Dark Souls 3 was officially announced during the Microsoft Xbox conference in the previously held E3 this year. This critically acclaimed action-RPG franchise is known for its difficulty and variety of gameplay elements.
Earlier this week, From Software along with Bandai Namco released a restricted demo of the game to reputable gaming sites. According to VG24/7, "Over the weekend, From Software hosted what it called a 'stress test' for Dark Souls 3. This build of the game is the same one shown at TGS, with the addition of online functionality."
Dark Souls 3 is not veering away from the gameplay and difficulty of the original. Gamespot's Tamoor Hussain describes the game. "From a design perspective, Dark Souls 3 exhibited all the hallmarks of the series and, in terms of its construction, demonstrated a deft stitching of claustrophobic rooms, snaking corridors, and open arenas, all which fold back onto themselves to create a neat, self-contained. But, crucially, there weren’t very many surprises within it."
Hussain is a little bit cautious in his expectations. He posits that this third game of the franchise feels too familiar. Yet, he is quick to add that the game is supposed to feel familiar because Dark Souls is about vicious cycles.
IGN has a 20-minute video embedded on their site. IGN reporter Daniel Krupa explained why the game developer needed stress testing for the early build. "The whole point of the stress test was sound out things like summoning, and I received loads of help from a fellow Herald in one of the trickiest sections of the demo – a gauntlet of aggressive wandering knights. Together we also take on the area boss – the Dancer of the Frigid Valley – with more mixed results."
Aside from all that, Dark Souls 3 will feature a Sorcerer build. The toon is equipped with a wizard staff and parrying-type shield, among other things. The difference of this game from previous iterations is the fact that it encourages players to play within the archetype. Previous games can have a Knight fight like a magic-user if you drop enough experience points in a specific stat.
A new game element called Sword Art is also introduced. In Dungeons & Dragons, weapon damage is subtracted using specific dice, but the same weapon could have magical properties that can do different things depending on the situation or enemy. Basically, this mechanic of Dark Souls 3 looks to be something similar, where the weapons have special abilities beyond just the damage statistic.
Dark Souls is the spiritual successor to the Demon Souls game. The "Souls" franchise is notorious for their difficulty yet rewarding gameplay. Dark Souls 3 will be released early 2016 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
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