Soulslike retro games?

[Tbest25]

After seeing a post talking about modern soulsike games, it left me wondering what are some example of retro soulslike games. I'm talking about games with similar gameplay loop as the FromSoftware games that defined this genre, but for retro consoles

 

[MemeAlert]

Here

 

[Tbest25]

Didn't know google was a soulslike game. Thanks for letting me know!
Sarcasm aside, im trying to form a conversation about the topic, my friend

 

[happymasksalesman happymasksalesman]

After seeing a post talking about modern soulsike games, it left me wondering what are some example of retro soulslike games. I'm talking about games with similar gameplay loop as the FromSoftware games that defined this genre, but for retro consoles

Hard games maybe?
Fromstoware had very old games too.

Only game which remind me dark souls was...ah don't know.

More of games in old age had unfair stuffs instead being hard but fair like soulslike!

 

[Tbest25]

Hard games maybe?
Fromstoware had very old games too.

Only game which remind me dark souls was...ah don't know.

More of games in old age had unfair stuffs instead being hard but fair like soulslike!

These days i was watching a gameplay of an old FromSoftware game called Metal Wolf Chaos. It's like Armored Core but bad lol. If soulslike means hard games than this one is definitely soulslike, but for the wrong reasons, like bad game design and boring gameplay

 

[Kamako]

Dark Souls employs a tonne of systems which have been refined from a whole host of different games over the years. Is there a specific gameplay system you're looking for more examples of?

 

[happymasksalesman happymasksalesman]

These days i was watching a gameplay of an old FromSoftware game called Metal Wolf Chaos. It's like Armored Core but bad lol. If soulslike means hard games than this one is definitely soulslike, but for the wrong reasons, like bad game design and boring gameplay

I know first fromsoftware creation like first person rpg? Are you kidding me?

 

[Mortalcombatron]

Closest thing I can think of are Nightmare Creatures, Warriors of Might and Magic and maybe Soul Reaver?

 

[Ephemera1_]

If you want something similar to the actual experience of dark souls, i.e the dark fantasy aesthetic and the slower combat system, then Enclave on the OG Xbox is the only one i can think of.

 

[Tbest25]

I know first fromsoftware creation like first person rpg? Are you kidding me?

Yeah, it was King's Field. These games reminds me a lot of the dark souls games, because of the medieval setting, dark atmosphere and so on

 

[Aziamuth]

I don't think you're going to find Soulslike games prior to Demon's Souls, simply because I don't think there's anything that could capture the feel of Souls games prior to Demon's Souls. It's like Monster Hunter: there were boss rushes before, but none had the feeling of Monster Hunter before Monster Hunter

At any rate, the only thing that I could recommend is Devil May Cry 1 and 3, save for the interconnected maps

 

[Eclipse14]

Shadow Tower for the PlayStation comes to mind, as I view it as a prototype to Demon/Dark Souls.

 

[xak8]

Rengoku 2 for Psp has some soulslike elements. You can go right into the second and ignore the first one. Aside from that, there's old From Software games like the King's Field and Shadow Tower series.

 

[zibltogt]

When I was first hearing about Demon's Souls when it was in Japan and then picking it up when it got States-side it reminded me of a favorite from my childhood-- Ghouls and Ghosts for the Sega Genesis-- so while not a "souls-like", I think you'll see what I mean. In that same vein, while I wouldnt call Maximo Ghosts to Glory a souls-like, it also is heavily inspired by Ghouls and Ghosts. Also, Zelda games are not as hard as Dark Souls, but the influences are clear, especially from Ocarina of Time.

Shadow Tower for the PlayStation comes to mind, as I view it as a prototype to Demon/Dark Souls.

Hey absolutely and you know, King's Field is not exactly Souls-like but is From's other big RPG series and those games are slow but they are fun and the music in particularly the fourth one is fantastic.

 

[Jill_Sandwich969]

Chakan for the Sega Mega Drive has similar to the Demon’s Souls hub area.

 

[LordDeimos]

Play Kings Field 4 and work your way through them in reverse. If you don't like 4 you probably won't like the rest.

 

[Dr.Kisaragi]

Try Evergrace it had similar feeling and how about Dragon Valor

 

[Rising80X]

it not retro but salt and santuary is a pretty good 2D soulslike

 

[Bonkers225]

Anyone mentioned Blasphemy yet? That would be perfect for what you're looking for.

Oh on retro consoles. Probably the rogue dungeon genre like Shiren. Also Brandish 1 and 2, Soul Blazer, etc.

 

[Segadude113]

i'll give you a Roguelike. Fatal Labyrinth. ToeJam and Earl also.

 

[chibayoshi]

Nightmare creatures for the PS1 https://retrogametalk.com/repository/psx-iso/nightmare-creatures-usa

 

[qw90700]

Honestly when I played Dark Souls I was like "dude this is hack and slash and easier version of God Hand" which God Hand released in 2006. Why?:

- God Hand is a survival martial arts game that you don't really have to kill anything but there are some exceptions and you better kill anyway to get strong enough to beat bosses you cannot avoid. When you die you gotta restart the level all over so there is no checkpoint system just like Dark Souls games have. Naturally when you restart the level all the enemies you killed are revived so gotta beat them again or not.

- In God Hand you have a health bar but cannot replenish your health any time you want. If you are lucky you may find health items around the level. But in Dark Souls games you have a way to replenish your health at least in a limited way.

- The whole point of the game is to go to B from A by surviving which sometimes requires stuff you gotta do in the environment to progress therefore it's "hard" in its own context because game try to make you die in any way possible lol.

- Grind is necessary in God Hand so you may want to play same levels again and again to get stronger enough to beat bosses, but level scaling and need for grind is not intentionally made bad as much as Dark Souls games. In God Hand instead of levels sometimes you can upgrade your character to increase health bar and whatnot when the game allows you due to where you are in the story and it requires money to do so. Otherwise the only way to make yourself stronger is all about unlocking moves and skills. Despite whatever you may unlock it's never about making your guy better than enemies, it's just way for to be able to have a surviving chance against enemies that gets stronger as you progress.

- God Hand is harder than any Dark Souls and "Souls genre" game because despite how strong you are it's based on good skill gameplay by perfect dodging while in Dark Souls grind levels and get better equipment so hard you can one hit bosses lol. God Hand doesn't have such "cheat the levelling system and get better with gear" gameplay. God Hand either way forces you to set your guy have decent combo moves that sometimes you gotta change depending on what enemy type you'll fight so unlike Dark Souls you cannot do the same and beat anything.

- Weird lore of the game that what's happening is not clear, but we learn about it as we play it. However there is no "story told via item descriptions" aspect of Dark Souls.

- Dark Souls games are so slow for a God Hand gamer the game is slowmotion. In God Hand often you need jedi reflexes to dodge and able to attack in small window of time and all. God Hand is way faster than Sonic lol.

Now I'll make Dark Souls fan get angry: Actually Dark Souls games are God Hand genre lololol. *jumps out of the window and runs away*

 

[ThunderBoy]

Blade the Edge of Darkness

 

[Tortuga]

Blade of Darkness

 

[-無明-]

Definitely worth checking out FromSoft's PSX games. King's Field and Shadow Tower are very underrated.