Anticipation for FromSoftware’s next release is as hot as one of the developer’s beloved underground lava caves.Elden Ringwill be the Japanese behemoth’s first release during the latest console generation, and fans anticipate another twisted dark fantasy masterpiece.
However, with a slew of similar titles already on the market, fans may find themselves tiring of the often-imitated FromSoftware action RPG formula. WithElden Ring’s release finally on the horizon, it remains to be seen whether fans will be underwhelmed if the game decides to re-tread old ground.
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FromSoftware’s Famous ‘Soulslike’ Formula
FromSoftware’s 2009 masterwork,Demon’s Souls, established a gameplay foundation so successful that the developer has continued to iterate on in its subsequent 12 years of game releases. From the seminalDark Soulsto thesamurai-themedSekiro, fans and critics have showered FromSoftware with praise for its brutally difficult titles. Intricate structures force players to balance exploration with caution as their characters grow in strength, and gradually unveil more of the developer’s hauntingly beautiful, disturbing game worlds (as well as the infamously challenging boss battles).
This approach has proved so successful that countless other developers have been inspired to release similar games, with such titles so common that they’ve even attracted a newgenre label: “Soulslikes.“The question of exactly what constitutes a Soulslike game prompts some interesting discussion amongst fans. However, consensus has broadly settled around very high difficulty levels, rock solid bosses, and the presence of checkpoints that enable the player to heal and “bank” their character’s progress.
While distinct at the time, Soulslike mechanics are now so popular that there are a seemingly endless array of rival titles for fans to enjoy. These range fromThe Surge’s “Souls in space” setting, tohits likeMortal Shellthat introduce interesting additional gameplay twists. There are also a plethora of lower-budget indie titles likeBlasphemous, which choose to eschew 3D but still maintain Soulslike mechanics and aesthetics at its dark heart. These games so thoroughly proliferate digital stores that even hardcore fans who have beaten every FromSoftware title will struggle to work their way through such a well-stocked library of viable alternatives.
Why the Popularity of Soulslikes Could be Troublesome for Elden Ring
Despite the seemingly evergreen popularity of the Soulslike sub-genre, all good things must come to an end. Fans will eventually tire of similar game structure, just as they grew weary ofSpace Invadersclones and old-school side-scrolling brawlers.By the timeElden Ringis released, there is a risk that players are looking for something new, and it isn’t difficult to imagine critics’ enthusiasm for the game being tempered with accusations of some semblance of unoriginality. This would be hugely ironic, unfair, and unlikely given how innovative and groundbreaking the developer has always striven to be, but such is the price of runaway success.
However, there are reasons for fans to remain optimistic.Elden Ringhas promised a truly open-world experience, giving players more freedom to explore and progress in their own way through the game’s reportedly vast environment. This in itself would represent a departure from recent FromSoftware titles, which have been criticized for being more linear than its famously intricate and interconnected 2011 release,Dark Souls.
Furthermore, while many developers have sought to replicate FromSoftware’s success, a release from the genre originators and enduring masters will always attract more attention than an indie studio. The challenge of distinguishing itself from an ever-growing sea of imitators may serve to push FromSoftware to unprecedented levels of creativity and quality.
Fans eagerly await the game’s release in early 2022, when they will learn whetherElden RingreplacesDark Soulsas the jewel in FromSoftware’s blood-soaked crown, or whether it fails to live up to the hype. The popularity of the developer’s gameplay formula is abundantly evident, but it remains to be seen whether this success might also become FromSoftware’s downfall.
