Elden Ring is the most hotly anticipated game of 2022. It’s the next massive game from acclaimed developer From Software, creators of the Souls like genre, and the game already looks like its brutal fun. That said, its release is still over a week away. As such, some players might be getting a bit anxious and want to scratch that Souls like itch prior to Elden Ring‘s launch.
Those who just can’t wait to play Elden Ring — or those who are just looking for similar games to enjoy alongside it — should check out these titles. They’ll all give players a tough, but enjoyable, time.
Released earlier this month, Sifu is an intense action game with a unique hook. Every time the player dies in Sifu, they will age. Players become a little stronger with each death, but also have less health to work with until they die by aging over 80. Sifu rewards dedication and memorization, as players are forced to learn the right combos and routes through levels if they want to beat each level’s boss before dying of old age. Fans of From Software games will appreciate how Sifu encourages players to get better through harsh punishment for failure. This game can be quite frustrating at first, but once players learn the right strategies it becomes immensely rewarding.
Digital Trends loved Sifu, giving it four and a half stars. “Sifu‘s punishing loop and intense combat are nothing short of brilliant,” Otto Kratky’s review asserts. “It’s one of those rare titles that doesn’t just want players to do their best; it demands it instead. Falling short of that requirement means the entire experience is going to be that much harder until you start doing better. For a majority of people, that’s not going to translate to a fun gameplay experience, but it perfectly serves the game’s themes.”
Sifu will definitely give Elden Ring a run for its money as the toughest game of February 2022. It’s available now on the Epic Games Store, PS4, and PS5.
For those that don’t want to replay From Software’s originals but want something that hits all of same notes nearly as well, I recommend Mortal Shell. It’s a shameless Dark Souls clone, but it makes up for it by introducing some surprisingly solid twists on the Soulslike formula. Players possess the “mortal shells” of dead warriors the gain access to the weapons and abilities Dark Souls players normally associate with certain classes. Players can also harden themselves at any time, even mid-attack.
These small tweaks to the formula add a ton of depth, as players can find and upgrade the shells that work best for them in any situation. The hardening mechanic also means Mortal Shell feels a little more aggressive to play than traditional Dark Souls, as players will constantly assess when they should harden or tank and attack for maximum effect. The game is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. It’s currently included with Xbox Game Pass.
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