Eldest Souls
Not getting old just yet
The latest title to reach for the mantle of all things soulslike asks “what if Dark Souls were a boss rush mode and also kind of cute?” We say kind of cute because the game’s hard as nails and you’re going to die a lot, but also the character you control wields such an outlandishly large sword that they look like a toddler with a zweihänder.
There’s no filler in Eldest Souls, you simply go from one boss fight to another, and every single one of them is going to crush you a few times before you learn your lesson. If you’re the kind of person who lives for the thrill of the challenge, then this is going to be great for you, but if you would rather be able to grind your character up a few levels after failing, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
OLD SOUL
The bleak, hopeless world feels incredibly familiar to soulslike fans. The devs haven’t been at all subtle about where they found inspiration for the game, and it’s actually to Eldest Souls’ advantage. Rather than hide behind a façade of difference, it embraces assumed knowledge and reflexes, feeling like a supplement for Souls fans who simply wish for more. Of course, this does mean that it’s decidedly not for players looking to break into the genre. After all, nobody who see the words ‘boss rush’ and ‘soulslike’ together is going reckon they signal it’s a good time to get into something new – not if they’ve got any sense. This is for long-time fans of pain, suffering, and some light masochism. Thankfully, that includes us.
There’s an understanding here that this would get old if it
You simply go from one boss fight to another, and every one of them is going to crush you.
dragged out too long, especially as it’s so rapid-fire. All told, there’s less than a dozen monstrous fights to take on. However, with each one being as challenging as some of the best in the genre, you’ll definitely end up stuck on a few seemingly impossible scraps as you go. As in any game with good combat, though, you can overcome the challenges as long as you’re willing to pay attention to what’s going on.