Dark Souls
News, coverage and analysis tracking Dark Souls across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Weekend Discussion - August 23, 2026
This Weekend Discussion article from Shacknews covers various topics including a Sudoku puzzle, a discussion about Dune, watches, MREs, obscure weapons, and coffee. It also highlights recent Shacknews articles about The Duskbloods, NBA 2K27, Borderlands 4, and speculates on the plot of Kingdom Hearts 4. The article also mentions Sam Chandler, Head of Guides at Shacknews, and reiterates Shacknews' policy against using AI in content creation.
The Duskbloods Network Test review - FromSoftware offers multiplayer vampires
FromSoftware's upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, offers a multiplayer-focused experience with fast-paced combat reminiscent of Dark Souls and Bloodborne. The Network Test revealed a competitive knockout tournament structure where players collect 'Virtue' to survive elimination phases, with options for temporary alliances and permanent 'kin' summons. While the core gameplay loop is compelling and features unique characters, its long-term appeal and integration of story elements remain to be seen.
The Duskbloods devs were "definitely very happy" with the Switch 2's reveal after FromSoftware struggled…
FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed that the development of their upcoming multiplayer game, The Duskbloods, initially faced significant challenges on the original Nintendo Switch. The announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 was a welcome relief, solving many of these technical hurdles and allowing the team to focus on new systems and player onboarding, areas where Nintendo provided substantial support.
Mortal Shell II Review | TheXboxHub
Mortal Shell II offers a brutal and satisfying Souls-like combat experience with a unique shell-swapping mechanic and a variety of weapons, including firearms. While the game features a decaying world aesthetic and solid sound design, it is hampered by persistent camera issues and some enemy design similarities. The story involves recovering stolen 'Ova' for the Undermether, and the game is now available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
This newly announced soulslike has a main character inspired by Dark Souls' most heartbreaking boss fight
Stray Dog: Nobody Cares is a new soulslike game inspired by Dark Souls, featuring a protagonist that is a loyal hound to a captured knight, similar to Great Grey Wolf Sif. Developed by Parry Frames Studio, the game will include familiar soulslike mechanics such as parrying, backstabbing, and stealth, with a combat framework that has been completed. The studio previously released the soulslike Crimson Oath.
Will The Duskbloods be on PC and consoles?
The Duskbloods is currently a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, with no immediate plans for release on PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X. While FromSoftware owns the IP and collaborated with Nintendo, there's a possibility of a multiplatform release after an initial exclusivity period, similar to Monster Hunter: Rise. The article also touches on the exclusivity of Bloodborne on PlayStation 4 due to Sony's ownership of the IP.
Dark Souls fans got this one right: new Soulslike where you play as a Sif-coded dog with a sword is now and forever…
Parry Frames Studio has announced Stray Dog: Nobody Cares, a new Soulslike game where players control a sword-wielding dog on a quest to rescue its owner. The game draws heavy inspiration from FromSoftware's Dark Souls, particularly the boss Great Grey Wolf Sif. It features stealth kills, parries, and brutal boss fights, with fans already making "Bark Souls" puns.
Nintendo denies The Duskbloods' September release date in the least convincing way possible
Nintendo has denied a reported September 24 release date for FromSoftware's upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, calling the information "inaccurate." This statement comes after a preview from The Guardian mistakenly listed the date, which the author later clarified was an editorial error. While the official release window remains 2026, speculation continues about potential release dates and comparisons to other major upcoming titles.
The Duskbloods doesn't punish death like other FromSoftware games do
The upcoming FromSoftware game, The Duskbloods, will feature a death mechanic that differs significantly from previous titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Instead of losing a currency like Souls or Runes upon death, players can respawn multiple times during the initial phases of 'Dusk Battles'. While death won't result in currency loss, players can still be penalized via 'Sword Virtue' if killed by opposing players in Ritual Cities.
Hidetaka Miyazaki says The Duskbloods is full of ideas FromSoftware couldn't fit into Dark Souls or Demon's…
FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed that ideas not used in Demon's Souls and the Dark Souls series are being incorporated into the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods. The action RPG will leverage unique online and multiplayer elements, with some customization options catering to players who prefer a less intense PvP experience.
