It should come as no surprise to those in the know that no other game to be released within the past couple of weeks has garnered quite as much attention as Dark Souls III has done since rolling out worldwide early last week. Developed by infamous Japanese video game studio FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the latest entry in the Dark Souls series, from creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki, had been met with plenty of eager anticipation leading up to its 2016 release.
Players whose dedication to the notoriously difficult franchise has thus served to boost the property’s reputation to the very top of the gaming industry over the course of the past five plus years. This has resulted in Dark Souls III’s critical and financial achievement for Bandai Namco as a universally praised, record-breaking retail video game title.
According to an official press release from Bandai Namco, Dark Souls 3 currently stands as the best-selling and most successful day-one launch release from the company, marking it as the fastest selling game to date in their entire back catalog. In addition, the game is being universally praised in the form of positive reviews according to Metacritic, where the title features an aggregate score of 90 from a total of 43 published critics.
See a sampling of some of the positive reviews for Dark Souls 3 below:
Chloi Rad - IGN
Erik Kain - Forbes
“If Dark Souls 3 truly is the last in the series as we know it, then it’s a worthy send-off. Weapon arts allow stylish and versatile new moves without tarnishing the purity of the combat system. Lothric’s awe-inspiring locations provide visually stunning arenas for rigorous exploration and fierce face-offs with hosts of deadly enemies and even deadlier bosses. While not all the risky changes land as neatly as others, Dark Souls 3 is a powerful journey and the sequel the series truly deserves.”
James Davenport - PC Gamer
“Dark Souls 3 is a game that harnesses nostalgia masterfully. There’s no doubt that this is a game that’s as much love letter to fans as anything else. There’s a bit more exposition, tons of familiar faces and nods to the original game, and a sense that we’re travelling back to a place we haven’t been in a long time. There’s a sadness to this adventure, but also a kind of joy.”
Based on all of the strong word of mouth from both Bandai Namco and the officially published critical establishment, Dark Souls 3 might just be the ultimate conclusion to the cap-off the best-selling franchise from Miyazaki and FromSoftware with a bang. Check out the latest trailer for the new title above, and let us know in the comments where you fall on the spectrum of hype surrounding the record breaking game.
“Sprawling level design, thrilling combat, and masterful indirect storytelling make Dark Souls 3 the best Dark Souls yet.”
Dark Souls 3 is currently available to purchase from all participating retailers for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment
