Info about DARK SOULS™ III - The Ringed City™:

Official game description:
Fear not, the dark, ashen one.  
The Ringed City is the final DLC pack for Dark Souls III – an award-winning, genre-defining Golden Joystick Awards 2016 Game of the year RPG. Journey to the world’s end to search for the Ringed City and encounter new lands, new bosses, new enemies with new armor, magic and items. Experience the epic final chapter of a dark world that could only be created by the mind of Hidetaka Miyazaki.  
A New World. One Last Journey.

Release date: Mar 27, 2017

Categories: Soulslike Combat, Action RPG, Exploration, Boss Fights, Character Progression, Lore-rich, Single-player, Third-Person Perspective

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Positive Reception with Price Concerns; summary: The reviews for this DLC indicate a mix of concerns and positive feedback. The primary concerns revolve around the price of the DLC, which some users find high or adjusted to be more expensive. However, many users also express satisfaction with the content and gameplay experience provided by the DLC, suggesting that it offers good value for fans of the series. The overall sentiment leans positive, with users recommending the DLC, especially when purchased on sale or as part of a season pass.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows a mix of positive and negative sentiments regarding the price. Many users find the DLC worth the price, indicating that the value is perceived as high. However, some users suggest waiting for a sale, implying that the current price might be slightly higher than what some consider fair. The general consensus leans towards the DLC being worth the money, but with a preference for discounted prices.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 10.0h
  - Story completion: 6.0h
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct and indirect references to playtime. The first quote mentions it took about 2 days to fully complete the DLC, which can be interpreted as roughly 10-12 hours of gameplay. The second quote suggests a gameplay duration of 5 to 6 hours for thorough exploration. The third quote explicitly states a completion time of nearly 13 hours for 100% completion. The fourth quote, while not providing a specific time, reinforces the depth and engagement of the DLC.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts with significant friction due to tedious and confusing elements, but becomes more enjoyable in the second half and during boss fights.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Reaching the second half of the game and boss fights
  - Time to anchor: 3h 0m
  - Friction: Tedious gameplay elements; Confusing paths; Boring and monotonous exploration
  - Unlock drivers: Reaching boss fights; Progressing to the second half of the game
  - Conditions: Persevering through initial tedium
- Player Archetypes:
  - Challenge-Seeking Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastery and challenge
    - Playstyle: Repeatedly engages with difficult content to master it.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Dark Souls fan; Veteran player
    - Reference games: Dark Souls series
  - Value-Conscious Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment and value for money
    - Playstyle: Engages with content they enjoy but are mindful of cost.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Dark Souls fan; Budget-conscious gamer
    - Reference games: Dark Souls series
  - Frustrated Newcomer (no buy)
    - Motivation: Overcoming challenges
    - Playstyle: Struggles with difficult content and may express frustration.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: New player; Casual gamer
    - Reference games: Dark Souls series


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Gael is a highly praised final boss (weight 0.56): Players consistently highlight Slave Knight Gael as one of the best final bosses in the Dark Souls series, praising his moveset, lore, and overall design. Many consider him a peak in boss design and a highlight of the series.
- Beautiful and detailed world design (weight 0.31): The visual and artistic design of the DLC is highly praised. Players appreciate the beautiful and detailed world-building, scenery, and level design.
- High-quality boss fights (weight 0.28): The DLC features several memorable and well-designed boss fights, which are highlighted as some of the best in the series. Players appreciate the challenge and epic nature of these battles.
- Excellent conclusion to the series (weight 0.24): The DLC is praised for providing a satisfying and epic conclusion to the Dark Souls series. Players appreciate the narrative and emotional impact of the ending.
- Introduction of new items and equipment (weight 0.18): The addition of new weapons, armor, rings, and spells is well-received. Players appreciate the variety and quality of the new equipment, which enhances gameplay and build diversity.
- Midir is a standout boss (weight 0.18): Midir is frequently mentioned as an impressive and well-designed boss, with players praising his difficulty, design, and the accompanying soundtrack. He is considered one of the best dragon fights in the series.
- Variety of new enemies (weight 0.14): The introduction of new enemies is well-received, with players noting the variety and challenge they bring to the game. This adds to the overall depth and replayability.
- Highly regarded DLC content (weight 0.14): The DLC is frequently praised as one of the best in the series, with players highlighting the amount and quality of content provided. It is considered a standout addition to the game.
- Rich and immersive lore (weight 0.13): Players appreciate the detailed and immersive lore provided in the DLC. The lore is considered interesting and enriching, adding depth to the game world.

