Summary
Although it took an entire trilogy before other developers began to embrace its innovations, FromSoftware’sDark Soulshas had an undeniable impact on gaming. With their sprawling RPGElden Ringand recent return totheirArmored Corefranchise, FromSoftware is as big as they’ve ever been.
RELATED:Souls-Likes That Are Easier Than Dark Souls
With the popularity ofDark Soulscame the Souls-like genre, and with recent releasessuch asLords Of The FallenandLies Of P, Souls-like games are released with increased frequency in both the indie and AAA scenes. However, many of these gamestake place in original, fantasy locations. Many mythological settings throughout history have been depicted in great detail that would make for evocative Souls-like settings, and these are just a few that could be worth exploring.
7Niflheim
This cold, dark, and misty region ofthe Nine Realmsin Norse Mythology sits below Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Fans ofGod Of Warwill recognize it fromGod of War Ragnarok. The daunting, icy environments and cold, quiet atmosphere lend themselves perfectly to thetypical dark fantasyof Souls-like games.
It’s easy to imagine traversing across hazardous terrains and dealing with the unending cold, and the iconic bonfires ofDark Soulswouldn’t go amiss here, either. Being among the roots of the World Tree, Niflheim is said to have been the location of Hvergelmir, a famous well that was the source of several rivers and the potential location of Nidhogg (anglicized name), a notorious dragon.
6Murias, Falias, Gorias and Findias
In Irish folklore, these four mythological cities are the original locations of four famous treasures that were said to have been brought to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann, a mythological supernatural race.
These treasures were known as the four treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Given the main objective of the originalDark Soulsbeing to obtain various “Lord Souls” from a variety of distinct locations, these four treasures in each of the four cities would make for an evocative objective, with each of the cities a unique location.
5El Dorado
Once believed to have been a real place, El Dorado has been the source of several tales and even works of fiction such as the animated film of the same name, as well as the popular board game. In fiction, it’s largely used as the objective of an adventure or expedition, with explorer-like characters often forming the protagonists.
This legendary city of gold was once the source of several expeditions before its dismissal as a myth. Although El Dorado is a sought-after place said to house a variety of riches, the jungle surrounding it and the potential hostility of its inhabitants when the player arrives could make El Dorado a somewhat lighter Souls-like setting with the potential for darker twists.
4The Scholomance
Deep in the mountains, this school of black magic and evil was said to teach up to thirteen pupils at a time, with the Devil himself as an instructor. The Scholomance is depicted as a dark underground school of the Dark Arts, where students are kept away from the Sun for the duration of their stay.
In folklore, the Scholomance trains students to ride a dragon kept deep within the mountains, on which they will control the weather in a devious fashion. At the end of their stay, one student is chosen to ride the dragon. There’s a variety of ways that the Scholomance could be used in a Souls-like, from having players take on the role of an invading explorer set to rescue a particular student, or a student themselves attempting to escape. It’s easy to imagine the kinds of disfigured foes players could go up against in an ominous school run by the Devil.
3The Trojan War
Although the city of Troy is widely believed to have existed, thanks to the archeological site in Hisarlik, Turkey, any truth to the Trojan War is still debatable. However,the legendary Greek Mythand the awe-inspiring city of Troy could make a mesmerizing setting for any manner of Souls-like game.
The city of Troy was said to have been a major power and potentially large place, containing two major locations within its walls in the form of the Temple of Athena and the enormous palace of King Priam. Both the city streets and the expansive locations within would likely make evocative locations for any Souls-like game.
2Hell
There have beenmany depictions and iterations of Hellthroughout history, with plenty of variations on its dark, twisted environments in a variety of mythologies. However, many of them share the same premise that Hell is a horrific location full of nasty creatures and abominations.
RELATED:Tips For Speedrunning Dark Souls
Due to its grim, dark nature, Hell wouldn’t be out of place at all in a Souls-like game. “Lost Izalith” in the originalDark Soulsshares many similarities with Hell, including lava and fire, horrific creatures, and dark underground environments.
1Camelot
This mythical castle and the supposed location of King Arthur’s court and his Round Table is widely known as a fictional location, along with other Arthurian legends. Many great locations, characters, and foes in Arthurian legend would fit right in with other Souls-like games, but the famed city of Camelot is arguably the most iconic.
RELATED:Soulslike Games Tier List
It’s easy to imagine a city-focused narrative similar toBloodborne, with Camelot’s impressive stature and sprawling streets as the main location. Although Camelot was depicted as an almost utopian court for King Arthur, it wouldn’t take much to transform it into a grim-dark dystopia ravaged by mythological evils.
MORE:Things That Make Lies Of P One Of The Best Soulslikes
