Original title: “I’m Tired of the Same Problem in Every Soulslike Game”
So many Soulslikes fall into the same pattern of making their world bleak and depressing. Devoid of color and suffocating the player in overwhelming melancholy. Dark fantasy has become almost synonymous with Soulslike games, and it’s time for a change.
Boot up almost any Soulslike game and you’ll be greeted with a decaying dark fantasy world. The crumbling castles of Dark Souls, the grotesque gothic world of Bloodborne, and the ashen landscapes of Elden Ring exude dread that has become one with the genre. These settings heighten the tension and stakes, but ultimately, all start to feel the same. Even when the setting isn’t directly dark fantasy, the muted color palettes make it hard for Soulslikes to stand out.
[…] Challenge and punishing combat do not mean a game’s visuals have to be dreary. Because of this, players are drowning in sameness within the genre.
[…] But what worked for FromSoftware doesn’t necessarily mean it works for every developer. The studio tied the bleakness of the world into the gameplay itself. Other games not only take inspiration from this, but live by it. So many Soulslikes create their own dark fantasy world, but it becomes hard to tell them apart from one another. Lords of the Fallen is guilty of this, and it takes away from the overall success of the title.
Even when games aim for a different setting, such as Lies of P or Wuchang: Fallen Feather, they fall into the same trap of bleakness. Players are constantly dropped into these dying worlds that could just be reskins of FromSoftware’s works. While the ideas are different, the atmosphere and vibe feel too familiar and hold the genre back. To truly stand out, developers need to experiment and move away from the same old concept.
The things most missing from Soulslike games are color and life. Hardly any game in the genre deviates from dreary and monotonous worlds. Challenge can still exist in brightly colored worlds. Experimenting with alien landscapes or surreal dreamscapes would make a Soulslike game stand out. Something like Another Crab’s Treasure is the perfect example of how a game can lean into vibrant colors and humor while still offering players the difficulty of the genre.
What’s more, the contrast would be more impactful. Walking into a sunny meadow with a difficult boss fight would surprise players. What appears to be a safe spot actually contains a threat that hinders progress. Alternatively, a neon-lit city would be perfect for a cyberpunk Soulslike game. Diverting from bleak backdrops and environments is an easy way to differentiate a game from other Soulslike titles.
That’s actually not something I’ve thought about before. But yea, lots of soulslikes use this very dreary and dark aesthetic - be it FS or other studios inspired by them.
Do you mind? Is that a core pillar of the genre to you? I guess it’s just part of the genre for me.
The author is beeing narrow minded and failing to see that there’s beauty in these worlds inspite of everything wrong with them. And that the “world is wrong” is been the narrative device under which this type if game was developed, so it’s logical that it has been done a lot.
There’s lots of beautiful and colorful landscapes in Elden Ring (even the underground, fake night sky ffs!) , also in DS1, (although maybe not as colorful) there’s life in the forests, in the crystal cave… Like, are they blind? there is also beauty in the architecture of Lies of P and Bloodborne, even if the atmosphere is a bit more monotonous in those.
Even though I’m all for the dark, dreary vibes, I’m down for games that explore other settings, what Lies of P teases at the end is a prime example !
Tap for spoiler
A soulslike set in the wizard of oz world, where you play as Dorothy? Fuck yes, sign me up for that
Edit: in the end I feel that the author lacks the maturity to realize that there are other factors at play shaping his experience and is equating everything to a visual design problem. Which is a shame. Maybe some settings have been overdone, ( medieval, for example) and that’s where diversification is needed in my opinion.
Your spoiler sounds great, and for some reason gave me another idea: what’s American McGee up to these days? How about we get Alice 3: This Time It’s A Soulslike? I think that could honestly be dope. The absurdity of the setting even fits perfectly with the standard fare cryptic quests!
The Alice IP belongs to EA, so there is literally no way for another Alice entry to come out unless EA get their heads out of their asses. An entire pitch, portfolio and whatnot have been presented to EA, but they declined. But they also don’t want to give the IP to a different company or to American McGee. Shame.
Ah I didn’t know or maybe had forgotten that. Shame indeed.
Boo nevermind my previous coment, but I feel regardless we will see some type of adaptation of other stories along this lines. At least I really hope that the spoiler I shared comes to life.
It’s likely. Neowiz outlined their roadmap for upcoming projects and a Lies of P sequel is slated to come out in 2026. Not sure if that’s realistic, maybe it’ll just be a teaser or trailer, but it’s definitely in the pipeline for them. And it’s very likely that it’ll be what’s alluded to in the final cutscene
Awesome! Next year doesn’t sound likely but as you said, a trailer or something to get excited about.
That would also be very cool! Lots of interesting posibilities for art direction as well!