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
  31. Chowda
    Sep 6, 2016
    4
    Another fantastic Dark Souls game....I can now forgive them for that piece of trash they call Dark Souls II....I wish I was playing it right now instead of typing this..........Praise the Sun!

    However....after finishing the game multiple times....I am deducting six points for the way FROM sets up their NPC story lines.....complete garbage. Really.....you expect me to backtrack    Another fantastic Dark Souls game....I can now forgive them for that piece of trash they call Dark Souls II....I wish I was playing it right now instead of typing this..........Praise the Sun!

    However....after finishing the game multiple times....I am deducting six points for the way FROM sets up their NPC story lines.....complete garbage.

    Really.....you expect me to backtrack through an area that has multiple shortcuts right beside the bonfire?
    Really....Even though a character says the same thing over and over you expect me to talk to him after each boss?
    Really....I can end a quest line line just by turning left instead of right?
    Really.....you expect me to warp back to the bonfire and go back to the same spot to trigger certain events?
    Really....I can end a quest-line if I don't talk to someone before I beat a boss?

    Horrible quest design.    … Expand
  32. 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
  33. Ageoss
    Apr 17, 2016
    10
    Oh my God . Where to Begin. By it self the music travels you , the gameplay is as challenging and as brutal as u would expect from a souls game , the atmosphere great . For souls players this is a MUST game and actually for any gamer. Its pure gold and i have been enjoying every damn second of this gorgeous game . Shame its the last of this amazing series but what a way to close this franschise :(
  34. boynamedluke
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Coming from a platinum trophy earned in Dark 1&2, Sins, Bloodborne, and all 3 region releases of Demon's, Dark Souls 3 is, simply put, everything I wanted and have been waiting for. It's the sum of all parts, and the experience combined with god powers FROM has amassed over the last series of releases. Firelink is the Demon's nexus, complete with a new Maiden. The combat is pure Souls,Coming from a platinum trophy earned in Dark 1&2, Sins, Bloodborne, and all 3 region releases of Demon's, Dark Souls 3 is, simply put, everything I wanted and have been waiting for. It's the sum of all parts, and the experience combined with god powers FROM has amassed over the last series of releases. Firelink is the Demon's nexus, complete with a new Maiden. The combat is pure Souls, fine tuned to perfection. Even after 1000 hours of play across all games, this damn game still finds ways to kill me. Repeatedly.… Expand
  35. Blackredhunter
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    GOTY 2016, this game is amazing.
    incredible story , epic soundtrack , steering spectacular art as bosses , scenarios , weapons and armors.this game is really fantastic , with a good difficulty behind one inexplicable feeling after overcoming a challenge , the best game of the year so far and one of the best games I've ever played , and I already played a countless numbers of games , a    GOTY 2016, this game is amazing.
    incredible story , epic soundtrack , steering spectacular art as bosses , scenarios , weapons and armors.this game is really fantastic , with a good difficulty behind one inexplicable feeling after overcoming a challenge , the best game of the year so far and one of the best games I've ever played , and I already played a countless numbers of games , a penalty that by prejudice or difficulty many people speak ill of the game , we need games more difficult for people to have an obstacle , as in life, and that things are not so easy , it would be good if people give value to things that are really well done and good as is the case of DS3.    … Expand
  36. Sky123
    Apr 2, 2017
    0
    WTF Is This **** Clueless Piece Of Junk, i Don't Get It ? it is just A Refresh Of Demon's Souls Game Back From 2009. There is No Mini Map, No Idea What To Do Or Where To Go Which isn't Much Of A Problem, BUT The Slow Dull & Retarded Combat is Really Pathetic And Annoying. The First Templar Game From 2011 Has Far Superior Combat Then This Worthless Garbage, And It is Slow And Seriously, Boring.
  37. 7Machado
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    This game is flawless. From the gorgeous graphics, to the fluid gameplay. It's an amazing RPG! You will die lots of course, but it is without a doubt one of the most rewarding game experiences in recent history. All I can say is enjoy :)
  38. ardbob
    Apr 17, 2016
    10
    I've played every Soulsborne game. Demon's Souls, Dark Souls 1, Dark Souls 2, Scholars of the First Sin, Bloodborne and now Dark Souls 3. I had extremely high expectations for this game and I have to say... it blew me away. Each game in the series has had it's own flaws, but Dark Souls 3 really feels like it took the best parts of each game and fixed any remaining issues. That's not to sayI've played every Soulsborne game. Demon's Souls, Dark Souls 1, Dark Souls 2, Scholars of the First Sin, Bloodborne and now Dark Souls 3. I had extremely high expectations for this game and I have to say... it blew me away. Each game in the series has had it's own flaws, but Dark Souls 3 really feels like it took the best parts of each game and fixed any remaining issues. That's not to say the game is without flaws itself. It certainly has it's own quirks, but overall I feel this game is the masterpiece of the series.

    The best parts:
    - The level design is insanely good. It's intricate and twists upon itself constantly. There is an abundance of shortcuts with well placed bonfires (checkpoints).
    - The environment design is some of the best I've ever seen. It feels like they took some inspiration from Bloodborne but added more variety.
    - Enemy and boss design are aesthetically fantastic. I was constantly pausing to admire them before attacking. Adding onto this point, I'd say a larger majority of the bosses and enemies were fun for me. Each game has their good and bad bosses and their overly frustrating enemies. Dark Souls 3 seems to have done a great job making enemies challenging without being frustrating, as well as making each boss feel unique and interesting (with a couple exceptions).
    - The music, graphics and PC port quality all exceed previous entries' quality by a landslide. (Though Bloodborne, which isn't technically Dark Souls, does have about the same graphics and music quality.)
    - The combat is just as strategic and challenging as always, but now with much smoother movement and increased range of possibilities.

    The 'eh' parts:
    - As always, there are still a couple mediocre boss fights and a couple frustratingly annoying enemies.
    - At least on PC, there are a few bad bugs that give people a hard time (such as crashing the computer if lighting is on high for some people).

