For Dark Souls 3, the delivery of the Pokémon mod, where capturing monsters is the true test, is a game (like no one has ever experienced before) that requires you to be your best, and of course, is predicated on your desire (and cause) to train monsters.

The Pocket Souls mod is an impressive overhaul of Dark Souls 3 Pokémon, adding new weapons, armor, items, boss fights, and of course, the ability to capture, befriend, and deploy monsters to others. Most importantly, you get a small backpack of Pokémon Trainers.

I haven't touched this mod much yet, but it's a cute ode to the Pokémon Game Boy game, as well as a legitimate way to play Dark Souls 3 for the umpteenth time, and quite well thought out.

Every starting class comes with one starter monster. Weapons are not available, so in Dark Souls 3 you have to rely on the monster.

And like Pokémon, you have to fill your party by beating monsters to near death before capturing them in a Pokéball or Abyssal Flask (a more honest name if you ask me). Of course, there are Great and Ultra variations for tougher monsters. Throwing the flasks will result in a cute little number, depending on whether you succeeded, failed, or missed the monster altogether.

The captured monsters are sent to the PC, just as in the game, and become a menu of spell concoctions that can be accessed by the bonfire. Here you can choose your party from the monsters you have captured, and it is important to know what kind of companions you are bringing. See the gameplay video above. Tough battles against the Rotlic and Outrider Knights require a full party, but these melee-centric foes easily fall before carefully placed ranged monsters.

There is no need to discard the monsters early on. Just as I took Bulbasaur from my first battle with Gary to Elite 4, Pocket Soul's level-up system allows you to take Hound Rat from Yudex Gandir to Slave Knight Gaer. You can level up the little guys by "sacrificing" the essence you get from battles to Professor Carselot. Be the best companion.