Hello everyone!

I've gotta say, the Dark Souls series from FromSoftware is like the ultimate underdog in the gaming world. I mean, it's not as widely known as GTA, but trust me, every gamer's heard of it. There are some wild stories surrounding these games, and people often say that Dark Souls is the ultimate nightmare for casual players – it's hardcore, plain and simple. It's the kind of game that gets under your skin, makes you feel like you're not good enough, and you just can't quit, even when you're suffering. I've been hearing this for years, and it's honestly made me think that people who love Dark Souls and have beaten it multiple times must be from a different planet – maybe they're just superhuman or something.

I've got my friend to thank for getting me into these games. He's a huge fan, and one day he decided to gift me Dark Souls 3 on Steam. He thought for sure I'd cave and start playing it, but I just laughed it off and forgot all about it.Fast forward to 2022, and FromSoftware dropped Elden Ring, which is basically the same formula as Dark Souls, but with way more mechanics and an open world instead of dark corridors. Everyone was raving about it, but I was still pretty meh. I mean, if people like it, cool, let them play. That was the case until early 2024, when I stumbled upon some gameplay clips for Elden Ring. Up until then, I hadn't really looked at any screenshots, watched any trailers, or read any reviews. But what I saw in those clips blew me away – the combat style, enemy design, sound effects, and music all just seemed so cool. I realized I really wanted to play it, but there was just so much to take in. I thought to myself, 'I need to start with something simpler and smaller, get a feel for the basics before diving in.' That's when Dark Souls 3 popped into my head, collecting dust in my game library... At first, I was hesitant to jump into the third installment, skipping the first two. My friend told me I wouldn't miss out on much in terms of story, and that the first two games were kinda wonky, so it made sense to start with the third. I felt like the Terminator in the second movie, slowly descending into a deadly trap as I launched Dark Souls 3 for the first time.

I've been on this wild ride for just over a year, with a six-month break thrown in for good measure. I've played the game three and a half times, maxed out all the achievements, and tried to get to the bottom of the story. My gaming platform of choice was my trusty old PC, since I'm not lucky enough to own a PlayStation. I controlled the game with my keyboard and mouse, despite what everyone told me about how much better it is with a controller. To be honest, I was (and still am) perfectly comfortable with my setup, unless I decide to give a controller a try. The game offers a massive array of ways to take down enemies, but in this review, I'll be speaking from the perspective of a player who relied solely on melee combat. I never really got into magic or pyromancy, and I made it a point to avoid using the AI or co-op summoning mechanics to take down bosses.

System Requirements (taken from the Steam page): MINIMUM:

OS: Windows 7 SP1 64bit, Windows 8.1 64bit Windows 10 64bit Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 / AMD® FX-6300 RAM: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 750 Ti / ATI Radeon HD 7950 DirectX: Version 11 Internet: Broadband internet connection Storage: 25 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 11 sound device Additional: Internet connection required for online play and product activation RECOMMENDED:

OS: Windows 10 64bit Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 / AMD® FX-8350 RAM: 8 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 970 / AMD® Radeon R9 290 DirectX: Version 11 Internet: Broadband internet connection Storage: 25 GB available space Sound Card: DirectX 11 sound device Additional: Internet connection required for online play and product activation OS: Windows 7 SP1 64bit, Windows 8.1 64bit, Windows 10 64bitProcessor: Intel Core i7-3770 / AMD FX-8350RAM: 8 GBGraphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / ATI Radeon R9 seriesDirectX: version 11Internet: You'll need a broadband internet connection to play this gameStorage: 25 GBSound Card: I'm running a DirectX 11 sound device, and it's working like a charmAdditional: Don't forget you'll need an internet connection for online play and product activationI've gotta say, I was one of those veterans who played this game back in 2016 when it first dropped. It's crazy to think about how far it's come since then - I only experience the occasional minor glitch, but it's not game-breaking. Some players might notice that the game's scripts don't always trigger, though. I once had a boss just vanish right in front of me, so I had to restart the game.

The original English dub is still going strong, but you can also opt for Russian subtitles or translations for the in-game menu and item descriptions. I just found out that GamesVoice was behind the Russian voice acting, so PC players can enjoy the full dub in their native language - it's a nice touch, if you ask me.

What's really cool is that the game can still launch without a stable internet connection - it'll just prompt you to play in offline mode in the main menu. But let me tell you, having an internet connection opens up a whole new world of fun and not-so-fun moments. You'll often encounter other players who are either ghosts or phantoms, or you'll stumble upon notes left by other players on the ground. These notes are made up of a list of words, so they can come across as a bit nonsensical. Some of them are actually pretty hilarious, though - it's like the devs and players were just messing around and having a good time. I mean, I've seen some pretty ridiculous things in Elden Ring, and the notes there are just as entertaining.The point of these and many other messages is to have fun with players. I don't see any other optionBut there are also useful messages. Players can warn others about enemy traps: watch out, left. Or watch out, above. A couple of times you'll ignore these messages, and then you'll scream when something nasty falls on you from the ceiling, or an enemy ambushes you from behind and pushes you into a pit. Players can also share information about a boss's weaknesses before a fight: for example, try fire. After that, you try to read what others are writing. At first, I took everything at face value, so I'd jump off a cliff with joy when I saw a message on the edge of the cliff that said: there's treasure ahead, jump. That's how I learned that there are pranksters among players too. The worst part for Steam owners, though, is the lack of cloud saves. In other words, if you delete the game without completing it and then reinstall it, the game menu will only offer to start over from scratch. Luckily, a friend warned me about this beforehand and suggested I save my progress to a flash drive every now and then. I'm glad I took his advice, because it ended up saving me later. STORY The main problem with the story is that it doesn't have direct dialogue with the player. The story is presented in very vague and rare conversations, and each item or artifact has a description that's several paragraphs long. There are almost no cutscenes, except for the intro and the finale. Some plot points are left unexplained, and it's like the devs were trying to keep things mysterious, but it just ends up feeling a bit confusing. I mean, I'm all for a good mystery, but sometimes I just want to know what's going on, you know?

So, I've been trying to wrap my head around the Dark Souls universe, and let me tell you, it's a wild ride. I had to dig up the story from multiple articles, theme videos, and forums, and even replay the third part while reading everything. And even then, I think my understanding is incomplete, because I still haven't played the first part, where everything starts (which is also super confusing). So, please forgive me for any inaccuracies.

The game starts with a bang – a short intro video that introduces you to these smoke lords who totally ignored the whole bell thing. And then the bell rings again, and the Undead rise from their eternal slumber. What are these smoke lords, what are the Undead, and what's up with that dying flame? You've got no idea at first launch.

So, what's going on in the world of Dark Souls? I learned from the first game's storyline that there's this natural order of things – one era gives way to another. And when the Age of Fire (that's what it's called, I think) was coming to an end, and was about to give way to the Age of Darkness, some smoke lord named Gwyn decided he had the right to keep the Age of Fire going. When the Age of Fire was running out, the first flame, the source of light and life, started to dwindle, but Gwyn managed to rekindle it by sending his followers into the depths. So, the Age of Fire got extended for a few more centuries. And then some more – because Gwyn had followers who were lucky, and they managed to rekindle the first flame too. And that's how the followers became the smoke lords.

And now, another extinction of the first flame is on the horizon. The bell of awakening rings, and the smoke lords rise from their graves. You'd expect them to do their usual thing and put their ashes on the thrones, and the Age of Fire would continue. But only one of the five smoke lords shows up to do his duty. The others scatter in all directions. And then the Undead rise from their graves – those who also wanted to rekindle the first flame, but luck wasn't on their side. But they were tasked with keeping the smoke lords in line. And that's who you'll be playing as – an Undead, essentially a debt collector. The smoke lords will take their thrones, and the Age of Fire will continue.

The BeginningNaturally, the Undead's journey will be a tough one. You'll be facing all sorts of undead creatures who aren't exactly thrilled to see you. There are undead soldiers, farmers, cultists, hunters, and all sorts of weird animals. And, of course, there are the smoke lords themselves, who are just as powerful and deadly (if not more so) than the Undead. The journey won't be easy. Luckily, there's no open world to explore, and it's pretty clear where you need to go.

I have no idea what kind of beast this is I was stoked to stumble upon Temple of Fire in the game - it's this super chill location where all the characters are non-hostile and actually pretty helpful. And right in the middle of the temple, there are these five thrones just waiting for you to place some ashes on them. One of the thrones is already occupied by this charming dude named Ludlet Kurlyandsky. He's a former scientist who used to study the transposition of souls - yeah, it's a real thing in this game.