    In a couple months when all the bugs are fixed and this game can be more fairly compared to the other games in the series, I'd say this game is damn near perfect in my eyes.    … Expand
  39. numia
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    A+ for atmosphere, music, graphics, level design, combat, boss design...so far it's perfect! Everything I hoped it would be and more! I can understand people complaining and giving it negative reviews though...not everybody is cut out for Dark Souls. Some people just don't have the grit, determiniation and iron will required to scratch and claw their way out of the pit of ash that isA+ for atmosphere, music, graphics, level design, combat, boss design...so far it's perfect! Everything I hoped it would be and more! I can understand people complaining and giving it negative reviews though...not everybody is cut out for Dark Souls. Some people just don't have the grit, determiniation and iron will required to scratch and claw their way out of the pit of ash that is Lothric. Dark Souls 3! Praise the Sun!… Expand
  40. Anthor
    Apr 13, 2016
    9
    Gran entrega de la saga como era de esperar. Poco que mencionar a sus puntos buenos que son casi todos y no son nada que no se sepa ya de sobras por los fans, pues cuando una saga tiene calidad e identidad propia, se nota. Sin embargo petardea gráficamente en algunos puntos, fruto de las prisas, y como son la baja calidad del mapeado de texturas de personaje y armaduras en las distanciasGran entrega de la saga como era de esperar. Poco que mencionar a sus puntos buenos que son casi todos y no son nada que no se sepa ya de sobras por los fans, pues cuando una saga tiene calidad e identidad propia, se nota. Sin embargo petardea gráficamente en algunos puntos, fruto de las prisas, y como son la baja calidad del mapeado de texturas de personaje y armaduras en las distancias cortas y que dichas armaduras no tienen hueco para la cabeza pues está tapado intencionadamente, cruzándose el cuello de manera grotesca y quedando realmente mal. Bloodborne tuvo mejor acabado ahí. En fin, minucias que pueden resultar irrelevantes teniendo en cuenta sus puntos positivos que son todos los demás, pero que afean el acabado sin duda, de ahí a que le ponga un 9 y no un 10.… Expand
  41. socialist6
    Feb 5, 2021
    1
    I am absolutely stunned at the reviews this game gets.
    Do they hire a bunch of people to praise the game?
    It is by far the worst game i have spent more than just a short amount of time on. No jumping, grapping, climbing, extremely limited movement in general, linear, horrible bugs where you can hit through walls and yes the player as well, impossible to sever limbs, extremely    I am absolutely stunned at the reviews this game gets.
    Do they hire a bunch of people to praise the game?

    It is by far the worst game i have spent more than just a short amount of time on.

    No jumping, grapping, climbing, extremely limited movement in general, linear, horrible bugs where you can hit through walls and yes the player as well, impossible to sever limbs, extremely strange hitbox you take damage when you obviously did not get hit, extremely strange physics when trying to get down from a roof or something to a lower spot (75% of the body can be in the air :D!), sounds like a sword when you have a club, ... and so much more ****

    The blocking system is okay, and the movement of the monsters, before interaction, looks nice enough.
    That is it ... this game is an absolute disaster, the ratings MUST have been paid for!    … Expand
  42. JAX85
    May 10, 2016
    9
    best story - best game play - best online server but i love offline single player mode. Good graphics, great textures, and amazing style. I love dark souls so much and if this truly is the final dark souls game. The graphics look fantastic and the sound is just stunning
  43. Nunomagalhaes
    May 17, 2016
    7
    The game is good,but now sometimes i feel i,am playing monster hunter,now this game need more history,some narrative and more explanation,for me dark souls 1was the best,now you are playing the same game,with difrent locations,and some new enemys...the game is great sometimes,but only sometimes,have fun
  44. MachineMan1992
    Jul 13, 2017
    3
    All the faults of the Souls series are on full HD display; **** controls, overpowered enemies, smashed in half PvP, and bullcrap enemy placement are all accounted for. At least now the main narrative has a far more straightforward goal to keep the player on the straight and narrow, but the series trademark obfuscation is in no danger of leaving.

    These games are hard because you die    All the faults of the Souls series are on full HD display; **** controls, overpowered enemies, smashed in half PvP, and bullcrap enemy placement are all accounted for. At least now the main narrative has a far more straightforward goal to keep the player on the straight and narrow, but the series trademark obfuscation is in no danger of leaving.

    These games are hard because you die quickly. It's the most lazy and cheap way to make a game hard. Don't bother with any of these games, just play a tighter controlling RGP at max difficulty to get a similar experience.    … Expand
  45. SnowDay
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    Are you a lonely, 20-something bachelor? Do you enjoy being smacked around until you learn to love it? Do you enjoy deep lore and dungeon exploration with sudden death lurking around every corner? Look no further! Fall further into Stockholm's Syndrome with the third installment of this great series.
  46. Gwyndolin
    May 6, 2016
    9
    If you liked the previous Dark Souls games, you will like this one. If you did not like them, you still won't...
    In fact, out of the entire Soulborne series, this game probably has the most punishing first 5 hours. Even as a vet I can sense that the developers are trying their best to mess with our expectations.
    Returning fans who missed a few Dark Souls / Bloodborne games may be    If you liked the previous Dark Souls games, you will like this one. If you did not like them, you still won't...
    In fact, out of the entire Soulborne series, this game probably has the most punishing first 5 hours. Even as a vet I can sense that the developers are trying their best to mess with our expectations.
    Returning fans who missed a few Dark Souls / Bloodborne games may be discouraged from the first 5 hours and think things like "Oh man I might be too old for this series", well, IT GETS EASIER so press on my Sunbro!

    As always, don't expect a lot of exposition in this series, the story is basically what you can figure out from the bits and pieces of lore you find in the game. NPC Questlines are therefore vague and you can easily void questlines and the damage is irreversible until your next playthrough. I highly recommend using fextralife online wiki to get the full experience without trial and error for hundreds of hours on your own, unless of course, that is your thing.

    The music, again, is nonexistent unless you are at your home camp, or during boss fights. None of them are memorable, that doesn't mean it's bad, it's mostly because you are too focused trying to fight/survive the bosses to pay too much attention to the music. They do make the fights feel epic though and every piece is fitting.

    As for difficulty, I gotta say Bloodborne is still harder due to its core combat mechanics being more reflex/muscle memory based. However, you CAN make it harder than Bloodborne for yourself if you do a no-shield, no-cheese run.

    PVP is still the same ol' Dark Souls pvp. I like it enough to do it for Covenant rewards.

    Only gripe is the new Covenant system for some of the covenants. It's fundamentally flawed, and on top of that I think the matchmaking for them is currently broken. It effectively locks me out of Platinum because I can't get auto-matched...with the only alternative being grinding in PVE at low drop rates which isn't a very fun way to go about doing it. I mean, I see why they have the low drop rates, so they could get more people to participate in PVP...but when the matchmaking is barely working it's just bad all around.

