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. Yas667
    Apr 25, 2016
    10
    Don't listen to deluded morons who have a grudge against the game and saying the game is rewashed amalgamation of the games before. why does that matter?... This is by far THE BEST dark souls game yet. They have tweaked the pace so well and also is absolutely stunning. the game has a very good escalation in difficulty. the me the last 12-14 months has all out been - Witcher 3, Bloodborne,Don't listen to deluded morons who have a grudge against the game and saying the game is rewashed amalgamation of the games before. why does that matter?... This is by far THE BEST dark souls game yet. They have tweaked the pace so well and also is absolutely stunning. the game has a very good escalation in difficulty. the me the last 12-14 months has all out been - Witcher 3, Bloodborne, MGS - PP and this.… Expand
  2. JackKasket
    Apr 24, 2016
    10
    Dark Souls III has it's faults, but despite them, it is a near masterwork.

    I could go on and on about the good things in this game, but I'll just mention a few gear grinding faults, which do take some of the fun out of the whole experience. - Netcode is poor. It is quite a struggle to play co-op, when being able to connect is more dependent on stars aligning than clicking on all the    Dark Souls III has it's faults, but despite them, it is a near masterwork.

    I could go on and on about the good things in this game, but I'll just mention a few gear grinding faults, which do take some of the fun out of the whole experience.

    - Netcode is poor. It is quite a struggle to play co-op, when being able to connect is more dependent on stars aligning than clicking on all the right settings. Invading is also a such a pain in the arse, it's not even fun. If there is a fight club going, that's great, but try invading and you'll get lag stabbed to oblivion nine out of ten times.

    - Save the Earth-level of recycling: I do enjoy the continuity in the series, but items, enemies and boss fights feel quite recycled. It just takes that something away from feeling accomplished, when you've done the same thing with different skins many times before.

    - Balance issues: I'm quite disheartened about the weapon balancing in the current version. Sure, like in all souls games, everyone will have their favorite club to swing, but there two to three weapons that are too OP to be replaced. As a long-time halberd user, I was a bit irked I was forced to go the sword and shield route simply because there are easy to acquire options that are just too much better.

