#ASHES OF ARIANDEL BOSS FIGHTS SOFTWARE#

While it doesnвЂ™t reach the near perfection of those before it, there is enough variety and good ideas here to support a playthrough.

This becomes especially noticeable since both boss fights in Ashes of Ariandel share a rather similar structure in how they progress.В ItвЂ™s also a shame that we are only given two bosses to fight, especially since the Painted World offers so much variety in terms of both settings and enemy types.Дark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel is possibly the weakest of all the Souls-Borne expansions, but that doesnвЂ™t mean itвЂ™s bad. Yet the optional boss feels like less of a challenge and more of a concept that sounded cool on paper but failed in execution. It also helps that this is clearly a small homage to one of their most famous boss battles from the original game. While we wonвЂ™t spoil the who or what it is youвЂ™re fighting, the momentum and pacing of this final boss battle is expertly crafted. The optional boss is really nothing special and doesnвЂ™t offer a ton of challenge, while the final boss is possibly one of the best in the entire series. Only adding two new fights, and they are quite inconsistent with both quality and design. However, the biggest point of contention with Ashes of Ariandel has to be the bosses, or lack of this time around. Most of the new weapons feel quite unique and could inspire entire builds around them, especially when it comes to the PvP side of Dark Souls III. Even though spells arenвЂ™t nearly as plentiful, ones like Snap Freeze and Way of White Corona are certainly great for any mageвЂ™s arsenal.

#ASHES OF ARIANDEL BOSS FIGHTS SOFTWARE#

From Software has included some interesting weapons such as the ground shattering Earth Seeker and the speedy Crow Quills. This also translates into the new armor, spells, and weapons you will find, which both compliment the expansion and Dark Souls III as a whole. ItвЂ™s also nice that From Software hasnвЂ™t tailored any of these encounters to favor one playstyle over another, allowing players to experiment with new and different builds. They offer a solid challenge to both newcomers and experienced veterans, which can extend the shelf life of this DLC. Wolves will now howl to call in reinforcements, giant towering VikingsВ attack with a mix of magic and brute strength, while large flies swarm you in large numbers. Thankfully, thereвЂ™s enough variation in enemies to keep your journey interesting, as this expansion offers new foes along with twists on older ones. This is a shame since the Painted World offers some truly interesting possibilities, especially when you begin to interact with some of the side characters scattered about this snow blasted landscape.В Though the change from gothic cathedrals and foreboding woods is a nice change of pace for Dark Souls III. There are no NPC side quests and Ashes of AriandelВ only offers two bosses, one of which is optional and can be overlooked quite easily. In fact, the entire expansion was surprisingly short and my play time clocked in at around 4 hours with me scouring every nook and cranny for items and lore. This can be especially troublesome for those who arenвЂ™t familiar with the Painted WorldвЂ™s first appearance in the original Dark Souls. The problem is that Ashes of AriandelвЂ™s story has some genuinely interesting moments, but the expansion just never offers enough time to fully flesh out these ideas. ItвЂ™s only when you talk with NPCs, explore hidden areas, and read item descriptions that the depth of this story begins to form. In true Dark Souls fashion there are just enough bread crumbs for players to follow so they have a general idea of what has happened.

Set in the Painted World of Ariandel,В players are sent out to reignite the fire and burn the rot that has infestedВ AriandelвЂ™s world. Even though this DLC emerges with a few wounds, it still offers up an entertaining if not short experience.

Aiming to continue this trend, Dark Souls IIIвЂ™s first expansion, Ashes of Ariandel, aims to deliver new encounters while setting it inВ a rather familiar setting. Much of what makes this content so fantastic is that it not only gives players more Dark Souls to play, but builds upon the mechanical foundation in interesting ways. The Dark Souls games have always had some of the best DLC of any modern franchise, with expansions such as Crown of the Ivory King and BloodborneвЂ™s Old Hunters offeringВ the best in recent memory.

Ashes of ariandel boss fights