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Of all the "Souls-like" games, which one is the best? (Mod edit: Read OP)
- Thread starter MajulaDream
- Start date
For me, it's Salt and Sanctuary. It's a 2D ripoff, but a fun one. (If you like this, you may want to try Apotheon, even if it's not really a Souls like.)
The only other Souls like I have played is Lords of the Fallen, and it wasn't really to my liking.
The only other Souls like I have played is Lords of the Fallen, and it wasn't really to my liking.
The only game that comes close is NioH, but that game has its fair share of problems and doesn't really compare to Souls games at all. The combat is good but not great, everything else is meh.
Lords of the Fallen is pretty bad and Salt and Sanctuary is just straight up awful. I don't think I've played any others.
Lords of the Fallen is pretty bad and Salt and Sanctuary is just straight up awful. I don't think I've played any others.
Tried Nioh, Salt and Sanctuary and Surge. None of them are remotely as good as the souls games, I wish they were.
Hollow Knight is different enough to warrant a look.
For me I will say Dead Cells. Has amazing combat--some of the best feeling 2D melee combat you can find--and is one of the most fun implementations of a roguelite gameplay loop IMO.
Going to put that game on my buy like for Switch! Look some vids, and it look pretty darn fun and amazing. Christ, im even thinking it look better in some ways than Cuphead with the visual style.
Nioh is probably the best Soulslike, but let it die is dope too.. cant sleep on the surge either cause it's a good game as well.
I got em all, and looking forward to Code Vein.
I got em all, and looking forward to Code Vein.
It isn't, It's a metroidvania and a very good one. It has an intricately connected world and a somber tone and that's all it really has in common with Souls, which are pretty standard things for a metroidvania. Edit: It also has friendly NPC littered throughout the world which as you probably know is also a standard of metroidvania's.
I can't believe that mods have to make it clear that Souls-like is not from FROM Software.
Anyway, it's obviously Nioh.
Anyway, it's obviously Nioh.
The world design and encounter design are pretty Souls-like. The ''bonfire'' system is also pretty similar with benches that you can rest in HK.
The combat isn't quite as slow as souls but it's the same approach where you really have to pay attention since any basic enemy can kill you. It also uses the same death system where you have to go back and collect your ''souls''. No RPG stats but there's the charms system where you can find and equip charms that alter your attacks or spells or give you useful things that would help you explore.
It's a metrovania at heart but it shares some design elements from Souls and it's by far the best ''Souls like''. The overall atmosphere is also pretty similar to souls that gives you that loneliness and dread feeling and imo does it better then Souls.
Going in this 100% blind is one of the best experiences on the market right now. I highly recommand it.
Salt & Sanctuary and Nioh are easily the best of the 'Souls-like' games. I'm hanging out for more 2D Souls-likes – Eitr & Death's Gambit both look amazing from what's been shown - I wish they'd both hurry up and announce release dates, seems like they've both been 'coming soon' for ages.
I want to try Nioh at some point. I bet I'd like it.
Since I haven't tried that one, Salt & Sanctuary is my answer. It's an awesome game. I don't think it has the same sense of exploration that, say, Dark Souls has, but everything else about it is great.
Since I haven't tried that one, Salt & Sanctuary is my answer. It's an awesome game. I don't think it has the same sense of exploration that, say, Dark Souls has, but everything else about it is great.
Lords of the Fallen is still the king of Soulsclones. I've only played the demo for The Surge but it was pretty good too.
I've tried to describe why I feel they fit but I always struggle. It reminds me of how someone might struggle to adequately describe the "Nintendo magic". It is something I feel when I'm playing it and it isn't something I can discover without having played the game.
I previously wrote
Mechanically you could say that it still requires pattern recognition and certainly a degree of methodical combat. What accessories you bring into a boss fight or when to heal. It isn't hard to see influences in these games. The healing animation in Momodora looks like she is using a Blood Vial.
Nioh.
I had so much fun with that game.
Mixing Souls with Diablo-style loot was a perfect match.
I had so much fun with that game.
Mixing Souls with Diablo-style loot was a perfect match.
Most of these things are standards featured in Metroidvanias which the Souls series took influence from. For example the bonfires are really just the equivalent of Metroids save stations and mechanically they are identical. Then look at things like, level design, combat focus, progression. They are all standards you find in metroivania's. What sets the Souls series apart from being a 3D metroidvania is that they are action-RPG's and the systems (damage, health, equipment, loot) in place that affects the gameplay and how they are implemented in such a cohesive manner then feed back into other elements that aren't gameplay focused.