    Overall, this game is one of those that you can't miss. If From fixes some of the issues in the next game series, beyond Bloodborne, Metacritic will need to turn the score bar to 11.    … Expand
  3. sdwillie
    Apr 24, 2016
    2
    Of the Souls games, i scored this one the highest, but the others gpt zeroes because of design decisions. like online play being opt out (and a complete pain to do) or a starting gift that FROM happily admitted was trolling. This game earned its 2 by sucking. Inconsistent response to the controller,horribly dumbed down and worst of all, ***really, really easy***. FROM seems to haveOf the Souls games, i scored this one the highest, but the others gpt zeroes because of design decisions. like online play being opt out (and a complete pain to do) or a starting gift that FROM happily admitted was trolling. This game earned its 2 by sucking. Inconsistent response to the controller,horribly dumbed down and worst of all, ***really, really easy***. FROM seems to have embraced everything that sucked about video games in the late 80's through the 90's and into the naughties-crappy cameras, clipping, inconsistent framerates, random commands executing, etc. If this is the last Souls game thank you FROMSoftware. Thank you for stopping.… Expand
  4. N4kedSnake
    Apr 24, 2016
    10
    Simplesmente o melhor jogo que a From Software poderia entregar para os fãs de Dark Souls. Confesso que estava com um pé atrás depois de Dark Souls 2, que na minha opinião foi extremamente inferior ao primeiro game da serie. Em minha opinião DS 1 ainda é o melhor action RPG já criado, contudo, Dark Souls 3 consegue bater de frente com ele em todos os sentidos, seja na dificuldade, chefesSimplesmente o melhor jogo que a From Software poderia entregar para os fãs de Dark Souls. Confesso que estava com um pé atrás depois de Dark Souls 2, que na minha opinião foi extremamente inferior ao primeiro game da serie. Em minha opinião DS 1 ainda é o melhor action RPG já criado, contudo, Dark Souls 3 consegue bater de frente com ele em todos os sentidos, seja na dificuldade, chefes inesquecíveis, questlines brilhantes e personagens carismáticos ao extremo!… Expand
  5. Praseidimio666
    Apr 23, 2016
    9
    Iin the end, it is a beefed up version of Ghosts 'n Goblins.
    I really like when a game does not try to be something else (a book - hating all the worthless endless descriptions of every stupid object, monster and character in the game, or a sorta VR - with open, disorienting, repetitive, dull locations). This game is beautiful, it is frightening, it is challenging, every encounter, every    Iin the end, it is a beefed up version of Ghosts 'n Goblins.
    I really like when a game does not try to be something else (a book - hating all the worthless endless descriptions of every stupid object, monster and character in the game, or a sorta VR - with open, disorienting, repetitive, dull locations). This game is beautiful, it is frightening, it is challenging, every encounter, every moment is different and requires skill and thought. No filler so far (about 1/3 into it), its virtues easily outcome its flaws. It definitely has a soul    … Expand
  6. vixiyoxe
    Apr 23, 2016
    10
    Just started playing this last night, already clocked 9 hours, the graphics are stunning, combat is fluid and the music and voice acting IS PHENOMENAL. I love dark souls so much and if this truly is the final dark souls game, itll be a sad day for us all. But bittersweet, because we're sent off with a final stunning entry in this amazing series. Thank you FromSoftware
  7. 998817268
    Apr 23, 2016
    5
    This game is entirely about diving at the right times to avoid your opponent’s auto-targeting, or avoiding colossal monsters’ attacks, which penetrate walls somehow. While it has its moments, between incredible settings, and epic boss fights, the combat in general is busted. There is no other way to explain the insane precision of the regular A.I, who can pivot a hundred and eighty degreesThis game is entirely about diving at the right times to avoid your opponent’s auto-targeting, or avoiding colossal monsters’ attacks, which penetrate walls somehow. While it has its moments, between incredible settings, and epic boss fights, the combat in general is busted. There is no other way to explain the insane precision of the regular A.I, who can pivot a hundred and eighty degrees in a fraction of a second while still attacking you somehow. In boss fight, or fights against larger monsters especially, and in fights with monsters in general, you will certainly die more than once being struck through a wall. You'll also die falling off of ledges because your character has to leap forward to attack, and half of the fights take place on some tight rope a half-mile above the earth for some reason. Enjoy playing the same 100 meter stretch of gameplay for a whole day, dying in inexplicable ways, and holding in your tears of shame and rage while trying to justify having spent $90 on a rage-induced brain tumour.… Expand
  8. Spyros_spy
    Apr 22, 2016
    10
    Played an hour and a half. Just what I wanted it to be. I've played DS 1, DS 2, Bloodborne and DS 3 is amazing and better than all 4 when it comes to gameplay and fps so far. The music is amazing and the view as well.
  9. EHansen14
    Apr 22, 2016
    10
    An excellent addition to the franchise, Dark Souls 3 reminds me of what I loved about the first Dark Souls and brings some changes reminiscent of Bloodborne. Great locations, enemies and some very memorable bosses. A very large variety of weapons, armours, and NPCs, Dark Souls 3 has so much to offer.

    I'm about 27 hours in right now, having spent maybe 10 hours with co operation with    An excellent addition to the franchise, Dark Souls 3 reminds me of what I loved about the first Dark Souls and brings some changes reminiscent of Bloodborne. Great locations, enemies and some very memorable bosses. A very large variety of weapons, armours, and NPCs, Dark Souls 3 has so much to offer.

    I'm about 27 hours in right now, having spent maybe 10 hours with co operation with friends. About 8-9 bosses through and getting to some very interesting areas. Dark Souls 3 is one of the best games I've played in a long time.

