When it comes to the gloom,Mortal Shellis quite effective at portraying it. As a ghoulish entity, your goal is to possess the bodies of a select few fallen soldiers in order to defend yourself. You’ll be traversing a relatively contained dark fantasy realm with monsters and dangerous figures lurking around every corner.
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As you try to retrieve the key items from the dungeons, death is a very real threat and checkpoints are few and far between. A solid representation of the Soulslike genre, there are plenty of other titles that give a similar type of challenge if this one is not enough for you.
8Thymesia
The theme of plagues sweeping over the land is quite common in games, especially fantasy lands. InThymesia, one such plague has spread far and wide, transforming the citizens into monstrous creatures. As the only doctor capable of curing this mysterious plague, you’ll need to comb through your memories in order to understand the plague.
You’ll explore various regions as you quest to collect the ingredients needed for a cure. Thankfully, the doctor is a skilled fighter able to wield the power of the plague, learn new skills, and steal the weapons of almost every enemy he encounters.
7Demon’s Souls
If you’re planning to get into the Soulslike genre, why not play the game that started it all? FromSoftware hit unexpected gold when they releasedDemon’s Souls. As a fearless adventurer, you’re sent into the lost kingdom of Boletaria in order to restore it from the hell that the king has made it.
Unfortunately, this means that you’ll have to clear out a number of powerful demons that have taken up residence in different areas. On top of that, each time you fall, you’ll be sent back to the ethereal world of the Nexus with a noticeable penalty to your health. Should you persevere, you’ll achieve a satisfying victory.
6The Last Hero Of Nostalgia
It’s very difficult to make games humorous, so often times the humor will just be woven into the gameplay. That’s the deal with The Last Hero Of Nostalgia, which is a modern Soulslike game that references 3D fantasygames of old.
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Things start off by giving you the option to make your own custom character who will be sent off to face certain doom. The game promises “death at every turn” and it delivers. Enemies will swarm you frequently, and you’ll encounter bosses that are designed to catch you off guard. At least the humor can provide some relief.
5Nioh
Japanese mythology is one of the most popular themes across all media and gaming is no different. It has lent itself to multiple titles and series, but one of the largest begins withNioh. As an English soldier who travels to Japan, you’ll quickly find yourself embroiled in a fantastical quest of epic proportions.
Though you’ll fight a lot of human soldiers who have no qualms about overwhelming you with sheer numbers, it’s the evil yokai that poses the bigger threat. These evil spirits stand in the way of your journey, so use every weapon, skill, and power you have at your disposal to hunt them down.
Sometimes a being is simply driven by curiosity because they have nothing better to do. This is what’s happening inDead Cellswhich follows the adventures of a nameless and formless blob. Despite all the colorful and animated trailers and promotional videos for the game, it’s not nearly as light-hearted as it might appear.
It is certainly vibrant with a range of enemies and magic visuals as well as massive bosses. In addition to all the weapons and power-ups that you can collect, this game also comes with an extension that allows other people to manipulate elements and even give the boss directions.
3Blasphemous
Spain has a wide range of history and was heavily affected by the Inquisition. It showed a truly brutal and horrifying side to humanity which is reflected inBlasphemous. As a devoted soldier who awakens in a dark and dying world, your goal is to save whatever’s left of it by hunting the entities that plague it.
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You’ll receive aid from a number of twisted and haunting figures as you travel to hunt down bosses that are even more so. Your own blood plays a role in granting you otherworldly power as you improve your sword and combat skills.
2The Surge
There’s a lot of speculation on what it would be liketo have cybernetics. Many stories have covered this and the game The Surge treats it in a very particular way. In a doomed world, the people that remain are looking to a mega-corporation to save them and restore the world. As someone involved with the company, you find yourself with a cybernetic exoskeleton fused to your body.
As you fight through this post-apocalyptic sci-fi world, you’ll come across other people with exoskeletons who are not happy to see you. Use your new parts to fight them off and take whatever pieces you want for yourself to upgrade and take on tougher opponents.
1Salt And Sanctuary
Soulslike games are rarely a pleasing experience and tend to lean towards the darker side of the spectrum. This is obvious in Salt And Sanctuary before you even start playing. This graphic 2D game puts you into the role of a helpless soul who washes up on a dangerous island covered in shadow.
As you explore and get your bearing, you’ll find that most things that are moving want you dead. By fighting your way through theseenemies and bosses, you’ll quickly stain what remains on this island with blood and bodies as you try to stay alive long enough to find out where you are and why you are there.
