DARK SOULS III

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 151,782 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
DARK SOULS III Game Cover
Dark Souls 3's incredible world and awe-inspiring weapon arts make it the fiercest installment yet.
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"Dark Souls III" is a critically acclaimed and award-winning RPG, known for its challenging gameplay and immersive atmosphere. The game features faster gameplay and amplified combat, taking place in a vast universe filled with colossal enemies and epic environments. Players must embrace the darkness and prepare for an unforgettable journey as only embers remain.

  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Windows Mixed Reality
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 151,782 reviews
gameplay3,627 positive mentions
optimization324 negative mentions
  • gameplay9,480 mentions

    Dark Souls III is widely praised for its refined gameplay mechanics, offering a blend of challenging yet fair combat that encourages players to learn enemy patterns and adapt their strategies. The game features a faster-paced combat system compared to its predecessors, with a variety of weapons and unique boss mechanics that enhance the overall experience. While some players appreciate the streamlined mechanics and improved graphics, others express frustration with certain gameplay elements, such as hitbox issues and the linearity of level design, which can detract from the exploration aspect that characterized earlier titles in the series.

    • “Dark Souls III refines the series' hallmark combat, introducing faster, more responsive mechanics inspired by Bloodborne while retaining the tactical depth that defines the Souls games.”
    • “The boss encounters in Dark Souls III are among the series’ best, offering a mix of challenging mechanics, breathtaking visuals, and unforgettable music.”
    • “The gameplay is a seamless blend of skill, strategy, and perseverance.”
    • “If you want to die every 10 seconds and be tormented in the worst way possible with horrible, totally unfair fighting mechanics, play this game.”
    • “Gameplay feels like a dance-roll simulator rather than a sword-fighting experience.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly fast and fluid in comparison to the first two dark souls games, something that I was not prepared for during the early hours of the game.”
  • story8,244 mentions

    The story of "Dark Souls III" is characterized by its cryptic and fragmented narrative, primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling, item descriptions, and sparse NPC dialogue. Players often find themselves piecing together the lore and character backstories, which can be both rewarding and challenging, especially for newcomers to the series. While some appreciate the depth and complexity of the story, others criticize its obscurity and the difficulty in tracking NPC quests, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall narrative coherence.

    • “Fans of the franchise will appreciate the callbacks, connections, and resolutions to long-standing mysteries, while newcomers can still enjoy the cryptic storytelling and environmental world-building that FromSoftware does so well.”
    • “The lore is rich and mysterious, encouraging players to piece together the story through exploration.”
    • “The story is a culmination of everything the series has stood for, delivering an unforgettable experience filled with intense challenge, haunting atmosphere, and masterful storytelling.”
    • “The only critiques I can really make of Dark Souls 3 (other than the camera for large bosses) is that the characters and story fall just short of the original Dark Souls.”
    • “The story is practically non-existent, with only vague references to previous games and a lack of coherent narrative.”
    • “The storytelling is classic Dark Souls, read some stuff and fill in the holes with whatever you can.”
  • graphics5,020 mentions

    The graphics of Dark Souls III have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and intricate level design, often described as breathtaking and immersive. Players appreciate the game's dark, gothic aesthetic, which enhances the overall atmosphere, while the graphical fidelity is noted as a significant improvement over its predecessors. Despite some criticisms regarding color palettes and occasional performance issues, the game's art direction and attention to detail have left a lasting impression on both new and returning players.

    • “Dark Souls 3 is visually stunning, with a dark, gothic aesthetic that perfectly captures the game's atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous; the soundtrack is knock-your-socks-off, the world-building is extensive, the gameplay loop is wicked fun and addicting.”
    • “The graphics are absolutely stunning, with highly-detailed character models and environments that are just as mesmerizing as they are terrifying.”
    • “The graphics are also awful.”
    • “Graphics are dated and are a console import; it's not utilizing the PC capabilities.”
    • “The graphics in the game are truly something to behold, not only because of the incredible job they did with lighting, shading, etc., but because of the absolutely breathtaking level design they have accomplished.”
  • music3,852 mentions

    The music in Dark Souls III is widely praised for its hauntingly beautiful compositions that enhance the game's atmosphere and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight the exceptional quality of the soundtrack, particularly during boss fights, where each track is tailored to elevate the intensity and significance of the encounters. Many consider it the best soundtrack in the series, with memorable themes that resonate long after gameplay, contributing to the overall immersive experience of the game.