    The game gets a perfect 10 for me, enjoying it more than I have enjoyed a game in quite some time. Personally, I was a little disappointed with Dark Souls 2 (though still a very good game). I'm happy to say Dark Souls 3 feels much improved and makes for an excellent finale to a beloved franchise. I can't see any From Software fans being disappointed with this one.    … Expand
  10. BloodyRandy
    Apr 21, 2016
    7
    I'm not sure what to think about this game. They copy the first Dark Souls boss by making him incredibly difficult. That's basically the hardest boss in the game since you can now level up, equip a decent weapon and team up with 2 more players to fight them. This game is really good, but it suffers some pacing issues with boss difficulty. Some of the bosses are pretty good, whileI'm not sure what to think about this game. They copy the first Dark Souls boss by making him incredibly difficult. That's basically the hardest boss in the game since you can now level up, equip a decent weapon and team up with 2 more players to fight them. This game is really good, but it suffers some pacing issues with boss difficulty. Some of the bosses are pretty good, while others really go down with some simple movement. One thing that's great about this game is the major differences it has with previous games, but that could also be its major downfall. I didn't quite find a dungeon as satisfying as Sen's fortress. There also wasn't a boss as amazing as the wolf in the forest or Smaugh and the other guy. Recycling the same gear game after game is not acceptable. The majority of the armor and weapons are completely recycled. Some of the new ones are really great, but I can't help but notice they don't have many new offerings to the world. Some items are totally ruined by redesign like the ring of sacrifice. Not being able to upgrade armor makes the armor pointless and even with the strongest armor in the game I was getting hit with ridiculous amounts of damage as I progressed. I beat the final boss on the first try but took 5 tries to beat the first. That first boss wasn't very fun to fight either. He also had more interesting phases so it felt like the game ran out of gas. If you played Dark Souls 2 you'll be dissapointed that there isn't a treasure dragon cove like there is with that game. There are many disturbing zombie areas with gross explosions out of bodies and just sickening horror, which wasn't what I was looking for in this. I always liked Mayasaki's art style and surprisingly awesome fantasy world. There are sections where this was done well though, however. The dragons are much better designed and fit with the art style of the world in this than Dark Souls 2. There are some pretty cool areas but it can be almost too city focused and not enough mountains and foresty areas like with the other games. The dungeon here dungeon there gets old and repetitive. The biggest letdown is the covenants are quite boring and don't offer you any real good gear. They nerfed weapons in the middle of the release which made some weapons completely suck right when the patch hit. I'm thinking estoc, but I noticed I couldn't get any real damage out of certain weapons and I couldn't see why they weren't doing much against some bosses even if I had it fully upgraded with 40 strength. So the balanced rule has kind of killed the funfactor of the game and I didn't feel as powerful as I usually do at the end of other Dark Souls games. Utlimately the new engine is great, but the framerates at moments really slow you down but not the boss. Delayed responses in dives and doubling your strike because the game lagged can be frustrating especially when this causes you to die or get hit really hard even though you posted your shield. If you're looking for a significantly better game, better buy a 3ds and stick to Monster Hunter 4. When I dive, my guy dives, when I swing my weapon my weapon swings, no more no less. Thanks Mayasaki, but kind of dissapointed and expected a little more. The "attempts" to fix the game only killed the enjoyment of many items, depth of upgrading gear & the feeling of being powerful at the end, so overall I give this a 7. Thanks for reading… Expand
  11. Paulocamilo
    Apr 21, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. dark souls 3 is a good game ,the graphics are beautifully and stunning ,the combat is fluid ,i spend many days
    playing this wonderfull game ,i love all dark souls game including bloodborne and demon's souls.thank all
    of you fromsoftware.    … Expand
  12. Jools86
    Apr 21, 2016
    9
    I am really enjoying what is my 5th Souls game *(if you include BB).

    I am disappointed no time was spent on solidifying the frame rate. However the boss battles are as fantastic as ever, and the 2 things which really makes this game stand out are the atmosphere, and the battle mechanics. One thing I have noticed, is (compared to previous years), are not many people around to    I am really enjoying what is my 5th Souls game *(if you include BB).

    I am disappointed no time was spent on solidifying the frame rate.

    However the boss battles are as fantastic as ever, and the 2 things which really makes this game stand out are the atmosphere, and the battle mechanics.

    One thing I have noticed, is (compared to previous years), are not many people around to summon near the bosses, so far I have been able to solo all, but am only at the Cathedral, and am a bit worried the scarcity of fellow games on the PS4 might prevent me from progressing in a few bosses time.    … Expand
  13. RadicalMADMAN69
    Apr 21, 2016
    10
    Fantastic game! The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is addicting, and story is well told. The story is souls games has never been shoved in your face. It is there if you want to experience it but you can just ignore it and just focus on collecting items, leveling up and experiencing the atmospheric world. That is what I appreciated about the souls games. They have such a unique way ofFantastic game! The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is addicting, and story is well told. The story is souls games has never been shoved in your face. It is there if you want to experience it but you can just ignore it and just focus on collecting items, leveling up and experiencing the atmospheric world. That is what I appreciated about the souls games. They have such a unique way of telling the story. This game is definitely going to be a contender for game of the year.… Expand
  14. LeeDH
    Apr 21, 2016
    10
    Fantastic DarkFantasy!!!!!!!!!!!