The only ruler of ashes who didn't try to show off The temple's got a firekeeper whose level increases over time, an old lady who sells and buys all sorts of consumables, and a blacksmith who can upgrade your gear and flasks with healing potions. Occasionally, you'll run into characters who'll ask for your help with their personal problems, so there are side quests too. But the main bummer is that there's no decent journal of quests - none at all. The random characters you meet will give you super vague info, and if you manage to complete their tasks, it's mostly by chance while exploring the world. What's more, some side quests conflict with each other. So, you can't help everyone and everything in one playthrough - doing something for one character will make another one think you're trying to screw them over and they'll refuse to cooperate. It might seem like a minor issue, but if you're a perfectionist who likes to tie up loose ends and achievement hunters, you'll be cursing this system more than once. My first playthrough with all the optional locations and DLCs took me... well, I won't lie, over 100 hours. I got stuck for ages in many places, which is why it took me so long.

After the final boss, the game will offer you either to keep exploring the world or start a so-called New Game+. That means starting over, but your progress, gear, and collected goodies will carry over to the new playthrough. Enemies on New Game+ will be way more challenging than they were in the regular new game. Then, the game will offer you to start New Game++, and then New Game+++, and so on - an endless cycle of Dark Souls playthroughs. Someone already said that seven cycles are the maximum. After the seventh cycle, there's no increase in enemy difficulty. I've got a New Game, New Game+, New Game++, and half of New Game+++ under my belt; almost 300 hours of gameplay in total.

I found myself in the 'Pain's Forest' location, where those little critters love to poke at you with their sharp branches. There are four endings to the game, and I'm still trying to figure out who those people are who managed to get the secret ending without any hints. I got it on my third playthrough, but I had to cheat a bit – I printed out a step-by-step guide on who to talk to, what to do, and who to talk to again (with a note to do it before killing the fifth boss). I remember a lot of players complaining that their scripts didn't work out, and they couldn't get the secret ending. Luckily, I managed to avoid those issues and saw the secret ending with my own eyes.Personally, I think the most satisfying ending is the second one (not the main one, and not the secret one).

If you ignore all the drama, it's worth noting that most of the characters' stories are really engaging. It's hard to find a happy character in this game – everyone's got their own tragic story, losses, and struggles. I really liked the optional storyline with Sigurd – the onion knight; he's one of the few characters who doesn't get depressed and always offers you a beer. If you help him throughout the game, he'll automatically join you in the fight against Yhorm – one of the Lords of Cinder, because they've got a sad history together.

If you complete Sigurd's quest, he'll help you clear Yhorm's ash out of the way.By the way, have you noticed that even the bosses have their own stories? At first, they just seem like evil guys who want to kill you, but when you play the game again and try to understand everything, they become more complex characters. They're not just arch-villains; they've got their own histories and motivations. In the context of the game, the bosses are perceived differently. You start to feel sorry for them, agree with them, or wonder if you can just walk away and avoid the fight, because you share their opinion.

At some point, I realized that the closest boss to me was this dual-wielding oneCONTROLWhen I'm playing Dark Souls with keyboard and mouse, people usually freak out. Honestly, before I started playing, I spent a lot of time thinking about getting a gamepad. But I decided to just start playing and see how it goes. If I liked it, I'd get a gamepad. And that's exactly what happened: I loved the game, but I never felt the need to switch to a gamepad. Keyboard and mouse controls are super comfortable!

However, there's one tiny issue for keyboard and mouse users: the developers just forgot to include a list of active keyboard buttons in the game menu. You open the controls tab to see which button does what, and you're greeted with a list of gamepad buttons: A, B, X, Y, RB, LB... Even the initial game menu suggests pressing RB or LB to continue playing. I had to search online for 'how to play Dark Souls with keyboard and mouse' the first time.

That's a super popular topic, by the way: keyboard and mouse users were totally lost when they started playing. Which buttons to press, how to move, how to attack, how to jump? Luckily, the internet helped me figure it out, or I'd have spent half the day figuring out the local controls by trial and error.

Overall, the button layout is really convenient, even for my small hands. The only thing that bugged me was that one button (spacebar) controls three actions: rolling, sprinting, and long jump. To roll, you press space, to sprint you hold it, and to long jump, you need to hold it, then release it, and immediately press it again (it took me a few tries to get it right). Phrases like 'I did press it!' flew out of my mouth extremely rarely. The responsiveness of the button presses is definitely something to praise. I always knew that if I pressed a button and nothing happened, it was probably my fault for being slow.

I've gotta say, not having a pause in the game is a bit of a mixed bag. Opening the menu or digging through your inventory doesn't pause the game time, and you're always vulnerable to enemies.

I've got to say, I'm not going to trash the game camera, which is the main nemesis of FromSoftware games. I barely had any issues with it. Holding the mouse over the game camera is super easy, except when the main character gets cornered against a wall – then the camera shifts to their lower back and shows something that's hard to make out.

I've gotta say, the target lock feature in this game is a bit wonky. That glowing mark on the enemy that helps you keep them in your sights is super helpful in battles, but it's got some quirks. Almost all attacks hit their mark, but there are those times when the enemy blocks or dodges at the last second. The main problems with target lock are that it keeps disappearing on its own, and sometimes the camera gets all wonky and stuck at weird angles. I've found that turning it off when the enemy takes up most of the screen is the way to go.

One thing I do love is how often the game autosaves. You can quit at any moment and pick up right where you left off. But when you die, the system works a bit differently.

I'm a bit of an outlier, but I find it easier to keep the target lock on, even on tough bosses like this onePROGRESSIONBefore you even get into the game, you've got to deal with the character editor. First, you've got to choose your character's gender, appearance, and build. You can even input a name, but be warned: the game won't recognize Cyrillic, so you'll need to switch to the English keyboard layout. I learned that the hard way – my character's name ended up being a bunch of stars. In the end, the character selection doesn't affect anything. You'll get a silent, blank slate that won't say a word throughout the entire game, except for those dramatic grunts when it takes damage.

I didn't spend too much time in the character editor at first and just went with the default options. But then I thought, 'You know what? I don't look very intimidating in this game.' Luckily, the game lets you change your appearance, so I made sure to look my best for all the playthroughs. Now I'm pretty sure I'm the most intimidating character out there.

Even pleas for mercy were... just not coming from the enemy's side...Okay, okay, I'll stop joking around. Next up, I need to choose my character's starting class: knights, mercenaries, warriors, heralds, thieves, assassins, mages, pyromancers, clerics, or beggars. Each class has its own unique characteristics (health, attack power, karma points, etc.) and equipment. Don't get me wrong, choosing a different class in each playthrough won't give you two completely different experiences. Nope, the starting class will only determine the first hour or so of the game. Whoever you choose, you can easily switch to a pyromancer, mage, or swordsman later on. I was told to start with either a warrior or a knight.

Dark Souls offers a linear journey from one level to the next, with constant encounters with enemies. Some enemies you can just ignore, while others - bosses - you'll need to defeat before you can progress. Where will you end up? Behind the crumbling walls of a castle, in a half-flooded forest, amidst the decaying bogs, in a massive multi-level temple, in the snow-covered capital, in local prisons, or in the catacombs. There are no maps in the game, and no guides either. And honestly, that's not a big deal - the locations are designed in such a way that you'll have a general idea of where to head. Most of the time, that is. There are some areas that are so confusing and have identical corridors that might give you a panic attack. For me, the most hated place is the Catacombs of Carthus - the worst and longest place with an overwhelming number of corridors, rooms, levels, and secret passages. On my first playthrough, I tried to explore every nook and cranny in the catacombs, but on subsequent playthroughs, I just blast through it as quickly as possible to get to the boss and out. No way I'm sticking around there.

One of the coolest things about this game is the way it throws these little diversions at you. There are these branches that can lead you to a treasure chest or even to a whole new area. If you're the type of player who likes to explore every nook and cranny, you'll have to think outside the box! I mean, who wouldn't think to jump between levels on the lift? It was a major discovery for me, even if not every impromptu jump ended in success. But there are places where there's no direct path – you have to forge your own. And get this, the local lifts have this weird quirk where they're double – two lifts on the same path, but one goes straight up and the other goes straight down. Sometimes you'll have to press the button, get off the platform, and then another lift will take its place. I swear, I wouldn't have figured it out without the forums.

And then there are these illusory walls. They can be anywhere, and nothing seems suspicious at first glance, but as soon as you hit them with something, the illusion shatters, and you'll find that there's another passage ahead. With the internet on, each of these walls usually has messages from other players on the ground. Many of these walls lead to secret locations or super valuable items.

