‘Dark Souls 3’ Review (PS4)
I’m always apprehensive about the Dark Souls games, but once I let myself accept that death was inevitable I taught myself to get used to it. I’ve not got to the end of Dark Souls 3 yet, so this is my first impressions of the game, but I will say this…I think I’m in love… I’m not going to mention areas I’ve made it to or which bosses that I’ve managed to pass, because I don’t want to spoil it for anybody. What I will say though is if you have a love for exploring then this is the game for you. Finding the shortcuts to a new area, or discovering a door that makes getting from one place to another is often a highlight. The true rush though comes from defeating enemies and bosses that pose a challenge.
One thing I will say is that Dark Souls 3 does feel easier than previous games, and it may be Bloodborne that has had influence on that. While some may worry about this, because they want the challenge of the older Dark Souls games, I tend to not be too concerned. A lot of the mechanics of the game, and the fluidity of the combat are what makes the game easier, and there are times when you truly see how beautiful the design of this game is.
What Dark Souls 3 does is take everything that has worked in the past and put it to good use. There are plenty of different enemies to be found in your battles, and you do often find yourselves overwhelmed. If like me you are good at the grind though, strengthening your character up is a rewarding experience. Never become too complacent of your skills though or you are made to pay, and pay big-time.
So far I’ve managed to open many areas in Dark Souls 3, and I have that fear that I may be nearing the end. Then again though, I hold the hope that suddenly a whole new challenge will be open to me. The fact that I’ve gone into the game relatively cold and I’m opening new areas all the time shows that there is plenty of challenges to come. Checking out the trophies I’ve even managed to get a few rare ones, which tells me my style of exploring is finding plenty of areas I don’t even need to touch. That is the beauty of the Dark Souls games though, there is so much to explore.
Right now I’m at a point where I need to defeat a new boss, but I also know that I’ve got another one I could also go back and defeat. Some may say a Dark Souls 3 review like this should be done after the game is completed, but I don’t agree. I tend to take a break away from the game when things are too hard (and I’ve been swearing a little too much at my television screen) but I do have that need to go back and defeat the bosses so I can progress in the game. So instead of just rushing through, I’d rather write my first thoughts now, then come back and update them if needed.
There are many things that you become obsessed with in Dark Souls 3, I’ve had that happen to me with more than one strong enemy. Yes, there are elements from Bloodborne that are easy to see, and things from earlier Dark Souls games too, but that is not a bad thing. What we’ve got with Dark Souls 3 is a good game that is well worth your time, even if you have been put off by the challenge of the previous installments. Now all I have to do is complete it so I can give my final thoughts on it…
Dark Souls 3 is out now from Bandai Namco on PS4, PC and Xbox One.
