Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 3: A Return to Fire and Shadow
Dark Souls 3: Souls and Bonfires
Dark Souls 3: Reading Signs and Summoning Phantoms
Dark Souls 3: Allies, Invaders, and Defenders
Dark Souls 3: The Joys and Occasional Trials of Multiplayer
This is the final Dark Souls article on Awkward Mixture, just as Dark Souls 3 is the ultimate conclusion to the series. There's almost too much information to cram into this finale, but six articles about one game, however great it is, are sufficient. Also, I need the next three weeks to describe the final game of 2018. In this article I hope to include the two DLCs, the behavior of Hollows, Dark Souls 3's aesthetic, the allied NPCs, the outlines of the Dark Soul series lore, and a verdict
I purchased Dark Souls 1 and loved it (140 hours). It was a terrifying, mysterious, strenuous experience, and I'd never played anything like it. I purchased Dark Souls 2 immediately upon its release but lost interest somewhere and never completed it, though I can't remember why (35 hours). I initially resisted purchasing Dark Souls 3, reluctant because of my Dark Souls 2 experience, but when I did it was like reuniting with an old friend, comforting and companionable (101 hours). I purchased Dark Souls 3 from the Monthly Humble Bundle, for twelve dollars, and it included the first DLC. As I neared the games conclusion, I purchased the additional DLC for another twelve or so, because of how fun the game was. For players who really enjoy the depth of the Dark Souls' story, the DLC is a requirement. It provides crucial information for understanding the lore of the Dark Souls series. The Dark Souls series is not completed without the DLCs. This may sound like a hyperbolic claim, but it is also the truth.
In the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, the Chosen Undead enters another universe, one paralyzed and dying under an endless winter. Whatever isn't frozen by frost is decaying into muck. The Ashen One must discover why this world is different than their own, seeking out the answer to the riddle, and learn the relevant lesson for their own universe. This DLC included difficult enemies, but they didn't drop many souls or valuable items on death. The entranced to the Ringed City DLC is just before the final boss of Dark Souls 3. The player should complete the DLC before finishing the game, as provides evidence to impact the player's final decision. The Ringed City contained tough enemies and excellent rewards. While the player is nominally the protagonist as they explore Ariandel and traverse the Ringed City, the story really revolves around an NPC named Gale. It is impossible to recommend only one DLC, because they are so intertwined around this one character. Combined, the characters, areas, enemies, bosses, and experiences offer a new perspective on the value of Flame and Fear, Dark and Destiny. So, “Fear not the Dark my friend, and let the feast begin.”
A significant deviation from my memory of Dark Souls 1, was the behavior of the hollows. Hollows are humans who have lost their mind due to the Darksign. The Darksign is the curse branded onto all humans because of the linking of the flame. It returns them to life, but the multitude of deaths leads to madness. In Dark Souls 1, Hollows attacked the player mindlessly. They were violent, reckless enemies. There are still insane Hollows in Dark Souls 3, but there are others less damaged by the Darksign. There are hollows praying by shrines, bent in desperate reverence. There are hollows who have transformed into trees, dead and reaching upward into the sky. There are hollows inflicting needless cruelty on their fellow hollows, with hollow dogs. There are hollows who cower before you, pleading soundlessly for their lives. And there are the not quite hollow pilgrims, venturing toward certain death. Dark Souls 3 humanized the inhumane, and offered them hope through piety. I saw many Hosts and Phantoms strike down these helpless souls, but I never hurt a one, except accidentally if a sword stroke went awry while defending myself against enemies.
Dark Souls 3 is a beautiful experience, covered in grime. Even though the scene may be grotesque, it is still amazing to behold, and many scenes are indeed horrific. Everything is beautifully detailed, from the ornate armor, to the gorgeous backdrops, to the disgusting impalement of mutilated bodies. The distinct style of each area highlights the effort and the gory variety. Each area feels incredibly unique and memorable. Dark Souls 3 is infused with a mystical, mysterious sheen, whether one is gazing at the decaying sun, the silvery waxing moon, or the sweep of a lush poison swamp. But what magnifies Dark Souls' power is the endless expanse. At the beginning of some areas (such as The Ringed City), the player can stand and view a sprawling panorama of distant fortifications, swamps, temples, and mountains. About ten hours later, the player will have traversed all of it! Not a bit of scenery is wasted on visual effect alone, but becomes a location to reach. Everything offered to the player's eyes is there for their feet as well. This devotion to world building makes Dark Souls 3 feel connected, like a real world instead of a number of distinct areas. It seamlessly combines distinct areas within an encompassing world.
