Opening Cinematic To 'Dark Souls III' Introduces The Land Of Lothric

In the Dark Souls games, there’s so much focus on the cycle of death and rebirth that it’s easy to forget that there’s a narrative portion. With Dark Souls III coming out on April 12, From Software’s latest video showed the game’s opening cinematic, which provides the foundation for the game’s story.

The game is set in the kingdom of Lothric, which seems to be powered by something called the Link of Fire. Without it, the area slowly decays and turns into a wasteland. With the Link of Fire under threat, the ruling Lords of Cinder are summoned from their graves. These leaders are also some of the bosses you’ll encounter throughout the game, including the oozy Aldrich, Saint of the Deep; the knights of Farron’s Undead Legion; and the towering Yhorm the Giant. The only way to restore Lothric to its former glory is to defeat these Lords of Cinder. Other than the opening clip, you will have to talk to various characters throughout Lothric to get the full story on how the kingdom turned into a terrifying place.

The last time we heard about Dark Souls III was in December, when the game was featured as part of the PlayStation Experience show. In addition to some gameplay footage, the developers announced the game’s release date as well as the various bundles for the game. For $59.99, you can grab the Day One edition, which includes the game, soundtrack and a Prima Games starter guide. The collector’s edition will cost you $129.99, and includes all the contents of the Day One edition, as well as a collector’s box, the game’s map (made from cloth), and a 10-inch Red Knight statue.