Dark Souls III

 PlayStation 4
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 5171 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,678 out of 5171
  2. Mixed: 199 out of 5171
  3. Negative: 294 out of 5171
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  1. EpiCabbage
    May 15, 2016
    4
    PVP is broken and unusable because of it, the game is generally pretty buggy as well. In terms of enemies they seem very recycled and unoriginal. Though the may have unique designs every fight is either getting under the big guy or behind the fast guy. It gets old. The game is addictive but offers very little in exchange. Not to mention I had to look up everything online because thePVP is broken and unusable because of it, the game is generally pretty buggy as well. In terms of enemies they seem very recycled and unoriginal. Though the may have unique designs every fight is either getting under the big guy or behind the fast guy. It gets old. The game is addictive but offers very little in exchange. Not to mention I had to look up everything online because the 'hints' aren't helpful to people on computers, meaning i had to learn every control over the course of several hours. Not helping vs. not explaining. The game chucks you in and expects you to know everything, then, once you do, you realize how basic the game is. Also, magic is very, very stupid. I am yet to find a magic attack that is not either OP or **** but then again, how would I know. The PVP is so garbage. Overall, addictive, reused bosses, and bad PVP.… Expand
  2. EliteGames
    May 13, 2016
    7
    Souls 3 is a solid game if not above average but its definitely not Bloodborne and honestly feels quite stale and slow compared to Bloodborne's fluid gameplay. If your desperate for another souls game then pick it up and you should enjoy but if you are expecting something new and/or on the level of Bloodborne you will be disappointed and left wanting.
  3. TheOneWinged
    Apr 19, 2016
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After finishing the game and reading the first reviews here on metacritic, I can't help it but to comment on this game by myself. I am very disappointed about how little it needs to satisfy the masses.
    Make no mistake: Dark Souls 3 is a solid gaming experience, especially for those who play Souls for the first time. And Dark Souls 3 is a very good game indeed: from the tight controls, to the visual design, mixing up Dark Souls with Bloodborne in both the gameplay and visual aspect, to the (partly) tense, epic and well designed boss fights, which to me count to the finest the series has ever seen. But exactly here is my problem with the game: we've seen it all before! Dark Souls 3 is basically 'SoulsBorne: Fanservice Edition' and literally makes NO changes to the nowadays old-fashioned Souls-formula besides useless weapon arts which are only useful for PvP. Its the 'More of the same'-kind of strategy which was realised here. While newcomers will be overwhelmed by their first Souls entry, people like me are being neglected in many ways by the devs, left out with a game, that tries to be Dark Souls 1 while looking almost exactly like Bloodborne. No joke, the whole structure of the game mimics Dark Souls 1's: Andre? Check! Siegmeyer? Check! Dragon spitting fire on a bridge (like seriously?) Check! Gargoyle scene? Check! Forest? Check! Asylum Demon? Check! Catacombs? Check! Demon Cave? Check! Anor Londo? Check! Black Knights? Check! Skeleton enemies taken directly from DS1? Check! Wheel-Skeletons? Check! Gwyn's Theme? Check! Check! Check! And things which were not taken directly out of Dark Souls have been taken out of Demons Souls, Dark Souls 2 and Bloodborne, like the Firelink-Shrine aka Nexus, townsfolk of Undead Settlement aka Yharnam townsfolk, Dark Souls 3 rats aka Bloodborne rats with Dark Souls 3 skin, Irithyll aka snowy Yharnam, Berserk-dog in Irithyll aka Watchdog of the Old Lords, the Abyss Watchers aka baby of Artorias and Lady Maria, Yhorm The Giant aka Storm King, lots of Levels which look like ripped content from the Bloodborne chalice dungeons, almost every weapon of the game directly from Dark Souls 2.The list goes on and on and on forever... there are even some enemy-assets directly taken out from previous games. The game has new content don't get me wrong, but it is overshadowed by the sheer amount of fanservice. And what's even funnier, is that I can't even blame the developers for that! Because the problem is YOU, the Dark Souls 'elitists' which can't get enough of their 'favorite' game, ruining individual and fresh entries for the Souls series. It's because of YOU, that Miyazaki can't take any more risks and make something new as he did with Bloodborne, because when BB released, all those limited Dark Souls-fanboys immediately began to flame for the dumbest things imaginable like 'not enough weapons' or 'I don't like the gothic style, I want medieval fantasy' - basically saying: 'not like Dark Souls 1 -> not good'. So this is what we get: a game that always brings up the question to the player 'Am I playing Dark Souls 3 or Dark Souls 1?'. Ironically the 'Souls-fans' always laugh about the COD and Assassin's Creed games, because they are not different enough from each other, without realising that they became the same type of community, which will just be satisfied when another dumbed-down Dark Souls 1 clone is coming out. If you love Dark Souls 1 soo much, then go freakin play it, but don't flame on From's games if they tend to be different from Dark Souls 1. Dark Souls 2 suffered from the same kind of harassment, because it was not 'Dark Souls 1' -enough for the 'elitists' and took a different direction. I really can't take it anymore. This seriously has to stop! I really love these games, but the Souls community is one of the worst communities I know. And if you should think that it doesn't matter because every Souls game is basically Demons Souls, you are wrong; there were significant differences between DeS, DS, DS2 and Bloodborne, gameplay-and design-wise. Now we have a hybrid game which is neither Dark Souls 1 nor Bloodborne and hasn't got an own identity. A Souls fan who has played all games literally will find nothing new here. I am not disappointed by the game, because as I sad before it is well crafted with some minor flaws like areas, which leave out the feeling of being unfinished (Irithyll if you look closely) and graphic/sound bugs, I am disappointed with the community, which is satisfied with such little amount of development and new content to a never before-seen level. I am not ok with playing the same game over and over and over again and I want you to think about whether you are.
    To end this somehow positively, I have to praise the soundtrack. Some of the tracks are one of the most inspired and beautiful tracks I have ever heard in my life, competing directly with some of the Bloodborne tracks, although it's a step back because they are synthesized and not orchestrated.    … Expand
  4. Zoeth
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Phenomenal game. I constantly stop the very constant and frantic combat to take in the scenery which speaks to the detail of the game. This is one of those games I actually don't regret pre-ordering and almost DO regret not getting the season pass. 10/10 anyday.
  5. Hairyapelips
    Jul 3, 2016
    3
    Don't fall for the hype, this game is terrible. I've played through Bloodborne and I enjoy a decent challenge, but there is none to be found here, at least not in the form of a boss.

