Soulslikes captivate gamers to risk life-and-death gambles as they play again and again. In order to make sure that the live, die, repeat nature of these games remain more “live” and less “die”, certain combat mechanics must be mastered to ensure the player has the upper hand in battle.
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One of the most popular and satisfying mechanics to come from the genre is the stagger mechanic. This typically involves interrupting an enemy’s attack and leaving them off balance, effectively “staggering” the enemy, meaning they'll be defenseless to the player’s following attacks and possibly allow more damage to be dealt. Each game in the genre has a different take on this mechanic.
6 Bloodborne
When All Else Fails, Just Shoot Them
Bloodborne
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
Bloodborne stands among the best of the best Soulslikes, as well as having a brilliant example of a stagger mechanic. The game has a fast-paced and aggressive combat system, and its way of staggering enemies doesn’t slow it down.
Just like Indiana Jones bringing a gun to a swordfight, you can interrupt an enemy’s attack with a well-timed shot from your firearm. If successful, the enemy will be susceptible to a counterattack that will deal extra damage. Whilst this may sound easy, firearms have a limited number of shots, so understanding enemy and boss patterns is key to success.
5 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
A Series With Historic Use of Stagger
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
- Developer(s)
- Team Ninja
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Stagger-like mechanics have been used for a long time in gaming, from leaving a fighter dizzy in Street Fighter 2 to exploiting weak spots in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Final Fantasy 13 was one of the earliest adopters of modern-day stagger mechanics, utilizing them in the same year as Demon’s Souls release and its introduction of “staggering”. The series has continued to use the stagger mechanics as recently as Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth but it’s only Stranger of Paradise that falls under the Soulslike genre.
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A fast-paced reimagining of the original 1987 Final Fantasy, Stranger of Paradise uses a “Break Gauge” for both the player character and the enemy. Adding to the strategy, different jobs and weapons will affect different enemy types, but once the gauge is depleted, the enemy (or player) is staggered and left vulnerable to satisfying finishing moves that make the combat feel ultra-fluid.
4 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Master The Stagger And Die Less
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Developer(s)
- From Software
FromSoftware departed slightly from its previous Souls games with Sekiro. Allowing the player character to jump and grapple hook their way through areas may make the game sound easier, but the combat is still as brutal, perhaps even more so. In order to give gamers a fighting chance, the need for staggering enemies is emphasized more than ever.
Staggering in Sekiro is done through the game’s “Posture” mechanic, which is effectively what the Stamina bar was in the Souls games. By deflecting attacks and landing hits, an enemy’s posture can be broken. This staggers them, leaving them open to a deathblow, and is far more effective than chipping away at an enemy’s health bar.
3 Mortal Shell
Stay Mortal Thanks To Your Shell
Mortal Shell
- Developer(s)
- Cold Symmetry
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PS5
Mortal Shell introduces perhaps one of the most unique takes on the stagger mechanic in Soulslikes. One of the main mechanics of the game revolves around the player character hardening their "shell" during combat. This increases their defense and, if timed right, will absorb the enemy attack. This will then stagger the enemy and allow for counterattacks.
The game features different shells that each come with their own unique abilities and mechanics, suiting different playstyles. These different shells are discovered throughout the game but there’s also the option to not use a shell and essentially play an extra challenging mode where the player character can only withstand a single hit. This results in relying solely on weapons to stagger enemies instead.
2 The Surge 2
A Mechanical Stagger Mechanic
The Surge 2
- Developer(s)
- Deck13 Interactive
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4
Whereas the Souls games and many other Soulslikes adopt a dark, gothic fantasy style, The Surge series replaces medieval equipment with futuristic, robotic armor, or Exo-Rigs as they are known in-game. These upgradable rigs resemble other sci-fi exoskeletons, such as Power armor from Fallout games or Power Loaders from the Alien movies, and play an integral part in players’ survival.
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Many enemies encountered throughout the game are either fellow Exo-Rig users or Robots run amok. By targeting the limbs of these enemies, players can disable certain attacks, leaving them staggered. This unique limb targeting mechanic adds an extra layer of strategy to the fast-paced combat.
1 Dark Souls 3
The Original Stagger Refined
Dark Souls 3
- Developer(s)
- From Software
The majority of Soulslikes that feature a stagger mechanic each use similar systems as described above, either requiring players to chip away at a separate bar other than health, time hits just right, or a mixture of both. This is often commonly referred to as “poise”. Dark Souls 3 takes the stagger mechanic introduced in previous Souls installments and perfects it, along with its fluid combat.
Here, the stagger bar is invisible. If the player stops attacking, the enemy’s stagger will regenerate, but with enough hits, the enemy’s defense can be broken. This will lead to a staggered state and could turn the tide of a battle. Weapon choices also play a key role here, as heavier weapons like greatswords can initiate a staggered state with fewer hits. However, these weapons tend to be slower. It all depends on fan’s preferred playstyle and their character’s stats.
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