5 Soulslike Games That Are More Like Bloodborne Than Dark Souls

5 Soulslike Games That Are More Like Bloodborne Than Dark Souls

Contents

Despite its similarities to Dark Souls, Bloodborne offers a slightly different playstyle that influenced a number of other Souls-likes.

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5 Soulslike Games That Are More Like Bloodborne Than Dark Souls

Over the past decade, the Souls-like genre has quickly exploded in popularity thanks to FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series. With an intricate combat system, obscure lore, and punishing difficulty, Dark Souls served as the blueprint for countless Souls-like games that would be released over the years. Similarly, Bloodborne would build upon the mechanics found in Dark Souls while adding Lovecraftian influences and a Victorian setting.

Although Bloodborne is similar to Dark Souls, the biggest difference is that Bloodborne has a much faster pace that rewards aggression. Compared to Dark Souls games, which allow players to block some hits entirely, Bloodborne requires players to be constantly on the move as they dodge or counter hits. With more Souls-like games being released, fans have started to look toward those that emphasize a fluid, fast-paced style of combat resembling Bloodborne. Fans looking for Souls-likes that are more Bloodborne than Dark Souls can give a number of games a try.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

5 Soulslike Games That Are More Like Bloodborne Than Dark Souls

Sekiro is the most obvious answer for Souls-like fans that enjoy the natural aggression of Bloodborne over the patience in Dark Souls. Ramping up the pace even further, Sekiro is another FromSoftware game which deviates from the traditional Souls-like formula by placing a heavier emphasis on rhythm and split-second decisions. While the Dark Souls games required players to be patient in fighting bosses or enemies, Sekiro follows Bloodborne in terms of combat pace and continuous movement.

The slow, methodical approach in Dark Souls games is replaced with fluid combat against aggressive enemies. Instead of the traditional Souls-like focus on stamina management, Sekiro relies far more on players understanding the timing of their enemies. Although fans looking for a more standard Souls-like experience might find Sekiro to be different than they expect, Bloodborne fans who enjoyed the heavy emphasis on offense will find Sekiro to be a natural evolution.

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Nioh Series

5 Soulslike Games That Are More Like Bloodborne Than Dark Souls

The Nioh series bears some similarities to Dark Souls, but is more akin to the tempo found in Bloodborne. While Nioh retains the basic Souls-like mechanics of bonfires and a similar levelling system, its combat centers around the stamina system called Ki. Similar to Bloodborne’s Rally mechanic, the Ki system in Nioh can be used to maintain momentum and enable players to extend their ability to fight.

Developed by Team Ninja, Nioh takes a lot of influence from action titles like Ninja Gaiden and favors more aggression than standard Dark Souls games. During the development of Nioh, Bloodborne’s producer Masaaki Yamagiwa also gave the Nioh team advice on how to adjust the game’s difficulty so it never becomes unreasonable. Nioh’s strength is in its intricate combat system that uses stances for different playstyles. Nioh has one of the tightest combat systems in a Souls-like game, and that makes it a perfect choice for Bloodborne fans that enjoyed the emphasis on aggression.

Salt and Sanctuary

5 Soulslike Games That Are More Like Bloodborne Than Dark Souls

Ever since Souls-like games have caught mainstream attention, they’ve been linked with Metroidvanias for the sense of exploration and level design that comes with platforming elements. Over time, more Souls-like games have taken influences from Metroidvanias, and this is especially true of 2D Souls-likes. Bloodborne’s playstyle emphasizes constant player movement and aggression, which is similar to Salt and Sanctuary.

Salt and Sanctuary is how Bloodborne would feel as a 2D sidescroller, and introduces interesting platforming mechanics to provide depth for its lack of a 3rd dimension. Featuring tight combat mechanics with a tense atmosphere, Salt and Sanctuary takes on a faster pace from typical Souls-likes thanks to its Metroidvania influences. Alongside interconnected level design and a giant skill tree, Salt and Sanctuary offers a unique spin on the genre that Bloodborne fans should enjoy.

Code Vein

5 Soulslike Games That Are More Like Bloodborne Than Dark Souls

Code Vein builds upon Souls-like mechanics by combining them together with a traditional JRPG storyline and anime aesthetic. Much like Bloodborne, Code Vein places an emphasis on fast-paced combat that relies on timing. Code Vein’s appeal stems from its customization options, as players have the ability to change classes on the fly and experiment with different builds. Unfortunately, the assortment of combat options does make the experience more uneven than Bloodborne, but players who enjoy experimentation should find Code Vein’s freedom more satisfying than other Souls-likes.

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On the other hand, Code Vein’s approach to the narrative is different than Bloodborne or Dark Souls. As it features a traditional narrative, Code Vein places an emphasis on character interactions. Whereas the lore for FromSoftware games are often purposely obscured, Code Vein offers a clear-cut narrative direction that limits the feeling of discovery players often look for in Souls-likes. As far as Souls-likes go, Code Vein shares a few similarities with Bloodborne in terms of combat and mechanics, but differs greatly in exploration and narrative. Bloodborne fans looking for a more traditional narrative that retains the fluid combat mechanics should give Code Vein a try.

The Surge Series

Aesthetically, The Surge series goes in a different direction from traditional Souls-like games, in that it takes place in a futuristic setting as players fight in exoskeletons. However, it does retain many elements in its combat system and emphasizes the aggressive style of play found in Bloodborne. In fact, developer Deck 13 has stated that while The Surge shares similarities to many titles in the Dark Souls series, it’s best approached from a state of mind like Bloodborne.

The combat in The Surge is snappy and responsive, with a quick dodge that doesn’t cost much stamina. However, this mechanic can easily turn on the player if they don’t approach battles tactically. Much like Bloodborne, controlled aggression is key in The Surge as the game rewards players for remaining on the offensive despite taking damage from enemies. While The Surge is different from Souls-like games in terms of its design and environments, its aggressive combat style is reminiscent of Bloodborne and offers fans a different take on the genre.

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