The Dark Souls series has changed the industry - not just because the first part was called the best game of all time. However, what about gamers who have avoided all three parts, but still crave more? In this collection, we have collected ten projects that are similar to Dark Souls!
bloodborne. The best PlayStation 4 exclusive?
Bloodborne was released back in 2015, but still holds the title of one of the best PS4 exclusives. But why did the creation of the great studio FromSoftware hook the community so much? Well, the benefits are countless.
The concept of Bloodborne is not much different from the Dark Souls series. The hero enters a dangerous world where an ordinary enemy can easily deal a fatal blow, and bosses make you suffer. The place of souls here was taken by the echoes of blood, the fires were replaced by lamps, and the locations remained just as confusing. It would seem that all this is familiar to gamers, but there are also enough differences.
First of all, Bloodborne highlights the combat system, which has become much faster. The hero did not have a shield, so he could only rely on dodges and parries with a pistol. This forced me to study the opponents' moveset even more carefully and act carefully.
At the same time, an aggressive style was also encouraged. For example, having lost health, it was possible to partially restore it if you immediately pounce on the enemy and take revenge on him with a couple of blows.
Back in Bloodborne, the design is absolutely outstanding. Yharnam is probably still the most beautiful place the FromSoftware artists have ever created. The architecture of the Victorian era, the streets worked out to the smallest detail, exquisite palaces, mesmerizing views - all this can be admired. At the same time, the city surprised every now and then: it was unexpected once to notice Amygdala at the cathedral.
The design of ordinary enemies and bosses was also impressive. Former monster hunters who themselves became monsters, converted residents, werewolves, artsy creatures - with whom the hero had to fight.
If you have a PlayStation but haven't played Bloodborne yet, try to fix this oversight as soon as possible.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The most difficult souls-like?
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is often called FromSoftware's most hardcore game. It would seem that the developers allowed gamers to run away from dangers with the help of a cat hook, deftly cut enemies on stealth and revive after death, but even this was not enough to facilitate the passage.
The fact is that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice requires the player to have the maximum skill - for example, if you do not hone your parrying skill to the ideal, some bosses will seem impassable. But parrying is the most difficult element of defense, requiring a high reaction and an ideal understanding of the opponent's move set. Not surprisingly, this puzzled many.
However, it is worth forgetting everything that Dark Souls and Bloodborne taught, and understanding what the developers want this time, how Sekiro will be revealed to the fullest. The hero will turn into a great ninja, who deftly jumps through locations, skillfully cuts out enemies, and is not afraid of even the most formidable bosses.
At The Game Awards 2019, the game was named the biggest hit of the year for a reason – it is really good.
Elden Ring. Dark Souls in the open world
Elden Ring has become the largest and most ambitious project from FromSoftware, which will not be easily surpassed. The open world turned out to be painfully huge, rich, and diverse - the number of bosses, curious enemies, and unique locations simply cannot be counted.
At first glance, Elden Ring retains a souls-like foundation. The enemies are evil, you have to die often, and there is only one chance to get to the place of death and return the "souls" - all of this is familiar to connoisseurs of the genre.
However, due to innovations, the novelty successfully refreshes the genre. You can move around the world on a horse Potok. On the way, there are outposts that can be cleared by stealth. The open world, hiding a lot of optional bosses and locations, adds interest - no one could have thought that open world would be so appropriate for souls-like.
Elden Ring came out as such a monumental game that it's easy to get lost in it for hundreds of hours. Not surprisingly, at its peak, 950 thousand gamers were cut into it, and 89 percent of the reviews are positive.
The Surge. Souls-like about cyborgs
What distinguishes The Surge from other souls-likes is the setting and a couple of bloodthirsty mechanics. The action takes place in the world of the future, where replacing limbs with cybernetic ones and wearing exoskeletons has become commonplace. Alas, because of the virus, many carriers of the piece of iron have gone crazy and are now rushing at everyone they meet.
The locations turned out to be curious - however, the events unfold in a huge industrial complex, and the number of not particularly inventive factory premises rolls over. Alas, you will not be able to see the beauties of the Bloodborne level, but connoisseurs of the industrial style will be satisfied.
Also, The Surge has some interesting mechanics that make the game especially noteworthy. The trick is that in battle you can chop off the limbs of cyborgs. Each enemy has its own vulnerabilities: for example, its hull can be protected, but there was not enough armor for the left arm - you need to hit it.
In addition, the bloodthirsty mechanics have other bonuses. If you meet an enemy with a cool helmet and cut off his head, you can take the equipment for yourself. By the way, if you collect a lot of similar items, you will be able to upgrade the armor.
These chips were enough for The Surge to turn out to be good - after all, it’s not easy because the game got a sequel.
Nioh. Souls-like with tons of loot
Nioh is one of the most unusual soul-likes in the collection. It's all about borrowing from other projects: the dynamic combat is reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden, and there are so many loot of different quality, as if you were playing Diablo. In addition, the hero has cool abilities that can turn him, for example, into a fiery creature with huge damage.
There is no single world in Nioh. The hero chooses a task on the global map and goes there to chop youkai into cabbage. This approach allowed the developers to come up with many diverse and beautiful levels: flaming villages, embankments full of pirates, beautiful dojos and much more. However, it was not without boring caves either.