And, of course, the locations are designed in such a way that there are these 'cliffs' – but they don't open right away. Some doors are locked from the other side, requiring you to make a pretty big detour to get to the other side and unlock the cliff. Vertical ladders that drop you down to lower levels, where your journey started hours ago. And the best part? Even after you die, the open shortcuts remain open, and they won't close up again (it's pretty clear that Dark Souls is super player-friendly). Is this interesting? Absolutely!

The journey is structured so that you'll constantly encounter these bonfires – sort of safety islands. Primarily, they serve as checkpoints. So, if you fail and die, you'll respawn at the last bonfire you visited. Interacting with the bonfire fully restores your health and removes negative effects, and it also returns any used health packs and potion bottles. You can quickly move between open bonfires.

But here's the thing: when you interact with a campfire, it brings back almost all the enemies you've killed. The only ones that don't come back are the unique ones - the bosses or mini-bosses. But all the hordes of homeless guys, zombies, grave dogs, and other enemies will be right back where they were. There's no procedural generation in the game; after resting at the campfire, you'll see that the enemies are all still doing exactly what they were doing before you beat them. So, after a string of failures in battles with hostile mobs, you start wondering if it's really necessary to fight them. Maybe it's just easier to run past them? And, believe it or not, there have been times when I've found myself on an unfamiliar location with no resources left for healing, and I've made the desperate decision to just run past all the monsters and hope that somewhere in the distance, I'll see a campfire (luckily, they're visible from a distance). And, surprisingly, this tactic isn't entirely useless.

List of open campfires you can move toEnemies in the game (not the bosses, I'll get to those later) are so diverse that you'd almost want to create your own personal top: the most hated types of enemies. There's no shortage of them, and each one will find a way to surprise you - in a bad way. They'll attack you with anything they can: melee attacks, ranged attacks like fireballs, magical attacks, and status effects of varying degrees of danger. Melee attacks are particularly impressive in their variety. Plus, it's not uncommon for enemies to ambush you from around the corner or from above, catching you off guard. Even though the bosses in the game are like strict examiners, sometimes the location itself, inhabited by really nasty mobs, becomes like a boss that you need to get past. I'm not even kidding, I don't know which enemy I hate the most. There are these super annoying grave dogs - they're super fast, bite hard, and it's hard to hit them because they're always dodging. Then there are the ghouls, which look like bipedal dogs, and they love to jump on you and rip your face apart with their claws. There are skeletons that spit out worms and maggots, applying the status effect bleeding, which takes forever to heal from. And sometimes you'll run into vampires - toads with huge eyes that look harmless at first, but they can apply the status effect curse, which kills you instantly. Every time I think about the irithyll dungeon guards and their nasty habit of casting a spell that takes away a chunk of your health, and then dropping you to the ground and holding you in place with a red-hot pitchfork, I shudder.

These prison guards are chomping down on the maximum health bar to zero from a distance And that's just a small part of what players of Dark Souls can expect. With so many different types of enemies in the game, it's no wonder someone's probably already written an encyclopedia detailing who they are, where they came from, what they can do, and what their weaknesses are. Each enemy has a unique design, attack speed, and health pool. The developers definitely deserve credit for taking a serious approach - it's clear they put a lot of thought into what to fill the corridors with, rather than just slapping the same old enemies in there willy-nilly. Each location has its own unique menagerie.

The leech and the giant crab I've got to give a special mention to the mimics - enemies that attack at the most unexpected moment. Throughout the game, you'll come across chests; usually, they contain something super valuable and useful. And then you spot one of these chests, and you're like, 'Yes! I'll just go grab that!' But, of course, it's not a chest at all - it's something you really don't want to run into. As soon as you touch the lid, the mimic's eyes start to glow, its teeth and hands grow, and it starts chomping down on you. Mimics have a lot of health, and they pack a punch. Of course, you get used to them over time. For one, mimics have visual differences from the safe chests. Two, if you're online, you'll get warnings from other players that it's not a chest ahead. Three, you can always whack the chest a few times to see if it takes the hit. Four, there's a consumable item that temporarily takes the enemy down. With these mimics, the idea is pretty cool, but it could've been even more interesting if they'd removed the visual differences and scattered them randomly throughout the game.

If you do manage to take down a mimic, you'll usually get something super valuable out of it.

I've gotta give a shoutout to the mimicry in this game - it's a total game-changer Surviving in Dark Souls? First things first, you gotta level up the right way. Decide which class you want to play as, or you'll be stuck trying to be a jack-of-all-trades on your first playthrough. Yeah, good luck with that - it's gonna take hundreds of tedious hours grinding out experience points on low-level enemies. The leveling tree's got 12 characteristics: Vitality (that's the red health bar), Intelligence (the blue health bar, which is also used for magical attacks and special weapon skills), Endurance (the green stamina bar, which is also your stamina), Strength (max weight you can carry), Dexterity and Vitality (these affect your weapon's effectiveness), Intelligence and Faith (these determine your magic, pyromancy, and prayer abilities), and Luck (your chance to get super rare resources from enemies). Most players will probably focus on leveling up their health and stamina first. I mean, I know there are some crazy players out there who've beaten Dark Souls without leveling up, taking no damage, and dying zero times. And then there are the challenge enthusiasts who only level up their Strength or Health. I've seen some pretty entertaining videos on this topic, and I always learn something new.

This is what leveling up looks like To level up, you need souls - the local currency that drops from defeated enemies. The tougher and more resilient the enemy, the more souls you'll get. You can use those souls to level up one of the 12 characteristics. With each new level, the cost of leveling up will increase. Although the game doesn't explicitly mention this, each characteristic has a sort of 'glass ceiling' - when it reaches level 60, further leveling up is pointless, as you won't see any significant progress after that. Levels are leveled up at the Fire Keeper's - you can find her in the Fire Temple with five thrones for the lords of ash. It's like a hub area where you'll find characters who aren't directly involved in the story but can help you out. You'll get to the Fire Temple pretty early on, after you've successfully navigated the initial area. The coolest thing is that this is the only direct route to the Fire Temple. If you need to visit her again, you'll have to use the fast travel option.

Guardian of the Flame If you ever feel like your leveling is a bit off, the game lets you redistribute your points. Of course, you'll have to head to the Deep Chasm, find that lady in her private chambers, make her a gift (which, by the way, you'll have to work hard to get), and then reallocate your points. You can only do this a maximum of five times throughout the game. Weapons in this game are so numerous, it's hard to keep track. Swords, spears, sabers, halberds, glaives, axes, scythes, knives, clubs, even whips are all there... It's probably better to categorize the available weapons into one-handed, two-handed, and paired. And honestly, it's a good idea to try out each one and decide which type you prefer. Luckily, the most effective weapons can be obtained relatively early in the game. I've tried a few: the Claymore (a good sword, but it's got a ridiculously long swing animation, and it doesn't deal much damage), the mercenary's scimitars (paired knives - they're often recommended for new players because they have the highest attack speed; I eventually stopped using them because I wanted something more authentic), and the Irityllian sword (it drops after defeating an optional mini-boss in one of the early locations in the game - a decent one-handed sword with a built-in status effect that freezes enemies, but I didn't use it much because I thought it could deal more damage). Eventually, I found the two-handed sword of the outcast - I actually used it to defeat most of the last bosses (including those from the DLC), and it's a really great sword, both in terms of design and attack speed and damage. And, of course, I fell in love with the long two-handed sword with a wide blade that fans call the Gats sword. It's no secret that the Dark Souls series was inspired by the manga Berserk, and this sword is a clear reference to the main character's sword in that series. It's a really cool sword, but its swing is way too long, so my heart belongs to the two-handed sword of the outcast.

