<s>
is	O
a	O
2016	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
FromSoftware	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Bandai	O
Namco	O
Entertainment	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
and	O
final	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
played	O
in	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
,	O
and	O
players	O
have	O
access	O
to	O
various	O
weapons	O
,	O
armour	O
,	O
magic	O
,	O
and	O
consumables	O
that	O
they	O
can	O
use	O
to	O
fight	O
their	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hidetaka	O
Miyazaki	O
,	O
the	O
creator	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
returned	O
to	O
direct	O
the	O
game	O
after	O
handing	O
the	O
development	O
duties	O
of	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
to	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
critically	O
and	O
commercially	O
successful	O
,	O
with	O
critics	O
calling	O
it	O
a	O
worthy	O
and	O
fitting	O
conclusion	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
expansions	O
,	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Ariandel	I-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
Ringed	I-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
were	O
also	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Fire	I-Application
Fades	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
,	O
containing	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
and	O
both	O
expansions	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
April	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
played	O
in	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
lead	O
director	O
and	O
series	O
creator	O
Hidetaka	O
Miyazaki	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
gameplay	O
design	O
followed	O
"	O
closely	O
from	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
weapon	O
has	O
two	O
basic	O
types	O
of	O
attack	O
,	O
one	O
being	O
a	O
standard	O
attack	O
and	O
the	O
other	O
being	O
slightly	O
more	O
powerful	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
charged	O
up	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
FromSoftware	O
's	O
previous	O
game	O
,	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Magic	O
is	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
returning	O
magic	O
system	O
from	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
,	O
now	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
focus	B-Application
points	I-Application
"	O
(	O
FP	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
performing	O
spells	B-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
focus	B-Application
points	I-Application
are	O
consumed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
refills	O
hit	O
points	O
like	O
previous	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
other	O
refills	O
focus	B-Application
points	I-Application
,	O
a	O
feature	O
new	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combat	O
and	O
movements	O
were	O
made	O
faster	O
and	O
more	O
fluid	O
than	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
combat	O
features	O
are	O
introduced	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
including	O
weapon	O
and	O
shield	O
"	O
Skills	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
special	O
abilities	O
that	O
vary	O
from	O
weapon	O
to	O
weapon	O
and	O
enable	O
special	O
attacks	O
and	O
features	O
at	O
the	O
cost	O
of	O
focus	B-Application
points	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
fewer	O
overall	O
maps	O
than	O
its	O
predecessor	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
but	O
they	O
are	O
larger	O
and	O
more	O
detailed	O
,	O
encouraging	O
exploration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
adaptability	O
stat	O
from	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
removed	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
with	O
other	O
stats	O
being	O
adjusted	O
alongside	O
the	O
introduction	O
of	O
the	O
luck	O
stat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Set	O
in	O
the	O
Kingdom	O
of	O
Lothric	B-Application
,	O
a	O
bell	O
has	O
rung	O
to	O
signal	O
that	O
the	O
First	O
Flame	O
,	O
responsible	O
for	O
maintaining	O
the	O
Age	O
of	O
Fire	O
,	O
is	O
dying	O
out	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Prince	O
Lothric	B-Application
,	O
the	O
chosen	O
linker	O
for	O
this	O
age	O
,	O
abandoned	O
his	O
duty	O
and	O
chose	O
to	O
watch	O
the	O
flame	O
die	O
from	O
afar	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
Sulyvahn	O
,	O
a	O
sorcerer	O
from	O
the	O
Painted	O
World	O
of	O
Ariandel	O
,	O
wrongfully	O
proclaims	O
himself	O
Pontiff	O
and	O
seizes	O
power	O
over	O
Irithyll	O
of	O
the	O
Boreal	O
Valley	O
and	O
the	O
returning	O
Anor	O
Londo	O
cathedral	O
from	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
as	O
a	O
tyrant	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Ashen	O
One	O
,	O
an	O
Undead	O
who	O
failed	O
to	O
become	O
a	O
Lord	O
of	O
Cinder	O
and	O
thus	O
called	O
an	O
Unkindled	O
,	O
rises	O
and	O
must	O
link	O
the	O
fire	O
by	O
returning	O
Prince	O
Lothric	B-Application
and	O
the	O
defiant	O
Lords	O
of	O
Cinder	O
to	O
their	O
thrones	O
in	O
Firelink	O
Shrine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lothric	B-Application
himself	O
was	O
raised	O
to	O
link	O
the	O
First	O
Flame	O
but	O
shirked	O
his	O
duties	O
and	O
chose	O
instead	O
to	O
watch	O
the	O
fire	O
fade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
the	O
Ashen	O
One	O
succeeds	O
in	O
returning	O
