Summary
- Soulslike games offer a wide variety of magic systems that empower players to wreak havoc in the game world.
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Nioh, Demon's Souls, and Elden Ring showcase exemplary magical combat in the Soulslike genre.
- Games like Bloodborne enable players to become overpowered forces through magic, making them a formidable presence.
The Soulslike genre has slowly but surely become one of the industry's most ubiquitous formula's, dominating both the AAA and indie spaces. Game designers from all over the world have found ways to forge life-or-death combat scenarios in a multitude of different styles, and one element that the genre has continuously explored is magic. Many Souslike games have allowed players to unleash their inner mage with wonderfully destructive and satisfying results.
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Magic in video games takes many different forms, and the Soulslike genre has built its reputation largely on active, player-driven systems. In games like Bloodborne and Jedi: Fallen Order, magic is designed to make the player feel an immediate sense of place and authority in the world. The games following and others like them have let gamers unleash their own custom sense of unbridled chaos on the world, and have been ranked based on their magic systems and overall design quality.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Master The Force In Respawn's Outstanding Star Wars Game
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Released
- November 11, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Action
Following Disney's acquisition of the Star Wars franchise for a staggering 4.05 billion dollars from series creator George Lucas, and with Respawn at the helm, Disney was able to produce what is still one of the absolute best Soulslike games of all time with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. This incredible 3D action-adventure title follows Cal Kestis, an inexperienced Jedi on the run from the Empire. While they guide Cal along his epic journey, players are able to tap into the mystical energy field known as The Force, and Fallen Order allows them to fully embrace the chaotic fun of being a Jedi.
Jedi: Fallen Order lets players make use of a wide range of Force powers, including several that allow Cal to dominate the game's impressive roster of enemies. Pushing a Stormtrooper off a cliff or using Force Slow to allow Cal to perform deadlier lightsaber attacks, combined with the remarkably satisfying finishing moves, are what really make Fallen Order feel like one of the most authentic and compelling Star Wars games of all time.
Nioh
Eliminate The Yokai With Reckless Abandon
Nioh
- Released
- February 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Team Ninja
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Developed by Team Ninja over the course of a decade, Nioh was based on an unfinished script written by legendary film director Akira Kurosawa. It sees historic Samurai William Adams on a quest to slay demonic creatures in Sengoku-era Japan. While William is more than competent with a variety of melee weapons, from swords to staffs to spears and the wickedly fun kusarigama, he is also able to use devastating magic known as Onmyo.
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In addition to some powerful healing spells, Onmyo magic also allows the player to unleash all the elements onto the game's nefarious yokai, as well as a series of debilitating status effects like Sloth. Nioh does its best to make the player feel like they are truly unstoppable in certain situations, and in a genre focused on making the player feel small, it offers a gameplay loop that is endlessly compelling.
Demon's Souls
Rescue The Kingdom Of Boletaria With Powerful Magic
Demon's Souls
- Released
- November 12, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bluepoint Games
- Genre(s)
- RPG
It's safe to say that, while games like King's Field and Shadow Tower were the first versions of what many consider the "Soulslike" genre, no game truly codified the genre as firmly as 2009's Demon's Souls. One of the key tropes of the franchise that Demon's Souls established was that magic builds are insanely overpowered, allowing players to become an absolute wrecking ball and making the journey to save Boletaria one of FromSoftware's most exciting adventures.
As many of Demon's Souls' encounters are built around high-stakes fights where the player could die at any moment and lose everything, magic allows them to decimate any enemies in front of them with ease. Ranged magic attacks, such as fireballs and magic arrows, as well as potent status effects, lead to some of the magic system's most incredible battles. Demon's Souls was remade from the ground up for the PS5 in 2020, and thankfully, it retained the delightful madness that magic can create.
Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
Wield Devastating Spells From Final Fantasy's Iconic Magic Lineage
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
- Released
- March 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Team Ninja
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Final Fantasy has established a long, storied history with magic spells ever since it debuted in 1987, so when Square-Enix collaborated with Team Ninja to develop a Soulslike spin-off that acted as a retelling of the very first game, they had a lot of material to work with. Known as Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, this high-energy action RPG tapped into the very soul of the franchise, utilizing its vast array of classic magic spells and aesthetics to create one of the most fascinating games in the series.
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Refining the job system seen in previous Final Fantasy games, Stranger of Paradise lets players swap out their skills at any time, which in turn allows them to customize their party in some truly outstanding ways. By using the Mage class, players can access the most legendary spells and powers from Final Fantasy's history, as well as upgrade that job to the Black, Red, and White Mage classes. Spells continuously upgrade and become stronger, and by the end of the game, players can obliterate anything in their path with these powerful abilities.
Elden Ring
Conquer The Lands Between As An All-Powerful Tarnished
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
Elden Ring was FromSoftware's attempt at bringing their meticulous, highly detailed level design into the framework of an open-world action RPG. It was an ambitious prospect that paid off in spades, becoming one of the most successful video games of all time. While most of the marketing revolved around melee and sword combat, Elden Ring follows Soulslike tradition by offering magic builds that can make the player feel like a destructive, unstoppable force of nature.
Elden Ring gives the player all the tools needed to create an absolute menace to the monsters and creatures roaming the Lands Between. By making use of the game's wide range of spells and magic gear, it's easy to become a dominant force. Being able to one-shot famous bosses like Starscourge Radahn and Godfrey is immensely satisfying, and having the option to play the game that way is deeply woven into the DNA of the Soulslike genre. Elden Ring's magic system is easily some of the most fun of any FromSoft game, and this incredible action RPG is slated for an upgraded release on Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in 2025.
Bloodborne
Fear The Old Blood
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
In what many still consider FromSoftware's most complete game to date, it's entirely possible to rule the streets of Yharnam in a way that no other Hunter can, as 2015's Bloodborne is still the pinnacle of Soulslike magic combat. Magic in Bloodborne scales with a stat called Arcane, which ties into some of the game's most powerful and highly entertaining weapons. This gothic horror adventure lets players lay waste to the cosmic nightmares that await them.
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Pairing a high Arcane level with a weapon like the Flamesprayer can lead to some devastating results, as players can simply cook their enemies, and it makes anyone who plays it truly feel like they cannot be stopped. Then there are Hunter Tools, magical items that allow the player to do anything from enhancing their weapon to summoning spirits to firing meteors like bullets. In a world where human insignificance compared to the cold darkness of space plays a major role, becoming a walking death machine that mows down the never-ending roster of cosmic baddies is a cathartic experience.
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