Dark Souls III Preview

Let’s be clear: Bloodborne is not Dark Souls . While the former title is a great game in its own right and features a very similar aesthetic presentation, the gameplay is distinctly different. One leans more toward action while the other relies a bit more on hardcore role-playing and adventure elements, which is why I know a lot of Dark Souls fanatics who really didn’t like Bloodborne (and vice versa). Either way, we expect nothing but greatness from Dark Souls III , which is slated to arrive in 2016. Right off the bat, perhaps the biggest difference everyone will notice is the significant increase in scale. If you participated in the beta test last month, you can likely attest to the larger, more intricate scope.

There’s no doubt the art direction and style won’t deviate from the accepted franchise formula, which is to say: dark, forbidding, and decidedly fantastical in every sense of the word. But the developers are striving to get the most out of the new consoles, as each set piece seems to be incredibly authentic. Just about every aspect of your surroundings will be larger, more detailed, and ultimately more involving; from the crumbling gothic castles to the baddies that roam the desolate landscape, this will undoubtedly be the most impressive-looking Dark Souls yet. Forgive me for harping on the visual improvements but in this day and age, when the open-world structure dominates, designers must continue to push the graphical envelope for the sake of greater immersion.

And of course, the bosses will be just as imposing and memorable as ever. Dark Souls arguably features some of the best bosses ever and at E3 this year, From Software gave us a peek at the Dancer of the Frigid Valley. Now that’s one helluva boss: Not only was it wonderfully detailed but it was also distinct and highly imaginative; rather than your standard hulking beast, it was tall, very thin, and sporting a trailing bridal veil and some very big swords. It actually reminded me of the Wraiths in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt but strictly from a technical and artistic perspective, the Dancer was much more impressive. Beyond the bosses, players like this series for its subtle yet haunting storyline and in the case of DSIII, the plot will revolve around the Lords of Cinder. It’ll be your task to eliminate them but we don’t know exactly why just yet.