New Dark Souls locations, characters

Ah, screenshots. Some real classic, old-school video game journalism. More than anything I want to know what it is that compelled Bandai Namco to put out new Dark Souls III screens on a Wednesday night. Maybe something's fun happening in Japan. There's some context for the screens, which "reveal key locations and characters both new and familiar," too.

"As they being the game, players will find themselves revived in the Untended Graves as an 'Unkindled' and will have to face the mighty Iudex Gundyr as a test to prove their worth before heading into Firelink Shrine.

"In the shrine they will find a Fire Keeper tending to a bonfire who will serve players on their long and arduous journey. Players will find other characters inhabiting the shrine including Hawkwood, an Unkindled and fugitive from Farron's Undead Legion, along with a peculiar looking man sitting on one of the thrones in the shrine calling himself Ludleth of Courland and a Lord of Cinder."

Cool? Cool. Dark Souls III is out in Japan March 24 and in North/South America on April 12, my birthday. Please figure out among yourselves whom is buying me Dark Souls III, and whom is buying me everything else on my wishlist so we don't have any duplicates. Thanks.

Click to open photo gallery: