With Gwyn being the first Lord of Cinder, there was no better way to show that, here, at the end, everything’s come full circle.
Just when you think you’ve won, the Soul of Cinder generates an entirely new health bar (happens a lot in this game, doesn’t it?) And then, something amazing happens: It adopts Gwyn’s moveset from Dark Souls, accompanied by his tear-inducing musical theme. It effortlessly shifts between four different movesets, each showcasing a unique weapon and subset of magic (except the magic-less straight-sword phase). How do the developers close things out in a way that makes sense storywise/lorewise, maintains and amplifies the game’s legacy, and, most importantly, is satisfying for the player? That depends on the game, but DS3's Soul of Cinder definitely ticks off all those boxes.Īs the embodiment of those who’ve linked the fire across the ages, the Soul of Cinder can call upon a vast array of abilities you yourself may have used. Good luck, Ashen One.įinal bosses are the most difficult of all to get right. Getting yourself to stop quaking in your boots is the first step of many to conquering this great and tragic beast. What sets him apart is the ability to use dark magic and shoot lasers-which, by the way, leave trails of explosions in their wake.
Midir has all the attacks you’d expect a dragon to have, able to rend you asunder with his claws and light up the cavern like a raging inferno. Everything about him, from his deafening roar to his complete and utter disregard for your health bar, is absolutely insane. You cross paths with Midir several times throughout The Ringed City (including a mini-boss battle of sorts), but the real fight is something else entirely. Darkeater Midir is no exception to this unspoken rule, inspiring awe the likes of which most other bosses in the series could only dream of. They have a certain aura about them few other fantastical creatures can contend with. Despite the countless fantasy stories they’ve appeared in, dragons never seem to lose their appeal.