs.
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  8. Apr 17, 2016
    2
    the worst part of souls franchise. lots of bugs like the murders through the walls, the inability estus replenish, and much more. In general, this is not "souls" game but bloodborne without all its fatures.
  9. Tgc
    May 13, 2016
    7
    The game itself is close to 10. However I can't say the same about port. It is better than DS1&2 but still there are plenty of bugs, performance and interface issues.
  10. Feb 23, 2017
    8
    If you played previous Dark Souls games you know what to expect so I'm not going into detail on this. The game is great but not everything is perfect. I like they bumped up the tempo and pace, it definitely makes the game more fun and I would rate it higher if not the bosses. In my opinion, they did pretty poor job with the bosses on their lazy design. Basically the issue is as follows:If you played previous Dark Souls games you know what to expect so I'm not going into detail on this. The game is great but not everything is perfect. I like they bumped up the tempo and pace, it definitely makes the game more fun and I would rate it higher if not the bosses. In my opinion, they did pretty poor job with the bosses on their lazy design. Basically the issue is as follows: some bosses are way too easy to the point you can nearly ignore everything they do, some are rather well balanced - hard but with good learning curve to beat them and some are basically hard because non stop spam of attacks, where you basically dodge 10 times in 10s with small gaps to get another round of spam - you get tired or fall asleep because of this routine and you die just because of that. Frankly I find this lame and lazy design. So basically some bosses should have been clever and harder and some should be more tactical than spamy, Other than that the game lives up to its expectations and it's sad this franchise ends.

    This is rewritten review, because I came to conclusion I was too harsh with my critique with my initial review and I should be more fair with it.
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  11. Apr 12, 2016
    9
    This game is very good.Is the best game of dark souls series. The stages are stunning, much better than I expected,but worst than Bloodborne.The atmosphere of the game is awesome like dark souls 1 an bloodborne.It shows that its director is Hidetaka Miyakazi.The game is still difficult like other dark souls and
    bloodborne
  12. Apr 12, 2016
    9
    I've heard a lot of complaints about technical issues, but I haven't encountered any myself (I'm running a Radeon card, though). The game runs very smoothly for the hardware I'm running it on, although the FPS does bog down in some areas.

    The game is certainly still difficult. There's plenty of challenging enemies to fight. The enemy designs are varied and interesting. The NPCs thus
    I've heard a lot of complaints about technical issues, but I haven't encountered any myself (I'm running a Radeon card, though). The game runs very smoothly for the hardware I'm running it on, although the FPS does bog down in some areas.

    The game is certainly still difficult. There's plenty of challenging enemies to fight. The enemy designs are varied and interesting.

    The NPCs thus far are a giant improvement over the other games. They have more involved dialogue and many can perform a wide variety of services.

    The biggest thing I dislike is the hub nature of the game. You have to fast travel just to get to certain areas. It makes the game world feel very disconnected when you compare it to the first game, although it's possible that that will change.
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  13. Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Beautiful game. It has the feel of Dark Souls with the momentum of Blood Borne. Those familiar with Dark Souls games will like it. If you are "new" to this kind of game you will have to pay your dues... but they are worth it because learning a boss and taking it down is more gratifying in Dark Souls than most games.
  14. ASL
    Apr 21, 2016
    10
    Best game I have played this recent years. Its not only the level design, great combat, amazing boss tracks, the atmosphere in general... Its just how a player feels playing this game.

    You are in a complex adventure, but you feel you are not the main role, as the 99% games pursue. You are in an ultra connected world, but you have to find all this connections. The difficulty of the game
    Best game I have played this recent years. Its not only the level design, great combat, amazing boss tracks, the atmosphere in general... Its just how a player feels playing this game.

    You are in a complex adventure, but you feel you are not the main role, as the 99% games pursue. You are in an ultra connected world, but you have to find all this connections. The difficulty of the game is correct (maybe there are bosses so hard to beat, but this is my personal opinion).

    About how this game runs in my computer, I only can say that I have had 0 problems (60 FPS constants, with occasional weird spikes that can impact the gameplay). But its matter of time, that somebody will fix that...