Common complaints:
- Excessive and Overpowered Enemies (weight 0.41): Players frequently mention that enemies are too strong, numerous, and deal excessive damage, making the game overly difficult and frustrating.
- Medicore and Frustrating Map Design (weight 0.25): The map design is often described as mediocre, boring, and malicious, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
- Poor DLC Quality (weight 0.17): The DLC is criticized for being uninteresting, unbalanced, and overall bad, with some players finding it very difficult and not worth the purchase.
- Midir Boss Fight Issues (weight 0.17): The Midir boss fight is widely criticized for being poorly designed, boring, frustrating, and not fun to fight.
- Boss Health and Design Issues (weight 0.15): Bosses are criticized for having too much health and repetitive, difficult-to-dodge attack patterns, making fights tedious and frustrating.
- Halflight Boss Fight Problems (weight 0.13): The Halflight boss fight is criticized for being terrible, disappointing, and not very fun, with some players noting that it was a good idea but poorly executed.
- Short DLC Length (weight 0.11): Players find the DLC to be too short compared to other DLCs, leading to a lack of content and exploration.
- Frustrating Game Elements (weight 0.11): Specific elements such as Laser Angel, Welcome Avenue, and Fat Boy Pedestrian Street are particularly criticized for being frustrating.
- Frequent NPC Invasions (weight 0.09): Frequent invasions by NPCs and residents are found to be frustrating and disruptive to the gameplay experience.
- Mindless Monster Stacking (weight 0.09): Players criticize the mindless stacking of monsters, which is seen as a cheap tactic to increase difficulty.
- Excessive Swamp Areas (weight 0.07): Players are frustrated with the abundance of swamp areas in the paid DLCs, finding them tedious and unenjoyable.
- Camera and Visibility Issues (weight 0.05): There are frequent complaints about camera issues during boss fights, affecting visibility and gameplay.
- Lack of Interaction and Bonfires (weight 0.05): Players note a lack of interaction and bonfires, which affects the overall gameplay experience.
- Forced Rushing Through Environments (weight 0.05): Players feel forced to rush through environments, particularly in the first area, which detracts from the exploration experience.
- Performance Issues (weight 0.05): There are reports of severe frame drops and performance issues, affecting the overall gameplay experience.
- Disappointing Ending (weight 0.04): The ending is criticized for being lackluster and disappointing, failing to meet player expectations.

Gameplay feedback:
- Epic and memorable boss fights (weight 0.27): Boss battles are well-designed, memorable, and often epic, requiring players to adapt to unique mechanics and strategies.
- Diverse and challenging enemies (weight 0.19): The game features a wide variety of enemies with different attack mechanics, providing challenging and engaging combat encounters.
- Exploration and level design (weight 0.17): The game's exploration mechanics and level design are praised for being well-crafted and engaging, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- New weapons and armor (weight 0.17): The introduction of new weapons, armor, and equipment adds variety and depth to the gameplay, providing players with more options for combat and customization.
- Midir boss fight details (weight 0.15): Midir is highlighted as an optional secret boss with a powerful laser attack, rated highly by players and noted for taking multiple attempts to defeat.
- Lore and narrative depth (weight 0.15): The game features a grand and epic narrative with deep lore elements, expanding the story and immersing players in the game world.
- Difficulty and challenge (weight 0.09): The game offers a challenging experience with well-scaled difficulty, providing a rewarding experience for players.
- Challenging DLC bosses (weight 0.05): The DLC includes challenging and interesting bosses, adding to the game's difficulty and providing unique encounters.
- Comparison to Elden Ring DLC (weight 0.05): Players compare the game's DLC to Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, highlighting similarities and differences.
- Unique PvP boss mechanics (weight 0.05): Some boss fights involve unique player vs player mechanics, adding a different dimension to the combat.
- Bonfire placement (weight 0.05): The placement of bonfires is noted by players, affecting the pacing and difficulty of the game.
- The Ringed City's role (weight 0.05): The Ringed City is highlighted as both the starting and ending point, playing a significant role in the game's narrative and structure.
- Fresh content in DLC-2 (weight 0.05): DLC-2 introduces unique and fresh elements, providing new content and experiences for players.
- References to other games (weight 0.05): The game includes references to previous games, adding depth and continuity to the series.

