While it's not engrossing enough to serve as the DLC's main draw, the ability to play beyond one-on-one battles is a welcome twist to a fan-favorite feature.
While this online battleground is limited to one area designed especially for PVP, its replay value is reinforced by myriad match customization features, such as setting team sizes and access to consumables. One such prize is a switch that grants you access to the main boss, and the challenge comes from enduring the vile surroundings where the switch is found: a dark, dank room filled with giant flies that aim to kill you with bleed attacks.ĭark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel accentuates the value of the journey over the destination.Īnother reason to search every corner? To find the ticket to gain access to the PVP arena. There aren't just secrets in Ashes of Ariandel but also rewards for thorough exploration.
The undead soldiers who populate this hill are no zombies-they move with purpose once they see you and tactfully strike as well as any imposing Dark Souls foe. The trudge up a steep hill is a fruitful exercise in amassing a large kill count as you also manage your health-replenishing Estus Flasks. The Painted World of Ariandel is a little bit larger than any individual DLC episode from Dark Souls II, though the generous scattering of bonfires-the series' safe havens-shortens an otherwise long journey.
Like a similar overpass in the main game, this rickety span offers an access point to a new area, provided you have the imagination to find another purpose for the ropes. Other areas provide typical Dark Souls vistas: The dramatic reveal of a grand chapel in the distance is enhanced by the foreground view of a long, fragile rope bridge. Like the frosted regions of Dark Souls II’s Crown of the Ivory King DLC, the Painted World of Ariandel is a wintry landscape that sometimes obscures its dangers behind fog and falling snow.
Ashes of Ariandel isn't in the same class as Artorias of the Abyss – the standout, lore-rich add-on from the original Dark Souls – but that doesn't make it a poor expansion-it’s just not a noteworthy one. Dark Souls' best regions are those that command your attention beyond the promise of a fabled weapon or a novel group of enemies to vanquish. What's missing is that sense of awe that usually pulls you deep into the series' dark fantasy worlds. It delivers much of what veterans expect from Dark Souls: challenging bosses, a locale that promotes exploration, and a new collection of gear. Ashes of Ariandel, the first of two announced content add-ons for Dark Souls III, excels at feeling like a natural extension of the main game.
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