Eldest Souls

Though it wears its overly obvious influences on its sleeve, Eldest Souls is an incredibly satisfying boss rush that still manages to set itself apart. Its brilliant combat is complimented by a smart skill system and some incredible pixel art. Designed with replayability in mind, it’s a little bit of a bummer that its impressive customization doesn’t really blossom until partway into your first playthrough. But one thing that’s there from the start is that feeling of immense glory after every hard-earned victory: Ceremoniously slumping onto the living room floor, clutching the carpet for dear life with one hand while exhaustedly flipping off the television with the other.

Return to the world of Eldest Souls with the Depths of the Forgotten DLC, a worthy continuation of a good, sometimes great, boss rush Souls-like hybrid.

Eldest Souls has an objective: to make us work hard and, finally, leave us with a feeling of satisfaction for the victory. Does it succeed? Yes, but for this reason, it's not a game for everyone.

You want an experience that is so difficult, but rewarding, that it keeps you coming back for more. Eldest Souls fits the bill, but because it focuses on just boss-rushing, it feels more like a lite version that is still just as fun to play. It’s great for those who know what they’re signing up for and are okay with a more minimalistic, if not frustrating approach to a brutal genre.

The boss fights might drag on a bit more than they should. Nevertheless, the battles are well crafted, offering high challenge but fair. Kudos to the deep progression system, with myriad of options that begs to be implemented in a more extended game.