    All in all, this game is great and is worthy of being the swan song of the series, and the finale reminds us of all we have achieved in the series.    … Expand
  47. rAMZA
    Apr 25, 2017
    7
    Realy boring combat just hit and roll hit and roll, ill give it a 7 because it is still a good score, could have more difficulty options and a hc mode if character dies then its the end of it.
  48. chrisse989
    Mar 27, 2017
    7
    Positives:
    - game looks great
    Negatives: - Too much reused assets from previous games, major parts of the game feels so déjà vu (although partially intentional by the developers). In general a lack of originality. Going through another lookalike version of Valley of Defilement or catacombs gets old. - Story is too obscure. If there's no or very few info available in the game, you    Positives:
    - game looks great

    Negatives:
    - Too much reused assets from previous games, major parts of the game feels so déjà vu (although partially intentional by the developers). In general a lack of originality. Going through another lookalike version of Valley of Defilement or catacombs gets old.
    - Story is too obscure. If there's no or very few info available in the game, you don't bother anymore why you are fighting the next boss or what they're doing there in the first place
    - Exploration needs to be more rewarding. 90% of the items you'll find you'll never use, so why bother in the end?
    - NPCs are too hard to find. The game seems to expect you recheck every nook and cranny of each past area each time you've beaten a boss to find them.
    - Lack of a good music score (also a problem with the previous two DAS games). DES had such great music (opening theme, tower knight, etc).    … Expand
  49. VelociXD3
    Dec 8, 2016
    10
    Its an Excelent game, the first one i play of the saga. I think this should be the game of the year, it have a history that traps you and makes you play more and more.

    In my opinion, the best game of 2016 by far
  50. Garcessist
    May 31, 2016
    8
    Great game a lot of fun and highly replayable. The combat feels incredibly responsive and fluid. PvP has the ability to be extremely fun but can also be annoying when you get summoned into a game as a mad spirit and you have 4 people surrounding you waiting to smash you with a weapon. I would have loved to rate this game higher but there were some issues that caused me to downgrade it.Great game a lot of fun and highly replayable. The combat feels incredibly responsive and fluid. PvP has the ability to be extremely fun but can also be annoying when you get summoned into a game as a mad spirit and you have 4 people surrounding you waiting to smash you with a weapon. I would have loved to rate this game higher but there were some issues that caused me to downgrade it. If you're a trophy hunter this game will ruin you. There are a few trophies that rely on covenant items that require 7+ hours of grinding per item. You could technically get these quicker but it you are relying on people getting invaded and wearing the faction item required to summon you to their game and then kill the invader. Unfortunately grinding is a lot more reliable than the summoning method. I wish From Software provided a better alternative to these covenants because its just not enjoyable and it kept me from getting the platinum by 1 trophy. Still overall a very fun experience and definitely worth the time and money investment.… Expand
  51. SvenL1975
    Aug 19, 2018
    10
    I always avoided starting the Dark Souls games because I heard that they were so hard and I get frustrated easily. When the remastered version of the first game came I out, I decided to give in and give it a try. The last six weeks I played through all three games, all of the DLC, every optional boss - everything. Then I started Bloodborne and was surprised how bad it was, but that isI always avoided starting the Dark Souls games because I heard that they were so hard and I get frustrated easily. When the remastered version of the first game came I out, I decided to give in and give it a try. The last six weeks I played through all three games, all of the DLC, every optional boss - everything. Then I started Bloodborne and was surprised how bad it was, but that is another story.

    So give the game a try. It's not that hard, it's just not easy. Expect spending a few hours on the Internet, looking up the backstories of some of the character, or get some things explained that are not that clear. You will get one of the greatest gaming experiences of all time.    … Expand
  52. Naedrif
    Apr 16, 2017
    9
    Truly a masterpiece. Very complex. After playing this game I can say that I became a true fan of the souls series. I loved the throwbacks to the previous games! Praise the sun!
  53. estebambuco
    Mar 8, 2017
    10
    Para mí, para mí el mejor dark souls de todos, mereció ser juego del año en vez de Overwatch:
    -Gráficas espectaculares
    -Inteligencia artificial brillante -Jefes espectaculares y admirables -Excelente historia (pero no supera la de Dark Souls 1) -El online me ha corrido perfecto la verdad -Muchas opciones de armas y te alegras cada vez que vences un Boss porque sabes que el arma y la    Para mí, para mí el mejor dark souls de todos, mereció ser juego del año en vez de Overwatch:
    -Gráficas espectaculares
    -Inteligencia artificial brillante
    -Jefes espectaculares y admirables
    -Excelente historia (pero no supera la de Dark Souls 1)
    -El online me ha corrido perfecto la verdad
    -Muchas opciones de armas y te alegras cada vez que vences un Boss porque sabes que el arma y la armadura son grandiosas
    -Música perfecta para los combates y el juego
    -Los secretos del juego me han encantado
    -Te invita a rejugarlo por eso lo tengo ahí guardado por si lo quiero volver a jugar y no lo he vendido.
    -Hay toda una comunidad que alaba este juego y cuando lo descubres en Youtube y sabes que le gusta a muchas otras personas y lo disfrutan de diferentes maneras, sabes que tienes un buen juego en tus manos
    Este juego para mí si valió la plata y estoy agradecido de haberlo probado.
    Good luck ashen one. (cuando lo juegues sabrás de que estoy hablando :D)    … Expand
  54. SoulsborneLover
    Jun 3, 2017
    5
    As a veteran of the series, and a huge fan, I feel entitled to an opinion on this game. I played Dark Souls when it first came out, beat it solo at least 5 times as it nearly instantly became one of my favourite games, having excellent map design, level design, creative enemy design, some of the most enjoyable combat to date and, most importantly, AWESOME BOSSES.

    After Dark Souls it was    As a veteran of the series, and a huge fan, I feel entitled to an opinion on this game. I played Dark Souls when it first came out, beat it solo at least 5 times as it nearly instantly became one of my favourite games, having excellent map design, level design, creative enemy design, some of the most enjoyable combat to date and, most importantly, AWESOME BOSSES.

    After Dark Souls it was tough to get into Dark Souls 2, I found the whole experience underwhelming compared to the first but that was to be expected. The largest distinction would be that Dark Souls had CHALLENGE, while 2 had DIFFICULTY. Let me elaborate, challenge is a hurdle, a boss that takes you 15 tries but each time you just get a little bit closer to victory - enough to keep you going. Difficulty, on the other hand, is the unfair enemy design, or unavoidable traps if you dont know theyre there. Due to this difference, I enjoyed Dark Souls a significant amount more.

    Next came Bloodborne. Oh my god, what a perfect game. The true successor to Dark Souls in my opinion. Fluid combat, level design to make any gamer orgasm, a new weapon system and the best bosses in the series. After Bloodborne my faith in From was renewed entirely and just in time for Dark Souls 3 to go on sale...

