In my Blasphemous review I said "2024 will be my soulslike year, I can feel it"

Uuuuuh boy:

That little picture took 300 hours of my time this year, holy shit.

This is my first full year back into the lovely embrace of the Play Station system. After more than a decade without access to a console I got the hottest (at the time) and my expectations were blown away: Ghost of Tsushima, the new Pro Skater, Spider-Man. Hell, even FIFA 2024 was kind of enjoyable for a while. But definitely, the cream of the crop was the Dark Souls franchise. At long last, I was able to play the three main line games, and I love them so much I could not do anything else but to play them to full completion.

The first Dark Souls was a transformative experience in the best way (https://www.grouvee.com/user/Vallejo/reviews/3694633/). Dark Souls 2 was... a bit of a curveball, not gonna lie, still it was a blast (https://www.grouvee.com/user/Vallejo/reviews/3728954/). And this one, I am just gonna go ahead and say it: This one is probably my favorite.

Yeah yeah, join the rest of the freaking world. But what can I say? Do you really want me to have a galaxy-brain take and explain to you why Dark Souls 2 and the Frigid Outskirts are actually the best thing that ever happen in gaming? I am basic, I am plain, I see the Fire Keeper of DS3 and I say "Yes, my love" and go unga bunga some bosses. It is what it is.

From the start of the game the ashen aesthetic grabbed me by the chin and whispered "Welcome to the end, purloiner of cinders" in a silky voice, and I was all up for it. Getting into Firelink and see Andre, oh Andre, and then start making my way for what I knew it was the end of the journey in this Universe was almost emotional. I didn't even noticed until my second playthrough how kind of bloated and uninteresting the Undead Settlement really after a while because I was busy taking all of it in.

I have to say that the emotional feeling does not stick with you all the way: there were certain parts of the game that ugh (fuck the Cathedral of the Deep and fuck the Irythill Dungeon), but for the most part DS3 recaptures so much of that DS1 magic it feels so nice. I was not that impressed the first time I arrived at Anor Londo again but seeing the Giant Blacksmith dead and seeing that the whole inside structure is dark and putrid was so satisfying in an odd way, and revisiting all this parts of the original lore with the new additions was rewarding as fuck.

Mechanically I have to say: Oh weee, this is not your Grandpa's Dark Souls. I think here I faced the hardest bosses I have encountered so far in the franchise: Sulyvahn took me so many times I honestly felt that I was not going to be able to beat him. Nameless King also took me the better part of three hours to beat him and Friede, OMG freaking Sister Friede, she is the hardest boss I have ever encountered. Fuck that third phase. The difficulty spike between DS2 and DS3 kinda worries me because bosses are so fast and flashy now, I don't know if I will be able to keep up when I eventually start my adventure in the Lands Between.

Now, I faced the hardest fights here but I have to say: overall, all the boss battles in this game are freaking excellent. I can't think of a boss fight that frustrated me or demoralized me in the slightest. Deacons of the Deep? Cool as fuck, very intuitive fight. Curse-Rotted Greatwood? Awesome, really had a blast kicking him in the nuts. Wolnir? really fun fight, and the atmosphere is so, so great, man. Fucking Champion Gundyr is so hilariously disrespectful, heelkicking you and all. I can only thing of a couple of underwhelming boss fights (The Wyvern, Halflight) that are not bad at all, just not as good as the rest. I cannot find the words to tell you how impressive I find the fact that I enjoyed ALL the boss battles of this game to a certain degree, that you don't have in the first one, less so in the second one. That is an amazing achievement.

But oh my god, the Twin Princes boss fight is just absolutely fantastic. I was ecstatic every time I got the chance to fight them, my precious Lothric and Lorian. I love my unproblematic princes.

I am really happy I got to experience these games, and that I had the time to finish them within the year. Right now I can't think of which one of the three I will revisit first because there are so much FromSoft to explore (Bloodborne, you will be done before February, my baby), but if I was a gambling man I would say this one, because I feel is the one that does the most with the formula and really, really connects the upgraded mechanics of DS2 with the feel and beautiful lore of DS1. It is a spectacular send off to one of the most captivating, wonderful sagas I have ever got to experience in video games. Truly a classic.

Oh, before I forget: Yes, this one has the worst grind of the three: I hope that Covenant Farming gets fixed in the Remaster, fuck that noise. Still love the game tho.

7/10

You have to know that I don't really consider myself a fan of the Souls series. I mean, technically I am, since I haven't hated a game, but I don't love them either. They are what they are. I don't especially love a lot of "hard" games as a personal preference. I've never beaten a game in the series but I never feel it necessary. DS3 was just a game to play for a while before I got into Ratchet and Clank -- and now Bravely Second. Admittedly, I'll never go back to it and I didn't get as far as I could have if it came out during a slower period. With that said, I probably enjoy this one the most; I haven't played the original Dark Souls though.

