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Of all the "Souls-like" games, which one is the best? (Mod edit: Read OP)
- Thread starter MajulaDream
- Start date
If anyone needed proof that this place is just like the old one and no one reads the OP, it's this thread.
I'll say I've tried most of the Souls inspired games mentioned in this thread and I've liked... none of them. Sorry OP.
Hollow Knight for me. Incredible atmosphere, genuine feeling of travel into the unknown, and the bench/shadow system has the exact same hook as having to retrieve your corpse/stain in the Souls games.
Are we counting Hollow Knight as a Souls-like? It's my GOTY.
If not, Nioh. It has the best combat in an action RPG and I'd even put it above some of From's Souls games (Dark Souls 2 and 3).
If not, Nioh. It has the best combat in an action RPG and I'd even put it above some of From's Souls games (Dark Souls 2 and 3).
Nioh was amazing. A bit repetitive in some parts but the combat was right up there with this genre's best.
Loved the living weapons and kodamas system.
Loved the living weapons and kodamas system.
Nioh is a hybrid between Souls and NG. So I am kind of torn. One of the best games of the year.
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The fact that this thread has been made for the seventeenth time this year is proof enough haha.
The lore and structure of the story is far closer to that of Destiny/Warframe minus the forced grinding for progression, so are the RPG structures found in the game. The world building is the main factor I consider for a game being a Souls-Like and Nioh doesn't have any of that. It has shrines (bonfires), amrita (souls) and stamina but the later can be fully negated and becomes a system closer to something you find in DMC like exceed, it's a way of optimising your attacks rather than limiting.
Loved Nioh, The Surge and Salt and Sanctuary from start to finish.
Waiting on Code Vein (anime souls) and still waiting on Eitr (Pixel Diablo Souls)
Waiting on Code Vein (anime souls) and still waiting on Eitr (Pixel Diablo Souls)
Thanks for the replies. Hmm... maybe I'll watch some gameplay videos to decide. I still have Mario Odyssey to finish and then I'd like a game for my PS4, haven't used it in months. I just really hate excessive inventory management. It' what I disliked the most about Demon' Souls, to get somewhat back on topic. Of course that was different with the item burden but it still meant lots of fumbling in the menus and sorting through items, deciding what to keep etc.
It's funny how many people don't read the OP. I came in to say Dark Souls III, but since we're talking about games not by FromSoft... I dunno. I have Nioh but I didn't like it much. Lords of the Fallen felt weird. Maybe I should give Salt and Sanctuary a shot.
Nioh is probably the only souls like I played that wasn't made by From. It was alright. I couldn't really get into it because of the combat being so in depth, but it was really cool looking.
Dead Cells is really great if you dig the rogue-lite loops. The combat feels unbelievably good.
Just realized despite being a big Souls fan I've never played any "Souls-Like" game. Unless you count Hollow Knight. Probably because I'm not a huge fan of the Dark Souls sequels and prefer the games that attempt their own thing, I don't just want a Souls clone. Nioh seems like the best one that appears to have it's own twist, so it's on my list to play.
I think it's a bit unfair to call Hollow Knight Souls-Like. Yeah, it definitely takes inspiration from Souls, but it's very much its own thing in the metriodvania genre.
I think it's a bit unfair to call Hollow Knight Souls-Like. Yeah, it definitely takes inspiration from Souls, but it's very much its own thing in the metriodvania genre.
Thank you! I tried to explain this once in the old forums but just got barked out of the house by fans. I almost want to say some of the games you call imitators felt a bit "soulless" which is really starting to drive me mad with all the souls words being used.
In a sense, NiOh felt like it was missing the magic as well. For me, it was definitely due to how much interaction with NPCs and cutscenes there were. I never entered a new area and was had to stop to admire the view or feel of the place. Half the bosses talk to you and you clearly knew who the antagonist was from the beginning. It only really took inspiration on the spawning, bonfire/checkpoints, stamina and combat though you could argue combat went and moved into its own territory.
