Summary
Soulslikes are known for theirbrutal difficultyand challenging boss fights that test even the most seasoned of players to their absolute limits. But sometimes, a game finds a perfect balance between challenge and fairness, keeping the hard bosses but making them feel much fairer, or having the build-up to them be far more linear and well-thought-out.
It’s never fun to reach an early boss and be destroyed over and over again. When the game gradually increases its difficulty and allows players to learn the ropes and work their way through challenges at a better pace, the experience is elevated. Players feel much more gratified when they finally make it to the end after a long and well-fought journey.
Blasphemoustakes players on a bloody and visceral journey through a twisted Italian city full of death and decay. Players slowly upgrade their power level over time. Every major encounter is full of tricks and attacks that need to be learned, but never feel too overwhelming.
By the end of the game,players can tear through basic enemieslike paper, but are still tested right until the credits roll. The exploration itself can also be a bit tricky. Yet, the game respects the player’s time and intentions by giving them plenty of opportunities to explore without feeling lost or missing important details, providing a sense of satisfaction with every new area discovered.
Lies of Pis a smash hit in the Soulslike genre from a studio with little to no experience in this space. Players take on the role of the titular P in their quest to become more human, fighting against robotic monstrosities and infected lifeforms of all shapes and sizes in some of the genre’s best fights and most cinematic encounters.
What makes the difficulty so balanced is that players are never thrown into the deep end too fast, and the difficulty itself is controlled by how quickly players can learn and adapt to the fights. For veterans, the parry mechanic will come naturally and allow them to steamroll most fights. Meanwhile, newer players will still do just fine, as there are plenty of tools and methods to help them along their journey.
Elden Ringis easily themost ambitious Soulslike ever made, taking the formula and putting it into a sprawling open world full of mystery and wonder. The difficulty is based entirely on how much the player is willing to explore the world and level up their skills and character. But even if they decide to stick to the main path, the bosses in their way will test but never deter their progress.
With so much to find and a long list of fights to power through, players quickly become accustomed to the world and the challenges it has within it. And in terms of boss difficulty over time, the level slowly rises, and the player’s expectations of the challenge are almost always in line with the reality of the fight itself.
Hollow Knightis a gorgeous subterranean adventure that has more than a few challenges for players to overcome. The game stands out for its unique art style andexploration mechanics, which lean far more into the old-school approach of a non-guided journey that is driven solely by the player’s will to see more.
The combat itself is crisp and provides more than a few opportunities for the player to show off their skills. The bosses themselves are fairly simple and easy to read, meaning that even if the player is struggling at first, they can quickly adapt and figure out the patterns. Battles usually start out slow in the early stages and gradually become more challenging towards the final fight.
Dark Souls 3isthe gold standard for difficulty curvesand balance. Right from the start, players are shown that the game isn’t going to hold their hand along the way, but it doesn’t leave them flailing either. Players get the chance to adjust to how the game functions with a few simplistic fights before the real show begins.
The game spaces out its harder encounters well and gives players all the tools they need to level up their character before taking on a tougher opponent. There are also plenty of additional routes to take throughout the game, opening the door for some wider exploration that feeds into the idea of gearing up for those who need it.
3The First Berserker: Khazan
Learning Is Rewarded With Triumphs
Khazanis an exceptional Soulslike that leans heavily into the harder side of things, but does so in a clever and intuitive way that keeps things fair and balanced throughout. The game has plenty of mechanics, abilities, and items for the player to use and learn. Every kind of enemy or attack has a counter of some kind, letting players use their knowledge to its fullest.
The game also encourages players to experiment with their builds and try out new things, giving them lots of chances to swap between weapon types and ability trees with no consequences to their overall power level. When taking on the bosses at the end of each quest, the playstyle and patterns unfold very clearly,demonstrating the patienceand care needed to succeed in the world both at the start and the end.
Wukongtakes a legendary myth and brings it to one of the most popular gaming genres on the planet, with all the aggression and power that it deserves. Players progress through the narrative at a controlled pace that is perfectly aligned with the difficulty of the fights along the way.
As time goes on, the player gets more toys to play with, like the transformations or the additional skills that help them target specific weaknesses or even just power through a fight with the abilities alone. There are never any huge jumps in the difficulty, and after so many fights and so many wins, the player retains complete control over their destiny and fate in the world.
Another Crab’s Treasureis a delightful underwater adventure where players fight as a lovable crab in search of his lost shell. The combat and the mechanics surrounding it are all comedic and rewarding to learn, giving players plenty of chances to use all of their skills to the fullest without needing to rely on cheap tricks to make it through.
On top of this, each boss puts up a good enough fight for players to feel tested, but not so much to deter them from progressing further. The game allows players to build up their levels and comfort with some more open areas, but still encourages them to test their limits and try new things, whilst still allowing them to take down even the toughest opponents with little to no problems.
