Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City Review (PC) Review

The long-awaited conclusion to not just Dark Souls III but the entire Dark Souls series has finally arrived. The Ringed City, a place where we’re promised closure amid the chaos we’ve endured, marks the final stop on a journey that has spanned two sequels and numerous expansions. It’s the end of an era for a series that has become a beloved cornerstone of gaming for me over the years.

But the real question remains: Is Dark Souls III: The Ringed City the expansion that sends the series out with a bang?

Game Name: Dark Souls III: The Ringed City
Platform(s): PC (reviewed), Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Publisher(s): Bandai Namco
Developer(s): FromSoftware
Release Date:  March 28th, 2017
Price: $14.99, $24.99 (Season Pass)

Right from the start, The Ringed City assumes you’ve either played Ashes of Ariandel or reached the final level of Dark Souls III, the Kiln of the First Flame. The expansion can only be accessed from two specific bonfires: one at the end of the main game and the other in the prior DLC. If you haven’t experienced either, you won’t be able to join in. Let’s just assume you’ve completed one (or both) of these. After all, if you’re a Dark Souls player, I’m sure you’ve at least beaten the game once, right?

Dark Souls isn’t exactly known for being kind or for holding your hand—it’s punishing, almost to the point of being abusive. However, The Ringed City presents a curious design choice. There are sections of the game where you’ll find yourself scratching your head, unsure of what to do or where to go next. But, unlike the usual cryptic nature of Dark Souls, this time FromSoftware has left messages directing you to your next step. It felt… out of place. I was surprised to see messages instructing me to jump off cliffs, which felt sloppy compared to the more traditional design of the series. Sure, we’ve all seen those infamous troll messages from other players, but this time, it felt like a misstep. I would have preferred a more immersive, scripted event—like reaching a certain point only to be pushed off, or perhaps having the environment collapse around me.

Players diving into this new expansion will likely find themselves divided. Some will embrace the challenge that has become the hallmark of the Dark Souls series, while others may be more interested in the lore and the potential for closure. There will certainly be those who fall into both camps, as I did. Thankfully, The Ringed City delivers on both fronts. From a challenge standpoint, there are plenty of new enemies to face, which is a relief given that FromSoftware sometimes recycles content in their expansions. But with this being a brand-new location, we’re mostly spared from seeing old enemies reappear—though there are a few familiar faces. However, these additions don’t detract from the experience; rather, they serve to push the narrative forward.

For those who found the content of the Ashes of Ariandel DLC lacking, The Ringed City certainly makes up for it. This expansion introduces a beautiful new area to explore, with plenty of challenges to overcome, even though the game seems to subtly nudge you forward at times. There are also several new weapons, spells, and armor sets to collect, including the armor of a particularly memorable boss from Dark Souls III. Among my new favorites are the Ringed Knight Straight Sword and the Ringed Knight Paired Greatswords, which have quickly become my go-to weapons.

And of course, what Dark Souls expansion would be complete without boss encounters? The Ringed City certainly delivers in this department, offering three mandatory bosses and one optional one. While the boss count may seem light, these encounters will keep you entertained (or enraged) for hours. Without giving too much away, the optional boss is both breathtaking and frustrating—particularly for those who share my disdain for dragon fights. If you thought the Nameless King was a tough battle, well, let’s just say this dragon fight takes things to a whole new level.

For those more interested in PvP than PvE, there’s new content for you as well. The addition of password-based matchmaking for arenas makes setting up battles much easier, and the inclusion of two new maps—Archdragon Peak and Lothric Castle—based on previously visited locations, adds variety to the mix. One of the new spells, Project Heal, is also available in PvE but proves to be quite effective in PvP. With this spell, you can conjure healing orbs and direct them to your partner, who might be taking a beating. Just be prepared to run, as everyone will likely target the healer, but it certainly makes a difference.

Ultimately, I find myself with more questions than answers, many of which will likely be discussed across various forums and subreddits. While I’m used to that, I can’t help but feel a bit let down, considering this is the final piece of Dark Souls content. Instead of providing closure, we’re given the usual “You Defeated” screen, some souls, and left to figure out what comes next. Frankly, I feel a bit slighted by the absence of a cinematic ending. Part of me is deeply saddened, knowing this might be the last Dark Souls content we ever see. The ending, as satisfying as it is, doesn’t fully fulfill me. I suppose I was expecting someone to sit down and explain the narrative in a more direct way, but then again, that’s not something we’ve ever gotten from Dark Souls. The ambiguity is part of the series’ charm, but it leaves you with a lingering sense of unfinished business.

That said, if you enjoyed the original Dark Souls III and were hoping for more from the first DLC, you’ll find plenty to appreciate here. Sadly, this is the end of the road, and I firmly believe that FromSoftware has wrapped up not just Dark Souls III, but the Dark Souls series, on a positive note. Saying goodbye is never easy, but this is truly the end (cue Boyz II Men: End of the Road). It’s undoubtedly one of the best expansions in the series, one that can hold its head high, even at the conclusion.

*Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City Review was provided to us by Bandai Namco for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please visit our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy for more info.