Dark Souls 3 is the bombastic return to form that the Dark Souls series needed. It’s equal parts innovative and nostalgic, and it leans into the strengths of both. The pace of play and viciousness of bosses make it almost unrecognizable from the first entry, and the scale and spectacle show just how far the series has come. Dark Souls has never seen such gorgeous visuals and consistently well-produced music, and they work together to elevate the already stratospheric levels of tension in boss fights even farther. The bosses are incredible and their presentation is immaculate. It’s all capped off with an incredible, delayed subversion of expectations that preys on the player expecting one and then letting down their guard when it isn’t immediately evident. Awesome game.


Also let the record show that (by some miracle) I first-tried Gael but died like 15x to Greatwood, so therefore Greatwood is the true final boss of the series