Slashy Souls
Endless runner tie-in to Dark Souls III, widely criticized.
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Slashy Souls is an endless runner game created and released by Bandai Namco Entertainment as a promotional project for *Dark Souls III*, with funding from GameStop. It launched on iOS and Android on February 28, 2016. Critics heavily criticized it for having shallow gameplay, expressing disappointment that it failed to make good use of the rich source material from the *Dark Souls* series.
In the game, players control a random adventurer and must survive as long as possible while the screen scrolls automatically. They can use melee attacks and spells to fight enemies, and occasionally face bosses inspired by those in *Dark Souls*. The player’s score increases the further they progress.
Reviews were largely negative. Rob Rich of Gamezebo gave it 2/5 stars, praising the pixel art but calling the gameplay poorly executed. He noted that the game “almost completely falls apart” during play, lacks a tutorial or control explanation, and suffers from buggy hit detection where attacks often miss. He also mentioned other bugs, like the death screen persisting after restarting. Given its connection to *Dark Souls*, he said he “was expecting something better.”
Chris Carter of Destructoid rated it 1/10, stating it “disgraces the Souls name” and is “better left in the digital trash bin.” He found the controls responsive but said every other aspect was poorly done, with “no nuance.” He emphasized that there was “almost nothing authentic” about the game and urged players not to blame FromSoftware for its creation.
Thomas Ella of Hardcore Gamer compared it unfavorably to other tie-ins like *Fallout Shelter*, saying the concept could work if executed well but instead came off as a “soulless cash-in.” He called the game “antithetical” to the *Souls* formula, since the main series punishes reckless rushing, while *Slashy Souls* encourages it and omits core mechanics like the “corpse run” to retrieve a Bloodstain. Sam Prell of GamesRadar+ noted that the game’s references to the *Souls* series were “mostly superficial in nature” and lacked the “depth or satisfying combat” of a main title.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Released
- February 28, 2016
- Platforms
- iOS, Android
- Series
- Dark Souls
- Genre
- Endless runner
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Slashy Souls is an endless runner in which players attempt to survive as long as possible while the game automatically scrolls ahead. The player controls a random adventurer who can use melee attacks and spells to defeat enemies. The game occasionally features bosses styled after those from the Dark Souls series. The further the player progresses, the more their total score increases.
The game was released as a promotional tie-in to Dark Souls III, funded by GameStop. Reviewers noted that the game lacked a tutorial or explanation for the controls, and its hit detection was buggy, with many hits not connecting properly. Additional bugs included the death screen remaining visible when the game was restarted.
Critics compared the game unfavorably to other tie-ins like Fallout Shelter, calling it a "soulless cash-in" and noting that its emphasis on blindly running into danger was antithetical to the Souls formula, which punishes such behavior. The game did not duplicate core mechanics of the series, such as the "corpse run" to retrieve a Bloodstain. Callbacks to the Souls series were described as mostly superficial.
Reader's Guide
Slashy Souls holds significance primarily as a cautionary example of a poorly executed promotional tie-in. Despite the strong reputation of the Dark Souls series, the game was widely panned for its shallow gameplay, lack of tutorial, buggy hit detection, and other technical issues. Reviewers from outlets such as Gamezebo, Destructoid, Hardcore Gamer, and GamesRadar+ all criticized the game, with scores as low as 1/10. The game's failure to incorporate core mechanics of the Souls series, such as the corpse run or the emphasis on careful play, led to accusations that it disgraced the Souls name. Its legacy is that of a missed opportunity, where a potentially good idea was executed poorly, resulting in a product that reviewers described as better left in the digital trash bin. The game is remembered for being antithetical to the very franchise it was meant to promote.
Did You Know?
- Slashy Souls was funded by GameStop as a promotional tie-in to Dark Souls III.
- The game was released for iOS and Android on February 28, 2016.
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