    Dark Souls 3 is one of the best games that you can enjoy if you have a good PC, or a console
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  15. Apr 24, 2016
    7
    is a very good game with excellent graphics soundtrack first but lacks a little in the plot of the game.
    At other times, especially if you're a previous Dark Souls, it's a bit underwhelming in the mapping of the world, and the difficulty isn't quite the same as prior releases (not dumbed down as such... it's difficult to put a finger on i
  16. Apr 15, 2016
    7
    The game itself seems rather good, with fairly challenging elite-class enemies and bosses to elicit your adrenaline secretion, but as far as PC port is concerned, this is still an insult, albeit improved in comparison to the predecessors.

    When molding your character's facial traits, there's no way to drag the cursor along the sliding bar; all you can do instead is to tap it to the left
    The game itself seems rather good, with fairly challenging elite-class enemies and bosses to elicit your adrenaline secretion, but as far as PC port is concerned, this is still an insult, albeit improved in comparison to the predecessors.

    When molding your character's facial traits, there's no way to drag the cursor along the sliding bar; all you can do instead is to tap it to the left or right bit by bit, just like using a gamepad. The ingame and menu-screen hints for control are still indicative of gamepad buttons only. It never switches to keyboard/mouse icons even when you don't plug your gamepad in, while most other PC games at least support two different sets of control hints.

    The graphics look decent but some texture suffers from reiteration, which is a problem present in DS2 and is just less severe this time. But the optimization doesn't seem reasonable given the graphical quality not being so high.

    The control itself is very responsive though, with either kb/m or gamepad, but with either device, there's a bug of occasionally inducing a constant activation of key 'A', making you walking left without you pressing it, or alternatively, when the gamepad is used, it'll make you constantly do the move assigned to button 'LT'. This is really annoying. Plus, the mouse will move the camera in a very jagged way. Some smoothing is indeed required.

