Why am I even asking, of course you did. I mean c’mon…it’s Dark Souls! We’ve all jumped straight into the footage with no more questions asked the moment we saw that.

The footage was revealed at Microsoft’s Gamescon briefing today. Now… coming from someone who hasn’t quite stopped playing Bloodborne since it’s initial release (trying to finish it in new game+ with an arcane build), everything about the Dark Souls 3 in-game footage just reminds me of Bloodborne. 

The gothic art style, the atmosphere…even some of the enemies look like they could very well belong in the Bloodborne world. I know I saw the hero fighting an enemy garbed in the Cainhurst set. Perhaps this could mean we’d see more of the Vileblood Covenant and/or the other ‘factions’ that Bloodborne players could join?

It shouldn’t be all that surprising I suppose, given Hidetaka Miyazaki was heavily involved in the development of Bloodborne and is now directing Dark Souls 3. It has also been hinted that Dark Souls 3 takes place in a post-Bloodborne world while not being a direct sequel to the PS4 exclusive.

Even if Bloodborne may not be the prequel nor a Souls game, it’s clear that Dark Souls 3 has taken a few lessons in combat from the aforementioned (the speedier backstep…how I loved that move in Bloodborne). The combat looks faster while still retaining the trademark shield of Souls games. In short, Dark Souls 3 combat looks like a more agile version of the previous Souls game’s combat. 

Either way, this new trailer has me unable to wipe the masochistic smirk off my place as I keep watching it again and again. We will be dying in this game, and we are going to enjoy it. 

Dark Souls 3 is slated for an early 2016 release on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.