Lothric	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Lords	O
of	O
Cinder	O
to	O
their	O
thrones	O
,	O
they	O
travel	O
to	O
the	O
ruins	O
of	O
the	O
Kiln	O
of	O
the	O
First	O
Flame	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Ariandel	I-Application
introduces	O
a	O
new	O
area	O
,	O
the	O
Painted	O
World	O
of	O
Ariandel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
keeping	O
with	O
previous	O
franchise	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Ariandel	I-Application
introduces	O
a	O
substantial	O
new	O
area	O
,	O
two	O
boss	O
fights	O
and	O
several	O
new	O
weapons	O
,	O
spells	B-Application
,	O
and	O
armour	O
pieces	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
The	B-Application
Ringed	I-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Ashen	O
One	O
begins	O
their	O
journey	O
to	O
an	O
area	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
The	O
Dreg	O
Heap	O
"	O
,	O
where	O
ruined	O
kingdoms	O
of	O
different	O
eras	O
are	O
piled	O
upon	O
each	O
other	O
as	O
the	O
world	O
draws	O
to	O
a	O
close	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
the	O
Dreg	O
Heap	O
,	O
after	O
battling	O
through	O
the	O
ruins	O
of	O
Lothric	B-Application
Castle	O
,	O
the	O
Ashen	O
One	O
encounters	O
the	O
amnesiac	O
knight	O
Lapp	O
,	O
who	O
cannot	O
remember	O
his	O
past	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
the	O
Dreg	O
Heap	O
,	O
messages	O
from	O
Gael	O
from	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Ariandel	I-Application
guide	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Ashen	O
One	O
traverses	O
the	O
remnants	O
of	O
Earthen	O
Peak	O
,	O
an	O
area	O
encountered	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
before	O
fighting	O
the	O
last	O
remnant	O
of	O
the	O
demon	O
race	O
,	O
the	O
Demon	O
Prince	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
base	O
of	O
an	O
Archtree	O
that	O
contains	O
the	O
ruins	O
of	O
Firelink	O
Shrine	O
from	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Victorious	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
travels	O
to	O
the	B-Application
Ringed	I-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
an	O
ancient	O
city	O
of	O
Pygmies	O
,	O
the	O
ancestors	O
of	O
humanity	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
fallen	O
into	O
the	O
Abyss	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
defeating	O
the	O
guardian	O
of	O
the	O
Church	O
of	O
Filianore	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
awakens	O
Filianore	O
,	O
the	O
daughter	O
of	O
Lord	O
Gwyn	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
entrusted	O
to	O
the	B-Application
Ringed	I-Application
City	I-Application
as	O
a	O
token	O
of	O
peace	O
between	O
Gwyn	O
and	O
the	O
Pygmy	O
Lords	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
development	O
began	O
in	O
mid-2013	O
before	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
whose	O
development	O
was	O
handled	O
by	O
Tomohiro	O
Shibuya	O
and	O
Yui	O
Tanimura	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
creator	O
,	O
Hidetaka	O
Miyazaki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
developed	O
alongside	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
but	O
was	O
handled	O
by	O
two	O
mainly	O
separate	O
teams	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Miyazaki	O
also	O
returned	O
to	O
direct	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Isamu	O
Okano	O
and	O
Tanimura	O
,	O
the	O
directors	O
of	O
Steel	B-Application
Battalion	I-Application
:	I-Application
Heavy	I-Application
Armor	I-Application
and	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
respectively	O
,	O
served	O
as	O
sub-directors	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Miyazaki	O
said	O
that	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
limitations	O
made	O
him	O
want	O
to	O
return	O
to	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
just	O
as	O
the	O
former	O
Souls	O
games	O
narrate	O
their	O
stories	O
,	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
unfolds	O
the	O
plot	O
with	O
strong	O
vagueness	O
:	O
players	O
can	O
learn	O
the	O
storyline	O
merely	O
through	O
the	O
conversation	O
with	O
non-player	O
characters	O
(	O
NPCs	O
)	O
,	O
art	O
design	O
,	O
and	O
item	O
flavour	O
text	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
original	O
score	O
was	O
primarily	O
written	O
by	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
composer	O
Yuka	O
Kitamura	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additional	O
music	O
was	O
written	O
by	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
composer	O
Motoi	O
Sakuraba	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
single	O
boss	O
theme	O
each	O
by	O
Tsukasa	O
Saitoh	O
and	O
Nobuyoshi	O
Suzuki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
on	O
March	O
24	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
worldwide	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
Windows	O
version	O
,	O
on	O
April	O
12	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
first	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
expansion	O
,	O
titled	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Ariandel	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
24	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
and	O
final	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
The	B-Application
Ringed	I-Application
City	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
28	O
,	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
DLCs	B-Protocol
added	O
new	O
locations	O
,	O
bosses	O