    FINALLY, why Dark Souls 3 only gets a 5. To be honest, compared to Dark Souls and Bloodborne, I would give it a 1 or 2 out of 10 at best (15 hours in, havent had the full experience) but Ive always hated the reviews that butthurt people give when they rank a game 1 out of 10, so, realistically this game is a 5/10.

    My major issues with this game are the same issues I had with Dark Souls 2, primarily, the bosses. In the 15 hours Ive played, the best designed boss so far has been the tutorial boss... which I would only give a 4/10. I beat every boss 1 try despite being severely under leveled due to dying countless times to the brutally designed mobs, which, in the end just encourages me to run past all the **** enemies to slaughter the game-design-neglected bosses. It just isnt fun at this point.

    I will mention the pros to this game. New weapon system with weapon abilities, its pretty cool but I havent gotten a lot of use out of it, still a nice addition. The map and level design are... fantastic - without a doubt the highlight of this game, with areas on par to the original Dark Souls in creativity and feel. I honestly cant describe how impressed I am with it, especially when the rest of the game seems so devoid of thought and design.

    To sum up, it isnt a bad game but it WAS a disappointment beside the others. If you havent played the series, pick it up when its on sale, you might find something you really like. If youre a huge fan of the series, like me, probably still worth the buy with a good sale but be prepared for it to fall short of the bar that From has set.    … Expand
  55. AndrewHord
    May 29, 2020
    10
    I have bought this game on PS4 and i`m fully satisfied with it.I like this game very much.These bosses are enormously difficult ,but this why we like Souls games) This is the best one of trilogy ,imo. You just need to try it, it deserves your attention)
  56. prophetld
    Jul 3, 2016
    4
    Lol at anybody giving this trash more than 6/10. Read the forums. This game fails hard as a Souls game and as a huge Souls fan, I'm honestly disgusted by it. You will burn out of this game after 300-500 hours because the pvp is complete garbage and so is the co-op. Worst Souls game by far and you have to be some kind of idiot to not think so. Just read the posts on reddit. People areLol at anybody giving this trash more than 6/10. Read the forums. This game fails hard as a Souls game and as a huge Souls fan, I'm honestly disgusted by it. You will burn out of this game after 300-500 hours because the pvp is complete garbage and so is the co-op. Worst Souls game by far and you have to be some kind of idiot to not think so. Just read the posts on reddit. People are really down on this game for very good reasons. It's an epic fail that's only good for solo pve. You won't still be playing it after 300-500 hours. Trust me.… Expand
  57. Deathlinks
    Apr 16, 2016
    9
    Only an hour in... and so far i can tell i will love this game. Most of the concerns regarding camera angle, i have yet to experience as i find the camera to be very fluid for this type of game.. Its hard as **** as i am currently only through 3 bosses, my review should be taken with a grain of salt
  58. Kydd_Amigo
    Apr 14, 2016
    9
    I've never played any Dark Souls games. I heard a lot about them, but was never that into the genre. But as I got older, my taste for games evolved, and I heard about DS3 recently and after being told you don't need to have played the other DS games to play DS3 (the stories are separate, but themes and details are shared across the series) I thought I'd take a look.

    Everyone talked    I've never played any Dark Souls games. I heard a lot about them, but was never that into the genre. But as I got older, my taste for games evolved, and I heard about DS3 recently and after being told you don't need to have played the other DS games to play DS3 (the stories are separate, but themes and details are shared across the series) I thought I'd take a look.

    Everyone talked about how hard this game is, I honestly thought it was exaggeration. But it is hard. Technically hard. It's not unfair though. The game demands attention, intelligence and dedication. It will punish you if you don't display these characteristics.But there is nothing more satisfying than having been beaten down by a boss a number of times, to finally have everything 'click' and overcome the fight.

    The game is great to look at, and it sounds even better, a very epic soundtrack, and fitting for the setting.

    This game certainly isn't for everyone. If you're a long time fan, there's no need to convince you. But, if you're on the fence and have never played DS, I would recommend it if you're willing to be methodical and patient. You won't be disappointed.    … Expand
  59. Mudindavid
    Apr 15, 2016
    10
    Best action RPG i´ve ever played, perfect level design, deep customization of character, fastest gameplay in a souls game and even with that feels perfect, not many games have that level of detail in the world and present a lore that players can interpretate freely and at the same time so immersive
  60. VaclavBeran
    Apr 14, 2016
    10
    From my point of view, this is the best game ever created. Graphics (colors, lights, concept), music, gameplay, combat, multiplayer element, everything is amazing and absolutely perfect. Thank you FromSoftware.
  61. 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.
  62. ketr1
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    I have nothing to say but praise the sun! Anyway I wished it could be harder....The graphic is OK,but the frame is not that stable,hope it will be fix by an update.I ve heard that this would be the last Dark souls game.So enjoy it. Collapse
  63. kingsky
    Mar 6, 2017
    0
    This game is just pure garbage. Did not live up to all the hype. Graphic in this game did not improve at all. Game play is not fun. This game is just way too repetitive. Dodging, dodging, dodging, attack, dodging, dodging, dodging etc.
  64. 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
  65. roverhigh
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    This is Return of the King of Dark Souls. Improved on every facet of Dark Souls. Now a bigger, more dynamic, more responsive combat. Great fun. Can't stop playing. Played 20 hours and getting better by the minute. Easy 10/10
  66. Josh27
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Coming from DS2 and Bloodborne (both on PS4) I love this game. The world is beautiful and it feels like the next logical step for the souls-borne series. Go buy this if you enjoyed any of the other games!!!
  67. zmmby
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Fantastic. Immersive and intense as hell. I've bought every DS game including BB and im as always; satisfied.

    This game shows it's respect to the other Dark Souls games(including Demon's Souls) which some familiar enemies/npcs and worlds, and combining it with new enemies and enviroment. I pre-ordered the apocalypse edition and could never been happier. I've always been afraid to    Fantastic. Immersive and intense as hell. I've bought every DS game including BB and im as always; satisfied.

    This game shows it's respect to the other Dark Souls games(including Demon's Souls) which some familiar enemies/npcs and worlds, and combining it with new enemies and enviroment.

    I pre-ordered the apocalypse edition and could never been happier. I've always been afraid to preorder something since Fallout 4 and Bethesda. But im always satisfied with From Software and pre-ordering this was the best thing that could happen in my gaming collection for the moment.

    This is a must-buy for every From Software/Dark Souls fan out there.

