History Main / SoulsLikeRPG

* There is limited to no {{save scumming}}. The player can only manually save at checkpoints and rest spots, and the game will autosave upon death. The latter is oftentimes a mercy in disguise; as anything collected that is not XP will remain in the players inventory, and any alterations to the gameworld will be set in stone, such as an open shortcut. On the flipside, this may also mean permanent consequences upon death, such as ''Demon's Souls''' infamous "World Tendency" system.

A Souls-like RPG (sometimes referred to as a Soulsborne, or "[[WebVideo/ZeroPunctuation Soulsy]]") refers to a subgenre of {{Role Playing Game}}s that puts emphasis on dodging and moving over other mechanics. The TropeMaker and {{Trope Namer|s}} of this genre is Creator/FromSoftware's ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls,'' which was released in 2009. The genre gained traction with the release of ''Demon's Souls''' CreatorDrivenSuccessor, ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', which [[FollowTheLeader spawned numerous clones]].

* There is limited to no {{save scumming}}. The player can only manually save at checkpoints and rest-spots and the game will autosave upon death. The latter is oftentimes a mercy in disguise; as anything collected that is not XP will remain in the players inventory, and any alterations to the gameworld will be set in stone, such as an open shortcut. On the flipside, this may also mean permanent consequences upon death, such as ''Demon's Souls'' infamous "World Tendancy" system.
* Resting at a checkpoint (or dying and respawning at one) causes all slain enemies to respawn, with the exception of bosses and ''maybe'' the occasional {{Elite Mook|s}}. If the game has a more loose, less scripted structure (i.e. many a roguelike or open world) it will still alter the state of the world in some way.

* A limited form of multiplayer exists, where players can call forth "summons" of other players (or [=NPCs=] if offline) to assist them in combat for a time. On the other hand, malicious players can also "invade" your game with the goal of hunting you down and killing you. You can learn emotes throughout the game and preform them with other players or by yourself. [[PlayerDataSharing You can also leave behind notes for others to read.]]

* [[GuideDangIt Opaque quest design]] that requires careful attention to dialog and item descriptions as there are almost never quest markers or trackers, and objectives are merely implied for example there could be a secret item under an elevator. Especially for aquiring the {{Golden Ending}}.

* ''VideoGame/DarkDevotion'' [[note]]Mainly a roguelite game that mixes in some metroidvania and souls-like elements.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/DeathStranding'' [[note]] Weight and stamina affect movement and combat. Social features. Save point management. "Corpse running". Much narrative and thematic overlap but through a cinematic style. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'' (UrExample) [[note]] Is the only main game in the series with ResurrectiveImmortality, with stat penalties upon death and leveling requires resting at an appropriate bed. There is also a dodge, albeit one you have to spec properly for. Alongside franchise overlap with weight mechanics, stamina based combat, and emphasis of unorthodox tactics. The game also much harder, has a darker tone, more vague storytelling and far more opaque quest design and exploration than other entries. Also on hard difficulty you can't pause the game. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' (UrExample) [[note]] The healing, constantly malfunctioning weapons to prevent spraying, every gun has meaningfully different handling, a melee attack wind-up, much greater focus on evading and distancing threats; including a limited slide that {{No Sell}}s gunfire. No save scumming, resting at safehouses respawns checkpoints and bases, upgrading equipment in far apart shops with scarce currency and expensive upgrades. Dying while a buddy is "rescue-ready" causes you to lose all weapons save for a pistol (not the one you had equipped); forcing you to find a warehouse to re-kit; and dying again before regrouping with said buddy at a safehouse will lose your progress since last manual save. More punishing, less handholdy, and more subtle in it's storytelling than other franchise entries. It even ends with a SadisticChoice revolving around a ViciousCycle. Every sequel has embraced far more casual game design. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/Killer7'' (UrExample) [[note]] Methodical shooting where your movement is limited while aiming and holding aim on your target longer yields more rewards. Flashy real time reload and healing animations where you can't move. Some characters have dodgerolls and other evasion techniques. Characters have different handling weapons. Checkpoint leveling, restock and enemy respawns. Unique corpse running mechanic. [[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/KingsField'' (UrExample, and [=FromSoft's=] very first game to boot) [[note]] And therefore lacks most of the iconic gameplay features, (dodging, corpse running, the healing and save point leveling systems) but still features the broader ones (steep difficulty, slow combat/uncancellable attacks, labyrinthine world design, all NPCs killable) ; and harbors the vast majority of themes and motifs. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/LaikaAgedThroughBlood'' [[note]] Applies the Souls feedback loop to ''VideoGame/ExciteBike''-esque gameplay. With strategic flips and barrel rolls for dodging, parrying, and reloading. Alongside staples like corpse running and hub leveling. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' (UrExample) [[note]] Much greater focus on melee combat with slow charging and uncancellable attacks, an inate dodge manuever, limited recovery items, penalties for "giving up" after dying, leveling up at home base. A much more tragic tone, apocalyptic setting, quasi-fantasy elements, villians are fallen/corrupted heroes. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Monomyth}}'' [[note]]Aims to combine ImmerseSim with Souls-like elements such as the latter's save system that prevents save scumming typical of the former. UrExample ''King's Field'' is the foremost influence here.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/NightmareCreatures'' (UrExample) [[note]] Dodge, parry, and wind-up centric combat. Unique "reverse"-stamina system where it rapidly drains when ''not'' in combat. Limited heals. Level ups at mission ends (which are the only places to save) depending on performance. Certain enemies require unique moves that target their vital parts. Two characters that use unique weapons/movesets. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Onimusha}}'' (UrExample) [[note]] Dodge/parry/strafe/timing centered combat. Strong attacks consume magic. Skill-based healing. Checkpoint leveling and enemy respawns. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/RainWorld'' [[note]]Focuses on survival and platforming with minimal combat, but abides by many Souls principles.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' [[note]] The most mobility/evasion features and melee combat in the series all linked to a stamina meter. Real time healing and inventory, score penalties for dying, hub leveling, and an invasion mode. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/SaltAndSanctuary'' [[note]]One of the first games that tried to transfer Dark Souls to the 2D perspective and arguably one of the more successful ones.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/StrayedLights'' [[note]] A rare example aimed at a casual audience and prime example of a "Souls-Lite". [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Tunic}}'' [[note]]A cryptic plot delivered piecemeal; checkpoints that restore your health and causes enemies to respawn; spending currency to level up; combat that emphasizes dodging, blocking and stamina management.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/ZombiU'' [[note]] No dodge roll, but a strong emphasis on deliberate movement, defense, weighty attacks, and a permadeath mechanic that's quite soulsy. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' (UrExample) [[note]] The healing, constantly malfunctioning weapons to prevent spraying, every gun has meaningfully different handling, a melee attack wind-up, much greater focus on evading and distancing threats; including a limited slide that NoSells gunfire. No save scumming, resting at safehouses respawns checkpoints and bases, upgrading equipment in far apart shops with scarce currency and expensive upgrades, dying while a buddy is "rescue-ready" causes you to lose all weapons save for a pistol (not the one you had equipped); forcing you to find a warehouse to re-kit; and dying again before regrouping with said buddy at a safehouse will lose your progress since last manual save. More punishing, less handholdy, and more subtle in it's storytelling than other franchise entries. It even ends with a SadisticChoice revolving around a ViciousCycle. Every sequel has embraced far more casual game design. [[/note]]

