6 Games From E3 People Will Swear Are Like Dark Souls

Nioh 2

6 Games From E3 People Will Swear Are Like Dark Souls

Despite all the ways Nioh 1 was not exactly like Dark Souls, such as the lack of an open world, and that it features some different approaches to combat such as guardian spirits that would be out of place in Dark Souls… it still is a lot like Dark Souls. But hey, it at least is fondly thought of by many as the one of, if not the, best Dark Souls copycats right? That’s a pretty strong claim to fame considering there are a lot of them out there.

We don’t know that much about Nioh 2, we didn’t get to play it yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if Team Ninja is just so tired of the comparisons, and decides to do something radically different this time around just to mess with people so they stop saying their game that they work really hard on to be unique, is just like Dark Souls. Still, until it comes out, and we find out that it’s not the same, fully anticipate to see so many articles comparing Nioh, Nioh 2, and Dark Souls, or trying to be contrarian and saying that it’s not… when it totally is.

The Surge 2

6 Games From E3 People Will Swear Are Like Dark Souls

The Surge was one in a long line of games that came to bear the term Souls-like, and you can see the comparisons. Methodical combat dictated by stamina, a punishing system for dying, a mysterious story drip-fed to you, the list goes on. The Surge 2, to its credit though, is trying to make some legitimate improvements over the formula by providing more player choice with things like a character creator, expanded weapons options, and more defined quests.

The biggest difference between The Surge and Dark Souls is its futuristic sci-fi setting. While the first game really stuck to its concrete, factory aesthetic, the sequel takes place in Jericho City, allowing for a much wider array of areas to explore. The Surge’s dismemberment system also is a far cry from Souls games, letting you hack off different body parts of your enemies, and now even take components of those body parts to use in your own equipment.

Code Vein

6 Games From E3 People Will Swear Are Like Dark Souls

Code Vein immediately drew Dark Souls comparisons at its reveal. It was inevitable really, as Bandai Namco even used the tagline “Prepare to Dine” when they were teasing the game. You could just say Code Vein is anime Dark Souls, if you wanted, but it’s a bit more than that, really.

That anime style translates to a much larger emphasis on story than Dark Souls. At least the cutscene, in-your-face kind of story, not the drip fed flavor text on items and little hints of lore that you get in Dark Souls. At the same time, you’ll almost always have an AI companion along with you in Code Vein, making combat encounters work quite a bit differently. There’s also a number of skills you can use by sucking blood out of enemies, letting you do things like coat your weapon in ice or buff yourself against the next attack. Yes, Code Vein has stats, save points that work exactly like bonfires, stamina that affects your movement and attacks, etc. However, the fact that you can be an anime vampire is pretty neat and different, right?

Ashen

6 Games From E3 People Will Swear Are Like Dark Souls

Although Ashen isn’t out yet, since it was revealed last year, the comparisons have already come in hard and heavy. So what is Ashen besides being another game that is like Dark Souls? Well, the big difference is rather than real-life people you come across in-game being evil heartless monsters that torment you if you give them the chance, Ashen tries to make coming across strangers a happy experience. You’ll randomly just see people in your game, and if you both want, you can work together to help survive and advance the game. Or you can just not, and go your separate ways, and never see each other again.

Ashen is if Dark Souls and Journey had a baby. The baby seems smart, but not as pretty (graphically) as the other two games though. This metaphor is going off the rails now, so let’s just cut it off here.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

6 Games From E3 People Will Swear Are Like Dark Souls

If you’re going to compare anything to Dark Souls it might as well be another game made by FromSoftware, but Sekiro is actually quite a different beast. The developer themselves have described it as more of an action game than an RPG, and it’s easy to see why. Sekiro won’t have any stats, character classes, or multiplayer of any kind. Instead, it’s much more focused on how you use your core abilities; a katana, grappling hook, and a strange prosthetic arm that can swap out different tools like an axe or shuriken.

Mobility and verticality play a much larger role in Sekiro than in Dark Souls, and you can use your grappling hook to shoot up to out-of-reach points or pull yourself right up to an enemy. Even in our own preview of the game, FromSoftware told us they’re trying something different with Sekiro’s story, and want to see what they can really do by doubling down on those single-player elements.

Phew, all of that being said, no matter what, people will probably still swear this game is like Dark Souls, even if it really isn’t.

Destiny 2: Forsaken’s Gambit Mode

6 Games From E3 People Will Swear Are Like Dark Souls

OK this one is a stretch, but I have literally already compared to it Dark Souls. So I’m going to happily do it again. First off, just look at how that dude looks in the picture above. He’s all red and creepy-looking, just like the invaders from Dark Souls.

The whole hook of this game mode is that you’re working together with a team accomplishing PvE tasks, but at certain points throughout the match, another player from an opposing team can invade your game and completely mess up what you were doing. For example, you collect a currency called motes from enemies that you defeat that can be banked and turned-in for bonuses that slow down the other team. However, if you get killed by an invader, you’ll lose all of your motes. Sound familiar? Of course it does.

By the end of a Gambit game, you’re trying to take down a boss enemy before the other team does. Anyone can then start invading the other game, and if that invader gets a player kill, they’ll restore the health of the boss and ruin the progress of the other team.

Listen, I know Destiny 2 is nothing like Dark Souls, but as far as Gambit goes, I can already hear the comparisons. Mostly because I’m the one saying it… and there’s an echo in here.