Soulslike
A subgenre of action RPGs emphasizing difficulty and environmental storytelling.
Last updated
13akoors · via Wikipedia: Soulslike · CC0
Repeated player character death is a typical and expected part of the high difficulty in Soulslike games, where progress like collected items and defeated bosses is often retained after death.[1] A lack of direct storytelling and extensive worldbuilding are common features of these games, with a compelling world cited as key to motivating player exploration.[2]
Quick Facts
- Field
- Video game subgenre
- Originator
- FromSoftware and Hidetaka Miyazaki
- First game
- Demon's Souls (2009)
- Name derived from
- Dark Souls trilogy (2011–2016)
Facts from the source article.
Making and release
Soulslike games usually have ways to permanently improve the player character's abilities to progress further, often using a currency that can be earned and spent.[1] Many Soulslike games use checkpoint systems associated with the bonfires of Dark Souls.[3] Combat in Soulslike games may be methodical, requiring the player to monitor stamina to avoid overexertion of their character.[4] Design conventions like tough combat, dangerous settings, few checkpoints, and resources that can be regained after being lost upon death were established and popularized by these games.[5]
Respawn or recovery points, which may also enable leveling up or fast travel, are the typical function of these checkpoints.[3] Bloodborne and Elden Ring, later FromSoftware titles, are also frequently mentioned in discussions about the Soulslike genre.[5]
What the cited sources add
Coscia stated that Soulslike games typically have a checkpoint mechanic similar to Dark Souls' bonfires which bridge the gap between combat instances and safe zones.[6] Coscia also noted that Soulslike combat is characterized by stamina meters, which force players to strategize in a fight.[6] Kiron Ramdewar of Mortal Shell publisher Playstack believes that "the better Souls-likes have a sense of loneliness and overbearing struggle that almost oppresses the player".[7] James Silva, the lead on Salt and Sanctuary, pointed to "deliberate and meaningful exploration" as a key element of Soulslike games.[7]
References
- Wikipedia, "Soulslike" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Prescott, "The best Souls-like games on PC", April 11, 2019; "The Best Soulslike Games", IGN, 11 February 2021; Stuart, "Dungeon crawler or looter shooter? Nine video game genres explained", The Guardian, October 11, 2021; Kunzelman, "Hybrid Play: Crossing Boundaries in Game Design, Players Identities and Play Spaces", Taylor & Francis, 2020, p. 58 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Soulslike" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wood, "The 'Souls-like' label needs to die", PC Gamer, 2017-08-19 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Soulslike" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Biggerstaff, "Elden Ring Sites Of Grace: All Grace locations in Elden Ring", Rock, Paper, Shotgun, 2022-04-12; Coscia, "What Makes a Game a Soulslike?", CBR, 2021-08-28; Cameron, "Cheating Death: Accommodating player failure and recovery", Gamasutra, April 9, 2015 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Soulslike" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wood, "What the hell is a Souls-like? Game devs break down FromSoftware's accidental genre", GamesRadar, 22 February 2022; "The Best Soulslike Games", IGN, 11 February 2021; Kunzelman, "Hybrid Play: Crossing Boundaries in Game Design, Players Identities and Play Spaces", Taylor & Francis, 2020, p. 58 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Soulslike" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Stuart, "Dungeon crawler or looter shooter? Nine video game genres explained", The Guardian, October 11, 2021; Wood, "What the hell is a Souls-like? Game devs break down FromSoftware's accidental genre", GamesRadar, 22 February 2022; Wildgoose, "Painfully Difficult: From Software's 30+ Year Journey From PS1 to Elden Ring", IGN, 7 March 2022 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Coscia, "What Makes a Game a Soulslike?", CBR, 2021-08-28. facts only, no text reused. cbr.com
- Wood, "What the hell is a Souls-like? Game devs break down FromSoftware's accidental genre", GamesRadar, 22 February 2022. facts only, no text reused. gamesradar.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Soulslike (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
Also in the Codexery
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Soulslike (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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