If you haven't tried Hollow Knight yet, definitely give it a shot. The characters, levels, atmosphere and general evoked feelings are very close to what I felt with the Souls series and Bloodborne. It also has its fair share of intense boss fights and tricky platforming.
Nioh. It's got better combat than any From game, and while it could have used more enemy variety, the DLC was enjoyable and brought the whole game up to what may have been my GotY.
The Surge is also kinda okay, but not in the same tier as soulsborne/nioh. A good pickup for cheap if you love the genre and don't have a backlog.
The Surge is also kinda okay, but not in the same tier as soulsborne/nioh. A good pickup for cheap if you love the genre and don't have a backlog.
Between Surge and Nioh for me. Nioh almost seems like a new Ninja Gaiden with Souls mechanics, whereas The Surge is full on Souls while changing up the well-known mechanics.
I like Nioh as a game more, but The Surge is a better Souls-like.
I like Nioh as a game more, but The Surge is a better Souls-like.
Nioh and Hyper Light Drifter are my picks. Nioh has amazing combat, while HLD has a beautiful and mysterious world to explore and fast paced combat that feels really weighty and impactful, especially for a 2D game. I'm kinda hesitant to consider HLD a souls-like game though, since it's really it's own thing.
Agreed . It has amazing combat but that's about it . It's so disheartening to visit new areas just to find out you're fighting the same mobs again , then you started to ask yourself what's the point of the awesome combat again .
The Surge, feels like the most Souls like non-From Software game to me.
And few years back when I totally suck at Souls games, I rather enjoyed Lord of Fallen, which ultimately bring me into genre. I know that it does not holds up to other "souls-like" games, but for new timer to genre, it was great "gateway drug" for me.
Hyper Light Drifter counts? I really like that game, but fail to see what is "souls-like" about it.
And few years back when I totally suck at Souls games, I rather enjoyed Lord of Fallen, which ultimately bring me into genre. I know that it does not holds up to other "souls-like" games, but for new timer to genre, it was great "gateway drug" for me.
Hyper Light Drifter counts? I really like that game, but fail to see what is "souls-like" about it.
All this is super awesome. I've worked pretty hard to convince my circle of friends to think of Nioh as a totally different beast from Souls. It's shoehorned in too easily when it really works to set itself apart in a meaningful way.
I absolutely adore that game. It's tied with Cuphead for my indie GOTY. Really excited to see what that team gets up to next.
Chronos, obviously.
The character customization is a simple, but the Biohazard-ass camera and puzzles are great and on Hard mode things are really tense and brutal.
edit: lol y'all read the OP
The character customization is a simple, but the Biohazard-ass camera and puzzles are great and on Hard mode things are really tense and brutal.
edit: lol y'all read the OP
Dark Souls
Then, in descending order of goodness:
Bloodborne
Demon's Souls
Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 2
EDIT: Whoops, scratch that entire post.
Then, in descending order of goodness:
Bloodborne
Demon's Souls
Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 2
EDIT: Whoops, scratch that entire post.
I enjoyed the first 5 hours that I've played z master mode so far, it's not that easy for a newcomer.
Nioh was amazing, but just got boring 10 hours in. Doesn't hold a candle to Souls in terms of level design or world building.
Surge was good from the demo I played, but the combat had a very "Western" floatiness/weightiness that threw me off. AC Origins' combat had this same issue.
Surge was good from the demo I played, but the combat had a very "Western" floatiness/weightiness that threw me off. AC Origins' combat had this same issue.
Demon's sure is great, though in comparison, the mechanics have generally improved in the last 8 years.
Each one has it's pluses and minuses.. Personally Demon's is my favorite, followed by Bloodborne, then the Dark Souls games.
Each one has it's pluses and minuses.. Personally Demon's is my favorite, followed by Bloodborne, then the Dark Souls games.
I agree with both Nioh and Salt and Sanctuary mentions. With Salt you will feel right at home coming from Souls. I needed to warm up to Nioh first. I don't like how it handles loot and it has too little enemy variety. But the level design is great, with many traps and secret paths for you to find. The Bosses are also great. Can't go wrong with either choice imo.
