For many gamers, the term “Soulslike” has become an accepted way to describe a certain type of game design, summarizing everything you can expect within that game in a single sentence. However, for the uninitiated, it’s a term that lacks clarity and fails to capture the qualifying elements that make up the genre. So, what does it mean to be a Soulslike video game? What are the key components and what sets Soulslike apart from any other type of game?
Soulslike games are known for their high difficulty and challenges that appeal to players looking for an intense and exciting experience. This genre, inspired by the popular Dark Souls series, features gameplay mechanics that require careful planning and high skill to overcome enemies and difficult worlds. Check out some of the types of games I avoid because they are so frustrating.
From Demon's Souls to Dark Souls
The Soulslike subgenre has its origins in Demon’s Souls From FromSoftware in 2009. Designed to evoke the same level of challenge as older video games, the difficulty level was intentionally high. Its developer made a conscious decision to include an abundance of enemy and environmental-based hazards that could spell death for the player at any moment.
I exploited the game Dark Soulsthe spiritual successor to 2011's Demon's Souls , took that opportunity and succeeded. It improved the game's mechanics and built on the idea of an interconnected game world with a heavy emphasis on exploration and gameplay that required players to learn from their (many) mistakes to overcome obstacles.
Since then, FromSoftware has released a host of other Souls-inspired (or Souls-like) games that stay true to this original vision. But what constitutes a Soulslike game and what do all of these games have in common?
Dark fantasy setting with environmental storytelling.
From the corrupt kingdom of Boletaria in Demon's Souls to the blood-stained streets of Yharnam in Bloodborne, Soulslike games share a common thread with their settings. They typically feature dark, fantasy settings, where the landscape has been ravaged by plague or irreversibly altered by the influence of dark magic.
You enter these worlds with little knowledge of your surroundings. There is no guidance or assistance in Soulslike games. From the start, you find yourself immersed in the depths of the world, at below-standard levels, with nothing but a broken sword to defend yourself with. Exploring these worlds reveals new equipment that can be upgraded to enhance your character and improve your chances of survival.
Soulslike games often do not have explicit stories. There are many stories around the game world, but they are often hidden. These can be found and gathered by interacting with non-playable characters (NPCs), discovering journals or historical artifacts, or by carefully reading descriptions of items in your inventory as you acquire more advanced loot and supplies.
The concept here is that you have to work for your meal. Some players will want to fully immerse themselves in the world, searching for every piece of information they can find, while others will simply want to keep killing the next big bad. The option to play your way is a great design decision and ensures that each title appeals to different types of players equally. Check out some of the reasons why character development is important in video games.
Increasing difficulty level with diverse character types.
Pay attention to the comments section of any online forum, gameplay stream, or video related to Soulslike games and it won’t be long before the phrase “Git Gud” pops up (meaning “get good” or “improve your skills.” It’s used sarcastically or as direct advice to players who are struggling to beat a certain level or overcome certain challenges in the games). The phrase originated in relation to the difficult nature of Soulslike gameplay, which can be punishing, especially for casual players. These aren’t hack-and-slash games.
It’s often used as a “helpful” piece of advice when players ask for help or advice on how to beat a particular boss or complete a difficult section of the game. It’s a phrase that may seem unkind, given the large player communities these games generate. However, in many ways, it’s fairly accurate.
Souls and Soulslike games only have one difficulty level, so there’s no easy mode to fall into when the going gets tough. Your success will depend on your mastery of trial-and-error gameplay. Learning your enemies’ attack patterns, knowing when to block, when to retreat, and when to counterattack are all crucial elements.
The basic strategy for mastering the gameplay of a Soulslike game is how you choose to build your character. Most Soulslike games (except Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice) You have the freedom to build the type of person you want, but you will need to learn the process in order to achieve the results you want.
Understanding these gameplay and character building principles is an essential part of your journey to “Git Gud” in Soulslike games.
The importance of fires and checkpoints
Anyone who has played an action-adventure game will be familiar with checkpoints or save points scattered throughout the game world. These points provide a convenient way to save your progress, and act as a respawn point if your character falls victim to some in-game threat. However, in Soulslike games, the checkpoint mechanism works a little differently.
Demon's Souls, the granddaddy of Soulslike games, introduced the concept of bonfires. Bonfires provide a brief moment of rest for your character. Resting at a bonfire saves your progress, refills your health bar, and replenishes your supply of Estus vials (a consumable item that can be used to replenish lost health points, in-game).
Bonfires are a place where you can repair your equipment, spend your in-game currency (souls) to level up your chosen character's attributes, or move between other unlocked checkpoints as a form of fast travel.
However, resting at a campfire in Souls comes at a price. This is because choosing to rest at a campfire also respawns any enemies you've already defeated in the surrounding area (except for defeated bosses).
So, there is a certain element of strategy in resting at a campfire. When you die in the game, your character respawns at the last campfire you rested at. If you don't rest for a while, you may end up respawning much earlier in the game, with a whole bunch of respawned enemies to fight your way through.
When you die in the game, your accumulated in-game currency is lost at the place of your death. You have one chance to go and get it back, but if you are fatally injured along the way, or find yourself killed by the same enemy once you get there, it will be gone forever.
Campfires (or their equivalents in other Soulslike games) are the only places where your character is truly safe from the horrors of the world. A light in the dark. However, the warmth and comfort they provide is fleeting. They are an interesting and unique concept in Soulslikes and add a real sense of immersion in these brutal worlds. Check out Are You a Toxic Gamer? for some ways to tell.
Other Soulslike Games
FromSoftware already has an impressive lineup of Soulslike titles, including Demon's Souls, the Dark Souls series, and Bloodborneو Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, و Fire RingHowever, it is a testament to the popularity of the genre that other publishers have collectively produced a slew of Soulslike games of their own.
You can find a treasure trove of other Soulslike games that adhere to (or come close to) the core elements of the Soulslike structure. Titles like Niohand Lords of the Fallenand Mortal Shelland Lies of P,, and the latest game Black Myth: Wukong These are just a few examples that follow the path that FromSoftware has blazed.
With more Soulslike games being released every year, it seems like this gaming phenomenon isn’t going away anytime soon. So, if you’re interested in it, and haven’t done so before, now is the best time to give it a try. You can now check out the pros and cons of Gacha games: are they worth your time?
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