Recension – Mortal Shell 2
Mortal Shell 2 is a strong addition to the Souls-like genre, praised for its challenging combat, intricate world design, and rewarding parry system. Despite some minor bugs in the PC version, the game offers a deep and engaging experience that rivals the best in its class. The developers at Cold Symmetry have focused on quality over rapid growth, delivering a compact yet expansive world that encourages exploration.
I love the Dark Soulful architecture of The Canon of Balls, a rolling open world game inspired by Sega, Fumito Ueda and Minecraft parkour
The Canon of Balls is a new open-world platformer inspired by Dark Souls, Super Monkey Ball, Shadow of the Colossus, and Minecraft parkour. Players control a statue's face with a tongue inside a rolling cage, navigating intricate, unforgiving environments. Developed by Helios Monk, the game aims for a unique, abrasive aesthetic and a non-modular open world, launching on PC via Steam.
Memoirium Review - Restless Dreams
Memoirium is a Souls-like game that draws heavily from earlier titles in the genre, focusing on methodical combat and a dreamlike world. While it doesn't reach the heights of its inspirations, it offers a unique experience with its defensive playstyle, extensive weapon and magic options, and beautiful low-poly art. Despite some issues with progression, enemy variety, and occasional combat frustrations, Memoirium provides a compelling and memorable challenge for fans of the genre.
The RTX 5070 is creeping ever closer to $1,000, and the mid-range PC gamer in me is in mourning
The average price for Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card has risen to approximately $900, a significant increase from its original MSRP and even its previous inflated price. This trend indicates a broader issue in the GPU market where mid-range cards are becoming as expensive as former high-end models, impacting PC gamers. While AMD cards also see price increases, they remain more accessible in the mid-range segment.
You can now check if you've been selected for The Duskbloods network test - here's how
Players can now check if they have been selected for the upcoming network test of The Duskbloods, the new game from FromSoftware. Those who registered in July can log in to the official website using their Nintendo account to see their selection status. The network test will run from August 21st to 24th, with codes becoming available on August 18th.
Ranked: The 10 Most Punishing Games the ’90s Ever Produced
This article ranks the 10 most punishing games released in the 1990s, highlighting titles that were intentionally designed to be extremely difficult. Games like Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Contra: Hard Corps, and Battletoads are discussed for their brutal challenges, with some difficulty attributed to business models rather than pure design.
Newly discovered Demon's Souls prototype footage reveals a scrapped first-person mode
Newly discovered footage from a 2007 developer presentation reveals that Demon's Souls originally had a selectable first-person mode. Dataminer Lance McDonald found the prototype gameplay, which also showed differences in the third-person camera controls and cut content like snake-headed enemies.
FromSoftware sleuth unearths earliest footage of Demon's Souls to date: A prototype with a first person camera mode
Investigator Lance McDonald has uncovered early internal footage of FromSoftware's Demon's Souls, dating back to a 2007 Sony event. This prototype features a first-person camera mode, a locked player model camera, and enemies not present in the final release. The footage provides a fascinating glimpse into the game's development and its potential to be a very different experience.
Rare Demon's Souls prototype shows off first-person perspective, unused enemies that could have rewritten Dark Souls history: "Like watching the mona lisa being painted"
A rare 2007 prototype presentation for Demon's Souls, developed by Japan Studio and FromSoftware, has revealed early concepts including a first-person perspective and unused enemies. The prototype showcased the game's potential for photorealistic graphics and highlighted the importance of online connectivity, drawing parallels to FromSoftware's later titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring.
"If FromSoftware released the full Dark Souls design document, no one would be debating the lore": Creator of one of the highest-rated new roguelikes on Steam says hands-off storytelling was key
Solo developer YuWave discusses the narrative design of their successful roguelike, Demon Lord: Just a Block, highlighting the effectiveness of hands-off storytelling inspired by games like Dark Souls and Hades. The game's approach of using short, punchy text and fragmented lore has resonated with players, leading to overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam.