    If your a newcomer; this game requires patience, structure and discipline but the reward is really high.    … Expand
  68. BURKEX
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Lately I have been disappointed with the quality of video games. Either they are too simple, a clone of another game, not fun, or just plain repetitive and boring. For example: Last year I looked forward to The Witcher 3, and I loved the beautiful open world in The Witcher 3, but the combat in that game was terrible and far too easy. I need a game that is both challenging and fun toLately I have been disappointed with the quality of video games. Either they are too simple, a clone of another game, not fun, or just plain repetitive and boring. For example: Last year I looked forward to The Witcher 3, and I loved the beautiful open world in The Witcher 3, but the combat in that game was terrible and far too easy. I need a game that is both challenging and fun to play...and that game is Dark Souls 3. I am having so much fun playing Dark Souls 3 and at the same time, Dark Souls 3 is not holding my hand. The difficulty is harder than most video games but it is fair. When you beat a boss or move onto a new zone, you get a sense of accomplishment. These qualities make this game very unique and one of the best games that is out there. I rated this game a 10/10 because I have had more fun playing this game and been more challenged than any game in the past year, since Bloodborne.

    On the PS4 the graphics are beautiful and I did not have any frame rate issues. My only issue with this game is the target lock on function which can sometimes be frustrating, but this is the case with every Soulsborne game that I have played. That being said, the target lock issue is such a minor complaint for this game.

    I would suggest for any player to go into this game "blind" (meaning: Don't look at any videos or wikis on your first play throughand) and you should just explore and learn everything for yourself. By doing this, you will have the most satisfying gaming experience.

    Overall, Dark Souls III is a masterpiece and it is currently my Game of The Year Pick. I am a long time fan of all of the Souls Series games and this one is one of the best in the series. If I had to compare Dark Souls III to another game in the series, I would say that it is closest to the original Dark Souls, but with much better graphics. If you are a fan of any of the games in Souls Series then you will not be disappointed.    … Expand
  69. bugsspace69
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    This game is awesome, woth litlle issues, but is not a problem, the true problem with this game are casuals gamers, I have the 5 tittles of FS, but this is tthe best of the series, levels, desing, weapons and armors, this game is awesome, maybe like the first DS with better PvP.
  70. tdebug
    May 24, 2016
    0
    It is actually quite repetitive and boring game. Impossibly high difficulty level is pretty much everything, what differs this game from whole bunch of other RPGs. You can't go very far by thinking there, just try and try and try until you finally master your style to full automatism. So very pompous character speeches only hide barely existing story. DS3 require so much effort and so bigIt is actually quite repetitive and boring game. Impossibly high difficulty level is pretty much everything, what differs this game from whole bunch of other RPGs. You can't go very far by thinking there, just try and try and try until you finally master your style to full automatism. So very pompous character speeches only hide barely existing story. DS3 require so much effort and so big time investment and gives so little in return, that can only be recommended to those with no personal life whatsoever.… Expand
  71. dbmc77
    Jun 26, 2016
    0
    This is the worst game in an excellent series. I know people who have traded it in and am one of many who returned to the vastly superior DS2. Honestly, DS3 is trash. It has a few redeeming qualities in terms of its visuals, and the weapon arts was a nice touch, but otherwise the combat is clunky as f*** and there is very little skill in the pvp. Google what I'm saying and find it onThis is the worst game in an excellent series. I know people who have traded it in and am one of many who returned to the vastly superior DS2. Honestly, DS3 is trash. It has a few redeeming qualities in terms of its visuals, and the weapon arts was a nice touch, but otherwise the combat is clunky as f*** and there is very little skill in the pvp. Google what I'm saying and find it on reddit.

    This is one of the only honest reviews you'll see on here and once you get over the fresh veneer of having a new game/new Souls game, you'll see this game for the garbage that many others currently do. Terrible way to end the series. It's not a 2/10 game, but it's not the 10/10 or the 9/10 that blind fan boys gave it the day they opened the package. I'm 100% positive that many of them would revise the scores they initially gave it and all you have to do is go to the message boards to see people opening their eyes to the bad game that this actually is.    … Expand
  72. 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!
  73. Subsided16
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    Sonier4eva made my eyes bleed trying to read that chicken scratch so i felt it necessary to give this amazing game a review along with the 10 it deserves while wondering how anyone can justify giving this a 0...and if this game is too hard and you complain about that then you're just not very intelligent, maybe of game number 1 your whining was kinda reasonable but this is game NumberSonier4eva made my eyes bleed trying to read that chicken scratch so i felt it necessary to give this amazing game a review along with the 10 it deserves while wondering how anyone can justify giving this a 0...and if this game is too hard and you complain about that then you're just not very intelligent, maybe of game number 1 your whining was kinda reasonable but this is game Number 3!!! so that's just you being dumb to go out and buy it 3 times when you suck a games that take a bit of stragety… Expand
  74. andrewsullivan
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    This game is a well knitted cloak , that encompasses the best of all the souls game before.
    its so good I cant even...................................................
  75. reviewer2015lol
    Apr 17, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is MASSIVE. It uses the best elements from past souls games, even if it uses sometimes a bit too much old mechanics . There a lot of weapons and amazing areas . The bosses are fenomenal and the npc are interesting. Thank you fromsoftware for making this amazing game… Expand
  76. KrOmander
    May 25, 2016
    8
    Solid enough Souls game. Admittedly From have played it quite safe here, but I have had a lot of fun playing DaS3. Series hasn't really changed much since DeS and at this point it might be time to let the formula rest. But it has been a great ride. Maybe another developer will arise who will shamelessly steal mechanics from the Souls series and put them into a game that concentrates moreSolid enough Souls game. Admittedly From have played it quite safe here, but I have had a lot of fun playing DaS3. Series hasn't really changed much since DeS and at this point it might be time to let the formula rest. But it has been a great ride. Maybe another developer will arise who will shamelessly steal mechanics from the Souls series and put them into a game that concentrates more on online aspects. Think Souls gameplay with fleshed out covenants, servers that reduce phantom range issues and more vigorously balanced PvP. The dream.… Expand
  77. illphil
    Jun 9, 2016
    8
    It's good fun, but I have to say that having played Bloodborne first and even Dark Souls 2 first I didn't think this was as good. It's a lot easier than Bloodborne and seemed a lot shorter than both games. There are a couple of really fun boss fights and some of the environments and enemies are really cool, but it didn't seem to have as good a story or mystique to the others. If you'reIt's good fun, but I have to say that having played Bloodborne first and even Dark Souls 2 first I didn't think this was as good. It's a lot easier than Bloodborne and seemed a lot shorter than both games. There are a couple of really fun boss fights and some of the environments and enemies are really cool, but it didn't seem to have as good a story or mystique to the others. If you're a fan of the series then you will obviously play it and it's a far better entry level for people that haven't played these kind of games before. It is solid and still deserves an 8 but I was just a bit disappointed.… Expand
  78. bkeny2idie
    Feb 5, 2017
    10
    Great game, better in most ways than the previous souls games. Combines much of what made the previous games fantastic!