    The camera, painfully sluggish controls and trivial combat is what you'll be fighting here when you're not coping with boredom. Everything that goes into a good action game, e.g. clever level design and    Don't fall for the hype, this game is terrible. I've played through Bloodborne and I enjoy a decent challenge, but there is none to be found here, at least not in the form of a boss.

    The camera, painfully sluggish controls and trivial combat is what you'll be fighting here when you're not coping with boredom. Everything that goes into a good action game, e.g. clever level design and responsive, engaging combat has been replaced with high HP mobs that kill you in two hits and tedious paths through hordes of mobs.

    There is legitimately no difficulty in this game. There are either gimmicks that allow you to kill the boss in a few hits, or the ability to summon players/npcs to basically kill the boss for you with minimal effort (that's what they call hardcore nowadays?). The game becomes so tedious that it eventually becomes a chore to play.

    To sort of offset this they have added a lot of checkpoints (called bonfires in the darksouls universe), but it does not save you from having to rely on R1 spamming and dodging to deal with the trivial AI.

    The game is basically two buttons and nothing more. If you ever try anything fancy the game punishes you with awkwardly long animations that leave you open to attacks, which usually kill you immediately. Roll. Slash. Roll. That's it. Even blocking is deterred by the ridiculous amount of stamina damage (with a fully upgraded shield with high stability, determining how much stamina damage you take..) you take, meaning if you block you will be left with no room to do anything vs. a big mob/boss.

    This game is also bug ridden, has awful performance and AI that allows itself to be exploited. Some of the bosses will get stuck in terrain, fall of to their doom, or simply stop chasing and content themselves with a nice snooze inside a pillar.

    The only saving graces of this game are:

    Character customization. You have a decent array of builds to choose from along with a couple weapons..... which should be more, but aren't, since most weapons are not viable due to their long animations that get you killed.

    Sound. The music is actually quite decent. Not that I would ever buy the soundtrack, but it is nice at times.

