BLG writes: “The release of Demons Souls in 2009, and then Dark Souls in 2011 marked a turning point for video games. A move away from spectacle and towards challenge and depth. The success of both games, Dark Souls, in particular, demonstrated that there was, and still is, a place for high difficulty, deep narrative woven into gameplay, and simple yet intricate combat. The subsequent explosion of souls like games has therefore come as no surprise.
But what is a souls like game? I doubt there is a single definition on which we would all agree. That being the case, for this list, Im going to be using my own interpretation. I will be referring to any game that borrows from Dark Souls in terms of level design, narrative structure, combat style, or currency mechanics. Superficial and thematic elements are less relevant. Having said that, however, many of these games will be decidedly downbeat affairs so be warned.”