They call it the sword of GatsaSo, I've come to the realization that heavy two-handed swords are my go-to. Sure, they hit slow, but you get a ton of damage with one swing - more than a fast one-handed sword can deliver in four or five hits. You can set up a heavy two-handed sword as a makeshift shield, yeah, some damage is gonna get through, but most of the time you'll be standing tall. Plus, it makes smaller enemies stumble and even stop their attacks. And overall, two-handed swords are great for keeping you in check: it forces you to count your button presses - in games like Dark Souls, you can't undo button presses, and as a noob, I was just mindlessly mashing the attack button dozens of times; that was me, at least, in the beginning.Of course, Gatsa's sword and the exile's sword aren't the biggest representatives of the class - there are even bigger two-handers out there, but I immediately ruled them out for the most obvious reason: they're just too big and use up too much stamina.It's not just about leveling up your character, you also need to level up your gear. You do that in the Fire Temple at the blacksmith's Andre's - yeah, it's gonna cost you some resources. Not just the souls in your wallet, but also titanite. First, you level up your gear for small titanite shards, then for bigger ones, later for titanite chunks, and finally for a full piece of titanite. And while you can buy shards and chunks from the old maid in the Fire Temple in unlimited quantities (although it'll take some time for her shop to stock up - you'll need to find more resources for that), full pieces of titanite are strictly limited (although if you do everything right and explore every nook and cranny, you can level up around 5-8 types of gear by the end of your first playthrough, that's average). The maximum gear level is ten; for unique gear (which drops from mini-bosses, like the Iritilly sword, or is crafted from boss souls), it's five, and you'll need shining titanite for that.Another thing I loved about this game is the ability to temper your weapons. Tempering can give your gear additional status effects or boost damage, depending on its stats. I was always a bit lost when it came to tempering, so I'd ask the experts: what's the best way to temper my Exile's Sword to get the most out of it? Unique gear, by the way, doesn't need tempering - it usually comes with some built-in perks. The worst part is that you can undo tempering on a weapon, but not the built-in perks. That made it tough to decide where to spend my Titanite shards at first.

I've got to say, I was really focused on getting my personal stats up, especially strength and dexterity. I found that certain weapons just wouldn't work right without one of these stats. For example, I wanted to use a katana, but I needed at least 20 dexterity to make it worth using. If I didn't have that, I could still swing it around, but the damage was pretty pathetic. As I leveled up, I noticed that the higher my dexterity, the more damage I could deal with a katana. On the other hand, heavy greatswords required a lot of strength. When I first started, I just leveled up both strength and dexterity evenly, so I could use pretty much any weapon. It was only later that I realized how important it was to hold the weapon right, too - one-handed or two-handed, it made a difference in the damage.

I also wanted to mention that each weapon has a special attack, but I never really used them. I actually forgot about them until I got my hands on the Old Bone Greatsword - a unique katana that I don't usually play with, but it's really cool, and it's got a special ability called Wave of Dark Soul.There's also the option to fight with a bow or a crossbow, and they're upgradeable, too, with special arrows. I didn't use them that often, but they were super helpful when I was dealing with tough enemies from a distance.

One of the things I loved about this game is the ring system. You can get rings as rewards for exploring locations, beating bosses, or completing side quests from characters. Rings are a source of passive bonuses, and there are rings for every class you can think of. The thing is, you can only equip four rings at a time. No more, no less. I stuck with two rings throughout my entire playthrough (and I've done multiple playthroughs), one for accelerated stamina recovery and the other for increased health restoration. The other two slots were up for grabs depending on the situation. If I was stuck on a boss, I'd swap out my rings for ones that gave me a boost in fire resistance or increased damage output when my health was low. It was all about experimenting and finding the right combination.

There's a sea of rings hereShields in the game are a total game-changer, and they usually go in the right-hand slot. I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit skeptical about using a shield at first, but it's honestly made a huge difference for me. I remember this one time when I was crossing a super crowded area with tons of armed mobs, and I was able to use my shield to stay safe. That being said, shields aren't a magic solution - they won't save you from grab attacks, which some bosses love to use. Plus, if you're not careful, you can take a hit on your shield and drain a decent amount of stamina. When that green bar is empty, you're basically stuck holding the shield, which isn't ideal. On the other hand, some shields come with some awesome passive bonuses. I've got a grass shield that speeds up my stamina recovery, and another one that gives me 20% more souls from defeated enemies. But it's not just about shields - equipment plays a huge role too.

I mean, you've got a ton of options to choose from, whether it's gear you find on locations or pick up from enemies. Boots, armor, bracers, helmets, shoes - the list goes on. And let's be real, clothing can absorb some damage, but it's not like it's going to save you from a beating. The numbers are all there in the item description, though - how much physical and elemental damage each piece of gear blocks. But if you think you can just slap on the heaviest armor and call it a day, think again. I've learned the hard way that weight matters, and the more you're carrying, the less mobile you are. It's not just about looking cool, either - if you're too loaded down, you won't be able to make decent jumps, and if your load reaches 100%, you're basically stuck in one spot. I remember when I first tried out the tank class - I wanted to play with the heaviest armor, take all the damage head-on, and use the biggest shield. It wasn't until my third playthrough, New Game++, that I finally got to try it out. I re-rolled my stats and put all my points into health and physical power, and then I was able to equip the knight Havel's armor and grab his shield. It did make the game a lot easier, but there were still some bosses that would keep me stuck in one spot and knock me down with two hits, face-first, and then stomp on me with their foot.

I only managed to level up to Tank class on New Game+Combat in the game is pretty dynamic. I know it's way more sluggish and clunky in the previous parts. My playthrough was a close-quarters battle without using magic or pyromancy (although I could sometimes afford to throw some items around). To survive in close-quarters combat against an opponent, you need to learn how to read their attacks. For me, it all came naturally over time. At some point, I trained myself to focus all my attention on the enemy and recognize their initial movements to anticipate which attack they'd use next. And that's where the fun begins! You can almost always dodge an opponent's attack without taking any damage by using a well-timed dodge. The thing is, you need to learn how to use it wisely. When I first started playing, my dodges were all over the place, completely random, and they'd happen one after another. My encounters with the enemy were more like a fairy tale about a little rabbit who hopped away from grandma and then from grandpa. While I was dodging around, the enemy would chase after me and try to hit me. More often than not, they'd succeed. You need to time your dodges perfectly, right at the last second, when the attack is about to hit you. It's all about timing. That's when the so-called frames of invincibility come into play, allowing you to survive an attack without taking any damage. What's also important is understanding which direction to dodge - forward, backward, left, right, or diagonally. I didn't master the art of dodging until halfway through the game. Blocks are available in the game, but they don't work on every enemy. Some attacks are easy to block, while others can't be blocked at all. I often found myself successfully blocking an enemy's attack, only to have it knock them off their feet and leave them open to a devastating critical hit (this doesn't work on all enemies). If you want to block effectively, I'd recommend using a small round shield (usually a bucket shield). The game surprised me when it introduced enemies that could block my attacks and deal critical hits in return. That was a bit of a challenge, but I've got to give it credit - the enemies here can defend themselves with more than just a shield the size of a door. And to make things even more interesting, some enemies can heal themselves or cast spells that prevent me from using healing items.

Let me tell you, Dark Souls is a serious test of patience. This game doesn't coddle you - it doesn't let you steamroll through tough enemies like you're in some other RPG. If you want to take down those same bosses with swords in close combat, get ready for a long, tough road ahead. You'll need to learn their attacks, time your hits perfectly, and wait for those tiny windows where you can deal some damage or heal up. Sometimes you've got to think on your feet and decide whether to swing at the boss or grab a flask of estus to heal up. Fights with bosses - especially if you're playing a melee character - are more like a back-and-forth dance, where you're trying to survive a series of attacks and land 1-2 hits. Don't expect quick, easy wins, unless you're playing a magic class - and even then, not all enemies will go down without a fight. It's the complex, multi-layered combat system and the inevitability of hundreds or even thousands of deaths that's earned Dark Souls a reputation as a game for hardcore fans.

I've gotta say, having the right upgrades can totally change the game. I've found them by exploring the environment and buying them from traders for souls, but unfortunately, you can't craft them yourself. If you want to give your weapon a damage boost, you can use lubricants - just be aware they won't work on unique weapons. They'll give you a temporary fire, lightning, or poison effect. If you're looking to boost your resistance to a specific element, limited-use pills are the way to go. Need a quick health boost? Eating an herb bundle will give you a temporary health boost. And let's not forget about throwing bombs or shuriken at enemies from a distance, or even using manure pies (which can have some pretty nasty effects). On the toxic swamp locations, you'll probably get poisoned, and it'll take a while to recover. But a purple moss clump will cure you right away. The worst status effect, though, is bleeding - it'll drain your health in no time, forcing you to use up precious healing items. A red moss clump will save you from that, though. I mean, there are tons of items like this, but it's worth checking them out and equipping them. Upgrades don't affect your max weight, by the way. And if you've got any unnecessary upgrades or duplicate gear, you can sell them to traders for souls. The upgrade locations are always the same, too. When you die, you won't lose your upgrades, though - only the souls you've collected will be taken. I highly recommend exploring the Fire Temple, though - there are tons of secrets and interesting things to find. If you look up high, you'll find a bird's nest, and it'll swap some of your gear for something useful. One upgrade that's worth mentioning is the coal - it's basically an emergency kit that restores all your health and boosts it by 30%. Your character model will even light up. This effect lasts until you die and respawn. It's a pretty cool upgrade, but if you're playing with a stable internet connection, using coal will open you up to PvP attacks from other players. Experienced players say the game tries to match you with opponents of similar level, type, and even build. To make it fair, I guess. But I'm not really sure about that...