Performance notes:
- Performance issues reported (weight 0.11): Multiple players have reported experiencing FPS drops, frame rate issues, and severe frame drops throughout the game. These issues significantly impact the gameplay experience.
- Stuttering in DLC map (weight 0.03): Players have noted stuttering specifically on the first map of the DLC, which can be particularly frustrating and immersion-breaking.
- Steam Deck mentioned (weight 0.03): Some reviews mentioned the Steam Deck, but without specific context or issues related to it.

Recommendations:
- Worth playing for fans (weight 0.18): Many players recommend this game if you enjoyed the main game, highlighting its value especially for those who are already fans.
- Buy on sale or season pass (weight 0.16): Several reviews suggest purchasing the game on sale or as part of a season pass to get better value for money.
- Highly recommended (weight 0.1): Many reviews strongly recommend the game, describing it as a must-play and highly enjoyable experience.
- Worth playing for boss fights (weight 0.08): The game is highly recommended for its boss fights and level design, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of challenging gameplay.
- Not for casual players (weight 0.06): The game is noted for its high difficulty and may not be suitable for those looking for a casual or easy gaming experience.
- Emotional and challenging (weight 0.05): The game offers an emotionally engaging experience with significant challenges, making it appealing for players seeking depth and difficulty.
- Recommend specific DLC (weight 0.03): Some reviews specifically recommend certain DLCs, such as the Ringed City, for enhancing the overall gaming experience.

Other player notes:
- Theory about egg hatching (weight 0.03): A player proposed a theory that the egg hatches into a bird that carries you to Sinner's Whorf.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.26): Players are primarily frustrated with the game's difficulty, particularly in boss fights and enemy encounters. Issues such as poor boss design, camera problems, and overwhelming enemy attacks contribute to this frustration. Additionally, game balance issues, repetitive gameplay, and specific problematic areas like the Ringed City and fights with bosses like Midir and the Black Dragon are frequently mentioned.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Players express satisfaction with the game's bosses, particularly Gael, who is often highlighted for his epic conclusion to the series. The overall quality of the DLC, including its content, level design, and boss fights, is praised. Players also appreciate the engaging storyline, environments, and the challenging yet rewarding gameplay.
- Excitement (weight 0.13): Players are excited about the intense and well-designed boss fights, particularly with Gael and Midir. The unique weapons, challenging gameplay, and overall quality of the DLC contribute to this excitement. The detailed map design and the emotional impact of the game's story also add to the players' enthusiasm.
- Disappointment (weight 0.08): Players feel disappointed due to comparisons with previous games and DLCs, finding the current DLC lacking in quality and originality. Specific issues include poor level design, unfair enemy placement, and mandatory PvP boss fights. The high price of the DLC and the feeling of it being a money grab also contribute to this disappointment.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciate the well-designed bosses, particularly Midir and Slave Knight Gael, and the overall quality of the DLC's content. The beautiful execution of the series' ending, memorable characters, and the detailed level design are also highly valued. The variety of new enemies, visuals, and boss fights contribute to this appreciation.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.05): Players feel nostalgic about elements reminiscent of previous games in the series, such as familiar locations and encounters with old enemies and equipment. The completion of the trilogy and references to previous games evoke a sense of nostalgia, reflecting on the journey and characters met along the way.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.05): Players enjoy the mobs and bosses, particularly Gael, and appreciate the impressive character outfits and environmental design. The well-made boss fights, new content, and challenging gameplay contribute to their enjoyment. The overall DLC experience, including the scenic passages and excellent boss opponents, is highly praised.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Players are angry about the poor design of certain bosses and maps, as well as the presence of swamps in paid DLCs and reused content. The thick health and high damage of the Black Dragon, along with negative experiences with boss battles and map design, contribute to this anger. Frustration with game mechanics and enemy design also adds to this emotion.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Players admire the genius vibe, enemies, bosses, and world design, considering it the best DLC ever played and an absolute masterpiece. The depth of the lore and the intricate details of the game's world and story are highly praised. The boss Slave Knight Gael and the overall design of the DLC are particularly admired.
- Awe (weight 0.02): Players are in awe of the stunning images and environments, describing them as gorgeous and world-class. The brilliant environment and lore implications, along with the beautiful visual design and boss battles, contribute to this sense of awe. The emotional payoff and scenery are also highly appreciated.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Players experience joy from the overall positive experience with the DLC, particularly the content and beautiful areas. The boss fight with Slave Knight Gael and the enjoyable gameplay mechanics contribute to this joy. The positive experience with the DLC and its content brings a sense of happiness.}