    On the whole, the game needs some patches to justify it being on the PC. But a large portion of problems are very likely to remain unresolved, considering this is a FROM game.
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  17. Apr 27, 2016
    2
    A broken piece of crap. The gameplay is as basic as it gets, it's unnecessarily hard, the game as is has no plot or characters and it's generally unpleasant. Visuals are nice... when the game doesn't crash or frame rate suddenly doesn't drop for no particular reason. Don't waste your time and money on it.
  18. May 12, 2016
    2
    Guitar Hero. not a real RPG. everything is just awful. story, control, fun. one of the worst games I've played so far. and no - it's not hard. it's just dumb. no fun at all.
  19. Apr 16, 2016
    0
    I like difficult games, I have no problem with learning the ways of the enemy and utilizing tactics to deafeat a boss. I actually really like that in games. That's what I thought Dark Souls are about. However the difficulty of this game is not about hard boss fights, godd AI etc. This game is so difficult because of glitches, invisible walls, unnatural moves, physically impossible movesI like difficult games, I have no problem with learning the ways of the enemy and utilizing tactics to deafeat a boss. I actually really like that in games. That's what I thought Dark Souls are about. However the difficulty of this game is not about hard boss fights, godd AI etc. This game is so difficult because of glitches, invisible walls, unnatural moves, physically impossible moves NPCs perform (and I'm not talking about big jumps). It even looks bad, like I was fighting a doll not a humanoid. Games should be difficult but because they are well made, not because they are bugged. You should be struggling to deafeat a boss, not the game itself. Getting angry while playing a good hard game is ironically a part of the fun. In Dark Souls all I feel is unpleasent frustration and disappointment. I honestly believed in those good reviews but now I'd like someone to explain to me what in the world he found good in this game. Aside from that, the game is really poorly optimalized. I almost meet recommended system requirements but far surpass the minimum, still the fps is low even on low details. I played WItcher 3 on high with better fps and the graphics there were much better on low than Dark Souls on high not to mention the open world. Shame on the creators to screw up so much making such an anticipated game. Expand
  20. Apr 14, 2016
    0
    Game on PC just doesnt work, crashes up to 5 times in hour.
    Worst port i saw in ages, unexpected after great DS2 PC version.
    If you look at steam reviews you'll see that about 30% of PC players have same problems with crashes and/or extremely unstable framerates.
  21. Apr 12, 2016
    9
    Only played for one hour and i can confirm, this game feels so so awesome and damn, does it feel good to have a new souls game to play after having played countless hours on both DS1/DS2 and DeS. After the kind of letdown on DS2 [atmosphere/level design and a few game play issues] DS3 delivers what souls fans have been waiting since Bloodborne [and +DLC] were released: fast paced gameOnly played for one hour and i can confirm, this game feels so so awesome and damn, does it feel good to have a new souls game to play after having played countless hours on both DS1/DS2 and DeS. After the kind of letdown on DS2 [atmosphere/level design and a few game play issues] DS3 delivers what souls fans have been waiting since Bloodborne [and +DLC] were released: fast paced game play, awesome music and sound effects allied to brutal difficulty, excellent level design and, as always an awesome lore! I'm giving it a 9 because there are still some performance issues and because i'm still to early in the game but rest assured, most likely i'll end up by changing my rate to a perfect 10/10! Just go and grab it, it's that incredible! Git gud to all and Praise the Sun! [T]/ Expand
  22. Apr 17, 2016
    7
    is a very good game with excellent graphics soundtrack first but lacks a little in the plot of the game have forgotten that they are not only graphics but in conclusion game is a game that should get
  23. Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Great game. Just another From Software game but that's what I wanted. Visuals look great, online play is improved, and environments are more beautiful than ever. Lots of minor tweaks from DS2 to 3 but most are intuitive and none are obtrusive. I played this a few hours before midnight of the release and even then I had no issues running the game. There are still minor bugs in the onlineGreat game. Just another From Software game but that's what I wanted. Visuals look great, online play is improved, and environments are more beautiful than ever. Lots of minor tweaks from DS2 to 3 but most are intuitive and none are obtrusive. I played this a few hours before midnight of the release and even then I had no issues running the game. There are still minor bugs in the online play that make connections difficult to establish but once made it works fine. Some people are complaining about framerate issues and crashing but I have experienced neither. 10/10 because it was exactly what I wanted DS3 to be. Expand
  24. Apr 17, 2016
    10
    It might just be THE definitive Souls game. A true return to what made the series great in the first place: the level design. It's not to say, however, they haven't also touched upon other aspects. The combat feels more refined, with both character and npc animations looking as smooth as ever.

    The haunting gothic atmosphere returns again to chill us with the deathless laughter that had
    It might just be THE definitive Souls game. A true return to what made the series great in the first place: the level design. It's not to say, however, they haven't also touched upon other aspects. The combat feels more refined, with both character and npc animations looking as smooth as ever.

    The haunting gothic atmosphere returns again to chill us with the deathless laughter that had us replaying the original over and over... and this one is no different. If you already love the Souls series, there's nothing to stop you from loving Dark Souls III.

    It's a shame there are those here just to complain about day one blues. Game works perfect for me. Have yet to experience a single crash, with streaming on, and through SteamLink. Some people may just need to learn to either a) wait for the day 1 or 2 patch that always happens or b) clear some hard drive space from all that porn.
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  25. Apr 13, 2016
    10
    This game is so good I made a Metacritic account to post this review. I played DS1 and 2 several times, but this game is definitely the one I'll be picking up in years to come (unless I feel like fighting samurai in a lava castle). Controls are sharp, the netcode feels responsive, the weapons feel and look unique and character customization is deeper than ever (now that you can give upThis game is so good I made a Metacritic account to post this review. I played DS1 and 2 several times, but this game is definitely the one I'll be picking up in years to come (unless I feel like fighting samurai in a lava castle). Controls are sharp, the netcode feels responsive, the weapons feel and look unique and character customization is deeper than ever (now that you can give up healing for more 'mana').