    • “The incredible boss fights, breathtaking soundtracks, and beautiful atmospheres make it an unforgettable experience.”
    • “The melancholic soundtrack perfectly complements the game’s tone, enhancing every moment with its haunting melodies.”
    • “The music pierces your soul and even before you reach the fight zone, you can hear the battle that goes on in the room.”
    • “The music is not memorable.”
    • “The music is also very forgettable to me.”
    • “The soundtrack is mainly focused on the boss fights.”
  • atmosphere1,989 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Dark Souls III" is widely praised for its haunting beauty and immersive design, effectively capturing the series' signature dark fantasy aesthetic. Players appreciate the intricate level design, rich lore, and the emotional weight conveyed through the environments and soundtracks, which enhance the overall experience of exploration and challenge. While some feel it lacks the oppressive atmosphere of its predecessors, many agree that it successfully blends elements from previous titles, creating a uniquely atmospheric journey that resonates deeply with fans.

    • “Every area is dripping with atmosphere, making you feel like you’re walking through a world that’s ancient, broken, and filled with untold stories.”
    • “The dark fantasy atmosphere is immaculate, the game's world is a bleak, decaying realm filled with grotesque creatures and ancient evils.”
    • “From the moment you step into the cursed world of Lothric, you’re hit with that signature Dark Souls atmosphere: beautiful, bleak, and haunting.”
    • “The atmosphere feels like it has no identity, just basic gray mountainside or basic gray castle and basic trash mob that looks too similar to a Bloodborne foe.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick with a sense of dread and wonder, and the world design is interconnected in such a way that exploration feels meaningful and organic.”
    • “While it lacks in overall atmosphere when compared to Bloodborne or Dark Souls 1, it completely makes up for in boss design.”
  • replayability1,446 mentions

    Dark Souls III is widely regarded as one of the most replayable entries in the series, offering a wealth of character builds, multiple endings, and a New Game Plus mode that enhances the challenge. Players appreciate the variety of weapons, spells, and armor, which encourage experimentation and diverse playstyles, while the game's linear design and some criticisms of its world structure are noted as potential drawbacks to replayability. Overall, the combination of engaging gameplay, rich lore, and a vibrant multiplayer component contributes to its high replay value, making it a favorite among fans.

    • “Combined with the wide variety of weapons, spells, and armor, the game offers immense replayability, encouraging players to explore new builds and strategies.”
    • “The replayability is off the charts.”
    • “Dark Souls III excels in replayability, not only through its various builds and playstyles but also with its engaging multiplayer components, particularly PvP.”
    • “The linearity of the game heavily damages its replayability, especially combined with the nerf to many alternative playstyles, often feeling like you are punished for playing anything other than a fast rolling R1 spamming straight sword character.”
    • “After a point, the game loses its replayability though.”
    • “This game has almost no replay value due to how little the experience changes as you play it a second or third time.”
  • optimization1,085 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly on PC. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others have found the game unplayable even on recommended hardware, leading to widespread frustration. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be inconsistent, with calls for patches to address these ongoing issues.

    • “Well optimized on PC and easy to get into, besides the boss fights being harder than the previous games.”
    • “The game is incredibly optimized as well, only taking up about 25 GB in total.”
    • “This game is very optimized for the use of a controller.”
    • “Performance issues for a game as old as this for over the final third of the game is unacceptable.”
    • “It is literally unplayable without mods; the latest patch somehow messes up the performance and the game is constantly stuttering every 10 seconds.”
    • “This game is a jittery unoptimized mess on PC.”
  • grinding1,077 mentions

    The grinding aspect of Dark Souls III is widely regarded as tedious and time-consuming, particularly for players aiming for 100% completion. Many reviews highlight the extensive farming required for covenant items and rare drops, often describing it as a frustrating experience that can take hours or even days. While some players find enjoyment in the grind and appreciate the challenge it presents, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, making the game feel more like a chore than a rewarding adventure.

    • “The difficulty is rewarding, not tedious.”
    • “Game isn't grindy at all, I've never once stopped to wait and grind for souls.”
    • “If there was just a bit more linearity to levels, I think I would love the game and enjoy grinding it out; it's just the 20 minutes between boss attempts after searching for the boss for 5 hours that puts me off.”
    • “Farming covenant items offline is the most darksouls thing ever.”
    • “The farming for the darkmoon covenant was annoying.”
    • “Covenant farming was literal aids but this shouldn't affect most people.”
  • humor691 mentions

    The humor in this game is often described as lighthearted and absurd, providing a mix of frustration and laughter through its challenging gameplay and quirky character interactions. Players find joy in the game's dark humor, funny character designs, and the hilarious moments that arise during multiplayer interactions, such as unexpected deaths and comical player messages. Overall, the humor serves as a counterbalance to the game's difficulty, making the experience both entertaining and memorable.