    Graphics are much better than either older game, invasions finally return as a main mechanical feature after being corralled in both dark 2 and blodborne. PVE bosses and enemies are better than ever, summoning has little failures as compared to older games. It    Great game, better in most ways than the previous souls games. Combines much of what made the previous games fantastic!

    Graphics are much better than either older game, invasions finally return as a main mechanical feature after being corralled in both dark 2 and blodborne.

    PVE bosses and enemies are better than ever, summoning has little failures as compared to older games. It simply improves on what was at one time great.    … Expand
  79. Brandon_Harris
    May 15, 2016
    8
    This is a great game in the “Souls” series and I strongly recommend that you purchase it. I’ve been playing games from From Software since King’s Field was released. Going from the previous Dark Souls games, you can tell that this game has made many improvements. One of the main improvements, going through the whole series, is having a better user interface. I mean, I really loved theThis is a great game in the “Souls” series and I strongly recommend that you purchase it. I’ve been playing games from From Software since King’s Field was released. Going from the previous Dark Souls games, you can tell that this game has made many improvements. One of the main improvements, going through the whole series, is having a better user interface. I mean, I really loved the older titles, like Demon’s Souls, but the navigation and menu systems were a bit of a hassle.

    Some will say that Dark Souls 3 has been more casualized, but I really don’t believe that’s the case. What’s really been done is that these new game entries are made easier to get into. Originally, predecessors were really hard to get into. Now, that’s not the case, and with the availability of the Internet one can easily search for answers.

    There are downsides in this case, present in many of the other titles in the series. For example, sidequests are easily missable and are really difficult to do due to tight, unclear timeframes for doing them. The story is also very unclear. If you want to understand the story, you’ll very likely need to look up resources online and get involved in the community. These are clear decisions that From Software made, and that’s the kind of game it’s supposed to be. It’s not like they did so on accident. There’s a great deal of good lore in the game, but it’s tricky to understand because it’s a narrative told very implicitly.

    If you don’t care for the lore, you don’t need to. One can easily jump into this game, even without playing any of the other Souls games without having to understand any of the lore at all. The gameplay is independent of the story. One could be an expert playing it, never getting hit, yet not understand any of the story. That’s fine. But, if you want a cinematic game where the story is explicitly told to you, this game won’t appeal well to your tastes.

    The developers and publishers like to advertise the games difficulty. It’s not the case that it’s that difficult. Perhaps it’s just me, but with each entry into the series the games become easier and easier. If you’re not good at action games, it’s alright. With practice, this game is easily beatable. In fact, From Software is smart in their approach.

    To complete the main storyline of the game, the bosses aren’t particularly difficult. It’s in the optional content where the bosses get difficult. But to be honest, this game is much more approachable than the old knitty-gritty games. One of my friends compared Demon’s Souls to an NES-like game, but I wouldn’t agree with that because those NES games were what we called “Nintendo-hard”, a much higher echelon of difficulty. This game is honestly fair. Worst comes to worst, one can always grind to gain levels.

    I really enjoyed this game for its bosses. Many of the bosses in all Souls games are optional, and it’s where the true challenge lies. Nowadays, other games don’t have bosses. As an old-timer, I liked having bosses in most genres of games. I’m the kind of individual that saves items to use for bosses. Bosses are supposed to be a challenge at the end of the level or stage. Sadly, since many games have become more cinematic, bosses (and even final bosses) are becoming more and more into quick-time events. Seeing a game with so many bosses like this is phenomenal. If you want more challenge, you can always get involved in PvP, player-versus-player, where you’ll face other players of the highest calibre.

    This game actually has optional bosses that aren’t re-skinned versions of older bosses! This is a rare sight because game developers typically put all of their resources into the main storyline of the game and put optional areas as recycled content. They know that most people would finish the storyline, but not everyone would finish the optional content.

    In Dark Souls 3, this is not the case. You’ve got many optional bosses (and I don’t believe any are missable), each residing in optional areas. They’re detailed like crazy. Souls is the only series where you see this nowadays because it’s a very big risk for game developers to do otherwise. But due to the connotations associated with the Souls series, this is one of the only series that can actually pull it off without locking it behind DLC. As well, there will likely be expansion DLC available for the game later, such as how Scholar of the First Sin was available for Dark Souls 2. This is the only series where I buy DLC because they’re actually full expansions, rather than just one extra level or one extra weapon/armor.

    Get this game. I was really impressed by this game and the risks the developers took in creating it. It really is one of the only games of its kind nowadays. This game, like the other Souls games, is very re-playable and is hard to get old due to the amazing gameplay.    … Expand
  80. Excitedpickle69
    Aug 7, 2016
    6
    First off I'm a fan of the first game and this game is very good to but the one thing I hate is the hit detection in this game I fight bosses and the only 5 seconds I get is me slashing and nothing happening and I end up. Pvp isn't better either literally can't hit anything.
  81. pghdave420
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    i wish i could give this game more than a 10 cause if zelda breath of the wild is 10 out of 10 then this game series is 20 out of 10. all them kiddies think the new zelda is the best thing ever when in fact its soooo boring.darksouls series has been my fav since the start.so many bosses good times.yea souls is tough at first but you learn and its not so hard.praise the sun :)
  82. Rondalh
    Sep 18, 2021
    0
    Completely pointless and boring boss simulator. Very obvious Resident Evil 4 rip-off in terms of cool, huge boss monsters, but it doesn't have fun atmosphere, story or good characters like RE4. Also it's pointlessly difficult to the point where you die over 70 times on one boss and you have to play same section of the game over and over again. This is not what i call fun.
  83. tekkenman
    Aug 16, 2016
    1
    Just plain bad. Not a fan of this type of game so you'll either hate it or love it. Too monotonous, DOOM, Uncharted 4, Dragon Age are much better fantasy games for fans of the genre.
  84. endtransmission
    Apr 16, 2016
    9
    OK, in short:

    Starts off not so great, too easy in most instances and bad balance. Once the game really gets started it's excellent, so the key is to bare with it. As a DS fan I was a bit disappointed at first. It's probably the best Dark Souls game. Certainly miles better than 2 but we knew that would be the case going in. Not QUITE as good as Bloodborne but Bloodborne is a    OK, in short:

    Starts off not so great, too easy in most instances and bad balance.
    Once the game really gets started it's excellent, so the key is to bare with it. As a DS fan I was a bit disappointed at first.

