Dark Souls 3 to be a turning point in the franchise, offer new experiences

From Software’s games, whether in the Demon’s/Dark Souls or Bloodborne lines, have a unique kind of gameplay. While there has been evolution and change from game to game, there are certain elements that have been consistent, particularly that of the challenge. While that isn’t going anywhere, there are some new aspects that will make Dark Souls 3 an all new experience, even for veterans who think they’ve seen it all.

It starts with an interview with GameSpot where series creator and game director Hidetaka Miyazaki gives a hint about Dark Souls 3 marking a turning point in the franchise:

Dark Souls is my life’s work. Everything I came up with for Dark Souls 3 is based on my personal preferences. However, Dark Souls 3 is also actually the turning point for the franchise.

Apparently it will pave the way for something new, and he’s excited to work on new projects. Good news. Of course we need to see Dark Souls 3 first, and already it sounds like a leap forward in design. Polygon also got to chat to Miyazaki-san and learned about a cool take on bosses:

One of the elements I want to bring to boss character design is contradiction. We have the Dancer of the Frigid Valley; she is definitely a formidable enemy, but at the same time players sense not only that it’s scary, but [that] there’s a sense of sadness. Contradicting elements — that’s something I want to bring to boss character design, not just fearful enemies but something more that can be sensed from each boss character.

He also wants to make sure that boss fights aren’t stereotypical and offer new challenges, changing tactics and attacks throughout the battle. Obviously challenging gameplay is a key part of any Dark Souls game, but beyond that he wants to upset the expectations and push players to find new ways to overcome certain challenges. While he couldn’t go into details about it yet, he says it is definitely a bit part of what he’s working on.

One new innovation, though, is the Battle Arts system, which sounds like an all new approach to combat in Dark Souls 3. It allows for a range of tactical options and character build varieties.

Obviously, in Dark Souls, the player is allowed to use items, magic and more. However, as additional elements — as an evolution — I’ve added the Battle Arts to each weapon. Something similar will be added to spells in the game, and those definitely provide something new to Dark Souls 3. Those will maintain the basics, but bring something new to Dark Souls 3, that will definitely solidly polish the Dark Souls franchise, while remaining a Dark Souls game.

Coming early next year, Dark Souls 3 seems poised to get fans of the franchise excited all over again. Plus, if it marks a turning point for the franchise that opens up a whole new direction for the studio, I’d love to see where they go next. Could we see a sci-fi game? Or is there still more to explore in the world of high fantasy?

Last Updated: August 11, 2015