Dark Souls: Remastered Review – What’s Old Is New Again And Better Than Ever

I love FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series. Having played and beaten every title across multiple platforms — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC — I’ve amassed over 2000+ hours of playtime. I own every edition of the games, and one might think I’d be burned out by now. And for a while, I was. But when I heard about Dark Souls: Remastered coming out, I knew I had to dive back in.

So, how is it? The short answer: It’s the Dark Souls I remembered, only better.

Game Name: Dark Souls: Remastered
Platform(s): Xbox One (reviewed), PS4, PC (Steam)
Publisher(s): Bandai Namco
Developer(s): Fromsoftware, QLOC
Release Date: May 25, 2018
Price: $39.99

Since this is a remaster, I’m going to dive right into it — it’s Dark Souls, after all. By now, we all know what to expect from this game.

So, why pick up Dark Souls: Remastered? Well, for starters, it doesn’t run like crap anymore. Whether you played it on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or PC (with DSfix), the original game was known for its notoriously poor performance. That’s no longer the case. Now, the game runs smoothly at 1080p@60FPS, something even the PC version couldn’t pull off in its original form.

The game looks amazing, thanks to improved lighting, reflective surfaces, and cleaner textures. Even the flicker of the bonfire has been given a noticeable upgrade, and those with a sharp eye will catch it. The HUD is now toggleable, allowing for pristine screenshots and videos. Most importantly, areas like New Londo Ruins and Blighttown no longer turn into a slideshow, as they did in the original. Load times are also noticeably faster. That said, some elements still show rough edges with muddled textures, but it doesn’t detract from the overall experience — and most players likely won’t even notice.

As for the single-player experience, not much has changed. Despite rumors that features from Dark Souls III, like eight-way dodging, would be included, this is still the original Dark Souls with no major gameplay changes. That means you’re stuck with the classic challenges: drinking an Estus Flask while being immobile, slow pyromancer spells, frustrating backstabs in PvP, and the usual Dark Souls quirks. That said, there are a few quality-of-life improvements. You can now switch between your covenants at bonfires (once you’ve joined them), use multiple items at once, and quickly swap to your Estus Flask by holding down on the d-pad.

The online system has also seen some improvements. While the original game only allowed two extra players to join you and one invader, the remaster now supports up to six players at once, thanks to dedicated server support. It’s a fun experience to be summoned into a boss fight with three other players, though it can make things a bit too easy. A significant change is that you can now use the red soapstone to invade a player’s game even after the boss is defeated, opening up new opportunities for ganking. So, be careful out there, or enjoy the chaos of invasions!

You can also remap controls now, including assigning the left analog stick to handle jumping duties. This is a godsend, as I’ve always hated using a button for jumping — it’s all too easy to accidentally roll when you need to jump, especially during moments like the early Undead Asylum. As a bonus, the Artorias of the Abyss DLC is included with the remaster. This expansion, which introduces one of Dark Souls’ most iconic characters, Artorias, was previously sold separately, but now everyone gets to experience it for free.

So, is Dark Souls: Remastered worth your cash? That really depends on you.

If you’ve never played the original Dark Souls and have only experienced Dark Souls III, there will likely be an adjustment period. By the time Dark Souls III released, FromSoftware had refined almost every aspect of the game: controls, combat, mechanics—you name it. With Dark Souls: Remastered, aside from the updated graphics, the core game remains largely the same, which could feel rough for newcomers who are used to the more polished experience of later entries. However, if you’re willing to tackle the learning curve, this game is still incredibly enjoyable.

For those who have played Dark Souls countless times, there’s nothing new here. You’ll need to decide if paying $39.99 (or $19.99 if you already own the PC version) is worth revisiting this classic.

Ultimately, this is a timeless classic, and one that fans have been clamoring to see remastered for years. QLOC, the studio behind the remaster, has done fantastic work here. Now, let’s see them take on another beloved title in the Souls series: Demon’s Souls. C’mon, Sony—make it happen!

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