The Dark Souls franchise is the stuff of legend. A virtually flawless series of games so influential that an entire genre, Soulslikes, sprung up to meet the overwhelming demand of gamers who could not get enough grinding, parrying, and rage quits. Some entries are better than others, but the best work in the genre is done when creators understand it isn’t about imitating what the GOATs do, but how they do it.
Velaster, from four-person indie studio Odysseyer, is out to prove it brings a new perspective to Soulslikes. Literally. One look at the game, which hit Steam Early Access on January 14, and it's obvious it wears its affection for Dark Souls on its armored sleeve. Grim, gothic architecture and grimy combat evoke the earliest days of director Hidetaka Miyazaki’s franchise with a unique twist. Velaster is a 2D, side-scrolling Metroidvania instead of a 3D RPG. Will it be the best of both worlds?
