While you wait for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, try out the demo for this Dark Souls 3 mod that’s basically a new game

We’re still a few months out from the release of Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, but in the meantime, there’s now a demo for an impressive looking Dark Souls 3 mod.

Last month, after a two year wait, FromSoftware finally announced the release date for Shadow of the Erdtree. Unfortunately for all of us, it’s still a few months away until the DLC actually releases, and there’s only so many times you can replay the base game (that thing is massive, I haven’t even seen all there is to see yet even now). But, if you’re a PC player, there’s a new mod on the way for Dark Souls 3, and it looks like a brand new game essentially. Titled Archthrones, this mod is described as “a retelling of the Dark Souls universe and comprehensive total game mod for Dark Souls 3 complete with its own lore that is informed by the deepest secrets of the Dark Souls mythos. New enemies, bosses, armour, weapons and spells are only the beginning.”

While the full mod isn’t out yet, lucky for you there’s a demo, meaning you’ll still be able to tide yourself over for both the full release and Elden Ring’s DLC. On the game’s Nexus Mods page, the modding team goes into a bit more detail on what to expect. For one, the mod features nonlinear progression: “Explore each throne at your own pace, and in your desired order. Easiest to most difficult or vice versa, the choice is up to you.” There’s also new combat mechanics like guard counters, perfect blocking, deflection, and back-step guard cancelling, so if you found Dark Souls 3’s combat too basic there’s plenty to look forward to there too.

Interestingly, it’s also noted that the “design of the game has been inspired by Demon’s Souls level structure” as opposed to Dark Souls itself, which you can even see in the mod’s logo. The full mod doesn’t have a release date just yet, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled on Archthrones Team’s YouTube channel for more updates.