Eldest Souls

Praised by fans and critics alike, Eldest Souls is much more than just another Souls-like in 2D. It's a great gaming experience where every here are no minions. Indeed, the gameplay is firmly focused on boss battles. They each have their own combat style that you'll need to work out. A punishing game for hardy souls!

If you enjoy extreme challenges, intense combat, and bosses that will give you nightmares, Eldest Souls is just the game for you. Developed by the small but tenacious team at Fallen Flag Studios, this is a top quality Soulslike. It spares no quarter when it comes to testing your skills and your perseverance.

Our favourite part? All of the enemies in the game are intense boss fights. There's no weaklings here.

From the outset, Eldest Souls immerses you in a dark and menacing world populated with well-designed bosses. Unlike in many other games, you'll not find any minor enemies to beat: the whole game is dedicated to challenging boss fights. Each boss has its own combat style, and the right strategy is vital to defeating them. The fights are complex and it's not uncommon to need dozens of attempts before making any progress. But despite that, the difficulty level is balanced, and each failure encourages you to improve.

You'll need to charge enemies to regain health, but it's a risky approach because you are always a hairs' breadth from being killed and the game's excitement lies in taking risks to gain an advantage. Dodging is also crucial to avoiding the boss' attacks, but it's a limited skill that you need to use wisely. This creates a constant sense of tension, because one bad decision can mean the end of your adventure. Eldest Souls isn't a game for the faint-hearted.

We liked how you can customise your character using skills trees, each containing 25 unique skills. You can tailor character to your favourite playstyle, and experiment with different strategies to defeat the bosses.

But the game isn't just all about combat. There are side quests and items to collect that will teach you more about the history of this sombre world. You can also help NPCs in exchange for items that will be key to your quest.

Our advice to help you on your way? Use the side quests to your advantage. Make sure you explore every corner of the world to root them out, and you'll be rewarded with handy items that can mean the difference between life and death in a boss battle.

If you're a relentless warrior at heart, if boss battles don't scare you, and if you enjoy high quality pixel art graphics, get stuck in. You'll be in for a frustrating ride, but the satisfaction when you overcome the challenges is worth the effort.

A great Soulslike!