Dark Souls: Champions Ashes Will Push You To The Limit

Dark Souls 3 really was a remarkable return to form for the series, after the divisive second game, and one that many people still consider the high point of FromSoftware’s overall body of work. The game really pushed the franchise forward in the combat department, with a much faster-paced approach that makes it more similar to Bloodborne than the first game in the series.

Add to that the addition of special weapon moves via Weapon Arts (skills), and other interesting changes to the underlying systems in the game, it’s easy to see why it is still so beloved today. If you are planning to go back and play it again, the best way to do so is on PC these days, and there’s a mod you might want to be aware of that really ups the experience in a lot of ways.

Over on Nexus Mods, you can find the download page for Champion’s Ashes, “A total overhaul of Dark Souls 3, its combat system, visuals, bosses, and more – intended primarily to bring greater balance and depth to the competitive multiplayer. Weapons are made more unique and viable, with new combos, mechanics, and more.”

It’s obviously an immediately interesting premise if you like the game, and the way they’ve gone about it is definitely a case of sensible evolution, rather than a revolution that loses the core identity.

It addresses every weapon type in the game, and that has the genuinely exciting and tangible effect of making a lot more builds viable in every scenario. No longer will you be locked into the archetypes that the game places at the cutting edge, and it’s all the more interesting to play for it.

Movement has also been overhauled in a major way, with running and jumping improved, as well as your ability to interrupt those actions from enemies. It also changes how a lot of the effects work to make them a little more fair, with an example like bleed given a shorter time of effectiveness, given just how potent it can be.

There’s far too much to get into everything here, but if you’re looking for the most balanced game of Dark Souls 3 possible, then this could well be the best bet out there.

As for what’s next for FromSoftware, their next release is multiplayer-focused Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods, with very little news on what they’re planning to do moving forward for players on other platforms. Though it’s unlikely, let’s all communally wish that we finally get a return to Bloodborne in some form.

Systems

Released

March 24, 2016

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood Violence

Developer(s)

From Software

Publisher(s)

Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software

Engine

havok, proprietary engine

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer