Eldest Souls review

Our Verdict

Eldest Souls is not a game for the faint of heart. Information technology is a roughshod dominate rush claiming that volition push you to your limit. But its "ane more try" hook is seriously addicting.

For

Beautiful 16-fleck art manner
Intriguing world and lore
Intense boss battles
Tons of build diversity

Against

Some boss set on telegraphs could exist better
Tedious stamina regeneration takes getting used to

Tom'southward Guide Verdict

Eldest Souls is non a game for the faint of heart. It is a cruel boss rush challenge that will push y'all to your limit. Simply its "one more endeavour" claw is seriously addicting.

Pros

+
Beautiful 16-flake fine art manner
+
Intriguing world and lore
+
Intense boss battles
+
Tons of build diversity

Cons

-
Some dominate set on telegraphs could be amend
-
Slow stamina regeneration takes getting used to

Eldest Souls pushed me to the brink. I beloved a good challenge, and this game certainly delivered on that front end. The whole game is a boss blitz that employs the core tenets of the Souls-similar genre, and slaps y'all in the face right from the commencement. Telephone call me a masochist, because I loved every minute of it.

Some games artificially inflate their challenges by giving enemies extra wellness points or larger impairment outputs. Others make supplementary mechanics, similar platforming, difficult. Eldest Souls succeeds past making the difficulty feel off-white. Each dominate has its ain quirk, and every success and failure are on yous. Programmer Fallen Flag Studio did a great job making a game that'due south not only incredibly challenging, simply also 1 that pulls you in by making you lot say "one more than time" over and over once again. Acquisition each of the Old Gods feels euphoric.

Eldest Souls is a refreshing game, with its singular focus on providing a solid boss rush experience. It'southward not for anybody, but if y'all crave a challenge, this is one to cheque out. Read on for our total Eldest Souls review.

Eldest Souls review: Gameplay

Eldest Souls has a very simple gameplay loop: Vanquish the dominate, and so move onto the next one. There are some NPC side quests mixed in if yous'd like to pursue them, but they're optional. Otherwise, the game has simple controls. You can move, dodge and assail. Holding the attack push button lets you charge up, and landing a charged accident will activate Bloodthirst.

Bloodthirst serves two functions. I, it acts every bit a vitrify, making your attacks hit harder and in quicker succession; yous tin can unleash a large attack by holding down the Bloodthirst button. But the mode too activates the healing mechanic, which feels similar to Bloodborne. While in Bloodthirst style, landing hits on a dominate volition furnish your health. The vitrify lasts for only a few seconds before you need to land another charged blow, which encourages a serious risk/reward play fashion.

When yous die — and you lot will die enough of times — you have the choice to restart the dominate boxing. Unlike in Souls games, there'south no running back through a horde of enemies that could whittle down your health or healing items. This makes each new effort quicker, and leads to the addictive "1 more than time" loop I mentioned earlier.

Dodging is a cardinal function of your skill set up here, merely y'all're express to three charges before you lot have to await for a stamina meter to replenish. This process is painstakingly slow — too slow, in my opinion — but it does strength you to adjust instead of spamming your dodge skill.

Unlocking equipable items can raise your play style, as each 1 comes with its own active or passive ability. You can as well invest in 1 of the game's three skill trees, which offer a ton of build variety to ensure that you play the game the manner yous desire to.

I won't spoil whatever of the bosses here, only remainder bodacious that each 1 is a treat, with their own unique gimmicks and lore. I wish some of the telegraphs earlier they attack were a bit better, but you learn quickly. All told, there are 10 bosses to defeat. Afterward that, there's a New Game+ mode, which not only buffs the bosses all with more health and damage, just adds new mechanics as well. You'll too unlock an Arena style to challenge specific bosses again.

Eldest Souls review: Story and setting

The lore of Eldest Souls is interesting, and you'll learn the story piecemeal, much like in a Soulsborne game. Y'all get bits and pieces of the narrative from boss items, NPCs and notes that you can discover scattered throughout the Citadel.

Long ago, the Moon shattered, and from it were born both humans and the beings referred to as gods. The deities subjugated the humans until the humans rebelled. They challenged the gods and imprisoned the entities in the Citadel, a fortress meant to contain them all. Merely a dark entity made his way into the Citadel and began corrupting everything around him.

In a final human action of retribution, the Old Gods unleashed the Desolation, which ruined the world, dried upward the rivers and killed the crops. It's a grim setting, with the apocalypse drawing ever nearer. You play as a nameless warrior who heads to the Citadel to impale the Former Gods. When you become at that place, the fortress is in ruins, and you must slay everything on your own, armed with your giant sword.

Eldest Souls drips with Souls inspiration in its worldbuilding. Though the story and lore aren't the game's main focus, they help to mankind out the desolate Citadel with grapheme. If you pay attending, y'all're doing more just beating challenging bosses — yous're trying to salvage the world. The game's moody tone and sparse story bits assistance craft something special, where you're left to figure out what'south going on and come to your own conclusions.

Eldest Souls review: Visuals and sound

Eldest Souls sports a beautiful 16-bit pixel art style, with wonderfully designed bosses and environments. In-betwixt bosses, you can explore the Citadel and curiosity at its decrepit land. The Quondam Gods themselves are unique, with striking looks and powerful abilities. Don't spend too much admiring them, though, or else yous'll die needlessly.

I too enjoyed the audio pattern of Eldest Souls, with thou boss tracks and a somber tone in-between. The music isn't meant to draw your attention. Instead, it blends into the background, offering an appropriate soundstage for your battles against the Old Gods. It helps you become into a menses state as yous take on each new challenge.

Eldest Souls review: Verdict

Eldest Souls is a massive challenge. I wish that there were more than ten bosses, but you'll nonetheless need several hours to beat them all. And when you do, there's the New Game+ manner to push through, which volition keep yous on your feet with even tougher challenges.

For a boss rush, Eldest Souls is remarkably well thought out, with an interesting world to explore. I'm a sucker for Souls-like storytelling, and Eldest Souls' lore kept me interested, even after I found myself growing frustrated with repeatedly losing to the bosses. The grimdark fantasy setting won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I sure loved it.

Take hold of Eldest Souls if you think you're up to the claiming. Information technology's definitely worth the request price.

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Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over 5 years and plans to keep for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing projection. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Jordan tends to lurk on social media, simply you can best achieve him on Twitter.