* MoneyIsExperiencePoints, requiring you to choose whether to spend it on levelling up, or on items and equipment. In most examples [[ContinuingIsPainful all or some currency is lost on death; however it remains where you died so you can not only recover it but build upon it from respawned foes]]. If such a mercy is granted, failure to retrieve it before dying again will end in permanent loss. This feature has been dubbed "Corpse Running" by the community.

Later games have more unique elements to help differentiate them from ''Dark Souls'' and its own [[CreatorDrivenSuccessor successors]], ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' (more agressive/offensive playstyle), ''VideoGame/SekiroShadowsDieTwice'' (active/aggressive defense via parrying), and ''VideoGame/EldenRing'' (WideOpenSandbox exploration), such as [[VideoGame/RemnantFromTheAshes a heavy focus on ranged combat]] or [[VideoGame/CodeVein having multiple companions with fleshed-out Story Arcs]]. "Souls-Lites" have also become very common over the years. Usually these games prominently feature some or most of the core tenets but [[BroadStrokes simplified versions of them]]. [[labelnote:For example...]]Perhaps you don't lose anything upon death, or only strong attacks consume stamina, maybe dodging doesn't consume stamina at all, maybe there is no stamina period; maybe it opts for conventional storytelling and quest design.[[/labelnote]] In other words, it doesn't have to copy [=FromSoft=] one-to-one so long as the core principles and "soul" (if you will) remain; [=FromSoft=] themselves aren't afraid of shakeups, as ''Sekiro'' can attest. See also {{Roguelike}}, {{Metroidvania}}, SurvivalHorror, and SurvivalSandbox from which the genre shares much overlap with. Contrast StylishAction games, which instead encourage the player to approach NintendoHard enemies with constant barrages of attacks rather than carefully timed moves. As the years have gone by, however, many examples have managed to blend Stylish Action with Souls-like design principles, as seen with [[Creator/KoeiTecmo Team Ninja's]] ''VideoGame/{{Nioh}}'' series [[VideoGame/StrangerOfParadiseFinalFantasyOrigin and its]] [[VideoGame/WoLongFallenDynasty successors]], and even entering official canon with From's very own ''Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice''.

* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' (UrExample) [[note]] The healing, constantly malfunctioning weapons to prevent spraying, every gun has meaningfully different handling, much greater focus on evading and distancing threats, no save scumming, resting at safehouses respawns checkpoints and bases, upgrading equipment in far apart shops with scarce currency and expensive upgrades, dying while a buddy is "rescue-ready" causes you to lose all weapons save for a pistol (not the one you had equipped); forcing you to find a warehouse to re-kit. More punishing, less handholdy, and more subtle in it's storytelling than other franchise entries. It even ends with a SadisticChoice revolving around a ViciousCycle. Every sequel has embraced far more casual game design. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Tunic}}''

* ''VideoGame/ZombiU''

* A limited form of multiplayer exists, where players can call forth "summons" of other players (or [=NPCs=] if offline) to assist them in combat for a time. On the other hand, malicious players can also "invade" your game with the goal of hunting you down and killing you. You can preform emotes. [[PlayerDataSharing You can also leave behind notes for others to read.]]

* A limited form of multiplayer exists, where players can call forth "summons" of other players (or [=NPCs=] if offline) to assist them in combat for a time. On the other hand, malicious players can also "invade" your game with the goal of hunting you down and killing you. [[PlayerDataSharing You can also leave behind notes for others to read.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'' (UrExample) [[note]] Is the only main game in the series with ResurrectiveImmortality, with stat penalties upon death and leveling requires resting at an appropriate bed. There is also a dodge, albeit one you have to spec properly for. Alongside franchise overlap with weight mechanics, stamina based combat, and emphasis of unorthodox tactics. The game also has a darker tone, more vague storytelling and far more opaque quest design and exploration than other entries. Also on hard difficulty you can't pause the game. [[/note]]

* MoneyIsExperiencePoints, requiring you to choose whether to spend it on levelling up, or on items and equipment. In most examples [[ContinuingIsPainful all or some currency is lost on death; however it remains where you died so you can not only recover it but build upon it from respawned foes]]. If such a mercy is granted, failure to retrieve it before dying again will end in permanent loss.

* ''VideoGame/DeathStranding''

* ''VideoGame/KingsField'' (UrExample, and [=FromSoft's=] very first game to boot) [[note]] And therefore lacks most of the iconic gameplay features, (dodging, corpse running, the healing and save point leveling systems) but still features the broader ones (steep difficulty, slow combat/uncancellable attacks, all NPCs are killable) ; and harbors the vast majority of themes and motifs. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/KingsField'' (UrExample, and [=FromSoft's=] very first game to boot) [[note]] And therefore lacks most of the iconic gameplay features (dodging, corpse running, save points, the healing and leveling systems); but harbors the vast majority of themes and motifs. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/KingsField'' (UrExample, and [=FromSoft's=] very first game to boot)

** ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' [[note]]I-frame dodgerolls, extremely Souls-like heal and reload mechanics, and a flow of combat very close to developer Team Ninja's future fusions of StylishAction and Souls-like. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' [[note]]Death, leveling, and healing work very similarly. Additionally, some mods add stamina systems, dodging and Soulsy weapon function.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/Killer7'' (UrExample) [[note]] Methodical shooting where holding aim on your target longer yields more rewards. Flashy real time reload and healing animations. Some characters have dodgerolls and other evasion techniques. Checkpoint leveling, restock and enemy respawns. Unique corpse running mechanic. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Onimusha}}'' (UrExample) [[note]] Surprisngly archetypical early example. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/Killer7'' (UrExample)
* ''VideoGame/KingsField'' (UrExample, and [=FromSoft's=] very first game to boot)

* ''VideoGame/{{Onimusha}}'' (UrExample)

* ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' (UrExample)

* ''VideoGame/NightmareCreatures'' (UrExample)

* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' (UrExample) [[note]] The healing, constantly malfunctioning weapons to prevent spraying, every gun has meaningfully different handling, much greater focus on evading and distancing threats, no save scumming, resting at safehouses respawns checkpoints and bases, upgrading equipment in far apart shops with scarce currency and expensive upgrades, dying while a buddy is "rescue-ready" causes you to lose all weapons save for a pistol (not the one you had equipped); forcing you to find a warehouse to re-kit. More punishing, less handholdy, and more subtle in it's storytelling than other franchise entries. It even ends with a SadisticChoice revolving around a ViciousCycle. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' (UrExample) [[note]] The healing, constantly malfunctioning weapons to prevent spraying, much greater focus on evading and distancing threats, no save scumming, resting at safehouses respawns checkpoints and bases, upgrading equipment in far apart shops with scarce currency and expensive upgrades, dying while a buddy is "rescue-ready" causes you to lose all weapons save for a pistol (not the one you had equipped); forcing you to find a warehouse to re-kit. More punishing, less handholdy, and more subtle in it's storytelling than other franchise entries. [[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' (UrExample) [[note]] The healing, constantly malfunctioning weapons to prevent spraying, much greater focus on evading and distancing threats, no save scumming, resting at safehouses respawns checkpoints and bases, upgrading equipment in far apread shops with scarce currency and expensive upgrades, dying while a buddy causes you to lose all weapons save for a pistol (not the one you had equipped); forcing you to find a warehouse to re-kit. More punishing, less handholdy, and more subtle in it's storytelling than other franchise entries. [[/note]]