Soulslike: definition of the term and well-known genre representative

"Soulslike" is a term from the gaming scene and comes from the so-called "Souls games". In this article you will find out exactly where the term comes from and which other genre representatives there are.

Soulslike - that's the reason

The term "Soulslike" goes back to the well-known games Dark Souls and Demon's Souls and has meanwhile become an independent genre name.

• Demon's Souls was released in 2009 by the Japanese game developer From Software exclusively for the PlayStation 2. Following on from this, the game "Dark Souls" came onto the market in 2011.
• In terms of content, the two games had nothing to do with each other, but Dark Souls is described as the spiritual successor to Demon's Souls. Aside from the dark atmosphere, the games offer some gameplay elements that have never existed before.
• For each defeated monster, the player receives souls that serve as a means of payment: on the one hand for items, and on the other hand to improve the character. In addition, the storage locations are represented by campfires, which are used for resting but also for leveling up.
• While there were all sorts of healing items in Demon's Souls that had to be used sparingly, Dark Souls introduced the Estus bottle - which eventually became a characteristic element of the genre.
• This only has a certain number of loads that you can only restore if you rest at the campfire. But be careful - when using the campfire, all enemies (except the boss monsters) are revived.
• What is particularly attractive for some and particularly nerve-wracking for other players: The Souls games are characterized by a very high level of difficulty. It is often enough if an opponent can land a hit so that the game is over.
• Last but not least, the focus on the big boss monsters at the end of an area is a hallmark of Soulslike games. Here the player is often faced with particularly tricky challenges, for which he has to carefully study the bosses' movements and attacks.

Examples of Soulslike games

After the great success of Dark Souls, there were game developers From Software that continued to stick to their formula, but also other developers who wanted to try the new genre. There are now many such games, here are some examples:

• The game Lords of the Fallen is an RPG from 2014. You play the criminal Harkyn, who is supposed to fight the Rhogar on behalf of the human ruler Antanas in order to atone for his misdeeds. This is a demonic warrior race that wants to conquer the world.
• Bloodborne is also a "Soulslike" game from 2015, which was also developed by From Software. This game is most similar to the original Souls games, which is why it is considered to be their spiritual successor - some gamers even speak of the "Soulsborne" genre.
• The player goes to the mystical city of Yharnam, where, as a sick pilgrim, he wants to find a cure for his suffering. However, he finds that an epidemic has turned most residents into aggressive monsters.
• One of the latest games in the genre is Sekiro - Shadows die twice from 2019 - also from From Software. This appeared for the PC, the PS4 and the Xbox One. It is a fantasy game, but based on the Japanese Sengoku period. There, the player embodies an expelled Shinobi who tries to wrest his former master from the claws of his kidnappers.
• The Nioh game also belongs to this category. Similar to Sekiro, it takes place in feudal Japan during the Sengoku period. All sorts of human and mystical opponents await you in this role-playing game, for example the Yokai. These are demon-like creatures from Japanese mythology.
• The last example presented is Code Vein. Here the player goes into a dark, post-apocalyptic dystopia and has to deal with vampires. The focus here is on the characters' supernatural abilities and the consumption of blood.