    분위기 하나는 알아줘야 합니다. 프롬은 저를 실망 시키지 않는군요.
    보스 디자인 과 맵 디자인 그리고 매력적인 스토리... 더불어 그에 맞는 BGM까지 완벽합니다!!!
    이 편이 마지막 소울이란게 아쉽고 안타까울정도라구요!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  15. Rigermortis
    Apr 20, 2016
    10
    Just adding a 10 rating to counter the zero one player put in on the basis of poor keyboard support - this is the PS4 version of the game not the PC version. UI is fine on PS4.
  16. GamergodsFail
    Apr 20, 2016
    7
    Actually deserves a 7.5, and here's why...

    In its current form, Dark Souls III is a relatively buggy, generic and repetitious combination of all the Souls games that came before it, in all the right and wrong ways. To make it more disappointing, it does very little to bring anything new or innovative to the franchise. It is simply, and annually, more of the same. PROS: - Amazing    Actually deserves a 7.5, and here's why...

    In its current form, Dark Souls III is a relatively buggy, generic and repetitious combination of all the Souls games that came before it, in all the right and wrong ways. To make it more disappointing, it does very little to bring anything new or innovative to the franchise. It is simply, and annually, more of the same.

    PROS:

    - Amazing story/lore tied closely to the first Dark Souls game. When fans say this is "the sequel we deserve", they mostly mean it in this way.
    - The music. By far my personal favorite soundtrack in the series, and that includes Bloodborne.
    - The design of the world and the bosses are an improvement over DS2.
    - The option to return to the game after beating the story instead of automatically starting over. DS2 shared the same feature.
    - Introduction of "Ashen Flasks" for your Focus Points (magic)

    CONS:
    - It's very linear, even more than it was in DS2.
    - Glitches. Poor framerate in some spots are understandable, but since when does a Souls game have bugs?
    - Enemy AI is often broken, and their tracking of your movements are all over the place.
    - I can upgrade weapons and shields, but not armor?
    - Not as long or as deep as the other two Dark Souls games, it will take the average Souls vet no more than 40-45 hours to explore everything and beat every boss. In the other two it took around 60-70.

    Overall a little disappointed as a fan of the series, but it was still a decent game in general. Perhaps I will bring it up to an 8 after the updates fix all the bugs and any AI issues.    … Expand
  17. KatiesMom
    Apr 20, 2016
    9
    This game is incredible! I have played the other Dark Souls games as well, and was eagerly awaiting the release of this one. It has lived up to almost every expectation that I had. The only reason I am not going to give it a 10 is because one of the multiplayer aspects of the game. When one is summoned in the souls games, and die while summoned, one does not lose any souls. So I wasThis game is incredible! I have played the other Dark Souls games as well, and was eagerly awaiting the release of this one. It has lived up to almost every expectation that I had. The only reason I am not going to give it a 10 is because one of the multiplayer aspects of the game. When one is summoned in the souls games, and die while summoned, one does not lose any souls. So I was pretty upset to learn that in Souls III my (very expensive) ring of sacrifice was broken upon dying while summoned. This should not happen unless I die in my own world, as in the last two games. I was pretty put out about that when it happened. I will give them the benefit of the doubt that this is a small oversight that will eventually be rectified in later patches. Other than that, this game is amazing. Great story lines for the various NPC's, amazing rendering on the landscapes, huge and sprawling expansive areas in which to treasure hunt, fun armor and weapon sets to play around with, and wonderfully imaginative and challenging boss fights! Bravo!… Expand
  18. AeonCOR
    Apr 20, 2016
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For context I'm about 4&1/2 hours in, but have now given up due to feeling like I fight the interface more than the bosses.

    The camera needs constant baby sitting, on top of a FOV so bad I noticed it in a 3rd person game. The camera lock on is little help, as you can't lock on at any kind of range and up close you need to target them dead center, taking the time to do so getting you hurt.

    The tutorial is basically non existent, If you haven't played DS1 or DS2, prepare to turn to wikis and videos to learn how to run, jump and counter attack.
    I played a bad class for the first boss, so tried killing the crystal lizard first for a different better weapon or something, all I got was some "wonderful" upgrade material I couldn't use.

    Putting aside the camera, the combat feels really unresponsive for some reason. I can't pin it down exactly, but you constantly feel so slow compared to the enemies.
    Also counter attacking/shielding is often an exercise of repetition, as alot of enemy telegraphs slow down and speed up unnaturally(like they were wielding weightless weapons), meaning paying attention to them is not enough and you just have to memorize them.

