Dark Souls did a lot to become a classic. Between its polished combat system, enticing challenges, and inspired art direction, it's little surprise that it drew such a devoted following. But perhaps Dark Souls' (and Demon's Souls before it) most memorable attribute was its ability to surprise people. Who can forget the first time you encounter a colossal hydra basking in a moonlit lake? The first time you realise that you can curl up into a crow's nest and be whisked away to a remote mountain? The first time you discover that you can step into a painting? But after Dark Souls' DLC, sequel, and its sequel's DLC (not to mention the series' spiritual sister Bloodborne), developer From Software was sometimes criticised for retreading old ground. Dark Souls 3 is a fantastic looking game, but one can only explore so many castles and fight so many knights and dragons before the whole enterprise blends together into a Castlevania-esque milieu of medieval mishmosh.
From what I've played of Dark Souls 3's upcoming DLC, Ashes of Ariandel, at Namco Bandai's Tokyo office, this add-on fits From's latest mold of capitalising on nostalgia over originality, yet the details are so divine that every frame feels fresh.
On the surface, Ashes of Ariandel looks like a piece of fan service, retreading Dark Souls' highlight realm of The Painted World of Ariamis. Like that delectable delight, Ashes of Ariandel takes place within another wintry painting come to life. The snow theme isn't particularly original after From already crafted Dark Souls 2's frigid Crown of the Ivory King expansion and Bloodborne's chilly Forsaken Castle Cainhurst, yet the developer has created an atmosphere so rich that it still inspires that grand sense of awe at every turn.
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