    Of the series:
    DS3 wins best graphics.
    DS3 wins fashion-souls.
    DS3 has the best healing mechanics.
    DS3 has the best pvp system.
    DS3 has by far the best co-op system (YES! it has good co-op, you can play with your friends).
    DS3 has better heavy weapon and heavy attack manual tracking - making them pvp viable-er.
    DS3 has very fair deaths, though you can see most of them coming if you played the other games.

    Arguably the other games have better:
    Lock-on symbols (the bloodborne 'dot' is hard to see sometimes).
    Intro cinematics.
    Weather (in the constant penumbra, I miss Majula's sun).

    It is the nature of Dark Souls games to feel easier and easier. We all remember that first Souls game, when we were out-leveled, out-geared and outclassed by almost every enemy. We remember how we used to have no stamina left to dodge, how we'd get pinned against the wall (or worse: surrounded). We remember falling into a pit for no reason, loosing what felt like all the souls in the world. But that was a long time ago.

    How could FromSoftware make a souls game challenging to the guy who beat DS2 with a guitar-hero controller, or to speeders, or those who do a lvl 1 playthough. I feel this has to be the end of DS, because all that is left for us to challenge ourselves with is this: to have fun.

    We will kill the ever re-spawning monsters in ever more creative ways.
    We will co-op with our friends irregardless of lvl. We will master each and every tool in pvp.
    And we will be free to have endless fun in this well crafted world.
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  26. Apr 13, 2016
    9
    Es un gran juego que te permite explorar y pelear con muchos enemigos y tiene una historia muy interesante

    Si te gusta esta clase de juegos el dark souls es lo tuyo
  27. Apr 21, 2016
    10
    This game is a real treat. Honestly, casual gamers are in the wrong place for this one- but if you're looking for a challenge and adventure then you are in for a great time. Don't go hollow, friends.
  28. Sep 15, 2016
    0
    DS3 is compared to the other Souls games by far the worst. The PVP mechanics are trash; using estus will not be punished; you can summon infinitely; And you have less estus than the invader

    If you look at the gameplay mechanics: they are also bad compared to the precursor: No poise; no variety in weapons or magic like in Dark Souls 2 So I would not recommend this game ist literally
    DS3 is compared to the other Souls games by far the worst. The PVP mechanics are trash; using estus will not be punished; you can summon infinitely; And you have less estus than the invader

    If you look at the gameplay mechanics: they are also bad compared to the precursor: No poise; no variety in weapons or magic like in Dark Souls 2

    So I would not recommend this game ist literally trash when compared to Demon Souls/Dark Souls 1+2; If you want to play a good souls like game wait for NIOH!
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  29. Apr 16, 2016
    9
    I have just beaten the game after 30 hours and I loved it. It ran, looked, sounded and played beautifully on my PC. I'm running a 3570k @ 4.4GHz with a GTX 970, 8GB DDR3 and an SSD on Windows 10 and I maintained 60fps at 1080p/max settings 99% of the time, the only technical issue I had was autosave stutter which didn't hurt the game much overall, but it still definitely needs to be fixed.I have just beaten the game after 30 hours and I loved it. It ran, looked, sounded and played beautifully on my PC. I'm running a 3570k @ 4.4GHz with a GTX 970, 8GB DDR3 and an SSD on Windows 10 and I maintained 60fps at 1080p/max settings 99% of the time, the only technical issue I had was autosave stutter which didn't hurt the game much overall, but it still definitely needs to be fixed. I'd also like to mention I didn't crash a single time, which seems to be a common complaint.

    Overall I loved every minute of the game and I highly recommend it to any Souls fan, or anyone looking to jump into the series as it's well worth playing if you know what you're getting yourself in for. Long time fans of the series won't find the game massively difficult IMO, there were only a few bosses that really gave me trouble and I've only ever finished Bloodborne so I'm by no means an expert of the genre.
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  30. Apr 15, 2016
    10
    They need to have a Dark Souls 3 bundle with 5 additional controllers. This game "somehow" breaks controllers.

    Dark Souls 3 - 10/10

    Xbox 360 controller Durability - 0/10

    Now I'll be getting back to sweeping up the remains of my controller.
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 56
  2. Negative: 0 out of 56
  1. 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.
  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. 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.