Dark Souls III - First Reviews

The first reviews for Dark Souls III are coming in:

Polygon:

Dark Souls 3 lives up to the formula in some respects but falls short a little too often.

Score: 7/10

IGN:

If Dark Souls 3 truly is the last in the series as we know it, then it’s a worthy send-off. Weapon arts allow stylish and versatile new moves without tarnishing the purity of the combat system. Lothric’s awe-inspiring locations provide visually stunning arenas for rigorous exploration and fierce face-offs with hosts of deadly enemies and even deadlier bosses. While not all the risky changes land as neatly as others, Dark Souls 3 is a powerful journey and the sequel the series truly deserves.

Score: 9.5/10

AusGamers:

Good:

• The pitch perfect build-up of difficulty as the game progresses
• Every accomplishment is your own
• The final boss is brilliant but I can't tell you why
• When the level design is on point, it's brilliant
• I invaded someone as they ran up to the final boss because I'm a huge dickhead

Bad:

• Not a good PC port
• Swamps can go to hell

Score: 9.5/10

Rock, Paper, Shotgun:

If this were to be the final Souls game, I’d be happy to say goodbye. It’s not quite the crowning achievement of the series but it’s a fantastically inventive and fluid interpretation of the formula. And perhaps that would make it a great first Souls game for somebody new to the series as well.

My complaints are minor, given the quality of the game as a whole, and some of them are directed toward elements that make this entry more approachable than its predecessors. Just remember, if you are going to play, not even the biggest and most brutal beasts are as tough as you imagine when you first see them, and the next bonfire is rarely more than a few minutes away.

Destructoid:

If Dark Souls III truly is the last game for now, it makes perfect sense, since it's just as much of a love letter to fans as it is a culmination of the series. I may not have liked this iteration as much as the rest, but it's still streets ahead of most current action games and deserves a warm spot on your shelf by the bonfire.

Score 8.5/10

PC Gamer:

Dark Souls 3

Sprawling level design, thrilling combat, and masterful indirect storytelling make Dark Souls 3 the best Dark Souls yet.

Score: 94/100