    It's probably the best Dark Souls game. Certainly miles better than 2 but we knew that would be the case going in.

    Not QUITE as good as Bloodborne but Bloodborne is a legit masterpiece of gaming. It may end up being From's best game of all time unless they top it with a sequel (surely that's what's next for the team?).

    Graphics are a little dull in places early in the game and stunning as you progress.

    Some nice shout out and remasters from DS1 that players of the original will enjoy seeing again with current gen graphics. Some people are complaining about it but for me I love seeing a few familiar bits and pieces brought up to date.

    A lot of different enemies, again the balance is a little off and some are too hard and others not hard enough but they'll get the balance right with the next update.

    Starts off a little slow with armor sets but gets more interesting as you get into the game.

    If you're a souls fan just stick with it. It pays off once the ball starts rolling but it was a good 10 hours before I really started to enjoy the game as much as Bloodborne or DS1.    … Expand
  85. Aelvir
    May 27, 2017
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game's only redeeming qualities as of late is the lore standpoint of the game. But gameplay-wise, it falls flat. Almost all weapons are pure clones of the basic weapon of their respective class. Pure and prime example for the straightswords is that they're all clones of the Longsword. The only SS with a unique moveset is the Dark Sword. The game has every single BK gear from Ds1. But the Silver Knights do not. Only their armor set, Greatbow, and their Shield. While their GB indeed holds up perfectly, the shield sadly, is by far useless. All of its dmg reduc is reduced to below avrg and the fact that the shield has low lightn reduc now is a complete joke. It's the Silver Knights. Who slayed dragons, as per the intro to DS1. So they SHOULD've AT LEAST moderately high lightning reduc. To top that off, the SK SS and SK Spear, are not droppable at all nor are in the game's code. The SKSS was easily the strongest SS in ds1 (the only one that came close was Balder Sidesword, but still a bit lower in AR than SKSS) The worst part about the sword not being in the game is that the Ringed City is LITTERED with SK statues. And even has Ledo, A SILVER KNIGHT. But you can only get his hammer, not even his armor set. Not even LEDO is wearing it. He's only wearing the normal SK set. They just retracted his set and left it in the game's code, because..reasons? (There's even a small room with a corpse in front of a Silver Knight Sword statue. But it's only an ember) All it takes is a sinple patch to put it in. It's not really all that hard, FromSoft. And in terms of its gameplay. The gameplay itself isn't all that terrible. It's alot better than Dark Souls 2 put out, but the R1 attacks of every weapon are borderline broken. It's true that they wanted to make it more faster-paced, but they did it in the worst way they could have done. Weapons' R1 attacks are so fast that almost all other attacks are rendered useless, even in PVP. Why use an R2 that has a slight delay to it, when you can do a quick hit and abuse it endlessly to win? Take for instance the GSs and UGSs. These are generally slow weapons. But they have pretty quick R1 strings, especially by Dark Souls standards. Bloodborne did fast-paced gameplay right. Your attacks have a wind-up, but you can dodge and maneuver just as quick as your enemies can attack. But DS3 is a little bit the same but replace the wind-up with little to no wind-up at all. Originally, you are meant to COMMIT to your attacks and if you spammed attacks, you bit the dust for it. But this is no longer the case. The patches are also a problem. More recently, the Sunlight SS was changed from having B STR and DEX scaling to C STR and DEX and a B in Faith. It became OP in AR, yes, but at least it was stronger than the Broadsword. But then they patched THAT and reduced the STR&DEX to D. Now it's again weaker than the Broadsword&Longsword, as if you have both at +10 and put to Ref they are both miles stronger than the Sunl SS. So, SOLAIRE's Sword is miles weaker than common soldier swords. Its added Faith scaling is stupid, as it was never a Faith weapon to begin with.It had the same scaling & stats as the broadsword in DS1 (C in STR&DEX). Now, look at Astora SS. A very good weapon from ds1. It's useless now. It has D STR&DEX scaling at +1–+10. Which after the Abyss Watchers, becomes completely weak for the rest of the game(it becomes the 2nd weakest SS in the game),especially if you put it into Ref. (which doesn't change its scaling at all, still stays D in STR&DEX). The problem they made with it is removing its faith scaling, it even has a 14 faith req! What they should've done was not change the scaling Sunl. SS had, have ASS be a Twinkling Titanite weapon and have D STR&DEX,B FAITH). From has been constantly nerfing unique, great weapons and buffing broken weapons from the RC dlc. like the PairedGSs for example. The weapon itself was already broken. It's slightly weaker than BKGS and has an L1 chain that is super slow but somehow stunlocks you. And not even a fully-charged R2 of the Black Knight Greatsword and Black Knight Greataxe, nor even the Dragonslayer Greataxe's L2 knocks them out of it; it gives them infinite poise, and has yet to be fixed. Such attention and patches were never done with the other games. Why now? Sin doesn't exist. Yes, you can pray to velka for absolution and dissolution. But no matter what you do, it seems to always tell you that you have not sinned. It only de-aggros NPCs, that's it. The worst problem with Sin in the game is that it doens't exist! You can kill any NPC and go to Velka. Nope, no sin. But, this game has Darkmoons. Well, that's the next problem. They are downright REDUCED TO BLUE SENTINEL CLONES, and the only purpose of the Blue Sentinels is that you have access to getting Proofs EARLY. Who to choose between the two boils down to merely personal-preference. There isn't even a BlueEyeOrb.Darkmoons are left with waiting for months just to even get summoned… Expand
  86. 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
  87. NeKO-ALoNZo
    Apr 14, 2016
    4
    No existe una gran mejora del 2 al 3, de echo en realidad presenta muchas cosas malas que no se veían en la entrega pasada, ademas de que es muy importante mencionar que en la cuestión gráfica se mira mal a estas alturas ya no debe de usar un motor gráfico tan viejo, pero algo mas importante aun que sufre de caída de fps que se vuelve molesto al estar jugando. En fin una lastima que soloNo existe una gran mejora del 2 al 3, de echo en realidad presenta muchas cosas malas que no se veían en la entrega pasada, ademas de que es muy importante mencionar que en la cuestión gráfica se mira mal a estas alturas ya no debe de usar un motor gráfico tan viejo, pero algo mas importante aun que sufre de caída de fps que se vuelve molesto al estar jugando. En fin una lastima que solo saquen una versión 2.1 de un juego cuando pudieron haber realizado una obra de arte en esta siguiente generación… Expand
  88. Aronsockabish
    Apr 28, 2016
    4
    Please do not buy this game, this is the worst game I have ever played it is not hard or challenging it's a lying cheating game the bosses just one hit kill you no matter how much health you have the only good thing about this stupid lying cheating unrewarding game is the way it looks the artwork is great love the way it looks. This game is not hard there is no skill required it is not forPlease do not buy this game, this is the worst game I have ever played it is not hard or challenging it's a lying cheating game the bosses just one hit kill you no matter how much health you have the only good thing about this stupid lying cheating unrewarding game is the way it looks the artwork is great love the way it looks. This game is not hard there is no skill required it is not for hardcore gamers it is for retards, do not buy this game for $60 do not buy it for $30 don't buy it at all and if your friend gives it to you for free return it and put the money towards a good game. Heres every fight in the game: roll swing get hit and knocked on the ground enemy swings 18 times without getting tired while youre on the ground and can't get up, then you die. This game is for hipsters it's the cool thing to do oh my god you beat dark souls 3 wow you must be a real gamer get the **** out of here I was done learning enemies attacks and dying in one hit in the late 80s, and you'll roll or you will be behind them and they still hit you as an example I was fighting the dancer I was 20 feet behid her she grabs the opposite direction and I get grabbed by her and one hitted. Please please do not buy this, don't buy any of the new games just save up for doom or something I hope they do not ruin that game all of the new games just aren't worth it anymore.… Expand
  89. Morbiddeath
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    jogo brutal,dos melhores jogos que joguei ate hoje,desde o primeiro dark souls ate bloodborne,adorei todos mesmo, quem ainda esta na duvida para comprar,que compre,porque n se vai arrepender.........
  90. dstammel
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    I love this game. It feels like Demon's souls had a baby with Bloodborne. It's a faster Dark Souls. Any negative reviews, especially the 0s are just absolutely garbage.
  91. DotaKaiju
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Where do I started? Ive died 6 times already in an hour. I only pick deprived so at any point i can switch up my build. This game is so much fun and the only thing Im getting out of negative reviews are its to hard or its just another dark souls game or no story. Pretty much things only people who like playing games on easy would say. This game is amazing and im so glad its finally out
  92. Megapihr
    Apr 15, 2016
    10
    Замечательное продолжение серии. Для тех кто играет после Bloodborne механика может показаться тяжелее, но освоиться довольно просто. Рекомендую.
  93. OrionPax
    Feb 6, 2018
    9
    Just another masterpiece from From Software. It's enemy designs, armor and weapon variety, gameplay strategy, different combos with different weapons and styles everything is so so satisfying. Every enemy, armor, weapon and class is unique. Game's combat mechanics are still the same but more improved and still very good. The only things i will complain are the graphics could be better andJust another masterpiece from From Software. It's enemy designs, armor and weapon variety, gameplay strategy, different combos with different weapons and styles everything is so so satisfying. Every enemy, armor, weapon and class is unique. Game's combat mechanics are still the same but more improved and still very good. The only things i will complain are the graphics could be better and still it's story can't be understand if you don't try hard to understand. Highly Recommended!… Expand
  94. 951753
    Apr 16, 2016
    10
    A great game like its predecessors, according to me, the world's best games. If this is the end of Dark Souls, I hope that From Software next game will be a new King`s Field games. Love from Sweden to From Software, you are the best.
  95. ratvader68
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    El juego sigue la misma formula que lo hizo grande, buena historia , difícil desde el primer minuto, grandes novedades, buen sistema de armas , variedad de armas y armaduras .un buen reto para los veteranos como para principiantes.
  96. rizksar
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    Ok so I'm a big fan of this series, as many of you are here. I fell in love in demon souls, slight let down by ds1, first playthrough, although it won me over big time in the end. I guess it was the ds1 vs demons comparison that stood in the way.
    Ds2 was ok, had fun with it, but ultimately lacked some "soul" in comparison to the other games.
    Now 20 hours in in Ds3 and all I can say is    Ok so I'm a big fan of this series, as many of you are here. I fell in love in demon souls, slight let down by ds1, first playthrough, although it won me over big time in the end. I guess it was the ds1 vs demons comparison that stood in the way.
    Ds2 was ok, had fun with it, but ultimately lacked some "soul" in comparison to the other games.