    Amount of content... sort of. If you are good at Souls games you will probably get at least a good 15-20+ hours out of depending on if you are willing to play the NG+ (you get to play the game over again if you beat it, for those of you who don't know Souls games). The problem is that most of this content is boring, linear and the same old crap you've seen a thousand times before. The levels, especially when compared to its predecessors, are BORING. You don't have much choice where to go, or how to progress. Exploration is a necessity, but is done in the most obvious and tedious fashion (e.g. tons of mobs you have to fight 1v1).

    Graphics... sort of. They are mediocre and ironically not as good as Bloodbornes (or Destinys, but Destiny is in a class of its own).

    Due to the aforementioned I gave it 2 extra points; were it not for the fluff like music and appearance, this would rate among the worst action games I have ever played in being nearly 40 years on this planet given how many resources were at their disposal.

    This game is the call of duty of third action adventure games and should be avoided like the plague.

    If you want a good souls experience that is up to snuff with other modern action games, try Bloodborne. It is a better version of this game in every single aspect, but be ready for real difficulty.

    Stay far away from this game and don't give the developers a cent for this piece of crap. It is a disgrace to the gaming industry and I regret having given them anything for it.    … Expand
  6. psylife
    May 1, 2016
    3
    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
  7. bigdeadanimals
    May 8, 2016
    7
    Pre P.S.
    The game has references to all things from the past that you may remember - areas and first LoC - to Abbys Walker's DLC, the second LoC to Anor Londo. The Yorm and locations are one of the few throughbacks to DS2. Most of the locations and creatures - also a throughbacks, reincarnations of what we already seen.
    So most part of the DS3 is reincarnations, references, throughbacks    Pre P.S.
    The game has references to all things from the past that you may remember - areas and first LoC - to Abbys Walker's DLC, the second LoC to Anor Londo. The Yorm and locations are one of the few throughbacks to DS2. Most of the locations and creatures - also a throughbacks, reincarnations of what we already seen.
    So most part of the DS3 is reincarnations, references, throughbacks to the past.
    From's idea may sound like that - pick location/character from past -> add new area near it (anor londo-irythil)
    In fact most of trully NEW stuff will be added in DLCs I believe.

    So you may love it or not. There is no right opinion. But here is mine:

    This is the list of things, which were bring back from DS1 and which is really ridiculously BAD.

    > Sorcery casts with Staff's middle - the most ridiculous thing from DS1. It gets even more ridiculous with Faron Darts (Imagine Harry Potter or idk Gendalf who casts abilities from his fist while handling stuff...)
    > You can only be invaded by red ingame phantoms while you are Embered. It is fine that we cant be invaded by players, but ingame phantoms bring lore and items with them, and we miss it all, cause, you know, u cant always walk in embered form, and you never know when phantoms should ivade.
    > Poison that deal 3dmg/sec. Poison was useless in Ds1, in Ds2 it was fixed and here we are again, yeah!
    > A lot of actually bad animations. Like backstab with Club. in Ds2 it was far more brutal and fun.
    > Unability to play with shield in right hand and with weapon in left (well you actually can, but it is not good in any ways)
    > Overwhelming amount of fun-service. A 60% of the game - reference to another game.
    > Movesets from DS1 feels even more out-of-date right now.

    Some stuff that just bad:

    > Ordinary enemies sometimes tougher than bosses.
    > Do they bring any new spells of any of magic types?
    > Not of previous problems of souls games are fixed. (your estok with resin is still better than any bosssoul-made weapons)
    > I dont feel involved into the game for biggest part of it. I cant believe in my character or his/her motivation.
    > Quest lines are mostly pure.
    > Also design of characters is quite boring as for me (just like DS1). After Milentia, Shalkuar or Midjets who will remain in the memory, here we have some ordinary men and women mostly without any catchy things nor in characters nor in appearence.
    > Non character with false bottom were found through the game. A lot of old characters whose appearance in the game is not explained.
    > Firekeeper is a character I was sad about mostly. She do nothing. And by saying it I mean it. Herrald was one of the main hero of the game, misterious creature. After this firekeeper feels sad:(
    > Most things made from souls of bosses - rubbish.

    >>

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    It is quite strange to say all of this, cause I was really hyped before game release.
    There are some bright moments surely, where you think "wow, thats interesting". Game has some good new ideas too.