    For such a punishing game, I also felt like after every death I would have to wait an eternity to get control back, between the death screen and long loads, you just feel like time is wasting you could be using to try again(and I'm on an SSD!)

    I will say though, it does look fantastic, and the world physics are great. I do love seeing the carnage of boxes, chairs, and mooks left over from a tussle with a boss. Not to mention me just getting covered in the blood of my enemies.

    Overall, I can't recommend it unless you have 100% DS1 & DS2 and just need more.    … Expand
  19. Rush--21
    Apr 20, 2016
    10
    I VERY rarely write reviews, but this game deserves one. Having never played a Dark Souls game before and hearing how difficult they can be, I came in with a sense of wonder...and with my guard up. I got BRUTALIZED by the first boss and asked myself if I could even continue playing. I thought this might be the first game I couldn't actually play due to its high learning curve andI VERY rarely write reviews, but this game deserves one. Having never played a Dark Souls game before and hearing how difficult they can be, I came in with a sense of wonder...and with my guard up. I got BRUTALIZED by the first boss and asked myself if I could even continue playing. I thought this might be the first game I couldn't actually play due to its high learning curve and difficulty. 25 hours and 40 levels later, I can say without doubt, this is one of the best aRPG's I've ever played. I RARELY consider games being a perfect 10, but this game is an absolute masterpiece. Dark Souls 3 will bring you to your destruction...and astonish you while you're alive.… Expand
  20. Big_Bear
    Apr 20, 2016
    8
    Well as usual there are some astoundingly stupid negative reviews on here which you should ignore , unless you just want a laugh. You should also ignore any review dated on release date, as the game is impossible to accurately review in a single day. Both the negative reviews and those written on release day are posted for 'likes' and attention, nothing more.

    Anyway, the game itself is    Well as usual there are some astoundingly stupid negative reviews on here which you should ignore , unless you just want a laugh. You should also ignore any review dated on release date, as the game is impossible to accurately review in a single day. Both the negative reviews and those written on release day are posted for 'likes' and attention, nothing more.

    Anyway, the game itself is outstanding, as you would expect and manages to surpass even the bench mark that is Dark Souls 1.

    Good - The world and level design are by far the best of any souls game. The levels connect together beautifully but are also pretty large to boot. They are also beautiful to look at and provide an amazing atmosphere somewhere in between souls and Bloodborne. Some of the best level design I have ever seen, putting many other games to shame.

    The gameplay, as always, is top notch and very addictive with a large number of playstyles available which makes for hundreds of hours of gameplay and provides huge replayability. The bosses are far superior to Dark Souls 2 and actually mean something again making them even more memorable than Dark Souls 1 or Demon's.

    There are also a great number of weapons and armor sets to discover which has always been a part of souls games.

    Bad - The character creator isn't great with a few bugs and issues that seemed to have carried over from Bloodborne, thin, Giraffe like necks being one, hopefully it will be patched but Bloodborne never was. The worst thing is having item 'drop rates' - which is nothing more than a lazy way to make items hard to get. Devs can't think of anything better so simply slap a 1% drop rate on something to make it difficult to obtain. It can make trying to get a particular armor set very frustrating and simply is not any fun.

