The 2025 Desert Island Video Game Draft

[pdxKingsFan]

Finally. Nearly every Souls-like had been drafted except the one that actually made it a genre.

By "nearly every" you mean Miyazaki's games? Because (admittedly maybe I just don't know any better) there's hundreds of non-Miyazaki Souls-likes out there now that range from pretty good to borderline unplayable, but I don't think many of those have been touched? I actually wouldn't mind trying some others out if they are actually good and offer some new mechanics. I also don't have a PS 4 or 5 and likely won't anytime soon.

 

[Löwenherz]

By "nearly every" you mean Miyazaki's games? Because (admittedly maybe I just don't know any better) there's hundreds of non-Miyazaki Souls-likes out there now that range from pretty good to borderline unplayable, but I don't think many of those have been touched? I actually wouldn't mind trying some others out if they are actually good and offer some new mechanics. I also don't have a PS 4 or 5 and likely won't anytime soon.

No, I was merely meaning it was kind of weird seeing Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and even Demon’s Souls picked early, while the game that explicitly inspired the hundreds of copycats you referenced and actually named the genre was floating in the aether until round 15.

It would be like if a bunch of Metroidvanias were picked without either a Metroid or Castlevania being among them.

 

[SLAB]

Finally. Nearly every Souls-like had been drafted except the one that actually made it a genre.

Pffft where’s the love for the OG Demon’s Souls?!

 

[Löwenherz]

Pffft where’s the love for the OG Demon’s Souls?!

Own it, but never played it because I was scared of it.

But regardless of Demon’s Souls vital place in gaming history as the predecessor, I think it was Dark Souls itself that really skyrocketed the series and genre into mainstream popularity.

 

[SLAB]

Own it, but never played it because I was scared of it.

But regardless of Demon’s Souls vital place in gaming history as the predecessor, I think it was Dark Souls itself that really skyrocketed the series and genre into mainstream popularity.

That’s 100% true. Demon’s Souls is weird. Dark Souls is just a difficult but a more mainstream & streamlined version.

 

[Spike]

So @Padrino timed out and, IIRC, @Spike is a school teacher... This could be a while.

Only because it's such a challenging decision.