Other than a slightly confusing ‘poise’ stat that really didn’t seem to do much at all (but apparently works exactly as planned; thanks for that, FromSoftware), Dark Souls III has been both more of the same and new and interesting all at once for fans of gaming’s toughest series. I was going to refer to them as “hardcore fans of the series” but that’s a bit of a semantically null statement, as you really have to be hardcore to be a fan of Dark Souls.
Unlike a lot of developers, who cram their post-release content drops with cosmetic trinkets and new game modes, there are only two Dark Souls III DLC planned, and of course, they’re hardcore single-player affairs.
The first of the Dark Souls III DLC, Ashes of Ariendel, has been confirmed for this Autumn. Or Fall, if you’re American. What does it entail?
First of all, players will be travelling to the titular region of Ariendel, to defeat the evil that lies within and discover what defiled the land in the first place. Sounds cheery. The first Dark Souls III DLC will also include new weapons, armour sets, and magic for players to discover and experiment with, as well as new features for competitive multiplayer.
“Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel continues FromSoftware’s track record of providing best-in-class post game downloadable content support,” said Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing for publisher Bandai Namco. “With hours of new challenges, new bosses, new mysterious locations to explore, new items to obtain, and new ways to challenge other players online, it’s the perfect time to jump back into one of the best games of 2016.”
Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel will be available on all platforms from October 25, 2016. The standalone DLC will cost $14.99, but there’s also a season pass available for $24.99, which will include a second Dark Souls III DLC, expected to launch in early 2017.
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