Devoted fans of From Software and the Soulsborne series are in a state of eager anticipation now that Dark Souls 3 is just about content complete with the final DLC, The Ringed City, soon to be released. The anticipation, however is for where the developer is going next with their efforts. As long time players of the franchise back from when Demon’s Souls first released in Japan, we know that From Software is extraordinarily secretive when it comes to their design plans for future games. As such, with the futility of speculation apparent, the most logical next step is to discuss what it is that fans of the franchise want to see in a new From Software game.
New Universe and Lore
By the time we reached the end of Dark Souls 3 everything in that world was so well worn. Of course the cryptic story was provocative, but much of it was retreading hollowed ground. We had come to know all of the faces and places in the world even if the games technically didn’t take place in the same exact land. Our story as one who seeks flame was effectively the same in all 3 games, with a few wrinkles here and there, and as a result the formula was pretty similar. Acquire souls of special beings to become powerful enough to challenge for the right to the flame. The same can even be said for the possibility of a Bloodborne 2. Although a Bloodborne sequel is something we’d love to see because there are so many questions left to explore, the formula and universe would be similar to the first. An entirely fresh new world and journey would be welcome.

Fans have been waxing philosophical on the types of worlds they’d love to see From Software apply their Souls framework to. Sci-fi, samurai, cyberpunk, pirate. There are as many worlds to explore as there are sourcebooks for tabletop RPGs. We’ve already seen From Software try their hand at medieval fantasy and famous monsters/lovecraft so we know they have a demonstrated ability to get to the essence of a setting and deliver something authentic. What’s important is to maintain their same approach to how they tell a story, with item descriptions, visual cues and other subtle elements that don’t present themselves until you’ve really invested fully in the game.
New Mechanics
Bloodborne elucidated just how much room there is for innovation within From Software’s new Soulsborne niche. Although the framework for gameplay was similar such as camera perspective, general control scheme and design concepts, Bloodborne introduced fresh conventions. Trick weapons that transformed into something entirely new in application were a revelation and despite Bloodborne featuring much fewer weapons than any Dark Souls games, the transformations effectively doubled them. Furthermore inclusions like firearms and gems and runes were all fresh twists. Even if they didn’t all quite hit the mark, the important thing is they were attempts at innovation rather than refining their known formula, which we’ve seen in 3 successive Dark Souls games.

What could we see? Mind you I’m no game designer but it’s fun to think out loud nonetheless. Of course the setting of the game would dictate a lot, so if we were to receive a Sci-Fi Souls game, ranged weaponry like lasers or high tech ballistics are obvious candidates for something new. A new game could even bring back old mechanics like World Tendency with a twist, such as variable weather that creates new hazards? There are mechanics possibly to be gleaned from other genres such as survival games where literally losing everything including gear and experience is a possibility or where you must make everything in the game that you need, with only materials, blueprints and resources dropping as loot.
Furthemore, new mechanics could mean a return to some earlier design sensibilities that were left in the past. Team Ninja’s upcoming game Nioh’s demos have been a wonderful prompt of elements that the Souls series once excelled at but left far behind, as the game often conjures up feelings of Demon’s Souls. Methodical level progression, looking for traps that are set against you which can be turned against foes if planned right. Meaningful checkpoints and shortcuts that result in a feeling of accomplishment when you make it there, not a bonfire every 10 feet. The enemies between you and your next safe point should matter, and every encounter should count for something because the experience you’re holding is precious. For that matter, experimenting with a design that eliminates midlevel bonfires altogether and build worlds in a similar structure to Demon’s Souls (keeping things seamless as Dark Souls of course) would bring the series back to its mantra of teaching the player how to improve and progress. It should never have been “Prepare to Die.” It should always have been “Prepare to Learn.”

New Atmosphere
We get it, From knows grim. But with so much of the experience about death and decay, a focus on life, resurrection or creation could be a refreshing theme that doesn’t have to alter the core mechanics or difficulty challenge the developer is known for. How could that look? Perhaps something along the lines of Okami, where creating stuff out of thin air aids you on our quest and brings restoration to a world. Art as a weapon that heals?

