FromSoftware Should Let Go Of Soulsborne Titles Once In A While

It’s been nearly 30 years since FromSoftware entered the video game industry with its debut title. It took the studio almost 50 major releases across various platforms to refine their craft and pioneer the now-iconic ‘Souls’ genre. Hidetaka Miyazaki’s ingenious Soulsborne formula proved immensely successful, allowing the company to produce high-quality games within a few years.

Their latest Soulsborne release, Elden Ring, epitomizes the culmination of their efforts, blending elements from past titles to create a universally acclaimed masterpiece. Yet, as the years go by, it seems as though FromSoft’s development via their Soulsborne titles proved fruitful in games even outside the space, showing they’re still as adaptable as they were back when Demon’s Souls came out.

FromSoftware’s Versatile Mastery Beyond Soulsborne

The widespread impact of the Soulsborne genre is evident in the abundance of similar titles developed by AAA studios and indie developers. While I deeply admire the games, I believe the studio possesses the versatility to create titles beyond the confines of linear or open-world RPGs.

For example, Sekiro and Armored Core 6 are both brilliant but niche releases. Combat stands out as the defining feature of these games, and it is expertly crafted to the point where it can overshadow other action titles entirely. The exhilaration of executing split-second deflections or evading enemy projectiles with limited resources truly sets these games apart.

That Hitbox though.
byu/edmund_94 inSekiro

What Sekiro Achieved, Others Couldn’t

When I first saw the trailer for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, released in 2019, I got the gist that the game is another entry in the Soulsborne genre until I played it myself, and oh boy, I couldn’t be more wrong. Sekiro is a unique experience, and the combat is half the fun without the prosthetic tools that are available in your arsenal—something alien to our traditional Soulsborne formula.

For me, the Prosthetic Tools turned the tide in many boss fights, which is not even the best part of the game. The game’s distinctive feature lies in its refusal to allow players to grind their way to victory, ensuring a deeply immersive experience and satisfaction after parrying an obnoxious enemy and landing a killing blow.

This unique approach has left players with mixed opinions; you will either love it or hate it. Yet, I believe there is an undeniable thrill in mastering the art of deflection, a skill that propels players through the game’s formidable challenges and leaves them craving more.

Armored Core 6 Will Make You Crave More

I am not a mecha fan, be it media or video games, but I had to try Armored Core 6 as a FromSoftware fan. As a result, I was decimated by my expectations from Miyazaki’s recent title despite my best efforts to believe the contrary. The sheer thrill I had after defeating the first boss was something I had been looking for in most of the games for a long time.

That being said, Armored Core 6 is a niche mecha game that is different than what the likes of Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Sekiro have to offer, but upon giving it a try, it is one the best action games I’ve played in 2023.

FromSoftware Never Misses

At this point, the consistent success of FromSoft’s titles is sufficient to convince anyone of the company’s ability to produce a game with quirky aesthetics and silly mechanics and still achieve record-breaking sales. The studio’s success is no secret. 

In the past decade, FromSoft has earned a reputation as a reliable developer beloved by gamers, primarily due to the fact that larger audiences got a taste of one of their works, Elden Ring. Yet, it’s fair to argue that if Armored Core 6 reached even half the sales as Elden Ring, it’d be widely recognized as having better combat, a trait Elden Ring is praised for.

Perhaps that didn’t happen because mecha itself is becoming even more niche as time goes by. However, I can attest to the fact that AC6 offers an unforgettable experience in an industry plagued by buggy releases, incomplete releases, and repetitive content.

There Are Several Soulsbornes; We Need More “Sekirocorelikes”

I often browse Steam in search of a game with challenging combat and fun boss fights. It would not take within minutes to find a Soulslikes title. FromSoftware’s masterpieces allowed Neowiz’s Lies of P, a recent hit inspired by FromSoftware titles.

I appreciate releases like Lies of P, Hollow Knight, and Lords of the Fallen, but I would like fresh ideas. There are a plethora of old FromSoft titles that are waiting for a sequel or, perhaps, a remake. Yes, I’m talking about you, King’s Field.

The company has clearly shown that it can carry the same passion and need for innovation from one prime genre to another, so why not do it more often and create one-off masterpieces that might spite a new genre?

FromSoftware should deviate from the Soulsborne formula and lead the path with new ideas for many indie and AAA studios to follow. As a result, new opportunities for developers will arise, and players will have a variety of decent games to choose from—a win-win for everyone.