As a fan of dark fantasy, Gothic horror, and nightmare-conjuring creature designs, I continually find myself drawn to games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. But while these titles immediately grab me with their mythical monsters and mysterious, menacing worlds, they're unforgiving, with an often frustrating difficulty that sees me checking out just as fast.
As part of the increasingly popular “soulslike” sub-genre, such titles typically include deep, tactical combat, incredibly challenging boss battles, and — most dispiriting for the fainter of heart — the constant threat of losing considerable progress when you're unable to reclaim your hard-earned experience after an undignified demise.