    > Animations of Abyss Watchers's sword is awesome, bows now is quite a good thing (finally!:)), locations are nothing new, but level design is really a great thing.
    Bosses desing is great and some stories around bosses are too (dancer, vordt, lost son of you-know-who)
    > Final area is the most incredible in whole series.
    > There are some actual drama and a little remarkable moments.
    > The game feels better - faster paced and some general improvements.
    > I do like that now there are far less weapons in the game. Their amount in previous game were a little bit overwhelming. But on the other hand after Bloodborne all this "Mace with lights" feels really boring..or I better say unremarkable. And Movesets from DS1 feels still even more out-of-date right now.

    In comparison to previous games.
    DS1 - started all of that, got original plot and new world and story.
    DS2 got all that phylosophycal stuff, characters who were changing through the game and all that drama around it. You feel that, you believe in 'em. And music of Madjula..
    After that DS3 feels a little pure.

    And it is really sad and pity after how Bloodborne was actually great.
    One more thing is that...well, dont you get quite tired with all that stuff with references to Ds1? Like they try to forget about ds2, which is quite less popular and make NEWDS2? All this references in every single moment. It should feels awesome, I know. And it is, sometimes(Smouldering lake's Fair Lady) But even Ds2 had like, you know, more blured throwbacks more blured hints. And now we just get same old stuff for the third time, and second game where a half of the game is reference to another game. So by now - Unremarkable. I really hope for DLCs, guys, I really do    … Expand
  8. GenXY
    May 12, 2016
    10
    What a fantastic closing chapter to the Souls series. Miyazaki is a masterful game designer, and the gameplay and atmosphere of this is top notch. I haven't played a better, newer series of games the past few generations. Well done, From Software.
  9. Casualplayer
    May 16, 2016
    9
    Outstanding. Best gameplay I have experienced on this generation so far. It's dark souls gameplay evolved with a touch of bloodborne. All players who enjoyed bloodborne, this is the next step.

    Those who didn't like bloodborne because it's too hard. Forget dark souls 3. It is harder than bloodborne.
  10. MiniSexy
    Jun 29, 2020
    0
    Es un juego muy bueno, pero también es cierto que puede ser abrumador para la gente no generalizada en este genero, ademas de que nunca se atrevieron a mejorar el online del mismo.
  11. Steven105
    Jun 19, 2017
    3
    At the release of dark souls 3 i gave this game a 10 because i was being a blind fanboy , this is by far the worst game in the franchise it has been terribly dumbed down for casuals , the bosses are too easy the game is too short and what really destroys this game is the god awful pvp ...I cant fathom why fromsoft wanted to encourage every player to be a darksword spamming scrub , and dontAt the release of dark souls 3 i gave this game a 10 because i was being a blind fanboy , this is by far the worst game in the franchise it has been terribly dumbed down for casuals , the bosses are too easy the game is too short and what really destroys this game is the god awful pvp ...I cant fathom why fromsoft wanted to encourage every player to be a darksword spamming scrub , and dont even get me started on how broken the hitboxes are , you will be hit from 4 feet away from another player who isnt even within range from you . I went back to dark souls 1 and tested out the hitboxes in pvp and to my surprise the hitboxes were actually accurate i wasnt getting hit by wepons that were out of range , so my question is, why is an outdated ps3 2011 dark souls 1 able to have better pvp hitboxes than a 2016 ps4 dark souls 3? It just baffles me. Also there is an extreme lack of build diversity , all you will see is players using greatswords, straight swords and dark sword and the fact that fromsoft rehashed everything from dark souls 1 just shows there wasnt much thought put into this game they reused patches , siegmeyer , darkmoon covenant ( which still does not work even after they patched it btw) sunbros covenant , dragon covenant , anor londo , almost every weapon and armor from dark souls 1 and 2 . If you want to play this be my guest , no doubt you will enjoy it at first but once you beat the game numerous times and spend alot of time in pvp you will start to realize that this is just an attempt at making a dark souls 1 clone , i am glad this is the last game in the series for now , this should have never been developed .… Expand
  12. DoubtTalon
    Apr 12, 2016
    9
    Definitely an exemplary souls game. If you liked Dark Souls 1 or Demon's Souls, this is a bit better. Dark souls 2 is barely better but if I played all Souls game for the first time, I would say DS2 is the best (behind bloodborne if that counts), then DS3, then DS1 and Demon's Souls
  13. lsdionysus
    Feb 16, 2018
    3
    terrible game. controls/movement is not intuitive and clunky, resulting in a poor user experience. games with similar mechanics, like Shadow of War, are significantly more fluid with better camera angles.