I admire certain things about the series: the atmosphere and visuals are great, with an awesome dark fantasy feel and look, and it does a good job of psychologically fucking you up when you see big bosses that become even bigger bosses. The game plays you, but this isn't news to fans. I can't really speak for the lore because I've never cared, but people seem to enjoy it. Seems "meh" to me, but like I said, I've never finished an entry.

I just have a hard time with the combat. I find it to be incredibly clunky and unsatisfying. The rest of the game isn't good enough as a whole to make me forgive that, so I've never been able to get into the most important part of the game. You can strip away all the different elements of the game and people would still play it because it's difficult; that's not really enough for me. I know others will say there's so much more to the game, but as I said, I appreciate some of it but it can't rely on it.

Bonfires seem to be closer together which I like. Maybe that's why I enjoy this one a little more. Yes, it makes it "easier" in a way, but having to repeat the same areas over and over again because I die actually isn't interesting gameplay. I'm not suggesting a checkpoint every minute, but before I could be on a decent run and I would die. The first few times I had to replay them were fine, but then after a while it becomes monotonous. Yes, "git gud" but whatever, it was shitty design.

But these games aren't really for me and I understand that. I'm glad everyone else loves it.

Disclaimer: I wrote this review when I was still high from my first Dark Souls 3 playthrough, and a little blinded by the hype. After some more time with the game and deeper consideration I've decided that, while it's certainly an excellent game, I don't think it's the flawless masterpiece that I've described below. The game has some big problems and shortcomings and comparing it to other From Software games, I would say it is the almost the weakest game in the series, trumped only by Dark Souls 2. There are some game design decisions that really weakened the experience. But my biggest gripe is the world and its atmosphere. Compare to other SoulsBorne games, the environments, characters and world, while beautiful, are somewhat bland and forgettable. This game is a great experience, and a joy to play through, it doesn't have the longevity of previous From Software highlights and it certainly doesn't hold a candle to Bloodborne. Perhaps some of the issues will be patched. And From are known for creating DLCs that are superior to the base game, perhaps the Dark Souls 3 DLCs will elevate this title to loftier heights.

I could write a 30-volume encyclopaedia set about this game, in fact if I look at my posts about it I've already written a couple volumes. So I'm going to try and keep this short and sweet.

Firstly, this game is excellent in every sense. If you liked Dark Souls 1, you'll love this game, so stop reading and go play it. In terms of difficulty, I would say it's the most challenging game in the series, and victory has never tasted so sweet.

DS3 is interesting because it borrows the best features from Demon's Souls, DS1&2 plus Bloodborne. It cuts away the fat, drops the unnecessary elements and forges and entirely new animal. That's not to say that it's rehashed; there's also a lot of new ideas. The setting, graphics and atmosphere are entirely original. The combat feels very different. If you don't like a challenge you won't like this game. It doesn't really allow you to let your guard down at any point; it's unrelenting. Even the non-boss enemies will tear you apart if you lose concentration. This is where DS3 borrows from Bloodborne; your attacks are more powerful, but so are the enemies. For this reason the game encourages perfect and cautious play. Most enemies will die in 2 or 3 hits, but so will you.

It's difficult for me to find any qualms or complaints. If I was pushed, there a three things I take issue with, but they're personal preferences: there are one or two dark areas (requiring a torch) in the game, but most of the game is very well-lit. I would have enjoyed a terrifyingly dark area, like Tomb of the Giants from DS1. My other small complaint is bonfire placement. DS3 was fairly forgiving in this sense; bonfires are spaced closely together, I would have preferred fewer bonfires to add more challenge. Finally, warping/teleporting is awarded to the player at the beginning of the game. Given the huge beautiful world, I would have preferred to travel on foot throughout the game, at least during the first half, like in DS1. But really, that's just nitpicking.

Before I ramble endlessly I'll note my 3 favourite things about the game and I'll end there.

1. The World: The game is set in this gigantic, beautiful post-apocalyptic world. Everything is ruined and crumbling and yet it all holds a strange and disturbing beauty. The world is literally gigantic, at least 2 or 3 times larger than Dark Souls. As with DS1, the world is riddled with shortcuts, branching paths and interconnections. It's a joy to explore and to witness the surreal horror and beauty of it all.

2. The enemy AI: This is what makes this the hardest game in the souls series. Enemies are smarter and less-predictable than in previous games. They know when you're about to heal. They adapt to your behaviour. Their attacks are also very difficult to anticipate. Some enemies will even feign an attack. Enemies constantly try to trick you, or they'll run away when overwhelmed, or call on their friends for help. It's truly devious.

3. I can't mention this third point because it's a spoiler. But basically: if you haven't played Dark Souls 1, play it first before this. I feel like it's almost necessary for full understanding and enjoyment. All I can say is that the devs really went far to please fans of the series.

I could keep writing, but I won't. This game isn't for everyone, but if you liked Dark Souls, you'll certainly like this. If you're just vaguely interested, buy Dark Souls (it only costs $5 these days) and try it out. Definitely one of the most fulfilling gaming experiences available.