Separately, the authors would like to praise for the bosses. Once you challenge the Giant Frog or the Obsidian Samurai, they will be remembered forever. In addition to abilities and an abundance of diverse weapons, different stances will help to survive boss fights: the gamer himself chooses what his blows will be - slow and dangerous, fast and light or medium.
From Nioh comes a high-quality souls-like, which brings a lot of new things to the genre and great entertainment.
Lords of the Fallen. Quality imitator
Released in 2014, Lords of the Fallen is often underestimated. Like, the Polish developers did not come up with anything interesting, mercilessly exploited other people's ideas, and generally scored on optimization and bugs. However, over time, the community fell in love with the game - it's not just that the second part is highly anticipated.
In general, Lords of the Fallen really lacks uniqueness. Castles and other locations are clearly inspired by Dark Souls, enemies often look rustic, and bosses lack zest. However, this does not negate the fact that the very concept of souls-like is implemented soundly: swinging a blade is fun, you cannot defeat strong enemies without memorizing the moveset, but it is interesting to explore the area.
In addition, Lords of the Fallen allows you to feel like a true knight in bulky armor and with an unbearable sword in his hands. Each blow allows you to feel the full severity of the battle. Fans of fast-paced combat in the spirit of Bloodborne will not like this, but many people liked the CI Games approach.
As a result, Lords of the Fallen turned out to be worthy souls-like, which is not a shame to pass after FromSoftware projects.
Mortal Shell. Dark Souls about a disembodied spirit
The feature of Mortal Shell is that the main character is not a mighty warrior. You will have to play for a spirit that will not survive even one blow. To deal with crowds of enemies, he must move into the shells of different characters and control their bodies.
Each shell has its own characteristics. A balanced warrior, a rogue with low HP and high stamina, a heavy knight with cool armor, a scientist who, due to his high determination, can often use abilities. There are options for every taste, and you can change appearances regularly - the main thing is to find the body of a fallen character.
Otherwise, Mortal Shell is a classic souls-like, which, in terms of workmanship, is close to Dark Souls. The locations are beautifully drawn, the enemies are resourceful, and the graphics are not bad.
The only problem is the lack of content. A gamer familiar with the genre will fly through the game in eight hours and be surprised when they stumble upon the final credits. However, for some, a modest duration will even seem like a plus.
Immortal: Unchained. "Dark Souls about shooting"
Gamers are used to the fact that in souls-like you need to wander around locations with melee weapons and beat enemies in close combat. In games like Nioh, of course, there were bows, but they did not work all the time. But Immortal: Unchained is built entirely on shooting.
In the creation of Toadman Interactive, various creatures constantly attack the hero. There is a sword behind your back, but you will have to keep your distance much more often - it is long-range weapons that play the most important role in Immortal: Unchained.
However, no matter how accurately the character shoots, it will not be easy to survive. Enemies are also armed with guns and constantly challenge. Other scoundrels deftly dodge volleys, protect themselves with shields and quickly rush toward the player.
Of course, Immortal: Unchained cannot be praised for its beautiful levels, and not everyone will find the gameplay exciting, but Dark Souls with guns has found its audience.
Remnants: From the Ashes. Guns, blades, and convenient co-op
Remnant: From the Ashes tells about a post-apocalyptic world in which monsters crawled out onto the streets of modern cities. There are plenty of dangerous creatures, but the hero has many opportunities to deal with them. He can shoot from different barrels, shred evil spirits with a sword, collect a variety of builds, and even clean up locations in co-op without straining.
Gamers are used to the fact that in order to play souls-like together, you need to get confused. Find special consumables, look into a special place, and so on. In Remnant: From the Ashes, all you need is a desire to co-op.
Another feature is that the hero can fight equally effectively both at long range and at close range. At the same time, weapons change quickly, and there are many build options.
However, it is worth noting that the authors still made a slightly larger bias towards action. There are frequent cases when impressive waves of opponents are lowered onto the characters - until you cut out everyone or hold out for a certain amount of time, you can’t move further along the plot.
Remnant: From the Ashes has a lot of merit.
Tunic. When souls-like lies behind a pretty shell
Tunic brutally deceives expectations. In the story, a cute little fox roams the nicely drawn world and uncovers its secrets. At the same time, at first, the enemies die after a couple of sluggish stick blows, and the gameplay seems casual, but over time, the game reveals its true face. It turns out that the authors of Tunic were inspired by Dark Souls.
Every now and then, opponents get in the way of the little fox, who force him to dodge, memorize the moveset and show a reaction. Multi-phase bosses make you sweat even more - you have to give all your best to fill them up. In addition to this, the fox has only one chance to pick up the resources that have disappeared after death, and he resurrects at the altar.
In addition to souls-like elements, Tunic has enough borrowings from the classic Zelda (The Legend of Zelda) and various metroidvanias. However, it is the connoisseurs of FromSoftware creations who will get the maximum pleasure from passing.
If you like souls-like, but the genre-specific visual has always seemed too gloomy to you, pay attention to Tunic.
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