    i paid $5 for this game (used) and i feel like i got ripped off.
  14. Ryskim
    May 8, 2016
    9
    It is really difficult to find game with such wuality and ambientation nowadays. This game is truly a masterpiece, one of those few and very special games that come out every 4 or 5 years and are worth every single euro you spend on them. Please tet the season pass, it's really worth it. This game is a piece of art. The only reason it doesn't get a 10/10 it's because the lore is not wellIt is really difficult to find game with such wuality and ambientation nowadays. This game is truly a masterpiece, one of those few and very special games that come out every 4 or 5 years and are worth every single euro you spend on them. Please tet the season pass, it's really worth it. This game is a piece of art. The only reason it doesn't get a 10/10 it's because the lore is not well explained. The world is fascinating but there should be some kind of codex or entry collection with lore on enemies, places and factions in the game. Other than that, its a solid 9/10 from me. Awesome game.… Expand
  15. heatonx23
    May 14, 2016
    9
    Really love this game, and I think it's the best of the DS series. BUT...it still is not as good as Bloodborne.

    Comparing the two, I think Bloodborne has combat that is faster, more intense and adrenaline-inducing, and more difficult. The BB bosses are tougher, as well, and I like that there is really no ranged-attack option where you can spam/cheese enemies. Even the lore for    Really love this game, and I think it's the best of the DS series. BUT...it still is not as good as Bloodborne.

    Comparing the two, I think Bloodborne has combat that is faster, more intense and adrenaline-inducing, and more difficult. The BB bosses are tougher, as well, and I like that there is really no ranged-attack option where you can spam/cheese enemies. Even the lore for Bloodborne is more cohesive.

    Having said all that, this game is still excellent and definitely ranks as one of my favorites for PS4.    … Expand
  16. ShadowX
    May 20, 2016
    9
    Yet again, From Software delivers another fantastic piece of work, if not blinded by the difficult exterior, Dark Souls 3 is an Action RPG that offers a great experience for players where they are left to delve into the world of Lothric, where you can find amazing monster and level design, giving players the freedom to explore, feed their curiousity, and enjoy the incredible detail putYet again, From Software delivers another fantastic piece of work, if not blinded by the difficult exterior, Dark Souls 3 is an Action RPG that offers a great experience for players where they are left to delve into the world of Lothric, where you can find amazing monster and level design, giving players the freedom to explore, feed their curiousity, and enjoy the incredible detail put into the world, along with intricate lore, albeit the cryptic approach, it is possible to understand most of the lore by reading the item descriptions and listening to what NPCs have to say, but new players may require some assistance in understanding this approach.

    The game also provides you with great satisfaction from defeating bosses, clearing areas and gaining special items, there is no doubt that it does not hold your hand, however, if investigated closely, you can see that many things in the game can be bypassed through trial and error, I have found that in most of my adventures within the world of Lothric, most of my deaths were due to my own mistakes, and I found it entertaining to figure out different methods and routes to victory.

    Dark Souls 3 also provides fantastic homage to the Dark Souls series to keep long-time fans interested, Action RPG fans will not want to miss out on this one.

    Pros:
    + Incredible level and enemy design
    + Immersive gameplay
    + Fantastic Music score
    + Intricate lore

    Cons:
    - Slightly unstable multiplayer.
    - A few frame rate drops, but nothing too serious.
    - Lack of NewGame+ replay value. (Excluding trying out new builds, but more of the changes in enemy behaviour.)

    Rating: 9/10    … Expand
  17. HTGamer
    Mar 27, 2017
    7
    Dark Souls III is a great game, but it's also a disappointing Dark Souls game.

    If you have played a Souls game before, you know what to expect here. It's an open world dungeon crawler filled with traps and powerful enemies, with brutal difficulty but fair and rewarding gameplay. The online system of co-op and invasions is back, along with the covenants. There is also an arena PvP mode    Dark Souls III is a great game, but it's also a disappointing Dark Souls game.

    If you have played a Souls game before, you know what to expect here. It's an open world dungeon crawler filled with traps and powerful enemies, with brutal difficulty but fair and rewarding gameplay. The online system of co-op and invasions is back, along with the covenants. There is also an arena PvP mode introduced in the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, but it's lame.

