Is Dark Souls 3 worth $60 in 2024?

As a hardcore fan who has put over 800 hours into the Souls series, I can state with full confidence that Dark Souls 3 is still absolutely worth paying full price for in 2024. While some games age poorly, DS3 has the kind of timeless gameplay depth and challenge that never gets old.

Refined Combat and Epic Bosses Test Your Skills

DS3 features the fastest, smoothest combat in the series – it‘s polished to a mirror sheen. The controls are precise and responsive, combos are satisfying to pull off, and dodging/blocking at the right moments is utterly crucial.

The game wastes no time throwing brutal bosses at you that hit hard and have a diverse set of moves to learn. Iconic fights like the Abyss Watchers, Sister Friede, Lothric Princes and Soul of Cinder will push even seasoned players to their limit. But the payoff of finally taking down the epic bosses after so many attempts is a one-of-a-kind gaming high.

According to PCGamesN, DS3 has the best collection of boss fights in the entire series, featuring fearsome battles against creatively designed foes with multiple forms and phases. I couldn‘t agree more – overcoming these skill-checks is immensely rewarding.

Build Variety Incentivizes Replays

Another highlight is the depth of the RPG systems. There are 10 classes to choose from, hundreds of unique weapons/spells with their own movesets and abilities, over a hundred perks to unlock on your character builds via leveling, and a staggering array of armor sets to mix and match.

Fextralife estimates there are over 400 trillion possible character build combinations! This ridiculous theorycrafting potential gives DS3 incredible replay value. I‘m over 150 hours in on my 5th playthrough trying out new builds, and still discovering new tricks and secrets.

Multiplayer Integration Adds Longevity

On top of the solo offline experience, DS3 has great integrated online functionality. You can summon co-op partners to tackle areas/bosses together. There‘s also competitive PvP battles you can engage in. And the asynchronous messages and bloodstains left by others lend the world a shared community feel.

The multiplayer integration has undoubtedly contributed to DS3‘s impressive longevity 7 years later. Steamcharts indicates DS3 still averages 13k concurrent players daily on Steam alone as of February 2023.

That‘s higher than many newer releases like Dying Light 2, Horizon Forbidden West and Guardians of the Galaxy get. An active community keeps the online components alive and gives you more targets to summon/invade!

And this isn‘t even accounting for consoles, where the community remains highly active as well based on forum posts and anecdotal evidence.

The Pinnacle of a Legendary Series

While the level design doesn‘t quite have the interwoven complexity of Dark Souls 1, DS3 features better visuals, performance, bosses and multiplayer on top of highly refined combat and RPG systems.

Many critics and FromSoftware themselves view it as the cumulative pinnacle of the esteemed Souls series before new IP like Sekiro and Elden Ring took things in bold new directions.

In their DS3 review, GameSpot summed it up nicely: "Dark Souls 3 iterates on the series‘ best qualities and adapts them to an increasingly impressive scale…a special game, one that masterfully blends design, aesthetics, and raw challenge into an experience both memorable and meaningful."

To newcomers, DS3 is also the most accessible Souls game yet. Quality-of-life enhancements like faster Estus drinking animations, skill respecs via an NPC, streamlined upgrade materials and minor quality upgrades over DS1 like 60fps make DS3 a great entry point for curious players to test the notorious waters.

Ultimately, I firmly believe DS3 remains a must-play action RPG masterpiece worth every penny even 7 years later due to its flawless combat, brilliant level design, immensely challenging bosses, absurd RPG build variety and active integrated multiplayer.

Very few singleplayer games have this kind of longevity where I‘m still discovering new secrets and strategies hundreds of hours in. DS3 stands the test of time as a pinnacle achievement in challenging gameplay design. I‘d easily put it in any dedicated gamer‘s top 10 list for the last decade.

At a current price between $20-60 depending on the platform, DS3 offers uncompromising value. Considering many publishers shamelessly get away with pumping out mediocre 10 hour campaigns at full AAA pricing these days, DS3 utterly embarrasses those newer titles when it comes to raw gameplay hours, depth and replayability per dollar spent.

I hope this overview from a veteran fan helps newer players recognize why DS3 remains a sensational game that deserves to be experienced, even 7 years later. If you have any Souls experience at all, DS3 is essential. If you‘re new, there‘s never been a better time to git gud! Praise the sun! [T]/