this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2025
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Soulslike - Discussion, News, Memes

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This is a community for discussion, news, and memes pertaining to the video game sub-genre "soulslike".

Given Lemmy's size, the definition of soulslike may be treated relatively loosely. While games like the numerous FromSoft titles, the recent Star Wars Jedi games, Lies of P, Nioh and similar games should be the focus, games that incorporate soulslike elements - like Hollow Knight and Blasphemous, for example - may also be discussed here.

Basic Lemmy-quette applies. Additionally, since flairs don't exist yet, please do make sure to include a marker to denote what game your post is about in square brackets for clarity's sake. An example could be:

[BB] This enemy is so difficult!

or

[DS1] Anyone struggling with the gargoyles?

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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

I've been playing The Last Faith, which is basically someone's 2D Metroidvania BB fan game. I also played Lies of P and should probably finish it as its an excellent game in its own right.

But it is also a BB clone, and what I've learned from the clones is that BB (and FromSoft soulslikes in general to some extent) are absolutely lightning-in-a-bottle games. I don't think we'll see another BB or even another Elden Ring, because getting all the aspects right is insane to pull off.

Its not just good gameplay, which is tough but i think somewhat straightforward to copy. Lies of P is probably better, mechanically, than BB and does a lot right that other clones mess up. But BB wasn't just copying, it took the template laid out by DaS and DeS, made them faster and more aggressive. The "gun parry" is unique and an interesting new take on high-risk and reward defense.

The lore is also really hard to do right. Blasphemous 1 and 2 skate a fine line between being wonderfully spooky dark fantasy and incomprehensible piles of word salad. Last Faith and LoP are somewhat more straightforward but that makes the lore kind of dull and filled with basically meaningless names. OK, instead of blood vials or estus we got healing injections. "Formulated by the Sisters of Sanguinity to heal the sick but what if the healing juice was actually making people monsters!?" ๐Ÿ™‰ Even the items snd descriptions feel cribbed off From's homework.

I mean, I see why fans just want a PC remaster. There doesn't seem like much you could do with a spin-off or sequel other than water down it's legacy. Better to take their core competencies and apply then to a new genre or theme. Like how BB was gothic DS. Or ER was open world DS. Or Sekeiro was Japanese DS. They could do a goth steampunk Armored Core, that would be pretty novel?!