    The story is vague, as per the series' tradition, which is something that I don't really like. There is a whole fantasy universe and plot that gets buried in the descriptions of items, and chances are most players won't understand a thing because the lore needs to be read in fan-made wikis. Most players will just accept they have to slay anything that moves and progress to the end of the campaign and beat the final boss.

    Gameplay is solid as ever but it hasn't progressed much since Dark Souls 1, or even Demon's Souls. It's stuck in the same old pattern, while Bloodborne refreshed the series' gameplay in a huge way. There is only the addition of Weapon Stances, weapon-specific special moves (maybe inspired by Bloodborne's transforming weapons), but since they consume magic points to execute, players can't really use them as often as desired and will have to rely on the usual normal and heavy attacks.

    Another disappointment is the lack of art imagination. Most areas are copied from previous games. You have a new Castle, new Undead Settlement, new Library, new Catacombs, another poisonous lake, even a portion of Dark Souls 1's Anor Londo castle makes a return. There are a few completely new and original areas such as Irithyll of the Boreal Valley, but it's too little.

    Enemy mobs are great and varied, maybe a 100 different designs. Some of them even transform and buff themselves so they become really dangerous. The fight against The Dancer of Boreal Valley is a phenomenal boss fight, and 2 or 3 others are challenging and/or interesting, but the rest of them are just lame.

    Going into technicalities, graphics have been upgraded since Dark Souls 1 and 2, but not by much. Just like Bloodborne, frame rate on PS4 suffers not only from small drops here and there but also from bad frame pacing, so you get a constant jerkiness in motion even when the average is 30 fps. Thankfully the game remains highly playable. The soundtrack is meh, whereas Bloodborne's was majestic.

    Dark Souls III is a great game, but it failed to progress an already exceptional series. Releasing just a year after the magnificent Bloodborne, I think DS3 was rushed out the door. And since the game feels uninspired I suspect FROM Software kept the best elements for the Season Pass, just like with DS2. Guess what, they did exactly that. Both DLCs Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City look far more interesting than anything in the main DS3 game, even though they are overpriced for what they offer in terms of content and hours of play.

