Dark Souls 3 had the unenviable job of closing out a series that changed gaming forever. Not only that, but its task involved weaving a near-decade of deep, complex lore into one final tapestry. Although the game make some dramatic changes to the Souls series formula, it still succeeded in creating a game that fans (new and old alike) adored. The game is a sweeping crescendo of encounter design, striking visuals, and varied gameplay options.
After following the much-maligned Dark Souls 2 and much-praised Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3 had a delicate balance to strike. Did it attempt to address the initial fan criticism of its predecessor (despite Dark Souls 2's passionate fanbase), or try to emulate the breakout success of the PS4 exclusive Bloodborne? By essentially doing both, the game cemented itself as important to both the series' canon and in the hearts of its fanbase. Now, after an initial March 24, 2016, release date in Japan, fans can celebrate its worldwide release. Having released on April 12, 2016, Dark Souls 3 is 5 years old everywhere now.
Dark Souls 3 Is Incredibly Popular (and Accessible)
Despite its release over 5 years ago, the game is still incredible popular, with over 12 thousand concurrent players on just the Steam version at the time of writing. Consulting Steam Charts shows some interesting facts about the game. With the Steam edition alone, there are nearly 12 times as many concurrent players as Dark Souls: Remastered and nearly 6 times as many as Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin. So, the game is several factors more popular than both of its predecessors. Even when looking at the original edition of Dark Souls 2, the third installment had nearly 60,000 more peak players around launch. So, even by the Steam versions alone, Dark Souls 3 was magnitudes more popular than its predecessors.
Why was that? In short, the game is much easier to get into than the others in the series. The UI is more accessible, and gameplay sets itself out in a much clearer way. In particular, the game drops some more confusing elements of previous titles. For example, tying dodge rolls to a largely unexplained "agility" stat as in Dark Souls 2 was one mechanic left behind. Its story is more straight forward than the more mysterious, associative narratives of the previous games. In general, this more accessible storyline and easier character building mechanics lead to the game being a haven for PvP action.
How Dark Souls 3Â Took Notes From Bloodborne
Another method of getting new players on board for Dark Souls 3 was the game's similarity to another Soulsborne title. Bloodborne was Miyazaki's return to glorious form for many fans after the less popular Dark Souls 2, while the Lovecraftian adventure through Victorian-style streets was one of the most popular PS4 exclusives. The game build on some of Dark Souls 2's healing mechanics, but mainly increased the pace of the Soulsborne formula. This included faster, more aggressive enemies and weapons that encouraged frenetic, vicious playstyle.
One of the key methods was increasing the amount of enemies that could be parried. By largely removing the use of a shield, Bloodborne's parrying became a key part of combat. The new reliance on the parry made combat much, much faster. The considered blow-trading of shielded tanks that was so popular in previous Souls games shifted into fast-paced deflecting, ripping, and tearing. Most of the enemies throughout the title can be parried, including the huge monstrosities that stalk the waking nightmare of Bloodborne.Â
Likewise, many of Darks Souls 3 bosses and enemies can be parried. The enemies are also a lot more aggressive, often sprinting across large sections of a map to fight the player with high-speed attacks. The notion of corruption also played into a lot of Dark Souls 3's enemies, this time due to the Abyss. A perfect example of this is the game's initial boss, Iudex Grundyr. This fight is not the only tutorial boss in Dark Souls 3, but it is the first. Parrying Grundyr can trivialize a potent early-game battle, turning it into a seconds-long conflict. What Dark Souls 3 took from Bloodborne is is versatility, letting players choose a more aggressive path.
A Collapsing Universe: The World of Dark Souls 3
Each Souls game portrays a desolate landscape of entropic kingdoms, each one rising and falling into obscurity before the next. The way the series' overarching story is told comes through in the world design in each game.
In Dark Souls, there is a tight interconnectedness between each area of the world. Looking at the Dark Souls' world map, every area can be meticulously placed in sequence with another. Aimless Hollows roam the decaying vistas of Lordran, contrasting with the tight logic of the kingdom's layout. In Dark Souls 2, however, players can move from the top of Earthen Peak - a poisonous mountain - upwards into a volcanic keep, making no physical sense. With Dark Souls 2, the old world of the first title has fallen. The fabric of reality hangs in tatters, and the world construction reflects this.
In the series' third instalment, this collective universe collapses back in on itself. Many fan favorite NPCs and items Dark Souls 3 cameos appear in various forms - be it another onion knight, the Storm Ruler greatsword, or the abomination Saint Aldric. Even the different boss music tracks (and some mechanics) in the final fight are an amalgam of various themes from across the games. Darks Souls 3, by pulling the worlds of other Souls games together, pays a fitting homage to the series. All of this creates a respectful end to a mysterious, complex storyline spanning over a decade.
How The Modding Community Keeps The Game Alive
Since DSFix dropped to fix the first Dark Souls port to the PC, modding has been an essential part of the series' fandom. Players have enhanced graphics, altered gameplay, and sometimes even remixed the entire game. This occurred with both of the previous Souls games, and the third title is no different. Some of the best mods of Dark Souls 3 do massive amounts to keep the game's fanbase engaged. For example, a mod uploaded only one week ago currently sits at over 3.4 thousand downloads.
The mod in question, "Blue Sentinel" by user "LukeYiu," attempts to lessen the impact of cheaters in the game's popular multiplayer. This is to say nothing of the mods like "Cinders" that add new classes, items, and even quests, but overall, these mods are one of the reasons that the game's popularity still persists five years later.
Dark Souls 3 has been available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One for the past 5 years.