Finally reached the end of the main story on my first replay, which I started early last year to do all the optional content and DLC that I missed out on years ago. (I reviewed the DLCs separately here and here.) Honestly I do think there's a reason why I was not super eager to keep going, as like the other Dark Souls games this entry has some parts that are a drag, but after pushing through I was able to get to the fresh content and definitely still enjoyed the overall experience.

I used basic katanas when I played these games previously, but this time used the big icy boss weapon Vordt's Great Hammer, and that slower attacking style felt pretty satisfying here. The game is generally at its most enjoyable in its boss fights, which are not all winners but generally are quite good, often coming with multiple phases, varied movesets with tricky combos, and memorable visual designs that all pushed From closer to what we got with Elden Ring. Like Malenia, it’s pretty bold that they hide something like the Nameless King fight behind a bunch of missable and unintuitive steps, as it's a highlight I originally missed with epic presentation and scale and a varied challenge across two totally different phases. Required bosses mostly have lowlights in those that prioritize recognizing their “gimmick” over learning a complex moveset, which like those in the first Dark Souls are pretty boring compared to similar kinds of bosses in Demon’s Souls or Zelda.

And the levels around them can occasionally be pretty forgettable and dull themselves, with some substantial ones that I completely forgot existed or that blend into one another, but there are more good/okay than bad. I enjoy the later Lothric Castle / Grand Archives section of the game for example, which in the latter part gets especially interesting to navigate across a bunch of floors and directions, inside and outside, levers with unclear effects, all kinds of stuff going on. I don't necessarily love the Irythill zone, but the view when you approach it definitely still wows. The game also starts out reasonably well with the mostly fun High Wall of Lothric and Undead Settlement areas, so it's mostly a stretch in the middle that can be rougher, which is where I fell off this replay previously.

The game is more linear than the prior Dark Souls games, though does occasionally let you choose the order to do things or split off into optional areas. What you do get out of the more linear format is a pretty consistent forward momentum and assurance that you're probably strong enough for where you are, but due to consecutive weaker parts in the middle, this isn't a game I'd like to replay very often. It tries to get some wow factor out of references to the first Dark Souls, which can be kind of neat but also reminds you of Dark Souls and how much cooler and more novel and memorable its world felt compared to this one. While it's "the point" of this game's story that things are dark and grey and fading away, it still would have benefited greatly from more visual variety in the base game, which the DLC seems to help with.

At the end of the day, while it's not one of From's best games in my opinion, this game remains super playable, generally quite fun and impressive, and probably a "smoother" time overall than the prior Souls games. There is certainly an argument that this is the most natural next step for players coming from Elden Ring, as they will find its boss formula relatively familiar and not run into things that read as "dated" or annoying like they would in prior Souls titles. It's just not necessarily quite as memorable as a base game experience, but even a B-tier From Software game is pretty essential if you like their style and better than most Soulslikes on the market.

what i liked:

• brilliant world design and connectivity. from software is well known for this aspect of their games and dark souls 3 isn't an exception to it.

• exploration is worthwhile with a lot of optional content, secrets, items and many more to be found. basically one of the best games in terms of exploration i've ever played. the maps are big enough to give you the feeling of freedom, but linear and small enough to provide a rewarding experience.

• combat is obviously one of the major selling points of this series and it's playing out so well in dark souls 3. really can't complain much, but keep in mind there will be some clunky and odd combat moments, like when you strafe an enemy in combat and punish his hitbox with a backstab.

• an impressive amount of the boss designs were well designed and diverse. dark souls 3 had some of the best bosses i've ever played. friede for example (screw you haters, she's awesome) and gael is probably one of my most favorite bosses of all time.

• enemy and boss variety is decent and the amount of reused content isn't even worth mentioning.

• there is a lot of build variety to be found with many viable weapons and spells. ranging from different types of weapons to several schools of magic. i've had a blast trying out different weapons, with claymore being my absolute favorite.

• interesting and well thought out lore, but as usual for games of the souls series, it's kinda vague and hidden all over the game. definitely worth diving into and the use of a wiki is highly recommended.

• timeless graphics with some minor flaws, which won't matter too much. the artstyle is pretty impressive like all modern from software games are. despite the graphics are looking kinda outdated, the atmosphere is insanely good and the scenery is quite impressive. sadly some the blurry backdrops far away hurt the overall quality.

• orchestral soundtrack and an atmospheric sound design making the game quite scary while delving through these tainted and monster infested dungeons.

• there are some memorable and iconic npcs with interesting quest lines, like the onion knight, londor crew, greyrat and patches, but sadly others are a tad bit uninspired and it feels like they're simply in the game for the sake of being a merchant or a teacher.

• fair bonfire placement is holding the run back at bay.

what felt debatable to me:

~ some of the hit boxes in the game are kinda odd, i have to admit.

~ swamps are no fun in this game (or in any game honestly). constantly slow walking through muddy ground and slow rolling. the cherry on top are status effects like poison (which is kinda fine due to the low damage) or toxic. it's manageable tho if played properly.

what i disliked:

• the covenants were straight garbage in my opinion. pvp servers are basically down since early 2022 and items / achievements are tied to the covenants.

10/10