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Why FromSoftware Should Explore a Sci-Fi Soulslike Game Beyond Armored Core 6

Armored Core 6 has introduced diversity to FromSoftware's portfolio, paving the way for potential innovation in the Souls games.
Why FromSoftware Should Explore a Sci-Fi Soulslike Game Beyond Armored Core 6

Highlights

  • FromSoftware's recent games, Elden Ring and Armored Core 6, have both achieved success due to their challenging gameplay, captivating worlds, and extensive customization options.
  • To foster creativity, FromSoftware should not hesitate to blend old concepts and venture into new territories, such as creating a science fiction-themed Soulslike game.
  • While the Soulslike genre has traditionally been associated with fantasy, examples like The Surge demonstrate that a sci-fi approach can be equally compelling. FromSoftware has the opportunity to break free from its established mold and embrace a different style of Soulslike experience.

Over the past few years, FromSoftware enthusiasts have been treated to the release of Elden Ring and Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. Although these titles cater to different audiences, they share FromSoftware’s trademark demanding gameplay, immersive worlds, and extensive customization. Elden Ring garnered widespread acclaim for adapting the Souls formula into an open-world setting, while Armored Core 6 revived its franchise after a decade-long hiatus, offering mech enthusiasts another compelling installment in their underrepresented genre. Despite achieving distinct forms of success, both games have been widely appreciated.

Currently, Elden Ring is gearing up for its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, while Armored Core 6 continues to receive updates that may lead to an expansion. Although FromSoftware's plans beyond these developments remain undisclosed, fans may anticipate a new game from the studio in the coming years. While this title might align with the mech or fantasy legacies that define most of FromSoftware's portfolio, there is no necessity to adhere to a single tradition. FromSoftware should not shy away from amalgamating its existing concepts to explore untapped niches.

Soulslike Fantasy and Armored Core Sci-Fi Have Remained Exclusively Separate

Throughout its illustrious history, FromSoftware has exhibited a diverse range of titles, with two distinct themes prevailing: fantasy titles reminiscent of King’s Field and mech games inspired by or directly associated with Armored Core. Not only do these two categories maintain consistent visual and narrative identities, but they also possess distinct mechanics. While the King’s Field lineage culminated in Demon's Souls and other Soulslike creations, Armored Core has retained its unique identity, serving as the foundation for various mech games and licensed titles.

FromSoftware Must Embrace New Genre Combinations

These distinct categories of FromSoftware games have been so clearly defined that there were doubts among fans regarding the integration of Souls features into Armored Core 6. However, the game effectively struck a balance between these elements and tradition. Nonetheless, the fact remains that any future science fiction titles from FromSoftware are more likely to align with the template of Armored Core rather than King's Field or Souls. While Bloodborne represents the most significant aesthetic departure within FromSoftware's Soulslike repertoire, the potential for the Souls formula extends far beyond this. Even as Armored Core continues to offer a distinct experience, FromSoftware should not hesitate to introduce a futuristic setting in a Soulslike title.

Armored Core’s Setting Would Seamlessly Translate to a Souls Game

As the pioneer of the genre, FromSoftware's Souls games have set a compelling standard that few imitators have strayed from. Offbeat dark fantasy has become the hallmark of Soulslike experiences, evident in titles such as Nioh, Remnant, and Lies of P. The The Surge series by Deck13 Interactive represents the most significant departure from the fantasy core of Demon’s Souls, unfolding in a distant future characterized by rampant mechanization and advanced AI, mirroring the scenarios found in traditional Soulslike games. While The Surge possesses its own merits, FromSoftware should venture into a similar concept.

Embracing Sci-Fi Would Revolutionize the Soulslike Genre

There is a noticeable dearth of futuristic or cyberpunk Soulslike experiences, presenting FromSoftware with an opportunity to set new trends. This endeavor does not necessarily have to revolve around mechs or their pilots like Armored Core does. Both franchises can coexist without encroaching on each other's identities. A sci-fi Soulslike from FromSoftware would offer a refreshing change after the extensive exploration of fantasy themes and iconography in past Souls games. With Armored Core hopefully extending beyond Armored Core 6, FromSoftware should seize the opportunity to propel the Souls genre into uncharted temporal and spatial realms.

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