I'm a total PvP fan, and I've gotta say, I've had my fair share of frustrating moments when it comes to invasions. I mean, who hasn't been in the middle of a tough battle, only to have some noob try to invade you and ruin your vibe? For me, it usually happened when I had a charred coal in my inventory, and I'd get that annoying message on screen saying someone's trying to invade me. It was like, 'Great, just what I need.' And then, when an invasion actually happened, my game would freeze and even lock me out of the desktop. I'm not proud of it, but I'd often resort to the trusty Alt+F4 combo to get out of it. It wasn't until someone told me to tweak the game settings and disable invasions that I realized it was that simple. I guess it's just one of those things that's easy to overlook, but if you don't like invasions, just don't use coal. The thing is, when you defeat a boss, you automatically switch to coal mode, and it's just a pain.

Now, I know what you're thinking - why would I use coal on purpose? Well, I'd use it in tough battles as an emergency health boost, when my flasks were running low. It's not the most elegant solution, but it works in a pinch. And let me tell you, those flasks with estus are a lifesaver. They're a replenishable resource, so after you die or interact with a campfire, your inventory will be replenished with full flasks. They also level up in two ways - quantity and quality. To level them up, you need unique resources, which you can either find on the map or get by defeating certain enemies. By the end of the game, you can have up to 15 flasks, and each can be maxed out to level 10. I usually stuck with flasks containing estus, since I don't use magic or special attacks. Each player gets to decide how to distribute their flasks, but for me, it was all about having enough estus to get me through those tough battles.

The Savior's FireI'll be the first to admit, I was totally lost at the beginning. As a complete newbie to the series, genre, and everything in between, I was scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on. The game doesn't exactly hold your hand with a clear tutorial, and the initial location barely scratches the surface of the combat mechanics. It's like being dropped into a sea of confusion, with every item having a detailed description, but no clear explanation of how it works. The equipment and armor menus are a mess of numbers and stats, and unless you've got experience with RPGs, it's tough to decipher the system. I spent way more than half the game trying to wrap my head around it, and even then, I was lucky to have a friend who's a seasoned gamer to guide me through it. It seems like experience in other games doesn't necessarily translate here.I'm still not convinced that some of the secret areas are even accessible. And don't even get me started on the illusory walls. But what really got me was when I discovered that a certain path was only unlocked after revisiting a previous area and using a specific move. It's like the game is trying to be clever, but it's just frustrating.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it took me a whopping 120 hours to complete Dark Souls 3 for the first time. I mean, I know the game isn't massive, but that's still a huge time commitment. For comparison, I usually finish a game like New Game+ in around 35-40 hours, and that's with exploring every nook and cranny and completing all the DLCs.

Navigating the DLCs in Dark Souls 3 was a wild ride, let me tell you. There are two story expansions - The Ringed City and Ashes of Ariandel. I ended up playing The Ringed City first, but I'm not even kidding, I had no idea I was supposed to go to the snowy location first. The game doesn't exactly give you a roadmap for the DLCs, and it doesn't tell you that you need to play them in a specific order. To access the DLCs, you need to find specific points on the map, rather than going through the game menu. In Ashes of Ariandel, the path opens up in the Depths Cathedral, where you need to talk to a character and watch a cutscene. Meanwhile, in The Ringed City, the path opens up right before the final boss of the main game. My friend warned me not to rush into the DLCs, saying I should finish the main game first and beat the final boss. Ideally, you should also max out your gear and estus flasks before tackling the DLCs. And, boy, am I glad I listened - the bosses in the DLCs are even more aggressive and deadly than in the main game. The DLCs themselves are pretty extensive, but they're also pretty quick to get through. Most of the time, you'll be spending it fighting bosses. In Ashes of Ariandel, there are only two bosses, one of which is optional. In The Ringed City, there are four bosses, one of which is optional and another that can be co-oped with another player.

Bosses. Now that we've got the style and atmosphere down, it's time for the main event. The thing that draws most people to FromSoftware games, and the thing that'll stick with you long after you've finished playing, is the sheer intensity of the battles. I'm talking, of course, about the bosses. There are 25 of them in Dark Souls 3 - including secret ones and those from DLC - and only 19 of them are required to beat the game. The rest are optional, but let's be real, what's optional in Dark Souls? I'm pretty sure most of them will stick with you for a long time. When I first played through, I was a total newbie, and I went through all the stages of grief with each boss - anger, bargaining, depression, and all that. And after each fight, I was stressed out for weeks. Each arena felt like a torture chamber, not just a normal obstacle on the path. I was freaking out, crying, and cussing... Now, of course, it's a lot easier. Most of them I can beat on the first try. Once you know what a boss can do, and you've beaten them before, it's a whole lot simpler. The feeling of moral superiority is pretty amazing. But making mistakes and dying on bosses often makes you anxious about losing and rushing through. There's no one-size-fits-all recipe for beating bosses. What works for one player might not work for another. Some people prefer to stay at a distance, while others like to get up close and personal. Some people prefer to fight without a shield, while others like to use one. You've just got to try things out, experiment, and figure out what works for you. Use what you've got in your inventory, try out different ring combinations, shield setups, and equipment.

Beating a boss not only gives you the souls you need to level up and buy stuff, but it also gives you the chance to make something useful out of their souls in the transposition furnace. You can make unique weapons or spells, get really useful rings or shields, or even make some of their armor available for purchase from the old lady in the cathedral.

One of the most intense parts of this game is taking down each boss on the arena stage. The thing is, once you're on that stage, you can't leave until you've defeated the boss. That means you've got to drain their health bar completely. And let me tell you, the boss's attacks can be pretty wild - we're talking combos, area attacks, long-range attacks, grab attacks, aerial attacks, and more. If you're a melee class, you'll need to be super careful not to get caught in the middle of all that chaos. Your best bet is to dodge their attacks and wait for an opening to strike back. Don't even think about trying to attack the boss while they're in the middle of an attack - you'll probably end up getting destroyed. But here's the thing: sometimes a well-timed attack during a boss's attack can be the key to breaking their balance. See, each boss has a balance meter that fills up with each hit and resets if you don't keep landing attacks. When it's full, the boss will get knocked off balance and become vulnerable to a critical hit. That's a lot more damage than a regular hit, but the problem is, you can't see the balance meter on screen, so you have no idea when the boss is about to get knocked off balance. Heavy two-handers seem to handle this tricky process a lot faster than fast one-handers or dual blades.

Most bosses have two phases. In the second phase, their attacks either get a lot crazier and more deadly or they add new attacks to their existing ones. Some bosses enter their second phase after losing 40-50% of their health, but others will start fresh with a new full health bar. And in the DLC, you'll encounter bosses with three phases.

Pontiff Salyis in the main game is considered one of the most challenging bosses I've got my own personal top list of bosses - not the ones that took me the longest to beat, but the ones that I actually enjoyed. I'm talking about their story, arena, visuals, soundtrack, and abilities. And then there's a separate list of bosses that I consider challenging after three attempts. I'm not going to list all the bosses in this review, but I'll mention a few of the most memorable ones that left me with some amazing memories.And let me start with the one that broke me just a few steps away from the final boss. The one that showed me how terrible I am at fighting, the one that made me question my skills, the one that made me delete the game and swear I'd never play it again. That's a name that's been stuck in my head for years, a name that's been on the list of most challenging bosses in gaming history.

His Majesty Sir Gwinovich - the Nameless King. A title that suits him perfectly, considering he's one of the most mind-bending bosses in the entire game. I'm not gonna lie, you don't need to take him down to complete the main storyline. In fact, finding him is basically a side quest in itself. The location where he hangs out is seriously one of the most gorgeous spots in the game. I stumbled upon him towards the end of the game, when I had the Powdered Wight Lord and the final boss left. I thought, 'Why not take a break and explore some of the areas I skipped earlier?' And that's when it hit me - I still hadn't faced the one boss that had been on my mind for ages. By that point, my gear was maxed out, and I was pretty confident in my skills. I thought, 'Even if it's not gonna be a cakewalk, I'll still manage to take him down.' Oh man, was I wrong...