    Now 20 hours in in Ds3 and all I can say is OMG. It just oozes Dark souls core and it really is a loveletter written to all fans. Its so well executed, leveldesign to die for. Im i awe of this game and writing this review is the only thing that can keep me from playing right now.

    Best in the series, it really is, well.. its on par with Demon Souls anyway. A perfect 10/10.

    Thank you for making this game!    … Expand
  97. fabiopinto_95
    Apr 17, 2016
    10
    Dark Souls represents the best aspects about video games. The game is hard but is worth it! It is a masterpiece that gives the supreme example of video games as an art form. Atmosphere, level design, combat, exploration, soundtrack...everything is fantastic! I feel like everyone should have this unique experience. Thank you FromSoftware!
  98. therdre
    Jun 30, 2018
    0
    While this installment of Dark Souls has taken a few steps in the right direction, it still falls utterly flat. While the combat has a bit more fluidity to it than Dark Souls 2 it feels more stiff and unresponsive than Bloodborne and still has a jankiness to it. The combat seems to be meant to be slow paced (and everything I've read agrees with that) but there is a strange delay to theWhile this installment of Dark Souls has taken a few steps in the right direction, it still falls utterly flat. While the combat has a bit more fluidity to it than Dark Souls 2 it feels more stiff and unresponsive than Bloodborne and still has a jankiness to it. The combat seems to be meant to be slow paced (and everything I've read agrees with that) but there is a strange delay to the combat actions that is present in all games that I imagine stems from an issue with the engine From Software uses for the games. While the atmosphere and look of the levels, armor and bosses is generally good to excellent the graphics seem like last gen. This wouldn't be an issue but even with low grade graphics the engine still has FPS issues in certain places. Also while this is heralded as a "difficult" franchise it still does not even deliver on that promise. It's a marketing tactic used to sell a glitchy and low effort project. Why would From Software bother to develop a proper working combat system, current generation graphics, a cohesive and well-told story (sorry the off hands approach in the fashion they use doesn't work and whats there is uninteresting at best), a proper RPG leveling system and progression, bug fixing and any other thing that would be included in a well-developed game that focuses on quality when the game will sell with the bare-minimum effort put in. I wouldn't really recommend this game for anyone, and for trophy/achievement hunters willing to play anything (like myself) be prepared to put in a long grind to get your trophies/achievements.… Expand
  99. night4
    Apr 16, 2016
    2
    Basically unplayable on the PC.

    It's pretty bad when Skyrim did a better job of porting to the PC.

    The controls are terrible and the game tells you to hit controller buttons even if you're not using a controller.
  100. 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.
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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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