    • “Very funny and silly game, recommended.”
    • “The real joy in this game is being able to play with friends, and then clipping all their deaths whilst laughing maniacally.”
    • “It's funny because it never was meant to be the main selling point; the player had to raise their awareness bar as they walked through deserted castles, settlements and what not, but it never was as unforgiving as people made it out to be.”
    • “A game with a fandom toxic, horny and unfunny.”
    • “It's not funny and ruins a big part of the experience.”
    • “It's not funny, in any way, and only serves to anger the good people that paid with their hard-earned money for a game that penalizes the victim rather than the villain.”
  • stability603 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a significant number of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in PvP scenarios. While some users have experienced minimal issues and praise the game's performance, others highlight frequent crashes, freezes, and inconsistent input, making the overall experience frustrating for many. Despite these problems, some players find the glitches add a unique charm to the game, though they acknowledge that the stability issues detract from its potential.

    • “I've heard from people it has technical issues but I didn't experience any, no glitches, no frame drops, didn't crash once.”
    • “The game runs great on my PC and controls great with my Xbox One controller.”
    • “Well optimized, not buggy, and the gameplay is great!”
    • “PVP is still buggy and input is still inconsistent.”
    • “The game is a buggy mess, with constant freezes and crashes.”
    • “There are glitches and bugs here and there which I hope FromSoftware fixes, like the no animation summons/invaders.”
  • emotional568 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Dark Souls III" is widely praised, with players expressing a profound connection to its haunting soundtrack, intricate lore, and character-driven narratives that evoke a range of feelings from joy to heartbreak. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to elicit tears, particularly during pivotal moments such as boss fights and the conclusion of character arcs, making it a deeply immersive experience that resonates with both new and returning players. Overall, the game is celebrated for its emotional depth, challenging gameplay, and the nostalgic ties to the earlier entries in the series, leaving a lasting impact on those who engage with its world.

    • “The hauntingly beautiful soundtrack complements the dark tone perfectly, elevating the tension and adding emotional weight to key moments, particularly during boss fights.”
    • “The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journeys.”
    • “This game made me cry, but in a good way.”
    • “The emotional depth of the story was lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I felt no emotional investment in the plot; it was predictable and uninspiring.”
    • “The game tried to evoke emotions, but the execution fell flat, leaving me feeling indifferent.”
  • character development110 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the depth and customization options available for character abilities and playstyles, while others criticize the sparse dialogue and lack of meaningful narrative progression. The character designs are often highlighted as stunning and unique, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere, but many feel that the overall character development lacks the depth found in other RPGs. Overall, while the game excels in visual and design aspects, its character development is seen as limited and often overshadowed by its challenging gameplay and rich lore.

    • “The character development not only defines how difficult or easy the game is for you, but also gives you an enormous repertoire of paths to pursue as you find your own personal build that will carry you to victory.”
    • “It has a really awesome story with so much lore and character development, and it's all hidden.”
    • “Character development and outfitting options create good depth to the gameplay.”
    • “Character development, dialogue, and quest lines are noticeably sparse.”
    • “This game has absolutely none of the things that make a good RPG: no character development, no intriguing story, no quests, no maps; it is a subpar RPG made for people who lack the intelligence to do anything other than kill enemies.”
    • “Motivations are left in the dark, character development is nonexistent, and characterization is incredibly poor.”
  • monetization54 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the absence of microtransactions and pay-to-win mechanics, highlighting it as a refreshing change in an industry often criticized for cash grabs. However, some users feel that the game still embodies elements of a cash grab, particularly in its DLC offerings and perceived lack of innovation. Overall, while the game is celebrated for its design and lore, concerns about its monetization practices linger among certain players.

    • “No microtransactions at all, great game overall.”
    • “All 3 games are masterpieces when you include their DLC content... by the way... no pay to win... no microtransactions. From Software created a whole new genre with these gems and you won't regret playing.”
    • “No microtransactions, no money grab (hello Creative Assembly).”
    • “Sad to see so many people loving this cash grab.”
    • “Really feels like a cash grab.”
    • “This game is amazing until you realize it's just a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

86% average critic score

Buy DARK SOULS III

Play time

85hMedian play time
219hAverage play time
32hMain story
98hCompletionist
20-295hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 625 analyzed playthroughs

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