    Verdict - An amazing game that is the finest Souls to date and at least equals Bloodborne. This will score a 9 or even a 10 for me with some sizeable dlc. Addictive, creative and atmospheric Dark Souls 3 completely delivers. 8/10.    … Expand
  21. loveling
    Apr 19, 2016
    10
    best video game I've ever played, it's addictive,I can not stop playing,I think dark souls 3 is better than bloodborne
    gameplay : 10 (too dramatic and epic ) ,is very amazing boss battles
    Graphics : 10 (very good)
    Story :9.5 (awesome)
    level of challenge:10 (this is extremely difficult game, which is tougher dark souls 1 and 2 and i like that)
    I love this game ,Thanks from software studio
  22. 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
  23. Donmarciano
    Apr 19, 2016
    8
    Dark souls 3 feels a lot like dark souls 2 despite the fact that it tries really hard to recapture the magic of dark souls 1. In the end, the game is definitely enjoyable but feels "empty", some of the environments beg to be explored but rarely reward you for doing so. There is also very little environment variety, i felt like the game was mostly one big dungeon. Overall, its enjoyable butDark souls 3 feels a lot like dark souls 2 despite the fact that it tries really hard to recapture the magic of dark souls 1. In the end, the game is definitely enjoyable but feels "empty", some of the environments beg to be explored but rarely reward you for doing so. There is also very little environment variety, i felt like the game was mostly one big dungeon. Overall, its enjoyable but doesnt reach it full potential.… Expand
  24. seburo
    Apr 19, 2016
    10
    Started on tuesday and 32 hours after the graphics are stunning, combat is fluid and the music and voice acting IS PHENOMENAL. I love dark souls so much and if this truly is the final dark souls game, itll be a sad day for us all. But bittersweet, because we're sent off with a final stunning entry in this amazing series. Thank you FromSoftware. It's just as perfect as we hoped it to be.Started on tuesday and 32 hours after the graphics are stunning, combat is fluid and the music and voice acting IS PHENOMENAL. I love dark souls so much and if this truly is the final dark souls game, itll be a sad day for us all. But bittersweet, because we're sent off with a final stunning entry in this amazing series. Thank you FromSoftware. It's just as perfect as we hoped it to be. Thanks Miyazaki-sensei, you've made us an unpayable gift.… Expand
  25. MeatBurger
    Apr 18, 2016
    8
    it is a HARD but fun game. but there is not that much of innovation. bosses use similar patterns and graphics are same as bloodborne. but some stone gates looks like **** also personally did not liked some bosses having two health bars. kinda feels cheap because first health bar is really easy. it just feels like it is there to waste my 3min. but still, a fun game.
  26. 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
  27. Fox152236
    Apr 18, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is a fantastic DS game.

    I love Bloodborne and DS1, hated DS2, and I've never played Demon Souls, if that gives you any indication of what this game is like.

    I'll say this, if you're still deciding on whether or not to buy the game because you loved Bloodborne, please reconsider. This game is NOT Bloodborne. It's a fantasy style game SIMILAR to Bloodborne. However, where BB encourages you to be aggressive and offensive (regain health through attack, larger weapons, overpowered melee damage, no shields, more healing items, Etc.) Dark Souls is a very defensive series. Whether you're using a shield, timing your spell casts, or dodging attacks, Dark Souls encourages you to think about each encounter, instead of just rushing through.

    this game fixes a lot of the problems that I had with DS2. Namely, the stats are balanced in much the same way as DS1, and the hollowing system has been modified so much it can hardly be considered the same mechanic.

    If you have problems with the first boss, I feel sorry for you. The game does take getting used to, but the first boss might be the easiest boss I've ever fought. The controls are unique, so if this is your first souls game, I recommend reading ALL the comments during the tutorial area,.

    This game is not supposed to be "hard". It's as difficult as you make it for yourself. Please don't buy this game because you think that beating it will get you bragging rights. It's a fantastic and beautiful fantasy adventure that happens to teach you by killing you.

    I do have criticisms of this game. Yorhm was a disappointment, as the way to beat him is standing feet away from him, and when you get the item, he's dead in a few hits. I feel that the bosses overused some iffy mechanics, such as the often repeated "you thought the fight was over? PSYCH! second phase." and "My attacks are obvious, so dodge them all in succession to hit me."    … Expand
  28. loadstone007
    Apr 18, 2016
    9
    An excellent game, incredibly difficult. However I do think Bloodborne is better, a solid 10/10.
    Still, if you enjoyed Bloodborne DS3 is still very fun to play.
  29. Absynce
    Apr 17, 2016
    0
    The game is not hard because of the design, its hard because the developer didn't even bother to map the tutorial to the keyboard, regardelss if you are playing with a keyboard you still get playstation layniness prompts, leaving you to smash every key until you find out how to play, its a 'difficult' game. the game is still fun, I like the story. but things like requiring you toThe game is not hard because of the design, its hard because the developer didn't even bother to map the tutorial to the keyboard, regardelss if you are playing with a keyboard you still get playstation layniness prompts, leaving you to smash every key until you find out how to play, its a 'difficult' game. the game is still fun, I like the story. but things like requiring you to constantly toggole on and off of targets to either run or fight is reminicesnt of 1990's games like zelda's ocrina of time. while I understand nostalgia, having a poor UI is no excuse to tout that the game is 'hard' its really not hard, the game itself is easy its the clunky UI and poor and lazy mechanics and lack of a compute tutorial that makes the game hard.… Expand
  30. sirlovemuscle
    Apr 17, 2016
    10
    WOW........just WOW what a send off (if it is the last one i hope not) this game is just that good it overshadows almost everything that i have played before and i have been gaming fore a looooooooooong time! Man up and get ready do die a lot and love every second of it!
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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

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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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