They've been telling legends about this boss since 2016This two-phase boss is a total nightmare. First, you've got to take down its flying viverra-like aircraft. Once that's defeated, it's time to face its rider. And let me tell you, this guy is a whole different story. Unlike other bosses that charge straight at you, this one is as cool as a cucumber. He's not in any hurry to close the distance, and he doesn't fly at you like a bullet. Instead, he struts around the arena like he owns the place, like he's convinced you're not going anywhere. And just when you think he's slow and not that tough, he unleashes his thunderbolt spear, and it's a whole different ball game. My first attempts were laughable – I was dodging for two seconds at a time. His attacks are deadly, long, and sweeping. Sometimes I thought I'd managed to get far enough away to catch a breather, but the next second, he'd nail me to his spear and electrocute me. To make matters worse, all his attacks have a built-in homing feature – even if it looks like you're standing on the opposite side of his attack, the next frame, you're right in the crosshairs. The only boss that's ever given me pause is this one, and it's because of the delay between his attacks. He'll wind up, but he's not in any rush to strike, which is super disorienting. The hit comes out of nowhere, and you're not prepared for it. And to make matters worse, he's got two phases... I tried everything – changing my gear, tweaking my sword's enchantment, even switching to a shield. Nothing worked. I'm not exaggerating when I say I fought him for days. And with each defeat, my determination to finish the game slowly started to fade. In one of my most successful attempts, I managed to take him down to half health, but then I lost again when he entered his second phase. If I was doing okay in the game up until that point, facing Bezmyanny made me doubt my skills. I even considered leaving him for later and continuing the story – I figured I'd pick up some experience, maybe some valuable items, and come back to him when I was feeling more confident. But then I got stuck on the penultimate boss (which is a two-for-one deal), and I was stuck for hours, losing and losing. That's when I realized I wasn't going to make it through the game. So, I did what any self-respecting gamer would do – I called in some reinforcements. With the help of some live players, we took down Bezmyanny, the final two bosses, and I got to see the credits roll. And then I deleted the game and called it a day. That's the sad story of how I got beat by a boss.

I'm not even sure why I decided to give Dark Souls 3 another shot after six months. I think it was just seeing my friend finally beat the game for the third time and still having a smile on his face. He'd been stuck on the Nameless King for hours, but he just kept going. I was curious to see how he'd do, and honestly, he didn't even bat an eye. He lost? Started over? No big deal, he'd already tried like 200 times. Okay, fine, maybe 500. Anyway, my friend who'd been stuck on the first bosses for five hours managed to take down the Nameless King on his own, and then went on to beat the rest of the game without any major issues. And with a big smile on his face, no less. He even went into the DLCs without any hesitation. I decided to give the game another chance, and luckily, I had a save file from before I'd gotten stuck on the Nameless King. I'd already mentioned that Dark Souls 3 doesn't have cloud saves, right? So, I started back up where I'd left off, but first things first, I decided to completely overhaul my build. It was a mess, to be honest. I'd been focusing on health and endurance, but everything else was just a wild card. I wasn't using magic, but for some reason, I'd been investing in intelligence. And luck. And faith, even though I never used prayers. So, I set out to find the lady who could redistribute my points, and I put them all into health, stamina, strength, and agility. And only then did I go back for a rematch with the Nameless King. And let me tell you, it took me five tries, but I finally managed to beat him. And I was so close to dying on that final try. I'd never felt such a rush of excitement since I first started playing Dark Souls 3. And that same night, I managed to beat the penultimate boss, and the final boss the next day. And with no hesitation, I went into the DLC. Going back to the Nameless King, I've got to say, he's an amazing boss! His storyline is pretty dramatic - he made a deal with the dragons, which made his dad, King Gwyn from the first game, pretty angry. As a result, he was banished, and all mentions of him were erased. After you beat his vivern, a cutscene kicks in, where he kills his friend with his spear, taking their power for himself. And in the video, you can see just how hard it is for him - he's slow, and his hand is shaking. The arena where the fight takes place is really unique - it's high up in the clouds, on thick fog. The boss design is pretty cool, and the music... I ended up loving the Nameless King so much that I'd often leave a summon sign near his location for other players to join me. They'd call me to their world, and I'd join them for a fight. It was always a blast.

I've gotta say, taking down the Nameless King with ease is a huge relief. I've gotten to know him pretty well, and now I can crush him on the first try. I even find myself chuckling when I think back to last year when I got absolutely destroyed by him.

You can even leave a calling card and help other players out on bosses if you want toThe Dancer of the Frost is another boss that really stuck with me. She's definitely not an easy one - her attacks are super smooth and dance-like, which threw me off at first. And to make things even tougher, the arena is pretty small and cluttered with obstacles. It's a beautiful but super challenging fight that still gives me the jitters to this day.

Sorry, but 'I'm a bad dancer and my legs get in the way' isn't going to cut itI've discovered this concept in the game called a 'gimmick boss' - a boss that's designed to be beaten in a specific, creative way. Usually, these bosses are either unbeatable or take an eternity to take down. In the Catacombs of Carthus, you've got the High Lord Wolnir - the local equivalent of a giant, gold-plated Koshchei. To beat him, you just need to whack the gold bracelets on his wrists. It's so simple, it's almost boring - Wolnir definitely could've used a second phase. Another gimmick boss is the Giant Yhorm, who's not exactly the kind of guy you want to just hack away at with your sword. He's got a whole truckload of health, and you'll be shocked when you realize that your sword swings are barely making a dent. The first time I fought him, I gave up and went to Google to figure out how to beat him. It turns out, you need to run up to the throne, pick up the sword, equip it, and then perform some special attacks. I ended up crafting Yhorm's massive scythe from his soul - I thought it looked awesome and would deal some serious damage. But when I saw how much stamina it used, I was pretty disappointed.

Giant Yorm, Lord of AshesJudge Gundir - that first boss in the game? Forget about it, especially if you're new to the whole thing. I mean, he doesn't exactly look intimidating with his low health, but trust me, he's a whole different story. He shows up right at the start, leaving you with zero time to level up, explore, or even find any decent gear. You're basically on your own, relying on luck and your wits to get through. I managed to make it to his second phase on my first playthrough, and then I just went all out with the firebombs I'd found on the map. We both went down together, but the game decided to give me the win. That was a nice surprise.But that's not the end of our story, folks. Later on, Gundir makes a comeback as Champion Gundir, this time as an optional boss. If you want to get the alternate ending, you'll have to take him on. And let me tell you, I wasn't exactly thrilled to see his face again, but when he showed up, I knew this fight wouldn't be a cakewalk. His first phase is pretty similar to the Judge Gundir fight, but faster and with more damage. And then there's his second phase, which is a whole different story. He goes into some kind of berserker mode and just keeps coming at you non-stop. He swings his long glaive, grabs you and throws you off the arena, stabs the ground with his glaive and throws rocks at you, jumps up and comes crashing down. And, of course, he remembers he has a body, so he's happy to introduce you to his face or shoulder. I had a whole series of failures with this boss, and I realized I just couldn't keep up with the rhythm of the fight. I was basically just running around like a rabbit, unable to land a hit or even grab a flask of estus. This guy's not a boss, he's a raging bull, and I'm just a red rag waiting to be tossed around.I was stuck, and the only way out was to block. I remembered someone saying that Gundir is one of the few bosses you can block and immediately follow up with a critical hit. I'd never blocked in the game before, but I had to grab a small round shield - I didn't see any other way to take down this behemoth. And so began the arduous process of learning all his attacks. It took me two days. Two days of practicing blocking. Two days of figuring out exactly when to block. When did the attack animation start? When was it almost over? When was I about to take damage? I swear, Gundir heard a lot of profanity from me. But in the end, blocking did its job. Gundir the Champion fell. And let me get ahead of myself here: I'm not sure I can beat him any other way (and some of his attacks are just plain nasty). But hey, at least I learned something new - and I've got a few choice words for Gundir, too.

I've gotta say, those final bosses in the main game are still giving me a run for my money. I mean, I've tried different approaches and weapons on New Game+ and ++, but I just can't seem to block their attacks. Gundir's health pool is tiny, which is why he's not the hardest boss in the game - but he's still a challenge. I've got to give him credit where credit is due.

These three bosses (and the final boss, who's got two full health bars) are the only ones in the main game where the tank class is basically useless. They can take me out with just two or three hits, shatter my shield, and send me to the graveyard. It's like they're saying, 'You think you're tough with your shield? Think again!'