    My 7/10 score reflects the main game's state. I 'd score it a 7.5/10 if I could, but since it doesn't deserve an 8/10 it's a 7/10 then. A future GOTY Edition will be an 8.5/10 with the DLCs included.    … Expand
  18. Frostheos
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    Miyazaki came back, and with him, Dark Souls' soul. It's a freaking love letter from From Soft. The essence of Dark Souls 1 with stunning graphics and a faster combat system. Just like the first Dark Souls, but more linear. Though it improves in literally everything else. A real masterpiece.
  19. shiftyman
    Nov 13, 2016
    10
    Dark souls 3 is the game you love to hate, you can go from the escasty and jubilation of defeating a lord of cinder, to the despair and rage of dying a slither from victory. One of the best games of 2016.
  20. 88MIKEll
    Apr 17, 2016
    10
    Amazing game, From Software is by far, one of THE best developers in the world. They make top of the line quality games, like Bloodborne, which definitely should be getting game of the century awards. Dark Souls 3 is so much fun, so challenging, so lavish with art, rewards, gear, quality. I HIGHLY recommend this game.
  21. jtassassins
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Absolutely love it, although I've only gotten through 3 bosses, it is everything I want from a Darkosuls game and a fitting end to the series. The Graphics are obviously great, I'm loving the fast-paced nature of Bloodborne aswell, Musch smoother gameplay than previous Darksouls with less stuttering makes it an overall great game so far. I;m hoping it gets more difficult, so far it's notAbsolutely love it, although I've only gotten through 3 bosses, it is everything I want from a Darkosuls game and a fitting end to the series. The Graphics are obviously great, I'm loving the fast-paced nature of Bloodborne aswell, Musch smoother gameplay than previous Darksouls with less stuttering makes it an overall great game so far. I;m hoping it gets more difficult, so far it's not as hard as the others. In my opinion, it will be easier for new players to jump into the series, but that might be due to my previous experience with the series. The music and voice acting is phenomenal, I can see myself playing this game for Months to come :D… Expand
  22. MercenaryofHate
    May 14, 2016
    7
    No Good! Dark Souls 3 suffers from outdated graphics, lackluster bosses (who feel the same as all the other souls games) and a confusing perhaps non existent story line. Due to the Souls series failure to innovate stuff this feels like a mix of Dark Souls 1 and 2 you would miss nothing by not buying this. The game is too frustrating in mechanics to be enjoyable anyways and rather kind of boring.
  23. gortarez
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    This game is a love letter to long time fans, is beautiful and full of challenge. Even though the beginning can be a little forgiving and not as hard as previous iterations, that might be perfect to newcomers and easier for them to fall in love with this amazing Saga.
    Frame rate can suffer from time to time but nothing that can ruin the experience, in short words is the perfect ending for    This game is a love letter to long time fans, is beautiful and full of challenge. Even though the beginning can be a little forgiving and not as hard as previous iterations, that might be perfect to newcomers and easier for them to fall in love with this amazing Saga.
    Frame rate can suffer from time to time but nothing that can ruin the experience, in short words is the perfect ending for a trilogy.    … Expand
  24. juliogf
    Oct 20, 2016
    0
    Very hard game. More then 2 hours to pass the first boss (that is in middle of the tutorial...)(Yes, I restarted to see if I lost a HINT to find an excuse to what happened.
    Some games, like Skyrim, Fallout, can be difficult at the beggining, but it gives your other paths to continue learning and then return on that part. This game has a big steep learning curve for who didn't played    Very hard game. More then 2 hours to pass the first boss (that is in middle of the tutorial...)(Yes, I restarted to see if I lost a HINT to find an excuse to what happened.
    Some games, like Skyrim, Fallout, can be difficult at the beggining, but it gives your other paths to continue learning and then return on that part. This game has a big steep learning curve for who didn't played before.
    This game let you with a unique and very hard path, that you don't even know what to do ! (by the lack of objective, and when you find, the difficult of the fight)
    Remembered me the game NINJA GAIDEN (PS3), that also had a very high rating
    Not fan of easy games, but I'm 29 years old and I won't pass a day on videogame, to fight the same game the whole day. Make the game too slow.
    :) hope I helped you decide what game you should look for (If I could, I would return the game to the store to get another one... I choose this game by the high rating on METACRITIC)    … Expand
  25. Raffo10
    May 12, 2016
    1
    After playing this game for about 5 hours, I can safely say that it is nowhere near as good as Bloodborne in my opinion - the graphics are not good, the story not as gripping and the general combat mechanics are poor!
  26. FredrikM
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    There is one very bad thing about Dark Souls 3 - It will never let go of you, once you start playing it is almost impossible to stop. All the exploring, challenging enemies, gruesome bosses, deep and mysterious lore, never-ending varieties of weapon-builds and character builds, covenants, perfect co-op, pvp I could go on for a very long time. It all makes up for one of most fascinating andThere is one very bad thing about Dark Souls 3 - It will never let go of you, once you start playing it is almost impossible to stop. All the exploring, challenging enemies, gruesome bosses, deep and mysterious lore, never-ending varieties of weapon-builds and character builds, covenants, perfect co-op, pvp I could go on for a very long time. It all makes up for one of most fascinating and unique gaming experiences the PS4 has to offer. This game literally has everything a hardcore adventure gamer could ever wish for and makes every decision you make during your play through feel somewhat important. The essence is in the details. something that Dark Souls 3 has a lot of.… Expand
  27. MrStewpidity
    Sep 28, 2017
    3
    I don't get the hype. This was just a frustrating hack-and-slash with a boring story. The only reason people play this game is for bragging rights on how they played a game that makes you wan to break your controller.
  28. hardtheslam
    Apr 26, 2016
    10
    Giving this game a review other than 10/10 is a blatant injustice to the developers at From Software. Those people complaining that this game is a downgrade from Bloodborne, are cynical little ninnies. With that being said comparing this game to Bloodborne is ridiculous. Bloodborne's core fundamentals are extremely different, rewarding you for aggression and fast paced attacking. WhereasGiving this game a review other than 10/10 is a blatant injustice to the developers at From Software. Those people complaining that this game is a downgrade from Bloodborne, are cynical little ninnies. With that being said comparing this game to Bloodborne is ridiculous. Bloodborne's core fundamentals are extremely different, rewarding you for aggression and fast paced attacking. Whereas in the Dark Souls franchise you are rewarded for strategic styles of attacking, waiting for the right time to strike, defending yourself, and are heavily punished for mistakes.

