The Witcher 3‘s expansion packs, Hearts of Stone, and Blood & Wine, have proven that it is possible to expand upon an original release with content, which was lacking from the vanilla version of the game. Even Bloodborne has managed to create something new with the Old Hunters DLC, while ensuring to maintain the spirit of the original release. However, where The Witcher 3, and Bloodborne have succeed, then Dark Souls 3 and its brand new DLC pack titled Ashes of Ariandel, have unfortunately failed.
Ashes of Ariandel, is an expansion pack pulled straight out of the early 2010’s. It features an abundance of new weapons, spells, and armour which to most will come across as a positive addition. However, at this point in time, majority of the players have already completed Dark Souls III and are already on their second or third playthrough, and are most likely accustomed to a couple of weapons, a spell or two, and a set of armour. And due to this being the case, most will simply not even bother with the brand new weapons which come with this DLC, as nobody will have time, or enough titanite to upgrade the new armaments, to a point where such become usable.
Expansion of the in-game arsenal, as stated previously, will be welcomed by some who are obsessed with the series, and the very same individuals could also argue that anything that is made by FromSoftware is a tremendous piece of entertainment, however, Ashes of Ariandel, is far from it.
Dark Souls III‘s Ashes of Ariandel, is the weakest part of the entire Soulsborne franchise. From the very beginning until the very end the DLC in question feels tired, and uninspiring, and in certain points is nothing more than a chore. Gameplay is still captivating, and exhilarating, but unfortunately, everything which surrounds it, is anything but.
World of Ariandel feels, and looks like it has been formed from leftover assets which FromSoftware had knocking about their company hard drives. The world is filled with crow-like enemies of Bloodborne, and even an entire area where such reside, looks like The Old Hunter‘s fishing hamlet, but simply covered in snow. Even the approach to one of the bosses looks, and feels like the Smouldering Lake of Dark Souls III, the only difference is that this time, it is frozen. The area in question features a wide open plain, just like the Smouldering Lake, a handful of giant crabs, just like the Smouldering Lake, and last but certainly not least, it also features enemies which fire at you from above… Just like in the Smouldering Lake.
Similarities between Ashes of Ariandel, and previous titles in the Soulsborne series don’t end there, simply because the entire package carries the feeling of ”I’ve seen it all before”, no matter where you go, and what you do, within the confines of Ashes of Ariandel, everything will feel familiar, but not in a good way. It resembles a person who does everything it possibly can to fit in, but in the end ends up being rejected for failing to establishing its own identity. And ironically enough, Ashes of Ariandel is simply soulless, and lacks all the major components which made the franchise great.
Throughout the five hours or so, not once will you feel excited by what’s to come, or surprised by what stands in front of your unkindled. And this is because, you’ve simply seen it all before, and even the bosses which have become the trademark of the franchise have been spoiled prior to the release, as Bandai Namco have featured them on each and every single promotional trailer.
Many have probably already purchased the DLC pack on the back of the FromSoftware seal which can be found on all the digital stores, however, only those who are fanatical about the franchise will truly enjoy Ashes of Ariandel. And such state of affairs is unfortunate, as Dark Souls series has grown from a relatively small underground title, into a global franchise loved by many, but unfortunately, the direction in which it is currently heading with all the cheap fan service, rehash of old assets, and introduction of ever new PVP modes, will most likely see the game regress in terms of popularity, and unless the second and final DLC pack is on level with The Old Hunters, the series is most likely to continue on its declining course.