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IGN: Why FromSoftware is the King of the Soulslike

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


Ask 10 people why they love From Software games and you'll probably receive 10 different answers, there are a few specific reasons why no other Soulslikes have come close to the heights FromSoftware regularly reaches.
 

DelireMan7

Member
Video title seems dumb but this quote is so true :

Ask 10 people why they love From Software games and you'll probably receive 10 different answers, there are a few specific reasons why no other Soulslikes have come close to the heights FromSoftware regularly reaches.

And other developers of "Soulslike" mainly focused only on one specific aspect (or definition) being more or less : "hard, stamina system"

Best "Soulslike" for me Hollow Knight even so it's nothing like a Soulsborne but still capture the essence of them (or least what make them so great to me).
 
But the question is legit, many developers tried to copy or reinterpret the genre and considering From made Dark Souls 2 it‘s a wonder no one, currently, surpassed their latest games.
 

DavidGzz

Member
I think you all are being unreasonable. PuBG was eclipsed by Fortnite even though it was the first battle royale. Someone could come and make a better Souls-like than From Software but none have yet. It's possible. The article says Souls-likes, not Souls games.

Next week we'll get "Why is Naughty Dog the best at making Uncharted Games..."

I mean, for many those games were better versions of Tomb Raider so good going on a good example.
 
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Drizzlehell

Banned
But the question is legit, many developers tried to copy or reinterpret the genre and considering From made Dark Souls 2 it‘s a wonder no one, currently, surpassed their latest games.
I'm really sick of people dogging on DS2. For fuck's sake, it's a game that's only marginally worse than the best games in the series but the bar that FS has set is so high that even at their worst they put out games that are light years ahead of any other crappy copycat.

Dark Souls 2 is an excellent game. Period.
 
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I'm really sick of people dogging on DS2. For fuck's sake, it's a game that's only marginally worse than the best games in the series but the bar that FS has set is so high that even at their worst they put out games that are light years ahead of any other crappy copycat.

Dark Souls 2 is an excellent game. Period.

It is way, way worse.
 
I'm really sick of people dogging on DS2. For fuck's sake, it's a game that's only marginally worse than the best games in the series but the bar that FS has set is so high that even at their worst they put out games that are light years ahead of any other crappy copycat.

Dark Souls 2 is an excellent game. Period.
it's complete dogshit. I'm sorry but it's true. I played every single game last year after Elden Ring and Dark Souls 2 is a clunky mess, and after the first 1/4 of the game it throws bad level after bad level at you. Harvest Valley. The Gutter. Black Gulch. Shaded Woods. Iron Keep. Shrine of Amana. Undead Crypt. Dragon Aerie. Dragon Shrine. So many levels that hurt me just to think about. edit: to be fair I'd still rather play it then Mortal Shell, or The Surge, or any of the other similar games that aren't made by Team Ninja. But is it good? No.
 
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Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I think other devs should focus less on trying to imitate FS and more time developing their own style and substance. If there's no founding ethos to your work, the main content will never be supported to the same level as FS titles.

It's also a shame, because not many other devs have this level of artistry in their work. I haven't been able to play a Ubisoft game since my first run through of DS1, as an example. Those Uni games just feel so hollow and soulless in comparison. There's no joy in the experience.

Firaxis is generally a good comparison in my mind. When I play the Civ series, I can feel the passion put into the games.

Probably also why I prefer indie titles over most AAA games too.
 
I'm hesistant to push the narrative of "soulslike" being it's own genre when it essentially fits into hack and slash. That's not even mentioning the fact that there were multiple melee action games released prior to the Souls franchise.
 

Dr_Salt

Member
I'm hesistant to push the narrative of "soulslike" being it's own genre when it essentially fits into hack and slash. That's not even mentioning the fact that there were multiple melee action games released prior to the Souls franchise.
When I think of hack and slash I think of games like Bayonetta, DMC and GoW. Soulslike games don't play anything similar to those other games.
 
When I think of hack and slash I think of games like Bayonetta, DMC and GoW. Soulslike games don't play anything similar to those other games.
So Souls games don't have an emphasis on melee combat with hacking and slash? Don't be foolish, it's a refinement on an already existing formula, but those refinements don't make it a brand new formula if you understands my meaning.
 

SolidQ

Member
Best "Soulslike" for me Hollow Knight even so it's nothing like a Soulsborne but still capture the essence of them (or least what make them so great to me).
Did you play Aeterna Noctis?
For me personally HK was too easy compared to AN
 

Dr_Salt

Member
So Souls games don't have an emphasis on melee combat with hacking and slash? Don't be foolish, it's a refinement on an already existing formula, but those refinements don't make it a brand new formula if you understands my meaning.
I don't remember any combos and air juggles in darksouls. Its not a refinement at all, its a whole different battle system. According to your logic then Chivalry, Mordhau and Soul Calibur are hack and slash games.

Edit: Nvm some of those are considered a sub genre of h&s games just not action h&s. I see your point.
 
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DelireMan7

Member
Did you play Aeterna Noctis?
For me personally HK was too easy compared to AN
Don't know about it. I am gonna check.

But again, "Souls" is not synonym of challenge/hard for me. Difficulty don't have much importance in my enjoyment of Souls game.
 

Drizzlehell

Banned
it's complete dogshit. I'm sorry but it's true. I played every single game last year after Elden Ring and Dark Souls 2 is a clunky mess, and after the first 1/4 of the game it throws bad level after bad level at you. Harvest Valley. The Gutter. Black Gulch. Shaded Woods. Iron Keep. Shrine of Amana. Undead Crypt. Dragon Aerie. Dragon Shrine. So many levels that hurt me just to think about. edit: to be fair I'd still rather play it then Mortal Shell, or The Surge, or any of the other similar games that aren't made by Team Ninja. But is it good? No.
No, it is an objectively great video game. It's just not as good when stacked against other FromSoft games. There's a difference.

Those games you mentioned, as well as many others that copy the formula, just don't have the same vibe to them and while most of them range from mediocre to decent, none of them manage to reach the kind of excellence that the real Souls games have, even Dark Souls 2. I don't deny that DS2 doesn't have problems but these aren't the kind of problems that would majorly detract from enjoying the game anyway. It would be like saying that DS1 was complete dogshit because last third of the game was rushed.
 
I don't remember any combos and air juggles in darksouls. Its not a refinement at all, its a whole different battle system. According to your logic then Chivalry, Mordhau and Soul Calibur are hack and slash games.
A different battle system doesn't make it an entirely new and original genre man, stop with that narrative. I would class Chivalry and Mordhau as hack and slash games as that's what they are. What would you call them?

Capture.png

Capture-2.png
 
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Gojiira

Member
A different battle system doesn't make it an entirely new and original genre man, stop with that narrative. I would class Chivalry and Mordhau as hack and slash games as that's what they are. What would you call them?



Idk man, HnS games are like Dynasty Warriors, all about mowing down hordes of enemies with very little mechanical depth.
If anything it seems modern audiences have rewritten the narrative otherwise, but games like DMC, Bayonetta, GoW, Souls as well are much more than button mashers and so really arent by definition the same genre.
 
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SeraphJan

Member
What next? Why Nintendo is the king of Zelda-like?

They literally invented (and perfected) the genre
 
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Dr_Salt

Member
A different battle system doesn't make it an entirely new and original genre man, stop with that narrative. I would class Chivalry and Mordhau as hack and slash games as that's what they are. What would you call them?



The game's battle system can make it a different game. Why would soul calibur not be a h&s if they are hacking and slashing with weapons and it is focused on meele combat.

I see your point on soulslike games tho. I guess you can argue they are h&s games.
 
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