A more vibrant palette could easily be overlayed onto the framework of the game. Jungles, deserts and other environments have yet to be explored, instead favoring crumbling urban or medieval architecture. But perhaps a Mayan temple journey in the jungle, Egyptian travels through palaces and pyramids? Viking raids on icy, green shores?
Death itself could also be an opportunity for innovation. Right now, we’re all familiar with the formula. Die, lose your souls, revive at last bonfire, make it back to your death spot, reclaim souls. Move on. But what if the journey back was tweaked while still retaining the same principle. What if the journey back was through a different realm? Torment: Tides of Numenera does something like this as you travel to the inner recesses of your mind, exploring a labyrinth that is a location all of its own, at which point you can then resurrect.

This makes death an opportunity to tell a story. What if death actually gave way to life? As in every time you died, instead of a bloodstain, you left a mound that sprouted a tree or flower that improved the world in some way depending on the volume of experience lost? Reclaiming it would move that world backwards. This would be a spin on death similar to the impacts of World Tendency in Demon’s Souls but reversed. Moments like these can make for interesting philosophical musings on concepts like hope and altruism. Presently death is such heavily trodden ground that the concept has become more or less meaningless.

After 8 years of similar themes, we’ve mused on the implications of death and decay quite enough. None of these thematic changes need be cheesy or hippy; it’s quite possible for a tale of hope, love or creation to be a sobering study.
New Spin on Multiplayer
Covenants were a revelation in the first Dark Souls but it’s time to move into something more meaningful. The formula of co-op and PvP is familiar to all of us and in some way that core structure should remain. Covenants helped augment that by providing a prompt for roleplay and gameplay, but they often don’t work as intended and become more work than worthwhile. It’s a fairly standard letdown at this point and merits exploration. Perhaps always on zones that are optional? Something like what we see in Destiny with their shared world concept. It’s not quite an MMO as much of the game is instanced but there are hubs of activity where players can interact. It may seem blasphemous, but a Dragon’s Dogma like Ur-dragon that functions like a public event where anyone in the vicinity can time attack a particularly powerful boss for rare upgrade materials could give a meaningful reason to check in daily.

Repeatable Dungeons & Endgame Content
Chalice Dungeons were a concept in Bloodborne that were an awkward inclusion to the main game and while much maligned by some players, the attempt is commendable and worth exploring. For many players the thrill of the challenge of clearing a level and squaring off against a boss is what keeps them coming back time and time again. Presently players get that fix by continuing into new, harder cycles in New Game plus and beyond or by starting new characters and tackling the game fresh. However those players invested in their current character and leaving a cycle open for farming for builds, are left in a bit of a limbo for full PvE content. This is where Chalice Dungeons attempted to fit in, and in some ways they were successful, behaving somewhat like the endgame Everfall in Dragon’s Dogma. What they lacked was intrigue, instead being mostly repetitive procedural dungeons that weren’t particularly rewarding beyond those looking for special gems. This disinterest was partially due to the gem system itself but also partially due to design.

However, an improved concept of these dungeons that were more varied in layout, design and setting and also worthwhile from a rewards standpoint would add an extra layer of replayability especially for players who are not heavily invested in PvP. Presently, the dedicated PvP community is what tends to keep interest in the game and online activity up for months after the release of a game. Those who favor PvE will play the game heavily for sure, but not necessarily as often or for as long. This also skews post launch support in favor of the vocal PvP focused community who although visible, may not be an accurate representation of the typical person who purchases the game. That’s an unfortunate situation that could be rectified with endgame-like PvE content outside of normal game cycles.
The Vanity of Hope
Everything said, simply expressing one’s vision for change is a dangerous proposition in the Souls community but it’s a valuable exercise nonetheless. One thing we can all agree on is that the Soulslike as created by From Software has a core sensibility that should be maintained which manifests as a feel and perspective. Something silly like a voiced character or pausing would be anathema to what drew us to the developer in the first place. The beautiful thing about the formula that From Software has crafted is that so much could be layered upon those vital core systems that result in something new yet familiar. It’s really only limited by their imaginations and our vain aspirations. What are yours?
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28 responses to “What We Want to See In a New From Software Game”
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But what about boss fights?
Here’s a tweak i would like to see. With the Souls Recovery I would like to instead of seeing a Bloodstain, I would want to have a Revenant of your PC, which fights you for your souls. If you win everything is restored, If you lose, you not only lose your souls but allow that revenant to invade other worlds until it is killed. Letting other player relish in your lost souls.
I would like to see a Bloodborne 2, if only to see if they can make Chalice Dungeons work better. The concept behind them is sound, and could be applied to many other games to give them a shelf life beyond what NG+ does.
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