Threads
- The Souls-like genre’s recent popularity has led to market saturation and fatigue from too many similar titles.
- Publishers should focus on their unique strengths instead of copying popular trends.
- Phantom Blade Zero stands out with satisfying combat and approachable difficulty, showcasing the potential for innovation.
The Souls-like genre has boomed in recent years, thanks to games like Sekiro: Shadow Die Twice and Elden Ring. While it has always had a solid reputation within the industry from the early days of Dark Souls, it wasn’t until recently that it became properly mainstream.
As such, every publisher has started to chase the trends by putting out their take on the formula. This has led to an increasing number of Souls-like being released recently, leaving the market saturated.
Despite recent success stories like Stellar Blade and Lies of P, I find most of these to be uninspired. I think it’s time for studios to move on from this trend and offer something more unique.
Why it matters: Most Souls-likes fall into a similar trap. They fail to live up to FromSoftware’s quality and come across as copies rather than originals.
The FromSoftware Influence
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that FromSoftware has become one of the most influential developers in recent years, even though some of the most beloved studios, e.g., Rocksteady, have recently become shells of their former selves.
FromSoftware has yet to release a bad title in the last decade. This team is best known for Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and more, making a name for itself through punishing gameplay, worlds with rich atmospheres, and various other concepts blended together for exciting experiences.
FromSoftware’s influence has spread deep within the industry and goes beyond the Soul-like genre. Even the Little Kitty, Big City developers admitted that FromSoftware inspired their level design.
However, this influence has also led to negative impacts. Compared to a decade ago, too many releases aim to replicate the developer’s success.
Souls-Like Genre Fatigue
If you’ve ever heard anything about open-world fatigue, you’ll know what I’m about to say. Open-world games became tiring because there were too many of them. The same is happening with Souls-likes.
First of all, this genre isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. These games are incredibly hard and bring out all of your frustration. Despite that, Elden Ring sold over 25 million copies, but not everyone can deliver quality like FromSoftware.
Even FromSoftware’s latest DLC was review-bombed over excessive difficulty. Therefore, replicating the formula is far from easy. There’s also a case to be made for a lack of variety in this instance.
A thing can only be fun so many times before it gets played out. Many people, including myself, have grown tired of playing Souls-likes over and over. I don’t always want to go through a frustrating experience, but everywhere I look, there’s a Souls-like or two.
In my opinion, there needs to be a balance. The genre should not disappear altogether. Instead, developers should focus on quality instead of quantity.
How Phantom Blade Zero Stands Out
Phantom Blade Zero is a title that I’m desperately waiting for. The influence of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in the gameplay is undeniable, but Phantom Blade Zero offers linear gameplay.
It focuses on combos more than others in the genre, making it similar to a Devil May Cry spin-off. The game also features other Souls-like elements, but it isn’t meant to be hard from the beginning.
Phantom Blade: Zero is shaping up to be incredible, and I speculate it will end up as a mainstream title for every gamer, whether casual or not.
Nonetheless, I hope this trend changes quickly in the industry and publishers innovate instead of following what’s already popular. Black Myth: Wukong is another upcoming release that seems to be deviating from the trend, so I’m hopeful others will do the same.
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[News Reporter]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheer@tech4gamers.com
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