Soulslike lore and more!

The Hero’s Journey is arguably the most popular approach to storytelling and is as old as written language, like in The Epic of Gilgamesh, written over 4000 years ago, and evolved with human civilization in stories like Beowulf, The Odyssey, and King Arthur. Video games are a natural continuation and use The Hero’s Journey as the catalyst for the plot of the game.

Video games offer an immersive storytelling approach that elevates the level of engagement and allow players to experience the story in different, more tactile ways. FromSoftware’s Souls series of video games are known for their difficult gameplay and complex approach to storytelling and game design. From which an entire sub-genre of video games emerged, fittingly named “Soulslike.” 

What makes them different from other RPGs (role playing games)?

Souslike games use death as a narrative tool. “You Died” is a familiar message you will see again and again. It’s not meant to dishearten or shame the player, but simply convey a fact. Character death is meant to be a tool of reflection and teaching so that the player may change their approach and try again.
The difficulty of Soulslike games is daunting, even for seasoned players, as repeated character death drives player mastery, there are limited save points, and information is given through indirect, environmental storytelling. But the challenge is deliberate, as each encounter the hero overcomes is designed to make them stronger and more proficient at navigating an increasingly difficult game world. 

Death is never final in Soulslike games and the challenge is what makes them great.

Learn more about Souls like in our upcoming Game and Watch event, Soulslike Lore and More! And check out this video!

Did you know the library has video games? Explore these action titles!

Shaye Ruecker, video game collector and historian, and your Game and Watch host!