The Ringed City sees the “lands converge upon themselves” following the end of the Age of Fire — a period that set the stage for nearly every event and encounter in the rest of the series. Players must chase after Slave Knight Gael in a search for the “Dark Soul of Humanity.” Gael was first seen in the Dark Souls III expansion Ashes of Ariandel, so it’s definitely advised to play it before moving forward with The Ringed City.
The expansion takes players into a land that is far past the point of destruction — as seen in the announcement trailer the buildings are quite literally converging on themselves, almost like they’re being swallowed by the ground below, and plenty of monstrous creatures look ready to put a premature end to any hero’s heroic plan. The most frightening of these is a flame-covered, Pterodactyl-like creature that can fire several fireballs in quick succession. Its scream is also the stuff of nightmares.
In addition to the new location and characters, The Ringed City also adds new weapons, armor, and magical abilities to help players on their journey. Of course, there’s no substitute for lightning-quick reflexes and a little bit of luck, both of which are necessities to beat any Dark Souls III boss.
Dark Souls III: The Ringed City will release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on March 28 for $15. If you haven’t yet played Ashes of Ariandel, it is included in the season pass for $25.