These guys didn't give my tank class a single chance I've heard rumors that the upcoming DLCs are going to bring even tougher and more complex bosses. And let me tell you, they're not kidding. In my top 5 hardest bosses, the one from the DLC takes the cake. I'm not being original here, but it's father Ariandel and sister Freida, the song of ice and fire, the source of pain and suffering. They're a boss that'll keep surprising you until the very end. The main threat comes from Freida, she's the real deal. I've fought her three times, and each time I was terrified, and it took me a lot of effort to emerge victorious. I learned that you should be afraid of the human-sized bosses - they're way harder to hit, and their attacks are lightning-fast, unexpected, and often hit their mark.When I first beat her, she was the last boss I had to face, and I felt like I'd just gone through a fire and ice. The ice shield attacks, the black flame explosions, the disappearances, the sweeping sword attacks, the tossing me around in the air, and the stabbing me with her sword when I landed - Freida can do it all. The worst part is that there's no clear window of opportunity to attack. It's hard to know when to strike, when to take a sip from my Estus flask. I finally managed to win when I switched to an aggressive playstyle and attacked her right in the middle of her combos. Heavy sword attacks make Freida stumble and interrupt her deadly combos, but you need to time it just right. The fight is complex, but it's also epic and super interesting.

This is the final boss of the first DLC, where you get to explore a world on the brink of purification from corruption. Ariandel and Freida are trying to stop this process, and your arrival puts the world's existence at risk, since Freida is also one of the unburnt, and having two unburnt in the same world is too much for it to handle. And kudos to the story, where Freida is a fully fleshed-out character from the start - at first, she's friendly, asks you to leave the world, even gives you some useful items. And only in the end does she turn violent.

One of the most epic bosses Another tough boss is, of course, the knight-slave Gáel. He's the last boss of the second expansion, with a super sad story and a tragic ending that Gáel already knew. Watching all the characters involved, I'm not sure who to feel more sorry for. At the end of the fight, Gáel extends his hand to the player before he dies, and it looks super painful.I have to admit, Gáel looks pretty weak in the intro video, but it's clear from the first few minutes that this guy is a force to be reckoned with. He's super agile, wielding that heavy two-handed sword and rapid-fire crossbow. Gáel does some serious combos and has his cloak acting as a legitimate weapon, dealing damage with the edges. And that's just the tip of the iceberg – he's got a massive health pool. It was during the fight against Gáel that I finally mastered the art of diagonal dodging. The boss doesn't mess around. Shields were basically useless, and even my tank class couldn't save me. Gáel is a top-notch boss, and I really enjoyed fighting him – he's one of the best I've come across so far.

I've gotta say, there's this crazy rumor going around that the third Dark Souls has the toughest boss of all - Midir, the Devourer of the Dark. This ancient dragon is a beast, with the biggest health pool of any boss (excluding Yhorm) and attacks that can take you down with a single hit. I'll admit, I was mentally preparing myself for a week of suffering before even facing him. But in the end, I took him down in about an hour and a half. I'm still trying to figure out what makes him so tough - it's one of the most honest bosses in the game! Yeah, each of his attacks can deal a ton of damage, but they're also super readable and have a lot of openings for counterattacks. I quickly learned that you need to stand right in front of him, nose to nose, which sounds crazy, but it's the only way to avoid getting roasted. And when he does attack, you need to dodge to the sides or back, and only hit him right in the face - that's the only spot that takes the most damage. Don't even think about running to his back legs, or he'll just straighten up and incinerate everything in sight. His move set is insane: he's got quick dashes, swipes with his front paws, tries to bite you, whips his tail, breathes fire, shoots a deadly dark laser, summons dark souls to swarm you, falls on you with his full weight, sets the arena ablaze while flying up, and so on. And if I had to choose my favorite boss in the game, it's gotta be Midir. He's just incredible: epic design, amazing music on the arena, the arena itself is super comfortable to fight in, and the whole experience is just a blast. I've grown so attached to Midir that I often leave a summon sign for him so other players can join in on the fun. Plus, his backstory is pretty dramatic.

After beating Midir, I crafted a sweet katana out of his soul - Old Blade.

Sorry, Midirchik, I've watched How to Train Your Dragon five times, and you're out of luck Platinum. So, if you're a PS or Steam owner with the licensed version of the game, you might notice after completing it that you've got 30-35 achievements out of 42. You might think, 'Hey, I've got most of them, just a few more to go, and it'll be a breeze.' I thought the same thing. And boy, was I wrong. In Dark Souls 3 this is one of the longest, most tedious, and ungrateful platinum trophies! It's essential to understand that to get it, you'll have to play the game three times - on New Game, New Game+, and New Game++. Three consecutive playthroughs because, aside from completing the main storyline and beating the bosses, you'll need to collect the darn things. You'll need to gather: all 107 rings, gestures, miracles, pyromancies for the pyromancers, and magical abilities. And let me tell you, it's some kind of torture.Let's start with pyromancy and magic - there are only four characters in the game where you can acquire new magical or pyromantic abilities. And for each character, you'll need to complete their side quests, but first, you'll need to find and convince them to join you at the Fire Temple. One of them will agree to join you only if you've leveled up your intelligence to level 10. To expand their repertoire, you'll need to find special tomes for them. But even after buying all the magical abilities from them at the end of the game, you'll notice that you're still missing some necessary abilities. Some of them are hidden in the most obscure spots on the maps. Some can only be obtained from the souls of specific bosses. And some are earned by leveling up in the covens, which is a whole other torture I'll get to later.

The game has gestures. Some of them unlock secret areas, but most are needed for player interaction in online multiplayer - because there's no decent voice chat (or is there?). I'd even say it's more of a comedy element, because it's always entertaining to watch on screen as we all try to mimic or dance.

Gestures So, gestures are collected in all sorts of ways - they can be found in certain locations, they're automatically added after interacting with characters, they drop from single bosses, and they're even given after meeting characters that can only be encountered through side quests. Gestures are the reason you'll need to play the game at least twice, since two gestures are rewarded for completing two mutually exclusive quests. When you start working on one quest, you lose the ability to do the other one in the same playthrough. And honestly, I have no idea why the devs did that. The Keeper of the Abyss uses the legion of undead's etiquette gesture - and it's the most dramatic gesture in the whole game Rings... There are 107 of them, and I've spent three full playthroughs, completing side quests and earning classes in covens to get them all. That's the worst achievement in Dark Souls 3. And I know there's a cheat way to get someone online to trade them all with you (and then that person just reloads their save and gets them all back). I don't have any friends or acquaintances who'd do that for me, so I had to grind for them all the honest way. It took me three and a half playthroughs, and I even missed one on the third loop. I had to go back to the fourth loop to get it. Farming covens... The most painful words for those who earned platinum in Dark Souls 3. There are eight covens, eight in-game factions, and you need them just to get online. Some covens send you help from other players in case of invading phantoms, while others send you to someone else's world to help with red phantom battles. To get platinum, you need to join all eight covens (there are separate achievements for each). To be a full member of a coven, you need to equip their emblem in your inventory. Each coven has some sort of altar where you can make offerings. The offerings level up your class - I'm not sure how they affect your current stats, but I know that after a certain number of offerings, you get a unique reward: a weapon, a ring, or a magical ability. To get platinum, you'll need to find thirty unique offerings for six covens! And that's just the theory. Each coven has its own set of requirements, and it's not as easy as it sounds.

One thing I've noticed is that the offerings just don't lie around on the locations. You've got to earn them online or farm them offline from individual mobs. I mean, it's not like they're just chillin' on a table somewhere, waiting for you to pick them up. No way, you've got to put in the work if you want to get platinum in Dark Souls 3.

For the Covenant of Sun Warriors, I had to scrounge up 30 gold medals – and this was the only Covenant where I managed to get the required number online in no time. I mentioned earlier that I loved leaving my call sign on some bosses and helping other players take 'em down. If you're rocking the Sun Warriors emblem and take down a boss, you'll score one medal as a reward. Too bad this trick doesn't work with the other Covenants. To get these items online, you'll have to agree to PvP battles.

Offline farming, huh? It's when you've got a specific type of respawning enemies from which a desired item might drop. The scheme is simple: you chill by a campfire, then run to the mob's location, kill 'em all, collect the dropped items, and then head back to the campfire to wait for the mobs to respawn. And then you repeat the process until you've got the required number of unique items.

To increase your chances of getting those coveted items, you'll need to boost your luck. To do this, you'll have to wear the Symbol of Greed (which eats away at your health every second), equip the magical rapier that comes from the soul of the initial boss, slap on the Golden Snake ring, and break the luck coin. Some unique items have a high chance of dropping from mobs, while others will still only drop about one item per 100 attempts, even with all the luck-boosting conditions met. I've talked to some veterans of the game, and none of 'em could figure out any pattern. Sometimes, rare items will drop consecutively every time you try, while other times you can make 150 attempts and get nothing.

