Souls-like, whose name is an homage to the Dark Souls trilogy that spawned it, is as iconic as well known. And for good measure, because when Dark Souls hit the gaming scene in 2011, its unique design and challenge was nearly unheard of. Since then, souls-like games have come and gone and are punctuated by their interconnected worlds, RPG systems, deliberately measured combat, and challenging, spectacle boss fights. However, at some point in time, the genre became flooded with games that don’t do enough to differentiate themselves and innovate on the formula. Let’s explore why the souls-like genre needs a break.
Since 2011, FromSoftware has dominated the souls-like space with their Dark Souls franchise. So much so that after Dark Souls and Bloodborne became well known, it wasn’t uncommon to categorize a FromSoftware game as its own genre—Souls-borne. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that sentiment could be felt in later titles that Dark Souls inspired.