Each installment in the Dark Souls franchise improves upon the last in various ways. Dark Souls III often feels like the culmination of everything From Software had been building towards for years, from Demons Souls to Bloodbourne. The old adage that the game is "tough, but fair" isn't always the truest statement; Dark Souls III is as close to that as a game can get.
Apart from how visually polished it is compared to the previous games, it also does a bit to improve upon the level design. A bit element to the game - in terms of environments, narrative, and gameplay - is the theme of cycles. There are a lot of repeated aspects brought back to the third game, but done with enough differences that it doesn't feel identical. Most notably, players might suspect things look familiar before running into the title for Anor Londo. There's enough there to be clearly recycled, but also enough changed that it feels different.
Cycles are perhaps the central theme to Dark Souls III, in particular its story. Of course, the narrative of a Souls game isn't pushed front and center. Players are encouraged to figure it out themselves through very brief interactions with NPCs, or by reading item descriptions. Once you notice the cyclical nature of the world and its story, it's hard not to see meta-commentary about gaming itself in there. After all, the core experience of Dark Souls III is the same as the core experience of Dark Souls II, Dark Souls, and Demons Souls. It's the best of the bunch, but being a popular game franchise means the experiences aren't going to be drastically different. Fans of the series ultimately buy the next game to get more of that thing they really liked before. And with the public admission that Dark Souls III would be the last one, the whole plot arc of trying to break the cycle becomes even more meta.
While Dark Souls II was criticized for lackluster bosses and Dark Souls was a bit clunky at times, Dark Souls III manages to toss in some of the most challenging, yet gratifying bosses in the series. Each boss has "stages," with the fight often taking up a different dynamic. If, for example, the first stage could be handled the old fashioned way of putting up your shield and circling around to stab them in the back, the second stage would turn into a chaotic offensive onslaught that required mastery of dodge-rolling. Some could be handled through rolling, but the second stage could be incredibly difficult unless you master parrying.
Not every boss is great. Some are gimmicky to a fault - one such case features the only way to really beat it is to rush past the boss to pick up a weapon specifically designed to damage it. Others require taking out groups of enemies, which isn't always the most fun part of a Souls-game, although combat is noticeably more polished. In these, and most fights, speed and agility is key.
That is the true strength to the design of Dark Souls III. Every section seems intentionally designed to encourage players to learn a more aggressive style of action. You can get through the first two games pretty fine by over-relying on a shield. In Dark Souls III, the shield can sometimes be a complete waste of time. An underrated aspect to the series that makes each game so satisfying is figuring everything out. One of the most clever ways the game highlights your improvement is by introducing early bosses into the game later as common enemies. By that point, players are both powered up and skilled enough that these enemies that could cause frustration for days became regular old enemies that could be taken out within seconds.
Conveying my own personal experience with one boss in particular highlights exactly what I love about the final installment. The Dancer of the Boreal Valley gave me fits for weeks, and yet, was perhaps my favorite boss in any of these From Software games. Apart from just how haunting she is, her attacks were such that I had to completely re-adjust the way I play Dark Souls to stand a chance. Though still equipped with a shield, I didn't make much use of it. Rather, I had to adapt by being more mobile, relying on accurate reading of her moves so as to properly dodge them. It took weeks of trying before it really started clicking. Defeating her was unreasonably satisfying. It was immense relief mixed with a strange sense of self-assurance. I "got good," as it were. In fact, the frequency at which I died dropped significantly after that boss fight. The Dancer is a perfect example of a boss designed to be challenging, yet is completely fair. All of her attacks are adequately telegraphed (and, having spent weeks watching her moves, it's almost laughable in hindsight to see how easy they are to read - definitely doesn't feel that way as you are learning!) And most importantly, the fight had taught me how to play in a style that I would otherwise have never felt confident enough to try.
That sums up the Dark Souls III experience. I'm absolutely not the first person to notice this, but it does appear that the primary focus of the game's design was to discourage relying on shields. It's still possible to get through the game playing in that slower style, just circling and stabbing, tanking as you go. Yet it is both easier and more gratifying to play in the style they design for. It would be completely false to suggest I am "good at Dark Souls," but I am good enough at games to get through them. When I go back and watch the footage I recorded of defeating the Dancer of the Boreal Valley, it almost looks as if I were good at it! It's a more entertaining style to play, and it's more entertaining to watch.
I've taken the opportunity to go back and revisit the first game, and it's hard not to notice just how much better I am now. Sure, I did marathon three and a half Souls games (1 through 3, with about half of Demons Souls), so the entire experience should mean improvement. I do, however, think the bulk of it is owed to Dark Souls III for the way it altered my behavior as a player. I played with more agility and speed, with more aggression, and felt empowered enough to try new strategies I would not have had the confidence to try in the past.
Some might argue that it's really just more of the same, and sure, the core experience is: a challenging, but fair game that is gratifying because of said challenge, as well as leaving it up to the players to figure it out on their own. In some ways, it feels like a puzzle game. However, the specifics of it cannot be overstated. Dark Souls III is the crescendo From Software has built towards. Lead director and designer Hidetaka Miyazaki has been a little confusing about the future of the franchise - at one point stating that this would not be the end, only to suggest it was time to move away from it a few months later - but each game has seen improvement, and there's still room for the Souls games to grow. Whether it comes back as a Souls game directly, or just as this new "Souls-like" genre it's helped popularize, suffice it to say that it will be one to check out. Meanwhile, Dark Souls III is a great send-off for the series.
REDUCTIVE RATING: An All-Time Great!
No comments:
Post a Comment