For me, personally, Nioh has been the best of the bunch I've played thus far. It was clearly influenced by the Souls series of games, but also didn't go for a beat for beat copy of that style, and introduced elements to the genre's mechanics that I really love. Bloodborne is my favorite of the From Software games, and Nioh is damn good and has a similar fast paced combat design that the Souls games do not. It can be frustrating, just like Souls games, but overall, it's fantastic. I also love the setting, even if I don't like the main character. The visuals and art design are top notch. I also really liked what I played of Salt and Sanctuary, I just haven't been able to sink more time into it beyond a few hours.
It's the only other game to capture the essence of the Souls games. The oppressive Gothic atmosphere, the layered complex world that grows darker and more haunting the deeper you descend, the meticulously constructed level design that connects regions in fascinating ways through both location and lore, the cryptic yet intriguing story and how the story is revealed through level design, secrets, characters, and so on, the compelling NPCs that can reveal a lot through only a few words and their design and their place in the world, the sense of mastery and overcoming challenge, the tight controls, the exploration and feeling of learning a map that Dark Souls and Bloodborne did so well, all with its own unique style, aesthetic, and lore
I don't know if you are agreeing with me or disagreeing or simply making an observation of sorts. My main reasons for including them were more than the mechanical similarities any way but the fact that the souls series took inspiration from Metroidvanias makes it even easier to see some similarities and inspirations going both ways. That said, there is reason I name Hollow Knight and Momodora but not every Metroidvania under the sun.
Nah.. I don't like such blanket statements as this. You can't just say the souls series took influence from Metroidvanias. Which ones? Was it Metroid? Or Castlevania?... was it some other 2D side scroller the series has taken influence from?
Hmm.. or was it Kings Field that has been doing what your paragraph describes waaay before the hundreds of titles that cover the Metroidvania genre that could have also inspired some of those 2D games as well?
The souls design has been in their DNA for a long time bud.
Edit: but to your credit, Metroid was just one of those games that help shape the industry as we know it. Many of games took or taken influence from it, so you are right. :)
Hollow Knight is not I consider like a Souls game. It's a good Metroidvania, but labelling it a Souls-like is far-fetched. That's like saying Cuphead is Souls-like.
Hollow Knight's storytelling often reminded me of Souls like no other game that has tried, could. Don't sleep on it.
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No it's not lol.
Unlike HK, Cuphead doesn't share a single thing with Souls games. It's a run and gun game with very light plaforming with emphasis on boss battles and trial and error.
It's been said many times over, while HK isn't a souls games nor is in the same genre, that it has it's fair share of elements that are very similar to Souls such as world design, encounter design, healing, death penaltie, NPCs , vague lore and the story being told trough the world and items, etc and many more.
OP
OP
I'm learning there are several different criteria people use to define "Souls-like" than I had realized.
For some its about the mechanics, the stamina management, the difficulty.
Then for some its just about exploration and atmosphere.
Responses have been quite interesting :)
Me personally I look at souls-like games as having a twist on the "death" mechanics. Collecting XP, losing upon death, and having a chance to reclaim is a rush I enjoy about Souls games.
Its clear we need more "souls-like" games to release to broaden the discussion lol.
For some its about the mechanics, the stamina management, the difficulty.
Then for some its just about exploration and atmosphere.
Responses have been quite interesting :)
Me personally I look at souls-like games as having a twist on the "death" mechanics. Collecting XP, losing upon death, and having a chance to reclaim is a rush I enjoy about Souls games.
Its clear we need more "souls-like" games to release to broaden the discussion lol.
People here really don't read, do they? OP specifically says NON From Software games, and over half the posts all say Bloodborne.
Anyway, back to it:
-Nioh
-Salt & Sanctuary
-Lords of the Fallen
-DarkMaus
These are the only ones I played. Pretty sure there are a lot more out there.
Anyway, back to it:
-Nioh
-Salt & Sanctuary
-Lords of the Fallen
-DarkMaus
These are the only ones I played. Pretty sure there are a lot more out there.
A Activision or EA game with microtransaction and you have to avoid them all. The difficulty level is high that I had to quit the game out of fustration
You know, when some people don't even know what we're talking about...
Fully agreed. To me Hollow Knight feels more like a Souls game than most other games touted as Souls-like.