Why FromSoftware is Still King of the Soulslike

ign.com:

The soulslike genre has exploded over the last decade or so with all sorts of different takes on the genre. We’ve seen 2D soulslikes, anime soulslikes, sci-fi soulslikes, ninja soulslikes, third person shooter soulslikes, Star Wars soulslikes… the list goes on and on. But I think it’s hard not to argue that the king of the genre is still the originator of it: FromSoftware. Now, if you were to ask 10 different people why that is, you’d probably get 10 different answers, because the Souls games mean different things to different people. For some, they’re all about the PvP invasions and the unique brand of online play that only FromSoft’s games provide. For others, they love the deep lore that FromSoft buries deep in its environments, world design, and yes, even item descriptions. Others still just broadly like the unique challenge these games provide.

But for me, if I had to boil down the key reason why the FromSoftware soulslikes are so special in a genre so full of other games trying to capture that same magic, it’s this: The feeling of awe and/or dread that you get from walking into a new region for the first time, not knowing what to expect or whether or not you’re even prepared for what’s in store for you, and the excitement that comes with the thought of exploring it. Other games have done a great job of putting their own spins on the methodical combat of the Souls series, the risk/reward mechanics surrounding death, and unique take on online play. Hell, some have even improved upon those features. But no soulslike has ever given me goosebumps like the first time I ventured into Sen’s Fortress, or Cainhurst Castle, or the Siofra River.

You could point to a number of reasons why FromSoftware is so good at creating