NO. 4 IN THE INDEX · SOULSLIKE · ACTION RPG
Dark Souls III
The fire is fading. The bosses are not.
By the editorial desk · FromSoftware, 2016 · Steam version
Sovereign
Tier S · 90/100
THE VERDICT
The purest Souls experience on PC. A trial worth taking.
The last chapter of the Souls trilogy is its fastest, most aggressive and most polished. A linear, interlocking world leads to a run of bosses that many players still rank as the best FromSoftware has made.
The ledger
- Developer
- FromSoftware
- Publisher
- FromSoftware, Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Released
- 11 April 2016
- Steam builds
- Windows
- Steam Deck
- Verified
- Modes
- Single-player, Online co-op, Online PvP
- Steam price
- $59.99
- Typical playtime
- ~35 hours
- Cost per hour
- ≈ $1.71
The world
Lothric is a kingdom at the end of an age, where the Lords of Cinder refuse to rekindle the First Flame. The world is ash-grey and beautiful in decay, and its references to earlier games give returning players quiet moments of recognition. As ever, the story is there for those who read item text and listen closely.
Dark Souls III key art
The fight
Quicker than earlier Souls games, with weapon arts and a focus bar for skills. Boss fights are the core: multi-phase encounters with readable patterns and very little forgiveness. When they click, few games feel better.
The build
Classic Souls stat builds with a solid spread of weapons and spells. Less variety than Elden Ring, but every major playstyle works.
The trial
Demanding from the first boss onward. Co-op summons help a great deal, and the game is more linear, so you cannot simply walk away and explore elsewhere.
The port
Capped at 60 fps and stable on modern hardware. Verified on Steam Deck. Online services remain active for co-op and invasions.
Worthy
- A boss roster that is the series' finest
- Faster, sharper combat than earlier Souls games
- A gorgeous, decaying world
- Two excellent DLCs that end the trilogy properly
Unworthy
- Fewer genuinely new ideas than earlier entries
- Less build variety than Elden Ring
- Linear areas mean no detour when you are stuck
Who should enter
Players who finished Elden Ring and want something tighter and harder, or anyone who wants to see where the genre was refined.
How the score was reached
- Combat 25%
- 95
- World & lore 25%
- 90
- Builds & systems 20%
- 86
- Fair challenge 15%
- 88
- PC port 15%
- 84
Highest-rated pure boss gauntlet in the codex.
Kindred worlds
Chosen for how they feel to play, not just the genre tag.
