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Dark Souls III

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Dark Souls III
Developer(s)FromSoftware
Publisher(s)Bandai Namco Entertainment
Director(s)Hidetaka Miyazaki
Isamu Okano
Composer(s)Yuka Kitamura
SeriesSouls
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Dark Souls III (ダークソウルIII, Dāku Sōru Surī) is an upcoming action role-playing video game being developed by FromSoftware. The fourth entry in the Souls series,[1] Dark Souls III will be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in Japan in March 2016, and worldwide the following month.[2] A comic is scheduled for release following in April 2016.[3]

Gameplay

Dark Souls III is an action role-playing game set in a third-person perspective, similar to previous games in the series. According to director Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game's gameplay design "follows closely from Dark Souls II".[4] Players are equipped with a variety of weapons including shortbows, explosives like fire bombs, greatswords and dual-wielding swords to fight against enemies, and shields that can be used to deflect an enemies' attack and protect the player from suffering damage.[5] In addition, attacks can be evaded through dodge-rolling.[6] Bonfires, which serve as checkpoints, return from previous installments.[7] Ashes, according to Miyazaki, will play an important role in the game.[8] Magic is featured in the game and the magic meter returned, similar to Demon's Souls. Each attack has two different styles. One of them is standard attack, while another provides power-ups to players, and is slightly more powerful. When performing miracles and spells, the players' magic points are consumed and decreased. In order to refill these points, they need to consume an "Ash Estus Flask". There are two different Estus Flasks in the game. One of them can help refill magic points, while another refills hit points.[9] Combat and movements were made faster and more fluid in Dark Souls III.[10][11] Several players' movements, such as backstepping and swinging heavy weapons, can be performed more rapidly,[12] allowing players to deal more damage in a short period of time.[6]

Throughout the game, players encounter different types of enemies, each with different behaviors. Some of them change their combat pattern during battles.[5] New combat features are introduced in Dark Souls III, including "Ready Stance", which are special abilities for players that allow them to deal much more damage to enemies than ordinary attacks are capable of.[5] Small gravestones are introduced. These gravestones light up when interacted with and not only serve as players' torches, but also provide additional lore to the game.[5] The game puts more focus on role-playing, in which the character builder is expanded and weapons are improved to provide more tactical options to players.[13] The game features fewer maps than its predecessor Dark Souls II, but levels were interconnected and were made larger, which encourages exploration.[7] The agility stat from Dark Souls II was removed from Dark Souls III.[7] The game features multiplayer elements, like the previous games in the series.[14]

Development

The development of the game began in mid-2013, prior to the release of Dark Souls II, whose development was handled by Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura instead of the series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki.[15] The game was developed alongside Bloodborne, but was handled by two completely different teams. Miyazaki also returned to direct Dark Souls III, while Isamu Okano, the director of Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, served as a co-director for the game.[16] Despite Miyazaki originally believing that the series would not have many sequels,[17] Dark Souls III would serve as the fourth installment in the Souls series. Miyazaki later added that the game would not be the last game in the series, and instead would serve as a "turning point" for both the franchise and the studio, as it was the last project by FromSoftware before Miyazaki became the president of the company.[18] Multiple screenshots of the game were leaked prior to its initial reveal at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015.[19][20] The game's gameplay was then shown at Gamescom 2015.[21]

Miyazaki said that Bloodborne's limitations made him want to return to the Dark Souls series.[22] According to him, the game's enemies and map layout were designed to kill players.[23][24] The introduction of "Ready Stance" was inspired by Legolas, an archer from The Lord of the Rings.[8] The game's visual design focuses on "withered beauty", with ember and ash scattered throughout the game's world.[14]