You can get the Symbol of Greed from one of the mimics The Covenant of Farrealms Hounds needs an offering of 30 Wolf's Blood blades. Surprisingly, this item drops like crazy from the Mozgul mobs, which are all over the Farrealms Citadel. So, it didn't take much time to farm this item.

The Covenant of Rosaria's Fingers requires an offering of 30 severed pale tongues. These also drop like crazy from the Dark Knights in the Farrealms Citadel.

The Covenant of Oldrid's Scoundrels only needs 10 human scraps to reach the maximum rank – and these drop like crazy from the Deacons.

Covenant of Darkmoon Blades - I had to grind out thirty ears of loyalty, which was a total pain. Offline, you can get them from three knights in Anor Londo, and let me tell you, it's a long shot. I spent three days farming these things, sitting there for three or four hours at a time, killing those knights, and watching TV or a show in the background. I was thinking, 'What have I gotten myself into?' But, as it turns out, it's not even the rarest item.

I'll never forget the struggle to get my hands on thirty bone shackles for the Covenant of the Marauders upgrade. Offline, these things drop from three armed skeletons in the Catacombs of Carthus, but let me tell you, it's no cakewalk. Not only do they have the lowest drop rate, but the location itself is a nightmare. The corridors are super narrow, and you're constantly hitting the walls with your sword instead of the enemy. I spent three whole days trying to get these things, and I only managed to scrounge up ten bone shackles. I was about to lose my mind, so I decided to go all-in and try to get them online. I put on the Marauders emblem and left a summon sign on the ground, hoping someone would pick up and fight me. And, man, people started responding in droves. Not just responding, but they were even refusing to fight and just letting themselves get killed (I guess everyone knows how hard it is to get these shackles). I'd get one bone shackle for each win. Then, I saw someone else had left a summon sign, and I responded to it, and let them win. After that, we started taking turns summoning each other and not fighting back. It was like we were in on some secret handshake, and that's how I managed to get the thirty bone shackles I needed.

I've gotta say, I'm pretty stoked I managed to wrap up this platinum. And it's all thanks to this game that I got to dive into all the side quests and experience the story from every character's perspective.Community. I've got to give a shoutout to the Dark Souls and Elden Ring fans out there. I know they're not exactly the most competitive players, but still, I don't get why some players are so toxic. They'll trash-talk other players just because they're playing a certain class or summoning help from phantoms? It's like, what's the deal with that? I've listened to some of the veterans of the series, and apparently, you're not supposed to level up your health and endurance. And don't even get me started on the strength stat - that's just for noobs who can't play. And then there's this list of 'forbidden' weapons that you're not supposed to use, or else you're a cheater. And shields? Forget about it. And gear with high defense? That's cheating too. That's actually one of the reasons I don't stream - I don't want to deal with all the negativity. And those streamers, they're always getting roasted in the chat by people calling them 'overpowered' or 'lucky'. I'm closing out this platinum on Elden Ring, and every time I beat a boss, I'm left wondering: am I just overpowered? Did I just get lucky? Is this build too OP? Can I even level up my strength without ruining the experience? I'm still searching for that perfect formula for a run where it's all laid out - what level you can reach, what you can and can't level up, what gear you can use, and what you can't. Apparently, the only way to do it right is to play on the lowest difficulty, in your underwear, with the starting sword, no leveling up, and no rings. That's the only way it's considered a 'real' playthrough and a fun gaming experience.

I'm not sure whether to be excited or not VISUAL Okay, I'll be honest - I'm not a fan of dark fantasy, so it was tough for me to appreciate the local scenery. The game's color palette is super dark, even in areas where the sun is shining. It's like they've applied some kind of gray filter. The colors are cold, the atmosphere is dead, and everything feels lifeless and depressing. I guess that's what the developers were going for. Still, the game looks great, especially considering it's almost ten years old. My favorite areas in terms of visuals were the Iritill Cold Valley and the Defiled Capital - they're just breathtaking. Iritill, in particular, feels like a bustling city on the eve of New Year's celebrations. Although, its inhabitants are pretty deadly...

From the very first location, you can see almost the entire area from a great height. It's not just a pretty picture - it's a city at your fingertips. I've also got to give a shout-out to the Dragon Peak - that's the location where the Nameless King resides. It's a pretty unique place, with ruined castles and towers high up in the clouds.

The animations in the game are pretty cool, with each enemy having its own unique ones. I was stoked to see that some bosses have their own cutscenes (or cinematics), which adds to their epicness. One thing that didn't quite impress me was that some characters communicate with their mouths closed - no facial animations for them, unfortunately.

MUSICAnd that's exactly what I'll praise Dark Souls 3 for - the instrumental music is just incredible, composed by Japanese musicians. I've always dreamed of attending a live symphony orchestra performance where they play music from Dark Souls and Elden Ring (there was a concert in Moscow recently, but I couldn't make it).

One thing that really stood out to me while exploring the game's locations is the complete lack of background music. Instead, the only sounds you hear are the ones from the environment. The music in the Temple of Fire is a total downer, though - it's so depressing that I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. Don't get me wrong, the sound design is top-notch, but the melody is just too sad. I also have to mention the music in the main menu, which features a female choir. It's actually really beautiful, and the theme song at the end of the game is pretty cool too - it's like something you'd hear at a funeral or a wake.

But where the game really shines is in the boss battles. Each one has its own unique melody that plays in the background! And how cool is it that each melody complements the boss's character? It's like the music is highlighting their tragic backstory or something. One of my favorite melodies is the one that plays during the final boss fight - the piano riffs in the second phase are just heartbreaking. I've even heard that it's the same melody that played during the final boss fight in the first Dark Souls. I've got music tracks from almost every boss in my playlist, except for the final one - I'd also recommend checking out the music from the fights against Freida, Gael, Midir, and the Nameless King.

THE VERDICTLet's get real, Dark Souls isn't as intimidating as everyone makes it out to be. I mean, why do I keep seeing that 'YOU DIED' message on the screen all the time? But seriously, the game is actually pretty fun to play.

All the hype about how hard the game is and how it'll break your nerves usually comes from people who expect to win easily and underestimate their opponents. If you approach the game with the right mindset, it's actually pretty interesting. Yeah, it takes patience, and no, you can't just rely on luck. You've got to study your opponents, too.Personally, I really enjoyed playing Dark Souls, even if it took me a while to get the hang of it. I mean, I spent most of my time trying to figure out how the leveling system worked, what all the items were for, and how to choose the right equipment for me.

The story is super vague, and you'll have to piece it together from the characters' cryptic lines, item descriptions, and the environment itself.The side quests are a total mystery - there's no quest log, so you're left wondering what to do. Mr. Hidekata Miyazaki seems to think this is no big deal, but honestly, it's frustrating. Some side quests even contradict each other, so you can't complete them all in one playthrough.Getting into the game without experience in action-RPGs can be tough, especially with all the tables and numbers thrown at you. It's a good thing I met some experienced players who were happy to explain how things work.Trying to get all the achievements is a nightmare - to close out all the trophies, you'll need to play the game three times and grind out the covenant farming (or PvP).The community's got some toxic users who'll ruin any victory for you. They'll tell you that you can't play as a mage, pyromancer, cleric, or summon help from other players, and that you can't use shields or heavy armor, or wear armor and do flips, or else it's not a 'proper' playthrough.On the plus side:

I'm totally stoked about the sheer number of playable classes - you've got your mages, your heavy-hitting tanks, and everything in between.The selection of close-range weapons is seriously insane.The bosses in this game are epic, each with their own stories and motivations.The music is top-notch, it really adds to the overall atmosphere.I'm blown away by the variety of enemies on each location - I'm not even sure who I hate the most anymore, it's like they're all trying to outdo each other.The story's interesting, intense, and super dramatic - I just wish I could've experienced the full thing, but I didn't play the previous games.The autosave feature is a total lifesaver - you can quit the game almost anywhere and pick up right where you left off.The level design is super engaging, with plenty of secrets, shortcuts, and illusory walls to keep you on your toes.The visuals are great, even if they're a bit dark - it's not a deal-breaker for me, though.From me, five stars. I had an absolute blast playing this game, and it's opened my eyes to other games in the same genre. Now that I've got a better grasp of how things work, I'm playing in a much more relaxed environment. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good time.