Dark Souls 3 Video Shows New Abilities, Thief Class
By Cody Gravelle 26 January 2016
Developer From Software demos a brand new class, a slew of fresh abilities and some drastic changes to gameplay speed in the world’s latest look at Dark Souls 3.
From Software ran its Dark Souls 3 livestream earlier today, and the video demo showcased the brand new Thief class that will make its Dark Souls series debut in the upcoming sequel. The addition gives gamers yet another reason to look forward to the release of Dark Souls 3, which will look to make some more significant changes to the series’ tried and true formula that blends unforgiving combat with immensely satisfying skill and ability depth. The demo video mostly focused on the character fighting with a small shield and a blade, although it also touched on some of the bow and arrow elements present within the game as well.
For those fans wondering whether From Software’s decision to include tried-and-true RPG elements like skill reallocation and fast travel in Dark Souls 3 would be mirrored in the developer’s approach to its new class, the demo confirmed the Thief would not be straying too far from its counterparts in other games. From Software’s video shows off the Thief’s ability to execute backstabs on foes, alongside the kind of fleet-footed side-stepping and dodge abilities that have long been attributed to RPG rogues and their ilk.
The Dark Souls 3 bow and arrow mechanics were also shown briefly, and at first glance it appears to fire at a far faster rate than the same weapon in the previous iterations of Dark Souls. The video does, however, show that the bow and arrow gameplay is also consuming the player’s MP, which might indicate that the rapid-fire is part of a new skill available for thieves. All in all, Dark Souls 3 definitely gives off a Bloodborne vibe, which is to be expected given that From Software has already indicated that Dark Souls 3 is inspired by Bloodborne‘s combat.
The video contains a lot of what has made the series so popular, which should only serve to confirm Dark Souls 3‘s rightful place as one of the most anticipated games of 2016. The gameplay still appears to be challenging, the abilities and maneuvering appear as deep and intricate as ever, and the setting is at its medieval Gothic fantasy best.
Despite President of From Software Hidetaka Miyazaki’s bizarre, preemptive apology about Dark Souls 3 being incomplete, the latest demo should give fans of the series confidence going forward into the game’s release. The Thief represents a big step forward for the gameplay of the series, which has already been praised for its balance and variety, and From Software’s livestream demonstrates a studio that is very much in tune with what has made its previous games such big critical and commercial successes.
What do you think about the Thief class? Are you going to give it a shot once Dark Souls 3 hits later this year? Let us know in the comments below.
Dark Souls 3 releases for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on April 12, 2016 in North America, South America, and Europe.
Source: YouTube (via GameSpot)
