STACK NZ APril 2016 Issue 72

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A common misconception
about Souls games is
that they're primarily
designed to be "difficult". Many
writers will proudly tell you that
these games are not for cowards
or newcomers and that invariably,
you'll throw your controller, gnash
your teeth, and be crushed by
this punishing game.
Close, but not quite.
In reality, Souls games are
designed well, and difficulty is a
result of this.
Dark Souls III is no exception.
Yes, it expects you to die. But it
also expects the player to learn
from death, and come back
stronger.
In a similar way, Dark Souls
III has taken the best from its
predecessors. It has the distinct,
atmospheric areas of Demon's
Souls ; the powerful characters
of the original Dark Souls; the
mechanical improvements of Dark
Souls II; and the heady thrills of
Bloodborne's frantic combat. This
is the final game in the Dark
Souls franchise, and players
can expect to experience
the best of everything
that has come before.
Combat in Dark
Souls III remains
reactionary. Before
you go into an
encounter, you
consider your
strengths, what
type of enemy you'll
be facing, and how
best to exploit their weaknesses.
To this end, the new tools at
your disposal are "weapon arts".
Weapon arts are special moves
(activated with L2) that differ
based on the weapon you wield.
For example, the Longsword's
weapon art allows you to break
an enemy's guard with a powerful
uppercut. In contrast, the Bandit
Knife's weapon art enables
your character to dash with
increased speed, unlocking
a more aggressive
playstyle. Combat has
always revolved around
the weapon you wield,
and this relationship has been
strengthened in Dark Souls III.
Every Souls game has given
players the option to choose
a starter class with different
weapons and spells, but this is
the first time every playstyle feels
viable. For example, bow-only
builds have never been a popular
choice, but the short bow now
has a fast-firing mode, and quick-
shots that become available after
you roll. The pyromancer's
‘pryomancy hand’ now
includes a close-range L2
attack, fleshing out the
ranged options we've
always had. And finally,
there are now a wide
variety of spells and
miracles in the early-
game.
In the first five
hours of Dark Souls III,
you have access to at
least 30 weapons, 20
equipment sets, dozens
of spells, and at least 10
NPC questlines that help you
attain these valuable items. While
the early-game is more linear
than Dark Souls and Dark Souls
II, the world is folded in on itself
like never before, hiding unique
treasures around every corner.
The more you give, the more you
get – and the same goes for the
lore. You could go through the
game without even thinking about
the story, but look more critically,
and you'll discover disturbing
truths about the characters,
bosses, and the world you took
for granted.
My biggest criticism stems
from the linear world. While levels
are densely packed and folded in
on themselves, I still yearn for the
deeply convoluted map designs
of Dark Souls 1. Gone are the
days where I could be journeying
through an early-game area, only
YouTube personality VaatiVidya is widely regarded as a leading
authority on FromSoftware’s Souls canon.This month he reviews the
final chapter in the Dark Souls trilogy, Dark Souls III, for STACK.
to stumble upon a tough but
rewarding late-game area. Souls
is at its strongest when it puts
faith in the player's intelligence,
and its faith in a player's
navigational ability is somewhat
lacking. Additionally, the care put
into dense environmental design
is wasted when a player can
simply warp past it all, instead
of being forced to run through it
again.
In closing, Dark Souls III is a
well-crafted farewell. If you're
a series veteran, the game will
play upon your nostalgia with
plentiful references to memorable
characters and encounters. If
you're a newcomer, you will be
challenged, you will die, you
will overcome, and you will
succeed. After you complete it,
other games just won't feel the
same. You can then dive into all
the other Souls games just to
see what made Dark Souls III so
great.
visit GAMES FEATURE
16 APRIL 2016
GAMES
You can find his YouTube channel here
• Dark Souls III
is out April 12.