The end is nigh for the Dark Souls franchise. Series director Hidetaka Miyazaki has said in the past that Dark Souls III would be the last game in the series. Looking at the latest trailer for the Ashes of Ariandel, it seems that the series is set to go out with a bang.
The trailer was taken from The Tokyo Game Show, which wrapped up last weekend, and the lion’s share of the eight-minute trailer is taken up by gameplay. So if you are worried about spoilers, you’ve been warned.
The trailer opens with the player character navigating a snow-covered forest in a blizzard. From the get go the new setting has a very familiar feel to it. People that played the first game should remember the snowy and hard to find Painted World of Ariamis and this new area is clearly an homage to it. In fact, according to Polygon, who got to play the DLC, the area is actually called the Painted World of Ariandel.
We then see the player fight a couple new variations of Hollows one of which is a pyromancer that can shoot fire at the player in a wide arc. We also got a look at a new pyromancy too. Players will be able to lob a ball of lava at an enemy which then sits on the ground similar to an attack used by Quelaag, an old Dark Souls boss.
In pursuit of an item, the player then walks into the all to common false floor Dark Souls trap taking them to another section of the forest. This section seems reminiscent of Darkroot Garden, another location from DS1. It’s unclear if this is a direct reference to the area or just a callback. If there’s one thing Dark Souls fans should know, it’s that places of significance have a way of coming back. Looking at you Aldritch.
The trailer transitions again to a ruined village being watched over by a dilapidated tower and a Viking knight. The player fights it for a bit before moving on. We also get a look at a few bosses, the first is a tag team between a giant wolf (Sif?) and it’s owner (Ciaran?). The last boss is the same giant we saw tied to a chair back in the first trailer.The second boss is perhaps the most significant. After a short intro cinematic during which a woman asks that we leave before brandishing a scythe the player fights her in a Bloodborne-esque brawl. What makes this fight different is that the mysterious woman could either be the titular Ariandel or a new version of Priscilla, a half dragon that lived in the Painted World of Ariamis.
The Ashes Of Ariandel DLC will be out on October 25th for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.