,	O
armours	O
,	O
and	O
weapons	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
complete	O
version	O
containing	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
and	O
both	O
DLCs	B-Protocol
,	O
titled	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Fire	I-Application
Fades	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
April	O
21	O
,	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
according	O
to	O
review	O
aggregator	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
with	O
praise	O
given	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
visuals	O
and	O
combat	O
mechanics	O
,	O
reminding	O
reviewers	O
of	O
its	O
faster-paced	O
similarity	O
to	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chloi	O
Rad	O
of	O
IGN	O
awarded	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
9.5	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
stating	O
she	O
thought	O
that	O
"	O
If	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
3	I-Application
truly	O
is	O
the	O
last	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
as	O
we	O
know	O
it	O
,	O
then	O
it	O
's	O
a	O
worthy	O
send-off.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Rich	O
Stanton	O
of	O
Eurogamer	O
rated	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
essential	O
"	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
fabulous	O
"	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
a	O
fitting	O
conclusion	O
"	O
to	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Simon	O
Parkin	O
of	O
The	O
Guardian	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
5	O
out	O
of	O
5	O
stars	O
and	O
wrote	O
that	O
while	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
"	O
may	O
not	O
have	O
the	O
novelty	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
"	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
the	O
more	O
pristine	O
and	O
rounded	O
work	O
"	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Philip	O
Kollar	O
of	O
Polygon	O
rated	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
7	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
bluntly	O
stating	O
disappointment	O
at	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
surprises	O
and	O
the	O
arbitrary	O
nature	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
design	O
,	O
writing	O
that	O
"	O
in	O
so	O
many	O
important	O
ways	O
--	O
its	O
world	O
design	O
,	O
its	O
pacing	O
,	O
the	O
technology	O
powering	O
it	O
-	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
falls	O
short	O
of	O
the	O
mark.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Reception	O
to	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Ariandel	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
first	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
expansion	O
,	O
was	O
generally	O
positive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brendan	O
Graeber	O
of	O
IGN	O
enjoyed	O
what	O
the	O
DLC	B-Protocol
offered	O
,	O
enjoying	O
the	O
introduction	O
of	O
a	O
dedicated	O
player	O
versus	O
player	O
(	O
PvP	O
)	O
arena	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
new	O
enemies	O
and	O
bosses	O
,	O
but	O
criticised	O
the	O
length	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Ariandel	I-Application
served	O
more	O
as	O
"	O
an	O
appetizer	O
than	O
a	O
full	O
course	O
meal	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kollar	O
of	O
Polygon	O
considered	O
the	O
content	O
of	O
the	O
DLC	B-Protocol
to	O
be	O
"	O
great	O
"	O
but	O
agreed	O
with	O
Graeber	O
's	O
criticism	O
of	O
the	O
length	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
there	O
was	O
not	O
much	O
of	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
2022	O
release	O
of	O
Elden	B-Application
Ring	I-Application
gave	O
rise	O
to	O
some	O
renewed	O
interest	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
as	O
they	O
have	O
notable	O
similarities	O
,	O
albeit	O
with	O
some	O
slight	O
variations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
this	O
retrospective	O
lens	O
,	O
Matt	O
of	O
EuroGamer	O
compared	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
to	O
the	O
previous	O
Souls	O
titles	O
as	O
an	O
"	O
exercise	O
in	O
refinement	O
"	O
that	O
FromSoftware	O
accomplished	O
with	O
"	O
craftsmanship	O
and	O
invention	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
remarked	O
it	O
was	O
reaching	O
the	O
limit	O
of	O
what	O
the	O
"	O
Soulsborne	O
formula	O
"	O
could	O
accomplish	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
version	O
sold	O
over	O
200,000	O
copies	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
two	O
weeks	O
of	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
held	O
the	O
record	O
for	O
the	O
fastest-selling	O
Bandai	O
Namco	O
game	O
up	O
until	O
it	O
was	O
surpassed	O
by	O
Elden	B-Application
Ring	I-Application
in	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
10	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
Bandai	O
Namco	O
announced	O
that	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
had	O
reached	O
three	O
million	O
copies	O
shipped	O
worldwide	O
,	O
with	O
500,000	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
Asia	O
,	O
1.5	O
million	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
one	O
million	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
reported	O
that	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
was	O
the	O
best-selling	O
software	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
in	O
the	O
month	O
of	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