When visiting the regions of Dark Souls 3, one will encounter the many NPCs (non-player characters). Each of them is perfectly developed, with a personality and a quest. The player can influence their final outcome with their actions. Some NPCs' goals are in conflict with one another other, so the player must side with one over the other. Unfortunately, the interactions are so many, intricate, and easy to miss because of a lack of hints, a player will witness only a minority of them, unless they use online resources to prepare.
For instance, there is the Onion Knight, Siegward of Catarina. His quest requires a number of particular steps which have to be completed in the correct order, so he can aid the player in the fight against Yhorm the Giant. The player is supposed to find him locked in a cell in the Profaned Capital. I only found out where he was supposed to be, because I was an allied Phantom to a Host who unlocked his prison. When I went to rescue him in my own game, he wasn't there, so I did a bit of research. Even though I'd already reached his cell, I... 1)Went back to the Firelink Shrine and let Patches lock me into the tower, 2) purchased Siegward's armor from Patches, 3) tossed his equipment to him down the well, 4) shared soup with him in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley, 5) and walked into his cell (which I had already opened) to find him sitting there waiting for someone to tell him he could leave. This was fortunate, but often one can't backtrack this much to rescue a quest, because they'll have already made an irrevocable decision.
It is possible to mess up Anri of Astora's quest, because it conflicts with many others, and a single missed enemy or misspoken word can lead to death, despair, and disaster. I can admit, that like Siegward, I definitely “cheated” to make sure I made all the right choices. It's so enjoyable working with allies, that to lose one dear to my hear would have rendered Dark Souls 3 less enjoyable. The unpredictable nature of these minute secret choices and their outcomes adds a level of mytery which I dispelled. In spite of my research, I still missed many NPC interactions, because I only searched for the few I really wanted to succeed in.
Dark Souls 3 has four conclusions the player can choose from, but how do they know which is the right option? Unlike most games, there is no right or wrong answer, and not even really an evil or good binary, and certainly something better than Space Magic. Each part of the Dark Souls series contributes to the depth and the mystery of the series' conclusion. Maybe someone has only played the basic Dark Souls 3 and they have to make their decision with this limited information. Another player might have experienced all three Dark Souls games, plus the DLCs, and even the less connected material like Demon Souls and Bloodborne. This player might make different choices, or the same choice for different reasons, but they will both have made the best choice they could have, in a world without clear answers (Ok, after watching the videos of all the endings, some are nastier than others).
The few answers the player glean come from the minimal dialogue, the visual effects, and the item description. Some helpful, daring, relentless players have spent their time cataloging and analyzing the details into something resembling a cohesive story. I recommend The Ashen Hollow's Complete Story of Dark Souls (though sometimes his humor is flat and his tone is off-putting) and the more in-depth analysis offered in soothing tones by VaatiVidya.
Without going into any more detail myself, because of the many mistakes I'd make, I want to wrap up the lore. Since the First Flame spluttered, ages ago, a chosen human has continually risen to link the flames. Even if some rejected the final deed, there was always one who continued the lineage. In this final game, there are four endings for the player to choose from. Does Dark Souls end? While the series is over, none of the conclusions end the Universe of Dark Souls.
In conclusion, Dark Souls 3 is an epic ending to a superb series. While playing it instead of playing the other two will still result in a grand adventure, it would be best to play at least Dark Souls 1 first. It's composed of so many phenomenal components; precise, challenging combat, excellently detailed visuals, an expansive connected world, a mysterious and deep story, and an engaging multiplayer experience. It can be beaten in a variety of ways, allowing the player to customize their hero's skills however they like. Dark Souls 3 includes innumerable allies to aid, and a immense variety of enemies to defeat. It is an incredibly punishing, but fair game, which everyone should try. It serves as a fitting ending to the series, resolving all the questions one can hope to expect.
The Dark Souls series is compelling, because in the modern age, when humanity no longer believes in souls, and often thinks life no longer has meaning, the world of Dark Souls is committed to something eternal, a struggle between good and evil, however perilous, terrifying and fleeting it may be. It is filled with tragedy, men and women called to quests beyond their capacity, dark forces rising at every turn, and doom awaiting the vast multitude of souls, and yet there is the flame of hope, friendship, resurrection, and rebirth.
In the end, the dark must come, so a fresh flame can renew light. The sun must set so a new one can rise.
Recent:
The Paradox of Historical Relevance and Political Realities
Relevant:
Dark Souls 3: The Joys and Occasional Trials of Multiplayer
Dark Souls 3: Reading Signs and Summoning Phantoms
Dark Souls 3: Allies, Invaders, and Defenders
Comments
Post a Comment