    Okay, time to get off my high horse.. Dark Souls III is a beautiful game. The graphics are not 4k by any means but are still elegant and foreboding. The Class system reduces wasted levels for pure builds and all other types as well. The "Power Stance" ability also adds another dimension to every weapon/shield/item and is a welcome addition to the game. DS3 trades Bloodborne's agility fundamental in favor of the more tank-like evolution of the player, although it is possible to maintain a Bloodborne style of play through, given the right build for the job.

    Level design is still ridiculous, giving and awe-inspiring feeling of "This game is huge.". I have always enjoyed From Software's approach to level design, a somewhat linear adventure but also not linear at the same time.

    Overall this game will give Dark Souls fans another fantastic installation in the series while also providing many hours of exploration, collection, questing, boss fights, optional areas, and punishment that we all have come to love. A fantastic game to play!!!    … Expand
  29. Justines
    May 17, 2016
    0
    It just relies on gore to keep it going. After a while it gets boring. Maybe this just isn't my type of game, but I found it too boring. I didn't really see the point of playing.
  30. Zidane_Mina
    Apr 18, 2016
    10
    Dark Souls III is, accordingly to its creator, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the last game in the series, and what a way to go. Like its predecesors, beating this game is not an easy feat to achieve. Dark Souls III is an action RPG heavily focussed on Combat: you have to attack, roll, defend, run, cover, cast spells, everything under the same stamina bar, which of course limits the amount of actionsDark Souls III is, accordingly to its creator, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the last game in the series, and what a way to go. Like its predecesors, beating this game is not an easy feat to achieve. Dark Souls III is an action RPG heavily focussed on Combat: you have to attack, roll, defend, run, cover, cast spells, everything under the same stamina bar, which of course limits the amount of actions you can do in acertain amount of time, and that is the most important thing to consider here: resource management and strategy. Every item you use, and every weapon you chose to hold, changes the gameplay: would you rather be a damage sponge tank that cant roll and moves slowly?, or you can be a fast moving/weak attacking warrior that barely stands after a solid hit?. There's an absurd amount of gameplay styles in here, and enough variations to keep you comming back for more, to try to mix up things a little. For every defeated enemy, you earn souls, which are your experience and currency, and upon death, you lose every single soul you have in stock, and only have 1 chance to retrieve them in the place you previously died, so approach very carefully if you dont want to lose them forever.

    Graphics wise, the game looks incredible, filled with medieval epic vistas, to hellish deeps and dark catacombs and forests, even magnificent looking castles wich sometimes reminded me of Bloodborne. On PS4 there are few instances of framerate drops, but then again, PS4 is not a PC, so dont expect the ultimate visual experience in this version. Controls are rock solid, responsive and sensitive, so there's no complaint there. Sound design is incredible and immersive, specially when played with a headset: the distant hidden foes arround the corner, the backstabing enemies behind you, the sound design in this game can save your life many times if you do pay atention. Level design is complex and has enough variation to keep you on your toes, though the overall world is nowhere as near as genious as it was in the original Dark Souls, but not as linear as Dark Souls II, its more like a "Bloodborne" overlay. The game is lengthy, and it may take up from 30 to 50 hours to beat, deppending of your skills; as a subjective perception i would say is longer than Dark Souls and Bloodborne, a little shorter than vanilla Dark souls II. The soundtrack, is filled with bombastic themes, and some others are sad, a couple of them will resonate with long time fans of the series.

    In the end, Dark Souls III feels like a crowning achievement of the developer and Miyazaki, and a really well placed game with tons of content, gameplay styles and very high (very very very high) levels of challenge, specially on new game plus, thus giving us one of the most solid and replayable trilogies ever concieved.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PS4 Game of 2016
4
#4 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
14
#14 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 69 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 69
  3. Negative: 0 out of 69
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jun 13, 2016
    90
    Dark Souls III rarely innovates, but it experiments within the Souls parameters to grotesque and glorious effect. Another Game of The Year contender, then. [June 2016, p.81]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    May 18, 2016
    90
    Dark Souls III is all-consuming, it’ll drive you up the wall, and the sense of accomplishment you’ll get when everything clicks and you go on to finish that final boss... well, it’s simply beyond compare [June 2016, p70]
  3. Games Master UK
    May 18, 2016
    95
    The best Dark Souls game to pick up right now, and a fitting finale for the series. [May 2016, p.58]
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