>>712606741
The quick and dirty version is that DS2 is a mechanical continuation of DS1 while DS3 is a thematic and stylistic continuation, but there is more nuance to that.
In more detail DS2 draws upon the Demons & Dark's secret appeal in that the games were designed like dungeon crawlers where you fight like an action game, instead of pure action game design. It also continues the general pace of combat and some of the engagement with oddball Multiplayer mechanics that each game since Dark Souls gradually sidelined.
I think for an execution standpoint DS2 is deeply flawed but the intention was there.
DS3 meanwhile is a mechanical continuation of Bloodborne, but it looks and feels more like a Sequel to Dark Souls than DS2. From weapon feedback to creature design, to just the overall story its what one would expect out of a sequel.
Lorewise DS2 continues the air of mystery and implication Da/eS and treats its callback in a "There was a knight who live long ago and I heard he was pretty cool "wink" "nudge". While 3 just gives us a sequel straight up with everything out in the open.
On the style of the games I would also say its more a 70-30% split between DS3&2 where 3 lack the dignity and presence creatures in DS1 were designed with while DS2 ahs that Dignity but lack the grit.
You can also see it in the overall style each game has
>Demons
Germanic Late Medieval Era Fantasy
>Dark
Classical Greek myth and fashion interpreted through the lenses of Southern European Late Medieval Fantasy
>Dark 2
Anglo-Celtic High Fantasy
>Blood
Victorian Gothic Lovecraft
>Dark 3
Dark 1 with the Greek Myth aspects striped away by time
>Sekiro
Feudal japan
>Elden
Late Medieval Central France with Celtic Influences.
