Recently played through Dark Souls 3 for the first time since it came out. I absolutely think it is by FAR the best in the trilogy. Best enemy AI, best level design, best bosses, and the quality of life changes make it so much less frustrating to get through without feeling like you've got training wheels.
I am also currently playing through Dark Souls 1, which I am finding to be a janky, poorly designed and optimized mess, with horrid level design, and altogether feels like it is all barely being held together with twine and twigs. Still a great game, but damn the lack of budget, time, and experience the team had to work with really shows. Punishing and overtly cruel at the worst of times, and inconvenient and petty at the best of times.