TOL - Souls-Like-Fatigue

Hey it's Tarrmu and welcome to Thinking Out Loud. In today’s video we’re asking the question: is Souls-like fatigue finally starting to set in?

There’s no denying that this sub-genre has been a gold rush for both AA and AAA developers, each trying to craft their own spin on the formula laid down by From Software. And truthfully, we’ve seen some fantastic games emerge from this rush. Lies of P became a fan favorite, bolstered by its recent expansion, and Team Ninja’s Nioh series took the template in a different, more aggressive direction that resonated with many players. There are definitely shining examples that show how versatile the Souls framework can be.

But despite that success, I think it’s fair to say that fatigue is starting to creep in. These games are almost always lengthy RPGs, with punishing bosses that gate progress and force improvement. That kind of structure is exciting at first, but after the fifth or sixth attempt at a similar loop, it can start to wear players down.

The other piece of this is that, as much as developers have tried, no one has truly replicated the alchemy of FromSoftware’s design. Their games thrive on subtle storytelling — fragments tucked into item descriptions, environmental details, or character encounters you might miss entirely. Other studios have experimented with this style, but there’s an intangible quality to the way FromSoft does it that remains unmatched.

Even FromSoftware themselves are experimenting. While still technically Souls-adjacent, upcoming projects like the multiplayer-focused Elden Ring: Nightreign, and the Nintendo-exclusive The Duskbloods, seem to be exploring different appeals beyond the traditional formula. That alone shows that the genre can’t stand still forever.

And that brings us to oversaturation. At this point, every major showcase seems to feature at least one new Souls-like — and honestly, many of them look interchangeable. Many may have solid mechanics, but their trailers often blend together, making it harder for the truly unique projects to stand out. This isn’t just player burnout — it’s the market being flooded with mid-budget studios all placing their bets on the same template.

That doesn’t mean the genre is doomed. What I think we’ll see is a split: the more boilerplate Souls-likes will settle into serving the dedicated fanbase who simply want “more of the same,” while the standout experiments will push the genre forward and keep it in the mainstream spotlight. Much like turn-based RPGs, there’s always going to be an audience for this kind of game — the key will be iteration and creativity.

My feeling is that we will start to see some fatigue towards the boiler plate formula of these games, they'll become middle of the road games that are enjoyable, but predictable, as any video game trend tends to go.

However, I do feel that the RPG template of the souls-like, much like the turn-based RPG is something that has an audience, that loves more of this style of game, and the more we will see unique iteration, which I believe we will, we will continue to see mainstream fanfare. But the more derivative titles will be in service of the lovers of the sub-genre. But that is just my hunch, a feeling based on what we have seen and the sentiments around the time of this videos release.

As always, I’m Tarrmu, and this has been Thinking Out Loud. Thanks for watching.