Dark Souls III is set to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Japan on March 24,[25] and worldwide on April 12, 2016.[26] A stress test for the game, which allowed certain players to test the game's network functionality before release, was available for three days in October 2015.[27] The game has three different special editions for players to purchase, all of which cost more than the base game. Players who have pre-ordered the game will have their game automatically upgraded to the Apocalypse Edition, which has a special case and the game's original soundtrack. The Collector's Edition contains physical items such as the Red Knight figurine, an artbook, a new map and a box. The Prestige Edition features all the content of The Collector's Edition, and has an additional Lord of Cinder resin figurine, which can form a pair with the Red Knight figurine.[28]

References

  1. ^ McDonnel, Kenny. "Can Dark Souls 3 Best These Incredible Gameplay Moments From the Souls Series?". Moviepilot. Moviepilot. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  2. ^ Barsanti, Sam (June 15, 2015). "Dark Souls III is officially coming, will kill you and everyone you love". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  3. ^ Schedeen, By Jesse. "Dark Souls Comic Book Coming in April 2016". IGN. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  4. ^ Saed, Sherif (June 17, 2015). ""Dark Souls 3 follows closely from Dark Souls 2," says Miyazaki about game's design". VG247. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d Rad, Chloi (June 16, 2015). "E3 2015: Dark Souls 3 Is Everything I Want In A Dark Souls Sequel". IGN. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Reseigh-Lincoln, Dom (July 19, 2015). "How Dark Souls 3 combat is changing post-Bloodborne". Edge. GamesRadar. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c Fenlon, Wes (June 18, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 preview: a grander sense of scale, but still familiar". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  8. ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (June 17, 2015). "Our first look at Dark Souls 3 gameplay and its new changes to combat". Polygon. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  9. ^ McWhertor, Michael (September 16, 2015). "How magic works in Dark Souls 3". Polygon. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  10. ^ Byford, Sam (June 19, 2015). "Dark Souls III is faster, weirder, and far more beautiful". The Verge. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  11. ^ Tach, Dave (July 20, 2015). "Dark Souls 3's combat is faster in a post-Bloodborne world". Polygon. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  12. ^ Wilson, Aoife (July 23, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 is familiar, and that's fin". Eurogamer. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  13. ^ Romano, Sal (August 17, 2015). "Dark Souls III Have Fewer Maps, But Larger Scale". Gematsu. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  14. ^ a b Patuleia, Mike (June 16, 2015). "E3 2015: World's First Dark Souls III Details Revealed". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  15. ^ Hillier, Brenna (June 18, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 has been in the works for two years". VG247. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  16. ^ Scammell, David (June 17, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 is being developed by a different team to Bloodborne". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  17. ^ Karmali, Luke (January 29, 2013). "Miyazaki: Dark Souls Shouldn't Have Multiple Sequels". IGN. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  18. ^ Robinson, Martin (August 17, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 isn't the last in the series – but it is a turning point". Eurogamer. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  19. ^ Devore, Jordan (August 6, 2015). "Gallery: Leaked Dark Souls III screenshots look legit". Destructoid. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  20. ^ Hussain, Tamoor (June 15, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 is Directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki". GameSpot. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  21. ^ Russell, Scott (August 4, 2015). "Dark Souls III Gameplay Revealed in New Trailer". Paste Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  22. ^ Khan, Zarmena. "Hidetaka Miyazaki Says Bloodborne's Limitations Made Him Return to Dark Souls 3". PlayStation Lifestyle. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  23. ^ Martin, Liam (August 7, 2015). "Everything we know about Dark Souls 3, including trailers, gameplay and screenshots". Digital Spy. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  24. ^ Martin, Matt (June 24, 2015). "Dark Souls 3: "everything is designed to kill you"". VG247. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  25. ^ "DARK SOULS III Release Date Set for March 24, 2016". FromSoftware. September 12, 2015.
  26. ^ Frank, Allegra (December 4, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 nails down its April 2016 release date". Polygon. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  27. ^ Splechta, Mike (October 15, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 stress test will begin tomorrow". GameZone. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  28. ^ Sheriden, Conner (December 5, 2015). "Dark Souls 3 gets new gameplay, release date & special editions". GamesRadar. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
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