Rank the Soulslikes You've Played

[Runa216]

Just spent a few hours this morning running Chalice dungeons with a friend...and for the life of me I do not understand why people hate them so much. If this was ALL the game had to offer, I'd think it was pretty cheap and repetitive. However, as what is essentially bonus/side content to an already beefy and well-worth-it game, I think it compliments what we have nicely.

The main game is a metroidvania styled open-world exploration based action RPG, with interwoven world construction and some of the best boss fights in gaming. It's only semi-linear with some opportunity to sequence break giving a player freedom, as well as lots of optional content like Castle Cainhurst and Upper Cathedral Ward. The game on its own is plenty (I fell in love with Bloodborne before I even knew the Chalice Dungeons existed).

But then, once you unlock the chalice dungeons, the whole design mentality is completely different. Rather than one continuous world with side areas, it's more traditionally level based. Each 'world' (chalice) has 3-5 levels within it, each one a mini maze with hidden loot and a boss at the end. It's a wholly different style of gameplay, and while it lacks the refinement and sense of wonder that the main game has, I love that it's linear; it reminds me of the original Castlevania game or other NES/SNES games. I think it's wonderful that Bloodborne has two halves that are so disparate yet well realized. And, I mean, I guess it's kinda weird that rooms and assets are reused, but how is that different from any other sprite/pixel game? Mario Bros and Metroid and Castlevania use the same assets throughout their games, you're fighting the same goombas and dive bombers and stuff, breaking the same brick blocks and whipping the same lanterns, but it's different based on how the levels are put together and the layout.

I just don't understand why people hate them. Again, if that was ALL The game had to offer I'd think it was a little cheap, but as optional side-content, I think it offers a lovely bit of variety to an already outstanding game.

that's why Bloodborne is my topmost loved game in the genre.