Dark Souls 3 Review (After Playing Elden Ring)

After putting a ton of time into Elden Ring, going back to Dark Souls III feels both familiar and surprisingly restrictive. The combat, atmosphere, and difficulty are still fantastic, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about finally beating a boss after getting destroyed over and over again. The boss fights are easily the highlight, especially once you get into The Ringed City and Ashes of Ariandel DLC. Some of those fights are among FromSoftware’s best and gave me exactly the kind of challenge I was hoping for.

Where Dark Souls III shows its age for me is the world design. After Elden Ring, I really miss having the freedom to look at a difficult area or boss and simply say, “I’ll come back later.” In Elden Ring, there always seems to be another cave, dungeon, quest, or completely different part of the map to explore. Dark Souls III gives you some branching paths, but overall it feels much more like you’re being funneled toward the next major encounter. When I hit a wall, my choices often feel like either keep dying until I figure it out or grind for a while.

That doesn’t make Dark Souls III a worse game—it just makes me appreciate how much Elden Ring evolved the formula. DS3’s more focused design creates excellent pacing and some unforgettable encounters, but I personally prefer the freedom and sense of discovery that comes with Elden Ring’s open world. I miss wandering off in a completely different direction, stumbling onto something unexpected, finding new gear, leveling up naturally, and eventually returning to the boss that had been destroying me.

The DLC, though, is where Dark Souls III really shines. The difficulty ramps up, the environments are memorable, and the bosses feel like the payoff for everything you’ve learned throughout the game. Even coming from Elden Ring, these fights can absolutely humble you, and finally winning still delivers that classic FromSoftware rush.

Overall, I’m having a great time with Dark Souls III. The combat and bosses hold up incredibly well, and the DLC in particular is outstanding. But playing it after Elden Ring makes it difficult not to miss the freedom, exploration, and ability to create your own path. Dark Souls III gives me the challenge I wanted, but Elden Ring gives me that challenge without making me feel trapped by it—and that freedom is something I didn’t realize how much I would miss.

8.4/10