Dark Souls III

⭐ 8.5/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

This is a game that only true (capital G) Gamers can even dare try. Last century, if you were brave and wanted to chase glory, you joined the world wars. Trust me, those soliders wouldn't even make it to the Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls III. You have to be different to beat a Dark Souls game 😤

This game is the same basic formula as the other FromSoft games I've reviewed in Elden Ring and Bloodborne, though definitely more of the latter than the former. It's hard, it's horrific, there are very few moments of levity or joy, and the story is cryptic and mysterious. But with that comes a level of immense satisfaction, a feeling of mastery, and the right to wear your Gamer badge proudly.

With that said, this being my third From game, I actually didn't struggle with this one too much. There were weird difficulty spikes, but I can't say there were too many classic moments where I lost everything and lost my mind. I got a lot of bosses my first try, and most took me only 2-3. There were definitely some great, difficult fights, but that was mostly towards the end when you want them (shout out Lord of Cinder, and Nameless King who I spanked). Nothing took me hours and hours. Same is true for the overworld. There were no moments of banging my head against the same spot over and over. You die, you learn your lesson, and you do better next time.

I still don't completely know how I feel about these games, and I think that's common. The highs and lows are just so extreme. I like to compare these games to that quote about classic literature: they are better to have played than to play. The memories and sense of pride are unequaled, and so sometimes you forget how unhappy you were at times. But one thing I can say for certain is you are never bored. You are on the edge of your seat at all times, and are always thinking about this game when you're not playing. I beat it in 32 hours... In two weeks.

So anyways, hard to recommend to really anyone, but I do think that after the initial learning curve, these games aren't as daunting as one might think. My main recommendation though, would be just play Elden Ring as that game surpasses this one in basically every way. I do like that these are a little more contained and curated, but Elden Ring is a better starting point. Also, shout out to all my two-handed wielders out there who are simply a superior breed. I used my Sauron mace to start the game and never looked back. The weapon was my closest friend for two weeks.