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Why We Love to Hate Dark Souls III

Why We Love to Hate Dark Souls III

I’m a huge Dark Souls fan. Those who’ve read my articles and know me personally know that the first Dark Souls meant a lot to me. Not since the days of Final Fantasy VII had I been so deeply captivated by a game’s presentation, ambience, and world. Now, I always say that I’m a Dark Souls fan, not just a Souls fan, because the other games don’t mean very much to me. I never played Demon Souls, Dark Souls II was an unworthy sequel that lacked grit, and Bloodborne, while beautiful, didn’t have the replayability that Dark Souls had. As celebrated as Bloodborne is, I really don’t think it compares; your path of progression is far too linear, and the lack of arms and armor left me wanting more. I doubt I’ll ever feel compelled to go back and finish it.

No, in my mind we really haven’t seen a true Dark Souls successor. From Software struck oil once, and I know they have it in them to make at least one more masterpiece. I, like all Dark Souls fans, am hoping that Dark Souls III will be that masterpiece, that true successor. It has to be, because From Software is reportedly finished making Souls games for now. While we in the West are still almost two weeks away from playing the game, it’s already out in Japan, review copies are floating about, and several impatient fans have imported the Japanese version to play through. The opinions are starting to come flooding in, and they’re overwhelmingly positive. I’m still a little concerned, though.

I’ve been scanning all of the early reviews and first impressions that I can find. In my research, I’ve discovered that a few things that I was really hoping for in a true Dark Souls sequel aren’t present. There are three things specifically that I was looking for: the first is something all Dark Souls fans wanted, the second is something that would have enhanced PvP for better, and the third is something small that I would have liked.

First, let’s talk about the game world. Dark Souls III is reportedly still a fairly linear experience. It sounds like there’s a central hub like we had in Dark Souls II, where you’ll return to level up, and throughout the game there is a clear, critical path that you’re encouraged to take. While this isn’t a deal-breaker, it is a bit disappointing. Part of what made Dark Souls so incredible was the fact that after you finished the tutorial, you were dropped into a huge, open, intricately-connected world that you explored at your own pace. If you wanted to head straight to Blighttown or Valley of Drakes, you could totally do that. You’d die, of course, but you could still take on the world as you saw fit. Tackling challenges from different angles and trying to score certain weapons early in the game is what made starting a new game in Dark Souls so rewarding, even after the second, third, or tenth time.

Why We Love to Hate Dark Souls III

Second, I was really hoping for a revamped combat system. I didn’t want something totally different, the Souls franchise is legendary for its tight combat, but it would have been nice to see something new. From what I can tell, you can expect to see the same spells and employ the same tried-and-true formulas for taking down enemies. Expect lots of side-stepping, rolling, and poking. There are these new weapon arts – powerful two-handed attacks that deplete your magic bar – but from what I’ve heard they’re extremely impractical and rarely used in PvE or PvP.

Third, I would have liked to see visual weapon and armor upgrades. One of the best parts of Dark Souls was finding that one weapon and one armor set that really suited you and upgrading it. It’d be nice if, with each trip to the blacksmith, your armor set or sword would look a little more decadent or intimidating. As it turns out, weapons in Dark Souls III upgrade much the same as they did in the first installment, and you don’t upgrade your armor at all. Bummer.

Thus concludes my lamentation. I had to mourn my wishlist, because now I know I’ll never have my perfect Dark Souls game. Be that as it may, this is still a day-1 purchase for me. I’ve heard it said that this is the hardest Souls game ever made, and I’m practically salivating at the prospect. Harder than the Bell Gargoyles? Harder than Ornstein and Smough? Buckle up, Souls fans, and prepare to die.

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