By Rob Dolen
staff writer

“Dark Souls III” is a surprising blend of new and old ideas that still remains true to the essence of the original “Dark Souls” game.

Set in the dark fantasy world of Lothric, “Dark Souls III” is a third-person adventure game. The player takes on the role of an undead warrior who was raised from the ashes and is tasked with defeating the old Lords of Cinder to avert a cataclysmic event.

After the first expositional cut-scene, the players are sent to the character creation system where they must choose what class they want: Knight, Mercenary, Warrior, Herald, Thief, Assassin, Sorcerer, Pyromancer, Cleric or Deprived.

Each class has its own distinct focus on character statistics, with the exception of Deprived, which is a barebones class for customization. These character statistics hugely influence the play style throughout the entire game.

The game begins with the player rising from the dead and goes straight into game play. There are no outright objectives, forcing the player to explore and find a purpose in a semi-open world full of monstrosities from the kingdom that once was. This exploration is heavily rewarded, as dedicated players will find more important items, equipment and enemies as they follow hidden paths.

Combat in “Dark Souls III” is a satisfying meld between the original series and “Bloodborne,” which creates a fluid fighting system that rewards skilled players for mastering defensive techniques.

The “Dark Souls” series has always been renowned for its emphasis on strategic planning, measuring enemies’ attacks and capitalizing on their weak spots. This is especially exemplified in “Dark Souls III,” where careful planning is essential to survival on even the easier and earlier bosses.

The weapons systems in “Dark Souls III” enable highly customizable play, like allowing the character to wield two swords, a sword and a dagger, a sword and a shield or even two shields.

The new weapon arts system allows the player to add magical enchantments to weapons and move-sets, giving the player new strength to help with the plethora of enemies and bosses in the game.

Enemies are plentiful and varied throughout “Dark Souls III” and the changes made in “Bloodborne” heavily influence the structure of bosses. Bosses tend to have several different transformations, both physically and statistically, forcing players to adapt and remain on their toes. Some boss fights also cater to the strategic side, focusing more on the player’s patience rather than brute force on one weak spot.

“Dark Souls III” also provides some of the most visually stunning landscapes and vistas that the series has ever seen. It’s a testament of game design on how much intricate detail is put into the world. Different paths are interconnected towards a common point with unlockable shortcuts so that the walk of shame after a failed boss battle isn’t tiring.

“Dark Souls III” is a masterful challenge that entices new players and caters to series veterans; it’s a combination of a return to form as well as a serious upgrade to the series.