If you ask someone to define the standout features of a game within the Souls genre, there could be a lot of similar reactions.
You can expect many to hear people mention the intense difficulties these games share. You may hear fans talking about tight and punishing combat. Or you might have an occasional individual wax focused on lyrical designs for complex map designs.
However, few people talk about the platforms within these titles. These games aren’t like thatUsing some games within the genre that is inevitably known for their parkour will allow you to avoid them in style.
So, whether you are looking for a satisfying traversal on your next soul outing or need a game that offers sadistic difficulties through the challenges of that platform, we have it covered.
There’s something here for everyone, as we offer a healthy blend of 2D and 3D souls titles.
10
The final faith
Pixel Perfect Bloodborne
You can imagine it in a game that feels closer to the 2D version of Bloodborne.
The final faith provides huge maps to explore, tough bosses to take on, and many tools to defeat enemies such as guns, spells, and old hacking and thrashing.
But as you gain some power, dashing, grappling, and the ability to avoid in style by flying around the place, the game really becomes itself.
It’s slowly burning as the best platforms definitely come later in this game. But for sophisticated combat and great bosses, up until then you’ll be thoroughly entertained.
9
Elden Ring
Satisfactory rigidity
It may not be the first one you are associated with an oddly open world title, as you are going very far. But in addition to some of the best world designs ever, and the most memorable soul bosses on record, the game actually boasts a rather solid platform.
Certainly, it’s still a bit stiff and clunky, but this is intentional to make it feel like a traditional soul title. Plus, it’s not actually the other way.
Adding torrents adds a new dimension to the platform provided. Needless to say, the game offers a wealth of closely designed areas with verticality, encouraging players to carefully traverse narrow beams and small shelves.
You won’t get Pixel-Fect Platforming here, but what you get is the joy of working with. Unless the player help message is instructed to “jump here” and tell you that you will fall into your death.
8
Another crab treasure
It will improve wet areas
Ever since I arrived in the scene like this Shoals, I have been the champion of this underwater adventure, often referring to another crab treasure as an ideal way to dive into a world where beginners are punished by Soulsrix.
It is partly for a child-friendly tone, and partly also depends on the dynamics of a boiling, accessible soul. But most of all, this game feels like the perfect middle ground between something like a traditional soul and a traditional mascot platformer.
Playing as Kril allows you to spend as much time hacking and thrashing as you would solidly platform around the new area. This is a great way to split difficult segments and give beginner soul players a breather.
It’s still a game that tests your resolve. It’s seemingly difficult in the place, but at least when you’re on the platform, it’s a rather cold and satisfying effort.
7
Kenna: The Bridge of Spirits
At first glance, it looks fatal
Speaking of seemingly difficult games, I think this Pixar-style adventure game will not come out to sweat. However, you will be amazed as this game is like a soul serving as a cute platformer.
There are many reasons why this game can naturally slip into cozy categories, including gorgeous forest environments, adjacent mechanics on mascot platformers, and of course rot.
However, combat takes place quite frequently in this game, and all encounters force you to be involved in very tight combat mechanics, and if you fail to master them, it leads to rapid death, especially with higher difficulty.
So, thanks to the huge, bulging eyes of corruption, what I say to those seductively seduced by this is to enjoy the platform and exploration of those quiet moments. The boss battles and waves of enemies will become much more intense than you negotiated this cold adventure.
6
Steelrising
The robot revolution
As a developer, spiders are known as always for big swingers. Sometimes they completely miss the philosophical ball, but they hit as many home runs as they did the foul ball.
Steelrising is a great example of this. This flawed gem provides an experience that feels like a serious attempt to stand out from the ground, and it offers enough to feel familiar, but also offers a wealth of new ideas.
The game lacks a bit in the combat and boss combat divisions, but makes up for it with other aspects, such as traversal, for example.
It has a grappling hook and dash abilities and has a dedicated platform section where you need to showcase your mastery.
It’s not reinventing the wheel, don’t misunderstand me. However, in the Souls game, this is more adventurous than most and is worth checking out platform fans.
5
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Jedi Return
Not everyone immediately associates the Star Wars Jedi series with genres like Souls. But in fact, these two games have both Souls and Metroidvania DNA, making it a series suitable for many.
The platform in Fallen Order was largely decent, but the game is a bit more rough around the edge, so there were plenty of cheap and frustrating deaths that kept fans from calling it “good.”
However, Survivors will provide fans with nearly every complaint about the series’ original, offering closer traversal, more diverse combat, larger, more open spaces and more.
It’s the best Star Wars game other than Kotor, and it’s a bold claim, but I’m totally supportive of it. It’s a bit easier for a veteran soul player, but if you can get through it, you’re there for the treat.
4
Blasphemy
News Flash: Spikes are sharp
Speaking of the fusion of soul and metroidvania, these tend to be the pinnacle of platforms and encounter soul combat designs. The original ASP is displayed better than most.
The sequel leaps far more towards the Metroidvania side of Coin, but the original is a highly punishing, intentionally insensitive, and essentially punishing case.
This will also be converted to the platform. This is for players to enjoy a tight 2D platform using Metroidvania-style power-ups that can be collected along the way. Although there are far more clear results if the platform sequence is incorrect.
For example, if you get spiked with a small health penalty, the sequel will respawn the 5th verse. On the other hand, the original dies instantly. This means there is less room for error.
In short, the game offers Souls Design, which offers punishments that extend to the platform, making it a must-see for sadistic platform fans who like soul combat.
3
Hollow Knight
Platform is a true boss battle
The rich veins of Metroidvania-Souls are being tapped again. Much of publicity as the ultimate Metroidvania experience.
But despite that fact, this game is also a tough soul. Punishing the rich tough bosses, mechanisms that require mastery, and most importantly provide a highly demanding platform section.
You just need to get around Halloweenist until the end, and you’ll need some platform chops, but there’s also quite a few platform sections that act as a true test of your skill.
Areas like the White Palace and Path of Pain come to mind and provide some of the most severe and difficult platform obstacles you can imagine.
In short, despite its cute hand-drawn visuals and soothing scores, the game doesn’t draw punches.
2
9 Sols
Tao & Pride
If you have a game worthy of flowers and never got the praise it deserves, it was nine sols like 2D souls with an incredible parry focus.
Inspired by this Tao, Metroidvania leaned towards the careful “hiding behind your shield” mechanism of dark souls, instead leaning against Sekiro’s parry and counter mechanics.
Combats are very demanding, often with holes close to progress, and only those with perfect timing and execution win. This can also be said about the gaming platform.
Certainly, it’s not tough, but avoiding this world is not a picnic either. You need to use all your tools at your disposal to avoid projectiles and to avoid projectiles and reach a potential position in order to deal with deadly enemies scattered around the map.
That being said, the platform is smooth and satisfying and feels like a holiday compared to the boss fights waiting for you, so enjoy flying around the place while it continues.
1
Sekiro: Shadow dies twice
You’ll die more than once
We just mentioned it, so we might end things up with the FromSoft title, which offers the best platform by Country Miles.
Sekiro is not about hiding behind a shield or devising an OP build that overwhelms your enemies. It’s about honing your craft, becoming a savant with Bali, and using ninja-like dexterity to avoid direct combat as much as possible.
The latter is made possible by the smooth and dynamic traversal the game offers, allowing you to raise the roof and scale, then drop from the high beam to run your enemies.
Platform and positioning are essential if you want to get drops on enemies, and there is no game that made me feel like a badass through traversal than Sekiro.
That prosthetic arm allows you to literally hide many tricks in your sleeves, and while it’s the most difficult soul game on the market, I encourage all of you to at least try it.
